Entering into retro-gaming later in life without the rose-colored glasses of childhood allowed me to jump into retro gaming very practically. Construction had taught me how to build things inexpensively and where to spend money and where to save. The collector’s market has inflated the prices of full sets of original packaged games, but that doesn’t mean you can’t play retro games on a budget. You just have to be willing to make different decisions than collectors.
What collectors don’t want you to know is that you can get the same gaming experience for a fraction of what a collector would pay. A loose cartridge will work just as well as a cartridge in its original packaging. The only thing you are losing is cosmetic and collector value; nothing about the gameplay experience is diminished if you want to play retro games on a budget. You just have to understand that.
Understanding the value of games solely as a product to play versus a product to collect is the first step in playing retro games cheaply. Once you accept that, you then have to make smart choices when choosing what system to buy and which games to get for that system. As a budget gamer, you’re not going to get every title released for a system, but you can still pick and choose titles that you know you’ll enjoy playing. Instead of buying every Nintendo game ever made, you could just cherry pick the games that you want to play. Below are a few prices to illustrate the value of loose games versus complete games.
A loose Nintendo Entertainment System (“ NES ”) game will range from $5-$30 depending on the popularity of the title. A complete NES game will range from $60-$150. The popular game “Mario” for NES will cost you $25 loose and $130 complete. That’s a massive markup just for a box and manual.
Budget-friendly Retro Gaming Systems
System Price
SNES $80 – $150
NES $60 – $120
PlayStation $50 – $100
Mega Drive/ Genesis
N64 $100 – $200+
There is a huge price discrepancy for N64 games due to their popularity with collectors. Games for the PlayStation console are much cheaper because more were produced and sold.
Budget-friendly Retro Games
System Price
SNES games $5 (loose) $100+ (complete)
Genesis games $5-$20
N64 games $30-$50
PlayStation games $5-$20
Nintendo games will always be worth more compared to Sega and Sony games because Nintendo games are highly sought after by collectors.
How to Play Retro Games on a Budget
Here are 7 ways you can save money when playing retro games.
Don’t Buy a Complete Console
First and foremost, you should only buy a console if you plan on playing it. Sometimes people will buy the latest console because they want a “completionist” set of systems. If you do not plan on playing the system, do not buy it. A Nintendo Switch costs $300 new. You’re probably not going to spend another $300 to play games on your Switch. Instead, buy a console that you know you will enjoy playing on.
Buy Systems That Have Lots of Good Games
The best consoles to buy are consoles that have large libraries of quality games. Some people like to argue about which Nintendo console is the best, but objectively Nintendo has simply put out more quality games than any other company. As such Nintendo platforms are the best options for new or budget gamers. The Sega Genesis and Sony PlayStation also have large libraries of great games.
If money were no object you would buy them all, but you’re reading this because you want to save money. Buy the SNES and play Super Mario Kart. Buy a PlayStation and play Creator’s Tools or Final Fantasy VII. The point is that by narrowing your focus to the consoles with the best games, you’ll have the best library of games to play.
Buy Loose
The biggest advantage to buying retro games is that you can simply throw out the box and manual. A loose game will play just as good as a complete game. If you don’t care about the box and manual then buying games loose is the logical choice. By buying games loose you can save hundreds of dollars when playing retro games.
Look for Deals
This should go without saying, but you should only buy games when they’re cheap. Instead of browsing prices online, go browse your local thrift stores and garage sales. There’s plenty of garbage out there but you’ll be surprised at how many loose games you can find for a couple bucks. People accidentally list things on Craigslist all the time without knowing the value, so keep your eyes peeled for deals.
The best way to find deals is to never buy the moment you see a price you “like”. Buy games when the price is right, not when you want to. If you’re impatient and impulse buy games you will never save money. If you can wait for the right price to come along, you’ll find it. The best way to ensure you find a deal is to use price alerts and monitor online listings. Holidays and end of the year sales are always good times to buy as well. Learn to recognise deals and you’ll find them.
Another thing you can do to find deals is talk to local sellers. There are plenty of Facebook groups dedicated to buying and selling locally. If you post around and talk to people, you’ll start to develop relationships with local sellers. Local sellers are more likely to give you a discount if they know and trust you.
Emulate!
Emulation is without a doubt one of the cheapest ways to play retro games. Emulators are programs that allow you to play old games on modern computers or even phones. Emulators are free, so the only cost is however much you want to spend on a computer or phone. There’s even a Nintendo Switch subscription service called Nintendo Switch Online that allows you to play NES, SNES, Genesis, and N64 games for $20 a month. At around $10 a system, you can play nearly every game for extremely cheap.
The downside to emulation is that you aren’t getting the authentic experience. The games all run a little bit differently on emulators because you’re not playing on the original hardware. But if you’re looking to save money, this isn’t a bad option.
Purchase Games You’ll Actually Play
Instead of trying to purchase every title that was released for your favorite system, focus on only buying games that you will play. Nothing hurts budgets more than buying games you don’t end up playing. By buying only the games you will play, you’ll find yourself actually playing the games you bought.
An added benefit to this tip is that you’ll be more selective about what games you choose to buy. If all you’re buying are games you know you’ll play, you won’t waste money on games you have no interest in playing.
Research the games you want to buy. Look up videos in the depths of YouTube or Twitch. Read some user reviews and make sure the games live up to your expectations. Don’t blindly buy games.
Spread Out Your Gaming
Instead of collecting everything for the NES, you could buy one loose game from five different systems. By doing this you have a lot more variety in your gaming without spending thousands of dollars on a single system. Not only will you save money by doing this, but it also lets you mix up your gaming. Spending three hours on Super Mario World is fun but playing a multitude of games across various systems can keep things fresh.
Know Your Trap Games
“The Red Box” for NES is $100. Earthbound was $250 last time I checked. Both of these games are absolutely terrible examples of budget gaming. These are examples of “trap” games. Trap games are games that seem expensive but are priced that way due to their collectibility.
Nothing on this list is going to stop you from wasting your money but being aware of trap games will help you spend your money wisely. If you know that Stadium Events is overpriced, there’s no reason for you to buy it. Every system has “trap” games that are easy to avoid. Do your research.
Budget Examples
Below are some realistic retro gaming budgets based on various price points.
Scenario 1:
You are extremely cheap and only willing to spend $300 on retro games.
* Buy a PlayStation console ($80)
* Buy twenty loose games ($200)
You now have dozens of games to play on a system you’ll enjoy for only $280. Seriously this can be done.
Scenario 2:
You’re pretty cheap and will spend up to $500 on retro games.
* Buy an SNES console ($100)
* Buy fifteen loose SNES games ($200)
* Buy ten loose Genesis games ($150)
* Spend $50 on useless accessories.
Now you have a nice variety of games on two systems you’ll enjoy for only $400. Again this is an extreme example but it’s possible.
Scenario 3:
You’re willing to spend up to $1000 on retro games.
* Buy multiple systems
* Buy a variety of games
* Make sure to purchase all the cables and adapters you’ll need
* If you have money left over maybe grab one or two complete games as collector’s items.
You can build a great retro gaming library for $1000. You’ll have all the games you want and won’t have to worry about the prices of individual games getting you. You’ll have systems galore and you’ll never have to worry about running out of games to play.
Scenario 4:
You’re rich and can spend $2000+
* Buy all the games you’ve ever wanted
* Buy original copies of consoles in nice condition
* Buy all the cables and adapters you’ll need
* Buy all sorts of fun bonus items to display your consoles
You’re rich. Seriously spend as much or as little money as you want. I like budgets of $500 because I feel you get the best of both worlds. You have enough money to buy a lot of games but not so much that you’ll frivolously waste money on gimmicks.
Cheque
Cheque it. Retro games do not have to be expensive. The experience you get from playing a retro game on a console you own is no different than buying the game new. Yes the collector’s market is a huge scam that inflated the prices of these games, but that doesn’t mean you have to participate. You can still play all the games you want. They’ll just probably be loose with ripped manuals.
You’ll never get “a true vintage gaming experience” buying games new in 2021, so don’t listen to collector trying to sell you bag and boxes. Games should be cheap because they’re meant to be played, not collected and forgotten about.
Save your money and play games instead.
Timothy discovered retro gaming at forty and never looked back. A construction foreman by day and collector by night, he writes from a fresh, nostalgia-free angle—exploring classic games with adult curiosity, honest takes, and zero childhood bias.
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