HoshiChiri

Thank you CaptainBreakout for the reminder- it snuck up on me this year, but I'm definitely in! I love this! I actually put in a request to not get shirts nowadays- while the I one I did get a few years back fit, my size is one nobody seems to agree on! So it's actually really hard to buy online & get right- prefer not to put others through that!

7. Shingata Kururin Pa! (Saturn) I picked up the first game in this import series on a whim at a local shop, & was happy enough with it to grab this sequel. It's an unusual (and rather hard!) puzzle game that has you stringing together bombs & fuses, then lighting it all when a flame comes along. The garbage blocks are snowmen, & everything has adorable lil' facial animations (the bombs cry, nod, sleep, etc.) And the snowmen often pop up with a cheerful 'konichiwa!' Each character gets a special block that does something unqiue- but that's one of the only parts that's in Japanese, so I don't know what they all do. If you've the means to play import Saturn or PS1 games, & you like the puzzle genre- give it a try! It's not very expensive & super import friendly. (Although the sequel here isn't easy to come by- this copy I got is one of two listed on Ebay in the last few months.)

6. Taiko no Tatsujin: Chibi Dragon to Fushigi no Orb (3DS) Been on a bit of an import kick since getting that PS2 stuff last Secret Santa ? Decided to import a 3DS for rythmn games (and becuase I learned of the cat-covered Palico LL model.) This was so. Frickin'. CUTE! I really enjoyed it! Strongly hammered home that I can read simple Japanese (basically just kana), but lack the vocabulary to understand much. Luckily it's not super nessecary here. Very much need to pickup the Switch release of the sequels!

This- both of those games are common in bundle deals (R&C at Gamestop, Demon's Souls at Fry's). People dumping bundled games+lack of buyers due to system scarcity= cheap prices. If you look into less bundled games, even ones that go on sale, the numbers/condition are more normal. But thanks for the tip on how to get Ratchet & Clank cheap!?

I think, since the 3DS is the only region-locked handheld, that the import end of things isn't feeling the pinch. I recently ordered a Japanese system- LL model (the Monster Hunter palico system) with charger, memory card & case, for just over $100 shipped. Means I'll have 3 of the things- I was thinking about modding my old midnight purple one for imports, but looking more into it the only real benefit would be saving money- and I didn't want to risk bricking it by doing the mod wrong. Plus, this way I get one with cats on it! ?

I don't actually own Showdown in 2100 AD, if it's not claimed...

Oh God, I'm as old as Thunder Force? Just give me a cane so I can shake it at the kids on my lawn... I'm inclined to bring up Klonoa, which hasn't had any action since 2008- but it's kind of an odd one, I don't feel like it ever really took off enough for the pause to be odd. I feel more like the number of games for such an obscure series is what's odd! Someone at Namco must've really liked him... And while Lunar is one of my favorites, we all know if another one comes out it's just gonna be a new take on Sliver Star again!

Honestly, this hubbub has ironically made me want a graded game more! Y'know, so in 10 years when my niece asks why that one game is in a big plastic slab, I can tell her the tale of the scam artists who got the world to think a commonplace game was worth millions. ? Not paying current prices though- maybe if the bubble bursts hard enough I can get something cheap after the fact. Nah- LRG's a lot more transparent. They tell you how many are made, or if it's an open preorder. They told us when Best Buy joined up to carry some of their releases. Most importantly- they make it clear they don't retain any rights to anything they print, so devs can absolutely do a proper retail release later. And they have- most famously Streets of Rage 4, when the retail release was announced the day after LRG's pre-orders closed. People were not happy- but they let you cancel your order if you wanted the retail version instead. Limited Run is more like any other specialty collector-market publisher... the price-gouging is something we do to each other, they don't profit from it (directly anyway.)

It is a homebrew designed to replicate what the game could have been! The programmer (John Riggs) actually named it Yeah Yeah Beebiss 2, on the off chance the original exists & gets discovered. Technically it's an NES game, this is a port.

That one was funny- I'd already looked over the table, picked out a couple things, & was handing the guy the money when I saw that. Immediately retracted the money (causing confusion), picked it up- "this too!" And got out more money. ? I don't track the prices on all the games I'm interested in, but there's definitely some where price has outstripped interest (I don't want to spend $150 on a Neo Geo Pocket game!) I'm having fun with the famicom games, becuase I get to shop like my sister does for retro games- based entirely on cover art! Always a bummer when I get a text-heavy game I can't really play, but fun when I stumbled into something decent. I didn't realize I'd grabbed Legend of Kage until I tested the cart, for example!

5. Ontamarama (DS) Utter impulse buy at the local retro show. I just assumed when I picked it up it was a puzzle game, but the back said it was a rythmn game- and I love rythmn games! This one is... not great. The touch/button playstyle is clunky & the songs are super generic. Do I regret buying it? Maybe a little- it was straight up sealed when I got it, so I pretty much devalued it immediately... thing is, I can only see 5 copies for sale on Ebay right now. So at least it's one of those obscure things where price isn't a huge concern.

Not a thrift find- but the first retro show in my area in two years! Intended to just go crazy, but still only spent about half of what I brought... guess it's hard to justify some prices, even if I can afford them.

Not sure it's properly obscure, but Odama on Gamecube is very unique. Not excactly good, but unqiue- I certainly can't name any other tactics/pinball cross genre games, let alone one with voice commands. An old favorite I've never seen anyone talk about is Cyborg Justice. I haven't played it in years, it may not hold up, but you get to customize your robot fighter. That's not the interesting thing though. What's neat is, you customize on the go- as in, you literally rip parts off of the robots you're fighting & attach them to yourself. And they can do the same to you! And in multiplayer you do it to each other! Playing through a stage constantly ripping the flamethrower arm off each other while pummeling any baddies who try & take it is certainly a different way to fight over powerups!

I recently moved so my main source has been replaced by a notably inferior Goodwill- although they did finally get media back in, & I found a copy of Brink amongst the dvds! I didn't buy it, but it gives me hope. I didn't buy this either, but it made me damn happy to see so I might as well share! (No, Teddy was not around.)

My copy of Cosmic Fantasy 2 (my only truly complete Turbo CD game!) For what it's worth- it does look a little like the residue from my old bottle of Gamestop Disc Skip Fix. If it was, it would wipe off with a mild cleaner (I use furniture polish.) If it's not coming off though- definitely a concern!

Sadly, most Seattle area events are still shut down for covid concerns- and honestly, our retro shows are pretty small given how many game stores we have around here! But! Renton City Retro is currently planning to move forward this year, with the event scheduled on August 14th. Their website is out of date (the guy who runs it is on vacation, I guess?) You should be able to buy passes at the door, but here's the eventbrite link they're using right now: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/renton-city-retro-tickets-162196864187 And their Facebook page, which is updating: https://m.facebook.com/RentonCityRetro/

Despite my best efforts, I couldn't get this old 360 to run discs. Drives are cheap, but since they're locked to the motherboard, a swap would require removing the daughter board from the bad drive & soldering it into the new one- something I have neither the skills or equipment to do. I did take a photo of the drive's label for model matching. You get the console in good cosmetic condition- currently still partially disassembled since getting the casing off is a PAIN- but I'll fully reassemble upon request. Console only- but I do have a spare wifi dongle & composite cord (not pictured) I'll include on request as well. Non HDMI model. No power cable, controller, or hard drive. You pay shipping- will ship in a 16.5x12x6" box, about 8 pounds, from zip code 98422. Local pickup can be arranged in the Federal Way/Northeast Tacoma area of Washington state (obviously no shipping to pay for local pickup.) DM me if interested!

I found a good deal for a console-only replacement 360, so that's the plan now. If anyone with solder ability wants a free work needed 360, go check the freebie forum for an incoming post!

So, I found an old 360 at my fiance's place, and a random spare kinect. I thought "hey, what if I set that up in the fitness/rec room/office by the switch? Kinect games are a good workout, & there's space." So I ordered in the missing cables to hook it up- disc tray won't eject. Try some cleaning tips- nothing. Got some white lithium grease, opened it, cleaned it, greased the gears- alright, that's working! But it won't read discs. Try adjusting the laser, nothing. Take a late trip to buy a multimeter to really dial in those adjustments- nada. I'm really at a loss here- I have the left pot set at 2.82 (& dare not go lower), & the right one at 802 (I've read it should be over 885, but I can't get it to go any higher). Are my numbers that off? Or is the laser just that dead- it's possible, it's an old enough unit to not have hdmi on it. Replacement drives aren't terribly expensive, but I have no idea how to find/remarry the drive to the motherboard (and I can’t solder to bring the daughter board over.) I'm hoping someone's got an idea, or sadly this poor thing is bound for a junk yard ?

I fixed the USB door on my 360. It quit springing back ages ago- if I flicked it just right, it would look shut, but it was a pain to do that every time I used the ports. Found a YouTube video showing how to re-secure the spring with just a twist tie. Easy peasy, looks SO much better now!

(Not 100% sure this topic is considered appropriate, so feel free to lock/delete if it's not.) So, I've been considering picking up some Japanese 3DS games lately- which also means importing a console since the system's region locked. Thing is, I already have 2 3DSes (upgraded my original to a New 3DS XL). I was doing some research, & learned of a program called Luma 3DS that effectively 'jailbreaks' the system, allowing homebrew software & region free gameplay while retaining all original function. It's also apparently pretty convoluted, & the stuff I can find on it goes technical pretty quick. I don't really deal with this kind of thing EVER, so I don't follow the jargon well... anybody ever install this? How is it? My main concerns are (obviously)the stability running Japanese carts on a technically US system, and if it'll run translation patches with physical carts (being able to read some of the RPGs would open up my import options a lot.)

Notoriety. As a general concept, I have no issues with new releases of 3DO games- but the simple truth is, it didn't have much market presence & most people don't know its library. Plumbers Don't Wear Ties got AVGN coverage, so people have heard of it. "Oh, it's that terrible game! I should buy it, it'll be so funny!" Unless retro media makers suddenly start talking about the 3DO, I'm not sure there's enough profit potential to warrant anything beyond maybe an Evercade cart (assuming they can get the games to run on it.)

Officially got mine two days ago! Finished Astro's Playroom- that is a wonderful lil' pack in, & I'll have to go back & hunt down all the artifacts. Currently playing Sackboy's Big Adventure, also have Scarlet Nexus & Yakuza: Like A Dragon. What's the deal with HDMI Direct Link? I don't fully understand what it is/does, aside from I had to turn it off to keep the system from turning itself on... is that all, or does it do something else?