The Official "Thrift finds" Thread

[fakecortex]

4 hours ago, Tanooki said:

@fakecortex Because they're cheap metals, badly sized, cheap CCP shit bluntly put.  You're far better off by locating some other fools dumped original OEM connector since they 'refreshed' theirs with death grip too and just doing the pull and boil.  That'll solve it because what you have there will only get worse from scratching death grip to loose and sucky.  The thing is that grip can eventually scratch up the carts potentially, but also it can hook them and rip a pin out from use because they're just sloppy.

Good to know. Glad I haven't been using that nes then. I had high hopes when I put a new connector in, but I was unsatisfied with the "death grip" (lol), and feared it would damage my carts.

[Tanooki]

2 hours ago, fakecortex said:

Good to know. Glad I haven't been using that nes then. I had high hopes when I put a new connector in, but I was unsatisfied with the "death grip" (lol), and feared it would damage my carts.

I've seen a rare level of horror stories of cart damage, usually the same as some tool using sandpaper or brasso and a very heavy hand on your pins as their first go to, not as a later/last resort when you know the rest is fine.  Mostly it's the pin failing because it grips so hard it prolapses itself having a game pulled out pulling the pins with it in the wrong direction.  Or they rapidly go from death grip to the equal of a hot dog down a hallway leaving you with nothing working again.

 

It's just better to find an old one some twit felt was dead and just repairing it, it'll last years and years longer.

 

 

Back on that NES I dug up.  I hit game exchange, they had a new mono av cable and an oem NES ac adapter too for a price that wasn't worse than the paid rates online, so now it's a full setup.  And oddly the inside was very very clean, just the outside wasn't cared for but a few paper towels and a 1" cube or so worth of magic eraser got it looking like new again, same on the controllers.  I'm not one to hoard consoles but it's almost a shame to sell the thing, may just keep it as a backup to my nice one in the action set box since it's far easier to pull out.

 

Also found this nice .59 cent cable that sadly backfired and didn't work on my tv.  The TCL/Roku had this idiotic A/V cable port that looks like a phones jack, and this had the phones on one end, female RCA on the other, didn't work, just buzzed.  I'm going to look into what needs to go in there that's annoying.  Also for $10 found a vintage bootleg (from a wide known master level peddler called FX) of the full run of Trigun in english and japanese on 3 DVDs.  I've got a couple of their sets already with Saber Marionette J/Again and Gundam Wing too so it's a win.

Edited January 28 by Tanooki

[Yakumo1975]

Another addition to the PC Engine CD collection.

Avenger from Telenet. As with most Telenet games, this is average at best. But it was the first shooter on the CD format

.

[Tanooki]

It was around 3 years ago or so I last came across one of these, posted it too, a Tiger Quiz Wiz and that one was damaged and had to do some work on the internals with a soldering iron and cleaning contacts of rot as best as possible to get it going.  $10 and I got another days ago, this time it came with just 4 carts and books, the pack-in of course, but the others I find are really solid ones compared to the previous.  Ripley's Believe it or Not?, All About Space, and World Book Encyclopedia Animals.  I've yet to really sanitize it yet or give it a go, but it's quite clean and some former kid kept it in an old pencil box so it didn't hit the ravages of time (and no batteries left to eat it inside either.)  Since I know this one works right, kind of tempted to give it some attention.

[DragonGrafx-16]

2 hours ago, Yakumo1975 said:

Another addition to the PC Engine CD collection.

Avenger from Telenet. As with most Telenet games, this is average at best. But it was the first shooter on the CD format

.

Nice! I wish the soundtrack wasn't General MIDI but it was common for CD soundtracks back then. But for GM/rompler soundtracks it's not bad as I've heard much worse.

[fakecortex]

10 hours ago, Tanooki said:

It was around 3 years ago or so I last came across one of these, posted it too, a Tiger Quiz Wiz and that one was damaged and had to do some work on the internals with a soldering iron and cleaning contacts of rot as best as possible to get it going.  $10 and I got another days ago, this time it came with just 4 carts and books, the pack-in of course, but the others I find are really solid ones compared to the previous.  Ripley's Believe it or Not?, All About Space, and World Book Encyclopedia Animals.  I've yet to really sanitize it yet or give it a go, but it's quite clean and some former kid kept it in an old pencil box so it didn't hit the ravages of time (and no batteries left to eat it inside either.)  Since I know this one works right, kind of tempted to give it some attention.

I have a Star Wars Quiz Wiz, which is cute to play. Unfortunately, the sound is busted. The funny thing about playing is once in a while you'll answer something you absolutely know and it'll light up wrong and you raise an eyebrow. Then you enter the question number in again and answer to find you were right all along haha.

[Tanooki]

9 hours ago, fakecortex said:

I have a Star Wars Quiz Wiz, which is cute to play. Unfortunately, the sound is busted. The funny thing about playing is once in a while you'll answer something you absolutely know and it'll light up wrong and you raise an eyebrow. Then you enter the question number in again and answer to find you were right all along haha.

That's just weird.  I don't intend to do a lot with it cart wise, think I'll hold onto it and just see what happens over time here or there.  I would like to get the 3 gamer ones, there's amazing video games, computers & games, and nintendo trivia(really love to test myself on this one.)  I did test it a little on the ripley's cart and default, it definitely is in 100% working order.  I'd argue the Ripley's one is probably one of the more interesting considering all the weirdness, odd history, occult and screwball stuff that world has covered for decades.

[+GoldenWheels]

On 2/10/2024 at 11:41 PM, Yakumo1975 said:

Another addition to the PC Engine CD collection.

Avenger from Telenet. As with most Telenet games, this is average at best. But it was the first shooter on the CD format

.

I think an average shooter on PCE means it is pretty good! Avenger has always hit just right with me. I enjoy the gunsmoke style aiming, the power up choices, and the tunes.

[mediocre_jane]

On 2/10/2024 at 9:41 PM, Yakumo1975 said:

Another addition to the PC Engine CD collection.

Avenger from Telenet. As with most Telenet games, this is average at best. But it was the first shooter on the CD format

.

That's sick

[+neogeo1982]

Old 16 game wallet. Like new. I think it was $10. Good for all my Dreamcast games I keep accumulating 🫣

[Tanooki]

Been awhile and no no images, but I've got an update too.

 

My friend who is in taiwan sent the other part of my package in the mail.  I received the Taiwanese bootleg of the MegaDrive Tetris that never made it out, and no, it's not identical to the Gen Mini release.  Also in that package came Queen Be V from Nitra, it's a bootleg of Insector X on famicom. Also for Famicom was his business most famous release, complete in box (and signed) Hungry Ghost Night (you should look it up.)  Also surprisingly a chinese Tetris mcnugget handheld was in the box too which is awesome.

 

Then today I was able to recover my loss of a Supaboy not the S this time but a black gold for notably less than the online rate, also was able to get a clean copy of genesis games of Shinobi III and World of Illusion.

[Jess Ragan]

Maaaan, thrifting sucks these days! I went out to Sierra Vista today, and you know what I found? Paper envelopes for CDs and DVDs. Whoo freaking hoo. What the heck happened to the video games? I thought the collecting bubble finally burst, but you wouldn't know it from looking!

[cybercylon]

24 minutes ago, Jess Ragan said:

Maaaan, thrifting sucks these days! I went out to Sierra Vista today, and you know what I found? Paper envelopes for CDs and DVDs. Whoo freaking hoo. What the heck happened to the video games? I thought the collecting bubble finally burst, but you wouldn't know it from looking!

Depending on where you are and what thrifts you have available, gaming related items may be pulled aside... by employees, auction sites (shopgoodwill), etc. Our area Goodwills frequently put gaming stuff on their auction site, and only crappy things like old sports titles make it to the stores. Yet, people still seem to find things at a Goodwill in another state or area of the country (as evidenced on YouTube).

 

Are people donating as much anymore as well? Our local mom and pop places seem to be getting big hauls of people's collections in the last couple of years.

[Tanooki]

Well gaming out of the picture, just looking at the usual stuff I've noticed a sharp decline since the virus and since the asinine free money handouts dried up along with the bidenflation going on where far less goods are showing up at thrifts.  At least the type of stuff people want, not NEED.  NEEDS would be clothes, appliances, cookware and utensils, shoes, etc.  Those are plentiful as ever, and some electronics like out of date TVs are pretty much an easy grab (LCDs, not CRTs) as are kids toys, over made/sold collectibles no one wants, and various other home goods type stuff.  But when it comes to entertainment stuff outside of a wall of DVDs and BRs, it's far far more lean.  My area does NOT put from goodwill the stuff on that trashy website of theirs, but there just isn't much.  What is coming in commonly is priced by the troll in the rear by using ebay ask (not always sold) prices which means it sits for weeks, even longer, until someone overpays or it goes to the crusher because they'd rather smash it than give it away despite getting it free.  Non-donation second hand isn't much better.  The stuff that comes in is less, the quality is usually VGPC level priced, sometimes worse, some rarer times a bit less if the shop feels they'd sit on it.

 

Where I used to be able to make a round of a couple stores 5days a week and a round of a few other out of the way once a week I'd always come back with anything from 1-5 games, toys, electronics, other 'good' things people desire to play/watch I'm lucky to get one now, at least where the price wasn't bullshit I'd walk away from.

[Tanooki]

I got tipped off to this little gem of an early Genesis release yesterday before I had to head out to work, friend sent me an image knowing I was going that way.  I can not remember the last time I've ever seen or touched a complete game for the system in such nearly perfect shape, the true only wear is a little bit of whiting on the bottom left rear corner of the art.  If it weren't for that it would seem to be just unwrapped.  Even the Hint Book is unused (I think) as you can't crack it open much before it fights back against it as the spine is tight, even flapping the pages has that new old game book/manual smell stuck in there decades later.  Been wanting to take a crack at this one given the odd setup it has with the added help of the guide.  Sword of Vermilion maybe an older title, a weird mix of 2 zelda styles of the 8bit era and JRPG stuff, but it seems fairly well regarded for not failing at that either.

 

[alt]

On 2/17/2024 at 1:01 PM, neogeo1982 said:

Old 16 game wallet. Like new. I think it was $10. Good for all my Dreamcast games I keep accumulating 🫣

This is you

 

[Tanooki]

Had an interesting day today.  My kid gifted me something she drew freehand and then painted... Pikachu!  It's over my desk now.

 

Went out a bit today, had a limited time, but went into this goodwill and shockingly saw this stuff and combined was $10 ($5 were in the plastic case, the case was mine the contents were in a zip bag.)  The mini pops are the 2021 funko pop pokemon adveent calendar contents which was interesting.  What's a surprise, the Revolutionary Girl Utena case, it's a sushi/snack case for $3.  The top pops off to show 2 black chopsticks, the bottom is red and pops off for a little plate/tray, and the middle opens to space that has a spacer you can place along it or pop out...and those 3 mystery keychain things were in there I can not identify at all.  Then frogger was just $2...had 3 new AAs inside so that's a win either way, but yeah it works, and oddly fun.

[Maztr_0n]

the only thrift store find i ever found all that special was recently when i found an empty gamecube case for "Eternal Darkness" i got it for free since it didnt have the disc in it, i mean sure its not the most valuable thing but for 2023-2024, i'd say this is a steal for the ages!

[Tanooki]

I had a stroke of dumb luck yesterday after having to go pick up a license plate near to the further away half price, saw this carrier in the glass case marked at $80.  I knew it likely at least had the system in there, 99% it wouldn't work, so when I got someone I decided to play into that and got them to test it because upon opening (not the paper yet) saw what was there.  They had one spare game for sale I didn't get MK1 to test it by.  White lines, zero audio, did power up, so I asked about it being for parts as I really  (true) just wanted the carrier.  They took it back, checked it, then found batteries, checked it again...black screen or lines.  I got it for $40.

 

That evening late after job2 I did a little poking about.  Cracked it open, saw a few sketchy spots but no oozing fish sauce from the caps either but they're done.  I reflowed any that looked suspect and it did have a minor effect...confirmed to work.  Audio board to speaker is fried, but headphones to my unpowered pc speakers worked -- win.  Then the reflow on the mains, I got picture, barely, have to hold it facing away from me at an 80deg angle to see it, but game popped right up albeit even there a bit dim, and it worked.

 

I've been wanting a cheap to free 2nd GG to use...as a mod subject and now I have it.  VA1 board in there in good shape caps aside, so I'll end up getting a BennVenn panel for the thing and a cap kit and this will sparkle like it never has before.

 

The fun stuff was the paperwork though, multiple posters, 3 different eras.  Even the manuals for the accessories are there, extra warranty cards, sega visions etc.  I took pics of the posters to check out later they're kind of nice, at least one of the multiples were brand new very tight and clean as decades allow.

 

Oh also I did sorta test the battery, it was so flat it was 0% to where it looked done, charged it overnight and it worked, retained a charge, and didn't pop off after 5min either so I'm not sure what the life is but it's not garbage thankfully so that's a bonus.

 

I've attached the bundle and the unedited images if anyone is into those posters.

 

[fakecortex]

I got that bundle when I was a kid! (It's actually sitting next to my couch right now hahaha.) I love those inserts and all the details. I would always want the tv tuner and battery pack (so I could fill the empty spaces in the case, hahaha). It wasn't until the mid 2000s that I finally scored a tuner for cheap at a con. Wasn't long before it became useless with the switch to digital, lol. But since it essentially makes the GG a monitor, I was able to do some fancy hookup work and play NES on it. I always loved the master system converter. It was such an easy sell to my mom, "It allows me to play all the other games I already have!" (But on a smaller screen on road trips!)

[Tanooki]

@fakecortex I could see that.  There is the yearly arcade/console/etc con coming to town here in 7 days.  I intend to take a bit of cash with me to see what the vendors have, this year I can only make it the first say so it won't be picked over.  There are a few yearly traveling(and one local greasy) clown who go over ebay but there are also locals/semi-locals who bring stuff under rate and I enjoy the browsing.  I'd grab the tuner if I saw one if the price was right.  I mean it's clunky but there were those old rabbit ear/digital converter boxes which would be cute to try and rig up for laughs.  I could see doing a master converter but I can't find games for that around here but rarely, except one store that in the last few years has gone from 7 to 1 store because they have obscene prices too which infuriated the knowing locals into walking away...they don't learn.   They have a lot of SMS games loose and complete and well it's a nice museum at least.  The thing is, I have everdrives, so I can run SMS stuff using a GG one or a Genesis one too so...no loss, not like Sega was getting paid either way.  I just ordered a BennVenn kit and along with a cap pack intend to make this thing live once more in fine form.

[Tanooki]

It has been aside from recently getting Gyruss w/manual just around the corner here for NES been since fall last year since I had a stroke of luck with NES stuff.  Around a week ago a local sports/games/toys collectible shop got a quite large collection of largely NES games but other systems too, forgot about it until I rolled in today just by luck when they came off hold...case loaded and alphabetized too.  Bumped into a local friend too and we were just like wow on this one.  I did a bit of digging, and I paid somewhat up on these, not ebay bad, yet for what it is I can not complain.   Two of the games here I never had before, one I had and it was broken a year ago (age, abuse, both?) and the other two I have had in the past.  Cost me 118 taxed on these and I care not.  I've never actually really had but in passing but never played Startropics, nor have I ever had Batman Returns either and both I've wanted, Laser Invasion was a fried HBP title I returned last year, and the other two I've had before Kickle Cubicle which I never got deep into and same can be said by the shockingly wasn't censored to death Monster Party.

 

I wasn't going to snap up Startropics at first, but opening the box to see a pristine game, manual and peeking out of it the letter with the secret message you expose with water inside sealed the deal.  I've touched the lot of them a bit today after a good cleaning, but StarTropics I pushed up into Chapter 3 already and while a little stiff and a little confusing at points (like trying to not die in the dark ...ugh) it's very good.  Batman Returns so far I think is quite good, SNES one is kinda sucky play wise compared to this one.

 

 

[fakecortex]

^ Nice find on Star Tropics! Great game. I grew up with Monster Party & Kickle Cubicle. MP is cool but hard, and my copy never worked with Game Genie (apparently a known issue), but I gotta try it out again on my Everdrive, ha. KC is a lot of fun that I beat bitd and still holds up.

[Tanooki]

@fakecortex I thought so too, questioning it slightly now.  I can 100% see why it was not considered a hidden/gem and why the franchise never left the NES either.  It's largely good, but it has some real design flaws in relation to how you can move and attack vs how the enemies the game puts up to you in the back half of CH3.  Suddenly you're still stuck going only four directions, and you have that slow pause before a jump...but now enemies can move faster than you, they can charge at diagonals you can't do, and projectiles can move in a 360 direction line of sight.  You couple that with the jumping mechanics and the lack of a way to attack around without having a few sub weapons of short range and you get a lot of unavoidable hits.  EVen going into the 2nd dungeon first room you can get unavoidable hits right off too.  It's not a bad game, but it's not a gem or great either...it's really good and flawed, a good case for temporary use of a game genie if there ever was.  That magma dungeon is a decent length, lacks checkpoints if you eat it, and what I said about the weird new incoming attack vs clunky movement problems.  Basically it tries to handle itself much like Zelda, but lacks the even playing field with combat and definitely response which is a shame.

 

I need to put more time on KC, MP I'm still trying to clear the 2nd stage, it's just LONG... I got through barely the fried foods boss but ran out of life and got whacked with a cheap hit a few minutes out from that. :\  Batman I took a bit further earlier up into most of the stage 2 sections.  I really need to read a manual on that, the faq is lacking and NES people have such a boner for it all the manuals these days are online unlike most consoles.

[Reaperman]

My first thrift store Dart Zone find. For the last 5 years, Nerf blasters have consistently come up well short of their Dart Zone competition, so I'm a bit surprised it's taken this long for them to trickle out to the thrift shops.

Today's find is a $4 Dart Zone Max Dictator, which is a half-dart blaster with a weird, stock-feeding magazine system. (video going over the mechanism) The cats clearly love chasing after the darts, but as with many other Dart Zone Max/Pro blasters, it shoots a bit hard for inside--and unlike some other DZ blasters there's no easy way to drop that velocity without taking the whole thing apart.

If you see Dart Zone MAX/Pro or their walmart-branded 'Adventure Force Pro' options at the thrift shop go for them. They hit a bit hard for the kids, at fully twice Nerf's 'elite dart' standard of 75fps (these days nerf's more like 65-67 tbh...).
 

Edited March 30 by Reaperman