Why are some 7800 games expensive?

[DhaemonX]

Getting a Atari 2600+ and wanted to buy some 7800 games but holy smokes. Games like DK Jr has a outrageous price on eBay (Canada).

 

Any idea why? 

 

[0078265317]

Cuz antiques are alwys expensive.  And you cant get them new so its rare-ish.

[+cvga]

The Atari 7800 didn't sell particularly well and Donkey Kong (and DKJ) is collectible making it more difficult to find.

[RockLobster]

The true price of any thing or service is EXACTLY what someone has paid for it at that moment in time.

 

Prior to the sale, it's all speculation based on previous sales of comparable or exact copy of that item or service.

 

After time pass, the value of the thing is up in the air.

[jhd]

I have been collecting games since the late-1980s, and I have literally only ever seen one Atari 7800 game  for sale -- Pole Position, the pack-in title. This was found in a dump bin at a used game store in Ottawa in about the mid-1990s.

 

I do not recall having ever seen the system new at retail in a Canadian store. Distribution in Canada was far from widespread. As noted, sales were never high. Therefore the supply of used games is going to be consequently very limited, leading to higher prices.

 

Quote

Canadian Collectors FAQ v.0.04beta

 

 

3) Atari 7800

Atari 7800 Hardware
- was sold here by Toyville and Toys 'R' Us, K-Mart, and Toy City

 

Atari 7800 Games NOT Sold in Canada (needs confirmation)
Alien Brigade
Barnyard Blaster
Basketbrawl
Commando
Crack'ed
Fatal Run
Ikari Warriors
Jinks
Kung Fu Master (Not sure about this)
Mat Mania Challenge
Mean 18 Ultimate Golf
Meltdown
Midnight Mutants
MotoPsycho
Ninja Golf
Planet Smashers
Rampage (Not sure about this)
Scrapyard Dog
Tank Command (Not sure about this)
Water Ski (Not sure about this)
Xenophobe

http://www.cgcc.ca/articles/view.php?article=Canadian Collectors FAQ

 

 

[CommodoreDecker]

Additionally, as the number of working units declines, what's left will become more valuable.  Granted, a chassis in pristine condition will fetch a lot of coin on its own, but the innards all have MTBFs - generally due to amount of use with the power on, rather than sitting in a closet unplugged as the components have a nice long half-life that will probably outlast dinosaur bones. Not surprising for dinosaur computers... except for capacitors, whose components dry out regardless and need to be replaced as early as a decade after their construction, and if you see wavy lines on the screen then you know the power going through the computer is dirty and that places more stress on the microchips and other components... Now ask how much a real dinosaur in pristine working condition costs - before the food budget kicks in. 🤪 Sorry, I had to digress...

[KainXavier]

You could always try Best Electronics, but they're based in the US, and you may want to do some research before placing your first order.  The company has been around for nearly 40 years, and based on what I've read, the owner is rather particular.  I just placed my first order there, and I'm worried I may have annoyed him. 😅 We'll see how it goes.

[King_Salamon]

I remember checking out the 7800 display unit (with Pole Position 2 in it) and giving it a go in the late 80's at my local K-Mart.  It had a few titles in the case and I remember picking up some 2600 games (Gremlins, Taz and Crystal Castles at that K-Mart).  I never pulled the trigger on the 7800 then but with the excitement of the NES at that time, it was slowly squeezed out of shelf space.

 

Thinking back, I don't think the Woolco or the Zellers had any 7800 stuff.  It was only K-Mart that had any 7800 goodies.  This was in Winnipeg.  It didn't sell well and came in third place behind the NES and Sega Master System.... way back in third place at that.  Mind you, it was hard to have sales when you don't have a store presence.

 

Now.. why are the games expensive?  Depends where you look, local people have an ET cart and think it's worth megabucks.  lol  It's worth what YOU are willing to pay for it.  The latest 2600+ will give these old carts a boost in prices, especially on Ebay.

[+davidcalgary29]

On 10/5/2023 at 8:42 AM, jhd said:

I have been collecting games since the late-1980s, and I have literally only ever seen one Atari 7800 game  for sale -- Pole Position, the pack-in title. This was found in a dump bin at a used game store in Ottawa in about the mid-1990s.

 

I do not recall having ever seen the system new at retail in a Canadian store. Distribution in Canada was far from widespread. As noted, sales were never high. Therefore the supply of used games is going to be consequently very limited, leading to higher prices.

 

http://www.cgcc.ca/articles/view.php?article=Canadian Collectors FAQ

 

 

I still spot the occasional 7800 cart at garage sales here in Alberta, which always surprises me, as the CV was dominant here. I’m guessing that the former owners got them in trades or lots and as oddball extra with whatever they were actually wanting.

[GraffitiTavern]

The collector's market is kind of weird, some games are more expensive than others based on reputation, rarity, etc. You can still find common games like Pole Position II for $10 or less, I think I got 7800 Hat Trick for ~$5. Overall since it wasn't as popular of a system there were just a lot less cartridges, and even then I heard it was more popular in Europe(and they use PAL). That Hat Trick game was the only 7800 title I could find in my city.