The Official Price Guide To Video Games

[Albert]

Video game enthusiast David Ellis' new book, The Official Price Guide To Video Games, has seen its official release today and is now available for purchase. Covering just about every video arcade, handheld, and console video game released between 1971 and 1984, the book includes a price guide as well as information and advice on all aspects of collecting (such as where to buy, how to determine value, and even basic arcade game restoration and repair). This book promises to be one of the most comprehensive mainstream guides to classic video game collecting ever released. You can purchase your copy over at Amazon.com.

[sku_u]

I just picked one up. For 11.87 the price is definitely right.

[ubersaurus]

I prefer the DP Guide. And I'm not just saying that because I worked on a part of it

[StanJr]

While I appreciate the time and effort it takes to tackle a project such as this, I just don't understand the need for it. With something like classic games, a price is a pretty hard thing to tag on some things.

 

I just think the "video game market" is too inconsistent to really warrant, or enable, an accurate guide. Plus, it gives every two-bit flea marketeer and secondary seller a questionable reference for what is valuable. Wizard magazine KILLED the comic book back issue market. I'd hate to see classic games go the same way.

[rolenta]

I just ordered mine from Amazon. While on Amazon, I found (and ordered) this other price guide. Does anyone know anything about it?

 

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detai...g=UTF8&v=glance

[Ze_ro]

No offense, but I think calling this "The Official Price Guide to Video Games" is awfully misleading... "Official" is just the name of the publisher as far as I can tell. Other than that, there's nothing "official" about it.

 

--Zero

[dellis]

Yes, you are correct. The publisher (House of Collectibles/Random House) has a trademark on "Official" with regard to their price guide line. So, all of their price guides are the "Official" price guides. I got to write what I wanted to write in the book, but they picked the title.

[dellis]

Honestly, my primary reason for writing the book was so that I could contribute something to the classic gaming community. I've been into video games since I first laid my hands on a Pong machine at the local bowling alley, and I've been actively collecting games (arcade games, primarily) since 1998.

 

I have learned a lot about the hobby over the years, and I've always appreciated the people who "give back" to the community by creating homebrew games, managing sites like AtariAge, and so on. I'm no programmer--I'm a writer. So I figured the best contribution I could make was to compile all of the things I've learned over the years and write a book.

 

There's a lot more than just prices in the book. Much of it is classic game history and collecting advice--stuff I had to learn through years of research and the school of hard knocks. For what it's worth, I state many times in the book that the prices are subjective, and that collectors shouldn't expect to be able to wield the guide as a weapon when negotiating game prices.

 

Anyway, that's what it's all about. I hope you'll give it a read. I think you'll enjoy it.

[AtariKee]

The arcade collector community will bash this book to kingdom come, as they did a similar book a few years back. Do a Google groups search in rec.games.video.arcade.collecting for "price guide" to see what I mean. I'm willing to bet that they've already started in on this book.

 

Just warning you that none of the hardcore collectors price their collection based on a book, and will give your book treatment akin to bounded toilet paper.

[Curt Vendel]

The arcade collector community will bash this book to kingdom come, as they did a similar book a few years back. Do a Google groups search in rec.games.video.arcade.collecting for "price guide" to see what I mean. I'm willing to bet that they've already started in on this book.

 

Just warning you that none of the hardcore collectors price their collection based on a book, and will give your book treatment akin to bounded toilet paper.

 

From the website, it sounds more like the book is mistitled... Its more then just a price guide as it supposed to also talk about other area's.

 

What is this book more dominantly written about?

 

Is it projects, collecting or price range recommendations or a balance across the board?

 

 

 

Curt

[+bfstats]

The "idea" of producing a comprehensive reference is not harmful or misleading to those interested, provided its objective material is factual and its subjective material is labeled as such. Perhaps the community would be best served if its members would read the book before voicing any opinion about it.

[dellis]

From the website, it sounds more like the book is mistitled... Its more then just a price guide as it supposed to also talk about other area's.

 

What is this book more dominantly written about?

 

Is it projects, collecting or price range recommendations or a balance across the board?

 

The title is somewhat misleading. House of Collectibles publishes price guides, so the book was published as a "price guide." It's really a collector's guide--meaning that the primary focus is on teaching people the basics of collecting: industry/game history, what to look for, where to look for it, and so on. The bulk of the book is dedicated to the hobby of classic game collecting. It is a LOT different than the book that AtariKee is describing, which was just a picture book with prices.

 

I make it a point to repeatedly say that prices are subject to change and very subjective, and that the prices in the guide are based on the price trends during the time I was researching prices. I used a wide variety of sources, including direct input from a lot of the collectors who frequent AtariAge.

 

[Lemmi]

how many pages is it?

[dellis]

It's 496 pages (I'm pretty sure that's the count...)

[christianscott27]

if i get another barnes and noble giftcard for xmas i'm all over this book! i love backstories and trivia. as for a price guide, blah billy galaxy did the same thing in a similar looking book, it didnt change collecting values much either. i'll take the book for the info and not worry about the money values, i buy my games from people too lazy to even check ebay. its not that i dont have any use for price guides, i keep my digital press guides handy for trading purposes. i use DP since it covers all platforms, that makes it easy to value out a trade involving say dreamcast and colecovision games. i might not agree with every price but at least its an impartial source for that sorta stuff.

 

as for the arcade newsgroups trashing it, well of course they will, that community is one of the ornreiest groups i have ever lurked in. its weird how they are so different from the console collectors, consoles= nerds who like computers. arcade= dudes who paint flames on their cars.

[video game addict]

arcade= dudes who paint flames on their cars

 

Not always flames..

[video game addict]

Oh forgot to add I just bought one!

[RangerG]

I bought the book via Amazon and I saw it today at Borders. It is nice to see that David Ellis posted here. I have the DP guide, the Video Game Bible, and now the Official guide. IMO the DP guide is for hardcore gamers/collectors and this book is more aimed at a general audience interested in relieving some memories or maybe getting an arcade machine. Some good points: really clear, concise, high-quality writing coupled with a nice book layout and a top-notch product cover, photo pages, etc. Some points to improve (in my opinion): I don't like the homebrews all in with the original 80s releases. There are and will be many homebrews and I think keeping up with them all will be difficult and counter-productive (what about hacks, etc. or Hozer labels). Keep it to actual releases and prototypes and really detail these nostalgic games, then maybe include a section of a list of homebrews. A good book though and I like the arcade section and the arcade restoration tips. Yes, the DP guide is far more comprehensive and I love the DP lore sections - this is not really a competing product as I see it. Get both! Last, I totally agree with the dividing line and the concept of the NES and SMS not being classic, but putting the 7800 in with the classics; however, this is a debate among classic gamers. Nice work David.

[SS]

Oh forgot to add I just bought one!

 

A Pac-Mobile?

[video game addict]

Oh forgot to add I just bought one!

 

A Pac-Mobile?

 

 

LOL

 

No I bought David's book. Pac-Mobile is still on want list though, waiting on Xot to upgrade.

[Pitfall Harry]

While I appreciate the time and effort it takes to tackle a project such as this, I just don't understand the need for it.

 

Hey thanks, Stan! I'm adding that to my list.

 

 

"I think there is a world market for maybe five computers."

- Thomas Watson (1874-1956), Chairman of IBM, in 1943

 

"We all learned scissors in the first grade. What do I need a barber for?" - Don King

 

"For there is nothing either good or bad, thinking makes it so."

- William Shakespeare (1564-1616), Hamlet, II.ii

 

"640 K is more memory than anyone will ever need." - Bill gates

 

"When you have a great hand, who needs a partner?" - a great bridge player woefully lacking in social skills

 

"We don't need no education." - Pink Floyd

 

"You already own 20 Atari consoles. I just don't understand the need for one more." - the former Mrs. Pitfall Harry

 

 

Ben

[mynameistom22000]

I just bought one earlier today..it's a nice book and a good reference for my Atari...I have yet to get the other systems this book has lists for. But I greatly love the stories and background info on the various systems and the other stuff...it'll be nice to read at work when there is nothing to do. Not too long of sections and can go back easily. I like it, though it was more expensive at Barnes & Nobles than through Amazon..

[thx1138]

Well, I just bought those two books on amazon.co.uk, thanks for the links. :wink:

[Albert]

I should have a copy soon, I'm looking forward to reading through it. When I have a chance to do so, I'll post my opinions here.

 

..Al

[64squares]

I picked up a copy of Ellis's book at a local book store yesterday, and I haven't had a chance to go through it completely yet, but I do have a few initial comments. Overall I would say that I think the book is definitely worth the price, especially because of the coverage on handhelds and arcade games. It is more than just a price guide, and a lot of the background information is fascinating (although I do disagree with some of it). I'm disappointed with two things, however. The first is I was shocked to see that the NES is not covered in depth. There are only a few pages that talk about it. The second complaint I have is there is a major error in the printing of the copy I have. I don't know if this is a problem only with the copy I have or if ever copy out there has this problem but pages 273-304 are repeated in the book. As I was flipping through the pages, I had this odd Deja Vu feeling, and sure enough, looking at it closely, the pages go up to 304 then back to 273 and then up to 304 again. If every copy out there is like this, well talk about your FUBAR. How the House of Collectibles could let this slip is beyond me.