Game stores & flea market booths - reviews and thoughts

[WALKSAFE]

I went to KW vintage games. The prices are really high, and the guy that owns the place is a dick. I asked a question and he was really rude. Wasnt worth the drive from Toronto.

Absolutely unreal. That sucks you drove all the way from Toronto, dude

[midge]

Seems to me that no store is worthwhile going to right now in the GTA. Retail prices are on the rise for absolutely everything these days. I'm finding it far cheaper to buy from online stores in the US and pay the postage.

[jasonec]

I find that buying games from US eBay sellers with low shipping is far cheaper than buying from local stores - often under $20 for some great vintage games, which also means that you don't pay duty
KW Vintage Games was crazy expensive in my experience, and Toyratt was hit-or-miss (some good deals, but recently they've had pretty high prices).
The guy at the St. Jacob's Farmer's Market and Retro Replay in Cambridge both had some good games at reasonable prices.
Of course, the swap meets are good too....
Just my two cents....which doesn't mean much now they've discontinued the penny!

[gianniM]

I agree with both of you. I've been to many different stores inside the GTA, and they're all high. There are a lot more in the downtown core of Toronto--small shops--that are selling at ridiculous prices.

I don't even know how they survive. I always say that if they'd lower the prices even by a few dollars, the word would spread, and they'd have more future business.

I've found ONE store, which isn't even a video game store, that sells at reasonable prices, but he doesn't get much stock in anymore. The best place seem to be on eBay, which can still be much too high most of the time. It's hard to find NES games at thrift stores these days and flea market dealers have been the highest I've ever dealt with!

The logic behind having a ridiculous amount of stock and never moving any because the prices are too high is very disconcerting.

[atari charles]

Flea Market Reviews and Flea Market Scum

http://cgcc.ca/forum/viewtopic.php?t=13322

[Wildcat]

Are there any decent priced independent stores out there? In Burlington we have Game Haven but they have had the same stuff for over 10 years haha. The owner is really nice but the prices on used games are abit much.

[nagamitsu]

Place on the main strip in Waterdown, IT Game (something like that name), looks independent)

Best place is ToyRatt in Milton, just west of Fourth Line on Main, 718 Main Street

Tim

[Wildcat]

In Waterdown? Ok thanks ill have to check it out.

[retrogamehunter]

KW Vintage any thoughts

[maxlords]

Read above, many thoughts on that particular store and owner.

[Declaritive]

I've been to Toyratt, the place has tons of stuff there (I was in awe when I first visited) but I find them to be overpriced. But the guy there still gives you deals and discounts, especially if your buying several items.

I've been going to Game Haven for years, they always have good prices, but they never seem to have a very good selection of anything pre-PS2 (they still have retro stuff, just not a great selection). Still recommend going there if you're looking for video games in general.

Super 1up Games in Hamilton is a cool store, very big and huge selection of stuff. I like there NES collection they have. However, I find them to be a little overpriced, especially when it comes to RPG's (FF7 GH for $79.99). I still recommend going there, they always have something there of interest.

Entertainment Overload is awesome. Good selection of all systems and very, very good prices. I got Klonoa 2 on PS2 for $9. Dark Cloud 2 for $25. I love going here. Definitely check it out. The only downside: it's in the most ghetto part of Hamilton.

Game IT isn't a bad place either. Similar to Game Haven, but much smaller. Really, really good prices though. Wind Waker GCN for $24.99. I recently picked up Intelligent Qube for $30. Cool little store worth checking out.

Now, I've been to a flea market in Cambridge on Hespeler Road. Inside they have a vendor called JR Controls, the old guy there who runs it is nice, but I find his prices are pretty crazy. Like $10 for NES sports games. Those are his cheapest NES games. Hell, I don't think I've actually bought a game from him. Still, the big reason I like going there is he sells boxes and manuals for NES, SNES, N64, Gameboy, and Genesis. He sets them up in his van in the parking lot (don't take that the wrong way). He normally sells boxes and manuals at $10 each, unless its something like Zelda or Mario. Still, I've had crazy good finds. Metroid box and manual for $20. I found the boxes for Grind Stormer, Mega Turrican, and Whip Rush for $10 each. This guy has TONS of boxes and manuals, and its all good stuff too, no sports or shovelware (I recall he had 5 boxes for Majoras Mask). All that alone is worth checking out.

I'm just wondering if anyone has ever been here before, and what are your thoughts on the place?

[cartknocka]

I stop at the flea market whenever I'm passing through Cambridge on the weekend (read: not very often), and I agree, his prices are straight loco. I caught him slipping and picked up Dragon Fighter for NES for $20 about a year ago, but that was dumb luck and I haven't found anything remotely reasonable since. Good tip about the boxes though. I had no idea about that.

[Declaritive]

Yeah, his prices are insane. I don't know where he gets them. He has a binder sort of book where he keeps a list of all the prices... I remember asking what he wanted for Kung Fu Heroes, he says "$35." Ouch, I was thinking maybe $15 at the most, but damn, $35? That's not even ebay prices! (No, seriously, look it up). I recall looking through his Genesis binder of prices and it was dirt cheap. Like, dirt freaking cheap. According to the binder, at one point he had Crusader of Centy... for $25. So I guess you are able to get really good deals like you got on the Dragon Fighter.
I first went there this past summer, and man, when he showed all these boxes, and manuals, it was like collectors heaven. I asked him how he got it all, he said back in the day when mom and pop video stores were liquidating there games, he'd buy all of it up. Good way to get inventory. But hey, let's try to keep those boxes our little secret eh? Haha

[Declaritive]

Anyone been to JC Retail in Waterdown? They just opened up about a month ago, apparently they're a family owned chain around the area, stores in Brantford and Cambridge. I went into the Waterdown store and it was meh. The prices themselves aren't that bad, but the selection seems weak. They have a lot of stuff for all systems but its a lot of sports games or commons. However, maybe its cause they just opened so maybe it should be given some time for that to flourish in. They do however, sell SNES repros, that they apparently make themselves, stuff like Terrinigma, unreleased Japanese games, or hacks of other popular games like Chrono Trigger Crimson Echoes and Super Metroid Final Stand. They have A LOT of repros to pick from though, at $39.99. Personally, I just really don't have much interest in repros at all, but that's a whole different subject. Also, I checked out a cart they had and the quality of the plastic seemed very, very cheap. Like it was from China. Very light, feels nothing like an original SNES cart. The screws don't actually screw in too, they're just like plastic little tabs. Overall, not an amazing store, but I think it should be given time to get some more supply traded in to be given a more fair chance. If your into SNES repros, however, the store is definitely worth checking out.

[Declaritive]

Also, I noticed on my Facebook that Toyratt has a CIB Hagane and a Flinstones Dinosaur Peak for sale. I wonder how much he's asking for them, I know he's had that same Hagane cart for awhile. I think last I was there he said he wants $1000 for the cart, and in that condition with all the stickers, AND the price, he's going to be sitting on that for a long, long time.