Reduced Price Game Guides: Thread XI

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IAmTheCheapestGamer

IAmTheCheapestGamer

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First off, let me welcome you all to the new guide thread. Second, I'd like to ask you all to please keep conversations not pertaining to guide drops to a minimum to avoid cluttering the thread. It's not that I don't enjoy the chit chat, but that it may stop others from locating information on the newest drops.

That being said, let me thank Cheapy for creating this site, without which I would've spent probably 10 times what I HAVE spent on games and guides. Moreover, let me thank each and every one of my fellow CAGs for continuing to contribute to making this site a great place to find out about sales and clearances of the items we as gamers use most. Without a great community, NONE of this would be possible.


Now, with that out of the way(and before I get to rambling), let's get on to making this new thread.

Useful Information(and links):

Game Guide Trade Thread(KEEP ALL TRADE REQUESTS HERE OR IN PM'S):

http://www.cheapassgamer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=175548

PLEASE keep ALL trade requests in there or PM's. Thank you.

Reduced Price Guide Discussion Thread(KEEP ALL DISCUSSION NOT RELATED TO GUIDE DROPS HERE!!!):

http://www.cheapassgamer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=169252

What is the purpose of this thread?

The purpose of this thread is to let our fellow CAGs know when a guide has dropped to a low price(it's NOT ALWAYS A PENNY), so they can go out and grab guides for themselves and for trading with other CAGs.

Anytime you have guide drops to report, post them here. Please specify at which store you found them and which guides you found and list them in alphabetical order. Thank you. Please, whenever possible, use RED font to make the drop info stand out. Thanks again.

What are penny guides?

Penny guides are guides which have been on the market for a while and the publisher(or store chain) decide that the remaining stock of these guides have little to no chance of selling, so they issue an order to pull them from the shelves and destroy them. At that time, they are also marked as .01 in their inventory system, except in the case of BBV, which marks them .01 only AFTER pulling them.

Most stores have an agreement with the publisher that states that if they destroy the remaining stock of those items, they will receive a credit for their value from the publisher. This is why many stores are usually annoyed when we CAGs come in and buy the guides AT the penny price, since otherwise they would've received a credit for those items.

According to an employee at a local BB, they also have a recycling program for the pennied stock, so as to not clutter landfill space with the guides. As to how true it is, I cannot confirm, but I would hope that the paper is at least recycled instead of just dumpstered.


Prior Reduced price game guide threads:

Guide Three:
http://www.cheapassgamer.com/forums/...ighlight=guide
Guide Four:
http://www.cheapassgamer.com/forums/....php?p=1496376
Guide Five:
http://www.cheapassgamer.com/forums/...ad.php?t=85976
Guide Six:
http://www.cheapassgamer.com/forums/...d.php?t=116918
Guide Seven:
http://www.cheapassgamer.com/forums/...d.php?t=131717
Guide Seven and a half:
http://www.cheapassgamer.com/forums/...d.php?t=142400
Guide Eight:
http://www.cheapassgamer.com/forums/...d.php?t=167157
Guide Nine:
http://www.cheapassgamer.com/forums/...d.php?t=187222
Guide Ten:
http://www.cheapassgamer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=219547

Finally, below is a list of website links, each of which goes to their respective guide page. Whenever possible, I will update the links with better ones(if available).

Amazon
Barnes&Noble
BestBuy
Gamestop
Overstock
Strategyguides.net
ToysRUs

Thanks to floormat, Guinaevere and anyone else who has created and maintained the guide thread before, as well as to all of those who find out either advance information on drops or provide a list of which ones dropped when we do have a drop.

The post below this one contains a list going back at LEAST six months of the more current guide drops, which stores they occured at and which ones dropped. Note that sometimes(Oblivion guide, Quake Wars: Enemy Territory)there are multiple versions of a guide, be it that there are Prima versions, Brady versions and the occasional Nintendo and Doublejump guides.

Please specify WHICH version has dropped when mentioning possible guide drops. Thank you.

Common Guide Drop Related Questions(FAQ):

FAQ - If you are new (or a vet with a few questions) look here SECOND! (After reading the above!)

Q: What Are Penny Guides?
A: Penny guides are guides which have been on the market for a while and the publisher(or store chain) decide that the remaining stock of these guides have little to no chance of selling, so they issue an order to pull them from the shelves and destroy them. At that time, they are also marked as .01 in their inventory system, except in the case of BBV, which marks them .01 only AFTER pulling them.

Most stores have an agreement with the publisher that states that if they destroy the remaining stock of those items, they will receive a credit for their value from the publisher. This is why many stores are usually annoyed when we CAGs come in and buy the guides AT the penny price, since otherwise they would've received a full credit for those items.

According to an employee at a local BB, they also have a recycling program for the pennied stock, so as to not clutter landfill space with the guides. As to how true it is, I cannot confirm, but I would hope that the paper is at least recycled instead of just dumpstered.

Q: Do all guides from all stores drop at the same time?
A: No. While most chains have nationwide drops within their own store (as in every BB will have the same drops coast to coast), not every different chain drops at the same time (what drops at BB is NOT necessarily dropped at GS). When in doubt, check post TWO for drop info.

Q: I found a penny guide and a clerk denied me! I'ma report 'em!
A: Whoa, hold your horses there, pardner! First of all, not a question. Second, just because something is on the shelf, the clerk does NOT have to sell you that item. Most stores are PRIVATE property and as such can deny you just about anything they want - including a sale. The best advice is to not be rude, not be arrogant, and just try hard to get them to have pity on you.

Q: Why don't the clerks want to sell me their penny guides? Aren't they just throwing them away?
A: As stated above, the stores are ordered by the publisher to trash the guides, and are then given credit for those guides. If they don't do this, the publisher won't give them the credit - it's like losing a sale. On the employee level, selling a penny guide can sometimes get them in trouble (or even fired!) I know it seems silly, but this is their job we're talking about! Respect the man (or woman) behind the counter and you'll get a lot more guides than otherwise!

Q: Should I just ask if the store has penny guides then?
A: No, since that denotes that you have some insider information as to the runnings of these businesses.

Q: What if the clerk wants to know how I know so much about guide drops?
A: If asked where you got your info about guides that pennied, simply say either 'the internet' or 'a friend of mine told me they're on clearance'.

Q: But clerks will know what a penny guide is, right? I can talk to them like anyone else here...
A: Never use the word pennied to ANY store clerks unless you have built up a good rapport with them. Even then, it may seem a little fishy if you know more about their shop than they do.

Q: Are guides labeled as a penny on the shelf?
A: Sometimes. Most times, no. GS seems to label everything that gets a price drop, so often times guides will be stickered. But even so, they most likely won't sell them to you. A sticker does not mean 'have to sell'.

Q: I tried to buy a guide that this thread said was pennied and it didn't ring up as such! What gives?
A: Either 1) Our source was wrong (this rarely happens and is usually verified a FEW times within maybe an hour of posting), or 2) The clerk changed the price. It's usually number 2.

Q: What's the easiest way to get penny guides? This sounds like TONS of work!
A: Best Buy is probably the best place to get guides, followed by GameStop, GameCrazy, Toys R Us and then Blockbuster. From what I've seen though, probably 95% of guides that people get are snagged at BB - the rest come from the other stores. But it never hurts to try!

Q: Has there been a drop recently?
A: If you are asking this question you didn't fully understand the OP - go back and read it once more. When a drop happens, it will be posted, and then placed in the second post - trust us.

Q: How do you guys know so much about penny guides?
A: We sometimes have inside sources with the information from the stores themselves; other times, fellow CAGS just like you or me simply take suspected guides to the register and ask them to ring them up, to check their prices. Feel free to do this yourself, and help give back to the community by telling us what you find! However, DON'T ask "Has anyone checked XXX lately?", unless you are in the right thread (discussion area).

Thanks to GrilledWitOnions for creating the above FAQ, which should eliminate the need for such questions popping up in the thread from this point on out.
 
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You guys are seriously being too tough on IATCG. He's always been more than willing to help a fellow CAG out, whether it be answering questions or sending guides as mentioned above.
 
Checked a dumpster at a GS close to home; saw the guides in there but the covers were ripped off :cry: Hopefully have some better luck tomorrow
 
[quote name='JordanPlayer']Checked a dumpster at a GS close to home; saw the guides in there but the covers were ripped off :cry: Hopefully have some better luck tomorrow[/QUOTE]

I'd still take them, as long as the content is there they are good for their purpose, just not good for collecting on bookshelf.
 
For those of you that have done the 'dumpster diving' thing, dobyou confirm with the employees that they've thrown them away first, or do you just jump in and start digging (hypothetically, of course! ;) )
 
For me, I visited the store earlier in the day and saw the stacks behind the counter. I came back after they closed and saw the guides in the dumpster... it does seem that the Gamestop employees in my area are somewhat strict and cling to the rules so I assume it was all done on time.
 
gamestop said they threw some away but they are next to a coldstone creamery, a hair salon, and a mexican resteraunt. So umm i'll pass on diving lol.
 
im headed to gamestop in a few see if i have any luck i know for most part ive been denied with the new dm in the area now. if i do get any luck or not ill post here. i also have some extras from older drops that id gladly trade for the rpg ones that dropped.
stuff like
silent hill shattered memories
nostalgia
phantasy star 0
couple of others but those have since gotten rediculously rare(im talking harvest moon tree of tranquility and animal parade)
 
When you guys Dumpster Dive, do you go under the cover of darkness after hours, or is it just like "Ho, hum...walking by the dumpster...Oh, SNAP! I fell in." type deal?
 
[quote name='Number83']When you guys Dumpster Dive, do you go under the cover of darkness after hours, or is it just like "Ho, hum...walking by the dumpster...Oh, SNAP! I fell in." type deal?[/QUOTE]

oh it can be done in broad daylight, I saw an old man peeping under the hood of a dumpster just yesterday, but he may have been looking for food or drugs and NOT penny guides..
 
I will do it and one time I had someone come up and ask me what I was doing...

Without skipping a beat I said that I threw away a receipt in the store the day before and really needed to find it because I discovered that night that I was overcharged on my card.
 
Cam back from gamestop. Sadly they didn't have any of the Super Book's left but I did get the following:

Alpha Protocol
Harvest Moon Hero of Leaf Valley
Kane and Lynch 2
Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2
Singularity
WoW Wrath of the lich king

None of which are the ones I was hoping to get, but they fit nicely with the pattern of bradygames guides on my shelf already so I can't really complain too much.
 
So I too joined the dumpster-diving club yesterday. I managed to ask the folks at GS about the guides and he said "We literally just threw them out." I said "THANKS!" and ran out the door. I'm ashamed to admit that I've never been more excited to find a dumpster nearby. :lol:

Luckily the trash had just been taken out earlier and the dumpster was almost empty - save a nice cardboard box full of many of the guides from today's drop. The bad news? Many of the guides had a razor taken to them (covers sliced across, etc). They were still "intact" though - although they were cut many didn't have cuts that made them unusable; they even appear to be fine if you look carefully. (Sadly, 3 Bioshock 2 LE guides were in the lot :cry: ).

Are these worth anything? I took them home and got rid of the ones that were beyond repair, but I still have 20+ guides from this effort that I'd be willing to trade.
 
I have never been successful in finding these at my gamestops and best buys. Does anyone have any extra copies of White Knight Chronicles, Nier, Resonance of Fate, and Star Ocean. I am looking for the PS3 versions. Thanks.
 
man i think i started a trend on the dumpster diving. got heres my haul with my badly wanted list.
what i got list:
alpha protocol x3(1 avail for trade)
batman arkham guide avail for trade
borderlands x3 (2 avail for trade)
darksiders x2 both avail for trade
harvest moon hero leaf guide (keeping)
nier x2 (1 avail for trade)
resonance of fate (keeping)
singularity avail for trade
transformers avail for trade
wow lich king x8 all avail for trade

what i REALLY want:
marvel ultimate alliance 2 guide
star ocean guide
white knight chronicles guide
let me know if you have any of these 3 i know from older drops im also looking for
dragon quest 5 and magna carta 2
 
The GS I checked yesterday had already pulled the guides. They had a big stack on the counter but the manager told me that she couldn't sell them.

BTW, I have to admit that I did drive around the back to look at the dumpsters before I left.
 
[quote name='emg28']The GS I checked yesterday had already pulled the guides. They had a big stack on the counter but the manager told me that she couldn't sell them.

BTW, I have to admit that I did drive around the back to look at the dumpsters before I left.[/QUOTE]

If that happens, just say something like 'is there any way, then, that I can grab a couple of those guides if I give you a pre-order on a game I want?' ... I swear, pre-orders are like gold, sometimes!
 
Surprisingly got 4 guides from the mall Gamestop today. One upstairs had nothing, but one downstairs hadn't pulled. Bought a game in the transaction to give it more weight.
Got Bioshock 2 LE, White Knight, Resonance and Harvest Moon.
Went back to grab dups for ya'll, but was shot down (so glad i bought that game)
 
I sometimes walk by slowly and check during the day and come back at night unless I see some. I actually watched them toss some in a few drops ago. I swear they knew what i was up too cause the following drop they slashed the front covers. Jerks. There was nothing good though so no biggie.
 
[quote name='gauu']im headed to gamestop in a few see if i have any luck i know for most part ive been denied with the new dm in the area now. if i do get any luck or not ill post here. i also have some extras from older drops that id gladly trade for the rpg ones that dropped.
stuff like
silent hill shattered memories
nostalgia
phantasy star 0
couple of others but those have since gotten rediculously rare(im talking harvest moon tree of tranquility and animal parade)[/QUOTE]
[quote name='kramer0731']So I too joined the dumpster-diving club yesterday. I managed to ask the folks at GS about the guides and he said "We literally just threw them out." I said "THANKS!" and ran out the door. I'm ashamed to admit that I've never been more excited to find a dumpster nearby. :lol:

Luckily the trash had just been taken out earlier and the dumpster was almost empty - save a nice cardboard box full of many of the guides from today's drop. The bad news? Many of the guides had a razor taken to them (covers sliced across, etc). They were still "intact" though - although they were cut many didn't have cuts that made them unusable; they even appear to be fine if you look carefully. (Sadly, 3 Bioshock 2 LE guides were in the lot :cry: ).

Are these worth anything? I took them home and got rid of the ones that were beyond repair, but I still have 20+ guides from this effort that I'd be willing to trade.[/QUOTE]
:bomb::bomb::bomb:KEEP TRADE PROPOSALS TO THE TRADING THREAD!!!:bomb::bomb::bomb:
 
It's sad because the trading thread is fantastic. I've been able to trade several excess guides to other CAGs for guides I'd actually enjoy (and vice versa I hope) for less than $5 a pop (shipping plus delivery confirmation.)

It's well organized and pretty easy to scan most people's lists. Also, thanks to the edit function it's easy to see who keeps their lists fairly up to date. Even so, I've pm'ed plenty of people about guides on their list from that thread and even if the person isn't interested in the trade they are always cordial.

As long as you're being fair it's very easy to find ways to trade your excess guides there. Just don't expect someone to pay $15 for a penny guide and you'll be alright.
 
One of my GS had:

Star Ocean: The Last Hope Int
Nier
GTA: EOLC
Reasonance of Fate
White Knight Chronicles
Darksiders
LBP Super Book

The guy scanned the guides and then thought about it for a few seconds. Then he told me that he couldn't sell the guides to me. I offered to make a pre-order but he told me that he would get in trouble. He called his manager to get an okay but "he didn't answer".
 
I've always felt that guide = guide unless it's rare or a collectors edition then it's guide = multiple guides. I know IATTCCG has problems with people (but that's just cause he has problems with people) but I usually get pretty fair/even trade requests for my guides.
 
[quote name='confoosious']IATTCG - if you were nicer to pooky, you couldve asked him to clean up the trade clutter.[/QUOTE]
There's other mods than Pooky on CAG, though I've already had at least 1-2 of them clean up this thread on a regular basis.[quote name='confoosious']I've always felt that guide = guide unless it's rare or a collectors edition then it's guide = multiple guides. I know IATTCCG has problems with people (but that's just cause he has problems with people) but I usually get pretty fair/even trade requests for my guides.[/QUOTE]
That's exactly my point, as people have wanted(insert collector's edition guide here) in exchange for some common shit guide I kinda half wanted.

I only used guides anymore if I get stuck and can't figure out what I'm supposed to do. If I can't locate the guides either at the store when they penny, at the local store for $1-2 when they get them in after a drop or from another CAG for a reasonable price, then I'll look up the information online since my PC is right next to my PS3.
 
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Man, I hate my gamestop :/

Let me start by saying I know they have no obligations to sell these guides for a penny. My gamestop had all of the guides from this drop sitting on the top of the rack, so I could only assume that they put them up there themselves. I thought surely since they still had them on the floor, I would have no problems. I only take 8 of which only one duplicate of Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2. There were some of each remaining. I go to the register and the guy starts ringing them up, but when he gets to Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2, he only rings up one and places the other behind the counter without saying anything. I was pissed, but was happy to just get any, so I didn't say anything. After ringing them all up, he goes to the back and then comes back in a few minutes and says he just called his manager, and he "can't sell them because they aren't in the system." Which is an obvious lie because I just watched him ring them all up except for the one Marvel Ultimate Alliance I can only assume he took for himself.

This is exactly why I avoid gamestop, they are overpriced and the all the ones I go to always have the worst experiences because of their incompetent and rude employees. The only time I shop there is when they have good sales, ie buy 2 get 1 free.
 
I checked out about 5 more Gamestops today, and all but 2 of them had nothing.

There dumpsters had nothing to. I did see a few display items in the dumpster, but they were covered in coffee. The only thing that was in good condition was some shitty ass sports game stuff.

I also checked the store I went to yesterday where I got most of my guides from ....today there dumpster is locked tight.

I went to one Gamestop and they just pulled all the guides, they were stacked 5 feet tall, so maybe tonight I'll visit there dumpster.
Of course it has to be right next to a restaurant! It seems every Gamestop around here has to be next to one...:(

Anyways, I did find some older penny guides like Brutal Legend 2, Bioshock 2(softcover), Army of Two etc...but nothing new.
Actually, I found 2 stores that still have the Bioshock 2 soft covers...I left them there.
 
[quote name='kiribee']
I went to one Gamestop and they just pulled all the guides, they were stacked 5 feet tall, so maybe tonight I'll visit there dumpster.
[/QUOTE]

Did you ask?


ask + preorder = great success

for you dumpster divers- my gs had the guides in the backroom and hadn't throw them out yet so maybe check the dumpsters later in the week.
 
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Geez, it is difficult getting penny guides around my area. Is it the SD and/or FW effect?

After visiting 4 local GS, I was only able to pick up 1 of each of the following:
Resonance of the Fate
Nier
GoW collection
Harvest Moon

I was curious and did take a peek at the dumpster in back of 1 GS, but no guides in sight=(
I missed all those BB drops because the guides were either pulled or hoarded before I was able to get to BB. Times are tough!!!
 
[quote name='confoosious']
for you dumpster divers- my gs had the guides in the backroom and hadn't throw them out yet so maybe check the dumpsters later in the week.[/QUOTE]

hehe, I popped a lid behind a GS today (and it was messed up b/c it was a really shady part of town, and they had these fixtures made out of steel roundbar to effectively hover over the lid and be locked with a pad lock in place, so I could only lift the corners of the lid up. Luckily my arm could get in there and I shuffled some GS boxes around (it was clearly their dumpster b/c GS was plastered over everything) but there were none in there. I bet they were in the back room for sure b/c before I went back there, I specifically asked the guy after noticing they weren't on the rack and he said they did indeed throw them out..
 
LOL you guys with the locked dumpsters need to learn how to pick locks. :lol:

Just imagine these locked dumpsters as magical, real world treasure chests. Some have traps (aka restaurant waste), while others have treaures beyond your wildest imaginations.
 
so i promised myelf i would never attempt dumpster diving unless i thought the haul would seriously be worth it. i deemed this drop worthy

i did very well. i think i got at least one of each guide and i definitly had more fun than id like to admit.
 
[quote name='Dahk']so i promised myelf i would never attempt dumpster diving unless i thought the haul would seriously be worth it. i deemed this drop worthy

i did very well. i think i got at least one of each guide and i definitly had more fun than id like to admit.[/QUOTE]

Yeah I have to say this is a really nice drop. I really wish I could have gotten a bulk of these, and I'm almost willing to run around other gamestops in hopes of finding some more of those guides. If only I had a gamestop that trashed them without being near a food place.
 
[quote name='confoosious']Did you ask?


ask + preorder = great success

for you dumpster divers- my gs had the guides in the backroom and hadn't throw them out yet so maybe check the dumpsters later in the week.[/QUOTE]

Nah, I didn't think of that..Maybe I should go back, but then they'll recognize me as "that guy" from earlier today.
 
If there had been anything good I needed from this drop I would've gladly thrown them a pre-order to get some of the guides off the counter at the store that had most of them pulled yesterday when I was there.

But no major trade fodder ones(LE/CE/SE) or anything I really needed=meh.

As for dumpster diving I tried that once, but I didn't find anything and the GS where I tried it near shared the same little shopping center with a Subway and about 3-4 other stores.
 
woh, finally lucked out, was at BB for b2g1 free price match and what a haul. This BB was dry on any guides but today was a total unloading

2x Alan Wake LE - thought I was totally blur blocked for this
2x GoW LE
Ironman 2
Mario & Luigi: Bowsers Inside Story
Pokemon Exployers of Sky
Pokemon Platinum
LBP: Super book
Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days


and the pickedup at the GS near by

MW2
Harvest Moon HoLV
 
yes thankfully my gamestop is in a plaza with a marshalls and a barnes and noble and some trinket shop. no food stores.

the guides were in 2 cardboard boxes and were right on top. its like somebody left them for me.
 
God I want some of those RPG guides...might just be time for my first dumpster quest.

Every GS I can think of is next to a gross restaurant though...like Chipotle. (Food's ok but you gotta imagine the garbage would be disgusting.)


[quote name='nixmahn']Is there a regular version of Mario & Luigi: Bowsers Inside Story, mine says "Premiere Edition" or are they all premiere?[/QUOTE]

That's the only edition, I think most Nintendo guides have that.
 
[quote name='confoosious']not a value judgement on you guys but if i ever tell a story about dumpster diving to get guides, you have explicit instructions to get me banned.[/QUOTE]

Nah, I want to hear these stories of people off the deep end.

"Hey, babe, I'm back! I got BioShock 2 LE, Star Ocean, a handful of cockroaches (or maybe they're silverfish? They hid in the bindings), and an indeterminable number of bedbugs from the used clothing/furniture in the dumpster. Don't worry, though - a little calamine lotion, a couple of weeks of tenting and fogging our place and it'll be good as new. Beats Gamefaqs, huh?"
 
Dayum...

I went to Gamestop and grabbed around 15 guides... and the manager didn't allow me to buy them.

He told me that the "district manager" of the city goes everytime they have penny guides to verify that the guides are destroyed. I think he was lying to me and wanted to keep the guides. He told me to keep a guide for free tho... I grabbed Bioshock 2 Limited Edition.
 
Only had luck at 1 Gamestop (the rest denied me); picked up a used game with it:
Brutal Legend (old drop)
Batman: Arkham Asylum
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2
Resonance of Fate
The Saboteur
Transformers War for Cybertron
 
[quote name='gantt']Nah, I want to hear these stories of people off the deep end.

"Hey, babe, I'm back! I got BioShock 2 LE, Star Ocean, a handful of cockroaches (or maybe they're silverfish? They hid in the bindings), and an indeterminable number of bedbugs from the used clothing/furniture in the dumpster. Don't worry, though - a little calamine lotion, a couple of weeks of tenting and fogging our place and it'll be good as new. Beats Gamefaqs, huh?"[/QUOTE]


lol, actually I think most of these stories are like mine (the ones that actually found guides in decent shape), in a box right next to or on top of the trash can.
 
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