Reduced Price Game Guides: Thread Eight(MODS: Please lock, Thread Nine is up)

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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 or which ones you've grabbed 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.

Furthermore, I would like to thank our Wiki editors HeatDolphin and Rocko for updating the Wiki. Great job.

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 Trading Clearinghouse(old one, locked now):
http://www.cheapassgamer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=102021

Game Guide Trade Thread(current one):
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(please keep all conversation NOT related to guide drops HERE. Thanks.): http://www.cheapassgamer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=169252

Guide Lists:

Master Drop List(by store, alphabetically):
http://wiki.cheapassgamer.com/index.php/Category:Strategy_Guides_%28master_lists%29

Recent Guide Drops(by date):
http://wiki.cheapassgamer.com/index.php/Category:Strategy_Guides_%28recent_drops%29

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.

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 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.

Prior Reduced price game guide threads:
Guide Three:
http://www.cheapassgamer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=50515&highlight=guide
Guide Four:
http://www.cheapassgamer.com/forums/showthread.php?p=1496376
Guide Five:
http://www.cheapassgamer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=85976
Guide Six:
http://www.cheapassgamer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=116918
Guide Seven:
http://www.cheapassgamer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=131717
Guide Seven and a half:
http://www.cheapassgamer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=142400

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
B&N
BestBuy
Borders
BookPool
CircuitCity
Gamestop
Overstock
StrategyGuide.net
ToysRUs

Thanks to floormat, who did threads 3,4,5 and 6 and provided me with the links to them.

Thanks to Gwen for allowing me the honor of giving something back to CAG by doing this new guide thread. I hope you all enjoy it and it isn't TOO hard to read.
 
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[quote name='runace']Anyone know the ISBNs for
Halo 2 (PC)

and can someone verify I got the correct ISBN for these:
Bioshock (0744009154)
Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles (0761558454)
Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings (0744008379)


Would be very appricated![/quote]

The ISBN for FFXII is 0744009804.

The other two are correct.

Halo 2 PC is: 0761557040
 
My family wanted to hit the other casino in our area now earlier on today, so I took that chance to check out the fairly new Target and Best Buy down from it. I was glad I did check the BB, since it was a goldmine of sorts.

I walked away with 6 copies of the guides for: Spiderman: Friend Or Foe, numerous sealed copies of the one for Kane & Lynch, a small handful of the Thrillville: Off The Rails guide and one copy each of Supreme Commander, Manhunt 2, Halo 2(PC) and Conan. Conan is staying in my personal collection though, since I may want to try the game once I get my 360.

All totalled, I picked up 51 guides today, but also left behind a MASSIVE STACK(like 20 or so copies) of the Golden Compass guide.

It was a good day for me, though if gas keeps going up like it is now(6 cents since this morning AGAIN), I may not even hit the local stores for these anymore.

I'll try to get an exact count and post it when I do, but I'm pretty certain 90-95% of these are going to the same small shop, aside from maybe one each of K&L, T:OTR and the rest that I don't already have one each of.
 
[quote name='IAmTheCheapestGamer']My family wanted to hit the other casino in our area now earlier on today, so I took that chance to check out the fairly new Target and Best Buy down from it. I was glad I did check the BB, since it was a goldmine of sorts.

I walked away with 6 copies of the guides for: Spiderman: Friend Or Foe, numerous sealed copies of the one for Kane & Lynch, a small handful of the Thrillville: Off The Rails guide and one copy each of Supreme Commander, Manhunt 2, Halo 2(PC) and Conan. Conan is staying in my personal collection though, since I may want to try the game once I get my 360.

All totalled, I picked up 51 guides today, but also left behind a MASSIVE STACK(like 20 or so copies) of the Golden Compass guide.

It was a good day for me, though if gas keeps going up like it is now(6 cents since this morning AGAIN), I may not even hit the local stores for these anymore.

I'll try to get an exact count and post it when I do, but I'm pretty certain 90-95% of these are going to the same small shop, aside from maybe one each of K&L, T:OTR and the rest that I don't already have one each of.[/quote]

The Hunter always needs the thrill of the hunt in his life! :p Plus, i assume the shop you sell them to doesn't resell tham at MSRP which is good to anyone in the area who'd actually want one down the road.

Anyway, when does GS normally penny guides? I'd think it's about time we see something from them...
 
The shop typically charges about $3 a pop for them, so yeah, they definitely make them affordable to those who want them.

I do know for a fact that I took WAYYYYYYY too many copies of Spiderman: Friend Or Foe though. But at least for once I left the REALLY crappy guides(Golden Compass), which took great willpower NOT to take them.
 
[quote name='IAmTheCheapestGamer']The shop typically charges about $3 a pop for them, so yeah, they definitely make them affordable to those who want them.

I do know for a fact that I took WAYYYYYYY too many copies of Spiderman: Friend Or Foe though. But at least for once I left the REALLY crappy guides(Golden Compass), which took great willpower NOT to take them.[/quote]

You know what books I have way too many of? Gears of War (updated for Windows) and Madden 08. I really thought more people would want Gears of War than what has been requested. >_
 
I picked up about SIX of those yesterday too and if I knew this local shop wouldn't say they don't want them, I would've picked up the copies of the Golden Compass guide too.

The best guide out of all of them though, was the LONE copy of the FFXI: Revenant Wings I picked up, which unfortunately has at least an inch long tear at the bottom of the front cover, thus making it damn near worthless to collectors.
 
[quote name='IAmTheCheapestGamer']I picked up about SIX of those yesterday too and if I knew this local shop wouldn't say they don't want them, I would've picked up the copies of the Golden Compass guide too.

The best guide out of all of them though, was the LONE copy of the FFXI: Revenant Wings I picked up, which unfortunately has at least an inch long tear at the bottom of the front cover, thus making it damn near worthless to collectors.[/QUOTE]
well it is still worth it for people who plan to use the guide. I got people wanting RPG guides with damage to the cover.
 
[quote name='IAmTheCheapestGamer']I picked up about SIX of those yesterday too and if I knew this local shop wouldn't say they don't want them, I would've picked up the copies of the Golden Compass guide too.

The best guide out of all of them though, was the LONE copy of the FFXI: Revenant Wings I picked up, which unfortunately has at least an inch long tear at the bottom of the front cover, thus making it damn near worthless to collectors.[/quote]
Damn, looks like you found the BB I hit last weekend! lol I took the good FF Revenant Wings & left that one because of the tear! lmao:lol: Did you see the rack of clearance games up by the service desk? 1/2 off or something?
 
i found 2 revenant wings guides..both were in practically flawless condition..tho one had a SLIGHT tiny miniscule bend that was hardly noticeable to the un-meticulous eye. :whistle2:D
 
[quote name='Antic']You know what books I have way too many of? Gears of War (updated for Windows) and Madden 08. I really thought more people would want Gears of War than what has been requested. >_
 
I have yet to go to BB to check the recent penny guides since they are more than an hour drive away and gas prices are absurdly high to justify it.
 
My way to off-set the cost of driving around is taking the poor-man's solution and abusing public transportation.

Now my BB has only guides for the new games (SSBB stood out) and nary another. Damn.
 
GS/EB (partial list?)
Conan
The Club
Spiderman 3
UT3 (might be from last drop)
Manhunt 2

Superman Graphics Skins for DS, 360 and PS2
Ultimate Code Disc featuring God of War II
Nascar Activity Kit (fold out race track, 200 page activity book and PC CD-ROM Software)

Have extra clubs, spiderman, Manhunt, UT3, code disc, and the skins for 360/PS2
 
Sweetness. I looked in the GS dumpster and in it were these guides:
FF (PSP)
FFII (PSP) x2
Ace Combat 3 I think
Fight Night Round 2
UT3 x4
Enemy Territorys Quake Wars x5
 
[quote name='donut']GS/EB (partial list?)
Conan
The Club
Spiderman 3
UT3 (might be from last drop)
Manhunt 2

Superman Graphics Skins for DS, 360 and PS2
Ultimate Code Disc featuring God of War II
Nascar Activity Kit (fold out race track, 200 page activity book and PC CD-ROM Software)

Have extra clubs, spiderman, Manhunt, UT3, code disc, and the skins for 360/PS2[/QUOTE]

New drops at GS? I'm hoping the guide for Eternal Sonata finally dropped.
 
We need verification on the possible GS drop that a few have reported finding stuff from. I edited out the guides already listed from prior drops and posted the list we have thus far.
 
[quote name='ZForce']I can verify that The Club, Conan and Spider Man 3 are a penny at EBStop[/quote]Nice to know. Thanks for the clarification.
 
I can also verify that The Club is a penny @ Gamestop, since I brought up a copy to the store I used to always grab some from and they actually let me have it. I believe I passed up a couple copies of Enemy Territories: Quake Wars though, since I didn't remember that it had pennied.
 
[quote name='IAmTheCheapestGamer']I can also verify that The Club is a penny @ Gamestop, since I brought up a copy to the store I used to always grab some from and they actually let me have it. I believe I passed up a couple copies of Enemy Territories: Quake Wars though, since I didn't remember that it had pennied.[/quote]

yep quake pennied...passed on a second copy today...
 
I stopped by the Best Buy in my hometown today (Beaverton, Oregon) and picked up two Final Fantasy II (PSP) guides, but also picked up Prima's Collector's Edition guide for Zelda: Phantom Hourglass (the blue hardcover one) for $14.99. I'm not sure if anyone has mentioned that.

PS: First time getting penny guides myself!

PPS: Also bought Mario Kart Wii :).
 
[quote name='Slim Gatsby']Wow, what a quiet Monday...

No one checked anything, eh? ;)[/quote]

Nothing online like before. I think everyone expects something next week more than this one (because it will be the first week of the month).
 
[quote name='Antic']Nothing online like before. I think everyone expects something next week more than this one (because it will be the first week of the month).[/quote]The first week of the month is a reasonable guideline, not a requirement. They've broken that pattern in the past, though stuck to it more than not.
 
Not a pennied guide, but the Mass Effect Art Book and Game Guide pack were dropped to $17.99. I picked one up. I figure for $9.00 a book, and especially the art book, the price was right. Besides this was the last copy, so I don't think it would have made it to a penny and I really wanted it. Now all I need is the Assassin's Creed two pack to drop...
 
[quote name='Number83']Not a pennied guide, but the Mass Effect Art Book and Game Guide pack were dropped to $17.99. I picked one up. I figure for $9.00 a book, and especially the art book, the price was right. Besides this was the last copy, so I don't think it would have made it to a penny and I really wanted it. Now all I need is the Assassin's Creed two pack to drop...[/quote]

At Best Buy?
 
Hit a far far away best buy and picked up 15-20 guides. QuakeW, SimCS, R.E. (only 1), Rasa, Halo 2, Universe@W.

Note: The Non-stickered Oblivion (Tan) guide came up at 9.99.

Also had the cashier scan Super Mario Galaxy softcover, twilight princess white wii softcover, Army of Two (wishful thinking) and they were still full price.
 
Even though I despise the company anymore, I'm itching for the EA anniversary book with either DVD or CD to drop to .01 . I want to flip through it, though I know more than half of it is going to be MADDEN. LOL
 
[quote name='IAmTheCheapestGamer']Even though I despise the company anymore, I'm itching for the EA anniversary book with either DVD or CD to drop to .01 . I want to flip through it, though I know more than half of it is going to be MADDEN. LOL[/quote]

Yeah, me too. I imagine the beginnings of "Electronic Arts" can be pretty interesting... Though once they start talking about "EA", I' won't be expecting much.
 
I don't have a 360, but I was in that aisle looking at the pretty GTAIV boxes and discovered they have a small selection of guides in that aisle that I never knew about. So now I have 2 more Bioshock guides.

Also, I think some people have said that drops often happen on the first Monday of the month, yes? So there might be another round coming up? This is the first month I've been able to get penny guides and I'm gettin the fever.
 
There are at least a few possibles for drops this month, mike, like ANY of the guides listed for $9.99 on BB's website right now. Although, that's not always a good indicator, since some just drop without any prior drops at all.
 
[quote name='RatedRSuperstar']How exactly do I find penny guides? I went to one of the local ebgames and asked about clearance guides and the girl didn't have a clue.[/QUOTE]

The first rule of penny guides is don't ask about penny guides. Learn about them here. Bring a list with you but don't show it to anyone. If they have the guides, try to buy them. You may try to disguise your purchase by buying some other merchandise. If you get denied, accept it and quietly move on. Hope for better luck next time.
 
[quote name='Purkeynator']The first rule of penny guides is don't ask about penny guides. Learn about them here.[/quote]
Asking makes it a question, a request that they can deny instead of a clearance that they just hadn't heard about.

Bring a list with you but don't show it to anyone.
Click to expand...
And even better, try to memorize the list if at all possible, or have it on your phone. I've had employees and managers act as if I had classified info because I had a penny list. Some employees react *REALLY* strangely, and by strange I mean hostile as all heck. Like you're taking food out of their babies mouth or something. Be prepared for it.

If they have the guides, try to buy them. You may try to disguise your purchase by buying some other merchandise. If you get denied, accept it and quietly move on. Hope for better luck next time.
Click to expand...
And have your canned responses ready. If they ask how you know, I usually alternate between "my friend who works at a BB in *insertsomeotherstate* told me", or "I saw them for a penny on the BB website". Don't be a damned hoarder either. Having more than about 15 or so definitely gets significantly more scrutiny, up to the point that they will try to deny you the entire haul based on some rules they make up on the spot. I've heard everything from "we can't sell more than one of each" to "we can't sell more than 3 of each" to "we can't sell these at all, new BB policy" to "we can't sell these at all, store specific policy".

They'll also remember you, which isn't necessarily a good thing either. On the other hand, befriend an employee or two at one of the smaller stores near you and they'll hook you up. Whatever you do, don't be a jerk and go scorched earth. That just screws it up for everyone.

I get most of mine from BB, that's why I'm tailoring this post to them.
 
are game guides really helpful in playing the game or are they bought as 'collectors' items'? i can certainly see the value in buying it for just a penny, but with the internet age and all the walkthroughs that you can find, i can't imagine that the information isn't already out there.
 
[quote name='UCLAevo']are game guides really helpful in playing the game or are they bought as 'collectors' items'? i can certainly see the value in buying it for just a penny, but with the internet age and all the walkthroughs that you can find, i can't imagine that the information isn't already out there.[/QUOTE]
Accurate maps are always a welcome addition. Other than that, it really depends on the game. Some guides cover stuff not in FAQs and the other way around.

They're also helpful for bumping up the value of a game when sold/traded together.
 
Looking through the BB site, I noticed the following guides were missing:

Army Of Two
Assassin's Creed:CE
Condemmed 2: Blodshot
Legend Of Zelda: Twilight Princess (Wii)
Pro Evolution Soccer 2008
Uncharted

And tomorrow's the first monday of the month. Hmmm...
 
[quote name='loxthefox']Looking through the BB site, I noticed the following guides were missing:

Army Of Two
Assassin's Creed:CE
Condemmed 2: Blodshot
Legend Of Zelda: Twilight Princess (Wii)
Pro Evolution Soccer 2008
Uncharted

And tomorrow's the first monday of the month. Hmmm...[/quote]I guess it's good that I'm getting up ridiculously early for work tomorrow morning. Might work out if they drop the price on guides early in the AM like they did last time.

I know AoT, Condemned 2 and Uncharted would be worth scoring for me, so hopefully, it'll work out like it did last time.
 
Ill check here before leaving for work. If they do drop, ill be there at opening and shoot over to work right after =]
I'll be shooting for everything but soccer.
 
I just got back from BB, AoTwo rang up 29.99 (I saw them walking the store with hand scanners, so I thought they might have dropped early).
 
Just got back from BB as well. All of the guides mentioned a few posts back, as well as Orange Box and Crisis are still full price.

Let's hope the Monday theory holds true...
 
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