Reduced Price Game Guides: Thread Nine

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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(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

Guide Lists(master drop lists and recent drops):

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

Recent Guide Drops(by date,also check the second post in this thread):
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
Guide Eight:
http://www.cheapassgamer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=167157

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
BookPool
CircuitCity
Gamestop
Overstock
StrategyGuides.net
ToysRUs

Thanks to floormat, Guinavere 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.


 
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Since BBV is included in this thread... I also found the Codes & Cheats Summer 2008 pennied at BBV last weekend. It even has the $ 0.01 sticker price on it.
 
So, somehow or another, I have made a friend at one of my local BBs. I walk in the other day and he pulls me aside and says he has been collecting penny guides for me. I walked out with about 15 guides and he even let me go thru the box that had a bunch of other guides to see if they pennied out. He told me that whenever I have a list, he will check the back for them and sell them to me.

Very cool!
 
Crisis averted! Picked up an MK Wii guide on my way to get a new car battery.
[quote name='thebob101']I walked out with about 15 guides and he even let me go thru the box that had a bunch of other guides to see if they pennied out.[/quote]Do you recall which ones you got?

The only extra one I checked at BBV today was SSBB. Most everything else besides the code books were recent releases.
 
[quote name='IAmTheCheapestGamer']I'm personally waiting for their computer system chainwide to go kaput one of these days. The damn thing is ancient, as you can plainly tell by the yellowed monitors in some stores, which are the basic green and black OSD ones most times.

I think the employees at 3-4 stores told me they're still using DOS or a similar program on the system.[/quote]

Blockbuster runs on IBM i (http://www.ibm.com/systems/i/) which is a rock-solid platform capable of near 100% uptime. I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for it to go down. Trivia fact - The PS3's cell processor is based on the same Power platform that powers the i.

My edumacational duty for the day :)
 
Found my first penny guides today. I picked up 3 Super Mario Galaxy Guides and 1 Yoshi's Island at a CC. I actually had to make a .04 debit card purchase (I offered to run outside and grab a nickle from the car).

I'll hit up BBV and hope to score a Mario Kart Wii Guide on the way home from work.
 
Someone should update the OP to distinguish that the "Only 14.99" version of the Zelda guide is NOT $0.01 at Gamestop. I had it them scan it as part of my order today and had to have them drop it after I saw it wasn't pennied.

As the OP stands now, it just says the white cover Prima version is $0.01, and since there is a NEW white cover Prima version, that needs to be clarified.
 
[quote name='IAmTheCheapestGamer']I didn't know they even SOLD guides. I've never seen ANY at my local Movie Gallery/Hollywood Video, but I would think that the Gamecrazy lists might apply to the MG/HWV.[/quote]

Cool, I didnt thinka bout that. check your MG, at mine there arent many and they are kind of nestled between the previously viewd/new games and the rentals.

I think that they makea killing talking people into renting an $5 game and then buying a $20 guide. lol.
 
[quote name='cranguy']Someone should update the OP to distinguish that the "Only 14.99" version of the Zelda guide is NOT $0.01 at Gamestop. I had it them scan it as part of my order today and had to have them drop it after I saw it wasn't pennied.

As the OP stands now, it just says the white cover Prima version is $0.01, and since there is a NEW white cover Prima version, that needs to be clarified.[/QUOTE]

It should be white Permiere version thats pennied.
 
I understand that now that I've read the past few pages. I'm just saying that the OP should distinguish clearly that the old Premiere is $0.01 and the newly issued one is full price.
 
I dropped by one Blockbuster after work tonight. Both the Mario Kart Wii guide and the 2008 Cheat Codes book scanned regular full price for me.

Can someone share the UPCs or ISBNs on what they got for the $.01 price please?
 
Second post updated with the Code & Cheats book from BBV added and the white cover premiere TP guide drop from GS has been clarified.

I picked up a shitload of guides again from my new favorite Best Buy. The same clerk who waited on me last time was there and laughed at how I was back for more guides.

I scored over 5 copies of the one Pokemon guide that dropped, as well as one R6V2 and a bunch of others, but I left behind two shit condition Rock Band guides.
 
^^I have a BB like that in the Ghetto. None of the Chicago CAGs go there, so I usually get a good score! I was carrying so many Hardcovers, I figured they could stop a bullet if needed.

Checked Fire Emblem and Phantom hourglass 9.99 each.
 
So glad I found this thread !
Bought a bunch of guides back in february (when I first heard about these $0.01 guides). Bought 120 back then and got approx. $350 worth of in store credits !
I've been wondering since then if deals like that will ever show up again.
Now I got my answer and I'm up to date :) .
Thanks for the good work!


Question though;

How long does BB keep the "old" $0.01 guides on the shelves ? Went to check mine during lunch and only the newest guides were on the shelves.
 
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[quote name='gabrielh']So glad I found this thread !
How long does BB keep the "old" $0.01 guides on the shelves ? Went to check mine during lunch and only the newest guides were on the shelves.[/quote]

I think it depends entirely on the particular store. Some in my area pull them within the first week, but others I have found pennied guides that are 4+ months old. You should have a pretty good shot finding guides if you show up within the first few days of a drop.
 
[quote name='Rave Child']I think it depends entirely on the particular store. Some in my area pull them within the first week, but others I have found pennied guides that are 4+ months old. You should have a pretty good shot finding guides if you show up within the first few days of a drop.[/quote]

Ok thanks for your reply !
 
[quote name='cereal_killerxx']Just curious, but does anyone think it's possible that the hard cover version of twilight princess can be found for a penny anywhere or is it probably long gone?[/QUOTE]

if you can find it, it is pennied at best buy and gamestop
 
[quote name='cereal_killerxx']Just curious, but does anyone think it's possible that the hard cover version of twilight princess can be found for a penny anywhere or is it probably long gone?[/quote]


It's possible, but odds prob aren't good. I found one two weeks ago pennied so worth checking.
 
I have some info on guide drops today at GameStop, but I don't have a complete list. Needs additional information, but I put the stickers on these myself at my store:

Final Fantasy Tactics A2 (DS): $0.01
Final Fantasy VII Crisis Core (PSP): $0.01
Soul Calibur IV LE (Limited Edition): $0.01
 
In addition to SirChadleyOC's 3 guides, I picked up Civilization Revolution for a penny. So that makes at least 4 drops today at Gamestop.
 
[quote name='62t']add Final Fantasy XII to the GS list[/quote]

I assume it's the regular edition that you found for $.01, right?

Thanks to those that have recently posted, I just wish you all were reporting BB drops. Getting $.01 guides from Gamestops around here is close to impossible these days.
 
[quote name='onikage']I assume it's the regular edition that you found for $.01, right?

Thanks to those that have recently posted, I just wish you all were reporting BB drops. Getting $.01 guides from Gamestops around here is close to impossible these days.[/quote]

BB drops only happen once a month.. You can always go and scan them if you want.
 
[quote name='IAmTheCheapestGamer']Second post updated with Gamestop drop info....thanks to all who provided the info....if any other ones drop, please mention them....

Thanks....[/quote]
Don't forget the Civilization Revolution that was mentioned earlier.
 
I can confirm FFXII, FFT:A2, and Sould Calibur IV LE. Unfortunately, this store sold their last FFXII:LE a month ago, so I was unable to check there. By the time I'm able to check another store and post it, all the store on the east coast will be closed, and someone else probably will have already posted anyway. Well, I'm happy I was able to find these guides, and that my store opens at 9:00 so I can go before work!

EDIT - Checking their website, I see that Phantom Hourglass softcover guide is no longer listed. I don't know if that's old or new, but it may be worth checking out.
 
[quote name='animemaniac14']wait..PLEASE say the FFXII LE guide is pennied out! I'll check today to see if it is or not..my GS has ONE left and I want it![/QUOTE]

I didnt check the price but they didnt pull the FFXII LE at local store so I would guess it is not pennied
 
You might want to have checked that guide - GS usually drops the LE guides before the regular, so it'd be a bit backwards for FFXII to have dropped and not FFXII LE. Just my $0.02.
 
[quote name='punkmaggit']You might want to have checked that guide - GS usually drops the LE guides before the regular, so it'd be a bit backwards for FFXII to have dropped and not FFXII LE. Just my $0.02.[/QUOTE]

Yea but put the one cent tag and pulled all the other pennied guides except that one
 
PLEASE can someone sell me one Civ Rev Guide and one Soul Calibur LE guide? The GS's near me tossed them!!

I REALLY want these. I can paypal cash asap.

Thanks for your help and generosity!!
 
So I can confirm Crisis Core and FFTA2, but that's it :(

FFXII:LE is now priced at $14.99, so I bit. I figured I had enough credit from the Godly HWV sale that I can splurge a little bit :)
 
I found a couple Mario Kart guides today at a BBV, but the guy who rang them up told me they were out of the system. I asked if they actually rang up @ $.01 and he acted confused and wouldn't answer, so who knows.
 
I picked up a Soul Calibur IV LE guide and a Crisis Core guide for a penny each today at GS. Also, it looks like the FFXII: Revenant Wings guide was pennied as well. The clerk offered it to me but I already had a few from the Best Buy drop so I declined.

Edit: looks like the Revenant Wings guide was from a much earlier drop.
 
After reading this thread I went out to Blockbuster and found a Mario Kart Wii guide. Then at my Best Buy I found a Final Fantasy Tactics and Super Mario Galaxy Collectors (the paper sleeve was pretty bent up though so it wasn't in shrinkwrap.)

Is there a certain time of the week/month that Best Buy "drops" their guides?

Thank you kindly,
Shane
 
[quote name='davethomasowns']After reading this thread I went out to Blockbuster and found a Mario Kart Wii guide. Then at my Best Buy I found a Final Fantasy Tactics and Super Mario Galaxy Collectors (the paper sleeve was pretty bent up though so it wasn't in shrinkwrap.)

Is there a certain time of the week/month that Best Buy "drops" their guides?

Thank you kindly,
Shane[/QUOTE]
usually first monday of the month but lately there is no pattern
 
Picked up Fire Emblem, FF12, FFCC:RoF and Uncharted at GS today. They even had them on the new revolving guide display. Hooray for lazy employees. :lol:

When I was paying (also had 3 games), the clerk didn't seem to care that the guides were ringing up a .01. When he tried to scan FE, it wouldn't scan. He asked another clerk and he said that he didn't think they could sell the guides. He went to ask the manager and was told that if they were scanning at .01, to just give me the guides. :D

Unfortunately, all the guides that they had left were pretty much new. The oldest guide I saw was FF4.
 
Sorry to say I will not be working on Monday - its my birthday and for some reason I wanted not to work on this day :cool:. But I really do expect a good size drop real soon - our giudes are overflowing pretty bad and usually when that happens we have a drop. This is worse than how it was before the last drop and history tells me that when it gets too much over there they do a drop. We only have one 4 foot section for the guides and have enough guides for double the space. I do not know for sure if there will be a drop - but I would be surprised if there was not one either Monday or really soon.
 
[quote name='fuss']Sorry to say I will not be working on Monday - its my birthday and for some reason I wanted not to work on this day :cool:. But I really do expect a good size drop real soon - our giudes are overflowing pretty bad and usually when that happens we have a drop. This is worse than how it was before the last drop and history tells me that when it gets too much over there they do a drop. We only have one 4 foot section for the guides and have enough guides for double the space. I do not know for sure if there will be a drop - but I would be surprised if there was not one either Monday or really soon.[/quote]

Is this BB you're talking about? I know in years past, they've stopped drops around this time of year until after the new year, like Jan or Feb.

Hopefully this year will be different though as I have the week off and would love to hit up a drop tomorrow on my way to pick up the new Kanye and Luda.
 
Thanks anyway fuss.
I've read in the circular for TRU, that guides are 1/2 off. So that's a Reduced Price Game Guide deal... But I haven't seen a TRU with many GOOD guides, except the ones they were supposed to remove ages ago.
 
Damn i really need a copy of

Civilization Revolution
Final Fantasy Tactics A2
Soul Calibur IV LE (Limited Edition)

Glad i kept some of the LE and CE guides from bestbuy drop. Guess I just have to find people who have em now
 
[quote name='fuss']Sorry to say I will not be working on Monday - its my birthday and for some reason I wanted not to work on this day :cool:. But I really do expect a good size drop real soon etc.[/quote]

Happy Birthday!

i hope youre right about a drop!
 
[quote name='fuss']our giudes are overflowing pretty bad and usually when that happens we have a drop. This is worse than how it was before the last drop and history tells me that when it gets too much over there they do a drop. We only have one 4 foot section for the guides and have enough guides for double the space.[/quote]

I was at my BB yesterday and they moved the guide section again, from within the videogame section toward the back of the store, across from the PC games. In the process, it seems like they expanded the shelf space.

I find it interesting how often my BB seems to re-arrange the store significantly. I wonder:
1) are these layouts orders from the mother ship, or the idea of local store managers
2) do they measure results (sales) before and after, and retain lessons learned
3) is someone getting promoted based on improving sales, or simply for shuffling the store around

I bet the rank-and-file employees love these changes.

Sorry, got a bit OT.
 
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