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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I managed to get TWEWY from one GS here in town. I didn't ask for any of the others. I don't want to push my luck. I got the one I wanted.
 
[quote name='erehwon']I managed to get TWEWY from one GS here in town. I didn't ask for any of the others. I don't want to push my luck. I got the one I wanted.[/QUOTE]

Same here, but I got God of War PSP. The first one I went I could see them all stacked behind the counter, but it was not in the stack. He called the other store and asked them to hold it for me. They'd already pulled theirs as well, but they happily gave it to me when I showed up.

I already beat this game 100% but now I can loan the guide to my brother along with the game :) Wish I could get more for trade fodder but I don't want to get greedy and have karma stab me in the back later on.
 
[quote name='h3llbring3r']You should check out Dark Sector, it's a great game and the guide helped me find a few pick-ups that I missed and with the two of the boss fights when I couldn't figure out why the they were taking so long.[/quote]

Already have the guide from BB drops. ;)
 
[quote name='62t']I can confirm the PSP FFT is 1 cent

as well as
Ironman
Vikings[/quote]

You mean Viking: Battle For Asgard? That was part of an older drop, but I added Iron Man. I still need the exact name of that codebook that dropped too, since they release different versions for each season it seems, if it's the one I'm thinking of.

[quote name='hellmutt']
Wish I could get more for trade fodder but I don't want to get greedy and have karma stab me in the back later on.[/quote]

That's what happened to me after I hoarded like a fiend for a while. I basically screwed it up for the entire district, except for the case of the one or two stores who don't seem to give a shit and give me guides if I find them on the shelves still.

Funniest part is, the store that still regularly gives me them is the one that the district manager who put the hammer down usually does most of his work from.
 
i ono but this might be a stupid question but are the prices ymmv? i saw TWEWY guide at a blockbuster and wen i asked for the price the clerk didnt scan it..she just looked at the back for the price -_-. didnt wanna push it so i just left it there.
 
[quote name='mikeyme']i ono but this might be a stupid question but are the prices ymmv? i saw TWEWY guide at a blockbuster and wen i asked for the price the clerk didnt scan it..she just looked at the back for the price -_-. didnt wanna push it so i just left it there.[/quote]This most recent droplist was from Gamestop. If you view the second post in this thread, it'll tell you When/Where/How much.:)
 
[quote name='Vader582']This most recent droplist was from Gamestop. If you view the second post in this thread, it'll tell you When/Where/How much.:)[/quote]

Apparently, that's too hard of a fuckin' concept for some to grasp since they want a hovering pop-up version of the list from the second post right in front of their mugs so their lazy asses don't have to click on the link that says FIRST to go to the first page. :roll:

I'm really getting sick of the stupid fuckin' questions asking inane garbage that's covered on the first page.

If you can't take 5-10 minutes to read everything in the first couple posts, then fuck ya since you deserve to pay full price for these things.
 
I found several Zelda: Phantom Hourglass hard covers at a GS today, but was only allowed to take one. It was surprising to see so many of them and yet no other recent .01 guides.
 
About three of the Gamestop stores in my area have no less than 12-15 copies EACH of the Final Fantasy XII hardcover LE edition guide. Matter of fact, a couple of the stores decided to use them as a replacement shelf to stack other guides on top of, since it's apparent that no one except for the few really fervent Final Fantasy fans bought a copy and the others have languished there.

If my local stores actually still gave me guides, that'd be a hell of a day when those drop.
 
5 Gamestops, 0 guides. It sucks when you actually want them to use.

I did a quick dumpster dive today at one as well. It's not really a dive, I'm tall and can look in and around pretty easily.
 
[quote name='nlyonssmith']5 Gamestops, 0 guides. It sucks when you actually want them to use.

I did a quick dumpster dive today at one as well. It's not really a dive, I'm tall and can look in and around pretty easily.[/quote]

I hope that place didn't share a dumpster with a Subway or was near a tattoo shop like a few of my local Gamestop stores are. I've thought about DDing at a few other stores, but I'm not sure about the legality of it in my state and I don't wanna end up in trouble over shit that'll probably linger on my TL anyway.:roll:
 
[quote name='IAmTheCheapestGamer']Apparently, that's too hard of a fuckin' concept for some to grasp since they want a hovering pop-up version of the list from the second post right in front of their mugs so their lazy asses don't have to click on the link that says FIRST to go to the first page. :roll:

I'm really getting sick of the stupid fuckin' questions asking inane garbage that's covered on the first page.

If you can't take 5-10 minutes to read everything in the first couple posts, then fuck ya since you deserve to pay full price for these things.[/quote]

Don't let them get to you. Just don't respond to those posts. If they can't figure it out (and it's really simple to figure out) then don't worry about them.
 
[quote name='nlyonssmith']5 Gamestops, 0 guides. It sucks when you actually want them to use.

I did a quick dumpster dive today at one as well. It's not really a dive, I'm tall and can look in and around pretty easily.[/quote]

Ha!! I kinda did my first one too. No guides though, which made me wonder if they just didn't throw them in the dumpster yet or if they took 'em home for themselves :bomb:. This one's safe as it's next to a clothing store and a salvation army.
 
[quote name='punkmaggit']Ha!! I kinda did my first one too. No guides though, which made me wonder if they just didn't throw them in the dumpster yet or if they took 'em home for themselves :bomb:. This one's safe as it's next to a clothing store and a salvation army.[/quote]

I suppose your SA is a pretty clean place? Some of mine look and smell like someone donated feces encrusted furniture at times. :whistle2:# It's pretty disgusting.

The one local non-chain(converted former SA store) thrift store even sold shit stained underwear for a while. So yeah, I wouldn't trust that dumpster.
 
[quote name='neocisco']Don't let them get to you. Just don't respond to those posts. If they can't figure it out (and it's really simple to figure out) then don't worry about them.[/quote]

No, no, don't listen to him! Seeing IATCG blow a headgasket is one of the reasons I keep checking in on this thread. It's like a great Don Rickles routine. :lol:
 
[quote name='punkmaggit']Ha!! I kinda did my first one too. No guides though, which made me wonder if they just didn't throw them in the dumpster yet or if they took 'em home for themselves :bomb:. This one's safe as it's next to a clothing store and a salvation army.[/quote]
check that SA son. I've gotten a many of cheap games there (although much cleaning is involved)
 
[quote name='Richard Longfellow']No, no, don't listen to him! Seeing IATCG blow a headgasket is one of the reasons I keep checking in on this thread. It's like a great Don Rickles routine. :lol:[/quote]

If he drops his pants and launches a rocket I'm outta here.
 
[quote name='neocisco']If he drops his pants and launches a rocket I'm outta here.[/QUOTE]

I dont know why but i just started laughing at that.

oh and reguards to IATCAG when he first took over from gwen post were mostly directed at the wiki so i never even read past the first post. after several months of not seing anything in the wiki i just assumed that people were just getting there info from the last few posts... and that it wasn't really being kept up as much per say anymore... then IATCAG posts that he added the list to the second post and I was like snuh¿? ahh well, sily me...
 
[quote name='Derrick1979']whats the chance of actully scoring any of these guides at GS now that this drop is a couple of days old?[/quote]

From my experiences, I'd say it's as good as it was to start with, unless there are other guide hunters in your area. All the stores near me either pull their guides instantly or not at all.
 
[quote name='Rave Child']From my experiences, I'd say it's as good as it was to start with, unless there are other guide hunters in your area. All the stores near me either pull their guides instantly or not at all.[/quote]


Alright well I have one store I frequent so hopefully they are not on the ball with these and will let one or two go.....

Thanks
 
Hit 3 Gamestops today. Ended up getting:

FFCC: Rings of Fate
FFT: WOTL
Okami (from an older drop)
Kingdom Hearts II (from an older drop)

They did a pretty good job of pulling the guides apparently.
 
Oh man, when did Kingdom Hearts II drop? I had seen one one a couple weeks ago at my local store, but it's gone now :cry:. At least the manager saved me GoW (PSP), FFCC, and Ratchet & Clank. His exact words were, "I almost threw these out last night, but I had a feeling you'd be coming to get them." Too bad he kept a lot of the other guides for himself or the other employees.
 
[quote name='Derrick1979']whats the chance of actully scoring any of these guides at GS now that this drop is a couple of days old?[/quote]

For me it's something like this:

-the day of: 50%
-the day after: 25%
-any subsequent days after:
 
[quote name='KABUKISTAR']Question: at Best Buy, do pre-orders ring up as a penny, after the game has come out?[/quote]

They should. We had someone report that the Turok beanie pre-order bonus came up as .01 after the game came out.
 
[quote name='IAmTheCheapestGamer']They should. We had someone report that the Turok beanie pre-order bonus came up as .01 after the game came out.[/quote]
I ask because mine still had some Dead Space pre-orders sitting around. The employee refused to ring it up and check, though, just repeating over and over that they're $5 -_-
 
[quote name='KABUKISTAR']I ask because mine still had some Dead Space pre-orders sitting around. The employee refused to ring it up and check, though, just repeating over and over that they're $5 -_-[/quote]

None of my BB's ever even got the pre-order book. I would have paid the money for it.
 
btw, i brought this guide to the counter but it's not pennied out yet.

9780756641917H.jpg


my bad, i should be looking for this one

9780756635176H.jpg
 
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I don't even bother with Gamestops, all of mine clean out as soon as drops happen and won't sell 'em to me. I've had the best luck with Best Buy but they haven't had much as of late.

I hope this means there's a large drop coming up in the future.
 
[quote name='Rave Child']Oh man, when did Kingdom Hearts II drop? I had seen one one a couple weeks ago at my local store, but it's gone now :cry:. At least the manager saved me GoW (PSP), FFCC, and Ratchet & Clank. His exact words were, "I almost threw these out last night, but I had a feeling you'd be coming to get them." Too bad he kept a lot of the other guides for himself or the other employees.[/QUOTE]

I think the Kingdom Hearts II drop was a long time ago. Maybe over a year ago?
 
[quote name='Rocko']I don't even bother with Gamestops, all of mine clean out as soon as drops happen and won't sell 'em to me. I've had the best luck with Best Buy but they haven't had much as of late.

I hope this means there's a large drop coming up in the future.[/quote]

i always get exactly what i find on the floor so dont listen to rocko! if its on the floor they should sell or just give it to you.
 
[quote name='monkeydeew']i always get exactly what i find on the floor so dont listen to rocko! if its on the floor they should sell or just give it to you.[/quote]

That only works if you have a good standing with the people at your local stores, but since I think I'm known as 'the penny guy' by not only Gamestop but Best Buy, I've had nothing but problems at most of their local stores lately.

Even Best Buy, where I used to walk in emptyhanded and walk out with 10-12 guides PER drop, they're getting good at pulling them and even better at being total asshats when I find one to take to the register.

Gamestop, of course, is the place where I had an altercation with their DM while looking for guides one time, so I'm shocked I'm not blackballed from there yet. Plus, it doesn't help that the people who used to let me go with some of them all got fired or quit a while ago.

The ones that're there now are all company line people who won't let anything go without asking their manager, who never seems to be working anymore. Everybody at 2-3 stores ask him what to do when I stop in and DO find a guide, but he's never available to say yes or no anymore.
 
most likely I'm going to miss out on this drop, sadly - I'd kill for a War of the Lions guide though, if anyone can help.
 
picked up TWEWY, the manager was a bit...huffy that they hadn't been pulled, but luckily they still sold it to me. :) Love this thread, its hooked me up with guides I actually want/need.
 
[quote name='Rocko']I don't even bother with Gamestops, all of mine clean out as soon as drops happen and won't sell 'em to me. I've had the best luck with Best Buy but they haven't had much as of late.

I hope this means there's a large drop coming up in the future.[/QUOTE]
same here. I think I hit up 5 Gamestops the past 3 days and none had anything
 
I tried 4 more Gamestops today, two I've never been to before and two I haven't been to for months. Only walked away with an Operation Darkness guide. At least I was able to pick up a lot of good games and flips along the way, so the trips weren't completely in vein. I think I'm going to just stick to a couple of nearby Gamestops from now on, unless there is a really epic drop.
 
I've completely given up on Gamestop in Chicago for guides. They always have the guide displays nice and tidy, with only about 4 or 5 new guides available anymore.
 
[quote name='shieryda']I've completely given up on Gamestop in Chicago for guides. They always have the guide displays nice and tidy, with only about 4 or 5 new guides available anymore.[/quote]

i know what you mean. i dont think i have ever seen a guide in gamestop for a game that is older then about 2 or 3 months.
 
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