Reduced Price Game Guides: Thread X(Ten)

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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.

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/...d.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. 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 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/...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/showthread.php?t=187222

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, 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.

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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[quote name='Estebon']Wait, you used a credit card on something that cost a penny?

hahaha

Thats some funny shit. Why would your wife yell at you for that?[/QUOTE]

Mostly she thinks its absurd to get a bill for a penny. If I had just bought one cd or dvd she wouldn't have even noticed. She has also seen my stack of guides and can't fathom why I would need to add to it.

I hardly ever carry cash, and I always use my BB card because of the excellent interest deals. For instance, that penny guide I bought was interest free for 90 days! Of course my minimum payment due is a penny too...don't know how to get around that one.

The store I stopped at used to always tag the guides for $.01 and they generally wouldn't last long. That's why I was surprised to see MGS 4 tagged for a penny as they haven't tagged them lately and I thought it might have been a mistake. Finding a store that doesn't pull their guides is rare enough, but finding one that tags them for a penny is even rarer.
 
[quote name='180husher']My wife also yelled at me when she saw the Best Buy credit card statement yesterday...it had a balance of $.01.[/QUOTE]

No...please...tell me you didn't. :drool:
 
[quote name='180husher']Mostly she thinks its absurd to get a bill for a penny. If I had just bought one cd or dvd she wouldn't have even noticed. She has also seen my stack of guides and can't fathom why I would need to add to it.

I hardly ever carry cash, and I always use my BB card because of the excellent interest deals. For instance, that penny guide I bought was interest free for 90 days! Of course my minimum payment due is a penny too...don't know how to get around that one.

The store I stopped at used to always tag the guides for $.01 and they generally wouldn't last long. That's why I was surprised to see MGS 4 tagged for a penny as they haven't tagged them lately and I thought it might have been a mistake. Finding a store that doesn't pull their guides is rare enough, but finding one that tags them for a penny is even rarer.[/QUOTE]

Dude, you MIGHT want to start thinking about carrying some spare change in your ashtray. I mean using a CC for a penny guide? I don't know if that's funny or just sad.
 
[quote name='Ubiiquitous']Wouldn't it have been easier to just use a debit card? Saves the hassle of writing a check and mailing it or paying online for 1 cent.[/QUOTE]

Not if it was a Best Buy Mastercard...Double Reward Zone points.
 
[quote name='Ubiiquitous']Wouldn't it have been easier to just use a debit card? Saves the hassle of writing a check and mailing it or paying online for 1 cent.[/QUOTE]

Online Bill Pay...the future is NOW.

You guys and your coins and cash..."coins are the preferred method of payment for the Dollar Store."
 
[quote name='180husher']Online Bill Pay...the future is NOW.

You guys and your coins and cash..."coins are the preferred method of payment for the Dollar Store."[/QUOTE]

:) That's cool. I use online bill pay for my BBY card too. For a penny, I would just eliminate the middle man and use my debit card to eliminate the need to use the online bill pay.
 
Since we are already off-topic - any suggestions for a sturdy bookshelf to hold a crapload of guides? Just moved and don't have anywhere to put them at the moment. The last bookshelf I've used was a IKEA billy - though cheap, it was definitely bowing under the weight and I was only using about half of it.
 
Yes but if you use a credit card for penny guide merchandise I believe you COST bestbuy money as they pay a transaction fee per credit card transaction.
 
I believe the Persona 4 guide dropped today at Gamestop. It's no longer on their website.

I grabbed my copy when it was $10, and I only know of one store left that might have it. Good luck CAGs!!
 
i just checked with my gamestops and they still have the guide in the system for 10$. what this means though is its possible its in process of being discontinued. either way i cleaned out all 4 copies in my area for the 10$. mainly cause following the trend......nocturne,persona1,2,3 all of them are 40-60+ new guides. figured it would be worth stocking up. i had access to around 5-6 persona 3 guides and kinda mad i didnt snatch them when they were 10 each.
 
[quote name='punkmaggit']I believe the Persona 4 guide dropped today at Gamestop. It's no longer on their website.

I grabbed my copy when it was $10, and I only know of one store left that might have it. Good luck CAGs!![/QUOTE]

I was at GameStop today and saw a copy of Persona 4 sitting behind the counter so I asked the guy if they had it when he came back from getting something and he told me they don't and hinted that it was just discontinued so take that for what it means. If it's not pennied yet maybe they got some sort of pre warning to pull it and it'll penny out tomarrow or Thursday.
 
Star Ocean First Departure pennies at Gamestop. I'm guessing today, since my source would have told me yesterday along with Persona 4.
 
Depending if it's still on the site, you can check to see what stores still have it. If it's not there drive cause calling them (unless you know someone well) is a little sketchy/can be traced as opposed to asking the employees in person (when there aren't a ton of ppl around).
 
If you call, they would have to look it up on their systems, which would show them the item to be pennied out, so its best to just go in.
 
[quote name='chibamm']Do you guys call around to check or just drive?[/QUOTE]

NEVER CALL ON A DEAL!!!! Unless you're willing to do the legwork, you'll never get a deal if you call asking about them.

Mind you, if it's something you don't really give a crap if you get(90-95% of the guides that drop anymore for me, the $83 HDtv from Kmart), then it's fine to have employees check.

But yeah, calling about a penny guide will just alert them to the guide(s) they missed during a drop and you'll be SOL.
 
[quote name='hotrocks']so why isnt the original thread being updated..ive missed out on so much because ive only been checking the first post :([/QUOTE]

b/c we're waiting for you to buy IATCG a new router/modem. That'd be Super Cool!

It's August. And soon it will be Monday. Dare I hope? (fingers wriggling ala Indy in front of the idol...)
 
[quote name='gantt']b/c we're waiting for you to buy IATCG a new router/modem. That'd be Super Cool!

It's August. And soon it will be Monday. Dare I hope? (fingers wriggling ala Indy in front of the idol...)[/QUOTE]

LOL gantt

Assuming I get my lazy ass up today, hopefully the person at the flea market from the pc stand who said they'd have the Actiontec modem/router that works with Verizon's DSL for me three weeks ago still has it.

I don't think much really dropped though since I last updated. I believe only Metal Gear Solid 4 @ Best Buy and Star Ocean @ Gamestop.

If Sony would stop limiting the number of characters you can see onscreen when writing text on a webpage, I'd have zero problems updating from my PS3.

But when I went into the second post to update, it showed a couple about 3-6 months or so worth of drops and wouldn't let me update without first deleting something.

Hopefully those who pay attention to this thread regularly got the guides that dropped. For everyone else, PAY ATTENTION!!!!
 
Damn. I missed the post with the SO:FD drop info. The only GS that I checked yesterday had already pulled it. There are 2 other GS nearby that had it in stock but when I went there, they had already closed (8 pm). Damn ghetto GSs!!
 
No word of a drop anywhere for SO:TLH. The nearest BB has a ton of those along with FO3 CE, SWFU, Lego Batman and L4D. Hopefully, we get a huge drop on Monday.
 
:lol: im pretty much refusing to start Fable 2 until i get a penny guide for it. Bestbuy is taunting me with their stock of these guides. I suppose Fallout 3 is doing the same. I have way too many games in my backlog and want to make sure i get through as fast as possible. Come on Fable!!!
 
On Saturday, I went to a BB I rarely go to, and they had re-stocked some of the recent penny guides since the last time I was there. Probably just an employee who didn't know any better saw them stacked in the back after having been pulled and decided to put them back on the floor. Got (going from memory here) Mario Kart Wii, Resistance 2, Madworld, Endwar, GTA Chinatown Wars, and Gears 2 CE. Not a bad haul, and very unexpected. For some reason, I always think Need For Speed Undercover is pennied, so I ended up checking it, but it is still $19.99.
 
[quote name='guessed']For some reason, I always think Need For Speed Undercover is pennied, so I ended up checking it, but it is still $19.99.[/QUOTE]

Same thing happens to me. I always confuse BB drops with GS drops and vice-versa. I think only GS has pennied NFS:U.
 
[quote name='Japakneez']:lol: im pretty much refusing to start Fable 2 until i get a penny guide for it. Bestbuy is taunting me with their stock of these guides. I suppose Fallout 3 is doing the same. I have way too many games in my backlog and want to make sure i get through as fast as possible. Come on Fable!!![/QUOTE]

Why do you want a guide before you start playing fable 2?
 
[quote name='Japakneez']:lol: im pretty much refusing to start Fable 2 until i get a penny guide for it. Bestbuy is taunting me with their stock of these guides. I suppose Fallout 3 is doing the same. I have way too many games in my backlog and want to make sure i get through as fast as possible. Come on Fable!!![/QUOTE]

I can understand the need for a guide with Fallout 3, but I'd recommend playing through Fable II without the guide. It really isn't necessary as the game is actually quite linear and straightfoward.
 
How many hours does it take to beat Fable2? I don't actually spoil the game. I usually just like to play through and then look at the guide after i complete an area. Just want to see if theres anything i missed.

I'm currently on Ninja Gaiden Sigma and its a total PITA.
 
Fable 2 can take between 10 hours and...god, I don't even want to think about the max. I'd say 10-40 hours...depending on how you play it.

[quote name='Japakneez']How many hours does it take to beat Fable2? I don't actually spoil the game. I usually just like to play through and then look at the guide after i complete an area. Just want to see if theres anything i missed.[/QUOTE]
 
[quote name='emg28']Same thing happens to me. I always confuse BB drops with GS drops and vice-versa. I think only GS has pennied NFS:U.[/QUOTE]

Need For Speed Undercover dropped @ Gamestop? Dammit!! I was at a GS with 3-4 copies of it yesterday and I totally ignored it. I guess that's what I get for doing things 'old school'(by memory or with pen/paper).

However, I DID snag their lone copy of Star Ocean: First Departure, which I was shocked to still find on the shelf.

Then I hit up a local BB and found that they had a single copy of the guide for Madden 09 still left, but no fuckin' MGS4 guides of ANY kind(LE or softcover). That's three strikes for me on that guide, as this was at a further away BB that I rarely hit.
 
I snagged several copies of MGS4 softcover right before closing. That location was the only store in a 50 mile radius with any copies. I'll drop by Gamestop on Wednesday and see what's going on there.
 
[quote name='haize']i havent bought a guide for a game since Super Mario 64, the internet is win. www.gamefaqs.com

Besides, its fun to figure out games like FO3, Oblivion, Fable 2 on your own, right!?[/QUOTE]


This thread is for those who collect guides or go out of their way to find them at good prices. So, your argument above has no meaning to us.

Hmm, just don't bother coming back to clutter this. Thanks.
 
[quote name='IAmTheCheapestGamer']Need For Speed Undercover dropped @ Gamestop? Dammit!! I was at a GS with 3-4 copies of it yesterday and I totally ignored it. I guess that's what I get for doing things 'old school'(by memory or with pen/paper).

However, I DID snag their lone copy of Star Ocean: First Departure, which I was shocked to still find on the shelf.

Then I hit up a local BB and found that they had a single copy of the guide for Madden 09 still left, but no fuckin' MGS4 guides of ANY kind(LE or softcover). That's three strikes for me on that guide, as this was at a further away BB that I rarely hit.[/QUOTE]

So you mean to tell us your Gamestop didn't block you on the penny guide?
 
well this is a long shot but does anyone have access or have an extra star ocean first departure guide. i have extras of valkyrie profile covenant and star ocean second evolution that id trade. they are in mint shape that i got lucky penny finds on.
thanks,
ed
 
There's a thread for trading over in shopping and discussion.

Back on topic, Not pennied but Fable 2 (regular) and WOW:Lich King are 9.99$ at Gamestop.
 
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