Reduced Price Game Guides: Thread XI

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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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[quote name='Ultragamer']RE5 has been missing from the site for awhile now.

Also would like to post on Black Friday the following guides will be $2.99 at gamestop, not a penny but if you missed them at bestbuy still a good deal.

Splinter Cell Conviction
Crackdown 2
Super Street Fighter IV
Halo ODST
UFC Undisputed 2010
God of War III
Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days
Fable II[/QUOTE]


Nice, might have to see if I can find Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days. And prolly even harder yet, REMEMBERING to go look! Feel free to remind me ;)
 
FYI, Beaver Creek Ohio BB has some SCC guides showing up, so it's likely that they have more than that too.

Unfortunately that's a bit far from Columbus, and I'm not here in my own PoS car.
 
Went to a BB tonight for Super Scribblenauts and was surprised to see single copies of 4 or 5 guides from the last drop. That store never has any. However, they all lacked the yellow sticker, and it's the same store where a guy over-rode the penny price to 14.99 (list price 19.99 - he gave me a deal!11), so I didn't feel like taking my chances. Nothing I didn't already have anyway.
 
Came from another Best Buy and scored some more guides:

Alan Wake (I really wanted this)
Nier (This one too)
COD: MW2
Transformers: WFC

I think I saw Just Cause 2 and Crackdown 2 as well but I was running late.
 
My BB again showed up with some guides this week. They were not there last week. Grabbed them & they are all available for trades.

Legend Of Zelda: Spirit Tracks LE
Alan Wake
Lego Indiana Jones 2
Prince Of Persia: The Forgotten Sands
Splinter Cell: Conviction
UFC Undisputed 2010
Red Steel 2
 
[quote name='rb109972']well its monday, dose any one know if there was a bb drop?[/QUOTE]

ballbarfer is that you??? :lol: j/k..I'm sure someone will report back soon enough!
 
[quote name='token2k6']ballbarfer is that you??? :lol: j/k..I'm sure someone will report back soon enough![/QUOTE]

hah. how come we don't get good noobs that are offering up new info and guides for trade? We get the noobs who take take take.
 
[quote name='ballbarfer']i've got a feeling deep in my bone that there's gonna be a drop![/QUOTE]

With a nick like that, you sure the source isn't something else? =P
 
drat... i jst went to bb to buy a new charger for my phone, stopped by the guide section and saw WoW: WotLK atlas which turned out to b penned.... so i rushed home to tell everyone and wouldnt u know it... it was on a drop 6 months ago >_
 
[quote name='nixmahn']did you see anything else drop?[/QUOTE]

tried AC 2... but still full price =(.. so sad.. maybe after black fri?... who knows.

AC: BH ROCKS!!!!!
 
Stopped by two Best Buy and scored:

Darksiders
Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: The Crystal Bearers
Batman: Arkham Asylum

I checked the price for Fallout 3 GOTY, Resident Evil 5 and Halo ODST and all three rang full price.

 
[quote name='Ultragamer']That is correct.[/QUOTE]

thanks for clearing that up.. I made a trade awhile back and that was a guide I got, and it seems everyone wants that guide =P
 
just wanted to thank everyone who keeps this thread going. after those close back to back drops at best buy I came away with nothing. all the guides had been pulled at the three locations closest to me. this sunday I went to pick up a couple of blurays and I checked the guides just for fun.

Found several I wanted, and a few I can add to games already purchased as xmas gifts. found plnety of white knight chronicles, kane and lynch 2, god of III, crackdown 2...the best were the alan wake collector's editions. along with, god of war III limited editions. so I bought enough to compliment the number of games I bought as gifts for those titles. again thanks for those who make this thread awesome.
 
Picked up a rather beat up LBP Superbook and a Saboteur at a GS today.

They are sitting in my car in Youngstown, OH across Federal St. from the Powers Auditorium if anyone wants them. Car is locked, but feel free to break in, key and fuck up the car, and take those two and the Red Steel 2 guide along with the MGS PW guide that are all on the front passengers seat!

Thanks if anyone actually does mess up the car. Please make sure to make it inoperable while you are at it! Thanks a million!
 
[quote name='dabamus']Picked up a rather beat up LBP Superbook and a Saboteur at a GS today.

They are sitting in my car in Youngstown, OH across Federal St. from the Powers Auditorium if anyone wants them. Car is locked, but feel free to break in, key and fuck up the car, and take those two and the Red Steel 2 guide along with the MGS PW guide that are all on the front passengers seat!

Thanks if anyone actually does mess up the car. Please make sure to make it inoperable while you are at it! Thanks a million![/QUOTE]

Will do good sir

but it might be 3 days from now till I get to it, would you like me to slash the tires while im at it ?
 
[quote name='dabamus']Picked up a rather beat up LBP Superbook and a Saboteur at a GS today.

They are sitting in my car in Youngstown, OH across Federal St. from the Powers Auditorium if anyone wants them. Car is locked, but feel free to break in, key and fuck up the car, and take those two and the Red Steel 2 guide along with the MGS PW guide that are all on the front passengers seat!

Thanks if anyone actually does mess up the car. Please make sure to make it inoperable while you are at it! Thanks a million![/QUOTE]

Do we have to leave your car where we found it or can we roll it down a hill?
 
[quote name='Ultragamer']Do we have to leave your car where we found it or can we roll it down a hill?[/QUOTE]

Good luck getting it started, but go for it.
 
[quote name='iKilledChewbacca']Will do good sir

but it might be 3 days from now till I get to it, would you like me to slash the tires while im at it ?[/QUOTE]

It has to be done tonight if at all, since I'm going back to it tomorrow afternoon to get it with my dad once he gets off work.
 
okay so here's the things.. I hit up best buy, I found 3 guides, but I only grabbed one to try out this.. I grabbed the LOZ: Spirit tracks, but this one said it was premier edtion not the limited, but I've never seen the limited so I figured they were the same, plus it had a sticker covering the barcode saying do not scan. So naturally I peeled the sticker off as I take it up to the counter, and it still rang up 20 bucks though.. So I turned that down, the other guide I know they had was a hardcover for the game borderpost or control whatever it is. I wish I did bring that one up now, but oh well.. So I guess hopefully next time I will grab any of the guides that I have on the paper list and see if any of them will ring up .01
 
[quote name='zergtillian']okay so here's the things.. I hit up best buy, I found 3 guides, but I only grabbed one to try out this.. I grabbed the LOZ: Spirit tracks, but this one said it was premier edtion not the limited, but I've never seen the limited so I figured they were the same, plus it had a sticker covering the barcode saying do not scan. So naturally I peeled the sticker off as I take it up to the counter, and it still rang up 20 bucks though.. So I turned that down, the other guide I know they had was a hardcover for the game borderpost or control whatever it is. I wish I did bring that one up now, but oh well.. So I guess hopefully next time I will grab any of the guides that I have on the paper list and see if any of them will ring up .01[/QUOTE]

:wall:
 
[quote name='radioactivez0r']There should be a rule against posting on this thread on Monday unless it involves a new drop. I get all giddy.[/QUOTE]


Is there a new drop though? I can't check out BB until after work.
 
[quote name='zergtillian']okay so here's the things.. I hit up best buy, I found 3 guides, but I only grabbed one to try out this.. I grabbed the LOZ: Spirit tracks, but this one said it was premier edtion not the limited, but I've never seen the limited so I figured they were the same, plus it had a sticker covering the barcode saying do not scan. So naturally I peeled the sticker off as I take it up to the counter, and it still rang up 20 bucks though.. So I turned that down, the other guide I know they had was a hardcover for the game borderpost or control whatever it is. I wish I did bring that one up now, but oh well.. So I guess hopefully next time I will grab any of the guides that I have on the paper list and see if any of them will ring up .01[/QUOTE]


[quote name='zergtillian']okay so here's the scoop..

I went down to the gamestop at my local mall, looked over the guides, I'm sure there might of been a couple more guides too as well. But they had a couple hardback covers to the game called borderpost, which I looked at on the first thread, it says thats on the list. I was gonna try to get them and see if they would ring up as a penny. But my wife told me not to, seeing as the store manager was there (and we actually get along with him quite well..)
So now its a new day, and I'll try to get back down there today, hopefully he won't be working I guess =P
On the borderpost game, it was a hardback, the OP didn't say anything about a hardback or paperback. I'm sure you'll know better then me, but its fair game either way right?[/QUOTE]


[quote name='zergtillian']I have a question on these penny guides.. I just found a number to a local best buy and asked if they had any guides for a penny, the guy responded with
"He's worked there for two years and has never once heard of penny guides"

So on that note, is this only at best buys that honor such a thing? Or do all honor it, just they don't know of it?

editing this now..

I called another one, and they looked into it actually, they responded with something like
"We have the insider, but we do not have any guides that are for a penny.."[/QUOTE]


This guy is trolling this thread hard.
Nobody can possibly be that stupid.
He bumps this thread just to get kicks watching everybody react.
If I was a mod, I would ban him from the face of the planet.

.
 
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I saw a Legend Of Zelda: Spirit Tracks LE on Friday but couldn't remember if it was on this list or not. I remembered a few other guides though :). I am going to have to go back to snag Zelda though!
 
[quote name='radioactivez0r']There should be a rule against posting on this thread on Monday unless it involves a new drop. I get all giddy.[/QUOTE]

And yet you posted anyway.
 
[quote name='radioactivez0r']There should be a rule against posting on this thread on Monday unless it involves a new drop. I get all giddy.[/QUOTE]

[quote name='neocisco']And yet you posted anyway.[/QUOTE]

Ol' Matt's gonna be your shadow! Here's you, here's Matt. There's you, There's (Thump).
 
[quote name='neocisco']And yet you posted anyway.[/QUOTE]

I considered that after the fact, but since I wasn't the first person to post today, I let it slide.
 
[quote name='radioactivez0r']I considered that after the fact, but since I wasn't the first person to post today, I let it slide.[/QUOTE]

Nope, you were the first person to post in more than 5 days.
 
[quote name='neocisco']Nope, you were the first person to post in more than 5 days.[/QUOTE]

Nope. There were 2 or 3 posts deleted by Mods before his post.
 
not sure if this is the right place to post this question, but I was wondering if anyone is after square enix registration codes? If so, would anyone be willing to trade guides for them at all? If so please message me and I'll give you a list of what I have, and if this isn't the place to post this, I'm sorry, I'll delete it
 
[quote name='neocisco']I stand corrected.

Wait...Borderpost? Ah, never mind, it's probably best I don't know.[/QUOTE]

Yea, he's been posting every week saying he saw borderpost guides... And they scan for full price, blah blah
 
[quote name='zergtillian']not sure if this is the right place to post this question, but I was wondering if anyone is after square enix registration codes? If so, would anyone be willing to trade guides for them at all? If so please message me and I'll give you a list of what I have, and if this isn't the place to post this, I'm sorry, I'll delete it[/QUOTE]

Try the guide trading thread. Post a list of what you're offering and what you're looking for. That's your best shot.

http://www.cheapassgamer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=175548
 
[quote name='IAmTheCheapestGamer']So ummmm guys.....was there a drop today? ;)[/QUOTE]

Yes - Borderpost dropped. Softcover Zelda ST did not
Or so I heard earlier in the morning here
:lol:
 
[quote name='flameofdoom666']I saw a Legend Of Zelda: Spirit Tracks LE on Friday but couldn't remember if it was on this list or not. I remembered a few other guides though :). I am going to have to go back to snag Zelda though![/QUOTE]

In that case, always scan away. If it doesn't ring up for a penny just ask the cashier to remove it from the order.
 
[quote name='Josef']In that case, always scan away. If it doesn't ring up for a penny just ask the cashier to remove it from the order.[/QUOTE]

I usually carry the guides around and ask a BB employee to get them price check. That way it's not awkward for me to take off all the regular priced guides when I'm at the cashier.

In other news, I scored 3 more guides:

Zelda Spirit Tracks LE (They had like 6 more copies)
Modnation Racers
World of Warcraft: Dungeon Companion 3

The two AC2: CE guides that was there last week was nowhere to be find...:bomb:
 
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