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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Looks like it started when they were taking textbooks maybe? How long have they been taking those? Looks like they are taking a lot of other books (and random stuff like calenders lol) as well. Pretty much just go to the textbook part of the trade in page and search to see if the guide you want to trade in is there, or just look at the product page for the guide and it'll say if you can trade it in. For example, one good one I found was Brutal Legend
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0761563288/ref=olp_product_details?ie=UTF8&me=&seller=
Only had one copy but since I've finished the game already I will gladly take $4.65 Amazon credit for the guide :D!
 
[quote name='IAmTheCheapestGamer']Where exactly on their site is this found at? I just checked but all I found was the game trade thing.[/QUOTE]
Look under the Textbook trade ins; not all guides will be taken for trade ins through from the looks of it.
 
are you able to view price upfront like their video game trades? i'm trying to find the guides on their site but am having difficulty! thoughts? links?
 
[quote name='jmarano7836']are you able to view price upfront like their video game trades? i'm trying to find the guides on their site but am having difficulty! thoughts? links?[/QUOTE]

Just go to the trade in site for textbooks.

And then you can search by the ISBN or title. They don't take every guide, but hope that helps.
 
[quote name='JediJames2']Look under the Textbook trade ins; not all guides will be taken for trade ins through from the looks of it.[/QUOTE]
Ahhhh. Thanks. That was the only link I saw that I thought could lead to some sort of a trade in for guides, though it's weird that the guides are listed under textbooks.:lol:

But I'm not complaining. I'll have to cut/paste some of my common guide list into the value finder later tonight and see if there's anything worthwhile.:D
 
[quote name='IAmTheCheapestGamer']Ahhhh. Thanks. That was the only link I saw that I thought could lead to some sort of a trade in for guides, though it's weird that the guides are listed under textbooks.:lol:

But I'm not complaining. I'll have to cut/paste some of my common guide list into the value finder later tonight and see if there's anything worthwhile.:D[/QUOTE]

If you've been diligently keeping up with penny guides over the past couple of years, (and of course you have ;)) you will be surprised at the hidden treasure you've been sitting on. For example, I traded in a Final Fantasy IV guide for the DS for almost $10. However, it seems that some guides have taken a hit in value in the past couple days.
 
i wouldnt hold your breathe guys. i just pulled up over 300 guides and not a single one was worth more then 5-6$. the only worth more then that were guides that sell for 100+ new. mind you that 5-6$ they will give you doesnt include shipping as i believe you have to pay to ship to amazon anything you sell. its a good idea just not worth it.
to the person who said they got 10$ for ff4 ds guide its now at 5$. so yah meh is all i have to say.
 
holy sh*t! what happened in here guys? I don't know if I like it or not. Sure it seems like I should trade in 2 copies of Madden 10 strategy guide to Amazon since no one will likely want them on CAG, but that also seems like it goes against CAG principles! Plus gives you less to trade on here in the long run? but yeah, i could make a quick $100 if I got rid of my doubles..hmmmmmmmmmm!
 
Thanks for the heads up! Have 25 guides all set to send off now for $112 in credit. :) I don't even wanna think what it's costing Amazon to have these shipped to them, but I certainly don't care since it doesn't cost me a dime.
 
[quote name='knightsdwn']If you've been diligently keeping up with penny guides over the past couple of years, (and of course you have ;)) you will be surprised at the hidden treasure you've been sitting on. For example, I traded in a Final Fantasy IV guide for the DS for almost $10. However, it seems that some guides have taken a hit in value in the past couple days.[/QUOTE]


nothing compared to the hit it will take now :lol:
 
Looks like it's time to offload those FO3, Fable 2, & Tekken 6 strategy guides.

I need to get my credit built up so I can get another Wii & Mario Galaxy 2.
 
[quote name='MunkichioO']im curious just how many would they accept as their max limit...[/QUOTE]

Overall I don't know, but on each item looks like 3 is the max.
 
so 3 per acct or per ship?? wondering because some of this crap i got way more than 3 thanks to my friend turning my house into penny guide storage >_>
 
[quote name='Civickid96']Wow.

Gonna hit up my storage unit tomorrow and take all my doubles for trade in.

$14.15 for Lost Odyssey is money...literally!

--Michael[/QUOTE]

Does it state what condition the guides must be in?

There is a Lost Odyssey guide @ my local mom & pop thriftstore. They are closed tomorrow but I'll hit 'em up tuesday morning before work...it was only like $1 or so.
 
[quote name='Civickid96']Wow.

Gonna hit up my storage unit tomorrow and take all my doubles for trade in.

$14.15 for Lost Odyssey is money...literally!

--Michael[/QUOTE]
But if I remember correctly, that Lost Odyssey guide is worth DOUBLE that. Mind ya, if you have like 10 of them I'm sure you could spare a few for trading in.

I just checked my most valuable guide(Half Life: Raising The Bar) and they're only offering $18 for it. It's worth about $100 if I sell it myself.
 
[quote name='Maniac Mansion']Does it state what condition the guides must be in?

There is a Lost Odyssey guide @ my local mom & pop thriftstore. They are closed tomorrow but I'll hit 'em up tuesday morning before work...it was only like $1 or so.[/QUOTE]

LOL! This is from the guy who criticized my Zelda trade earlier!!! :lol:

Anyways, I think the guide should be in decent shape. I think I pulled about 4 of these guides from awhile back. I now know where they are going... ;)

--Michael
 
[quote name='Civickid96']LOL! This is from the guy who criticized my Zelda trade earlier!!! :lol:

Anyways, I think the guide should be in decent shape. I think I pulled about 4 of these guides from awhile back. I now know where they are going... ;)

--Michael[/QUOTE]

Not criticizing...just informing. :lol:
 
[quote name='IAmTheCheapestGamer']But if I remember correctly, that Lost Odyssey guide is worth DOUBLE that. Mind ya, if you have like 10 of them I'm sure you could spare a few for trading in.

I just checked my most valuable guide(Half Life: Raising The Bar) and they're only offering $18 for it. It's worth about $100 if I sell it myself.[/QUOTE]

Damn...I don't even see that one on ebay! I do see that it sells for quite a bit on Amazon as you had stated.

I recall when I bought the collector's edition of HL2 w/ the tshirt in the box @ eb games (before they were corrupted by gamestop). I even knowingly over withdrew my bank account to buy it. I was gonna pick up that HL Raising The Bar book...but was like meh I'll just wait.

Ah well..hindsight is 20/20.
 
I could always cancel my trade. But for the fact that I am heading over to South Korea to be stationed for a couple of years, this may be my best bet...for now

--Michael
 
[quote name='jdb230']I was able to pick up a few guides earlier today courtesy of best buy :)

4 Copies of Grand Theft Auto IV
2 Copies of FarCry 2
2 Copies of Saw

Im going to trade in 3 copies of gta and 2 copies of FarCry 2 to amazon for about $11, not bad for $.05.

If anyone wants the copies of saw, pm me. dont mind giving them away for free, but you will just need to cover shipping. or if anyone knows of a place to trade them into, if you could let me know, I would really appreciate it. Thanks.[/QUOTE]

i'll buy one of those GTA ones for a few bucks+shipping please!
 
[quote name='dabamus']GET ER DUN! ODST guide is now $5 at BB![/QUOTE]

Most likely YMMV. Maybe a Manager's Special?

The TIVs from Amazon aren't all that great. I would get $40.xx for 18 guides. I'll think about it.
 
Weird...I have never heard of this Guide Penny thing...I'm guessing this is only at the Store only and not online?

How often does something like this actually happen?
 
[quote name='emg28']Most likely YMMV. Maybe a Manager's Special?

The TIVs from Amazon aren't all that great. I would get $40.xx for 18 guides. I'll think about it.[/QUOTE]

WRO-ONG! It's on their website for $5!

Also, I'm guessing there will be a drop tomorrow(now today) since all the guides that fell off the site are OOS at most of the NEO BBs.
 
[quote name='Maniac Mansion']...and gets $3.65 trade in @ Amazon... ;)[/QUOTE]

No. It does get that, but I said that for anyone who actually... wanted... the guide...
 
[quote name='dabamus']No. It does get that, but I said that for anyone who actually... wanted... the guide...[/QUOTE]

The BB close to my work had like 60 copies of the ODST strategy guide on the shelves...I went in a day or 2 ago & they were gone...I'm guessing thrown in the backroom somewhere since now they have more of a mix of guides.
 
[quote name='Maniac Mansion']The BB close to my work had like 60 copies of the ODST strategy guide on the shelves...I went in a day or 2 ago & they were gone...I'm guessing thrown in the backroom somewhere since now they have more of a mix of guides.[/QUOTE]

Yeah. Whenever I have seen the ODST guides at BB they have had a metric shit-ton of them.
 
So does Nintendo not publish their own guides anymore? I know that Nintendo Power is now published by Future Publishing, but I remember you used to see those "Official Nintendo Strategy Guides".
 
honestly if you dont mind selling amazon guides that you could make so much more on your own the buyback is awesome for you. most of my doubles are all rpg guides that ive made tons on. perfect example being star ocean second evolution. i got 7 of those. ended up making about 300$ profit off them selling em new on amazon.
but hey if you dont have the time to sell things its well worth to yah then.
 
[quote name='gauu']honestly if you dont mind selling amazon guides that you could make so much more on your own the buyback is awesome for you. most of my doubles are all rpg guides that ive made tons on. perfect example being star ocean second evolution. i got 7 of those. ended up making about 300$ profit off them selling em new on amazon.[/QUOTE]

Who gives a crap. How about we all post what we do for a living and our hourly rate, it would be just as useful.

BTW I've heard a rumor that today will be Monday at Best Buy. Can anyone confirm?
 
[quote name='Richard Longfellow']BTW I've heard a rumor that today will be Monday at Best Buy. Can anyone confirm?[/QUOTE]
It's Tuesday here afaik. Then again, I haven't slept for 24+ hours. Just call me Jack Bauer I guess.
 
[quote name='Maniac Mansion']Damn...I don't even see that one on ebay! I do see that it LISTS for quite a bit on Amazon as you had stated.
[/QUOTE]

Fixed your post.

Selling and listing are 2 different things. Just because someone lists it for a lot of money does not mean that it actually sells for that price.

If you look at the completed listings on eBay you will see that it SOLD for $65.99 and $119.00 in the past month.

Edit: Wow, I'm glad I held on to those Okami guides, they LIST for a pretty penny.
 
[quote name='dabamus']Also, I'm guessing there will be a drop tomorrow(now today) since all the guides that fell off the site are OOS at most of the NEO BBs.[/QUOTE]


Last year, the drop happened the week after Memorial Day... I have to go by sometime this week to find a few more SMB copies... I have a hard time passing up $25 for $10... I'll check some guides, as well.

I'm really torn over getting rid of guides for Amazon credit... I may get rid of some doubles if the trade in prices are over $4 or so. 1 copy is enough for me. But, oh, do I wish that I had grabbed dem shitz on the GTA Episodes guide... $4.76 for a penny sounds pretty damn good...
 
I wish I hadn't traded an Uncharted guide to another CAG for $5 (2 years ago). My gut told me not to. I only have 6 left now. Thanks to the person who listed the guide trade-in info on amazon. I may be able to dump some of the guides that I have had on my TL for 3+ years!

edit: I just found another box...I have 13 copies. :)
 
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[quote name='loxthefox']For the first time since the February drop, guides have disappeared from the site! I KNEW I wasn't going insane!
Anyway, here they are:

Army Of Two: The 40th Day
Cheat Code Overload Winter 2009
Codes And Cheats Winter 2010
Darksiders
Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: The Crystal Bearers
Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days
Madden NFL 10
Mario And Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story
Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers Of Sky
The Saboteur[/QUOTE]

These need to be checked too. :)
 
Haha I went to a BestBuy that I had never been to while traveling and I swear they had atleast 100 copies of " StarWars the force unleashed " guides. I know this post has done absolutely nothing to help this thread I just thought it was kinda funny.
 
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