Bargain Bins. Hear Me Out!
Apr. 26, 2014Bargain Bins. Hear Me Out!
Today’s topic is likely to turn a few heads. I mean, it’s hard to imagine anyone would want to talk about these piles of trash. The idea came to me last night, from two separate sources. One was the latest episode of Ports Centre, about the N64 port of Starcraft. In the comments, I mentioned that my favorite console rts is a game called Goblin Commander for the ps2. It’s not the best game I’ve ever played, but I enjoyed it for what it’s worth.
Another was a discussion on CheatCC about Dracula X coming to the Wii U’s Virtual Console. I got to thinking of my psp copy of Dracula X Chronicles which, surprisingly enough, is still in my backlog. Also surprising: it ironically doesn’t contain Dracula X, despite the name of the collection.
You may be wondering what these games have in common. I’ll tell you. I found them both for $10, new, in department store bargain bins. The former was a game I decided to try on a whim, while the latter was on my list of must-play psp games, but I never got around to picking it up for a good while, after already being late to the party with the psp.
I’m an advocate for the retail experience when it comes to games. By the sounds of things, there are many people out there who have had far worse retail experiences than me, but I personally love going down to a store to shop for a game. However, nowadays few places have these magnificent bargain bins.
Bargain bins are like trash bins, so it may seem odd that I would talk about them, but allow me to explain: One thing I’ve always enjoyed about videogame retail is the thrill of the hunt. I typically don’t go for digital copies of full retail games, with some exceptions. Sure, if there’s a game I really want – and it’s still common – there’s not much of a hunt to speak of. If it’s less common, I’ll more than likely just order it from Amazon.
But, I always have a list of second tier titles. Games I might consider adding to my collection, but which I can hold off on, till the time is right. These are the games I enjoy hunting for. I can live without them, but when I do find one, it’s a glorious occasion. What makes the occasion even better is an amazingly low price.
Yes, bargain bins consist mostly of trash, and often require sifting through stuff like “Secret Agent Barbie” or “My Little Pony Hunter 3” to find anything remotely decent, assuming the bin has anything good in it to begin with. Sometimes a bin is a dud, but when I do find a diamond in the rough (almost literally), it’s an immensely satisfying feeling. That’s why I wish the bargain bin was more common. Sure, plenty of stores have the bargain shelf, but something about sifting through games to find one I’m looking for is much more fulfilling to me.
What are your thoughts on bargain bins? Have you managed to find the Holy Grail in one, or has your experience been nothing but bad? Leave your comments below.
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