Why are Frostbite and H.E.R.O so dang expensive?

[coleco82]

Why are these two games in particular so expensive ? I can't find them for 10 dollars anywhere. I might as well get the harmony cart.....

 

[toiletunes]

Neither game is super common, and they're pretty high on the fun-o-meter. That's why.

[coleco82]

I agree they are very fun as I have played both a lot. Geez for H.e.r.o alone the harmony cart is worth it :-)

[HoshiChiri]

I blame MetalJesusRocks. Anybody looking into getting Atari stuff who find his videos is going to end believing it's the best game on the system.

 

This actually worked in my favor a few months ago- I got a tip that a bunch of Atari games that came into a local thrift store, so I got several I needed... and a copy of H.E.R.O. to sell to cover the costs. Watching my fiancé switch from confusion (seeing me listing an Atari game for $40 on Ebay) to shock (seeing it was the cheapest one listed at the time) was priceless.

 

For those who want to cry foul at flipping- I had the stomach flu the day I got the tip. There was plenty of time for others to hit the games before I was well enough to go- which they did, since the boxed titles were completely gone & only 1 7800 game was left (F18 Hornet. I bought it. )

[matt2d2]

Probably because of when they were released. They are good games, and not as many were made as other games on 2600. Most of the 2600 games are very common, and ones that aren't are getting pretty pricey.

[+CXK]

Current bid for one of the carts is $20.50 on EBay

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Atari-2600-Game-HERO-H-E-R-O-for-use-with-ATARI-2600-Video-Game-System-/192173953759?hash=item2cbe75d2df:g:zOMAAOSwt0FZBmxG

 

 

Why are these two games in particular so expensive ? I can't find them for 10 dollars anywhere. I might as well get the harmony cart.....

[DesertJets]

I believe when I got H.E.R.O. a few years back that was the most I spent ever on an Atari 2600 cart. I want to say all in it was still under $25 including shipping. I don't remember what I paid for Frostbite, but then again that was also 5ish years ago.

 

Both are really good games. Frostbite, for what is essentially a Frogger clone, is super fun and plays really well. I didn't realize that is what rarish or demanded a big premium these days. H.E.R.O. is rarer but also a really good game. Really good concept, really good gameplay, challenging, etc.... Pitfall II in many ways is similar in idea and scope -- but since it is fairly common is nowhere near as expensive as H.E.R.O.

[BassGuitari]

H.E.R.O. was never a $10 game anyway. Maybe back in the '90s before retrogaming was really a thing, but certainly not recently.

I got Frostbite CIB back when you could still find good stuff at Goodwill, so I haven't hunted for a copy in, like 15 years. No idea what they're selling for now but I'd have guessed $10-15 for loose cart.

[DrSidneyZweibel]

I paid $30 for HERO back in 2006 on eBay, gladly. It's a great game. I got Frostbite as part of a lot that went vastly underbid. The label was a mess, so I tore it off and made a new one at work with the nice color laser copier.

[cimerians]

I still have my original HERO and Frostbite carts from the 80's ...thankfully

[G-type]

if you are willing to get a cartridge in slightly less than pristine condition you can get it a little bit cheaper.

[Skippy B. Coyote]

Aw man, H.E.R.O. has gotten kind of ridiculous in price. A couple years ago when I (stupidly) sold off my Atari 2600 collection I sold my really nice condition copy of H.E.R.O. for $27, but it looks like now that I'm working on rebuilding my old collection I'm probably not going to get away with paying any less than $45 for it. I blame Metal Jesus personally.

[Mef]

H.E.R.O. is one of the main reasons I got Harmony. At least half of its cost was "sponsored" by my desire to play this game on a real VCS.

[NinjaWarrior]

I got the Game for like $28 here

 

It prob more now

[jefffulton]

The Ebay prices for all Atari system versions of Hero are pretty ridiculous now. Some ugly loose carts for no lower than $45. Amazon has one 5200 one for about $25 that I might snatch up. Harmony is cool, but I like to have the carts too. Its more fun. (for me anyway). I really want 400/800, 2600, and 5200 version, but the 2600 is my choice version.

[Cynicaster]

I can't really get into H.E.R.O. but Frostbite, IMO, might be one of the most underrated games on the system. Nice graphics, zero flicker, fluid controls and animations, hectic action, a nice difficulty ramp... it's all there. I say it's underrated because I really believe its fan base is limited by a general lack of familiarity with the game. In other words, if it had been given equal audience to the likes of Pitfall through the years, I have to believe it would be showing up on a lot more "my top XX Atari 2600 games" lists.

[RamrodHare]

I know where there's a copy of Hero for $20. The label is all there, but it has that mottled look where the old glue has stained it (or whatever it is that happens). I thought about picking it up, but when I figured in the tax, price of gas, and the distance I have to drive, it makes it closer to $35. I'm saving up for a Harmony Cart, so I don't see a need to go out of my way for any carts that cost more than a few dollars, but if anyone here lives near Johnson City TN and wants it, it's at Mr. K's Books, behind Sonic on Roan St.

[+Spriggy]

Neither game is super common, and they're pretty high on the fun-o-meter. That's why.

+1 .. 1stly the games are mildly scarce ... then they're "high on the fun-o-meter" .... hence owners are more likely to keep these titles, increasing the scarcity out in the marketplace .... then social media raises its boofhead, giving the 'good players' or 'hidden gems' a new audience .. said audience then goes hunting said games, willing to sell their left family jewel to buy a copy .. sellers ogle google or ebay away, jumping on the bandwagon ... rinse and repeat ..

 

Buyers weap .. Sellers reap ........... I weap!!

[Mockduck]

I can no longer remember how much I paid for my Frostbite cart, but it certainly wasn't more than $5? Guess I got lucky!

[Torr]

Never knew those carts were valuable at all...

 

But I've also never seen a cartridge of either of them since I was about 8...

 

Makes sense.

 

I always preferred HERO on my C-64 anyway!

 

It was a trailblazer, that's for sure.

[Zonie]

I got HERO for a buck a few years back... Had no idea. I just saw it at a thrift and figured it's one I don't already have...

Edited May 23, 2017 by Zonie

[Skyyking]

The Ebay prices for all Atari system versions of Hero are pretty ridiculous now. Some ugly loose carts for no lower than $45. Amazon has one 5200 one for about $25 that I might snatch up. Harmony is cool, but I like to have the carts too. Its more fun. (for me anyway). I really want 400/800, 2600, and 5200 version, but the 2600 is my choice version.

 

I agree! I can't believe how unrealistic some people are. All the 'Panda' label games are WAY too example!

 

I know demand is a factor, but what other factors drives prices on EBay? Although the U.S. economy is pretty good. It seems as though the market has softened up for Atari stuff in general (not just cartridges). Those who have fairly common (R2-R4) seem to be realistically priced and available at any time....but see a R6 and it gets crazy! When you see a truly great deal, it's hard to pass up because your afraid that you'll never see it at that price again!

 

 

I collect beer cans (and have since 1975) and it's the same way....I'm seeing cans that were $100 30 years ago are $30-$40!

 

Draining my bank account in a MAJOR way! I need to ask PayPal if they can set a monthly limit on my account! Has anyone ever heard of them doing that?

 

It's just SOOOOOOOO easy to buy! Click,click and bang!

[Skyyking]

Probably because of when they were released. They are good games, and not as many were made as other games on 2600. Most of the 2600 games are very common, and ones that aren't are getting pretty price

 

 

 

I agree. The newer Activision games such as 'Beamrider' and 'Dolphin' seem to follow the trend too.