Ever just kick yourself for making a stupid purchase (or sale)?

[Room 34]

The other night I was in Target with my 3 1/2 year old son (who happens to be obsessed with Star Wars). He was on the verge of a tantrum as we entered the checkout line because he wanted to go back to the Star Wars toy aisle. I noticed the endcap by the register I was at had GBA games, and I spotted "Star Wars: Flight of the Falcon." Against my better judgment (both as a gamer and as a parent), I went ahead and bought it to appease him.

 

And then we got home and I played it. To quote Luke (and I know I'm not the first to do this in regards to this game), "What a piece of junk!"

 

At least I was able to use a $5 gift card I'd gotten free a couple weeks earlier with a promotion they had going on with Pepsi products (four 12-packs for $11, plus a free $5 gift card), so I only spent $10 on SW:FotF. But it still seems like a waste of money.

 

The worst part is, if my goal was simply to have a GBA Star Wars game to play with my son, I already HAD one, but I SOLD it when I sold my GBA SP to buy a DS. I had owned the "Revenge of the Sith" game but decided to throw it in with my SP auction because it was my least favorite of the dozen or so GBA games I owned. And granted, it's not a fantastic game. But compared to FotF it's the best thing ever!

 

So... I'm doubly frustrated. Today back at Target I was almost tempted to buy another Star Wars GBA game just to make things easier on myself. But the choices were limited. I could either pick up the GBA version of "Lego Star Wars" (which was hard to swallow because a) it was $30 and b) I already own the XBOX version) or the DS version of "Revenge of the Sith" (which at $20 probably wouldn't be a bad choice, except a) I already sold the GBA version of this game and b) I'd prefer to get a GBA game because my son's going to want to play it, and I don't mind him playing my Game Boy Micro but I want him to keep his hands off my DS). Or I could have bought Lego Star Wars II for the XBOX, which, once he saw it, he BEGGED me to do, but I didn't feel like dropping $40 on it right now. (I'm sure I'll want to get it eventually though, because it's actually a good game.)

 

Ultimately, I'm probably just best off without wasting any more money on mediocre-at-best Star Wars games. But I just have this unsettled feeling in my gut because I know I can't just put FotF away in a drawer and forget it ever existed. As long as it's the only handheld Star Wars game I own, it's going to be played (whether I like it or not)!

 

Hmmm... maybe it's the KID that's the problem.

[Hyper_Eye]

I have bought a lot of crappy games over the years. I never regret it as the game rounds out my collections. But, that dosn't mean I have to play it.

[Scumdogg]

I rarely regret purchases, but i do regret sales when they happen.

 

A few years back, i lost my job, couldn't get any money to pay bills for a couple months, and had to sell my then-400 game NES collection. 400 games, and it went for $600. Ouch. To make matters worse, i got a job exactly one week after i shipped out the games.

 

But yeah, if i were you i'd just look for something other than Star Wars games to play with your son. I mean, in this day and age, it does more harm than good to create new Star Wars fans anyway.

[AtticGamer]

I regret buying Goldeneye 007 DS, Resident Evil DS and F-Zero Maximum Velocity (man that stunk I sold it in a heartbeat).

[Zoop]

Goldeneye DS isn't that great ,but it isn't that horrible either ,and unless you played RE a 1,000 times then theres nothing really that wrong with RE DS. Although if you played RE that much then the DS version really isnt for you anyways.

 

I found alot that games i ended up selling i regret later because i figure i want to give them a second chance.

[jbanes]

Hmmm... maybe it's the KID that's the problem.

^^ Quoted for truthiness.

 

If my experiences as a parent have taught me anything, it's that "appeasing" the kids tends to teach them that throwing a fit is the best way to get what they want. It works far better to tell them they'll get rewarded for being good, then explaining to them how to fix the situation. Sometimes they even comply. Mostly.

 

As for a disappointing purchase? Hmm... The Power Glove was pretty darn disappointing. I was a kid though, so I still thought it was pretty cool. (And I later hooked it up to a computer, so it wasn't all bad.) I even played the heck out of the NES Karate Kid game I spent my money on. Turok 64 was horribly disappointing, but it was my brother who made that smooth financial move, not me.

 

I guess the most disappointing game I ever got was Tarzan for the GBC. I got it thinking that the kids would have fun with it. Unfortunately, it has neither a battery backup or password system. In fact, there was absolutely no way of saving your progress. That peeved me off a bit, but I didn't pay too much for it (used) so it wasn't all bad.

[n8littlefield]

My worst one is my repeated purchases of Gran Turismo. I remember when the first one came out everyone went nuts over it, so I bought it. Then I realized that it was really more of a simulation than a fun racing title, so I sold it. Then GT2 came out, and I was all "oooh pretty!" so I bought it, and again sold it because I realized I still didn't like it.

 

So, I bought a PS2 and of course, the prettiest driving game on it, GT3. And guess what? I still hated the gameplay and sold it.

 

To date, I've managed to avoid buying GT4, but I feel I really should just to complete the "I'm an idiot" cycle.

[Gabriel]

Hmmm. Not a lot within recent memory that I've really kicked myself for. Usually it's possible to find at least something marginally worthwhile.

 

The Coleco Plug N Play that I got at Wal-Mart for $2.50 was something I bought and realized I had utterly wasted my money.

 

In listening to all the hype about the DS and trying to understand what people were raving so much about, I bought Trauma Center: Under the Knife. Just about anything is more entertaining than this paint program tutorial with a timer.

 

When I recently downloaded Small Arms from XBox Live Arcade, I felt it was not only an affront that I wasn't being PAID to play the trial game, but the existence of the game was an insult to humanity as a whole.

[+FujiSkunk]

I think the sale I've regretted most is of my original Genesis. It wasn't anything irreplaceable, but it was a nice set that I wish I hadn't let go: a boxed Genesis 2 and a boxed 32X, both purchased new at the store (don't worry, the 32X was on clearance at the time), along with a nice assortment of boxed 32X games, including Virtua Racing, Space Harrier, After Burner and Mortal Kombat II.

 

At the time I wasn't as heavily into collecting as I am now, and I had just scored a Saturn, figuring I didn't need the 32X games since a lot of the same games were available for the Saturn.

 

Oh well.

[BydoEmpire]

When I was in college, I wasted $70 on some Batman game for the SNES (Batman Returns? I forget which one exactly). I should have known better. But I loved Batman on the NES and the screens looked AWESOME. It was a great looking game, but the gameplay was extremely shallow. That was a lot of money, and I don't think I've ever been as pissed about a game purchase.

 

The Coleco Plug N Play that I got at Wal-Mart for $2.50 was something I bought and realized I had utterly wasted my money.

You know, I've picked up the box for those at Walmart a copule times, and I've been tempted by the cheap price. But I managed to resist as realized I would never play it, and it had nothing to do with Colecovision games. Glad to hear I can save my $2.50.

[CHIP72]

It would spending $47.69 on NFL Football for the NES back in summer 1991. I was really hungry for another football game besides Tecmo Bowl, which I had played to death (Tecmo Super Bowl didn't come out until near the end of that year), and though NES Play Action Football was a decent alternative that I liked, I wanted another game that played sorta like Tecmo Bowl. Hah, I was in for a rude surprise!

[Cheese007]

Paying full price for Shadow the Hedgehog. Hell, just BUYING Shadow the Hedgehog is bad enough.

[Jess Ragan]

All right, how's this? I paid eighty dollars for a Logitech steering wheel that I never ever use. There's nothing WRONG with it; it's just difficult to set up and not really practical for most games. It's a shame, too, because the Driving Force Pro feels very much like a real steering wheel, even turning 900 degrees in select titles. I guess I can always take solace in the fact that others paid twice as much for the wheel as I did!

 

JR

[shadow460]

The sale I regret most is the first time I sold Saturn stuff to buy a Dreamcast. I love the Dreamcast, don't get me wrong, but I sold off Enemy Zero, Burning Rangers, and Shining Force III. I also sold off my Cobra Gun, IIRC.

As for buys that I regret, Gran Turismo 4 is close to that. It's a good game and all, but its online community I ran into was just plain awful. They were of little to no help at all in beating the game, and took every chance they could to run down the newbies and tell us we couldn't drive in real life, either. "Stuck up" is the word, I guess.

 

the risk of disappointment is why I don't buy modern games anymore. I just picked up Ultimate MK3 tonight, which, IMO, was one of the worst Saturn titles there is. I got it to help restore my old collection (yup, sold that for the DC as well).

Usually, I stick to buying things that I know about. I've got a whole ton of games I've either played or I had before, and that'll tie up my collecting dollars until PS17 comes out.

[Room 34]

Hmmm... maybe it's the KID that's the problem.

^^ Quoted for truthiness.

 

If my experiences as a parent have taught me anything, it's that "appeasing" the kids tends to teach them that throwing a fit is the best way to get what they want. It works far better to tell them they'll get rewarded for being good, then explaining to them how to fix the situation. Sometimes they even comply. Mostly.

Yeah, I know. My kid's pretty good, most of the time. When I can tolerate the fit, I don't give in, but it was the end of a long night and... well... any time I can solve a problem by buying a video game it's tempting.

Edited December 20, 2006 by Room 34

[Lauren Tyler]

I've made quite a few in my past time, but I can't remember any off the top of my head ATM. Although when I was getting NES games for low prices at Funco Land (*coughcoughCastlequestcoughcough*) I had at least one case of that happen.

[Uzumaki]

My worst one wasn't a buy or a sale but it was a rare item that got thrown away.

 

Many years ago, I had a 2600 cart that was pure crap in gameplay wise and one day it didn't play at all anymore so it got thrown out. Years later I would find out just how &^%$# rare it is and the non working part could have been easily fixed with some rubbing alcohol and Q-tips.

 

The name of the game? Glib.

 

I may still have the manual and box but the cart's long gone.

[jboypacman]

Oh,lordy yes!So many games that i have traded or sold over the years that i shouldnt of got rid of.As far as stupid purchases i never really consider anything that i have bought as stupid.I may have not liked what i bought but it wasnt stupid.

[courtesi]

I had mint copies of Killer Bees, Turtles, and - oh yes - Power Lords for the Odyssey 2.... Gave them away because I was bored with them....

 

Could have gotten atleast $100 for the Power Lords

[jboypacman]

I had mint copies of Killer Bees, Turtles, and - oh yes - Power Lords for the Odyssey 2.... Gave them away because I was bored with them....

 

Could have gotten atleast $100 for the Power Lords

 

Or you could of kept them and had some serious bragging rights.

[AtticGamer]

Goldeneye DS isn't that great ,but it isn't that horrible either ,and unless you played RE a 1,000 times then theres nothing really that wrong with RE DS. Although if you played RE that much then the DS version really isnt for you anyways.

 

I found alot that games i ended up selling i regret later because i figure i want to give them a second chance.

RE DS is one of the reasons I hate crapcom, why do they have to make every game frustrating?? The control scheme is already crappy and they put Rebirth mode which is more difficult and the characters have less vitality (even Chris), I finished it in Classic with Chris and rebirth in Jill and rebirth with Chris is just stupidly difficult, and I have practice. Sorry for the whining, but this game is just the usual capcom game, bad controls+difficulty=frustration.

[Paranoid]

Hmnnn...

 

I think Jakks Ms. Pac Man... the first one, was the most disappointing purchase I can remember in recent history. And, like the GT stories... I was dumb enough to buy it AGAIN, for twice the price, when they came out with a wireless version and promised "New and Improved Control". They lied.

 

So I bought a third one on eBay, for cheap... the wired one, it was a rev 2.0 version and had much better control... and gutted the first one and made a 7800 stick out of it, and it sucks as a 7800 stick, too.

 

And the wireless one sits in the RV now. Probably with corroded batteries.

 

 

Umnnn...

 

Sales I regret... My Datsun 72 510. My 90 325i convertible... Oh... sale and a purchase in one... traded in my 90 Miata for a 96 Mustang GT convertible. Dumbass move. The Mustang sucked. Nothing but regret in that transaction.

 

Computers and consoles, I only really regret all the Atari and Coleco stuff got away from me and that I had to rebuild it all from scratch.

[shadow460]

My worst one wasn't a buy or a sale but it was a rare item that got thrown away.

 

Many years ago, I had a 2600 cart that was pure crap in gameplay wise and one day it didn't play at all anymore so it got thrown out. Years later I would find out just how &^%$# rare it is and the non working part could have been easily fixed with some rubbing alcohol and Q-tips.

 

The name of the game? Glib.

 

I may still have the manual and box but the cart's long gone.

 

That's how I feel about selling Shining Force III. I hated the game, but I did not know that it would be what...the third most valuable Saturn game someday.

Speaking of valuable Saturn games, I passed on the opportunity to buy Daytona USA CCE Netlink Edition when it first came out. As if selling the third most valuable game isn't dumb enough, I had to pass up number one!

[Crazy Climber]

I regret buying Goldeneye 007 DS, Resident Evil DS and F-Zero Maximum Velocity (man that stunk I sold it in a heartbeat).

Never buy anything from EA for the DS. It must be a law that it will suck or something. There DS games are terrible

[Avid Fan]

I regret buying a Genesis back in 92. I loved it, but it made my mom get rid of my Atari. I had BMX Airmaster dammit (along with about 90 other games), and its not on a multicart