At this age where movies can be easily downloaded via a torrent site or streaming is made easy by the free use of another account, retro video games purchases still manage to balloon up to $200 million per year – which simply implies that while the digital age makes it easy to get everything online for free, collectors are still proven to shell out cash just for the original, classic versions of the game.

The logic behind this is pretty simple: it’s like collecting the much-wanted item that will sit nicely in your cabinet. For art appreciator, it’s relatively satisfying to score that vintage artwork despite the hefty price tag, and for the comics enthusiast, there’s nothing more exciting and nerve-wracking than itching your way to get the first and only copy of an issue.

For die-hard retro games collector, the feeling of downloading the game online and scoring the Atari 2600 are two different things. Anyone can do the first one, as long as there’s an internet connection, however, the second one will feel more exclusive mostly because you very well know that there is only one. For those still clueless about how to find the best used retro games, here are tips to guide you:

Search with All Your Might

It goes without saying that this is going to take time and effort. You’re looking for a rare gem, not a fake one, besides, there’s nothing more fulfilling than being able to get your hands onto that video game once everything pays off. That said, it is best to look for these great finds high and low. There are a lot of legit trading websites that have some good deals and you may want to check them out if they have what you’re looking for.

However, as many as those sites with the intention of selling retro games is an equally increasing number of scammers out there. They simply prey on the clueless – the last thing you’ll want is to be robbed while the search is ongoing. Be sure to find the trusted ones and learn about a thing or two about these online stores from forums, where real, first-hand experiences are oftentimes shared.

Although flea markets sound far less glamorous than malls, there are some great finds

Even if online is less rigorous than doing the actual legwork, it is best to comb through less-visited places that may have what you’re looking for. You may never know when a retro game will suddenly appear among the pile of “rubbish” items at a flea market or yard sale. It definitely pays to try your luck outside the internet, one of the most ignored steps nowadays.

Compare Prices

This step is by far the most logical and applicable in any purchases, but this tip’s utmost importance when it comes to buying retro video games can’t be stressed enough. One way to easily compare price tags is with the use of e-commerce apps such as eBay and Amazon.

Just download an app and search for the item you’re planning to get in order to gauge which has a better deal. Meanwhile, N64 and Retro NES Collector are just some of those apps that will be useful for compilation purposes.

Learn Everything About Retro Games

This is highly important for beginner collectors as there’s no point in hoarding if you don’t understand a thing about the hardware you’re dealing with. For example, a PlayStation 1 CD will be useless if it has a lot of scratches. The same goes for a Nintendo cartridge that has missing pins, or the accessories that can only be used for older types of television and not flat-screen ones.

Know the basics of retro games: A CD that has a lot of scratches may become useless

The point is, it will be extremely helpful if you learn things about what you’re trying to collect. This will help you save a lot of money in the long run and will aid you in securing the best deals in the market.

Consider the Pros and Cons

Think strategically – perhaps, buying a single retro game will be pricier than when you buy in bulk. This is because the merchandise fee will reduce once you increase the quantity of your order. Also, the shipping fee will be less likely to feel like a burden as you have a lot of orders in one transaction. As much as possible, try to transact with dealers directly without the help of middlemen, maybe an app like eBay or a person.

If you can, transact directly with a seller instead of through a middleman to save money

A middleman means someone or something is in the mid between you and the seller, which loosely translates to cash also being allotted for the middleman. That said, if you want to save, then try to message the seller if you can do the deal outside of a third party.