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So Many Options, So Little Time
by By Kenneth Horowitz— May 2001 www.Hal-pc.org, , kennethh@caribe.net - June 02, 2001 at 15:07:10:
Every so often, gamers face a common problemYou’re looking for that one game you need to complete your collection, or you’re overcome with the desire to play that game you had a few years back but sold or traded away. You’ve searched every store in the mall and in seven other neighborhoods, but have come up empty-handed. What do you do? Nostalgia can be a powerful force and is not easily overcome. Where do you go next?
In desperation, you scour the pages of eBay, hoping that someone is selling it cheap. But as we all know, it’s never there when you’re looking for it (don’t worry, once you’ve found it, eBay will be FULL of cheap copies. It never fails). If you can’t find it on eBay, you won’t find it anywhere, right? Wrong.
Duh, Which Way Do I Go? Which Way Do I Go?
The Internet is littered with places you can go to find your favorite games. Some of them are less reputable than others, but the majority are more than sufficient to help you find any game you feel the need to play. More are popping up every day, so don’t fret!
Game Trading Zone is a site devoted solely to trading video games. (Did the name give it away? Nah.) You make a list of the stuff you have for trade, then make another for the games you want. It’s that simple. You can state the condition of the games you’re trading as well as leave comments.
When someone scours your list and finds something they like, they email you with a proposed trade. Should you agree, the site handles the formalities of setting it up (the person proposing the trade has to initiate the process). I’ve traded there a lot and can vouch for the site. It’s quick, easy, and efficient, without all the other stuff you’d have to sort through that isn’t even related to your game (try searching for a game with the word “turbo” on eBay and you’ll know what I mean).
Another excellent site (and my personal favorite) is Switchouse, which operates the same way as GTZ, but goes once step beyond. They notify you when someone proposes a sale or trade, and will even tell you what a person wants for that game you so badly need. They’ll inform you when your merchandise has been received, and when the other person has shipped out their part of the bargain. The site is very well done, and adding a game to your lists is a snap.
I’ll bet you’re asking: “that’s all well and good Ken, but how trustworthy are they?” The answer, my friends, is: very trust-worthy. At both sites you can leave the other person feedback, but at Switchouse you can file a complaint if the other person weasels out of a deal. You can even file to take legal action! As with eBay and other such sites, the majority of the people you interact with are nice, friendly gamers just like you.
Hey, you’re not the only Vidiot out there!
I’ve completed a large part of my collection (PC and thirteen console systems) through these sites and recommend you try them. You’ll be surprised what you find.
So, until Jimmy Hoffa sells off his Pac-Man Watch on GTZ, keep those gamepads happy!
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