Reduced Price Game Guides: Thread Nine

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IAmTheCheapestGamer

IAmTheCheapestGamer

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First off, let me welcome you all to the new guide thread. Second, I'd like to ask you all to please keep conversations not pertaining to guide drops or which ones you've grabbed to a minimum to avoid cluttering the thread. It's not that I don't enjoy the chit chat, but that it may stop others from locating information on the newest drops.

That being said, let me thank Cheapy for creating this site, without which I would've spent probably 10 times what I HAVE spent on games and guides. Moreover, let me thank each and every one of my fellow CAGs for continuing to contribute to making this site a great place to find out about sales and clearances of the items we as gamers use most. Without a great community, NONE of this would be possible.

Furthermore, I would like to thank our Wiki editors HeatDolphin and Rocko for updating the Wiki. Great job.

Now, with that out of the way(and before I get to rambling), let's get on to making this new thread.

Useful Information(and links):

Game Guide Trading Clearinghouse(old one, locked now):
http://www.cheapassgamer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=102021

Game Guide Trade Thread(KEEP ALL TRADE REQUESTS HERE OR IN PM'S)
http://www.cheapassgamer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=175548

PLEASE keep ALL trade requests in there or PM's. Thank you.

Reduced Price Guide Discussion Thread(KEEP ALL DISCUSSION NOT RELATED TO GUIDE DROPS HERE!!!)
http://www.cheapassgamer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=169252

Guide Lists(master drop lists and recent drops):

Master Drop List(by store, alphabetically):
http://wiki.cheapassgamer.com/index.php/Category:Strategy_Guides_%28master_lists%29

Recent Guide Drops(by date,also check the second post in this thread):
http://wiki.cheapassgamer.com/index.php/Category:Strategy_Guides_%28recent_drops%29

What is the purpose of this thread?

The purpose of this thread is to let our fellow CAGs know when a guide has dropped to a low price(it's NOT ALWAYS A PENNY), so they can go out and grab guides for themselves and for trading with other CAGs.

Anytime you have guide drops to report, post them here. Please specify at which store you found them and which guides you found and list them in alphabetical order. Thank you.

What are penny guides?

Penny guides are guides which have been on the market for a while and the publisher(or store chain) decide that the remaining stock of these guides have little to no chance of selling, so they issue an order to pull them from the shelves and destroy them. At that time, they are also marked as .01 in their inventory system, except in the case of BBV, which marks them .01 only AFTER pulling them.

Most stores have an agreement with the publisher that states that if they destroy the remaining stock of those items, they will receive a credit for their value from the publisher. This is why many stores are usually annoyed when we CAGs come in and buy the guides AT the penny price, since otherwise they would've received a full credit for those items.

According to an employee at a local BB, they also have a recycling program for the pennied stock, so as to not clutter landfill space with the guides. As to how true it is, I cannot confirm, but I would hope that the paper is at least recycled instead of just dumpstered.

Prior Reduced price game guide threads:

Guide Three:
http://www.cheapassgamer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=50515&highlight=guide
Guide Four:
http://www.cheapassgamer.com/forums/showthread.php?p=1496376
Guide Five:
http://www.cheapassgamer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=85976
Guide Six:
http://www.cheapassgamer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=116918
Guide Seven:
http://www.cheapassgamer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=131717
Guide Seven and a half:
http://www.cheapassgamer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=142400
Guide Eight:
http://www.cheapassgamer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=167157

Finally, below is a list of website links, each of which goes to their respective guide page. Whenever possible, I will update the links with better ones(if available).

Amazon
Barnes&Noble
BestBuy
BookPool
CircuitCity
Gamestop
Overstock
StrategyGuides.net
ToysRUs

Thanks to floormat, Guinavere and anyone else who has created and maintained the guide thread before, as well as to all of those who find out either advance information on drops or provide a list of which ones dropped when we do have a drop.

The post below this one contains a list going back at LEAST six months of the more current guide drops, which stores they occured at and which ones dropped. Note that sometimes(Oblivion guide, Quake Wars: Enemy Territory)there are multiple versions of a guide, be it that there are Prima versions, Brady versions and the occasional Nintendo and Doublejump guides.

Please specify WHICH version has dropped when mentioning possible guide drops. Thank you.


 
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[quote name='freshzen']I don't understand why all of you leave messages regarding what guides you were able to acquire. Do you care to read what other people were able to acquire? Why should I have to read that? I just want info, or maybe a short story that is actually worth being told, but please stop posting just because you scored on some penny guides. Its a chore to read all of these worthless posts.

/end rant[/QUOTE]

:applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause:

Never could figure that out. Those posts add ZERO value to the thread and only seek to add additional and unecessary clutter.
 
[quote name='freshzen']I don't understand why all of you leave messages regarding what guides you were able to acquire. Do you care to read what other people were able to acquire? Why should I have to read that? I just want info, or maybe a short story that is actually worth being told, but please stop posting just because you scored on some penny guides. Its a chore to read all of these worthless posts.

/end rant[/quote]

[quote name='Ubiiquitous']:applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause:

Never could figure that out. Those posts add ZERO value to the thread and only seek to add additional and unecessary clutter.[/quote]




Actually this helps the community. It allows you to start possible trades with individuals who might have scored guides you were unable to. Also in some cases you can find out specific locations that have $.01 guides left. If you didn't want to have to read through threads to find info you might want to think about staying off the web because the entire thing requires reading. Maybe you can hire a literate illegal alien to rummage through the forums for you since it's such a strain on your surfing habits. Also you really have no room to complain due to the fact most the info you're probably interested in is in post #1.

Why do people come into good gaming forums to whine over piddly things?

end rant/ :rofl:
 
[quote name='neudog']Also you really have no room to complain due to the fact most the info you're probably interested in is in post #1.

Why do people come into good gaming forums to whine over piddly things?

end rant/ :rofl:[/quote]

They're probably even more interested in post #2 ;). But I totally agree with you. It is very easy to help others or strike up trades. This thread only moves quickly in the wake of a large drop like this, so it's not like you're swamped with new posts daily. Besides, you can always skim or skip the "I got blah blah blah" posts if they take too much time to read. It is a forum after all.
 
Well, I suggested a while back that people posting specific guide drops use a colored format (red/yellow/whatever), then people just looking for drops can skim all the personal stuff. But you can't really stop people from posting general experiences.
 
[quote name='freshzen']I don't understand why all of you leave messages regarding what guides you were able to acquire. Do you care to read what other people were able to acquire? Why should I have to read that? I just want info, or maybe a short story that is actually worth being told, but please stop posting just because you scored on some penny guides. Its a chore to read all of these worthless posts.

/end rant[/quote]

We've been over this tons of times. We even had Gwen come in here and delete posts a while back and keep trying to redirect people to the discussion thread. But alas, it never helps for long, since it always comes back to this thread getting all of the traffic while the discussion one I created for mindless jibber jabber goes unused.

Plus, for some reason, people can't remember from one month's drop to the next to put the f'n drop info(if they have any) in RED FONT, so I don't have to sift through all of the 'this clerk/manager is a douchebag because they didn't lemme have eleventy billion guides' rants(like I used to put up at one time).

Mind you, if anyone has info about guides that dropped and doesn't want to clutter up the thread with it, shoot me a PM with the list and I'll add it to the thread.
 
[quote name='oni-link']Phantom Hourglass still rang $10 for me.[/QUOTE]

The hardcover one is pennied. The softcover one is not.
 
I corrected the second post to reflect that the Twilight Princess(tan cover) hardcover ALSO pennied.

It was supposedly verified and re-verified, but I somehow seem to have missed it.
 
As far as I could tell, all of the guides listed for Best Buy were gone in the South OKC/Norman area by Tuesday night. This is the first time that's happened, so I'm wondering if they were merely grabbed up, or if they pulled them off the shelf to mark them?
 
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[quote name='Richard Longfellow']Worst guide hunt ever. I was shut out at 2 Best Buys which had rearranged their guide sections. [/quote]

Ditto at my only BB. The game section is now in a recessed area of the store and the guides are streamlined for penny drops now. This sucks, because I know there were at least two dozen PHG hardcover guides there last week and I won't be able to make it back there till Sunday.
 
The Mt. Vernon, NY BB is a gold mine. Picked up one of each of the SMG HC, LoZ TP HC, Orange Box, and a FFT: WotL. There are 5+ left of the SMG HC, 3+ for LoZ TP HC, 3+ Orange Box, and I believe one left of the FFT: WotL.

There were many more penny guides, but I didn't want to push my luck. The douche bag Hartsdale, NY BB manager apparently transfered to this BB, and was eye balling the shit out of me as I searched their guide section. Good thing he didn't try to take the guides out of my hands like last time :bomb:.


Edit: Don't call the forum police on me. This post is actually informative to people living in my area.
 
I'm going to check my local GS today for any possible drops. The last two times it's been on a Thursday, so hopefully this one won't be any different. If I find anything I'll be sure to post it. :)
 
[quote name='IAmTheCheapestGamer']I corrected the second post to reflect that the Twilight Princess(tan cover) hardcover ALSO pennied.

It was supposedly verified and re-verified, but I somehow seem to have missed it.[/QUOTE]

I had luck with the recent drop, except for the two Zelda HC guides. I just want those, but they're all gone from the local BBs.
 
[quote name='neudog']Actually this helps the community. It allows you to start possible trades with individuals who might have scored guides you were unable to. Also in some cases you can find out specific locations that have $.01 guides left. If you didn't want to have to read through threads to find info you might want to think about staying off the web because the entire thing requires reading. Maybe you can hire a literate illegal alien to rummage through the forums for you since it's such a strain on your surfing habits. Also you really have no room to complain due to the fact most the info you're probably interested in is in post #1.

Why do people come into good gaming forums to whine over piddly things?

end rant/ :rofl:[/QUOTE]

Since you are whining as well, perhaps you can answer your own question?

If you want to start possible trades, there is a trade forum for that.

If you want to alert people of specific locations with .01 guides, then there is a regional forum for that as well. Heaven forbid we have a neat, clutter-free forum where information is quick to find... :roll:
 
[quote name='FOnewearl']Did you read my post also about stores showing up has not having something if they only have 1-3 copies in stock ;) I tested this last night and and sure enough the Mario Galaxy Hardcover that they still had one left of showed up as not being in stock and the God of War: COO which they still had 4-5 of was still in stock according to the Best Buy website. Did you happen to notice if they had 1-3 copies of the games you got that the site said your store didn't have?[/QUOTE]

i did check two guides that i wanted online (the store availability said "not in stock", but when i went there, there were two copies available...strangeness). so i guess it is sort of unreliable at times.
 
[quote name='punkmaggit']Sorry guys, no drops today at GS. I did find a MP3:Corruption guide, so it wasn't totally in vain :)[/quote]Thanks for the update!
 
Went the largest BB of which I can think, and found a boatload of Phantom Hourglass Hardcovers. I came when the video game guys were doing reorganization.
A surly employee helped me get a Final Fantasy Tactics: War of the Lions guide.
I got 1 Assassin's Creed, 1 Super Mario Galaxy HC, and 2 more PHs.
And what made it even better was that it was a beautiful day.
 
[quote name='mentos888']i did check two guides that i wanted online (the store availability said "not in stock", but when i went there, there were two copies available...strangeness). so i guess it is sort of unreliable at times.[/quote]

I've also had it tell me items were in stock, but they weren't there. At first I figured they just got cleared out, but now it's a couple of days later and it still says they should be in stock at this particular store. Oh well, at least it's only 2 minutes from my office, so I didn't really go out of my way to get there.
 
[quote name='Rave Child']I've also had it tell me items were in stock, but they weren't there. At first I figured they just got cleared out, but now it's a couple of days later and it still says they should be in stock at this particular store. Oh well, at least it's only 2 minutes from my office, so I didn't really go out of my way to get there.[/quote]
This could mean they still have the guides in the stock room.
I've asked for specific pennied guides in the past and a BB staff member would go in the back, come out, would give me a guide and reshelve the rest. Might be worth asking someone about the guides you are interested in if they are showing as "in-stock" online. :shrug:
 
[quote name='Vader582']This could mean they still have the guides in the stock room.
I've asked for specific pennied guides in the past and a BB staff member would go in the back, come out, would give me a guide and reshelve the rest. Might be worth asking someone about the guides you are interested in if they are showing as "in-stock" online. :shrug:[/quote]

That's true, but I don't really "need" any more guides. I'm no hoarder, and I got plenty at other BBs. All I'm still looking for is the Twilight Princess hardcover. Thanks for the suggestion though.
 
[quote name='Rave Child']That's true, but I don't really "need" any more guides. I'm no hoarder, and I got plenty at other BBs. All I'm still looking for is the Twilight Princess hardcover. Thanks for the suggestion though.[/quote]

You and me both. I'm able to find multiples of pretty much everything BUT the TP Hardcover. I'd been waiting for that thing to drop for so long. :cry:
 
Hey guys, is the Assassin's Creed guide online that's listed for 19.99 the hard cover? It's OOS everywhere but one store... even though I've seen the paperback everywhere.
 
[quote name='Friend of Sonic']Hey guys, is the Assassin's Creed guide online that's listed for 19.99 the hard cover? It's OOS everywhere but one store... even though I've seen the paperback everywhere.[/quote]

That's the normal one. The pennied one is a combination pack with the normal guide and the hardcover LE artbook.
 
Picked up a lot of the BB guides from this past drop, and I made sure not to mention CAG to the cashier.;) I'm going to make another run through it tomorrow and grab them all again if they're still there.

I'm going to double check to see if they have the Zelda TP guide, which I'll trade here if anybody wants it.
 
my game stop says when they come up as a penny they sticker them, ring them up and destroy them, is this correct? ive been friendly with the guy for a bit is this suppose to happen to them at gamestop?
 
[quote name='orion1998_1']my game stop says when they come up as a penny they sticker them, ring them up and destroy them, is this correct? ive been friendly with the guy for a bit is this suppose to happen to them at gamestop?[/quote]

I think technically it's supposed to happen everywhere, but many of us get guides because some stores are lax or don't keep up to date the day of a price drop.

I know I need to go to certain Gamestops on the day of a drop, because otherwise they pull them and will throw them out. They're nice enough to allow me to take them and "throw them out." ;)
 
[quote name='orion1998_1']my game stop says when they come up as a penny they sticker them, ring them up and destroy them, is this correct? ive been friendly with the guy for a bit is this suppose to happen to them at gamestop?[/quote]

That's what is SUPPOSED to happen, but every so often we get lucky and get a bunch from one store or another.

I know by the time I check the other BB by me, the guides from this drop will have long been pulled. Even with the gas prices dropping, I don't really see a need to go running all over creation for these things anymore. I used to make a special trip every time a drop occured. Now, if I get there, I get there. If not, fuck it.

What gets me about when stores penny guides is that they friggin' sticker them .01, only to chuck them in a dumpster? It makes no fuckin' sense to have someone pull them AND sticker them, only to throw them away.
 
[quote name='IAmTheCheapestGamer']What gets me about when stores penny guides is that they friggin' sticker them .01, only to chuck them in a dumpster? It makes no fuckin' sense to have someone pull them AND sticker them, only to throw them away.[/quote]

I admit, I giggle to myself when I place the $0.01 sticker because it seems so silly.

The reason they do this mostly is to show that this guide (or whatever it is) needs to be moved and destroyed. When an employee sees a $0.01 sticker, it means that the item is not supposed to be on the floor. In addition, the sticker shows that the item was not actually purchased for full retail value. Instead, it was either given away or taken from a dumpster. Yes, the sticker can be removed pretty easily, but it may thwart some wrongful business with the guide. When it is pennied out, it should no longer be sold or traded, as per the publisher.

I'm just glad that my free guides have had $0.01 stickers on them instead of having the front page ripped off like they used to do. Better yet, I'm glad to have the guide in the first place instead of it actually being destroyed.
 
[quote name='SirChadlyOC']I admit, I giggle to myself when I place the $0.01 sticker because it seems so silly.

"When an employee sees a $0.01 sticker, it means that the item is not supposed to be on the floor."


the funny thing here is the point that one employee places a sticker on the item so that if another employee comes along and see it the thing is supposed to be pulled??? Umm why doesn't the original guy who stickers this stuff pull it?

At places like Bestbuy I have seen at times items priced at a penny and are usually by the registers, stuff like promo items and pre-order stuff so they do in fact urge people to buy them and are trying to get rid of them... I had some issues getting guides with this recent drop and I did get some decent ones but the one I really wanted to get was the Ass Creed LE one and I got cock blocked at one store with it and I know the employee wanted it because his eyes lit up when he saw the price and he began to stutter with his excuse of why they cant sell it....
 
Logistically (at least at GameStop), the employee has a roll of price changes for every department in the store, and he's going around putting up the stickers. Sometimes he'll sticker it and move on to the next section. I usually sticker the guides and put them on the back counter. Some sticker them and put them in the back room by the trash to be taken out after close.

Although, I also think that sometimes they might leave it out for us CAGs to find! :cool:
 
[quote name='SirChadlyOC']
I'm just glad that my free guides have had $0.01 stickers on them instead of having the front page ripped off like they used to do. Better yet, I'm glad to have the guide in the first place instead of it actually being destroyed.[/quote]

That's what the DM here has ordered his employees to STILL do to the guides. I still think it makes no sense to waste paper/stickers putting the stupid .01 stickers on, if you're only supposed to throw the stuff away anyway.

I mean, it's to the point of being utterly ridiculous to have these extra steps, but I guess that's for the employees who haven't been trained on the proper protocol for penny guides.

Mind you, the employees at many of my local GS stores have been there for quite a while now and thanks to me only really coming in when a drop occurs, they all know wtf that price means. :roll:

And lately, the manager who used to let me get away with 1-3 every so often hasn't been there no matter WHAT time I go to his store. :bomb:
 
This may not be the best place to ask, but you guys certainly seem to know your stuff when it comes to penny guides and such.
I just got a job as a part-time seasonal cashier at Best Buy. Earlier this week I scored lots of penny guides from that same Best Buy.
As an employee, will it raise suspicion if I'm buying guides off of them for a penny?
 
[quote name='SDC']This may not be the best place to ask, but you guys certainly seem to know your stuff when it comes to penny guides and such.
I just got a job as a part-time seasonal cashier at Best Buy. Earlier this week I scored lots of penny guides from that same Best Buy.
As an employee, will it raise suspicion if I'm buying guides off of them for a penny?[/quote]

Yes. Suspicions will be raised, heads will roll, leave the guides for non-employees!!!!! Seriously, though, as a cashier, were you told not to sell them? If not, I don't see why there would be any problem with buying them (although I wouldn't recommend jumping up and down in front of your boss screaming "Look what I got for a penny, SUCKAAAAAA!"). Don't clean them out, though.
 
[quote name='guessed']Yes. Suspicions will be raised, heads will roll, leave the guides for non-employees!!!!! Seriously, though, as a cashier, were you told not to sell them? If not, I don't see why there would be any problem with buying them (although I wouldn't recommend jumping up and down in front of your boss screaming "Look what I got for a penny, SUCKAAAAAA!"). Don't clean them out, though.[/QUOTE]

I haven't really started yet. Training is next week. I don't t hink this particular store really pays attention to them, as they always have tons of guides and they are never marked, and cashiers never seem to be surprised or care when they ring up as a penny.
However, a friend of mine mentioend that Best Buy apparently keeps a close eye on employee purchases, and I'd rather not ask my boss about it...
I guess I'll see what happens when I'm working and we get the next drop.
 
[quote name='slowdive21']^^^I would have a friend come in and buy them or have a family memeber buy them.[/quote]

Agreed. What can the boses do if all you do is check out a person with a ton of penny guides.

Unless you are instructed not to sell them.

Also, any info about penny guides or any other penny stuff that comes your way may be handy. Be nice and pass it on!
 
[quote name='iluvmywife']Agreed. What can the boses do if all you do is check out a person with a ton of penny guides.

Unless you are instructed not to sell them.

Also, any info about penny guides or any other penny stuff that comes your way may be handy. Be nice and pass it on![/QUOTE]

I have no idea how Best Buy handles that jazz (or any jazz, I haven't even had training yet).
But if for some reason I can get access to the info, of course I'll pass it on to cag.
 
[quote name='FatBoyInside']To add to BestBuy's guide clearance list:

NFL Head Coach 09
Megaman Star Force 2 Wave Command Card Kit[/quote]
Didn't that just come out??? (NFL)
 
[quote name='FatBoyInside']To add to BestBuy's guide clearance list:

NFL Head Coach 09
Megaman Star Force 2 Wave Command Card Kit[/quote]

So are there 2 different .01 Megaman Star Force items or is that card kit the only actual one? I saw some card kits the other day, but assumed that it was a full-size guide that had dropped.
 
[quote name='SDC']I have no idea how Best Buy handles that jazz (or any jazz, I haven't even had training yet).
But if for some reason I can get access to the info, of course I'll pass it on to cag.[/quote]

Which Best Buy are you working at? I live in CT too and don't want you cushing in on my turf ;)
 
[quote name='Visc']Which Best Buy are you working at? I live in CT too and don't want you cushing in on my turf ;)[/QUOTE]

Trumbull. I highly doubt we share the same store, as this place seems to keep penny guides around for some time. Though to be fair, I've only recently begun looking for them there.
 
[quote name='FatBoyInside']To add to BestBuy's guide clearance list:

NFL Head Coach 09
Megaman Star Force 2 Wave Command Card Kit[/quote]

Thanks for the info. I'll add it to the drop list...but for future reference...please put drop info in RED font and if at all possible alphabetized..

Thanks nonetheless though.

EDIT: New info added to the recent drop list in post number TWO.

Oh and let me add that I found a shitload of guides at one of my local BB's yesterday, but apparently since I didn't write them all down, I missed Bourne Conspiracy, Pokemon and a number of others.

Mind you, I did find FOUR Phantom Hourglass hardcovers.:D NO PM's on the guides I found though, as I'm not sure what I'm doing with them as of yet.
 
[quote name='SDC']Trumbull. I highly doubt we share the same store, as this place seems to keep penny guides around for some time. Though to be fair, I've only recently begun looking for them there.[/quote]


Ahh - you're nowhere near me then - you go have fun :)
 
[quote name='onikage']So are there 2 different .01 Megaman Star Force items or is that card kit the only actual one? I saw some card kits the other day, but assumed that it was a full-size guide that had dropped.[/QUOTE]

I don't think there was a full size guide for the game, just the card kit.
 
[quote name='FatBoyInside']To add to BestBuy's guide clearance list:

NFL Head Coach 09
Megaman Star Force 2 Wave Command Card Kit[/quote]

Nice job, I will go pick up one NFL Head Coach 09 just incase I ever play that game.
 
[quote name='Visc']Ahh - you're nowhere near me then - you go have fun :)[/quote]


what part of ct are you in? I use the danbury store and dont want you taking all the guides
 
[quote name='Rocko']So the Phantom Hourglass regular guides aren't pennied? Only the hardcover ones?[/quote]
For BB, that is correct.
 
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