That is the question! Swapping video games (trading, bartering) isn’t a new idea. In fact, it began when video games were first widely available in the late 1980’s. Despite the beginning days of the microchip being a bit lackluster in style it was still a remarkable thing. In today’s terms it’s archaic to say the very least.
The most popular home gaming systems like the Xbox, Playstation and Nintendo Wii all make use of compact discs or dual layer DVD discs. Way back when the whole trading of games began they were all on cartridges or, dare I even date myself, tape. The games improve and the media gets grander, but what never changes is the need to try new things. Enter video game swapping. The old tape and cartridge games have become home décor and even collectibles with people paying top dollar for games like the Gold Edition of Zelda on the Nintendo core unit otherwise deemed “classic” by us ancient game junkies.
Let’s face it. The original games weren’t all that accessible, not like today. And they certainly weren’t inexpensive (they aren’t now either, but rates of living increase). We used to spend $50.00 for a game in 1985. We pay that now for Xbox or Playstation games with technology improved to god-like proportions.
Anyone can go to a Wal-Mart or Target to find their games instead of the old computer shops we had to frequent. Atari, Commodore 64, Texas Instruments – they were all considered personal computers and as such games were bought in computer shops.
Kids have to work their butts off to earn enough money to purchase their video games. And it shouldn’t be any other way! Once you’ve played a game (it’s the same today as it was in 1985) and beaten it you have no real use for it any more. It sits in your house collecting dust. Sure, you could sell it outright and get a couple dollars or you could do the logical thing: trade or swap your old video game!
It allows you to not worry about value of your games. Instead you can take your old video games, dust them off, test them out to ensure they work than find someone who doesn’t have and who wants it. With any luck they’ll have a game you want to play so you make an even swap. You play that one until you can’t play anymore then you do it all over again. Swap here, swap there. Buy a new game, play it out then swap that one. You get the maximum output for your investment.
With the Playstation and Xbox systems’ media being compact discs instead of cartridge or tape means they last a lot longer and aren’t as subject to the elements as the other collective of media. What this means is that when you swap the newer video games you can continue it for a much longer period of time.
When the question arises on whether or not you should swap your game or trade it just ask yourself if you want to spend money to buy the game you want and if you want to continue looking at that dinosaur you’ve put to rest months ago.
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