Hunting For Value (4/19/23) - $300 & Under Gems

Staff writer Lauren Sisselman digs through the Standard Gaming inventory and highlights a handful of titles that are below a $300 price point.

Whether you're new to the hobby of graded video games or a seasoned veteran, everyone likes to get a good deal. Prices on games can vary widely depending on where you look and games on marketplaces like eBay are often listed without context. At Standard Gaming, we have games for every type of collector, all available for immediate purchase. Below are a few titles that stand out, and may help you as you Hunt for Value in the graded video game market.

Secret of Mana ($85)

In 1993 Square released Secret of Mana, a single or multiplayer role-playing game for the Super Nintendo. The game is a follow-up to the 1991 release Final Fantasy Adventure, but Square opted to make Mana its own universe with Secret of Mana and dropped any Final Fantasy element. Secret of Mana was a hit with the Japanese and North American markets, selling over 1 million copies by 2003. To this day Secret of Mana is regarded as one of the best RPGs released for a video game console, with additional praise given to the game's graphics and music. This PlayStation 4 remake is the same game, but with updated graphics and controls. The remake was a hit with players, and many credit the original as being a trailblazer for future RPGs.

This sealed 9.8 A+ WATA-graded copy is beautiful. Finding a high-grade copy of the original Super Nintendo game is hard - and expensive - with copies selling for over $10 thousand. By comparison, a 10 WATA-graded copy has a one-year average of $660. This is a great, high-grade copy, perfect for Secret of Mana collectors, remake collectors, RPG collectors, Square Collectors, and high-grade collectors.

The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds ($115)

The 17th installment in the popular The Legend of Zelda series, A Link Between Worlds is considered by many to be a sequel to the Super Nintendo game The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, released in 1991. A Link Between Worlds was a hit for the Nintendo DS and would sell over 2 million units in under 6 months. The game even won Handheld Game of the Year from the 17th Annual D.I.C.E Awards and was the 2013 IGN Best 3DS game – alongside several other wins. Critics and fans praised this game heavily, and for good reason. The storyline and gameplay are outstanding in A Link Between Worlds, and the music is some of the best music we’ve heard in a Zelda game. This game would also help further define the Zelda world and characters for the popular Super Smash Bros series. In the fighting game, Princess Zelda’s design is borrowed from A Link Between Worlds, as is some of the music when playing on a Zelda stage. This game is still enjoyed by players who still own a Nintendo DS, though it has not been released onto the Nintendo Switch.

This blue label CGC 9.8 A+ copy is striking. A 9.8 is the highest grade most video games receive, as a perfect 10 is almost impossible to obtain. This is an affordable high-grade game, so if you’re just starting off with building a video game collection, this should be at the top of your list. The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds is perfect for Zelda collectors, Nintendo collectors, handheld gaming collectors, and high-grade collectors.

Jak and Daxter: The Lost Frontier ($135)

The sixth and final installment in the Jack and Daxter series, The Lost Frontier takes players back into the world of the titular heroes. The Jak and Daxter are accompanying Keira as she embarks on her journey to become a Sage, while also figuring out why there’s a global Eco shortage. This game is full of exciting adventure and gameplay, though some of the platformer’s story and humor fell flat with critics and players. Regardless, this was a solid last installment for the PlayStation series - and hopefully one day we’ll be able to meet our heroes in a new installment! 

This sealed 9.4 A+ WATA-graded copy looks like it was just bought from your local video game store. While it isn’t a 9.8, it’s still a high grade without paying a 9.8 price. Jak and Daxter: The Lost Frontier is perfect for high-grade collectors, Jak and Daxter collectors, and PlayStation collectors.

Gex 64: Enter the Gecko ($245)

Gex 64: Enter the Gecko, is the second installment in the series. Released for multiple platforms between 1998 and 1999, players could play Enter the Gecko on the Nintendo 64, the Game Boy Color, the PlayStation, and Microsoft Windows. This single-player platformer looks similar to the wildly popular Mario 64 while taking inspiration from American television tropes, and using humor inspired by The Simpsons. Gex as a character was surprisingly popular in the late 1990s and early 2000s, with the final game Gex: Deep Cover Gecko being released shortly after Gex: Enter the Gecko in 1999. The second installment of the series was well received, and the Gex series as a whole went on to sell 15 million copies worldwide. 

This sealed 8.0 A+ WATA-graded copy might have some noticeable wear, but the colors are still bright and sharp, making this a great display piece. The James Bond-inspired box art is still eye-catching to this day. This game is perfect for Gex collectors, parody game collectors, cross-platform collectors, and Nintendo 64 completionists.

Looking For More General Information on Graded Games?

· If any of the terminology used in this guide was confusing or new to you, please refer to our convenient glossary of terms here.
· Need more information about graded games in general? Check out this intro to the different types of certified video games here.