Greatest Hits / M Games

The Core Video Games Forum
1

I meshed these two topics together because they share a common anecdote.

Anyway, I was going to go to Target to see if I could find Star Ocean 3, since it was on sale a week or two ago (I know a lot of people don’t like it, apparently, but I figure it’s still worth 20 bucks or so, and I’m not the type of person to care if a storyline is crappy or not… Although, conversely, another reason I want to play it is so that I can play it before somebody on the internet accidentally spoils the “big plot twist” for me before I find out for myself. =P). Anyway, they were sold out, so I got a rain check. I then found out that its regular price WAS only 20 dollars. Then, after visiting Gamestop, I noticed that the game was now a Greatest Hits game, it had the ugly red packaging, and lacked the cool box the original version came in. I guessed correctly that when Target got new copies in, they would be GH copies… And I can’t stand buying GH copies…

So, I decided to just buy a 10 dollar copy of Neo Contra instead, since it was so cheap. Now this game has even more mixed reviews, but it was only 10 bucks, so who cares? Anyway, it was rated M, and when I tried to buy it, the cash register went nuts, and the cashier didn’t know what to do, and it turns out the computer wouldn’t let the transaction go through until I showed ID and gave my birthdate. The cashier didn’t ask me, the machine wouldn’t let anybody buy an M game without a birthdate, I guess.

Anyway, that was an exciting story. Here’s the relevant questions:

Am I the only person who absolutely can’t stand GH packaging at all? I don’t know why, but I almost refuse to buy GH games for any system. I have two GH SNES games (Mario Kart and Tetris & Dr. Mario), a GH N64 game (Mario Kart 64) and two GH PSX games (FF7 and FFT), and I’m always on active lookout to replace them with non-GH copies. And I absolutely refuse to buy GH versions of any newer system. Because of this, I STILL don’t have FFX, and it looks like my window of opportunity to buy SO3 is about to be similarly closed. So for the past several years, I’ve been trying to find a perfect copy of FFX at a pawn shop, but they’re always scratched up or a GH-version, or both. =(

AND, has anybody ever actually been IDed for buying a video game? I was kind of shocked when it happened to me. =P

2

I can see how some people are bothered by it. I’m actually surprised that I’m searching for a replacement copy of Xenogears so my original copy was stolen, and I amost refuse to buy a GH copy. Gosh, that green stripe looks so freakin’ UGLY on Xenogears’ packaging. I mean, it looks fine on Final Fantasy Tactics, but I’m repulsed by how it looks on Xenogears.

I’ve heard many people stating that they don’t like GH packaging, but I suppose I actually don’t mind it much. Now that I think about it, I only have one Greatest Hit game in my whole collection, and that’s Final Fantasy 7.

Nope, I’ve never been IDed, but then again, usually my Dad’s with me anyway when I’m buying a game. I AM using his money after all.

3

I’ve only ever been ID’d to buy alcohol, cigarettes and seeing rated R movies. Not for buying DVDs, CDs or Video Games.

As far as the GH packaging goes, I really don’t care. It’s not like I hang it on my wall.

4

I was once IDed at a Wal-Mart last year for buying a knife sharpener. A knife sharpener. Not a knife. A sharpener. One would think I would already have a knife if I were buying a sharpener. The big kicker came just two weeks later when I had to buy a knife. I wasn’t IDed, and the computer never asked for ID. So, in Georgia, you must be at least 16 to buy a knife sharpener but not a knife. Or so my experience would tell me.

5

Never been carded over M games, though there have been some instances in which the cashier warned of how it was an M game, though he did nothing to stop the transaction.

As for GH packaging, I really fail to see the big deal with it. Its just a packaging. I’ll admit I prefer non-GH packaging, but I dont see the need to go out and buy a non-GH version of FF7 to replace my GH version of it.

6

The only GH packaging that I like is the “Platinum” type, and isn’t that for XBox?
The rest of it’s just enh to me. I don’t like something that contrasts so much, you know?

I bought a used copy of Kingdom Hearts so that I wouldn’t have to have the red GH stripes. Normally I’m a fanatic about having mint condition everything, but that time I inspected the disc (as usual) and just scraped sticker glue off the case. On one hand I’m appaled by my fastidiousness, but on the other I’m rather understanding of myself and my quirks. I won’t go so far as to replace my GH games with non-GH games, though. Buying it once is enough.

I’ve never been carded when purchasing a game - then again, I’ve been old enough to buy any game for a while before the crackdown came. :smiley: Hell, I’m not even carded for booze that often.

Hiryuu, now I want to be on the lookout for a mint non-GH copy of FFX, just for you. :smiley:

7

984’s post reminded me that a former co worker was buying White Out as part of her back to school shopping at Wal Mart, and she couldn’t purchase it as she wasn’t 21. Apparently, in Georgia at least, Wal Mart requires you to be 21 to purchase White Out.

o.O

8

Wow, what a stupid cashier. If you look old enough, you shouldn’t be carded, and they should just enter a fake birthdate. It is only when you look close enough to 18 that they need to ask for ID, that they enter a real birthday.

I was carded for buying GTA:SA back when it first came out on PS2. Luckily (i was 17) the guy working the register was my friend :stuck_out_tongue:

9

I’ve never been ID’d in my life, but then I’ve never done anything that would require ID’ing… never bought an M game, cigarettes, or booze. ^^;

I personally don’t mind GH in the least, but perhaps that’s because I never look at the packaging for a game once it’s bought. It gets stuck in my game drawer and only comes out when I want to play it, after which the game gets taken out and the box gets put back in. So no problems here.

10

I prefer non-GH packaging. I have two GH games (FF7, and FFT). However, if I have to, I have to. I do have access to a good quality color laserjet printer, so I tend to reprint the original case sleaves (I used to have a site that had high quality scans of them). Matted photo paper was my godsend when I was forced to buy those two GH games. They now have very good quality replica case sleaves, and when I tell people what I did with them, they say I’m bullshitting.

So if you can do that, GH games aren’t that bad. I think you might be looking for the box that SO was in at first, but that thing is destroyed right away from the damn labels keeping it closed. You either get a ripped label, or ripped packaging.

11

Are you talking about everything or just video games? Video Games are one thing, but that ideology doesn’t really hold up with stuff like cigarettes and alcohol.

12

When I turned 18 I was never IDed, but as I get older I’ve been getting IDed a hell of a lot more (go figure). Hell, I’ve even been IDed twice at a place by the same person. It was even funnier since all of my friends got in with no problem and I’m a couple of months older than most of them. The stuff has never been to where it would prevent me from purchasing it though…except at a bar though they did run my license once. It is funny though, A LOT of people think that I’m 19 or 20, they are shocked to find out that I’m 23.

I prefer the original box, but I’ll buy a GH version. I’m not violently opposed to them. I like it when a game first goes GH because it is pretty easy to find the regular box, but still get the GH price. I actualyl sort of want to buy the GH version of Star Ocean since I HATE that little box cover for the case for the non-GH version.

13

I personally don’t mind GH versions. Hell, my favorite fighting game of all time (Virtua Fighter 4 : Evolution) was never released here under the non-GH version, so…

14

Thats how it worked when i was on the front end at a grocery store. If someone wanted to buy anything that you needed to be ID’d for (cigs, alcohol, and some DVDs) you inputted 01/01/1911 as their birthdate if they looked older than 25 or something.

15

http://ekwtm.ytmnd.com/

That is for all the whiners in this thread. And I personallity don’t mind the Greatest Hit/Player Choice/Platimun games. Even so they do tend to clash with the other boxes shelf, they are still 30 dollars cheaper then the old version!

And for the record, I haven’t been carded, but my much older brother has. Go figure.

16

Actually, they’re not cheaper at all; when a game gets added to the GH collection, it’s original print drops in price as well.

Obviously, as a collector, I’m against the GH packaging. I’ve made two exceptions: VF4: Evo, as it is only released in GH packaging, and Silent Hill 2: Restless Dreams (PS2), same reason. Other than that, everything EVERYTHING has to be an original print.

BTW, Hiryuu, if you’re still looking for non-GH SO3, check some place that one wouldn’t normally buy games, like a Circuit City or something. We’ve got 4 non-GH copies of it at my store.

17

Whoa you people are fuckin picky. What do you do, oggle the game for hours? “oh yeah… look at that packaging… ooooh yeah… i’m so glad this is original”. Hahaha just kidding. But I really don’t care if it’s GH or not. If it’s the same game, then I’m fine with it.

And as for being IDed for buying a game… that has never happened to me. Never. I’ve been IDed for buying alcohol, and for entering bars/clubs, buying cigars too, but never, never for a game.

18

Nah, I’ve never been carded for anything…but I haven’t had many opportunities to be carded; I’m not old enough to buy drinks, I don’t smoke (i’ve bought cigarettes like once, though), I’ve only bought one R Rated movie ever, and only one M-Rated game ever.

Also, something bugs me about getting GH-version’ed games, too; I don’t MIND, but I really try not to. The only GH games I have are Final Fantasy Tactics and Sonic Mega Collection for Gamecube. Strangely enough, though, I don’t mind buying used copies at all, as long as they work. Something about original packaging is just nice, for me.

19

Wait… you say you’ve been picked up buying games rated ‘M’ ??
I’ve been to EB, Gameplay and various other game stores, and have never been picked up for that… even when I purchases PlayBoy Mansion, for the XBOX - and I’m 13!
Although… I have been told I look sixteen. Isn’t it a requirement?

I don’t really like Platinum Edition, etc. games… the cover is always screwed! And that’s one of the most appealing outward feature! Oh well… I am a bit obsessive though…

Ninten:cool:

20

I was carded constantly <b>before</b> I was 18. Now I’m never carded.