Purchasing classic games?

[Flinsha]

Here's my question:

Has anyone found an above average way to purchase those classic yet hard to come by games on their original systems?

I'm sure a majority of us have looked these up at one point in time, ya know, those games like Chrono Trigger, Earthbound, FFVII, Tomba on PS1, the original Super Smash Bros., a multitude of games that for their own reasons are classic, majestically nostalgic, a large chunk of video game pop-culture, or for whatever reason are just desired.

It's obvious that you CAN nab these yum-yums on ebay or amazon, but for a nerdcore fella like myself having the income of a senior in high-school, $30-$60 for these bad-boys is a little out of a desirable price range. It's probably true that those prices are their worth, but I'm still a little whiney *****.

So does anybody know of a good place to find classic retro games for a solid price? Or perhaps does anybody have some inspiring stories of great finds that would lift my spirits from my Super Mario RPGless way of life?

 

[TehCookie]

Look for those little used game stores nestled away in a corner that no one knows of. I found FFVII for $20, original case booklet and everything in nice condition. Or if you are really lucky find someone who will sell it at a cheap pries, but those encounters are govern by fate. I was at an anime con standing in front of a classic game stand cursing myself for losing two CDs to FFIX and some random guy herd me and gave me a copy for free.

 

[manaman]

I like the hunt, and regularly check used game stores and flea markets when I get the chance, but most of the really hard to find ones I end up picking up on eBay.

 

[fishy009er]

Well, my Dad used to work for this building company who were planning to refurbish a whole bunch of student residents at a local university. The students were told that what ever they leave behind will be thrown out when the builders come. My Dad took me and my brother down to see if there was anything of worth before they started demolishing the place. And what did I find in a shoe box in a random room ... every Final Fantasy game for the PS1 in perfect condition (Including the NES and SNES remakes)!!! Boy was I surprised.

For actually finding old games, I'd suggest go to as many garage sales as you can. That's my best advice if you don't want to use eBay.

 

[Skorpyo]

Well, I use either Steam or GOG.com for my classics, but I usually get the cheap ones I want to keep from Amazon :/