Video games are a fun category to flip because there are actually three different games inside it — current-gen hardware, retro collectibles, and everyday used games — and they make money for completely different reasons. Mix them up and you'll overpay for a common cartridge or pass on a console that would've sold in a day. Here's how I sort them.
Current-gen consoles: fast, but test everything
A working PS5, Xbox Series, or Switch moves quickly and predictably. The money's fine, the risk is condition. Same rule as any used electronics: power it on, load a game, let it run a few minutes to catch overheating and fan noise, test the controllers and ports, and confirm it's factory-reset and signed out of the previous owner's account. A "works great, just needs a controller" console at a full-working price is a trap.
Retro games: real money, real fakes
This is where it gets interesting — and dangerous. Old cartridges and sealed games can be worth serious money, but the category is flooded with reproduction cartridges (repro carts) that look real in a thumbnail. Tells:
- The label — repros have off fonts, wrong colors, a slightly fuzzy print, or a too-clean sticker on an otherwise worn cart.
- The back of the cartridge — real carts often need a specific screwdriver (a gamebit); a Phillips screw on the back of a "Nintendo" cart is a giant red flag.
- The board — if a seller will photograph the circuit board, a repro's generic board and battery look nothing like an original.
- Graded/sealed anything — wax-sealed "new" retro games are a minefield of resealed fakes; unless you really know grading, price them as opened.
It's the same "assume the worst until proven" habit as spotting any fake.
Everyday used games and lots: steady base hits
Common disc games and cartridge lots aren't glamorous, but they're a reliable grind. The play is buying lots — a box of 30 games for $40 where five of them cover your cost and the rest are gravy. Just don't pay per-game lot prices for games that are $3 each; know a few key titles before you bid.
Price the exact title and condition
"A Zelda game" tells you nothing — the title, the platform, and whether it's loose / complete-in-box / sealed are three different markets. CIB (complete in box) sells for a big premium over a loose cart. Pull sold comps for the exact version, as always (how to price used items to resell), and work back to your max buy.
Skip the repros before you drive
The hard part is that retro listings are a sea of vague titles, bad photos, and repros priced like originals. Worth Radar reads each listing's photos and description, flags the contradictions and pricing that usually mean a fake or a mislabeled item, and checks resale against real sold comps — so you spend your time on the genuine finds.