Ps1 collection autism (got anything good?) and wading through the FB Marketplace cesspit.

I recently got a raise which has left me with some discretionary funds.

Having also just settled from a move I've been on FB marketplace and other similar sites. And when I say into these sites, I mean DEEP in it.

I offer my services to friends who can't be fricked because the autism drives my body.

You want an entire bedroom set for $100? Easy - the sellers are moving interstate and need it gone.

You want a specific type of discontinued ikea furntiture? I'll find it in my sleep for $12.

Art deco paintings / posters? Please, for pennies from a deceased estate.

But then an ad came across my marketplace feed. "Digimon World, PAL PS1, disc only - $80"

MARSEY WHAT? Surely not!?

So on a whim, I searched for a few of my old favourite PS1 games and I was horrified at the after market for some of these games as just discs with no / busted cases. I mean, I know COVID drove the market insane and t being in a PAL territory also applies an exponent to the rarity but this pricing was diabolical.

So I have been DETERMINED to find bargains. In Aus OR overseas. Luckily I have friends in parts of the UK and Europe who visit and can bypass the butt raping of shipping costs.

So far I have managed to find CiB versions for at minimum $20 AUD less than their current market value of:

• Digimon World

• Vagrant Story

• Guardian's Crusade

• Star Ocean 2 (just the discs but I have a copy where the discs are kind of fricked so this gives me CiB)

• Chocobo Racing (NTSC-U sadly since PAL version cost is ridiculous)

• Wild Arms

My collection from childhood already consists of:

• Grandia (Greatest hits version)

• FF7, FF8, FF9

• FF Anthology

• Tron Bonne (apparently this game is disgustingly rare - I had my parents get it from ebay in the UK in like 2000 for $50AUD)

• Jade Cocoon (which I didn't realy like tbh)

I'm thinking if I can find PAL versions of:

• FFT

• Legend of Legaia

• Legend of Dragoon

• Chocobos Dungeon II

• Suikoden I

• Suikoden II

• Koudelka

• Megaman Legends

• Megaman Legends 2

• Parasite Eve (only in NTSC)

Then my little collection will be complete.

The goal is to not open a vein in the case of Legend of Legaia, the Suikodens, and Megaman Legends but THAT'S a tall order.

But FRICK is it exhausting. It just comes down to getting lucky and trying to avoid losing to retro resellers who up buy cheap and up the price by 200%.

And after this long a post, I hear you wonder, 'P-Buss, why not just emulate?' and my reply is 'The need to has CONSUMED ME' plus I like using the original hardware :).

In ANYCASE I'm seriously hoping that more situations like a sealed shipment of Rule of Rose being found in Italy occur to drop the bottom out of these markets, at least for a bit before resellers snap them up.

In CONCLUSION:

Anyone got some good lead on PAL games if you're in the US where they're worth comparably less (or even a copy of Parasite Eve)?

ALSO - What are the jewels in your collections /r/drama? Mine is the aforementioned Tron Bonne.