Is it okay to contact another seller about an item for info to help sell your own?

[nichsch_4571]

So, one of the video games I'm thinking of selling (a collection of old arcade games in one bundle) does not save high scores when it is powered off. One comment I found on another site, however, suggests that this is normal for this particular collection.  I want to be sure that this is true, since I don't want to sell the game if it is not fully functional.

I've asked about and tried to find this information elsewhere, but so far I haven't found anything useful. Would it be acceptable to ask other sellers who are selling the same game about this function?

[Anonymous]

Unless the game has a separate memory card I don't think it will.

I know I used to play GALAGA on Namco Museum on GB Advance and I had to write down my high scores for this reason, even kept a spreadsheet. I stopped when I topped 500K regularly and it got boring.

[inhawaii]

Is it okay to contact another seller about an item for info to help sell your own?

Yes. But they may or may not cooperate.

[sin-n-dex]

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@nichsch_4571 wrote:

So, one of the video games I'm thinking of selling (a collection of old arcade games in one bundle) does not save high scores when it is powered off. One comment I found on another site, however, suggests that this is normal for this particular collection.  I want to be sure that this is true, since I don't want to sell the game if it is not fully functional.

I've asked about and tried to find this information elsewhere, but so far I haven't found anything useful. Would it be acceptable to ask other sellers who are selling the same game about this function?

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Do your own research off this site. Other sellers don't want to help you sell your items. They took the time to become knowledgeable about what they're selling and you should do the same.

C.

[fm2000]

What arcade game is it? I can probably tell you. Most before 2000 don't save the scores, they are erased when the machine is unplugged.

[katzrul15]

@fm2000

That is really kind of you.  OP is a brand new Seller.  Kinda cool he came here to ask.  I remember being new, knowing squat about squat.  Lots of seasoned sellers helped me back then.  Still grateful all these years later.

@nichsch_4571  - hope you can find you way back to this thread.  

[nichsch_4571]

Thank you very much.

It's Midway's Greatest Arcade Hits for Game Boy Advance.

[nichsch_4571]

I did try to research it, but all I found was a comment on a review and a promotional article, not enough to make a real conclusion.

[pikabo-icu]

@nichsch_4571 

Awe sweetie I see you have been trying hard to find the answer.. Posting on Reddit and Youtube- I think it was you yes?

I asked my son about this and he said it's common for them to have saved at one time but if they have an internal battery once that's done, the save isn't available anymore.

There are some people that have videos and info to replace it, to make it save again.

I haven't found any info on if this specific title had a save or an internal battery yet.. 

[nichsch_4571]

Yeah. I only posted after searching failed to turn up results from reliable sources.

From what I have found, in checking the games that I already have up for sale, all but a handful of GBA games use an eeprom rather than a battery for saving. In fact the presence of a battery is usually an indicator that a GBA game is not authentic.

[pikabo-icu]

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@nichsch_4571 wrote:

Yeah. I only posted after searching failed to turn up results from reliable sources.

From what I have found, in checking the games that I already have up for sale, all but a handful of GBA games use an eeprom rather than a battery for saving. In fact the presence of a battery is usually an indicator that a GBA game is not authentic.

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Well that may be true in most cases, I don't know about your title but for example the Pokemon games had internal batteries and they were indeed authentic because he bought them new.

I read a lot of reviews on your game, seeing if anyone complained about not being able to save & sorry to report, it wasn't mentioned anywhere so I'm still at a loss. 

There is a way to check but not with black plastic- you shine a light under the game and can see the round battery inside. 

[inhawaii]

Looks like you can get a used cartridge only for about $5 and a new in box for about $15 to $20.

[magicjohnsonsvariety · Accepted solution]

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@pikabo-icu wrote:

@nichsch_4571 

Awe sweetie I see you have been trying hard to find the answer.. Posting on Reddit and Youtube- I think it was you yes?

I asked my son about this and he said it's common for them to have saved at one time but if they have an internal battery once that's done, the save isn't available anymore.

There are some people that have videos and info to replace it, to make it save again.

I haven't found any info on if this specific title had a save or an internal battery yet.. 

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You are correct Pikabo... the old cartridge games have batteries that, although they last a very long time, will die. The batteries can be replaced, but a special "nintendo" screwdriver may be needed to open it up. 

Saving is important to some buyers, so it should be mentioned.

[nichsch_4571]

This is what clinched it. I was reluctant to open up the cartridge for fear of damaging it, and I don't seem to have the right kind of screwdriver (a tri-wing screwdriver). But, based on your suggestion, I was able to find images from other people who opened up their cartridges. This game does not appear to have a save battery, eeprom, or any other means of memory storage, so its inability to save is normal.

Thank you very much.

[magicjohnsonsvariety]

Okay...I just noticed that you posted the name of the game in post 21.

Yes, it's completely normal for that game not to save, there's no need to because it is only an assortment of short playing games. Without the owner's manual, it's not easy to know which games save and which games don't, and if they don't?...are they supposed to?... 

General rule of thumb is games that save are generally those that are long playing (Pokemon), so one can stop and start again where you last left off. 

[elysetheeevee33]

This is very true. There are tons of Pokemon GBC games for sales where the battery has died on it (I'm lucky that mine are still running all this time later, and I have four GBC and one GBA out right now, more stored). 

The batteries do die after a while. They aren't difficult to replace if need be. There are tons of videos and help on replacing the batteries for old video games. If it's an actual arcade cabinet, I'm less sure. I know about handheld and some console games though. 

This is great advice though and you hit the nail on the head!