The Small Scores Thread: Part 4!

[Shadow Kisuragi]

Rule of Rose has a very interesting backstory in the industry, including being banned and pullled off store shelves in the UK. It's one of the rarest UK PAL games as a result, as only review copies remain. Here's the story, as covered by Wikipedia:

At E3 2006 Atlus announced that it would be releasing Rule of Rose in the United States,[22] following Sony's decision to pass on an American release.[23] This was on the grounds of the game's erotic undertones involving a cast of female minors. The developers disagreed with this, saying that the sexual themes are only a small part of the game.[2]

In November 2006, three French deputies introduced a bill asking for the game to be banned for sale, arguing that the goal of the game was to "rape, beat up and kill a little girl", and that if nothing was done, video games could become an "uncontrollable factor of decadent violence in our society."[24] That same month, 505's Australian distributor, Red-Ant advised that the game's Australian and New Zealand release would be canceled.[25] The game had yet to be rated by the Classification Board.[26]

European Union justice minister Franco Frattini attacked the game as containing "obscene cruelty and brutality." He also called for changes to the PEGI rating system in place across Europe and for government officials to engage in discussions with industry representatives.[27] Frattini received a letter from Viviane Reding, commissioner for the information society and media, who criticized Frattini's actions: "It is...very unfortunate that my services were not pre-consulted before your letter to the Ministers of Interior was sent out," reminding him of the commission-backed self-regulating ratings system called PEGI that has operated across the European Union since 2003. The PEGI system of classification, according to Reding's letter, offers "informed adult choice" without censoring content: "This is in line with the Commission's view that measures taken to protect minors and human dignity must be carefully balanced with the fundamental right to freedom of expression as laid down in the Charter on Fundamental Rights of the European Union."[28] On March 7, 2007, a group of Member of the European Parliaments presented a Motion for a European Parliament resolution on a ban on the sale and distribution in Europe of the game and the creation of a 'European Observatory on childhood and minors'.[29]

The publisher has chosen to cancel the release of the game in the United Kingdom following complaints by Frattini and other EU officials, and "largely misleading"[30] commentary from the British press.[31] It was released in the rest of Europe. Review copies of the title had already shipped to British journalists when this was announced. The British body which had granted the title its 16+ PEGI rating (the Video Standards Council) responded to the press and Frattini's comments: "I have no idea where the suggestion of in-game sadomasochism has come from, nor children being buried underground. These are things that have been completely made up. [...] We’re not worried about our integrity being called into question, because Mr Frattini’s quotes are nonsense."[27]

Poland's Ministry of Education raised questions concerning its appropriateness for minors (the game was rated 16+) because of the themes of child violence and sexuality. The ministry informed the prosecutor's office of possible crime.[32]

[MetalFRO]

Yeah, definitely some controversy behind Rule of Rose. Great pickup, that one.

I happen to be traveling for business today and tomorrow, and I have been in Omaha today, and will be again tomorrow. Here are my pickups from this afternoon and evening! Here's game store 1, part 1:
[img width=700 height=525]http://i349.photobucket.com/albums/q388/MetalFRO/Mobile%20Uploads/2015-10/66858770-8F1D-4007-AFB3-6FDE45E81F64.jpg[/img]

And game store 1, part 2:
[img width=700 height=525]http://i349.photobucket.com/albums/q388/MetalFRO/Mobile%20Uploads/2015-10/0BE509CD-DFFA-4EEB-8C55-CB0885BAABDE.jpg[/img]

Game store 2:
[img width=700 height=525]http://i349.photobucket.com/albums/q388/MetalFRO/Mobile%20Uploads/2015-10/7F977329-0FE0-48AA-82F6-9AB9A4672484.jpg[/img]

The Spyro manual makes that complete for me, so that was a nice find. The MMX6 &  Monkey Island manuals are FS/FT, if anyone is interested.

Here are a few things I picked up at Half Price Books:
[img width=700 height=525]http://i349.photobucket.com/albums/q388/MetalFRO/Mobile%20Uploads/2015-10/9E405C76-D1B6-4155-BAED-68D589DCA160.jpg[/img]

And last (but not least), though not gaming related, the vinyl I picked up at Half Price Books, since I know some here also collect
[img width=700 height=525]http://i349.photobucket.com/albums/q388/MetalFRO/Mobile%20Uploads/2015-10/A74BF2A6-8425-4487-9A5B-BA92AFD78DFC.jpg[/img]

[nupoile]

oooo, Sega Saturn stuffs!

....and I had to point out the Stryper to my wife, she appreciates it.

[Crabmaster2000]

Oh man! Saxon, WASP, Loudness and Stryper!! Its like you stole the playlist I've been listening to right off my phone!

[shaggy]

Oh man! Saxon, WASP, Loudness and Stryper!! Its like you stole the playlist I've been listening to right off my phone!

Never heard of any of them. 

[Crabmaster2000]

Oh man! Saxon, WASP, Loudness and Stryper!! Its like you stole the playlist I've been listening to right off my phone!

Never heard of any of them. 

You're welcome

[Fokakis79]

Definitely used to listen to Saxon back in the day, never listened to Loudness

[Shadow Kisuragi]

That Mickey Mouse: Magic Wands! reminded me to check...
We have 3 versions of that in the database:

http://www.rfgeneration.c...nfo.pl?ID=U-037-S-02760-A
http://www.rfgeneration.c...nfo.pl?ID=U-037-S-05260-B
http://www.rfgeneration.c...nfo.pl?ID=U-037-S-05260-A

It was only ever released as a Players Choice variant, like a handful of other releases.

[MetalFRO]

I stopped by a couple pawn shops on the way home from my work trip, and picked up a few things. Pawn shop 1:
[img width=700 height=525]http://i349.photobucket.com/albums/q388/MetalFRO/Mobile%20Uploads/2015-10/3A366895-F10F-4E85-BEBB-B7E75BBD5D1E.jpg[/img]

And pawn shop 2:
[img width=700 height=525]http://i349.photobucket.com/albums/q388/MetalFRO/Mobile%20Uploads/2015-10/607C50DD-0F00-477C-A3CA-8CE4C1B6814C.jpg[/img]

I spent a little more in shop 2 than I should have, but shop 1's prices sort of balance it out.

[Sauza12]

Hey, look at this stuff!

[img width=639 height=376]http://i60.tinypic.com/24b93yt.jpg[/img]
[img width=640 height=458]http://i60.tinypic.com/261kbvp.jpg[/img]
[img width=639 height=448]http://i60.tinypic.com/2qsmmte.jpg[/img]

This is my Amazon haul recently, before Warehouse Deals went back into it's deal hibernation.  Alone in the Dark was my favorite grab out of everything here.  It was something like $3.25 and was in immaculate condition.

[img width=639 height=366]http://i62.tinypic.com/25ujhxi.jpg[/img]
[img width=640 height=529]http://i61.tinypic.com/bgdzpf.jpg[/img]
[img width=639 height=360]http://i60.tinypic.com/dp8u1i.jpg[/img]
[img width=639 height=350]http://i59.tinypic.com/21l1z7n.jpg[/img]

This is my thrift stuff.  The box for the Power Pad is pretty beat up, but considering my old one met a terrible fate due to a partially flooded basement and mold, I couldn't be happier about this one.  Lego Batman 3 was only $5 and was like the fourth XBone game I've found at thrifts.  It seems a bit early in the systems life span to find games for it at thrifts, but I'm not gonna complain.

I did my quarterly Gamestop $1 Wii game sweep.  I got a bunch plus picked up a bunch of other cheap Wii games.  The first picture is everything I grabbed and the second one are highlights from the bunch.

[img width=639 height=360]http://i59.tinypic.com/fjq749.jpg[/img]
[img width=511 height=640]http://i61.tinypic.com/dhg9ec.jpg[/img]

The Last Story was pretty much free as I had a $25 rewards certificate for Gamestop. 

[img width=639 height=388]http://i60.tinypic.com/16jpjd3.jpg[/img]
[img width=640 height=360]http://i58.tinypic.com/xlh5zn.jpg[/img]

And this is other random stuff I picked up from Gamestop.  They had a 4 for $20 sale recently and I went a bit nuts.  Also the Amiibo train keeps on a rollin'

[img width=639 height=360]http://i59.tinypic.com/302qmwg.jpg[/img]

These are things I picked up from random places.  The NES games were from Craigslist for $20 total.  My daughter was already playing Disney Infinity when I took this picture, hence the empty box.

Finally, my family and I went to a community Oktoberfest that had a bunch of kids crafts and activities and in the same building they had local vendors and what not.  Among the vendors was a local Nintendo rep who was giving away a bunch of freebies and they were all AWESOME. 

[img width=639 height=505]http://i59.tinypic.com/34p0ytw.jpg[/img]

I felt like a little troll running away with all this stuff, but I couldn't help it.  You know you would have done the same thing.  And with that, I'm out.

[Duke.Togo]

Holy crap Sauza. That's a crazy haul there. I didn't know GS even had $1 Wii games. Might have to visit.

[Sauza12]

Holy crap Sauza. That's a crazy haul there. I didn't know GS even had $1 Wii games. Might have to visit.

They have hundreds of $1 games.  If you swing by 4 or 5, you can easily grab 5-10 at each store.  It's just handy to have the Gamestop website pulled up on your phone when you do go.  A fair bit of the time the Gamestop employees don't reprice the games on the floor, so while a game might actually be $1, the price tag on the case will say something different.

[MetalFRO]

Insane amount of stuff you grabbed, Sauza!  Thanks for the tip on the $1 GS Wii games - I might have to check that out!

[krunch]

[img width=600 height=450]https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CSRgDLFVEAAKTPs.jpg:large[/img]
[img width=600 height=800]https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CSLxfXVVAAAtOBg.jpg:large[/img]

Overpaid for TMNT but got Sparkster for 40$ CAD which I am super duper pumped bout.

[Zagnorch]

If y'all think Sauza's latest pickup was impressive, wait'll ya get a load of this haul:

[img width=700 height=345]http://i1273.photobucket.com/albums/y409/Zagnorch/score%2010-26-2015_zpsg13mdxcx.jpg?t=1445820272[/img]

- Sealed Ty 3 for PS2, $3.99: Fairly fun, although not quite on par with the Ratchet & Clank series as far as 3D action-adventure goes. But then, what is?

- Nintendo Power 252 subscriber ed. back ish, $0.29

- CIB Tales of Symphonia for GameCube, $3.99: Damn, this is the most expensive second-hand CIB Tales of Symphonia I've ever bought. Inflation really sucks, you know?

Not pictured: Sealed Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing Transformed bonus edition for 360 ($11.99), and CIB No More Heroes 2 for Wii ($5.95).


How d'ya like them apples, hmmm?