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Playability vs CollectibilityLet's say you bought a duplicate of a game, so now you've got two of the exact same game. One looks like garbage: the label is torn and dirty, but plays perfectly. On the other hand, the other one looks like it's in mint condition, but it just will not play. Which would you keep if you could
only keep one?
For the sake of argument, let's say it's a game where you can not simply switch the boards from one game to another.
Would your opinion change if it was a game you know you would never play? Or a game that you'd play so much you'd certainly ruin the label anyway?
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I don't see why anyone who calls them self a gamer would want to have the mint condition but non working game over one that they can actually play. Isn't the main point of having video games to play them?
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I would get rid of both and find myself a mint copy that plays fine. 
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depends. cart, i'd trade boards and return the crappy version. discs, i'd return both. neither are worth anything in that situation. who's honestly going to pay anything decent for a horible looking game that just barely plays? now, who's going to pay for a minty fresh looking game that doesnt play? your in the same boat either way.
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I'd keep the one that plays if I want to play it or the one that looks mint when it's just a collectors item (but a crap game).
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The way I see it, every single game I buy is an investment into my collection. I would compare it to making payments on a rediculously overpriced painting. So since it is an investment, I would definently want to keep the game with the most resale value. And most people would want to buy the game that worked, not the game that looked pretty.
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@c2618:
I would keep both, but definitely pick up better copy if I saw one.
From a technical standpoint, assuming it's a cartridge, you could definitely swap the boards, unless there was a label change or something that would result in mixed-revision-components. If it's a disc, keep the case and manual and look for a disc-only copy.
I had a similar problem with MGS2:S for Xbox. I found a complete copy at Gamestop for $5, but the disk was literally blank, as in not even the DVD dummy video. I went to ANOTHER Gamestop with my receipt, and traded them the disk for their disc-only copy. Problem solved.
I believe that game rarity may also have some weight here. It may not be POSSIBLE to find another copy, so you should keep both regardless. The same goes for incredibly cheap games: you can just find another copy, but nobody is going to buy your crappy or non-working one, so you're not out too much.
And unless there's a manufacturing defect (like what I found), you can PROBABLY find a way to fix the non-working copy. Cartridges can be opened and inspected for bad connections, blown components, etc. Discs can be resurfaced. The only TRUE "broken" condition would be a scratch on the data layer of a disc.
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@NayusDante:
Wait a minute! The disc was blank?! As in NOTHING burned on the disc? I would have kept that just as a crazy weird oddity, but I'm strange like that.
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I'm a player who collects, not a collector who plays. I'd keep the working one, buy keep my eyes out for a better copy.
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Just swap out the boards. 
You can 99% of the time get a cart game to work. I have NEVER seen a cart game that didn't work at all.
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I always put playability first. I don't buy games for them to sit on the shelf and inflate my ego. I buy them to enjoy them!
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@Mr. Ksoft:
Same here. 
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@Mr. Soft:
I agree, I perfer to buy games I want to play. Dont knock the shelves, they help you remember which game to play next.
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