THE CON: PRGE every Rocktober

"We're adding 60k sqft of hall space this year and need all hands on deck!"

KEYS

Nintendo Cinematic Universe

Best Selling Franchises

Heavies: Rare Big Games

Scarce Super Heavies

Nintendo Cardboard

Popular Games

i.e. Donkey Kong, Super Mario, Zelda, Tyson, Madden 1, Sonic 1, Metal Gear, Resident Evil, Final Fantasy, GoldenEye, Halo, CoD, etc.

SEMI KEYS

Collector Franchises & Titles like Dragon Warrior, Kirby, Chrono Trigger, etc.

FIRSTS

1st Appearance
i.e. Donkey Kong for Mario

1st Print: First American Production

1st Game in Franchise

First Production could be global

1st Global Release

1st Retail Release

Note that the hobby is still divided on Production Date vs Release Date i.e. multiple date codes being called 1st Print or Halo NFR 00001 vs Midnight Release 00002

Furthermore, the hobby is very early on valuations for early production releases (usually Japanese) because of the lack of nostalgia for American buyers

CENSUS

COMPANY: Nintendo, Sega, Sony, Microsoft, etc.

BRANDS: NES, Genesis, PS, XBOX

SETS: libraries of titles by console/platform

HOUSES: publishing companies

CHARACTERS: characters

Note that titles can have multiple releases around the world and several reprints over the course of years

Furthermore, even though American consoles dominate the hobby, the same technology might be considered a sub-platform, i.e. Genesis for America vs Mega Drive for Europe which ironically beat Nintendo for a min.

GRADING in Hopper's Opinion

PRISTINE: 10.0 A++ by WATA, CGC or 100 by VGA

GEM MINT: 9.8 by WATA/CGC or 95 by VGA

MINT: 9.4 A++/9+ CiB by WATA/CGC or 85+/90 by VGA

NM-MT: 8-9 WATA/CGC, 80-90 by VGA

NM: 7s by WATA/CGC or 70-80 by VGA

Note that grading standards are evolving & changing based on the diminishig quality of the material being seeing on grading floors

Furthermore, the hobby is very early in terms of cracking, crossing, resubbing, etc.

NOTE that just like the other hobbies the CENSUS/POPs are NOT 100% accurate!