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Why are first party Gamecube Controllers so high new?

Negalith

Smash Cadet
Joined
Oct 24, 2013
Messages
32
Like the title says. Why are Nintendo-made GC controllers so high new?
 

CORY

wut
BRoomer
Joined
Dec 2, 2001
Messages
15,730
Location
dallas area
just realized i sounded snarkier than i meant to. apologies, i was working on something.

basically, the gamecube is heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeella old. it's a full two gens old. as far as nintendo's concerned, it's not a moneymaker. they're essentially doing us a favor with the production of first party controllers for as long as they have, since there's no current gen system they have that can actually make use of them.
 

Comeback Kid

Smash Champion
Joined
Dec 25, 2009
Messages
2,431
Location
Parts Unknown
It's simply supply and demand.

There aren't a great deal of mint in the box controllers left out there and people are willing to pay more to get their hands on them.
 
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Phaiyte

Smash Ace
Joined
Jul 6, 2010
Messages
932
I'll gladly pay the extra 40$ to make 3rd party controller fuck right off.
 

Negalith

Smash Cadet
Joined
Oct 24, 2013
Messages
32
Yeah I figured it had to do with the age, but I mean, 30-40 used and 50+ new. Holy friggin heck, that's crazy! The reason I started looking is because a lot of smash players try to use first party and my 3rd party controller needs to be replaced soon, so I thought, foolishly, that I would just go for a first party. No big deal........Very big deal. Huge deal. Flippin insane if you ask me. It's not like I'm going for the Japanese white GC controller with the huge cord either. It's just crazy scalping.
 

Y-L

Smash Champion
Joined
Jan 16, 2014
Messages
2,436
Location
Ventura, CA
Yeah I figured it had to do with the age, but I mean, 30-40 used and 50+ new. Holy friggin heck, that's crazy! The reason I started looking is because a lot of smash players try to use first party and my 3rd party controller needs to be replaced soon, so I thought, foolishly, that I would just go for a first party. No big deal........Very big deal. Huge deal. Flippin insane if you ask me. It's not like I'm going for the Japanese white GC controller with the huge cord either. It's just crazy scalping.
I got mine for $35 and honestly it was worth it. I have 2 third party controllers that were like $10 and although they look exactly the same as the first party superficially, they're a joke. The buttons are unresponsive, the materials it's made with are cheap, and it just has a bad overall feel. I'm glad I bought my first party controller and I mean it's not like you'll be replacing it for a long time.
 

Negalith

Smash Cadet
Joined
Oct 24, 2013
Messages
32
I got mine for $35 and honestly it was worth it. I have 2 third party controllers that were like $10 and although they look exactly the same as the first party superficially, they're a joke. The buttons are unresponsive, the materials it's made with are cheap, and it just has a bad overall feel. I'm glad I bought my first party controller and I mean it's not like you'll be replacing it for a long time.
Yeah, that's what I have. Super laggy and and hard to deal with when doing combos and practicing special moves like wavedashing and such. 35 isn't bad. Was it new? Where at?
 

Y-L

Smash Champion
Joined
Jan 16, 2014
Messages
2,436
Location
Ventura, CA
Yeah, that's what I have. Super laggy and and hard to deal with when doing combos and practicing special moves like wavedashing and such. 35 isn't bad. Was it new? Where at?
It was 35 on Amazon but the price has gone up for whatever reason. I even saw it at like 25 at one point.
 

Giygacoal

Smash Lord
Joined
Apr 30, 2011
Messages
1,651
We need someone to make high quality 3rd party GameCube controllers. I'd donate to that Kickstarter.
 

mimgrim

Smash Hero
Joined
Jun 20, 2013
Messages
9,233
Location
Somewhere magical
Yeah I figured it had to do with the age, but I mean, 30-40 used and 50+ new. Holy friggin heck, that's crazy! The reason I started looking is because a lot of smash players try to use first party and my 3rd party controller needs to be replaced soon, so I thought, foolishly, that I would just go for a first party. No big deal........Very big deal. Huge deal. Flippin insane if you ask me. It's not like I'm going for the Japanese white GC controller with the huge cord either. It's just crazy scalping.
I got mine for $35 and honestly it was worth it. I have 2 third party controllers that were like $10 and although they look exactly the same as the first party superficially, they're a joke. The buttons are unresponsive, the materials it's made with are cheap, and it just has a bad overall feel. I'm glad I bought my first party controller and I mean it's not like you'll be replacing it for a long time.
I got the new white controller for like 20 or 25 bucks off of Amazon, and it was brand new no less.

Guess I got lucky.
 

Bazkip

Smash Master
Joined
Dec 15, 2013
Messages
3,136
Location
Canada
Yeah I figured it had to do with the age, but I mean, 30-40 used and 50+ new. Holy friggin heck, that's crazy! The reason I started looking is because a lot of smash players try to use first party and my 3rd party controller needs to be replaced soon, so I thought, foolishly, that I would just go for a first party. No big deal........Very big deal. Huge deal. Flippin insane if you ask me. It's not like I'm going for the Japanese white GC controller with the huge cord either. It's just crazy scalping.
I've gotten used controllers for $10-15 off of Craigslist
 

hotdogturtle

Smash Master
Joined
Feb 15, 2007
Messages
3,503
$35 was what GCN controllers cost from 2001-2006 back when they were current gen. The fact that they mostly stayed at that price for the entirety of the Wii's lifespan was a ridiculous blessing that a lot of people take for granted. It's only recently that the standard price has started going up. Even so, it's a good enough controller (not to mention arguably "necessary" for competitive Smash) that the price is still worth it.

Also, as someone mentioned, most current gen controllers are literally more expensive to buy new for their respective consoles than the GCN controller is now.
 

IronChar

Smash Journeyman
Joined
Dec 12, 2013
Messages
362
Location
West side
one of the best controllers ever made and still used after all these years. No wonder how it holds is value
 

F. Blue

Smash Journeyman
Joined
Oct 11, 2011
Messages
433
Nintendo needs to make another batch if we're to truly call 2014 the platinum age of Smash.
 

Rawkuz

Smash Cadet
Joined
Jan 28, 2006
Messages
34
Location
Lawrenceville, GA
True story though, you can check craigslist for controllers or even whole gamecubes with 4 controllers for that matter. Or even check your local mom and pop shops who just might have gamecube controllers laying around for the low price, sometimes they'll hand them out for free. GOod Luck.
 
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