FAQ
Straight answers about how we test, describe, and ship every game. If your question isn't here, get in touch — a real person in Southwest Virginia will answer.
Do the games actually work?
Yes — every cartridge and disc is tested before it's listed. Carts are cleaned and played to confirm they boot and save where applicable; discs are checked for a clean read from start-up. If an item has any quirk worth knowing about, it's in the listing. We'd rather lose a sale than surprise you.
What do the Condition and "Includes" labels mean?
Condition is our honest read on an item's physical shape after hand-inspection: Like New, Very Good, Good, or Acceptable/Fair. Includes tells you exactly what comes in the sale — "Cart only," "Disc, manual & case," "Cart, manual & box," and so on, with Sealed reserved for factory-sealed items. Between the two, every listing spells out precisely what arrives: what shape it's in, and what's in the box.
What does "inspected, not graded" mean?
We don't send games to third-party grading services or sell sealed slabs as investments. We're collectors — every item is hand-inspected, cleaned, tested, and honestly described by someone who plays this stuff. You're buying a working piece of gaming history, described accurately, at a fair price.
What if something's wrong when it arrives?
Every purchase is backed by our 14-day guarantee. If a game doesn't work as described or the condition doesn't match the listing, contact us within 14 days and we'll make it right — replacement, repair, or refund. See our Returns policy for the details.
How fast do you ship?
Orders ship within 3 business days, tracked and insured, from Southwest Virginia. You'll get a tracking number as soon as the label is created.
Do you ship outside of the US?
We sure do! Here's the full list of countries we currently ship to:
- Australia
- Austria
- Belgium
- Canada
- Czechia
- Denmark
- Finland
- France
- Germany
- Hong Kong SAR
- Ireland
- Israel
- Italy
- Japan
- Malaysia
- Netherlands
- New Zealand
- Norway
- Poland
- Portugal
- Singapore
- South Korea
- Spain
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- United Arab Emirates
- United Kingdom
Every order ships tracked and insured, same as domestic. Note that our free shipping on orders over $99 applies to US orders only — international orders will show shipping cost at checkout, and may also be subject to customs fees or import duties, which are the buyer's responsibility.
Did you just ship my games in a used Amazon box?
We sure did. "Salvage" isn't just in the name — we reuse shipping materials whenever we can, from boxes that arrive with trade-ins to whatever sturdy packaging we have on hand. If a box is structurally sound and damage-free, it gets a second life instead of a landfill. Your games are still packed carefully and shipped tracked and insured; the box just has a little history, same as what's inside it.
Are your games authentic?
Yes. Reproduction carts and bootleg discs are everywhere in this hobby, and spotting them is part of our inspection — board checks, label and shell details, the works. We don't sell repros, period.
Do all consoles come with original controllers and cables?
For the most part, yes! Every console ships with a controller and the cables you need, and we do our best to keep everything original. One hard rule: we never sell a console with a third-party controller — if it's in the box, it's the real thing. Cables are the one exception: when an original isn't on hand, we may include quality third-party A/V or power cables so your console arrives tested, complete, and ready to play the day it hits your door.
Do you buy or trade collections?
Absolutely — it's half of what we do. Single games, complete collections, consoles, the boxes in the attic. Tell us what you have through our quote form and we'll send a fair, no-pressure offer. Cash or store credit, your choice.
Why buy here instead of eBay?
Funny you should ask — we're on eBay too, with a verified 5-star feedback record you can read for yourself. Buying direct gets you the same tested-and-inspected inventory from the same shop, and every question lands with the people who actually handled your game.
Do you fix scratched discs?
We do — professional disc resurfacing starts at $2 per disc, with deep repair at $5 for discs that skip, freeze, or won't read. Every resurfaced disc is tested for a clean read before it goes back to you. One honest caveat: resurfacing fixes most surface damage, but results aren't guaranteed — deep gouges, cracks, and label-side damage can be beyond saving, and the service fee applies either way. If a disc looks like a lost cause, we'll tell you before we touch it. See Disc Refurbishing for details.
Do you sell Mature (M) rated games?
Yes — plenty of the retro classics we carry are ESRB-rated Mature, meant for players 17 and up. We trust our customers to make the right call for their household, but if you're buying for a young player, take a second look at the rating on the product page before checking out. Every listing lists its ESRB rating (where applicable) so there are no surprises when the game arrives.