Remember the days before the Internet? A time when we had to work hard to look up the information we wanted, and everyone was a lot less anxious? Ah, good times. It was also a time when strategy guides reigned supreme as the go-to solution for whichever video game you were stuck on.
These comprehensive guides cover everything from specific boss weaknesses to highlighting secrets. But with the expansion of the gaming market and community, all the answers you need for any game are yours at the click of a button. This means that strategy guides are a novelty now, and if you have these kicking around somewhere, you could be sitting on some cash.
1
Lufia 2 Official Player’s Guide
Current Loose Value: $949.59
There are multiple JRPG series that released multiple titles on earlier consoles, but never became household names. One of these series is Lufia, which was last seen in 2010, but holds nostalgic power thanks to earlier releases like Lufia 2. Oddly enough, this sequel serves as a prequel to the first game, following the hero and his companions as they wage war against the gods.
There are many places to explore, battles to uncover, and secrets to discover, which can be much more challenging than it sounds. If you were fortunate enough to pick up the official player’s guide, you would’ve been able to dominate the game. Now, if you still have it, you can dominate your bank account.
2
Earthbound Player’s Guide
Current Loose Value: $333.77
Saying that JRPGs can be weird is like saying some birds can fly; it’s just common knowledge. However, Earthbound danced along the line between strange and captivating, with a surprisingly colorful setting that contrasted with a dark story. It follows the gifted kid Ness as he and his friends set off on a journey to stop the ultimate evil.
Sometimes the game is pretty straightforward, and other times it asks you to think outside the box… several miles away. It’s no wonder that a strategy guide was released to help us figure out how to get past a statue of a pencil. It’s also handy for confronting some of the more challenging boss fights, and now it can help you fight your finances.
3
Crusader Of Centy Hint Book
Current Loose Value: $320.79
When The Legend Of Zelda: A Link To The Past was released, we got to experience the world of Hyrule in a more animated, vibrant, and engaging way. It was a vast and successful adventure that inspired many other games to follow suit. One such game is a little-known title called Crusader Of Centy.
It’s a traditional action-adventure fantasy game with a top-down isometric perspective that follows a warrior’s quest to save the world. While it’s not as well-known as Link To The Past, this only adds value to its name and its strategy guide. With all of its secrets and dungeons to explore, the guide reveals a lot, including a very sizable value.
4
Tecmo Secret Of The Stars
Current Loose Value: $290.57
When discussing older games, the name Tecmo holds considerable influence. However, you may not be aware that it lent this power to an obscure JRPG called Tecmo Secret Of The Stars. Like many of its peers, it employed a turn-based battle system, but differentiated itself by requiring players to switch between two different parties to progress and tackle specific battles.
Between these two parties, you have the power to destroy the ultimate evil and save the world. Although it can take some time to get used to, it’s understandable if you decided to grab this strategy guide, especially if this was your first JRPG. Whether or not it’s your last, the guide will help you pay for more options.
5
Resident Evil Director’s Cut Official Survival Guide
Current Loose Value: $214.50
One of the founding figures of the survival horror genre is Resident Evil, which began by trapping a small military team in a haunted mansion. As either Chris Redfield or Jill Valentine, you must navigate the mansion, fight the monsters within, and try to escape safely. Despite your training and equipment, the monsters are tough and plentiful.
Not only that, but the mansion is arranged with various locks, mazes, and puzzles to keep invaders out and victims trapped within. Picking the strategy guide makes sense when you find yourself walking around with a bag of keys and none of them fit in the one keyhole that’s in your way. The first game has become legendary, so it’s only natural that its guide would follow suit.
6
Halo 2 Strategy Guide
Current Loose Value: $191.50
Some still remember the nightmares of trying to beat Halo on Legendary difficulty, only for it to return in excessive force in Halo 2. Viewed as one of the best sequels of all time, Halo 2 set the bar for FPS games and multiplayer competitive play with its online and split-screen matches. The single-player mode saw the main character, Master Chief, return to fight both the alien Covenant and the parasitic Flood alongside an alien ally, Arbiter.
As long as you mind your shields and keep moving, you can fight to the end of most levels. However, greater difficulty requires greater strategy, and that’s where the guide comes in. After it helps you finally beat this Legendary challenge, you can let it go for a rewarding amount.
7
Fallout Survival Guide
Current Loose Value: $186.44
Before being acquired by Bethesda, Fallout got its start with Interplay Productions as a slow-paced RPG. The game follows a human known as the Vault Dweller, who leaves the safety and purity of their Vault to explore the irradiated nuclear wasteland in search of a water chip and becomes part of something much bigger.
The sheer scale of the game was impressive for its time, with a vast map to explore, multiple settlements, dungeon areas, and random environments encountered through exploration. In many ways, it’s an intimidating game, so you’d pick up the survival guide to help you feel more assured in exploring and fighting. If you’ve still got it sealed away in your vault, now may be the time to pull it out and cash in.
8
Haunting Ground Strategy Guide
Current Loose Value: $186.21
You’d be surprised how many survival-horror games could stand up to bigger names like Silent Hill, but never really got the chance. These are games like Rule of Rose and the recently resurfaced Haunting Ground. It follows a young woman named Fiona trying to escape a castle full of people who want to do nasty things to her, but thankfully, she has the faithful dog Hewie to help her out.
Like other games in the genre, you’ll be navigating maze-like architecture while hiding or running away from almost every enemy you encounter. Items are rare and limited, with multiple endings to shoot for, so the official strategy guide would come in quite handy. It also generates a nice amount of money if you sell it.