Do you like video games? Do you like money? Unfortunately, you can’t have both, but there are a few ways that’ll take the edge off of parting with your paycheck, allowance, or that monthly bribe that you get for keeping Aunt Martha’s secret fling with that rodeo clown out of the family scrapbook.
Many of you probably already know about these guys already, but it’s way too good to leave off of this list. Every two weeks, they release a new themed bundle (for example games developed by Bandai Namco, roguelikes, or simulators) and then you pay what you want for each bundle (starting at $1). Depending on how much you spend, you enter one of three tiers and get more games, or other goodies depending on how much you pay. Upon checkout, you can also choose whether your money goes to the developers, the folks at Humble Bundle, or to charity. This is a nice little bonus that helps me further my delusion that my crippling addiction to buying games is benefiting the world in some way.
2. Bundle Stars
Much like the Humble Bundle, Bundle Stars bundles give buyers a variety of indie games for insane discounts. Also like Humble Bundles, these bundles usually share a theme or a genre, like the “Stay Alive” Bundle that’s currently on sale, or the “Games for Grandma” that I’m sure that they’ll have sometime in the future.
While you can’t choose your own price over at Bundle Stars, their prices don’t usually go over the $5 dollar mark for their indie game bundles, so they’re definitely worth checking out if your wallet has been a little light lately. They also release bundles more often than Humble and often have more than one bundle available at any given time.
3. Refurbished section on the Nintendo Website
This may not be the greatest source for buying game software, but if you’re looking for a shiny new(ish) Nintendo console then don’t be a dummy and buy one here! Normally, a 32gb Wii U bundle would cost you around $300 at normal retailers, but if you’re willing to put up with some light wear and tear then you can get yourself the same thing for $200 (or $225 if you want you a newfangled Mario game). You can even find refurbished versions of consoles that you can’t get new anymore, like the NES-themed 3DS-XL and the Wind Waker Wii U.
This isn’t a retailer, but it’s a great place to find cheap games from various outlets. It’s pretty simple; people find deals on Amazon, Good Old Games (GoG), or wherever else deals are birthed, and post links to them here. They share links to deals for every platform and sometimes even for gaming accessories like headsets and toys.
This is a great resource because you don’t really need to check anywhere else all that frequently to get wind of the latest and best deals. You can just sit back and wait while other people scour the internet and sift through piles of 50 cent copies of Cory in the House for DS to bring you Destiny and Portal for pennies on the dollar.
I would never claim that this list includes all of the places that have ever housed cheap games, but these are just some of my personal favorites that help me fuel my game addiction. Playing games can get expensive, but hopefully with some of these websites you’ll be able to hold onto your life savings for a little while longer.