Best Discontinued Video Game Strategy Guides to Flip for Profit

Discontinued video game strategy guides are one of those weird niches that keep surprising me. A decade ago, I grabbed a Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Nintendo Power guide for $5 at a flea market. Threw it up on eBay and it sold for $49.99 within two days. That’s $40+ profit after fees and shipping—on a spiral-bound book from 1998.

The big money comes from nostalgia and collectors. Loads of these guides were only printed once. When the publisher stops, demand doesn’t. Final Fantasy, Pokémon, Silent Hill—fanbases hunt for these because the art, maps, and tips aren’t easily found online (or at least not in the same collectible format).

The right guide can go for $60-$200. I sold a mint condition EarthBound guide for $225 last year (bought for $35). Some rare Pokémon guides (especially Japanese imports or first prints) break $300.

Just don’t assume any old guide is gold. The market’s picky—newer or common titles will only net $10-$20 profit, if that. But if you find a cult classic or limited edition one, you’re sitting on a mini goldmine.

You want discontinued, not just old. The guides that fetch the most are:

• RPGs from the late '90s and early 2000s
• Collector’s editions with posters/maps still inside
• Nintendo Power or BradyGames prints (especially for Zelda, Pokémon, Final Fantasy)
• Horror and cult classic games (think Silent Hill, Resident Evil, Suikoden)
• Guides for games that never got digital re-releases

For example, the Suikoden II BradyGames guide regularly sells for $140-$200 if the poster is intact. I picked up a Metal Gear Solid 2 Sons of Liberty guide for $3 at Goodwill last year and flipped it for $60 after cleaning a coffee stain off the back cover (disclose any issues!).

Condition is everything. A perfect copy with all inserts will net you 30-50% more. Always check for:

• Torn pages
• Writing/highlighting inside
• Missing inserts (maps, stickers)
• Water damage

If you find a guide for $10 or less with all extras, and recent completed eBay sales are $80+, buy it immediately. That’s a fast $50+ profit after fees.

Sourcing is half the hustle. Here’s exactly where I’ve had the best luck:

1. Local thrift stores—especially Goodwill, Savers, and smaller chain shops. I grabbed a Final Fantasy VII guide for $2.99 at Goodwill, sold for $75 in a week.
2. Garage sales and estate sales—video game lots often include guides as freebies. Last summer I bought a box of random manuals and guides for $15, found a Chrono Trigger SNES guide inside, and sold it for $110.
3. Facebook Marketplace—searching “strategy guide,” “game manual,” or even just game titles. The DealFlipAI tool is perfect for this—set alerts for rare franchise names, and you’ll get pinged before the competition.
4. Used bookstores—sometimes have a shelf for game guides, usually $1-$5 each.
5. Local game stores—ask if they’ve got unsorted bins or clearance guides out back.

Always check eBay sold listings before you buy. If a guide’s been sitting unsold for months at $12 w/ free shipping, it’s probably not a winner. Fast sellers should have multiple completed listings in the last 30 days.

Ready to try your first guide flip? Here’s how I’d do it if I were starting from scratch:

1. Download the eBay app and sign up for a free DealFlipAI account.
2. Search eBay’s sold listings for “video game strategy guide” + your favorite game titles. Jot down 3-5 guides that sell for $50+.
3. Set DealFlipAI to alert you for those titles on Facebook Marketplace and local apps.
4. Hit up your nearest Goodwill or thrift store. Look for anything from the BradyGames, Nintendo Power, or Prima brands—especially thick, colorful covers.
5. Check every guide for missing posters, water damage, or writing. Only buy if you can resell for at least 3x what you pay (after shipping/fees).
6. List your find on eBay with clear photos (front, back, any inserts). Price at or slightly above the last 3 completed sales.
7. Ship using Pirate Ship to save a few bucks—media mail is cheapest in the US for books/guides, usually under $4.

I bought a Pokémon Crystal guide for $7 last month, followed the above steps, and sold it for $68 (after shipping/fees, profit was just under $50).

eBay is still the king for strategy guides. The audience is global, collectors trust the platform, and sales velocity is good if you undercut the outliers. I’ve consistently sold guides for 20-30% more on eBay than Mercari or Facebook Marketplace.

• eBay: Best for rare/valuable guides ($50+), international buyers, and tracking. Fees are roughly 13% (don’t forget to account for this!).
• Mercari: Good backup for $20-$50 mid-tier guides. Fees are 10% but the audience is less collector-focused. I sold a Street Fighter Alpha 3 guide here for $32 (bought for $1).
• Facebook Marketplace: Decent for local deals (no shipping/fees), but most buyers want lots or cheap bulk. I offloaded a pile of common sports game guides for $40 total to a local reseller.

List with clear, bright photos. Time posts for Sunday/Monday evenings—those get the most eyeballs (and bids). Always use the word “discontinued” or “rare” if it really fits, but don’t exaggerate or you’ll get returns.

I’ve lost money (and almost my sanity) from rookie mistakes on guides. Here’s what to avoid:

• Buying guides with missing inserts or heavy highlighting—these drop value by 50% or more. I learned this the hard way, once paying $20 for a Final Fantasy Tactics guide missing the entire map insert. Ended up selling it for just $18 after fees.
• Not checking for water damage—smells and stains kill sales. Always flip through every page in-store. If you see warping or feel a musty odor, pass.
• Overpaying for common titles—sports game guides, newer Call of Duty, or Madden guides rarely sell above $10. If you spot 30+ of the same title on eBay, skip it.
• Shipping guides in poly mailers—these bend in transit, leading to returns. Use a bubble mailer with cardboard or a thin box. I once had a $70 guide returned with a corner crease because I shipped it in a basic envelope.
• Beware of fakes—some high-value guides (Pokémon, EarthBound) have reprints sold as originals. Check the copyright, print date, and compare with eBay close-ups.

If a seller won’t send you extra photos of the guide’s spine, inserts, or copyright page, that’s a red flag. Move on.

Once you’ve flipped your first few guides, it’s time to systematize. Here’s how I scaled from $100/month to $1,000+:

• Use DealFlipAI to automate sourcing. Set up alerts for 10-15 high-value titles and check daily.
• Build relationships with local game stores and thrift managers. I’ve gotten first dibs on incoming boxes just by asking and leaving my number. One store even texts me whenever they get old Nintendo Power stuff in—last month I scored a stack for $40, flipped for $320 total.
• Start bundling. If you find multiple guides in the same franchise, sell as a lot—easier shipping, higher sale price. A set of five Pokemon guides netted me $210 (vs. $140 if sold separately).
• Track your profits and fees with a spreadsheet. I use Google Sheets to log every buy, sale, cost, and net profit. This will keep you honest about what’s actually working.
• Reinvest profits into rare or higher-end guides. Don’t blow your earnings on low-margin flips.

The more guides you move, the more you’ll learn which titles and publishers sell fastest. By month three, I was turning over $500+ each month just from guides, on top of my other flips.