Market Report: Metal Slug Anthology - PS2
I've had my eye on the market for Metal Slug Anthology the last few months. For the purposes of this post, we will focus on the PS2 version. Although I consider myself a collector, I generally will only buy things I want to play. For that reason I have no interest in the PSP version of the game, which suffers from some horrific load times. Similarly, I have no Wii version with its poor control system.
The PS2 version, while saddled with some input lag, is generally considered the most playable of the versions. The game was released exactly 10 years ago today on March 27, 2007. It was popular, sold well and became difficult to find. As a result, the game was reprinted a short time after release in 2008.
Despite the reprint, the game has seen an increase in value in the last few years. CIB versions were fetching over original list price ($40) and were moving on eBay.
I own the game and I enjoy playing it and owning all of the Metal Slug games. As a kid, I always wanted a Neo Geo but it was just too expensive to actually own. This game gives me all of the Metal Slug games in one package.
That said, I think it actually has pretty poor prospects as a collectible. Why? I'll provide several reasons:
1. The Recent PS4 digital release
You can now buy a digital copy of the game for $19.99. If you are like me and you just want to play the games, the July 2016 release seems like your best bet. Why pay more for the PS2 version, which does not even work on your PS4?
2. The Game is Just Too Common
The reprints added so much inventory. I count 18 listings on eBay right now and basically all of them are CIB. At any given point there are 10-20 CIB listings floating around eBay.
3. Recent Influx of Sealed Copies
Recently, a seller called dealtavern has emerged with a bunch of sealed copies of the game in a featured eBay listing. They are selling for $50.99 and 107 have sold as of this publication. The scary thing is that you really have no idea how many the seller has.
So to sum up, I think that Metal Slug Anthology is certainly worth buying. You get seven classics, all very fun to play, for a very reasonable price. That said, I think the digital PS4 version is the best buy. The PS2 version seems to be a bit overpriced at the moment and provides little room for future appreciation
.