Gradius PCB sells for £12,000!

[ZipZap]

12 grand on a Gradius PCB? Am I missing something?

The Gradius board uses Konami's "Bubble System" (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bubble_System)

Unfortunately it's pretty volatile and therefore there aren't too many boards still working, so it's pretty rare!

Whilst there were some Gradius boards that use ROMs, they were very limited (possibly sent out to replace broken bubble system boards under warranty), so they're pretty rare!

Not sure which one this is, but that goes some way to explaining the cost.

Nemesis was released on a normal ROM board and is therefore more reliable, so less pricey.

[Zaki Matar]

I have an original nemesis pcb that I paid £100 for about 8 years ago. Pcb prices have shot up massively in a he last few years, especially shooters. It’s nuts!

Nemesis is still "reasonable" at the moment, but you can't go wrong with a £100 PCB

I feel that 2014 to 2017 had the most ridiculous jump price wise. A complete set of mint CAVE kits would cost over 50K if you were to start today - I'm not even counting the Atlus stuff!

I miss the days when a Batsugun PCB was cheaper to buy that a Sega Saturn disc today

[vanpeebles]

You might as well get an x68000 instead, it's got a million versions of that damn game. If I see that Z pattern group of baddies at the start of a level one time.

[Zaki Matar]

The Gradius board uses Konami's "Bubble System" (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bubble_System)

Unfortunately it's pretty volatile and therefore there aren't too many boards still working, so it's pretty rare!

Whilst there were some Gradius boards that use ROMs, they were very limited (possibly sent out to replace broken bubble system boards under warranty), so they're pretty rare!

Not sure which one this is, but that goes some way to explaining the cost.

Nemesis was released on a normal ROM board and is therefore more reliable, so less pricey.

The above auction is the ROM version, so that might explain the bidding war!

[Zaki Matar]

Absolute madness, keep waiting for this bubble to burst but it seems to be going the other way. The hobby is too far gone for any enjoyment for me now.

Used to love looking for bargain PCB's and rareish games online, would rather spend my money on clothes or a nice watch

I think the abundance of superguns and candy cab imports over the years has contributed to the mad prices today.

Sometimes I want to sell a game, but ask myself "how much would I have to pay if I want it back in 3 years"?

[vanpeebles]

All this talk of bubbles, do you still smoke a bubble pipe zaki?

[Zaki Matar]

All this talk of bubbles, do you still smoke a bubble pipe zaki?

Every evening Pebble, while wearing my Hugh Hefner jacket and drinking a glass of Don Simon grape juice (not from concentrate).

*Prrrrp. bop bop bop bop bop*

[vanpeebles]

[gunrock]

I have an original nemesis pcb that I paid £100 for about 8 years ago. Pcb prices have shot up massively in a he last few years, especially shooters. It’s nuts!

Quick!! Sell your forum name!

[Zaki Matar]

Quick!! Sell your forum name!

And then change it to Nemesis!