Game Cartridge Selling Questions – Loose Carts, Boxes, Manuals

Q: The game label is torn. Will you still buy it?

Light surface wear on the cartridge shellSmall writing that does not obscure the label

Updated: January 2026

With almost 20 years of hands-on experience buying and testing retro games, we’ve come across nearly every cartridge condition. Here are the questions we get most often.

We accept loose cartridges for many retro systems, so you usually don’t need the box or manual for most classic games.

What to Know Before Selling Game Cartridges

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Do my games need to include the box and manual?

The answer depends on the platform. For these game cartridges, you don’t need the original box or manual. The prices on our site are for the cartridge only:

Nintendo NES
Super Nintendo (SNES)
Nintendo 64
Sega Genesis, Master System, 32X
Nintendo Virtual Boy
Original Game Boy, Game Boy Color, Game Boy Advance
Atari 7800, Atari Jaguar, Atari Lynx
Neo Geo Pocket

For the systems below, you’ll need the original box and manual to get full value.

Here’s how we adjust quotes if something is missing:

Nintendo DS & 3DS
- Cartridge only (loose): -50% deduction
- With case but missing manual: -30% deduction

Nintendo Switch (we understand many do not include manuals)
- Cartridge only (loose): -50% deduction
- With case but no manual: -30% deduction

PlayStation Vita (manuals often not included from the factory)
- Cartridge only (loose): -50% deduction

TurboGrafx-16
- Cartridge only (loose): -50% deduction
- With case but missing manual: -40% deduction

Frequently Asked Questions

Can my cartridge be labeled with a marker?

Yes. If there’s a name or small number written in marker, that’s fine, and we won’t deduct any value.
However, if the cartridge is covered in marker or has extensive writing, we can’t accept it.

Are stickers on the cartridge okay?

Yes, stickers are okay as long as they don’t cover or damage the original game label.
If a sticker blocks, damages, or makes the game label hard to read, we might have to reject the cartridge.
If you’re not sure, you can email us a photo. We’re happy to review it for you before you submit it.

I haven’t tested my games in years. Is that okay?

Yes! We clean the contacts on every cartridge and can get about 90% of older games working. Don’t worry if you can’t test them yourself.

The game label is torn. Will you still buy it?

Sorry, we can’t accept games with badly torn end labels or front labels.
We need the label intact so we can verify its authenticity and ensure it’s in good enough shape to sell.

What issues do you NOT deduct for?

Light surface wear on the cartridge shell
Small writing that does not obscure the label

What Our Customers Say

"Brandon was very prompt with reviewing and was very fair with the estimate! I’m so happy I found his site!"
— SunnyOpal, USA – ★★★★★ (May 17, 2025)
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"Brandon was a pleasure to do business with, always kept in touch by email to update the progress of my order... Fast, Easy Process, with great communication & prompt payment!"
— Rich G, USA – ★★★★★ (Jan 8, 2025)
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Our customers are real, our reviews are verified, and there are no surprises. That’s what The Old School Game Vault is all about.

Read Our Other Policies

Payment Options
Please review our payment options.

Video Game Quality Requirements
Find answers to questions about selling disc games, consoles, and accessories.

Packing & Shipping Guide
Follow these tips to prevent damage and avoid delays or reductions in your payment.

Rejection Policy
See what happens if we decide not to buy your item.

Brandon Perton

Brandon Perton started The Old School Game Vault , an online business focused on retro video games, and has been running it since 2008.

His perspective comes from nearly two decades of hands-on experience buying and selling retro video games and consoles at scale, with millions of dollars invested in inventory and processed through the business.

Every guide, review, and pricing insight published on this site is written from first-hand operational experience, including sourcing collections, evaluating condition and authenticity, testing and repairing hardware, and actually playing the games being discussed.