What to Check Before Buying a Used Game

§01Is it worth inspecting the disc or cartridge itself?

Yes — a quick visual check catches most problems before they cost you anything. Discs and cartridges are the part of a used game most likely to have physical wear, and that wear is often visible if you know what to look for.

For discs, hold them up to a light source and tilt them. Look for:

• Deep scratches that run in a circular pattern rather than a light surface haze (light haze from normal handling is usually fine; radial scratches that catch your fingernail are more concerning)
• Cracks near the center hole, which can make a disc unreadable or even unsafe to spin
• Sticker residue or peeling labels on the data side, which can throw a drive off balance

For cartridges, check the connector pins for corrosion or bent contacts, and make sure the label is not so worn that it is flaking onto the housing. A cartridge with a slightly loose label is usually cosmetic; one with visible corrosion on the pins is a bigger red flag, though this is often cleanable rather than fatal.

If you are buying in person, many stores will let you see the disc before you commit. If you are buying online or from a locked case, ask the seller directly about condition rather than assuming.

§02Does a used game come with everything it originally shipped with?

Not always — used copies frequently lose their manual, inner artwork, or any one-time code that was originally included, and that missing content can matter more for some games than others.

Common things that go missing from used copies:

• Printed manuals or quick-reference cards, which matter less for games with in-game tutorials but can be genuinely useful for older or more complex titles
• Inner case art or reversible covers, which affect collectible value but not how the game plays
• One-time download codes for bonus content, season passes, or online modes bundled in at launch — these are typically tied to a single account and cannot be reused once redeemed

That last point is the one that actually affects functionality. If a listing mentions “includes DLC” or “includes online pass,” ask whether the code has already been used. A code that has already been redeemed by the previous owner is effectively worthless to a new buyer, even if the paper insert is still in the box.

§03Do used games ever need something extra to actually work?

Sometimes, yes. Some used games depend on services or downloads that were available when the game launched but may not be guaranteed later, and it is worth checking this before buying rather than after.

A few situations worth checking for:

• Games that shipped with a day-one patch as a near-requirement — the disc alone may run a rougher version of the game until it can connect and download an update
• Titles with online or multiplayer components tied to servers that publishers eventually shut down; the single-player portion may still work fine even if the online side does not
• Games that ask for account activation or a platform login the first time they are played

None of this means a used copy is a bad idea. It just means it is worth a quick search for the specific game’s name plus “servers” or “online” before buying, especially for anything more than a few years old, so there are no surprises after the purchase.

§04How do you know a used game will work on your console?

Check the region and the specific console generation the disc or cartridge was made for, since not every used game works on every console, even within the same brand.

Region locking has loosened over the generations, but it still catches people out, particularly with older hardware and cartridge-based systems. A cartridge bought overseas may simply not fit or boot on a console meant for a different region. Backward compatibility is the other trap: a newer console does not automatically play every game from an older one in its own family, and support can vary by title and by console revision. If there is any doubt, it is worth checking the console’s official compatibility list rather than assuming. Readers weighing a secondhand console purchase alongside the games might find it useful to read through what to check before buying a used console as a companion step.

§05Does the price of a used game actually reflect its condition?

It should, but not every seller prices consistently, so the same title can be listed at very different price tiers depending on completeness, disc condition, and where it is being sold.

A copy with no case, no manual, and a scuffed disc sits at the bottom of the price range. A complete-in-box copy with a clean disc and original inserts sits higher, and rarer titles or ones still in shrink wrap sit higher still, sometimes dramatically so, for collectors rather than players. None of this is fixed — prices for used games move with demand, reprints, and how many people are actively collecting a given series at a given time, so treat any number seen online as a snapshot rather than a fixed value. For a broader look at how to judge whether a game is worth its asking price at all, the article on how to decide if a game is worth full price covers the reasoning that applies just as well to used pricing.

§06Where should you actually buy a used game?

Buy from sellers who let you inspect or return the item, and be more cautious with private sales that offer no recourse if the disc turns out to be damaged or the code has already been redeemed.

Options generally fall into a few categories:

• Dedicated game resale stores, which usually test discs before shelving them and offer some kind of return window
• General secondhand marketplaces, where condition depends entirely on the individual seller’s honesty and photos
• Local classifieds or in-person trades, which allow physical inspection before money changes hands but offer little protection afterward

Whichever route is chosen, keeping a receipt or message thread showing what condition was promised makes it much easier to resolve a problem if the disc turns out to be unreadable once it is home.

§07Is buying digital instead of used ever the better option?

Sometimes — digital copies remove the risk of physical damage and missing content entirely, but they come with their own tradeoffs around resale, lending, and storage that a physical used copy does not have.

A used physical copy can be resold again later and lent to a friend, which a digital purchase generally cannot. On the other hand, a digital copy is immune to scratches, missing manuals, and the “has this code already been used” question entirely. It is also worth factoring in how much storage space is actually available on the console, since digital libraries fill up drives fast; the guide on how much console storage you actually need is a useful reference point before deciding to go all-digital. For those weighing subscription libraries as another alternative to used purchases, whether game subscription services are actually good value covers that comparison directly.

§08What’s the quick checklist before paying?

Before handing over money for a used game, run through a short mental checklist rather than relying on a listing photo alone.

• Inspect the disc or cartridge for scratches, cracks, or corrosion
• Confirm the case includes what was promised — manual, art, codes
• Ask whether any bundled code has already been redeemed
• Check whether the game needs online activation, a patch, or active servers to fully function
• Confirm region and console compatibility, especially for older or imported titles
• Buy from a seller who allows returns or inspection where possible

None of these checks take long individually, but together they turn a used game purchase from a gamble into a reasonably safe bet. For readers building out or upgrading the hardware these games will run on, the consoles and hardware section and the wider buying advice archive cover the rest of that decision in more detail.