Competition is healthy

As the marketplace for used video games grows, it's interesting to see how more and more stores are trying to get in on the action.

This has already led to arguments over who's system is best. I can't speak to the Toys R Us or Wal-Mart systems, but I can offer my take on Amazon's new system. In short: It rocks. The almost fully automated procedure gives good money for certain games that GameStop rejects and grants you more versatile store credit. Store credit at GameStop only grants you the ability to buy more games; store credit at Amazon grants you the ability to buy everything from books to shoes to kitchenware. It's a system that's more meaningful to the average adult.

It's also a good alternative to GameStop insofar that Amazon gives you more credit for certain games and takes some games GameStop rejects. My best example of this comes from my attempts to sell "Phantasy Star Online: Episode I & II Plus." For certain reasons that I never fully understood, GameStop refused to take the game. Amazon, on the other hand, gave me $30 for it. Granted, supply and demand curves have since dropped the amount to $19.50, but that's $19.50 more than GameStop will give you. I also got more in store credit from Amazon for "Rez," "Metroid: Zero Mission" and "Indigo Prophecy." Also, Amazon continues to deal in original PlayStation games, such as "Final Fantasy Tactics," whereas GameStop has since phased out that line.

That stores are beginning to compete with GameStop — and thereby ending an almost defacto monopoly in this trade — is a good thing. Is any one option universally better than the other? Of course not. But just like in "Super Smash Bros. Brawl," competition is healthy.

P.S. As an alternative, you could donate your used games to the new Pixel Equity. Take a look. It's a good cause.