Condition Guide

How We Grade Condition for Our Games

At Rock 30 Games, we want you to know exactly what you're adding to your collection. Every game we sell is professionally tested and cleaned before it ships — all cartridge contacts are cleaned, and any disc with more than very minor scratching is run through our professional disc buffers so it arrives scratch-free.

That means every game we sell works and is ready to play, no matter its grade. The difference between conditions is cosmetic — how the item looks and how complete it is, not whether it functions.

Our Condition Grades

We use the same three grades across everything we sell:

  • Very Good — Collector quality. Lightly used with excellent overall presentation.
  • Good — Great for the shelf. Honestly used with normal, visible wear.
  • Acceptable — A gamer's copy. Heavier cosmetic wear, but fully functional and a great value.

Here's what each grade means by item type.

Cartridge Games (NES, SNES, N64, Genesis, etc.)

All cartridges have their contacts professionally cleaned prior to shipment to ensure they work properly.

Complete in Box (CIB)

Includes the original box, instruction manual, and game cartridge.

  • Very Good: The box has sharp corners, minimal to no creases, and vibrant color. The manual is crisp with no writing or tears. The cartridge label is clean and the body has minimal scratching.
  • Good: The box may show minor shelf wear or slightly rounded corners. The manual is clean but may have a minor fold. The cartridge label is intact (perhaps light fading) and the body shows normal signs of use.
  • Acceptable: The box shows noticeable wear, creases, minor fading, or crushing. The manual has wear or minor writing. The cartridge label may have wear or small tears but is legible.

Loose Cartridges

The game cartridge only.

  • Very Good: The label is vibrant and fully intact with minimal peeling or fading. The plastic casing is clean with no cracks, chips, or major scratches.
  • Good: The label is intact and legible, perhaps with light fading or minor edge wear. The body shows normal signs of use — light scratching or faint scuffs — with no cracks or chips.
  • Acceptable: Fully functional but shows its history. The label may have tears, significant wear, or writing (e.g., a previous owner's initials). The body may have scratches, minor discoloration, or sticker residue.

Disc & Modern Handheld Games

We take quality seriously. Any disc with more than very minor scratching is run through our professional disc buffers to ensure it is scratch-free and ready for years of play.

Completeness Definitions

We classify "Complete" differently depending on the era of the game.

Modern Games (PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Series X, Switch)

  • Complete: Includes the original case, original cover art (liner), and the game disc/cartridge. (Manuals are generally not included, as most modern publishers no longer print them.)
  • Game Only: Includes just the game disc or cartridge. No original case or artwork.

Retro Games (PS1, PS2, PS3, Xbox 360, Wii, GameCube, etc.)

  • Complete: Includes the original case, original cover art (liner), instruction manual, and the game disc.
  • Missing Instructions: Includes the original case, original cover art (liner), and the game disc. The instruction manual is not included.
  • Game Only: Includes just the game disc. No original case, manual, or artwork.