So I recently had a massive trade in at Ebgames, mainly consisting of DS games.  I realized that there are some games, which can be extremely good games, that I don't mind parting with, whereas some I will never think of selling, regardless of whether or not I actually play them ever again.

Its hard to put the finger on why the idea of selling certain games is so hard, why do you choose to keep the games you do?

For example:  These DS games I would never sell:

TWEWY

Contra 4

Space Invaders

Prof. Layton

Tetris

NSMB

Advance Wars: DOR

but games like Yoshi's Island, Metroid Prime Hunters, Pheonix Wright, and Lunar Knights (The last three of which I loved), I knew I would rather sell.

On the Wii side of things I also ran into the same problem (though I tend to buy and thus keep alot more wii games)

ex:

Galaxy

Brawl

Mariokart

Trauma Center 2

Zelda

Metroid

Super Paper Mario

Boom Blox

Fire Emblem

Okami

RE4

No More Heroes

ZW

Even Mario and Sonic

and a few others I'm forgetting

Whereas I got rid of games like the Godfather, SSX, Sonic and the Secret Rings, Rayman, RedSteel, I sold without much second thought (actually SSX and Bwii were hard to part with).  I still have Bwii and MOHH2, but I could see myself selling those in the future.

Reflecting on it, I think I have an attraction to the unique games, or the ones that represent the best in that particular genre available currently on the system.  Its why games like SSX were hard to sell, because even though they were good games that were unrivaled on the wii, I figured something better (balance board enabled) would come along and displace it.  MOHH2 is another good example of something like that, as once the Conduit comes out - I won't have much reason to play it.  I would also guess that something draws me towards exclusive games, as they just feel as if they "belong" with the system, so even good multiplatforms will often get the boot. Artsyle and Premise play a part as well

So what about you guys, what puts a game from "good fun purchase, but time to trade it in" to "This game is staying with me forever"

I dont really like selling my games, partially because I like having a collection, but generally games that I never ever see myself playing again I will sell, but if they are great games then they are staying with me for ever. There are many that I am annoyed that I sold (resistance, Kingdom hearts) but most of the time it is useful it getting me more money so I can play more games

once I buy a game unless its umbreably bad I keep it for ever.

I almost always regret selling my games, so I rarely ever do it.

I usually trade in single-player centric games and keep online games.

If a game is super amazing (FF6 level), is fun for quick single player, or has great multi-player action which is liked by someone I know, I don't trade.

When I was young and didn't know any better, I traded everything in. That was NES, Genesis, SNES. I also didn't have much money back then. I even traded for games that I traded in to get those games. Yeah, I was dumb, poor and dumb. After I got my Saturn, that all changed. I kept everything and wanted to collect games. eBay came around and I realized that there is a value on rare games. So now I just collect. ^_^

i only trade in games that i dont anticipate playing again, which is why i traded in Haze yesterday

I keep my games bad or good!

Your waiting for the 360 version of haze?

I have'nt sold any of my games since I was 15.