The Budget PC Section: Not just for Bejeweled Clones Anymore?

Recently, I was in a local Target store with my friend to get some Xbox points cards for Marvel vs Capcom 2 and some Mtn. Dew Game Fuel (Because we like the taste.) Now normally, the PC section of a store like target is usually sad and pathetic, and it was in this case. Looking past the 5 year old Star Wars games and the Blizzard Battle Chests, I found myself in the budget section. You know what I mean. Nice little rows of jewel cases of garbage like Diner Dash and Jewel Quest, along with some weird point-and-click adventure games that are probably made by Eastern Europeans. All for around $10.

However, in this particular instance, I happened to notice that there were a lot of awesome obscure PC strategy games in this section instead, and most of them were fairly new as well. Galactic Civilizations II, for example, came out in 2006 and is one of my favorite space strategy sims ever. Along with this, I also spotted Sid Meier's Pirates, Civilization III, and Disciples II Gold (which I purchased. It's pretty awesome). All of these are excellent Turn-Based strategy games from only a few years ago. My question? When did this all start happening? Why is Target suddenly an excellent place to pick up obscure strategy games? Why did my Xbox get an E-74?

These all seem to be signs of the apocalypse. Ready yourselves.

Recently, I was in a local Target store with my friend to get some Xbox points cards for Marvel vs Capcom 2 and some Mtn. Dew Game Fuel (Because we like the taste.) Now normally, the PC section of a store like target is usually sad and pathetic, and it was in this case. Looking past the 5 year old Star Wars games and the Blizzard Battle Chests, I found myself in the budget section. You know what I mean. Nice little rows of jewel cases of garbage like Diner Dash and Jewel Quest, along with some weird point-and-click adventure games that are probably made by Eastern Europeans. All for around $10.

However, in this particular instance, I happened to notice that there were a lot of awesome obscure PC strategy games in this section instead, and most of them were fairly new as well. Galactic Civilizations II, for example, came out in 2006 and is one of my favorite space strategy sims ever. Along with this, I also spotted Sid Meier's Pirates, Civilization III, and Disciples II Gold (which I purchased. It's pretty awesome). All of these are excellent Turn-Based strategy games from only a few years ago. My question? When did this all start happening? Why is Target suddenly an excellent place to pick up obscure strategy games? Why did my Xbox get an E-74?

These all seem to be signs of the apocalypse. Ready yourselves.

Target... I'm off to prepare for the apocalypse.

I got Supreme Commander for $10 at Target last week. Rainbow Six: Vegas for the PC a couple months before that.

They've had Civ 3 and Gal Civ 2 for awhile now. Very cool games for the average shopper to pick up on the cheap.

In clearance stuff, it is always worth it to check out the back endcaps around the electronics department....sometimes there are decent games and often nifty accessories.

You know who else occasionally has games? Dollar Tree. Once in a blue moon type of thing...but I have picked up both a dual Fallout 1&2 package and Emperor Rise of the Middle Kingdom there.

Over in the UK, our GAME stores have had a "3 for £10", "2 for £15" and "2 for £25" PC section for years now, and for years the 3 for 10 section has included classics like Alpha Centauri, Commandos, Commandos 2, various Command and Conquers, F.E.A.R, Theif 3, and all sorts of other games pass through there.

Unfortunately the higher selling ones get bumped to the upper price brackets, you used to be able to get Fallout 1/2(one box), and Diablo 2, and LoD for 3 for 10, now they are all in the 2 for £15 bracket.

You can get similar dealios on second hand console games too, and some new ones but its usually 2 for 40, or 2 for 50 in the case of PS3.

I got Disciples II from there many moons ago.  Sort of a great place to go digging for PC deals.

Wal Mart for $10...Age of Empires Collectors Edition.  Includes Age of Empires, Age of Empires 2, Age of Empires: The Rise of Rome expansion and Age of Empire 2: The Conquerors expansion.