Does NOSTOS Buy Broken Consoles?

The Short Answer

Yes - with conditions. NOSTOS evaluates broken hardware case by case. Non-working doesn't automatically mean no offer. The question is whether the unit has repair or parts value.

What Qualifies

• - Consoles with dirty or corroded cartridge pins (NES, SNES, N64, Genesis)
• - CD drives with worn belts or laser degradation (PS1, Saturn, Dreamcast, PS2)
• - Capacitor failure (common in Game Boy, Saturn, Neo Geo)
• - Disc drives that load intermittently or not at all
• - Hardware with physical damage but intact PCB
• - Power supply or AV output failures

What Usually Doesn't Qualify

• - Boards with burn damage or water damage throughout
• - Missing critical chips or components (desoldered)
• - Hardware that's been opened and reassembled incorrectly multiple times
• - Cracked or destroyed shells with no PCB value

These are not hard rules - some edge cases still have parts value. When in doubt, send photos first.

How Broken Hardware Is Priced

Broken consoles are priced against repair cost and parts value, not resale value. A working unit is priced to a market-based share in cash. A broken unit with known, repairable issues is typically 20–35% of working value, depending on platform and condition.

Rare platforms - PC Engine, Neo Geo, Saturn - may have stronger broken value due to parts scarcity.

Before You Drive In

Email photos and a description of the issue to will@nostos.market . We can give you a preliminary range within 24 hours and confirm whether the trip is worth your time.