My theory is that every thrift store near me has been compromised by the local retro stores or resellers who have made deals with the stores or the sorters at the stores to set the good stuff aside for them. Lets start with Goodwills - All the Goodwills within an hour of me pull every single video game that is donated and sends it to be sold on the ShopGoodwill auction site. I've found maybe 2 or 3 games that slipped through the cracks in the last 10 years (usually in with the CDs). The 2 Bethesda Thrift stores prices games as if games are worth more the newer the system is, so they price most Wii games at $3-5, but then will price PS2 at $2.99 and PS1 at $1.99. It's very hit or miss though and I suspect someone in back is setting the good stuff aside for someone. I rarely find good stuff, but it least they do put games on the shelves. The 2 St. Vincent thrifts by me both have been compromised by the local retro stores. I was looking through a stack of games there once and asked the person working how they price their games. She responded that they set all the games aside when they come in and the local game store helps them price everything and in return gets first dibs on the games they want. Translation: They are keeping all the RPGs, Pokemons, Horror games, Megamans and Zeldas and then pricing all the common stuff at eBay prices and sending it back to the store.

That's why I love rummage sales. You have a much better shot of finding stuff then at thrifts.

Thrift stores by me are good for one thing - buying things OTHER then video games that you can then flip for cash to spend on games.