If you're hunting for a used video game strategy guide, the hardest part isn't the asking price-it's figuring out whether a listing's condition and coverage match your needs. In this head-to-head, we're looking at two different eras: the 1997 MDK Official Prima's Strategy Guide, a level-by-level companion for the cult action game, and the 2012 Resident Evil 6 Video Game Strategy Guide from Capcom/Brady, a paperback walkthrough for the survival-horror sequel. The two guides are close in price, but the trade-offs go beyond 99 cents.
Quick Verdict
Choose the MDK guide if you want a dedicated level-by-level walkthrough and you can accept a burned corner on the first few pages. Choose the Resident Evil 6 guide if you want a clean, marking-free paperback that covers RE6. Both are usable reading copies, but the MDK guide's top-right corner damage is the biggest single difference.
Comparison at a Glance
| Product | Listed Price | Price Bar | Condition | Noteworthy Detail |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MDK Official Prima's Strategy Guide | USD 18.00 | Good, with corner damage described as a burn on the first few pages | Bart Farkas level-by-level walkthrough; includes a 1998 GamePro MDK insert | |
| Resident Evil 6 Video Game Strategy Guide | USD 18.99 | Good; light wear, no markings inside | 2012 Capcom/Brady paperback for the Resident Evil series |
The MDK guide is listed at $18.00, about 5% below the RE6 guide's $18.99, so the price spread is modest. The larger difference is condition: the MDK guide has burn-like corner damage, while the RE6 guide has only light wear and no markings.
Where Each Product Wins
- Choose the MDK Official Prima's Strategy Guide if you want a level-by-level walkthrough with a bonus GamePro insert from 1998, and you don't mind a visible corner flaw.
- Choose the Resident Evil 6 Video Game Strategy Guide if you want a clean Capcom/Brady paperback with no internal markings and you're specifically looking for RE6 coverage.
MDK Official Prima's Strategy Guide
This 1997 English-language paperback, written by Bart Farkas, was published in the United States and walks you through each MDK level in a Prima's-style guide. It comes with a January 1998 GamePro insert, so you get a slice of late-'90s gaming press along with the strategy. The catch is the top-right corner: it has some damage that looks like a burn, and it affects the first few pages. It doesn't block any text you need to read, but it's a visible collector's caveat. If you want a pristine shelf piece, this is the trade-off. If you're actually playing MDK and want a level-by-level companion, the content makes the damage easier to overlook.
Resident Evil 6 Video Game Strategy Guide
This 2012 Capcom/Brady paperback focuses on Resident Evil 6 and is part of the broader Resident Evil series; it's labeled as out of print (OOP). It's a sturdy reading copy with light exterior wear and no markings inside. For someone who wants a clean guide for Resident Evil 6, this is the one to pick. The trade-off is the light wear on the cover and edges, which is visible but doesn't affect the interior. As a bonus, the lack of markings means you can read the walkthrough without fighting someone else's annotations.
Final Choice by Use Case
If the game you plan to play is MDK, the Official Prima's Strategy Guide is the one to grab-the level-by-level content outranks the corner damage. If you're focused on Resident Evil 6, the Capcom/Brady guide is the better fit because it arrives clean inside and ready to flip through. For a collector who wants a condition-conscious buy, the RE6 guide is the safer choice; for a player who wants a vintage MDK companion with a bonus insert, the Prima guide is worth the cosmetic flaw.
