It shouldn’t surprise anyone that people would pay a lot for a collectible, but you might be surprised at how much people are asking for these Nintendo games.
Note that these are all cited directly from Ebay’s search tools at the time of posting (February 2015). Prices and games may have changed, and some sales may not be up anymore.
1. Duck Tales – $50,000.00
Someone is offering an unopened copy of Duck Tales, specifically the SDCC Exclusive Limited Edition 2011 version. These are incredibly hard to find and might be worth it to someone with a lot of cash lying around who wants to add a ridiculously rare, highly sought after game to their collection. Even so, 50k for a platformer starring Scrooge McDuck seems a little high for my tastes.
2. Stadium Events – $25,000.00
This is one of the most famously rare games of all time. Only around 2,000 copies of Stadium Events are believed to have been made, making this the Holy Grail for game collectors. What I find ridiculous about this sale is that the game isn’t even in pristine condition like the first and third games in this list. Its quality is listed as “very good” on Ebay which means it’s still in nearly impeccable condition, but that also means it isn’t completely un-marred. I can only imagine how high an unopened or sealed copy of the game would sell for on Ebay if an opened one is being offered for $25,000.
3. Donkey Kong Jr. Math – $19,999.99
You’re not fooling anyone with that price tag, you might as well just make it $20,000.00. This specific copy of the game has received a quality rating of 85+, meaning it has little to no flaws in the manufacturing and is in pristine condition. This game features a small ape in a diaper trying to teach you math while having fun, which doesn’t seem worth $20,000 to me, but given the fact that it’s one of the rarest black box NES games, this is a gold mine for collectors.
4. Zelda 2 Prototype – $10,300.00
I didn’t even know there were prototype versions of this game available, but apparently they’re in demand if someone can offer over $10,000 for a copy. The quality of this copy is also incredibly high according to the seller and Ebay, so that might factor into the high price.
Another contributing factor might be that Zelda 2 is a very weird game for the Zelda series, as its unique side-scrolling gameplay makes it somewhat of an attractive anomaly for gamers.
5. Snow Brothers – $9,999.99
Another one of these prices that might as well not even try to hide how high it is. This factory sealed version of one of the rarest games in the NES catalogue is also interesting because of its gameplay and art style. You can see gameplay of Snow Brothers on the Game Grumps Youtube Channel, and I think the game looks pretty fun albeit a little terrifying at points.
6. Bump ‘N’ Jump Test Cart #13 – $9,999.99
I debated whether this made sense to put on the list, but I decided to include it for one hilarious reason: The seller states on the sale page that he has “no idea of the market value” of the game, which is why “best offer” is an available option on the sale page.
My favorite part about this sale is this person’s logic. “I have this test cartridge but I have no idea how much it’d be worth to someone. Better put it up for $10,000!” It just makes me smile. And who knows, maybe someone wants a test cartridge of Bump ‘N’ Jump really badly and will fork out $10k for it. Best of luck to you, seller, and Godspeed.
7. Wild Gunman – $9,500.00
This is a straight-up quality collectible. This copy of Wild Gunman has a quality rating of 90, and was rated before “+” ratings were even used to grade video game collectibles. This impeccable black box game will probably be in the hands of a lucky collector sooner rather than later, so if you have a lot of cash lying around you better get on the train quickly.
8. Rock Man Mega World – $8,999.99
The highest form of collectible for any Mega Man fan would be this game right here. This is an impossibly rare game to find, and at a quality rating of 90 from VGA, you won’t find a game of this rarity and quality at a lower price than this. This was also released on the SEGA Genesis, so the jury is out if this counts as a real NES collectible.
The game was never released in North America, and features Mega man I – III and a unique boss battle after you complete all three games. If you’re a rich fanboy, this is the collectible for you.
9. Super Mario Bros. – $8,999.99
Ah Mario Bros., I knew I’d see you on this list somewhere. This factory sealed VGA 75 rated black box juggernaut of a game should be the starting point for any Nintendo collector. The casing around the game is UV resistant as well, so you can proudly display your copy wherever you want. This is arguably one of the most important video games of all time, and I’m happy that the iconic hero has a place on this list.
10. Gumshoe – $7,500
This classic collectible is rated at 85+, meaning it’s just shy of being at the utmost quality. The seller must be experienced in buying and reselling collectibles because he doesn’t provide much information than anyone would need outside of the sphere of what it can add to a gaming collection. Regardless, this game is a staple in any collector’s stash so I expect this to be scooped up fairly quickly.
