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List of Most Expensive and Rarest Console Games of All Time

Today you can find a console game for $20 or even less. However, there are some games that are so rare and so desirable that their price is astronomic. Those games are owned by collectors, so it is less likely to be able to play one today. The only way you can have them to purchase one. Then you must have the right console and then you can play a game. Below is the list of the most expensive game developments in human history. All of the games are rare, considered as impressive developments and they are very expensive.

14. E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial Price: $1500

e.t. the extra terrestrial

E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial is the first game to be based on a movie. It was considered as the most crucial development in the human history for the Atari 2600 platform and others as well. In the game, you should help E.T. to get his hands on the interplanetary phone and call home for help. The game itself was complicated and unique but wasn’t very popular back then. It is actually considered as one of the worst games of the year.

However, all of that made the game rare and original, therefore you will need a lot of money to get a copy, but only if you find one. A well-preserved copy will cost you $1500. Even today it is almost impossible to get your hands on the game.

13. Entertainment Mountain Bike Rally & Speed Racer Combo Cart Price: $3700

entertainment mountain bike rally and speed racer combo

Entertainment Mountain Bike Rally & Speed Racer Combo Cart was developed and released at the beginning of the 90s and it wasn’t sold in many copies as you would expect. As a matter of fact, due to complicated and expensive technology used, not a lot of people had this game in their homes. The game should help the players get more realistic bike riding experience. It was sold with special bikes that had joysticks on the end of handlebars. A gamer would use them to navigate and control the virtual bike.

The technology was revolutionary back then and even today it is considered as complicated. But, all of this made it very expensive, even back in the 90s so the system is rare. In addition, it was developed for Super Nintendo emulators and consoles. A good and decent system today will cost you $3700 if you find one. Poor-preserved versions can cost you around $1800.

12. Wrecking Crew Price: $4000

wrecking crew

For $4000 you can have a copy of Wrecking Crew, developed initially for NES. The game is today considered to be as one of the masterpieces and it is desirable in across the world. However, when it was released, the game wasn’t popular and it is actually one of the least-known Mario-based games. For some reason, gamers of the era didn’t like the game and they usually played other games of the same design.

A copy of the game will cost around $4.000. It isn’t much, considering the first games on the list. Yes, it is rare but it can be found relatively easy. The best part is the fact you can add it to other Mario games and create a unique collection. Those collections can hold a value of $60.000 or even more, depending on the number of cartridges, condition and etc.

11. The King of Fighters (neo-geo) Price: $6.000

the king of fighters

The King of Fighters is an old game released for all kinds of consoles. However, we are referring to the Neo-Geo platform version which is believed to be made in 100 copies only. After that, the game was discontinued for this platform. Today, a copy of the game can be purchased, if found for $6.000.

The game itself wasn’t very special. It is based on fighting series where gamers were able to use different characters, techniques and fight various opponents. There are several games of this series and each one is different. Keep in mind that the game wasn’t very popular back in a day so it is almost impossible to find a copy.

10. Super Copa Price: $7000

super copa

Super Copa was designed to enhance the athlete experience of a gamer. If this is confusing, let us explain. You had the ability to play solo or in double player mode, and you were an athlete in the game. There are a lot of smaller games implemented so you would have the ability to try different ones and complete different missions. The game also allowed you to accurately adjust the power and other parameters of a character in order to get the best results. It was a fast-paced game and it was extremely difficult to complete.

All of this sounds nice, but there are no a lot of copies preserved today. If you find one, which is questionable, expect to pay up to $7000 if it is in mint condition. Poor copies and damaged ones can be obtained for $500. Make sure to get a copy from 1994, when the game was actually launched. If the year is incorrect, you may have a fake!

9. Atlantis II Price: $7000

atlantis 2

Atlantis game was released in 1982 but it was completely different than other games you were able to play back then, for instance, Pac man. The original game was special. It was designed similar like Missile Command and it was appealing for all kinds of gamers. Back then, there was a competition in which you had to take a picture of your TV and show the highest score achieved. Then you would get travel to the Destination Atlantis and get Atlantis II copy. This was the only way you could have it!

Due to obvious rarity, which is more pronounced than any other game, the price is significantly high today. First, it is almost impossible to find a copy. If you manage to find one, expect to pay up to $7000 to get it. Soon, the price will go up.

8. Powerfest 1994 Price: $11.000

powerfest 1994

Now we have one game that is so rare that there is only one copy in the United States. Back in 1994 Nintendo released Powerfest 1994 in just 33 copies which were distributed to the entire country. There were several competitions and the best players were sent to San Diego. After the end, all cartridges were sent back to the developer, Nintendo, except a single one.

The aforementioned cartridge is in the hands of Rick Bruns, an actual player of the championship and he purchased it for $11.000. It is unlikely he will ever sell it, but if you find a copy somehow, you can sell it for a massive amount of money.

7. Red Sea Crossing Price: $14.000

red sea crossing

Red Sea Crossing was a simple game in which you would take a role of Moses and lead your people through the Red Sea, hence the name. But, the game is so rare today that if you want or want one, you will need to pay up to $14.000. The games are sold on auctions only and there are impossible to find elsewhere.

An interesting fact is that a person bought the game for $1 in a garage sale and afterward he sold it for $11.000. It looks like miracles happen, so you will need to stay focused the next time you are looking for a particular, retro game.

6. Tetris (Sega Genesis or Mega Drive) Price: 15.800

tetris

Tetris is probably the last game you would expect to be on our list. But there is a catch. The ordinary Nintendo Tetris game isn’t expensive. There are a lot of them you can purchase today. But, back in a day, Sega Genesis/Mega drive were paired with Tetris cartridges. The developers simply imported the Nintendo game for the Sega gaming system. There are only 10 copies released because Nintendo banned Sega from doing this.

A decent copy will cost $15.800 but there are less-preserved copies that can cost around $5000. An interesting fact is that a copy signed by Alexey Pajitnov was actually sold for $1 million at an auction!

5. Nintendo Campus Challenge Price: $20.000

nintendo campus challenge

Nintendo Campus Challenge was a game reserved for college campus competitions back at a day. There were several copies only and after the competition all of them were destroyed, except one. That’s one today cost around $20.000. If you have more games developed by Nintendo, of the same development features, you can have a collection which can be sold for $50.000.

Nintendo Campus Challenge is an extremely rare game that won’t be available on ordinary websites. It is reserved for actual collectors who must have it and who will pay for it. Anyway, it is still one of the most expensive games of all times.

4. 1990 Nintendo World Champions Price: $21.000

nintendo world champions

1990 Nintendo World Champions cartridges were used in the 90s in the United States for various championships. They were performed in 22 cities across the country. Today, it may be almost impossible to find a cartridge of this championship. They are and they will be even rare any time soon.

Keep in mind that we are referring to the silver and gold cartridges only. They are expensive, while others, not so much. A well-preserved cartridge can be sold for up to $21.000 if you have it. If you don’t, you will need a lot of effort and money to acquire it.

3. Birthday Mania Price: $32.000

birthday mania

Birthday Mania is a custom-made game and therefore impossible to find today. It was released in the 80s and the idea was that parents would call the company, provide specifics about whose birthday it is and in a few weeks they will get a game specifically made for that person. The game runs on Atari 2600.

Due to the obvious difference compared to other games today these games are rare and most of them are held and preserved as memories. Nevertheless, there are several copies out there that are sold for an impressive price of $32.000. This is the maximum price and there are copies that have a lower value, but all of them are extremely rare.

2. Air Raid Price: $34.000

air raid

The game was released in 1982 for Atari 2600 and it was advertised as a shooting game. Even back then it was a limited edition, which makes it rare. Until 2010 it was believed that all copies were lost, but then the first one appeared and it was sold for $31.000. Since the day, two more copies were sold all for above $31.000.

In order to reach the maximum price, a copy of the game needs to come with instructions, case, and a cartridge, obviously. In that case scenario, a game will reach $34.000. If it is a partial copy, meaning it comes without case or instructions, a slightly lower price is possible.

1. Stadium Events Price: $42.000

stadium events

Stadium Events was released back in 1987 for a Fun Family Fitness Mat. The idea was that a user could control characters using a mat. You could walk, run and jump. Nintendo purchased the rights to the game and the mat and there were around 200 copies mat. It was believed that all of them were completely destroyed. But, according to the latest research, around 20 copies are still "live". A decent one will hold its value of $42.000.

The just mentioned value refers to the entire system. You will need a game and a mat in order to get excellent value. Due to the fact the game is very old and even rare, most of the owners don’t know what they have. It is a nice fact knowing you can get one very cheap, theoretically.

Rarest Games on the Planet

You were able to see the most expensive and the rarest games for gaming consoles ever developed. These games are extremely rare and they are usually present in the world of collectors only. Therefore it is difficult to find one on an open market and even if you do the price is going to be high. On the other side, having these games or a game in your possession is something spectacular and something that nobody can take it away from you.