I recently read an article about a rare Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) game selling for more than $10,000 and I wondered: What kind of gamer has this kind of cash lying around? I’m a small scale video game collector, and I start to flinch if a game is fetching a price of $100 on eBay.
For those of us without thousands of dollars to spend on rare and unique video games, here’s a list of games whose price has been rising steadily over the years, but are still cheap enough for the average collector. Nothing too obscure, just a list of modern classics you might want to get your hands on. The prices are based on recent average and reasonable Amazon and eBay prices.
Mega Man Legends 1 (PS1) – The Mega Man Legends series has become a cult classic, and as popularity built over the years, Capcom hinted at a proper third installment. Any fan of the series will probably feel a slight pain in the heart if you ask them the fate of that third installment (it was brutally cancelled!). Black label prices:
New Used
$125 $42
Mega Man Legends 2 (PS1) – Mega Man Legends 2 has become even more expensive and rare than its predecessor. Buyers have been snatching these up at unbelievable prices on eBay and Amazon.
New Used
$190 $55
Tales of Symphonia (GC) – Noticing a pattern? It seems the most rare and valuable games are RPGs, thanks to all of us that are willing to go back in time and play games with inferior graphics but amazing stories. Tales of Symphonia was first released on GC, and then again on PS2 in Japan. I’m sticking to the American version here, folks. It was praised for its unique battle system, captivating story, and inspiring music. Recently, Tales has been selling for:
New Used
$100 $30
Final Fantasy VI Advance (GBA) – The Gameboy Advance version of an SNES classic. The game was praised for its deep and spanning storyline, and is now often considered one of the best RPGs ever. The GBA version is still reasonably priced (used), but that could change over the years.
New Used
$100 $20
Silent Hill (PS1) – Silent Hill’s goal was to immerse the player in an environment of fear, isolation, and despair. Probably not the best game to cure depression, but damn, this game was scary when it was first released. Silent Hill moved away from traditional game play in that there are very little weapon choices, your flashlight is often the only source of light, and the main character, Harry, was less than equipped to fight off evil and save his daughter. I like to believe Silent Hill inspired a lot of game developers to experiment with getting gamers emotionally and psychologically engrossed.
New Used
$170 $22
Chrono Trigger (SNES) – This is the only SNES game I included on the list, even though there are plenty of valuable games for the system. Chrono Trigger has stood the test of time, being ported three times now, with more reportedly on the way. Demands for a sequel are almost equal to that of a Final Fantasy 7 sequel, and fans have gone as far as creating their own spinoffs using ROM Hacks. Like so many RPGs, this game was destined to become valuable.
New Used
$180 $40
Final Fantasy 7 (PS1) – Chances are that if you’ve read this far, you were expecting this one. Final Fantasy 7 hardly needs an introduction or explanation, but fans new and old are still longing to get their hands on a copy. Shame on all of you that sold yours! Like any great RPG, FF7 was praised for its immersive and complex story and seemingly endless side quests. Sephiroth, the main antagonist, has been praised as one of video game’s ultimate bad guys. Even after 14 years, demand for a remake is at nuclear levels, and Square Enix has released tons of spinoffs in reponse. I’m on the fence about a remake, fearing that any modifications might taint the memory. Writing this makes me realize I’m about due to fire this game up again…
New Used
$150 $35
Final Fantasy 7 (PC) – I bet you weren’t expecting this one! Yes, this game is so awesome they ported it to Windows! However, critics complained of diminished audio and visual quality and overall installation issues. Despite this, FF7 PC still fetches a decent price on eBay and Amazon.
New Used
$90 $65
Hogs of War (PS1) – One of the few non-RPG games to make the list, this comedic turn-based war/strategy game has become a sleeper cult classic. Similar game play to Worms, the player takes control of their squad of Hogs and moves individual troops around a map until in striking position. From there, the player has a wide arsenal of bazookas, mines, sniper rifles, and airstrikes to kill the opposing team’s Hogs. Multiplayer is the real gem here, but single player campaign is available. I remember renting this game in middle school and playing with friends for a few hours. I never dreamed that this game would be demanding such a price.
New Used
$145 $50
Folklore (PS3) – I am by no means giving advice on how to make money, but a few folks around Internets (yes, the Internets) believe this game could be on its way to someday becoming a rare and valuable game. Why? Because it’s exclusive to PS3, there are no plans for a sequel, a growing cult following, and, oh yeah, it’s an RPG (action RPG, but I needed an argument).
New Used
$17 $8
Pokemon Box Ruby and Sapphire (GC) – Seriously? You don’t even fight in this game! Here’s the concept: You link your Game Boy Advance to your Gamecube, and Pokemon Box will display the Pokemon you’ve caught. You can then trade with other players and breed Pokemon. This was marketed as a mega collector’s item, and it was only available in America from the New York City Pokemon Center (which I had no idea existed). I guess that explains the costs, which vary wildly.
New Used
???? $45 – 100
Halo 3 Legendary Edition (Xbox 360) – Also known as “The Helmet Edition” because it comes with a life size Master Chief helmet. That right there screams collector’s item. Sadly, you can’t wear the helmet, which just seems wrong. The Legendary Edition also comes with two bonus DVDs of behind the scene footage, Red vs. Blue episodes, and a bestiary. Again, I am not telling you to go out and stock up on these and wait for the price to skyrocket, but maybe just one…
New Used
$130 $70
Marvel vs. Capcom 2 (Dreamcast, PS2 & Xbox) – A little known fact: MvC 2 was released on Dreamcast first. Another fact: The PS2 and Xbox versions were produced in limited quantities due to Capcom losing the Marvel license. This, of course, equals collectability. The game was ported to Xbox Live and Playstation Network and 2009.
New Used
$150 $30
Jurassic Park Operation Genesis (PC, PS2 & Xbox) – I won’t lie: I was skeptical of this game, but the more I read about it, the more I actually wanted to play. Basically, it’s a simulation game where you build a theme park from the ground up, create dinosaurs from DNA (like in the movie), run the day-to-day operations, and according to the game description, “Keep the park safe”. If you want to stay safe, don’t go to a park with freaking dinosaurs! Once your park is built, you’ll partake in missions, like administering vaccines via a sniper rifle (what?), digging for fossils in which to extract more DNA, taking pictures of dinosaurs, and “retiring” dinosaurs that are causing problems. I’m not really sure why this game demands such high prices, especially since it was released in three formats (PS2 is cheapest).
New Used
$100+ $32 – 80
That’s the list for now. I know there are tons of games that can be added, but this is just a start. Another thing to take into consideration is whether the game comes with original manuals and case, and if it’s a Greatest Hits version. Perusing your local thrift stores, pawn shops, and flea markets may yield some treasures. I found Mega Man X6 at Goodwill for $1 and FF7 PC for $10. Craigslist is another good source for older video games, and usually at the lowest costs. However, use common sense when meeting someone: Bring a friend and try to test the game if possible.