People don’t typically buy games hoping that they’ll exponentially increase in value years down the line. There are games that for whatever reason become a hot commodity, and as a result, sell for insane amounts of money. If you were to look at a popular game that sold well and was reviewed well, it probably wouldn’t sell for nearly as much as a title that did the complete opposite.
When it comes to getting value out of old games, the rarer the title the more it can sell for. A lot of these kinds of games have an interesting history behind them as well, which only adds to the value for some collectors. Here are 10 games you’ve probably never heard of that are worth a fortune.
10 Zelda’s Adventure - $800
Often regarded as the worst Zelda title of all-time, Zelda’s Adventure for the Philips CD-I is a game that has picked up value over the years due to not only its scarcity, but its aforementioned reputation as a bad game as well.
Zelda’s Adventure isn’t a pretty game to look at; though that applies to a lot of titles from 1994. The gameplay is mind-numbing and everything just feels like it was lazily put together. Regardless, the game still sells for a pretty penny, both new and used.
9 Rule of Rose - $600
Rule of Rose is a game that has a pretty interesting history behind it. A survival horror title developed by now-defunct studio Punchline, Rule of Rose was subject to moral panic due to misconceptions about the game. Though these claims were exaggerated, the game does deal with some pretty sensitive subject matter.
Rule of Rose wasn’t received particularly well by critics, and didn’t sell all that many copies either. This created a perfect storm of sorts for collectors and the game is now considered a bit of a rarity. Depending on the condition of the game, it can actually sell for a decent amount of money.
8 Red Sea Crossing – $10,000
Another game with a pretty interesting history behind it, Red Sea Crossing is an Atari 2600 title that many probably haven’t heard of. The game was created in 1983 and was sold through a local religious magazine, though not many copies were moved.
A copy of the game was auctioned off for a cool $10,000 back in 2012, after the seller discovered the game at a local garage sale. After doing some research, the game was put up for auction. The rest is history.
7 Air Raid - $3000
Released in 1982 by studio Men-A-Vision, Air raid is a pretty typical looking shoot ‘em up title that looks to be a copy paste of similar games from its era. Though there’s nothing unique about it gameplay wise, it stands out for other reasons.
The cartridge alone – a blue T-handle design – is already pretty noteworthy. The game’s distribution was limited, making it a rarity. It’s no surprise that the game sold for as much as it did.
6 Super Copa - $225
Not often do you find an alternate version of a game demanding so much money years later. Ut that’s what ended up happening with Super Copa, the Latin American version of Tony Meola's Sidekicks Soccer. Released in 1993, Super Copa isn’t all that noteworthy of a game. which makes you wonder why it spiked in value so much over the years.
Depending on the condition, the game can be worth a pretty decent amount of money. Of course, with games this old the typical condition you’re going to see a copy in used and loose – but even at that it’s still worth a lot.
5 LSD: Dream Emulator -$350
One of the comparatively “newer” titles covered thus far, LSD: Dream Emulator is probably the strangest game you’ll read about all day. You don’t have to look too hard, any screenshots of this 1998 Japan exclusive title will tell you all you need to know.
The game was marketed as an exploration game and resembled what walking simulators are today. The game didn’t sell very well, and while it was rereleased on the Japanese PSN in 2010, physical copies still command a pretty high price.
4 Trip World - $600
This Game Boy platformer never made it to North America, though it did see a release in Europe in 1993. Developed by Sunsoft and released in Japan in 1992, Trip World follows protagonist Yakopoo.
Yakopoo’s shapeshifting ability may remind some of Kirby, and the games do share some similarities. The game is worth a pretty penny, mainly due to the obscurity of the product. It not being released in North America certainly helped its value skyrocket here over the years.
3 Power Strike II - $630
Released in 1993 as part of the Aleste series, Power Strike II was one of the better shooters on the SEGA Master System. That, along with the game’s rarity may very well be why it sells for as much as it does now.
The game was a late release, making copies somewhat hard to come by. As a result, the value of the game has skyrocketed in recent years. Interestingly enough, due to it being optimised for PAL Master Systems, the game runs too quickly, making it even more of a challenge.
2 Panzer Dragoon Saga - $700
Released at a time when SEGA was trying desperately to stay afloat in the console market, Panzer Dragoon Saga is an obscure title that was one of the more ambitious efforts of its generation. The game was spread across four discs and was very well received.
But the game saw a limited release in the west due to SEGA shifting focus onto the Dreamcast. Its reputation as one of the better games of its time only helped its value increase in the retro games market. With the games source code being lost, physical copies will only increase in value.
1 Stadium Events - $42,000
If you have already heard of Stadium Events chances are it’s because of how much the game has sold for in the past. The NES title is considered one of the rarest North American games on the console. With the exact number of copies out there unknown, this is certainly a title that would interest the most dedicated of collectors.
Nothing about the game itself makes it worth as much as it’s sold for. But the fact that there are so few known copies out there only amplifies its value – at least in certain circles.