It takes a special kind of person to become a collector. Not only do you have to constantly be on the lookout for bargains, but you have to keep track of current values, make sure that you're buying the genuine article, and more! That being said, the work can pay huge dividends, if you're lucky. Who knows what that cartridge that you found in Goodwill could be worth? Or that amazing peripheral/console that you've never seen or even heard of before. Sometimes the monetary results can be truly staggering, with five-figure payments for certain rarities not being unheard of.
In this article, we've pulled together 25 of the rarest video game collectibles, going in value from lowest to highest. Some of these are so valuable that they are quite literally priceless. They'd scarcely be more valuable if they were made of solid gold and encrusted with diamonds...but we'll get on to that particular bit of memorabilia later. These items are pretty much all worth hundreds, thousands, or even tens of thousands of dollars. It cannot be overstated that should you happen to luck upon one of these, be it in a yard sale, at a store, or in the garbage, grab it! If you get it cleaned up and sell it, you'll be in the money, my friend.
Do you have a favorite video game collectible that you own, or wish you did? Think that we over or undervalued something? Let us know on Facebook! We'd love to hear from you.
24 Ocarina Of Time Game Boy Camera
Worth: $200
The Game Boy Camera in and of itself is a weird little thing. A throwback to the times before everyone carried a camera around in their pockets. This version though, well, it’s worth a fair bit of cash. Only 2000 were made, with their distinction mainly being a gaudy gold paint job. As always, most of these have since been lost to the garbage bins/basements of history. As such, one in good condition can easily sell for a few hundred big ones.
23 Panasonic Q
Worth: Around $400
Now, this is a weird little thing. The Panasonic Q was a combination of a DVD player and a Gamecube, released in Japan only back in 2001. The system was the product of an exceedingly rare company collaboration on the part of Nintendo, but the system sold terribly. Despite its sleek looks, it never really got off the ground sales-wise, presumably because most people had both a GameCube and a DVD player already. It was eventually withdrawn from the market in 2003.
22 Metal Gear Solid: Snake Eater 3D Premium Package 3DS
Worth: $500
These were released as part of the promotion for Metal Gear Solid 3's release on the 3DS. Every MGS game has been given what's called a premium package over in Japan, with each one containing a few limited-edition items. For this release, they came with a whole other 3DS. This one is finished in a fetching snakeskin effect. I'm curious as to whether the scales are actually raised or just painted on, but, either way, I'm a fan of how it looks. As these were released in Japan only, they're very rare on these shores.
21 Rockman/Megaman 20th Anniversary Metal Statue
Worth: $500
Created as part of the celebrations surrounding Megaman’s 20th Anniversary, these metal statuettes are exceedingly rare, and very pretty to boot. There was a regular-looking statue made for the 25th anniversary too, but these were only ever sold for $99, meaning they're still nowhere near as valuable. If you manage to get your hands on one of these ones, that are made of polished metal, they're worth a good few hundred. However, I have a feeling that many MegaMan fans wouldn't want to part with it, so actually buying one may be a different story.
20 Fallout 3: Amazon.com Exclusive Survival Edition
Worth: $700
Ah, special editions, a waste of money or all good fun? I know the first one I bought, Perfect Dark Zero's, was a waste of money. This one on the other hand, not so much. This special edition comes with a life-sized Pipboy replica, a Vault Boy bobblehead, an art book, a making-of DVD, and a Vault-Tec lunchbox. I'm going to be brutally honest here: I don't like Fallout 3. However, those superfans who ordered and either loved it or hated it have certainly got a solid deal on resale value.
19 Pokémon World Championship DS Systems
Worth: $1000
Only 112 of these DS systems were made, and were distributed each year to the winners of the Pokémon World Championships. Coming in a variety of colors, the systems are emblazoned with Pokémon decals, and proudly state their origin of the World Championships. Every once in a while, you see one go up for sale, and they usually go for around a grand. If you've got a Pokemaniac in your life, a gift of one of these would make their dream come true.
18 Seaman Christmas Dreamcast
Worth: $2000
Remember Seaman? It was a weird cross between a Tamagotchi and a mystery game, with Leonard Nimoy providing the voice of the titular Seaman. This downright ugly version of the Dreamcast, emblazoned with the Seaman logo, was bundled with the Christmas Seaman version of the game, available for just 10 days. Only 850 were ever made, so finding one is a difficult task. If you do find one, my advice is to sell it quickly to some weird Seaman fan. It is not a game that is worth spending your time on, even to sate your curiosity.
17 Elemental Gearbolt Assassin Case
Worth: $2100
Maybe this reflects poorly on me, but I had never even heard of Elemental Gearbolt until just now. It's a PS1 title from 1997, which is extraordinarily anime-inspired. That being said, while I may not know the game, I can appreciate the craftsmanship that went into these editions of it. They were distributed to journalists who were covering the game. The case included a copy of the bafflingly-named title, as well as, among other goodies, a beautifully designed and embossed golden gun.
16 Uncharted 2: Among Thieves, Fortune Hunter Edition
Worth: $3000-10000
I bet you’ve played Uncharted 2, right? It’s a fun game, and you can pick up used copies for just a few dollars these days. The Fortune Hunter Edition on the other hand...that’s worth substantially more. It came packaged with an autographed copy of the game, a book-shaped case, an art book, and a replica of the Phurba Dagger. This version was never sold, and could only be won in competitions, with just 200 ever being made. If you’ve got one and want to make a quick buck, head to eBay.
15 Aztarac
Worth: $5000
Aztarac is something of a holy grail in the world of arcade gaming. Created by the short-lived studio, Centuri, the game is something of your standard vector fare, and apparently plays like a mix of Asteroids and Space Duel. The cabinet is beautiful and all, but it’s not the game or the cabinet’s looks that make it rare. It is thought that fewer than 200 were made, making each cabinet very rare indeed. Finding one of these is the dream of arcade fanatics everywhere.
14 Life-Sized BioShock Big Daddy Statue
Worth: $7000
I remember one of these being given away in a contest by PC Gamer UK back around the release of BioShock. If, by some stroke of luck, you're reading this right now, competition winner, then well done! You've got an absolute moneyspinner on your hands. These were made by Oxmox Studios, and are made out of fiberglass. They're incredibly detailed. Selling it may be something of a tough decision, since they are really well made, but if you decide to, you'll be well on your way to making your own Rapture.
13 Link Statue From E3 1997
Worth: Around $8000
These statues were displayed at E3 1997 to promote Ocarina of Time, and a few were sold in Europe, but by and large, they’re a very rare find. They’re also very fragile, so if you can find one in good condition, the price will almost definitely be high. Should you ever be lucky enough to find one in mint condition, particularly if it's still boxed and being sold off for anything less than $1000, you need to grab that statue right now.
12 Net Yaroze PlayStation
Worth: Up To $10,000
No one seems to talk about Net Yaroze anymore, and that’s a shame. It was something of a prelude to the great Indie game scene we have today. Special versions of the PS1 were distributed along with development tools, which would allow one-man crews to develop their own weird, sometimes bad, sometimes incredible videogames. These would then be distributed on demo discs and the like. The consoles weren’t region-locked either, meaning they can play any game from anywhere. Add these factors together and you get a high price.
11 Tetris For The Genesis
Worth: $15,000
Only ten copies of Tetris for the Genesis were ever made. Sega were given the licensing rights by Atari as part of a huge legal wrangle, before Nintendo ended up being granted exclusive rights by the Soviet body Elorg. Sales of Tetris for the Genesis were blocked in Japan, with only a few already produced copies escaping the factory. The result? They're extremely rare. While one copy signed by the game's designer was for sale for $1 million, even regular copies are worth $15K at least.
10 Nintendo Campus Challenge Cartridges
Worth: $20,000
Nintendo Campus Challenge was a video game competition that toured the US and Canada back in the early 90s. The cartridge was composed of minigame versions of familiar video games, including Super Mario Bros. 3, Pin*Bot, and Dr. Mario. The players' scores would be tallied together to give an overall score, with prizes including new cars and scholarships. Unsurprisingly, it was pretty popular. There is only one cartridge that remains, and it was found at a garage sale by a collector, who then sold it on for $13K. Three months later, that buyer sold it again, this time for $20,000. Not bad, huh?
9 PlayStation 10 Million Model
Worth: $20,000
As you'd expect, Sony were pretty pleased by how hot the PlayStation was, and released this special model to mark the 10 millionth produced. Just 100 were made, and given a rather fetching Marine Blue coloring. They weren't sold, but were given away by Sony, complete with a matching controller and memory card. They are worth big money now, so if you ever see one going, grab it. Someone with huge Playstation nostalgia (like me,) will give you a lot of cash for it.
8 Super Mario Bros. (Asian Version)
Worth: $23,000
Surely all versions of Super Mario Bros. Are Asian, I hear you cry! Well, yes and no. While they were all made by a Japanese developer, only a select few were made that carried both lettering. These were designed for the Hong Kong market, still a British colony at that time, where both English and Cantonese were, and still are, widely spoken. Only a handful were made, and fewer still are surviving to this day, meaning prices are sky-high.
7 Birthday Mania
Worth: Up To $40,000
Now here's an interesting little time capsule: a made-to-order game. That's right, these games were specially designed for people's birthdays, each one customized to include the birthday boy or girl's name. Only 10 copies were ever released, and a handful more were distributed to friends of the developer, Anthony Tokar. Just one verified copy is in existence, and it has been valued at $40,000. If any more copies show up, you can expect them to be similarly valuable. Whoever got it got a birthday present for the ages.
6 Air Raid
Worth: $40,000
Another incredibly rare old Atari 2600 game, Air Raid is, like Gamma Attack, not exactly special. It's a shoot-em-up of the retro variety, tasking players with saving Manhattan from enemy bombers. Basically Missile Command. What makes it rare is its scarcity. There are thought to be just a few copies that are extant. One, complete with box, sold on eBay in 2010 for $31,600, while one complete with the instruction manual as well as the box, sold for over $33,000. Some people just need to archive everything, I suppose, including Atari games.
5 Stadium Events
Worth: Up To $45,000
tSometimes, legal wranglings can produce wonderful outcomes. Not only if you’re using a corporation for compensation, but also in that one of its side effects can be creating rare collectibles. Stadium Events is a Bandai game that Nintendo released and then recalled in order to rebrand it as a first-party game to push one of their new peripherals. The original cartridges are super rare as a result, with loose copies going for around $10,000 and boxed, sealed copies, costing anywhere up to $45,000.