The 30 Rarest Video Games Ever (And How Much They’re Worth)
We've scoured the web to find the 30 rarest video games ever made! Some of these are worth a pretty penny!
Video games were brought to our world back in 1967. The first-ever games console was made in Germany by a man called Ralph. H. Baer, the father of video games - it was called the Brown Box. Over the next ten years, big names such as Atari started to develop games, which funnily enough started off with an Atari PONG arcade machine. This beast of a machine was so popular, that Atari decided to start developing home consoles. Moving into the 1980s, the golden age of gaming truly started to come to life. With technology progressively advancing, Sega and Nintendo soon dominated the decade. Then there was the mid-to-late 90's, where some of the biggest consoles that are still in action came into play. Sony brought out the Playstation, and Sega and Nintendo were consistently improving. Throughout the years, gamers have watched the industry evolve and blow up the market. Gaming truly came into action in the early 2000s when Microsoft made their debut with the Xbox console. And recently the next-generation Xbox One X console was released, which is so far in advanced in comparison (4k) to the original Xbox, it absolutely blows our minds!
With all the many, many consoles developed since the 1960s, there have been a vast amount of games created and released for them. We all had our favorites we played as kids, but where are they now? Chucked away? In storage? Gamers are going to wish they were smart enough to think about how much they might be worth in the future because we have found some of the tremendously rarest games (and some that are easy to find, but very expensive) ever, that could burn a hole through gamers pockets... and brains!
30 World Of Warcraft: Collector's Edition ($5,000)
World of Warcraft made its mark in the gaming world back in 2004. The massively multiplayer online PC game is set in a fictional universe and has become one of the most popular franchises in the industry. Upon the release of the original game, Blizzard also released a limited collectors edition where only a few copies were made. Ever since, WoW fans have been trying to get their hands on the special edition, but there is no guarantee that there are any unused versions left. There are few offers online of 'brand new' editions being sold for up to $5,000, and around $250 for preowned!
29 Uncharted 2: The Fortune Hunter Edition (Up To $10,000)
This PlayStation exclusive is an action-adventure third-person shooter that follows the story of a treasure hunter named Nathan Drake, who travels around the world to uncover historical mysteries. Uncharted 2 was released in 2009, and with that, the developer (Naughty Dog) issued a limited (only 200 copies were made) collector's edition - The Fortune Hunter Edition for the PlayStation 3. The edition includes a collectible art book, the exact replica of the Phurba Dagger artifact, and a collector's case signed by the developers (plus a bunch of bonus downloads). The edition is now so rare, that its current price on eBay is $9,999...
28 Elemental Gearbolt: Assassins Case ($2,500+)
Back in 1997, Sony Entertainment released this unique game which is now incredibly difficult to get hold of. Want to know what's even harder? Finding one of these rare edition cases!
This custom-made collectible was never made available to the public.
Created by Working Designs, developers made a physical replica of the floating suitcase players will recognize in the game. Only around 5o were made and weren't sold to the public. Instead, the creators did a Content Prize competition and awarded the cases to a small number of very lucky people. The game alone is around $200 to buy online, however, the assassins case is so rare it's not likely there are any to buy, and if there are, gamers are looking at a $2500 price tag!
27 Zak McKraken And The Alien Mindbenders ($3,000)
Made in 1988, but set in 1977, this crazy PC game takes players on the journey of their life playing as Zak, a news writer, along with a few students and a freelance scientist to help him battle aliens that have taken over the Earth's phone lines!
Aliens use their Mind Bending Machine to reduce to the intelligence of humans...
The plot is entertaining, to say the least. The game is now available to download on GoG, however, an original copy is extremely rare and at an estimated price of $3,000.
26 Panic Restaurant ($600)
Japan is known for producing the world's best games and Panic Restaurant is one of them. The 1992 platform game really represents the stress of working with horrible bosses in the kitchen. Players take the role of Chef Cookie who must navigate through his restaurant which has been cursed by his ultimate rival Chef Ohdove. Players must take back Cookie's restaurant by fighting again evil food - this game is a classic, and a must play to revisit the Nintendo Entertainment System (1983) nostalgia.
25 Dragon Age Inquisition: Inquisitor’s Edition ($315+)
Created by developers BioWare, in addition to the release of Dragon Age: Inquistion (2014) they released the Inquisitor's Edition. At limited availability, the edition of the dark-fantasy RPG was made playable across PC, PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, and Xbox One at a retail price of $169.99. However, this was four years ago, and now fans are wishing they got hold of this when it was in store as its almost impossible to find now. The edition features a high-quality leather case, and inside a whole load of treats: Maps, a tarot card deck, toolset, DLC, a 40-page journal, coins, and even a quill and ink pot! Not to mention a steelbook copy of the game itself. Online the Inquisitor's Edition is going for around $300, but there's no guarantee it's in perfect condition.
24 Mass Effect: Limited Collector's Edition ($200-$300)
Mass Effect is another successful game created by BioWare (developers of Dragon Age). Set in a science-fictional world in outer galactic space, the third-person shooter revolves around the battles of a soldier who must save the galaxy from a race of mechanical alien-like beings. The original game was released in 2007 along with the limited collector's edition (for Xbox 360) which features: A 36-page book visualizing the timeline of the universe and its races, an art book, digital content, documentaries on how the game was made, AND a bonus DVD with over ten-pieces of content. The brand new edition is available for between $200-$300 online.
23 Mortal Kombat 1 & 2 ($500)
A popular game franchise that was first created in what seems like a lifetime away. Since the initial release, there have been nearly 20 games, but as much as we all love Mortal Kombat X (2015), nothing beats the original games.
Think Gameboy games are cheap? Think again.
Mortal Kombat 1 & 2 was released on Gameboy in 1997, now the copies are so rare that they're being sold for $500.00 brand new! Retro game collectors will want to hunt this one down - who knows its worth in the years to come?
22 Tales of Vesperia: Special Edition ($180+)
As a part of the Tales series created by Japanese developers at Namco Tales Studio, Tales of Vesperia is the tenth installment in the franchise. Released across a number of platforms including PS3 and 4, Microsoft Windows, Nintendo Switch, and Xbox One, there was also a special edition released for the Xbox 360 not many gamers know about. This edition is one of the most notable games on the console, being one of the few steel book games on the 360. The lowest price to buy a copy brand new is around $200 (and above), making fans wish they bought it during the retail release.
21 Halo: Triple Pack ($100)
The groundbreaking Halo franchise is one the biggest and most successful games in the global industry, shattering records sales throughout its existence. A fun fact: Halo 2 reached more than $125 million within sales in the first 24 hours of its release.
Each and every halo game is still very much played and loved.
Whats better for fans than owning the triple pack of the first three games on the original Xbox console? Nothing. Except gamers will have to pay around $100 for a brand new edition. It's rare, but worth it to experience the spectacular games in their true form.
20 Commander Keen: Aliens Ate My Babysitter! ($1,000)
This side-scrolling platform video game follows the adventure of an 8-year old genius kid named Commander Keen, who must save his babysitter who has been taken by aliens and taken to their world.
Commander Keen has to save her because his parents will never believe that 'Aliens ate his babysitter!'
The game was released on Windows and DOS platforms, and is now pretty hard to get hold of - a rare copy will cost around 1,000 big bucks!
19 Maniac Mansion ($650)
Manic Mansion is everything it describes in the title - the graphic adventure video game was released in 1987, for certain PC platforms and the Nintendo Entertainment System. The two-dimensional world's gameplay is a point and click interface, where players must make decisions and solve puzzles.
The game has five endings, depending on the characters chosen and which survive until the end.
The game ends if all the characters are eliminated, and its a manic adventure for main character Dave Miller, to save his girlfriend who was taken by Dr.Fred.
Pre-owned versions of this game are available cheap (around $50-$100), but brand new gamers are looking at a whopping $650+.
18 The Witcher II: Assassins of Kings Collector's Edition ($350)
The Witcher is one of the best fantasy role play games to have entered the gaming world. Players take the role of a Witcher named Geralt, who specializes in slaying supernatural monsters with his weapon mastery and magical powers.
With each game comes something a little bit extra for fans. Developers released the Assassins of Kings collector's edition for The Witcher 2 on PC. It includes...
- Making-Of DVD
- Official Game Soundtrack
- World Map
- Game Manual and Guide
- Artbook
- Geralt Sculpture
- Temerian Coin
- Dice Set
- Three Stickers
- Playing Cards and Rule Book
- Pamphlet and Cursed Coin
- Instructions to Create Three Papercraft Dolls
- Bonus DLC - Vernon Roche Commando Jacket
With all this content, its no wonder its hard to buy nowadays, and anyone who stumbles across it will see the going rate at around $350.
17 Darkseed ($300)
Darkseed is a psychological horror, point and click game that has one of the most compelling storylines we have ever seen or played. Protagonist Mike is a writer who has recently bought an old mansion out in the eerie woodlands. On his first night, he has a nightmare where he is imprisoned by a machine that shoots some kind of alien life into him. He awakens in pain, and on the second night travels through a portal where he is told the nightmare was real, and sinister aliens seek to destroy him and all of humanity. Sound like something you want to play? If you have around $300 in your pocket, Darkseed is available on Playstation original, Macintosh and Sega Saturn, but it's very hard to find...
16 Teen Titans ($50-$150)
Teen Titans has a storyline players will never forget. The story is wicked, following the Titans as they receive a video game starring themselves. They begin playing and come face to face with a series of villains and obstacles before being put into jail. Upon this, they discover they're trapped inside the game and find a way to escape!
The game was released on Xbox, Playstation 2 and GameCube back in 2006. During its time, Teen Titans would have been dirt cheap to buy, but today it will cost between $50-150!
15 Rise Of The Robots: Director's Cut ($300)
Rise of the Robots was a game that around its release, intended to use a high level of artificial intelligence that was never seen in any other game of its kind at the time. Released on a number of platforms in 1996 (e.g. PC DOS, Mega Drive, and Super NES), the game takes place in the year 2043 where the world is completely governed by robot servants and automatons who start to develop emotions.
This rare, unique game was developed by a team of just five people!
Players take the role of a cyborg who tries to stop the person doing no good, and in order to take its role, players will first have to find a rare copy and pay out over $300...
14 Grand Theft Auto Trilogy ($300)
Rockstar is one of the most successful game development companies in the world, and are mainly known for their incredibly successful, and longest running franchise, Grand Theft Auto. There are currently 16 games in the entire series, all released across a number of platforms, also holding 10 world gaming records.
Players love nothing more than revisiting their favorite old games, and for those who never managed to buy the Grand Theft Auto triple pack back in 2005, fear not, because they can still buy it if they're willing to pay around $300 for a brand new copy!
13 Dream Emulator ($300)
One of the most memorable games released on the original PlayStation for its unique storyline and history of development. The game was created by designer Hiroko Nishikawa who kept a dream diary over the course of ten years, and based the game off of his experiences.
Critics named it one of the most unnerving, unpredictable, and experimental video games of all time.
If you're a casual gamer, it's probably not worth spending $300 for an extremely rare copy, however, it's a different story for collectors...
12 King Of Fighters 2000 ($3,450-$6,000)
This is one for the old-school retro gamers who remember the NeoGeo, making easily the most popular fighting game in the NeoGeo series. The game marked sixth in the series at the time (the year 2000) and was argued to then be the best development so far. However, nowadays its difficult to get hold of, and for those who have enjoyed all the other games released across various platforms, but never got a chance to play this are in for a heck of a surprise! A copy of King of Fighters: The Saga Continues, brand new, will cost an outstanding estimate of between $3,500-$6,000! Do players love this game enough to spend that much money?
11 Marvel Vs. Capcom: Clash Of Super Heroes ($300)
Many gamers know of this crossover fighting game, especially the fans of both Marvel and Capcom. The game features characters from both Capcom's video games and Marvel's comic book series', and although it has been re-released (2012) for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, we're wondering where and how much an original copy (1998) is...
Is it worth spending more money on bad graphics?
A copy on the original PlayStation is currently going for anything between $100-$300 for a brand new version, but even then, how can buyers guarantee that no one has ever played it?
10 Tetris - Sega Genesis ($20,000)
Tetris is one of the worlds most popular and addictive puzzle games, taking hours and hours of gamers lives as they match up tiles - when you think about it, it sounds pretty boring, but we all know this isn't the case.
The game is available for nearly every computer OS and video game console.
However, we gamers still love playing our old school games, so getting our hands on Tetris for say... Sega Genesis would be awesome right? A copy for this console is exceedingly rare, and is currently going on eBay for $20,000!
9 The Adventures Of Batman And Robin ($500)
Batman: The Animated Series has to be one of the greatest TV shows of all time, and this game was inspired by the series which means its just as incredible as we expected. The game was released on a number of platforms back in 1994 - Sega Genesis, Game Gear, Super NES, and Sega CD. Each level is based on an episode from the 80's animated series, filled with our favorite villains and gadgets. Unfortunately, it's super hard to get hold of now, and will cost nearly a months worth of rent ($500)... ouch!
8 Birthday Mania ($10,000-$1,000,000)
Birthday Mania is literally one of the rarest games of all time. Supposedly only one copy exists right now, although back around its release (in 1984) 10-15 copies were made for the Atari 2600.
Players simply pop balloons and blow out candles.
For a game that doesn't exactly sound exciting, paying anything between a rumored $10,000 and $1,000,000 won't make sense to any casual gamer. We have no idea who owns it right now, but whoever it is, could be in for a lot of money...
7 Snowboard Kids 2 ($1,050)
Snowboarding video games have always been super fun to play, and we haven't seen a decent one in a very long time. Snowboard Kids, much like SSX, is a sports game classic. First released in 1999, Snowboard Kids 2 was popular for playing with friends on the Nintendo 64, and for those who had a copy back when they were a kid and decided to get rid of it, will be absolutely surprised when they hear the game is worth a fair bit of money now - currently priced at $1,000 and above!
6 Hercules ($100)
Hercules was one of every kids favorite Disney movies. Following the story of himself (the son of Zeus), and his adventure to finding his family on Mount Olympus, and taking hold of his true identity - a god. The game follows the exact same story as the movie (which is clearly what makes it so great) and was available on Gameboy, Microsoft Windows, and PlayStation back in 1997. If anyone out there has a copy of this one lying about, you could make around $100 for it!
5 Primal Rage ($1,000)
A 2D fighting game where giant beasts and monsters from an apocalyptic world fight for global domination in this powerful fighting game. Developed and released for Atari way back in 1994, Primal Rage sparked such an interest that there were action figures and comic released in its honor. The dinosaur beat-em-up doesn't come cheap, with the going rate of around $1,000. Collecting really is worth it!
4 Jurassic Park: Operation Genesis ($250)
Jurassic Park is a blockbuster hit trilogy that recently came back into our lives with the newest movie title - Jurassic World. Shortly after, a new game (inspired by the recent movies) was developed and released this year (Evolution), however, it didn't live up to the expectations of most gamers. This might be because nothing could ever top Jurassic Park: Operation Genesis, released back in 2006. Players were able to take control of the park themselves, and build the park of their dreams - now its costs even more than the newest game at $250+!
3 Dead Space: Ultra Limited Edition ($1,500-$2,000)
The Ultra Limited Edition is most definitely...limited. With only 1,000 copies ever made, it's understandable why this Dead Space edition is being sold for between $1,500-$2,000. But its worth it, with its own 160-page graphic novel, Dead Space Downfall animated movie and much, much more. The game takes players on a futuristic space adventure, resembling the likes of Alien with its ancient dark histories and sci-fi themes - the Ultra Limited Edition is a must have for any Dead Space fan.
2 Darxide ($6,000)
This retro game takes players on a journey through space in a 3D style shoot-em-up! The video game was published in 1996, and like most popular games from this era, is worth quite a lot of money today.
Released for the Sega 32X, the game was one of the very few on this console to use texture mapping.
Darxide is currently auctioned online for nearly $6,000 - collectors must be rich!
1 Gamma Attack (1989) - $500,000
Even though there are many rare games out there worth ridiculous amounts of money, there is one that exists somewhere in the world that is quite literally worth the price of a house - and it sits in a house owned by a collector named Anthony DeNardo.
Only one cartridge was ever made by creators.
Gamma Attack is quite arguably probably the rarest game in the world, and DeNardo is fully aware of this, as previously he put it up for a Buy-It-Now auction on eBay for...wait for it... $500,000!
