Summary
Retro video game collecting continues to rise in popularity and price, with a recent collection of original unopenedNESgames selling for upwards of $90,000 on eBay.Beloved classic Nintendo titlescan frequently be found in online auctions, with bids rising into the tens of thousands of dollars, and this latest sale once again showcases the growing value of retro games among collectors.
Known as the Family Computer or Famicom in Japan, theNintendo Entertainment Systemwas first released in the United States 1985. The console marked a major leap forward for Nintendo and would go on to become one of the most popular video game consoles of all time. Boasting an impressive library of now iconic titles, the NES remains a revered platform in retro game collecting, with some NES games selling for incredible prices.
Video game collectors were astonished to hear news of a recent estate sale in Dallas, Texas, in which a treasure trove of fully sealed NES games were discovered and sold at auction online for ridiculously high prices. Included in the sale was an unopened first production copy ofCastlevania, which sold for $90,100, and a factory-sealed 1987 copy ofKid Icarus, which sold for $81,988. Sealed copies ofLegend of Hero Tonma,Trojan, andCastlevania 2: Simon’s Questalso sold for several thousand dollars, along with an unopened hangtab printing ofBurgerTime, which brought in $11,377. While none of the items came close to the astonishing$2 millionMariogame auctionfrom 2021, collectors were still surprised to see so many mint-condition titles available, with many raising eyebrows at the sale prices.
Why Are Retro Video Games So Valuable?
As with other vintage artifacts of pop culture, the value of retro video games is largely influenced by availability and consumer interest. Factors such as number of printings, quality grading, and success upon initial release can all contribute to higher selling prices of retro games.Rare Nintendo games with high valueoften dominate among collecting circles, largely due to their age, limited availability in modern markets, and decades-old popularity with fans. Titles such asNintendo World ChampionshipandNintendo Campus Challenge 1991are considered by many to be the rarest of retro games worthy of collecting. However, neither of these titles have ever sold for the prices seen in the Dallas NES auction, leading many to wonder if retro game collecting is becoming more expensive, not merely for the rarity of games, but for the fan hype that subsequently drives up costs at auction.
Collectors continue to debate the truevalue of retro games, with subjective nostalgia and objective rarity often coming to a head when the bidding starts. Whether the unbelievable sale price of old-schoolNESgames is reasonably justified or simply sensationalized continues to be a key topic of discussion among collecting circles, with many wondering just how high prices will soar.
