What’s in your attic? If you’re storing a trove of old video game consoles and cartridges, you might want to check and see if you’re sitting on a small gold mine. These 10 cartridges are definitely rare (in good condition), but if you’re lucky enough to own one, you might want to consider selling them!
10. E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial
Price Range: $5 – $1,537
E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial is a 1982 adventure game for the Atari 2600. While it isn’t the most valuable compared to others, its association with the film makes it collectible. The game was considered one of the worst in the industry, and the “urban legend” goes that Atari buried them all to get rid of them. It was true. They were dug up, along with other Atari games, in 2014, making them an instant collector’s item. In mint condition, these are definitely worth some money!
9. Atlantis II
Price Range: $5,000 – $7,000
Atlantis was released in 1982 for the Atari 2600. The company launched a tournament called Destination Atlantis. A copy of Atlantis II was given to players of the original Atlantis who took pictures of their high scores on their television screens and mailed them to the company. This special edition was not mass-produced, thus, is very rare. Look for a sticker on the front that reads Atlantis II. Even the original Atlantis is worth collecting.
8. Red Sea Crossing
Price Range: $10,000 – $13,877
Red Sea Crossing is a Christian side-scrolling videogame for the Atari 2600 released by mail order only in 1983. It was virtually unknown until discovered at a garage sale in 2007 for 50 cents. The creator was located and revealed he’d only made a few hundred cartridges. The last two copies sold in 2012 at $10,400 and $13,877. Another rare copy could still be out there waiting to be found.
7. Air Raid
Price Range: $3,000 – $33,433
Air Raid is an extremely rare 1982 shoot-’em-up game for the Atari 2600. It’s known for its blue T-handle cartridge design and picture of flying saucers attacking a futuristic city. Many people who own the game never had the box or an instruction manual. Only 12 copies were known to exist until a 13th surfaced and sold for $31,600.
6. Nintendo Powerfest ’94
Price Range: $10,000 – $10,988
Nintendo Powerfest ’94 was a videogame competition held in customized trailers outside department stores across the US. The 33 specially designed game cartridges contained Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels, Super Mario Kart, and Ken Griffey, Jr. Presents Major League Baseball. The last one to sell at auction in 2014 went for $10,988, while one sold in 2012 for $12,000.
5. Super Copa
Price Range: $400 – $6,900
Supercopa means Super Cup in Spanish and Portuguese. Super Copa is a South American version of the North American soccer game Tony Meola’s Sidekicks Soccer. It was released for NES in 1993. The hard-to-find version has a different box and doesn’t include the Playtronic branding anywhere. It’s worth more with the original box, and even more if still factory-sealed.
4. Exertainment Mountain Bike Rally & Speed Racer Combo Cart
Price Range: $1,500 – $3,700
In 1994, exercise equipment company Life Fitness released the Exertainment System, an exercise bike and entertainment system with a TV screen. This system also played games with a built-in Super Nintendo and specially designed controllers between each handle of the bike. The two games made especially for the system were Mountain Bike Rally and Speed Racer, based on the cartoon. The combo cartridge with both games is very rare.
3. Nintendo Campus Challenge
Price Range: $14,000 – $20,100
In 1991 in 1992, the Nintendo Campus Challenge was held at nearly 60 colleges throughout the US. After the competition tour ended, most copies of the special game cartridges were destroyed, but one Nintendo employee kept his cart and sold it at a garage sale in 2006. Consider the rarest of the rare, which is believed to be the only copy in existence. The last time it sold it garnered $20,100 on eBay.
2. 1990 Nintendo World Championships (Gray and Gold Editions)
Price Range: Gray: $8,500 – $20,200; Gold: $26,677
In 1990, Nintendo held a gaming tournament in 30 US cities, beginning. At the end of each city’s tournament, winners in three age groups were given special gray championship cartridges. They were based on a custom Nintendo Entertainment System Game Pak. A gold version was sent out to those who won a promotional contest and only 26 were produced.
1. Stadium Events
Price Range: $2,600 – $41,300; $10,000 for the box alone
Stadium Events was released in North America in 1987 and published by Bandai for NES. Nintendo released it in 1988 as WorldClass Track Meet, destroying all copies of Stadium events. However, 200 had already been sold. It is estimated that only 20 copies exist today making them extremely rare.
