The Rarest Games Consoles (& How Much They’re Worth)

Online game consoles are continuously known as collector’s pieces, however only some in reality are living as much as that name. Positive, there are masses of tens of millions of PS4s and Xbox Ones right through the sector, so the ones can not in reality be regarded as as such. But if particular collector’s editions, personalized consoles, and uncommon consoles from the past are taken into consideration, it is simple to peer what an in depth and dear pastime console amassing can develop into.

Many of those consoles are stunning, or key portions of gaming historical past, however anyone hoping to get their arms on all of them goes to need to pay a beautiful penny; assuming, this is, that they may be able to even discover them on the market. Those are one of the most rarest online game consoles in the marketplace, and what kind of they are price.

Up to date September 29, 2024, by means of David Heath: Accumulating video video games and gaming {hardware} is not specifically simple, particularly this present day. The COVID-19 pandemic and lockdowns noticed an enormous bounce in unfashionable recreation costs, and few have dropped backtrack over the years. Even fairly trendy unfashionable consoles, just like the PS3 and Xbox 360, nonetheless opt for 3 figures for entire units.

Nonetheless, players can nonetheless discover a excellent discount for big-name consoles, since they are in all places. Even older machines just like the NES, ZX Spectrum, and Atari 2600 may flip up at a backyard sale or a shop tucked away someplace. Others are a lot tougher to search out, and much more tricky to have the funds for. This is why this checklist has been up to date with extra of the rarest video games consoles in the marketplace, rearranged by means of their up to date costs.

Costs are sourced from PriceCharting.com excluding the place famous.

22 This Is Cool Sega Saturn

Hanging a Worth on Coolness

The “This Is Cool” Sega Saturn used to be a fashion of the Skeleton Saturn line. Those have been the general Saturn fashions to be produced, and they’re prominent by means of their see-through our bodies, which used to be the way on the time. Some of the fashions had the phrases “This Is Cool” inscribed at the CD pressure for some extraordinary explanation why, and most effective 30,000 or so have been ever produced, resulting in their recognition as a precious collector’s merchandise.

Fortunately, there are a couple of of them nonetheless floating round on eBay, the place they most often promote for between $400 and $700, relying on their situation. Whether or not the ones 4 phrases are price that roughly top rate will rely very a lot at the purchaser. It is some huge cash to spend on a reasonably extra trendy Jap Sega Saturn, however no less than it may well play X-Males Vs Boulevard Fighter!

21 Apple Bandai Pippin

The Time Apple Made a Console

The Apple Bandai Pippin is extra on par with machines just like the 3DO, because it used to be advertised as a ‘multimedia participant platform’ that Apple authorized to 3rd events to provide fashions. Maximum particularly, it used to be authorized to Bandai, who produced the Atmark and @International fashions. It would hook up with the web for emails and messages, play song, print stickers, and run tutorial and edutainment tool. Oh, and it will play video games too.

The Pippin did higher in Japan, the place it had a far better library of video games aimed toward small children. However in North The us, it most effective gained a handful of video games and tool prior to being discontinued 1 12 months into its run. It used to be too underpowered and overpriced in comparison to the Sega Saturn and PlayStation. Nonetheless, that hasn’t stopped it from fascinating creditors, as it is a distinctive piece of {hardware}, and one that may set consumers again by means of $800 for a whole set.

20 Pikachu N64 Set

Electrifying Costs

The N64 used to be all about its Pokémon exclusives. To advertise the online game Hi there You, Pikachu, Toys R Us made up our minds to unencumber an unique Pikachu-themed Nintendo 64 console. This console used to be painted a colourful blue and yellow, and it got here with large Pikachu and Poke Ball-themed buttons. It additionally incorporated the sport itself, the Voice Reputation Unit, the specified microphone, and a “bonus animated/speaking Pokémon watch.”

The sport did not paintings so smartly in comparison to different microphone-based digital puppy video games, like Seaman at the Dreamcast, however the console could be a jewel in a Poke-fan’s crown. Creditors can be expecting to peer the total set promoting on websites like eBay for kind of $1,000; just about $4,000 if the device is boxed and logo new. Regardless that if they simply need the Pikachu console, they will have to discover it for kind of $250 or so.

19 Pokémon Stadium N64 Combat Set

It is a Combat to Find the money for This Set

To advertise the fantastic Pokémon Stadium, Nintendo made up our minds to unencumber a distinct Combat Set model of the Nintendo 64. This incorporated the Nintendo 64 console itself, Pokémon Stadium, an “atomic red” controller, an N64 switch Pak, and a Pokémon Teacher Magazine. The whole thing a tender fan may just need again within the day.

However getting it now could be a lot more difficult, as those particular units are fairly uncommon lately. Alternatively, there are nonetheless a couple of circling round on eBay. If browsers are fortunate, they’re going to see it opt for $300-$500, about the cost of a contemporary console. However in line with PriceCharting.com, it is price 3 times that price, at $1,500 for a whole set.

18 Gold Minish Cap Recreation Boy Advance SP

Value Its Weight in Gold

The elusive gold Minish Cap Recreation Boy Advance SP is among the rarest consoles ever made. They have been made as a distinct promotion for the United Kingdom unencumber of The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap, the place it could include the titular recreation and a golden Recreation Boy Advance SP. A couple of even got here with golden tickets that entitled the landlord to a GBA SP that used to be made with actual gold.

Those actually gold SP fashions have not became up on-line, however their gold-colored editions are simply as uncommon. Patrons can discover the occasional unfastened gadget going for $150-$335, with boxed copies entire with the sport and manuals going as much as $1,660. New editions have became up for $8,000, with one totally sealed field being priced as extremely as $99,000! Heaven forbid how a lot those made from exact gold would opt for.

17 Sony PlayStation 4 twentieth Anniversary Version (PAL)

A Top Worth for Nostalgia

The primary of a number of limited-edition PlayStation consoles to make the checklist, the Sony PlayStation 4 twentieth Anniversary Version used to be launched in 2015 to commemorate two complete a long time of the PlayStation logo. In addition to being styled after Sony’s authentic little grey field of wonders, the device additionally got here with its personal distinctive theme which as soon as once more reflected the vintage glance of the PS One.

Handiest 12,300 of the consoles have been ever made to be had to the general public, which has contributed a great deal to their excessive resale worth within the trendy age. North American variations of the gadget are dear sufficient, going for $956 for a whole set. The Eu ones are even rarer, the place unfastened consoles opt for $1,386. Patrons may get fortunate and discover less expensive second-hand gadgets, although there is no make sure that all of the equipment will likely be incorporated.

16 Nintendo 64DD

A Dynamic Power Off a Cliff

Nintendo’s concern of piracy has led them to check out and make their very own media codecs as a substitute of depending on simply exploitable tech like floppy disks and CDs. But each and every time they did, it ended up main them to crisis. The Famicom Disk Gadget broke so continuously that its massive video games have been reconverted to NES cartridges. The deliberate SNES add-on ended up generating their greatest competitor within the Sony PlayStation, after which there used to be the Nintendo 64DD, a disk pressure peripheral launched completely in Japan in 1999.

It used to be extra strong than the FDS, however suffered the similar destiny when it flopped, with its exclusives being retooled for the common N64 (The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Masks), or canceled outright (Earthbound 64). However with failure comes rarity, and those small children are on an entire different degree of uncommon. If they may be able to discover one on eBay, creditors will have to be expecting to pay $2,000, unfastened or entire. Until consumers in reality need to make their very own lessons in F-0 X by the use of its Growth Package, the 64DD is price extra as a collector’s merchandise.

15 Purple Pokémon Recreation Boy Micro

If Handiest the Worth Was once Micro Too

No longer many of us have in mind the Recreation Boy Micro. It used to be launched again in 2005 as a redesigned model of the Recreation Boy Advance, most probably as the cheap solution to move along the then-new Nintendo DS. Given it used to be too small to play on with ease, few other folks opted for it over its larger predecessors or dual-screened successor. That stated, it holds price, because it ended up being the general product launched beneath the Recreation Boy call.

The console could be a collector’s merchandise only for that, however there used to be additionally a distinct restricted model launched completely in Japan. It used to be a pink, Pokemon-themed Recreation Boy Micro that had somewhat Pikachu sticky label above the B button. It is not as remarkable as, say, the Pikachu N64, however its region-exclusive standing made it extra precious, going for over $2,000 for a whole boxed set.

14 Resident Evil Code: Veronica Dreamcast

A Biohazard to Financial institution Accounts

The Dreamcast is an underrated console that used to be hugely overshadowed by means of the PlayStation 2. That stated, it carried out fairly smartly and had some killer video games thank you in no small section to Sega’s superb running courting with Capcom. Those incorporated ports of a number of of the sooner Resident Evil video games in addition to Resident Evil Code: Veronica, which used to be unique to the console on the time.

To advertise the sport, a distinct REC:V themed model of the Dreamcast used to be produced and launched in Japan. This contained the sport itself and a novel see-through Dreamcast console that got here in pink (the ‘Claire’ model) or blue (the ‘S.T.A.R.S’ model). That is now a precious collector’s version, and so creditors will have to be expecting to pay any place between $1,200 and $1,700 to get their arms on one.

13 Sega Genesis CDX/Sega Multi-Mega (PAL)

Multi-Grand Costs for an All-in-One Device

In 1994, Sega mixed their Genesis and Sega CD into one hybrid console known as the Genesis CDX (aka Sega Multi-Mega the world over). The unit retailed for an improbable $400 at unencumber ($850 in lately’s cash), and its exorbitant worth led to some moderately lackluster gross sales. As excellent as Snatcher and Sonic CD have been, they slightly justified purchasing the Sega CD by itself, let on my own as an all-in-one unit with the Genesis.

In fact, the price has most effective long gone up with time, and the Sega Genesis CDX now fetches moderately a excessive worth on-line. A standard, run-of-the-mill console sells for $1,400 entire, or $422 unfastened. The Eu Multi-Mega is even rarer, costing an additional $200 for unfastened machines, and getting as excessive as $5,850 for brand new packing containers.

12 Panasonic 3DO M2

The Console That By no means Was once

The 3DO used to be forward of its time, in that it introduced options like web get right of entry to, video playback and on-line gaming which can be common on consoles lately. That still intended it did not do them specifically smartly in comparison to high-end PCs on the time, whilst being method too pricey for gamers weaned on consoles. As soon as the PlayStation and Sega Saturn became up, the writing used to be at the wall for the 3DO.

That is why its successor, the Panasonic 3DO M2, used to be hastily canceled. Builders have been in a position to make use of its {hardware} for arcade video games like Combat Tryst, however all that used to be left of the console have been a couple of prototype fashions. Some fortunate consumers have controlled to get this type of fashions for a couple of dollars, then offered them on for $4,000+. For everybody else, they are much more likely to cough up $1,000-$3,000 for this piece of gaming doable.

11 Cuphead Xbox One S

A Yellow Console Going for Golden Costs

Lots of the rarest online game consoles have a tendency to be from the Seventies-Nineties or so, despite the fact that there are a handful of extra trendy techniques that may promote for ridiculous costs. One such instance is the Cuphead Xbox One S, which, in spite of being lower than 5 years outdated on the time of writing, is valued at round $3,000. The limited-edition console used to be created particularly for the sport’s L.A. release match in 2017.

Handiest 4 of them have been ever made and those got away as prizes to one of the most other folks in attendance. Because of their rarity, they are valued at about $3,000 each and every, and that worth is more likely to building up additional nonetheless as time passes, which might provide an explanation for why their house owners are putting onto them for now, as none of them have became up on the market simply but.

10 Pokémon International Championships Nintendo DSi XL

Making Other folks Say Aloha to Their Money

Out of all of the other Pokemon-themed consoles, this is among the extra stunning having a look ones. In keeping with ConsoleVariations.com, those fashions have been most effective given out as prizes to the gamers who got here out on best on the Pokémon International Champions in Hawaii again in 2010. Therefore, why it has got the PWC brand, and why it has Pikachu and different Pokémon hula dancing in combination.

Handiest 112 fashions of the Pokémon International Championship Nintendo DSi XL have been made, and the few which can be on sale are arduous to trace down. At highest, they’re going to opt for $2,500 unfastened, or $3,740 entire in field. At worst, potential consumers must fork out $7,100+ for pristine-quality fashions, with some going for $12,500.

9 Sharp Recreation Tv

It is a TV and a Console Blended!

Firms were development recreation consoles into TV units since 1976, when Magnavox built-in their video tennis video games into their Fashion 4305 TVs. The PS2, Dreamcast, PC Engine, or even the Philips CD-I all had their tech constructed into TVs for house owners to play video games on with no need to mess around with AV cables. Nintendo even were given in at the act when Sharp produced the SHARP 19SV111, aka the Sharp Recreation Tv.

This used to be a 19-inch CRT that had an NES cartridge slot and controller ports constructed within the base, and got here with unique black NES controllers and a far flung keep watch over. The set used to be most effective to be had in KMart retail outlets again in 1989, and is difficult to trace down this present day. If consumers discover it going for lower than $1,500, it is more likely to be lacking its equipment, have damaged legs, and different bits of wear and tear and tear from 35+ years of use (or lack thereof).

8 Maziora Dreamcast

Transferring Colours, Emerging Costs

Costs taken from Satakore.com

There have been moderately a couple of other diversifications of Sega’s ultimate house console, despite the fact that none of them are moderately as distinctive because the Maziora Dreamcast. Evolved by means of a Jap car producer of the similar call, most effective 500 of them have been ever made, with 200 of them signed by means of Grand Prix bike racer Tadahiko Taira. That isn’t the one explanation why persons are keen to pay upwards of six grand for them although.

The consoles and controllers characteristic a distinct coating that reasons their colour to modify relying at the lighting fixtures and viewing perspective. In positive stipulations, the techniques seem to be aqua blue, however they may be able to additionally tackle a red coloring if they’re seen from a special perspective or the sunshine ranges exchange.

7 The PS1 10-Million Version

Gold Usual in a Blue Shell

To rejoice its first console promoting greater than ten million gadgets, Sony launched a restricted version fashion of the Ps referred to as the PS1 10-Million Version as a part of a giveaway prize. There are most effective 300 of them out within the wild, with simply one-third of them being NTSC fashions. They stand out from the common variations by means of being darkish blue as a substitute of the standard grey, and it says ’10 Million Fashion’ at the again.

The consoles often promote for greater than $5,000 on web sites like eBay, with the typical worth sitting someplace across the $7,500 mark. Then getting it in pristine situation will set somebody again by means of just about $20,000. That stated, there are stories of other folks selecting up the techniques for discount costs at backyard gross sales or in second-hand retail outlets. Their loss could be a purchaser’s acquire.

6 Scorching Summer time Peach DS

A Hand held Are compatible for Royalty

Costs taken from eBay and RaretroConsoles.com

Japan isn’t any stranger to unique occasions both. From July to September in 2005, Membership Nintendo ran their Scorching Summer time marketing campaign, the place they gave out summer-themed DS with 3-D-like renders of various Nintendo characters etched on them. If persons are keen to seek them down, they may be able to discover variants with Yoshi, Donkey Kong, Bowser, and Mario.

The rarest of the bunch is the Scorching Summer time Peach DS, which is all-pink and has the titular Princess’ head at the quilt. Handiest 200 of them have been ever made, making it very arduous to trace down. RaretroConsoles is providing one for $8,299, whilst one eBay supplier used to be providing their sealed, boxed fashion for $15,000. It might take the largest Princess Peach fan to imagine selecting it up for the ones costs.

5 Shadow of the Tomb Raider Xbox One X

A Prize No longer Even Lara Croft May just In finding

The results of a special collaboration between Square Enix and Microsoft, this Shadow of the Tomb Raider-themed Xbox One X is actually certainly one of a sort and appears completely shocking. It used to be auctioned off by the use of eBay as a way to elevating cash for charity, with all of the proceeds going to Absolute best Pals Animal Society.

The successful bidder ended up paying over $8,000 to get their arms at the distinctive device, which used to be launched simply two and a part years previous to the release of the Xbox Sequence S and X. That turns out like an astronomical worth for what is necessarily a fancied-up console, however they simply made this type of fashions out of the tens of millions of X Devices made. Whoever received the console is more likely to make simply as a lot, if no longer extra so, in the event that they ever really feel the wish to market it themselves.

4 Dreamcast S.T.A.R.S. Version

Costs To Make Faces Flip Blue

Costs taken from eBay and RetroPixl.

In terms of rarity, the S.T.A.R.S. Dreamcast is correct up there with one of the most hardest-to-find techniques ever launched. Like its pink ‘Claire’ an identical, it used to be a Dreamcast variant launched completely in Japan by means of Sega for the discharge of RE Code: Veronica. Handiest this time, it used to be darkish blue and had a distinct S.T.A.R.S decal at the disc pressure.

It additionally got here with an unique controller, a replica of REC: V, and a few different Resident Evil products. Handiest 200 consoles have been made, in order one may be expecting, its price has skyrocketed. It is exceedingly uncommon to search out them on the market on-line, and the few that experience became up opt for excessive costs. At highest, other folks may discover it going for $7,000, however it is extra not unusual to peer it vary between $10,000-$18,000.

3 The Atari Cosmos

A Treasured Piece of Gaming Historical past

Worth taken from RRAuction.

Atari used to be as soon as an enormous participant within the online game business and had a number of a success house consoles. One marketplace that the corporate failed to wreck into although used to be the profitable hand-held sector, which its one-time rival Nintendo would ultimately move directly to dominate. That wasn’t for loss of making an attempt although. The Atari Cosmos used to be in construction for 3 years prior to ultimately being canceled in 1981. It might’ve been a tabletop unit that will’ve used holographic pictures to show graphics, and it could’ve been offered for $10 ($35 lately).

The plan used to be to to begin with make 250 gadgets. As an alternative, most effective 5 prototypes exist; 3 of which can be simply empty shells. Such a shells discovered its method onto eBay in 2005 and offered for a staggering $18,853. Every other one, up to now owned by means of Pong writer and Atari worker Allan Alcorn, offered on Outstanding Rarities for $25,903. If any of the purposeful fashions went on sale, their costs could be sky-high.