The Rarest N64 Games (& How Much They’re Worth)

Key Takeaways

• The Nintendo 64 revolutionized gaming with iconic titles similar to Mario Kart and Tremendous Wreck Bros, developing unforgettable sofa co-op reminiscences.
• Uncommon N64 video games like Starshot Area Circus Fever and Indiana Jones And The Infernal Device are extremely sought-after for his or her distinctive gameplay and tales.
• From the cult vintage Goemon’s Nice Journey to the elusive Nintendo 64 Check Cartridge, accumulating uncommon N64 video games is usually a dear however rewarding challenge.

The Nintendo 64 brings again numerous reminiscences for numerous other people. For lots of, the N64 represents the honor days of sofa co-op gaming, sitting with buddies round an outdated TV, blowing at the cartridge when it did not paintings (even supposing that did not do anything else and may just hurt it ultimately), munching on some snacks and duking it out in Mario Kart or Tremendous Wreck Bros.

Nostalgia apart, the N64 had quite a few notable video games; lots of which proved monumentally influential to the gaming trade as an entire. Some stay extremely uncommon to nowadays, making them one of the most costliest N64 video games ever and serving to them to show pride of position at the cabinets of creditors fortunately sufficient to possess them.

Up to date August 22, 2024 via David Heath: The Nintendo 64 stays a well-liked unfashionable console because of offering some key advances in gaming, from Tremendous Mario 64’s open-world platforming to The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time’s sense of journey. Nonetheless, it took 2d position to the PlayStation because it was once more difficult to program for, and its cartridges have been dearer to shop for than CDs.

Nevertheless, it overcame its obstacles to be a humble luck in its personal proper. It is sufficient to get any person into accumulating video games for the console, from its giant hitters to its also-rans. Alternatively, it might probably price an attractive penny as this record has been up to date with extra of the N64’s rarest video games, along up to date costs and data for its authentic entries.

All costs have been taken from
PriceCharting.com
and have been correct on the time of e-newsletter.

1 Starshot Area Circus Fever

Juggling Moneybags

Regardless of having clunky and hard-to-master controls, Starshot Area Circus Fever was once beloved via the group for the original unsettling feeling that avid gamers felt whilst taking part in it. Any other questionable side of the sport is its finishing, with many avid gamers left questioning in the event that they were given the unhealthy finishing. However nope. It best had one finishing, and it closed the quirky platformer off on a bum be aware, most likely supposed to result in a sequel that by no means got here.

All issues apart, the sport remains to be regarded as a cult vintage and is one of the rarest video games at the console. New copies are at their top costs, and CIB copies have dropped moderately via just about $220 from its January 2024 top. However it is nonetheless moderately expensive, particularly for individuals who simply wish to test it out on actual {hardware}. For less expensive possible choices, the PAL model is best $22 unfastened, and the PC model is just below $11.

2 Indiana Jones And The Infernal Device

It Belongs In A Museum

The primary three-D installment of the franchise, Indiana Jones And The Infernal Device isn’t just a really perfect recreation in lots of sides but in addition a vital identify for the Indiana Jones collection. Within the recreation, avid gamers navigate fantastically constructed environments, triumph over enemies, resolve intricate puzzles, and make their means throughout hard-to-reach platforms for 17 ranges.

Even if it isn’t as well known as any other titles at the platform, this access earned a unique position within the hearts of enthusiasts of the collection and adventurers alike. It is steadily gotten extra valuable as unfastened and entire in-box (CIB) costs have risen, regardless that strangely, new copies have dropped so much. Final month noticed them going from being value $930 to £202.50, regardless that they have began to upward push once more contact via contact.

3 Goemon’s Nice Journey

Stealing From The Wealthy

Webhosting strange components and extremely aggravating Jap topics, it is not all that unexpected that the Mystical Ninja franchise by no means moderately took off within the West. Legend of the Mystical Ninja is an underground favourite for the SNES, and Goemon’s Nice Journey one way or the other controlled to move even deeper into the earth. It most likely merits a greater destiny regardless that, because it was once one of the vital extra available 2.5D platforming video games at the N64.

Avid gamers take at the position of the wild-haired ninja Goemon as he ventures thru forests, mountains, and different colourful lands in a fable model of Edo Duration Japan. Free and CIB copies have dropped best moderately in worth, whilst new copies are emerging. Now not even the PAL model, Mystical Ninja 2 Starring Goemon, is any less expensive at $92 unfastened. Simplest the Jap model is going simple at the pockets at $27.50.

4 Giant Mountain 2000

Avid gamers Ski Downhill, Costs Climb Uphill

A winter-sports-themed recreation, Giant Mountain 2000 was once a success because of its simple-to-play, hard-to-master controls, clean gameplay, and quite just right graphics for the time. Rivaling the snowboard recreation craze on the time, avid gamers race down quite a lot of slopes on skis whilst seeking to set up their stamina and triumph over any impediment they arrive throughout at the monitor.

The sport owes its position some of the rarest and costliest Nintendo 64 video games now not as a result of its reputation, however as a result of how not going it’s to discover a entire replica on-line. This shortage has resulted in the cost mountaineering hugely in recent times, as CIB costs peaked on the $700 mark at the beginning of the 12 months. Their present worth, $335, may well be as reasonable as they get. However any individual who is nonetheless were given a sealed replica will make a tidy benefit at £1,000 and mountaineering.

5 Castlevania: Legacy Of Darkness

Casting A Pall Over Financial institution Accounts

When in comparison to the rougher Castlevania 64, 1999’s Castlevania: Legacy of Darkness shines extra from a gameplay point of view via adhering extra to vintage franchise components. Nonetheless, the sport controlled to get overshadowed via its N64 counterpart in infamy and the extra widespread PlayStation titles like Symphony of the Evening and Castlevania Chronicles in high quality.

Nonetheless, it presented the unique Castlevania 64 marketing campaign with C: LoD‘s enhancements, and Cornell’s lycanthropic tale did draw some hardcore enthusiasts to the identify. Nevertheless, this prequel nonetheless wasn’t specifically well-received, it quickly become one of the vital rarest N64 video games, and is the reason why the cartridge on my own has an attractive steep worth. New copies have been additionally going for $1,000+ ahead of they dropped to $420 this month.

6 Daikatana

This Sport Is About To Make Avid gamers Its ATM

Even if the sport wasn’t reviewed all that properly via critics, Daikatana presented distinctive environments, and its degree design was once if truth be told beautiful just right and went a way towards dwelling as much as the pre-release hype. Nevertheless, even though it did not have building issues or its notorious advert marketing campaign founded round director John Romero, it nonetheless would’ve been introduced down via its dodgy gameplay.

PC homeowners no less than have get right of entry to to the 1.3 patch, which helped it play extra like how Romero and Ion Typhoon deliberate. The N64 model has the outdated faults mixed with a low body price, fogging, and an ungainly translation because of it being treated via Jap builders Kemco as an alternative of Ion Typhoon. Nevertheless, its infamy has made it a collector’s merchandise, as it is steadily larger in worth around the board.

7 Turok: Rage Wars (Grey Cartridge)

It is The Identical Previous Sport, However The Cartridge Is In A Other Colour

Although Turok the Dinosaur Hunter began lifestyles as a comic book ebook persona from the Fifties, he won a brand new rent on lifestyles because the hero of a sequence of first-person shooters for the N64. The primary 3 video games even were given remasters for contemporary machines, together with for the Nintendo Transfer. All with the exception of for Turok: Rage Wars, because it was once necessarily Turok 2: Seeds of Evil with out the tale however with extra multiplayer modes and lines.

The bizarre black cartridge is simple to pay money for, costing simply $15 or so for a unfastened replica. Alternatively, it got here with a computer virus that made the co-op marketing campaign unbeatable. Enthusiasts again within the day needed to put up those misguided carts over to Acclaim, who’d substitute them with grey cartridges that fastened the computer virus. Because the recreation wasn’t as widespread as the primary entries, few other people , so those advanced editions are challenging to return via and more difficult to have enough money.

Remodeling Into A Treasure Chest

The N64 wasn’t a really perfect platform for combating video games outdoor Tremendous Wreck Bros, however that did not prevent builders from giving it a check out. Transformers: Beast Wars Transmetals introduced the vibe of an early Virtua Fighter with a Transformers motif. Avid gamers picked characters from the Beast Wars display and fought their fighters in a typical fighter, albeit with change Beast and Automobile bureaucracy so as to add some Bloody Roar hints to the complaints.

It threw in an Energon resistance gauge, which avid gamers needed to handle, or their assaults can be restricted if it ran out. The N64 model additionally had a console-exclusive boss, Megatron X. Nonetheless, its overdue launch in 2000 and loss of consideration relegated it to obscurity. The unfastened North American (NA) cart is going for just about 10 occasions the Jap model, and 5 occasions the PS1 model. It is mountaineering upper in CIB and new costs too, achieving 4 figures simply.

9 Bomberman 64: The 2d Assault!

Exploding In Value

Bomberman generally supplies a good time for buddies. However Bomberman 64: The 2d Assault is likely one of the rarest N64 video games because of quite a few elements. For something, it acquired deficient opinions for its tough seems to be and taking part in no other from its vintage entries, which considerably harm its gross sales. Hudson Cushy slightly marketed it as properly, so few other people even knew that it existed.

In spite of everything, it was once launched moderately overdue within the console’s lifestyles cycle in 2000, simply 1 12 months ahead of the Gamecube’s debut. Consequently, discovering a replica of the sport is exceedingly tough, even supposing they do nonetheless pop up on websites like eBay once in a while. Alternatively, if it is going for lower than $875, it is both most likely a unfastened replica or the deal may well be too just right to be true.

10 Worms Armageddon

A Tactical Offensive On N64 Homeowners

Worms Armageddon was once the 3rd access within the interesting turn-based techniques recreation collection via Team17 and is arguably the most efficient via bringing a bunch of recent pieces and guns (just like the divine Holy Hand Grenade) to make destroying one’s foes extra impressive. It was once launched for almost each system getting into 1999-2000, from the PC and PlayStation to the N64 and Dreamcast, or even the Sport Boy Colour.

Through being so commonplace, other people would assume Worms Armageddon can be reasonable to shop for, and it’s, save for the NA N64 copies. It is the just one whose CIB and new replica costs are within the 4-figure vary. Free cartridges had been going for $193.98, nearing their outdated top of $220 again in 2016. Given how commonplace the opposite ports are, the costs are as ridiculous as a Concrete Donkey.

11 Rat Assault! (PAL)

Scurrying For Cash

All the way through an technology wherein maximum studios, Nintendo integrated, have been stressing flashier three-D romps, Natural Leisure took a more practical, extra grounded means in the case of presentation. Within the multiplayer recreation Rat Assault!, avid gamers suppose the position of clever lab rats set on dominating the arena. Alternatively, to succeed in this, they’re going to have to gather teams of rats by the use of lasso as they pour into small rooms and frantically scurry about.

Whilst foolish and shallow, its present asking costs are anything else however. US CIB copies opt for $725.63, and new copies price $150 extra. PAL copies are even worse, as unfastened copies price $100 greater than their US equivalents at $164. Heaven lend a hand any individual wanting a CIB or sealed replica, as they are almost sky-high. Consumers had higher get started saving, and dealers had higher stay their copies protected till the precise cash got here alongside.

12 Tremendous Bowling

Hanging Out In Gross sales

The truth that slightly any one has heard of Tremendous Bowling is what makes the sport so uncommon and costly. Evolved via UFO Interactive Video games, it was once principally a three-D replace to the similarly difficult to understand SNES recreation of the similar identify, simulating the entire a laugh and pleasure of 10-pin bowling. With its area of interest enchantment and overdue launch, it did not lead to numerous gross sales, resulting in it changing into an extraordinary merchandise.

It wasn’t at all times so prized, being moderately inexpensive unfastened within the early 2010s. However as soon as the 2020s started, it began emerging in worth. The strangest section about it was once that, for a lot of 2022, sealed copies have been less expensive than CIB ones, going for $1,080. That does not sound reasonable, however that was once lower than part of its CIB similar at $2,550. At the present time, new copies opt for double that worth at just about $6,000, and CIBs at just about $2,000.

13 F1 Racing Championship

Accelerating In Value

Racing video games took off within the three-D panorama of the overdue ’90s and early 2000s. Between the futuristic likes of Wipeout and the extra grounded Gran Turismo got here F1 Racing Championship, which reached all platforms on the time, together with the impending PlayStation 2. Although, like Worms Armageddon, NA N64 copies are the most costly of the bunch.

Which may be put right down to Components 1 racing now not being as giant in america as different territories, however the recreation’s different NA ports are a lot less expensive. New PS1 copies are $60 at maximum, whilst new N64 cartridges are over 100 occasions that worth, at $6,445. Even supposing other people simply sought after a unfastened replica, they would must fork over $514, and that worth is frequently mountaineering via the month.

14 Stunt Racer 64

No Signal Of Crashing

Stunt Racer 64 stays one of the vital rarest video games for the console, as its retro-futuristic racing a laugh could not moderately overtake the almighty behemoth that was once Mario Kart 64. It was once additionally launched solely in america and best thru Blockbuster Video, so it is little surprise it is just about unimaginable to trace them down cost effectively.

Nonetheless, its costs have dropped a slight bit, giving other people saving their pennies a possibility. A run-of-the-mill unfastened replica of this arcade racer will set creditors again about $320, a steady climb again from its $252 dip again in March 2024. However getting it entire with its field and guide will set them again via $2,160, and over thrice that worth for a brand new replica at $6,700.

15 Snowboard Youngsters 2 (PAL)

The Land Down Beneath Provides Costs Up Most sensible

Printed via Atlus for the Nintendo 64 in 1999, Snowboard Youngsters 2 is the sequel to the unique Snowboard Youngsters recreation. The use of quite a few characters, avid gamers snowboard down slopes and use their distinctive abilities and skills to get forward. With its colourful visuals and speedy tempo, the sport presented avid gamers a clean and entertaining racing revel in and a really perfect multiplayer revel in.

Getting it in america is not so unhealthy. Now not reasonable, at $72 unfastened, $302.26, and $937 new. Jap copies are reasonable as chips, at $255 new and $29.99 new. But when creditors in point of fact wish to upload some jewels to their assortment, they must glance into the PAL model. Launched best in Australia, it is the rarest model of the sport, and thus the most costly. Any Aussies with a replica may just make a killing via placing it available on the market.

16 Nintendo 64 Check Cartridge

Burning Cash On A Piece Of Tech Historical past

Fancy paying just about $3,350 for a cartridge that does not have a recreation in it? The Nintendo 64 Check Cartridge was once utilized by Nintendo 64 Carrier Facilities to inspect other people’s consoles to peer in the event that they have been in operating order. If they’d any faults, the Check Cartridge would spot them with its other diagnostics. If the crimson gentle at the cartridge got here on, the console had a fault that wanted exam.

Because it wasn’t supposed for retail, it did not include a field to be sealed inside, and its instruction pamphlet got here one after the other. If it may be discovered available on the market, it might probably best be discovered unfastened, and for $3,339. It is stayed secure at this worth for the previous 12 months, however it has spiked to almost double that price up to now. Until any person has a time system to shuttle again to 2012 when it prices an insignificant $518, that is as just right as the cost goes to get.

17 Japan Professional-Golfing Excursion 64

A Uncommon Sport For A Failed, Japan-Unique Upload-On

Many uncommon N64 video games ceaselessly finally end up being a lot less expensive in Japan, however they have got their very own rarities because of the Nintendo 64DD, an add-on that shall we the console learn particular disks, or even hook up with the web for on-line play. It ended up being a flop, with maximum of its deliberate video games finishing up both canceled or ported to the GameCube, like Resident Evil 0 and Animal Crossing.

One DD recreation that did pop out was once Japan Professional-Golfing Excursion 64, the place avid gamers may just customise their characters in between teeing off on its 18 holes. It is the rarest of the N64DD video games and one of the crucial pricey. Even its unfastened copies opt for 4-figure costs, and getting entire copies calls for no less than $3,600. That does not go away so much left over for a Jap N64 and a operating 64DD.

18 The Legend Of Zelda: Majora’s Masks Restricted Version Journey Set

Calls for A Larger Rupee Bag

The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Masks Restricted Version Journey Set is principally simply the common recreation with a couple of further bells and whistles. Even unfastened copies most likely require its authentic quilt to distinguish it from different, common PAL cartridges. On most sensible of it being unique to PAL territories like Europe, only one,000 copies of it have been made. It got here with a soundtrack CD, pins, a T-shirt, an eye, and a Certificates of Authenticity.

Every replica additionally had its quantity for added affirmation. So, it is no marvel a CIB field is value over $4,000. Except for that it is if truth be told the most affordable the set has long past for since 2022. It was once value double that at the beginning of 2024 at $8,652. Then, if Zelda enthusiasts need an absolutely intact set, they will must get a spare $18,000. It may well be more straightforward to simply get a unmarried cartridge and get some pins from Etsy.

19 ClayFighter: Sculptor’s Reduce

Turning Clay Into Gold

ClayFighter: Sculptor’s Reduce, an up to date model of the sport ClayFighter 63 1/3, is arguably one of the vital rarest N64 video games in historical past because it wasn’t launched for retail. It was once a US apartment unique for Blockbuster Video, the place the one individuals who were given to stay it at house again within the day have been individuals who gained their on-line contest. It presented a more practical menu, delicate fight, and four new characters, like Woman Liberty and Lockjaw Pooch.

It is undoubtedly the most costly N64 available on the market. Granted, there are pricier unfastened cartridges available in the market. However entire copies price just about $7,000 to select up. Then, if any person controlled to stay their copies of their authentic wrapping, they might make over $21,000 if they discovered a purchaser. Until there is a warehouse hiding hundreds of sealed copies available in the market, it is only going to extend in worth over the years too.