Has it really been 25 years since the Nintendo 64 was released? The 64-bit console was the home for some of the greatest games of all time, including Ocarina of Time, Star Fox 64, Majora's Mask, Mario 64, and many more.
With such a vast library of quality titles, it's easy for many of these games to fall into obscurity and fetch quite a fortune online. So, if you're trying to collect every game in the N64's library, it'll be a challenge to grab them all. So, here are some of the rarest games on the Nintendo 64 and how much they cost.
Update by Kristy Ambrose on June 7th, 2021: Trading vintage games is now a full-time career for many, and it's a lucrative niche market that's getting more attention as more games pass the milestone into "classic" status. Now that the N64 is well into appraisal territory, new titles are emerging for investment, profit, and just for fun. In that spirit, there's plenty more to add to the list.
15 Ogre Battle 64: Person Of Lordly Caliber - $350
The name alone is worth at least $350, but that's how much you can pay for a complete version of this rare, early isometric RPG game. Its late release date in 1999 was part of the reason that there wasn't a lot of PR involved when this game was quietly localized for a North American audience, but since then the obscure title has gained traction as an early example of a successful RPG in this style.
RPG fans who want to experience this historic game can buy a loose copy for about $100 but collectors need to hand out as much as $350 or more for sealed copies. Prices have been steadily rising for years and show no signs of abating.
14 Conker's Bad Fur Day - $500
It's lewd, obscene, disgusting, and worth more than $300. One of the rare Nintendo games intended for mature audiences, it's the subject matter that makes this game popular, hard to find, and expensive.
Even loose copies of this quirky game are expensive, costing more than $100. So it won't be a shock to see prices as high as $1,000 or more for new, sealed copies of the game. The bids for any copy of this game are rising, so collectors can sell it now for a relatively small but tidy profit, or keep it as a future nest-egg.
13 Indiana Jones And The Infernal Machine - $600
This game could be a Venn diagram, with each circle representing a different fan base. There are the people who love the Indiana Jones franchise, collectors of vintage games, sci-fi fans, and history buffs, all coming together to drive up the price of an otherwise normal video game.
At the time, at least, LucasArts was a thriving company and their games included various characters and plots from movies. Two decades later, it's tough to find the game, which is why new copies cost almost $600. The game is readily available for under 10 bucks as a download on platforms like Steam and Good Ol' Games if players are more interested in the experience than the collection value.
12 International Superstar Soccer 2000 - $650
International Superstar Soccer 2000 was a soccer game on the N64, and that's it. The only thing that was special about it was that it was the only game in the series to appear on the platform, which included players based on real-life athletes.
Aside from that, it's a soccer game from 2000 and that's about it. Yet, as is sometimes the case for sports games released near the end of a console's life that may not have gotten especially large print runs, sealed box copies cost around $650 on eBay. Even used copies are on the pricy side, with some costing around $70.
11 Worms Armageddon - $800
Fans of this franchise often choose this as their favorite in the series, and the game's wide appeal means it's available on several different ports. It's mostly gamer love that drives the price up on this one as opposed to the rarity, with complete games going for over $600 and new, sealed copies priced at more than $1,000.
Although it might have been novelty and sheer enjoyment that drove sales initially, new copies of the game are getting harder to find. Prices are steadily rising, so collectors who plan for the future may want to think about making an investment. It's worth noting that the game was also released for PC, PlayStation, and Dreamcast, all of which are much more affordable.
10 GoldenEye 007 - $800
GoldenEye 007 marked the beginning of a whole new era of 3D and FPS games, although there's a general consensus that certain aspects of that game haven't aged well. The higher price certainly isn't due to a supply problem, as plenty of copies of the cartridge are available.
Part of the issue is that there are so many copies and versions of GoldenEye 007 for a variety of consoles that the classic N64 version is getting more difficult to find. The sealed copy in pristine condition can cost an average of $800, with some complete, unopened packages priced in the thousands of dollars.
9 Goeman's Great Adventure - $1,000
While critics have given positive reviews to the Goeman series, the two N64 games only sold a total of around 360,000 copies. A dedicated fanbase has also emerged to embrace the game, which is based on a franchise that is huge in Japan with dozens of releases but has never taken off much elsewhere.
If you wish to experience this underrated gem, you can get used copies for pretty reasonable prices on eBay. Sealed copies of the game, however, will set you back about $1,000.
8 Starcraft 64 - $1,100
While Starcraft is one of the most beloved franchises on PC, it's had trouble making its way to consoles. The only attempt to bring the series produced for home systems, Starcraft 64, was a port of the PC classic for Nintendo's 64-bit console.
This version featured all the content from Starcraft but also included the Brood War expansion, as well as new tutorials and a new mission, titled Resurrection IV. While used copies are pretty cheap to come by, new boxed copies will cost around $1100 to purchase.
7 Bomberman 64: Second Attack - $1,250
Bomberman was one of the more unique franchises Konami created back in the NES days. The simple puzzle-like gameplay was addictive, and his adorable character design won the hearts of millions of gamers. While not as popular as Mario, Pac-Man, or Sonic, the series has garnered a large cult following.
When the series jumped to 3D, reviews were divisive. While you can get the first and third installments of the Bomberman 64 games on the cheap, the first sequel will cost you quite a bit and are usually only pursued by dedicated collectors. Boxed copies can cost anywhere between $250 to $2,000.
6 Snowboard Kids 2 (PAL Version) - $1,500
If you had an N64 in the late 90s, you probably played Snowboard Kids. The series was a snowboarding take on the Mario Kart formula, with players racing to the end of the stage while pulling off sick tricks and blasting each other with radical power-ups.
While US copies are easy to obtain, the PAL region versions are incredibly scarce and will cost you anywhere between one and two thousand dollars.
5 Turok: Rage Wars (Grey Cartridge) - $1,500
The Turok series is best known for its single-player campaigns that allow players to take on some of the most vicious dinosaurs of all time and blow them to bits. However, this spin-off was a multiplayer-focused shooter that had up to four friends duking out in split-screen multiplayer.
While you can buy a standard copy for roughly a dollar, the special grey cartridge will fetch between $1,000 and $2,000. In an age where everyone is playing multiplayer online, it's hard to believe sellers are willing to charge that much for a local multiplayer game.
4 Harvest Moon 64 - $1,500
The Story of Seasons franchise, more commonly known as Harvest Moon, is one of the more relaxing series to grace the industry. Similar to games like Farmville and Animal Crossing, the game has a nice laid-back approach to gameplay where you can relax and manage your farm.
Luckily, you can get copies for the N64 installment somewhere between $30 and $50. But, if you want a factory sealed copy, be prepared to spend anywhere in the ballpark of $3,000.
3 Super Bowling - $1,600
Like how International Superstar Soccer 2000 was just a soccer game, Super Bowling is just a bowling game. However, due to the game releasing near the end of the N64's life cycle, the game is insanely rare to find.
How much are we talking about? Well, only about $1,600. If you think that's wild, the box and manual alone have each sold for up to $500 on their own, making it not much more cost-affordable trying to build your own complete in box version by buying the components separately (which collectors often do).
2 Yoshi's Story (International Version) - $5,000
Believe it or not, most of Nintendo's first-party titles aren't some of the rarest games for the N64. This probably has to do with Nintendo regularly releasing their older games digitally on systems like the Wii, Wii U, and the Switch. However, the rare international version of Yoshi's Island stands out from the rest by quite possibly being the most expensive and rarest N64 game that was published and developed by Nintendo.
It uses the artwork from the US version, but it's in Japanese. As of this writing, copies often go up to $5,000, with some people trying to get as much as $50K at various points. Unless you need every version of Yoshi's Story, you're better off picking up a copy of your region's version.
1 Clay Fighter 63 1/3 Sculptor's Cut - $30,000
Clayfighter 63 1/3 is not a good game. The graphics are an eyesore, even by N64 standards. The fighting isn't very responsive, and the game feels like a bad parody of games like Mortal Kombat and Killer Instinct.
But, there was an update to the game in the form of a special "Sculptor's Cut" which added additional characters and tweaks to the gameplay to make it much more balanced. But, because this version was only available to rent at Blockbuster, copies were scarce. The game has gained a reputation of being the rarest and most expensive N64, with new copies being sold for $30,000 and some listings even trying for six figure price tags.
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