Nintendo’s first soar into the world of 3D gaming, the Nintendo 64 had its share of points within the transition. Nevertheless, it’s residence to a number of the most revolutionary video games of all time, like Super Mario 64 and The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, which modified the best way we take into consideration gaming.
What it additionally has is a fantastic share of some extraordinarily uncommon and costly titles. Even extra so than the rarest video games on different Nintendo platforms, buying copies of those video games in any capability — new or used — will take a huge quantity of funds out of your pockets. Here are 12 of the rarest and most costly Nintendo 64 video games that may set you again a couple of dollars to get.
All listed costs are courtesy of PriceCharting. All used costs are based mostly on the “Loose Price” itemizing, whereas additionally new costs are based mostly on the “New Price” itemizing. Additionally, entries can be listed from lowest to highest so as of their respective “new” value.
12. Conker’s Bad Fur Day
$589 New | $118 Used
Known as a lot for its high quality as its monetary bombing, the event story of Conker’s Bad Fur Day is broadly identified. Once one other 3D platformer supposed for a younger viewers alongside the traces of Banjo-Kazooie, Rare determined to vary it into an adult-skewing platformer to assist it stand out from the gang. It labored for the sport’s total high quality, however not for its funds.
Nintendo actually received colourful with its advertising marketing campaign (they even did promotions with Maxim and Playboy, of all issues), however in doing so, went by each avenue attainable to make sure the sport was solely bought by older audiences. Nintendo Power wasn’t allowed to speak about it, Nintendo of Europe wouldn’t even publish it, and KB Toys (bear in mind them?) refused to promote it. The sport field boldly emphasised that it was just for avid gamers 17 and older, as did the official technique guides, which had been even offered in black polybags.
Couple this with a launch simply months earlier than the GameDice in 2001, a time when most older Nintendo audiences had moved on to the PlayStation 2, and Conker was sure to flop. Still, its standing as a cult gem and one of many Nintendo 64’s greatest video games made it a scorching commodity, one thing that it nonetheless occurs to be regardless of available re-releases.
A used cartridge may land you round $118, whereas a new copy asks you for $589 proper off the bat. That’s a stunningly steep value to pay should you’re in search of an genuine expertise. It would most likely be greatest to seize the Xbox remaster, Conker: Live & Reloaded (which is backward appropriate with fashionable Xbox consoles), or to play the unique model by the Rare Replay compilation.
11. Ogre Battle 64: Person of Lordly Caliber
$665 New | $118 Used
Another sport launched late within the lifespan of the Nintendo 64, Ogre Battle 64: Person of Lordly Caliber was a tactical RPG that obtained an American localization a yr after its preliminary Japanese launch. Lost amidst a wave of different huge Nintendo 64 titles, like The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask, it didn’t obtain a enormous promotional marketing campaign and shipped in restricted qualities, inflicting it to fall by the wayside.
Much like Conker, although, it didn’t appear its American writer, Atlus, realized the type of high quality it had with this sport. Ogre Battle 64 proved to be a positively obtained sport, greater than sufficient to achieve hidden gem standing on the Nintendo 64. As a outcome, costs shot up for gamers trying to purchase one of many small variety of copies of this old-school RPG.
A used copy alone places you down $118, however should you’re in search of a new copy, you’ll must pop $665 on that. The sport was re-issued on the Wii U eShop in 2017, that means avid gamers did have a method to play the sport without having the unique cartridge. Ironically, that very eShop is now itself a factor of the previous, placing us again in no man’s land for availability.
10. Goemon’s Great Adventure
$1,195 New | $98 Used
Konami’s Goemon sequence is a cult franchise, and Goemon’s Great Adventure was one other title that offered properly inside its area of interest however didn’t land too far previous that. It might have additionally been a sufferer of releasing on the improper time within the gaming panorama, given its deliberately old-school platforming design on a console with a lot of boundary-pushing experiences.
When it was launched in 1999, Goemon’s Great Adventure’s standing as a 2.5D platformer made it a bit much less adventurous to some than titles like Super Mario 64 and Banjo-Kazooie. With these video games including new dimensions and innovation to gaming, a side-scrolling platformer was not practically as glamorous because it had been within the 16-bit period. Nevertheless, Goemon’s Great Adventure turned a little bit of a hidden gem, resulting in a huge improve in value.
While a used copy lands at $98, a new one will go for as a lot as $1,195. That’s an extremely hefty value for this cult-classic platformer. Still, if you will discover it for a cheap value, it may be price getting your fingers on. After all, it doesn’t look like Konami is doing a lot with Goemon as of late (outdoors of letting him cameo in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate).
9. Daikatana
$1,650 New | $79 Used
It’s truthful to say that with Daikatana, John Romero didn’t make anybody his bitch. Following the success of influential first-person shooters like Wolfenstein 3D, DOOM, and Quake, Daikatana was Romero’s first sport introduced after leaving id Software. It suffered a protracted growth cycle, earned a lot of destructive reception for its promotional cycle (that half about John Romero making you his bitch? Yeah, it was on a poster for the sport), and lives within the annals of gaming as one of many largest disasters of all time.
But the low high quality of the sport doesn’t make it any much less uncommon. After all, the Nintendo 64 was the one console it noticed a launch for (a PlayStation model was scrapped), that means it was your solely possibility should you weren’t a PC participant. However, between the PC model being a industrial failure and a launch on the tail-end of the Nintendo 64’s life, it’s straightforward to see why it didn’t transfer models.
That rarity, although, has helped jack up its value at the moment, going for $79 used and $1,650 new. Not solely would you be paying top-dollar for a dangerous sport, however you’re paying that a lot for the more serious model of it. If you’re that curious, you possibly can seize it on Steam for $7… or simply discover a higher first-person shooter to play.
8. Rat Attack
$2,124 New | $75 Used
Sometimes, the listing of uncommon and costly video video games brings you to some… fascinating territory. What on the earth is Rat Attack? Well, apparently it was a puzzle sport the place Scratch Cats are trying to cease an invasion of genius lab rats bent on world domination. If that sounds unusual to you…I imply, hey, it’s not in contrast to Nintendo to permit some really unusual video games on its techniques.
This sport lingered in growth hell for a very long time, and by the point it was lastly accessible, avid gamers appeared to not care. Its aged gameplay didn’t really feel that particular, and it didn’t assist that it was launched late in 1999 up in opposition to flashier titles like Resident Evil 3: Nemesis, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater, Crash Team Racing, and Pac-Man World. Even on the Nintendo 64, video games like Jet Force Gemini and Rayman 2: The Great Escape took up extra time from Nintendo followers.
As a outcome, it received misplaced within the pack and doubtless didn’t fly off of cabinets. This might have added to its mystique, as whereas a used copy will already set you again $75, a new-in-box copy goes all the best way as much as $2,124. Ultimately, it will not be price hedging your bets on such a dated puzzler, even when its quirky idea sounds fairly hilarious.
7. Bomberman 64: The Second Attack!
$2,573 New | $243 Used
The Bomberman franchise didn’t make the smoothest transition into 3D, although whereas Bomberman 64 gave the impression to be fantastic sufficient, Bomberman 64: The Second Attack! didn’t fare practically as properly. Much like many different video games on this listing, The Second Attack! got here out in 2000, close to the top of the console’s lifespan, and Hudson Soft did little to promote it. It could be truthful to suppose that some gamers didn’t even know of its existence, and provided that the reception was pretty mediocre, possibly some gamers didn’t wish to know.
Still, that each one added to the mystique and curiosity of the sport, therefore why its cartridges went manner up in value. A used copy sells for about $243, whereas a new copy lands at as excessive as $2,573. That’s a fairly hefty price for a mediocre Bomberman sport. Perhaps your effort and time are higher put into one of many extra fashionable video games, like Super Bomberman R or its sequel, Super Bomberman R 2.
6. F1 Racing Championship
$2,973 New | $297 Used
You would possibly see a racing sport on a Nintendo platform and attribute any industrial failings to the sport being trampled by the behemoth that’s Mario Kart. To be truthful, although, F1 Racing Championship’s increased value on the Nintendo 64 was not the results of its high quality, as the sport gave the impression to be fairly respectable. No, it seems the problem right here pertains to the discharge technique from Ubi Soft (yeah, bear in mind when Ubisoft’s identify was two separate phrases?)
While F1 Racing Championship was launched throughout a bevy of platforms, American avid gamers by no means obtained the Nintendo 64 model. At launch, this model was unique to European areas, whereas the Americas obtained the sport on the PlayStation, Game Boy Color, and ultimately the PlayStation 2 and PC. Between its launch close to the top of the Nintendo 64’s life (in 2000) and its inevitable next-generation launch, it’s onerous to think about it will’ve made a enormous dent had it gotten a stateside launch.
Still, that makes it a fairly uncommon (and costly) collector’s merchandise. A used copy alone will run you about $297, whereas a new copy will go over 10 occasions the value of that at $2,973. You’d most likely be higher served sticking to Mario Kart… or discovering the sport on a completely different console… or simply enjoying a fashionable F1 sport if you actually need your repair.
5. Worms Armageddon
$3,090 New | $250 Used
Often cited as the very best within the franchise, Worms Armageddon will be present in abundance on different platforms. The PlayStation model was added to the PlayStation Plus Premium library on PlayStation 4 and 5 not too way back. The PC model even continues to get updates to today; it looks as if it’s simply the Nintendo 64 model not getting sufficient love, even when manufacturing on it was not precisely “limited.”
A used copy of the sport will promote for $250, however a new copy is the place the value actually goes up, touchdown at about $3,090. It’s peculiar that a sport like this has such excessive pricing on the Nintendo 64 alone, provided that it doesn’t land a lot increased than $35 on different platforms.
The excellent news, although, is that the Nintendo 64 iteration is a sturdy model of the sport in its personal proper. If you are feeling the necessity to blow a lot of cash on this explicit launch, you possibly can not less than discover consolation in understanding that you simply’re paying for a sturdy model of a nice sport.
4. Rampage 2: Universal Tour [Big Box]
$4,650 New | No Used Price Listed
It would’ve felt improper to get by this whole listing with out mentioning some type of Limited Edition. They’re known as “Limited” for a motive; only a few copies are produced, and as soon as these provides are gone, good luck looking for one other one. Rampage 2: Universal Tour had a Limited Edition of its personal, and it’s turn out to be one of many rarest finds on the system.
PriceCharting doesn’t mark down a “used” model of the sport (understandably, as that won’t embody all the Big Box’s content material), however a new copy goes for as a lot as $4,650. So what made this version so particular and so costly? It got here with a Rampage plush keychain… yeah, all that cash for a keychain. Granted, there have been solely about 10 or so plush keychains made, so that may jack up the value, however simply know that’s all you’re getting.
It’s additionally not such as you’re getting a high-quality sport on this bundle, both. While the Nintendo 64 just isn’t the worst method to play this, the sport itself just isn’t practically memorable sufficient to be price your time. Unless that keychain appears to be like like one thing you completely can’t resist, suppose twice earlier than paying over 4 figures to purchase this Big Box launch.
3. Super Bowling
$6,231 New | $640 Used
Now for the enjoyable half; stepping into the video games most have most likely by no means heard of. Super Bowling for the Nintendo 64 was… simply that: bowling. It’s a enjoyable exercise, nevertheless it makes for little greater than a novelty in a online game (except it’s Wii Sports, after all). Initially a Super NES sport again in 1992, the Nintendo 64 model wouldn’t hit North American retailer cabinets till 2001.
What else got here out in 2001 once more? Oh proper, the GameDice. By that time, as Conker proved, few had been actually investing in Nintendo 64 techniques, particularly when it got here to third-party titles. Gamers had simply gotten their fingers on the PlayStation 2 and weren’t actually caring about non-exclusive video games on Nintendo’s console. As a outcome, few copies had been produced, and discovering one now places you down a heavy penny.
Even a used copy lands at $640, whereas a new copy flies in at a whopping $6,231. All this for a sport involving bowling, an exercise you possibly can exit and do with your loved ones and mates for considerably much less cash (or, should you want your bowling online game repair, Wii Sports and Nintendo Switch Sports are viable choices). You’d suppose that is the most costly it may get for the system, however we’re simply getting began.
2. Stunt Racer 64
$7,146 New | $335 Used
Wow, the Nintendo 64 was unsympathetic to racing video games that weren’t first-party titles, wasn’t it? Truthfully, Stunt Racer 64 had a particularly circuitous street to profitability, one which had little to do with Nintendo’s flagship racer. Instead, its lack of success needed to do with retailer exclusivity greater than something.
Stunt Racer 64 was solely launched to the granddaddy of nostalgic Nineties/early 2000s shops, Blockbuster. And not solely was it launched for rental there, nevertheless it was additionally a absolutely purchasable sport solely at Blockbuster. So if this little-known racer was one thing you desperately craved again in 2000, Blockbuster Video was your solely alternative.
It’s not clear whether or not this exclusivity was a strategic plan based mostly on the success of Blockbuster on the time or the results of a writer having its fingers tied and needing to make again some type of money on a potential flop. Regardless, being a video rental retailer, not each copy of the sport was offered full within the field; typically, the packing containers could be used as shows on the shelf, with shoppers solely receiving the cartridges. Thus, discovering such an obscure sport is already onerous, and it’s even more durable to search out a full copy provided that lots of its packing containers could also be gone.
A used copy of the sport will already set you again $335, whereas a new copy will soar all the best way as much as $7,146. That’s a lot to pay for what really appears to be a fairly stable sport. Who is aware of? Maybe the final remaining Blockbuster out in Bend, Oregon has a copy of it mendacity round someplace.
1. ClayFighter: Sculptor’s Cut
$16,120 New | $1,000 Used
Keep Stunt Racer 64’s story in your thoughts for a minute, please; we now have one thing comparable right here. ClayFighter: Sculptor’s Cut was an up to date re-release of the Nintendo 64 title ClayFighter 63 1/3. Much like Stunt Racer 64, this was solely accessible at Blockbuster, although maybe the wildest half is that it was solely accessible to hire. Unlike Stunt Racer 64, you may not go into a Blockbuster and buy the sport, as the one method to personal a copy was to win it in an internet contest. Wow, what a distinction.
Once once more, a lot of the rarity comes from it being a video rental unique, one that customers weren’t capable of “own” (outdoors of the net contest). With retail packing containers serving extra as a show than something, lots of the packing containers and manuals had been trashed in some unspecified time in the future and have become even rarer than the cartridges themselves.
A used copy of the sport already runs at $1,000, whereas a new copy will go for… get this… $16,120. Get able to pop your yearly wage (if that) if you would like a full copy of this uncommon sport. The solely motive to spend money on it will be its rarity, although: Clayfighter 63 1/3 was not a excellent sport, and the Sculptor’s Cut hardly makes it any higher. If you’re that enamored with nostalgia, simply play Super Smash Bros. as a substitute. Or e-book a journey to Bend, Oregon to go to the final Blockbuster; you may make it a Blockbuster night time another time for old-time’s sake.
That’s simply a small window into the world of uncommon, costly, and invaluable Nintendo 64 video games. What are another titles that will value a fortune? Let us know within the feedback.
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