5 of the Most Expensive NES Games You Can Buy

Retro gaming can be an expensive hobby for some. Collecting old cartridges can cost more than they did when they were brand new back in the 80’s and 90’s. But some cartridges are so rare that their prices have become absolutely insane – especially when you consider that the first expensive NES game on this list is arguably the worst game on any console…ever.

Cheetahmen II – $1,800

Cheetah Men II for NES — *Cheetah Men II* for the NES – A nefarious and collectible cartridge

This game is awful – arguably the worst game developed for the NES. It was developed, but wasn’t officially released. But, through some fluke, a trove of these cartridges was found in a warehouse and now collectors are clamoring to get their hands on it. It regularly goes for over $1,800 per cartridge. You can get one yourself here if you’re really into terrible, but rare games.

Little Samson – $2,000

Little Samson NES home screen — Little Samson for NES is a great game, but few physical cartridges exist.

One of the last NES games to be created, this game didn’t get a wide distribution because Nintendo was putting all of its effort into SNES games. Due to the low distribution numbers in North America, there aren’t a lot of carts floating around out there. But if you can find one, you can expect to pay well north of $2,000 for the cart alone, and if you want the original box as well, they are going for as high as $12,999. Take your pick here. The reason isn’t just because of its rarity. Little Samson is regarded as one of the best platformers on the NES.

MegaMan (5 screws) – $10,000

MegaMan 5 Screw NES Cart — *MegaMan* cartridges with 5 screws on the back instead of 3 are worth a TON of money.

Yep, the only thing that makes this cart unique is that it has 5 screws on the back instead of the usual 3 found on most other NES carts. Those two extra screws take you from a few dozen dollars to over $10,000. If you have a screw loose, go ahead and pick one up.

DuckTales Remastered Timewalk Presskit 0/150 – $45,000

DuckTales on the NES is a classic and it sold over 1.5 million units worldwide. So how could a version of it be worth north of $45,000? Well…

DuckTales NES Gold Cartridge from 2013 Press Kit for DuckTales Remastered — This golden cartridge could be worth up to $45,000.

In 2013, Capcom sent 150 gold DuckTales NES cartridges to members of the press to help promote DuckTales Remastered, an update of the beloved classic with new graphics but with the same great gameplay as the original. The press kit was a lunchbox and also included a Certificate of Authenticity. Because only 150 were ever produced, it’s incredibly hard to get your hands on one of these rare cartridges. However, as of this writing, a seller on eBay is offering number 0/150 for a measly $45,000.

Nintendo World Championships 1990 – $57,500

1990 Nintendo World Championship Cartridge — Nintendo World Championships 1990 grey cartridge is one of the most expensive NES titles you can buy.

This is one of the most coveted NES cartridges. The 1990 Nintendo World Championships had special cartridges created for the event, and they are worth more than their weight in gold. The last one to sell sold for $57,500. Want to get your hands on a copy? A number of sellers on eBay are offering them – some for as low as $75,000.