The Rarest NES Games Ever (And Why They're So Rare)

Nintendo's eight-bit console is home to a slew of exceedingly rare, expensive games. Despite their age and archaic nature, there are ample titles that remain coveted and often cost loads more than flashy games of the modern era. Thanks to its seasoning and several unique and obscure games, NES remains a platform of choice for collectors looking to show off their rare gaming artifacts.

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Much like the software embedded in plastic, many of these carts themselves come with rather interesting backstories, which often explain how they became so scarce and valuable. While there are plenty of rather expensive titles, a handful of them are truly in their own league when it comes to rarity and price, especially in-box.

Updated September 28, 2024, by Stephen LaGioia: Collecting rare video games is a hobby that continues to grow. This is especially true as gamers rediscover retro classics of the Atari, NES, and Genesis eras. Services like Nintendo Switch Online and their classic libraries have helped spur this renaissance, but for many, collecting retro nostalgic gems has been a passion long predating this. And in an age where digital technology is becoming the norm, having a physical disc or cartridge, that can be proudly showcased on one's gaming shelf, brings a certain charm. With this in mind, and given the fluctuating prices, we decided to refresh this list of the rarest, most valuable NES games for collectors.

23 Chip N' Dale Rescue Rangers 2

Capcom Could Not Rescue It From Poor Sales

Tapping into the nostalgia of many '80s and '90s kids, this charming and whimsical platformer, based on the Disney cartoon features two crime-fighting chipmunks as they traverse many colorful, wacky locales. In what can be a seen as a Disney-fied Mario knockoff, players must essentially get from A to B as they walk, hop, duck, and nab objects while avoiding a slew of unique foes fans will recognize.

The game takes a more linear approach than its predecessor and features multiplayer, clearly going for more accessibility — though this didn't quite work like Capcom hoped. A sequel to the 1990 game, this one was a latecomer to the NES library, like so many now-valuable NES relics, as the Super Nintendo was well into its life when it hit Western shores in 1994. The platformer was actually well-received by most of the few who played it, though it was considered pretty straightforward.

22 Sqoon

This Game Was Alien To Most NES Players

Crafted by the obscure Japanese studio Home Date (now Magical Company), Sqoon is a side-scrolling shooter where players fend off invading aliens from Neptune. To feast on "man-ham livestock," they destabilize Earth by melting the polar ice caps and of course, sending minions to attack pink submarine fighters.

While made into a Manga, this one never quite took off, particularly in the US. It probably didn't help that technical inquiries had to be handled by another studio (Broderbund), since Sqoon's publisher didn't have an American branch.

21 Myriad 6-In-1

A Myriad Of Duds

This peculiar compilation can be described as a gaming fever dream which has shades of obscure Atari romps rather than NES. The package was developed by Taiwanese NTDEC (aka Caltron Industries), which went defunct only a year after this title's 1992 release. The cart contains six distinct games which include the corny sci-fi shoot-em-up Cosmos Cop and the bizarre Balloon Monster.

These separate games had already been released before this bundle, but the studio, to add appeal, packaged them into this even more obscure 6 in 1 cart. 'Quantity over quality' seems to have been the mantra here, though this diverse lineup didn't stop critics from panning the lot of them for being "barely first-generation NES quality."

But while knocked for offering cheap-feeling NES and arcade clones, this cart's now ironically among one of the most valuable loose.

20 Kid Klown In Night Mayor World

Kemco's Klown Game Didn't Cut It

In this platform shooter, Kid Klown, also oddly known as Mickey Mouse, scurries forward while using his trusty balloons that are used for high jumps, floating, as well as basic attacks. He must rescue his family while en route to the circus, and confront the amusingly-named "Night Mayor".

The game throws a handful of unique thematic stages with various critters looking to end Klown. These stages are followed by an even more wild bonus level after each, as well as several boss fights. Largely a victim of being released late, in an oversaturated platforming market, this colorful Kemco game didn't quite register for most NES gamers. After all, many had moved onto the SNES during its April 1993 release.

19 Duck Tales 2

Owners Of A New Copy Could Be Diving In Piles Of Cash

Tapping into the Saturday morning cartoon hype of the early 90s, Capcom likely expected this sequel to Duck Tales to perform at least moderately well in sales. Yet the rather stiff controls and non-linear progression tempered the hype, as that formula started to age by the time it hit the scene in late 1993.

But despite its "more of the same" approach, Duck Tales 2 proved a competent enough platformer in its own right. It brought some impressive, vibrant visuals (for NES) and fairly deep platforming that encouraged gamers to explore the cartoony scenes.

18 Stack Up

Stack Up Countless Bills With A New Copy

Back when the American market was still hesitant to take on gaming again after the Atari crash, Nintendo decided to position their NES as more of a toy. Enter the clunky, slow-moving R.O.B. The Robot, an accessory that was to work in conjunction with certain games. One of the premiere titles was this strange block-sorting "game."

Stack Up has a professor stepping on arrows to arrange blocks by color and patterns, which R.O.B. Would robotically obey. But while it's hard to find too much fun in this game (which feels more like a demo), it's at least an interesting gimmick — and a valuable one!

As one can imagine, this premise didn't quite wow gamers even in the '80s, when such tech may have been considered more cutting-edge. This made the game particularly tough to get ahold of, especially when included with the clunky robot. The in-box version of Stack Up is particularly rare, fetching over a grand.

17 Donkey Kong Jr. Math

The Math Just Doesn't Add Up

It's hard to imagine a game featuring Nintendo's prized ape mascot being so obscure, but (at least for boxed copies) that's the case for Donkey Kong Jr. Math. "Edu-tainment" is a style that hadn't quite taken off in the 80s, as the genre didn't tend to do either aspect too well... Some studios have begun to make some interesting efforts these days, though.

It's not surprising that this math-based spin-off to a less-popular sequel didn't light the sales charts on fire. The game proved sluggish, inconsequential, and not terribly educational with its basic equations. At least its complete-in-box value is more exciting, with an asking price close to three grand.

16 Cowboy Kid

A Gun-Slinging Hoot

Drawing inspiration from Konami's Goemon series, this even more obscure romp features a cowboy firing and hacking away at foes across stock Western settings. Cowboy Kid is competent enough, especially with its wild co-op mode. Yet, its subject matter of clashing with Native Americans is... Questionable at best.

As is the bizarre American cover art, which resembles a cheesy Western B-movie more than a game. Its highly spotty hit detection and rather imbalanced progression could also be a culprit for its lack of success and why a boxed game now fetches well over $1,000. It's not exactly a gold rush, but it's in the top tier when it comes to CIB copies.

15 Mighty Final Fight

It Hasn't Aged Too Mightily

Fans of Capcom's street brawler will likely point to the gritty realism when it comes to the franchise's appeal. In this sense, then, this odd spin-off doesn't really showcase the spirit of the mainline Final Fights. Rather, it features rather comical, cartoon-like caricatures instead.

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By  Ewan Lewis

The silly, minimal art style, coupled with an ill-fitting experience system, made this offshoot an afterthought for both the studio and fans alike. But while the original NES cart is obscure, the game saw new life by way of a 2006 rendition for the Game Boy Advance, Capcom Mini-Mix.

14 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Tournament Fighters

Commands A Bodacious Price With Its Box

Before the Super Smash Bros.-inspired romp known as TMNT: Smash-Up, there was this charming fighter that bore some hallmarks of Street Fighter with a Turtles overlay. This NES game had the misfortune of being released well after the Super Nintendo launched and was overshadowed by the brawler classic Turtles In Time.

On top of this, there were various skews for Tournament Fighter, along with regional releases. In a rare role reversal, Japan never got a release of this NES Turtles game, further adding to its scarcity.