Duane Beckett
There are countless old Nintendo games that sell for serious money, with some reaching eye-popping prices at auction. However, we’re not leaning on Super Mario Bros., Super Mario Bros. 3, or Pokémon Red, games everyone already knows can bring in huge sums.
Instead, we’ve picked six games that show how odd formats, low production runs, special packaging, and pure nostalgia can turn an old Nintendo release into collector gold.
Zelda Game & Watch, 1989
First up is a handheld device that remains affordable for anyone looking to start a collection. Catawiki reports that Nintendo’s Zelda Game & Watch has sold for about $380 on average, which is not lottery money, but it’s still a big jump for a small LCD handheld from 1989.
The dual-screen design gave Zelda fans a pocket-sized adventure long before we were carrying games on phones. Collectors usually want the full package here, including the box, foam insert, paperwork, clean screens, and working sound.
As someone who owns a 1989 Zelda Game & Watch, I understand the appeal. It’s not just a game, it’s a little plastic time capsule from the days when devices like this could still deliver real excitement.
The Legend of Zelda: Minish Cap, 2004
We’re not talking about the standard game here, but a Limited Adventure Set tied to a competition prize. It later appeared through the Club Nintendo web shop. Only around 300 of these Game Boy Advance-era Zelda sets were made, which explains the value. For instance, one sale reached $1,860.
This is the kind of item serious Zelda collectors chase because it has a low production run, special packaging, and is tied to Club Nintendo. However, it’s not the kind of game you’ll find sitting around in a random garage sale but it’s a great example of how rarity drives value.
EarthBound, 1995
I still think EarthBound is one of the strangest Nintendo success stories. It came out for the SNES in 1995, didn’t exactly light up the sales charts, then slowly became one of those games people talk about with reverence.
According to PriceCharting, recent loose EarthBound cartridges have sold in the $300 to $450 range, while complete big-box sets with the guide have landed much higher, including sales from roughly $1,500 to $5,000 in 2026 listings.
Finding the complete big-box set is collector gold. To bring in the bigger money, it needs to include the guide, scratch-and-sniff cards, a clean cartridge label, and strong cardboard condition. Without all of that, the value can drop sharply.
Mike Tyson’s Punch-Out!!, 1987
Mike Tyson’s Punch-Out!! has the cultural punch a lot of old sports games lack. It wasn’t just another NES boxing title, it had Tyson’s name, Tyson’s face, and that final fight that made a generation of kids question their reflexes.
Nintendo Life reported that the 5-screw version is especially sought after, partly because Nintendo later phased out that cartridge style and later Punch-Out!! versions replaced Tyson with Mr. Dream.
Data from Heritage Auctions shows sealed graded copies have sold deep into five figures, with one Wata 9.6 A++ copy reaching $102,000 and other examples selling for $84,000 and $78,000.
Tetris, 1989
Tetris was the first game I ever played on a Game Boy, and it will forever be ingrained in my memory. That’s true for many gamers from the ’80s and early ’90s. The novelty of being able to play in the car, on the couch, or under the covers was incredible, and I can guarantee most kids of that era never imagined anyone would care about a sealed copy decades later.
loveMONEY found that Nintendo’s Game Boy version of Tetris can reach up to about $92,000 in top condition. Heritage Auctions also shows how condition and print run make a huge difference. For instance, a sealed Wata 9.4 A copy sold for $5,000 in 2024. A big price, but vastly different to $92,000.
The key to remember is that loose carts are common, but sealed, high-grade, early Nintendo-published copies are a different story. Those are highly coveted.
Nintendo World Championships 1990 Gold Cart
Few Nintendo items carry more collector lore than the 1990 Nintendo World Championships Gold cartridge. It was made for the famous tournament, it was never sold as a normal retail game, and the gold version was given out in very small numbers.
CGC Video Games reported that a gold 1990 Nintendo World Championships cartridge realized $207,400 in a 2024 Goldin sale. Catawiki also described the Gold Edition as one of the most expensive secondhand video games, with earlier values pushing well into six figures after conversion.
For collectors, provenance is everything here. It needs a real shell, clean label, documented history, and authentication. Without those things, this collector gold could be a headache to prove.