Retro video games from your childhood may be worth more than you think. If you’ve got some Nintendo 64, SNES or Mega Drive cartridges gathering dust, it might be time to check their value. We asked a retro games expert which blasts from the past people should be on the lookout for.
Have a peek at these prices – then take a look in your attic. You might just have some gaming treasure on your hands.
Estimated value claims below are provided by a retro games dealer with 19 years expertise in the field. The claims below are based on his experience in apprising retro and rare games, based on a number of factors, not limited to and including estimated likely demand for the game, market conditions, topical events and not on actual sold or advertised prices. Rainbow Riches Casino has not verified the value claims and has not received any monies or commercial value in producing this article. The value claims should be understood as a guide, are not definitive and should not be expected.
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Insights about how retro games are valued, and what you should watch out for when looking to collect or sell, provided by Andy Brown at Console Passion.
There are a number of factors, but the most obvious reason is nostalgia.
Everyone has a favourite game from when they were younger. Playing that game or hearing its music can instantly send you back to your childhood days – when things seemed a lot more carefree.
The second reason is the simpler nature of the games themselves. You don't need to remember any complicated backstory – you can just jump right in and play. The huge number of mobile games paying homage to classics is a good indicator of this.
The more popular a title, the more copies exist – so the less value each copy holds.
Games mass produced in their millions on an annual basis, such as sports games, tend to hold the least value. Titles that cost £40 on purchase can be worth just a few pounds six months down the line!
If a game is produced towards the end of a console life cycle, however, then these normally have smaller print runs, so copies can have higher value further down the line.
Sometimes there are special editions or limited editions of games too. These can cost more, especially if they are bundled with a statue, but they are more desirable for collectors – so can fetch good prices after just a few years.
If you have a collection and want to maximise the money from selling, the best time of year is just before Christmas.
Video Games in general are more popular during winter months, so demand is higher. Retro games are popular Christmas presents.
There are certain circumstances where games from a particular franchise may suddenly see a price increase too. For instance, if a new Zelda game is released, there may be a sharp increase in the value of the previous Zelda titles – as people want to reacquaint themselves with the series.
Also, even though sporting games rarely hold value, there is always an increase in demand for certain titles around the summer and winter Olympics, and various World Cups.
Insights about how retro games are valued, and what you should watch out for when looking to collect or sell, provided by Andy Brown at Console Passion.
