How much is a video game cartridge worth? How about $870,000.00?

By: William Sikkens
Host, User Friendly 2.0 Saturday’s at 5:00 p.m.

How much is a video game cartridge worth?  How about $870,000.00?

A sealed, rare version of the Nintendo game The Legend of Zelda just sold for $870,000.  This makes it the most expensive video game ever sold.  This was the first edition of the popular franchise which has been updated and extended for all of the Nintendo systems over the years.  First released in 1986 the game has seen over two dozen versions.   The most current is being released this year for the Nintendo Switch console called “Skyward Sword”.

The Legend of Zelda isn’t alone in high price collectable video games.  In April a sealed copy of Super Mario Bros., also for the first generation Nintendo system, sold for $660,000.  Even used, open games are seeing a premium.  Recently a boxed version of the Atari 2600 console released in the late 1970’s sold for $250.00.

Like most collectables the prices are all about condition.  Some video games are rarer than others and having the original box, manuals, and packing materials will always set a premium price.  Even just the boxes can be worth money such as the original packaging from an Atari 5200 system without the system can fetch over $100.00

The best way to find out if you have electronic gold is to check and see what your games are selling for.  Remember, anyone can ask any amount, so the real value is what they actually have sold for.

Here are a few examples:

Xante cartridges Atari 2600 (made in the early 1980’s) sold between $200 and $1000 depending on the game and condition. 

Mangia Atari VCS/2600 1983 version  in the box this game can fetch as much as $1500.  Even without the box it has sold for around $700

Pepsi Invaders – made in 1983 Coca-Cola decided to get in the game industry.  Worth about $800, you “shoot” at Pepsi as it invades.  This is a clone of Space Invaders.

During this era there were other systems including the Intellivison, Colecovision and others.  An Intellivison Spiker! Super Pro Volleyball in the box can bring over $2,000.00.

Hardware can also get a lot of money.

Recently a rare prototype of a Nintendo Playstation console was found at a garage sale in Seattle.  Yes, there was a combination of these two systems considered at one time.   This system sold for $360,000 in an auction last year.

Like comic books, baseball cards and record albums it’s worth checking what has been sitting in your garage.

William (Bill) Sikkens has been an on-air technology expert since 2014. With an expertise in I.T., cyber security and software design he has had more than 20 years’ experience with advanced technology. Sikkens conceptualizes and designs custom applications for many professional industries from health care to banking and has the ability to explain the details in a way all can understand.  Article edited by Gretchen Winkler, who along with Jeremy Winkler are the co-hosts of User Friendly 2.0 here on The Answer Saturday’s at 5:00 p.m.

Links and brand/store information provided are for information only and are not endorsed by Salem Media Group, KPAM or the shows hosts.  

Got a technology question or comment for Bill? Follow him on Twitter @sikkensw