The Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) was home to many beloved classic games that have stood the test of time. However, not every game released for the console was a hit, and some are so rare that they’ve become collectors’ items.
Interestingly, some of the rarest NES games are not just terrible games that were not popular, but they are actually prototypes from Nintendo itself, not intended for commercial release.
In this list, we will explore some of the rarest and most unusual NES games that collectors and enthusiasts hunt for today.
1. Stadium Events
Stadium Events is a sports fitness game for the NES in which players compete in four Olympic events. While it was re-released in 1988 under the name World Class Track Meet, the original North American version is incredibly rare, with only about 10 or 11 copies spotted since its release in 1987.
The game was test marketed in the US by publisher Bandai as part of their Family Fitness line of games, designed for use with their Family Fun Fitness pad. It is rumored that only 200 copies of the game were shipped to retail, selling exclusively at Woolworths in the northeastern US. Nintendo bought the North American rights to the Family Fun Fitness pad shortly after copies of the game were sent to stores, and once they owned the rights, they recalled the Family Fun games, including the 200 copies of Stadium Events.
Word around the collector’s community is that only a few copies sold during a couple of days preceding the recall are in circulation, and the rest were destroyed to make way for Nintendo’s repackaged version, World Class Track Meet. The original box and manual of Stadium Events are considered highly valuable, with one complete copy selling over $10,000 in the 2010s. Compared to the non-rare versions of the game which are priced at a few hundred dollars.
If you are serious about buying the rare version of the game, you need to identify the legitimate version of the game, which has English text on the box and cartridge and the line “Licensed by Nintendo for play on” in English. Also, the North American version has a vastly different circular Nintendo Seal of Quality than European games. Due to the surge of retro game collections, the price of a copy of this game is unaffordable for even hardcore gamers. That is unfortunate, since this game compared to the majority on this list, is somewhat decent.
2. Little Samson
Little Samson has become the poster child of NES collecting success stories, though it never received the mainstream media attention that Stadium Events did. Originally a hidden gem in the mid-2000s, Little Samson wasn’t at the top list of most-sought NES games but could still be found at a reasonable price. However, by early 2010, prices had skyrocketed to $90 for a bare cart and $200 for a complete copy. Today, Little Samson can fetch up to $7,000.
Little Samson is an action shooter developed by Taito in 1991 with colorful graphics and smooth animation. This game pushes the NES hardware to its limits. Unfortunately, the lack of marketing push in the early 90s prevented it from gaining traction in the crowded NES platforming market. Despite this, it remains the most valuable un-recalled retail NES game in the collector market.
3. Bubble Bath Babes
Nintendo today would have been burned at the stake by the Nintendo of the past for allowing adult games on the Switch. Nevertheless, there are sultry games able to slip into the NES and to a narrow segment of the gamer population.
The game Bubble Bath Babes is a puzzle game for the NES that, despite its focus on nudity and sexual content, falls short in terms of gameplay and entertainment value. While some of the puzzle pieces are easy to deal with, others are difficult to place properly without creating more colorless bubbles, leading to frustration. The game offers some special features such as flashing bubbles that make nearby bubbles the same color and “magic” bubbles that can clear out empty bubbles when triggered. However, these features can sometimes be more of a hindrance than a help.
As for the challenge factor, the game starts off easy but gets progressively more difficult as you advance through the levels. However, the challenge is somewhat diminished by the fact that you can pause the game to survey the screen before making a move, and by the fact that groups of bubbles cannot move upward while moving horizontally. Additionally, the only reward for completing a level is a mildly provocative image of a woman, which may have been a draw for players in the past, but is now outdated and unimpressive.
4. Myriad 6-in-1
Myriad 6-in-1 was released in 1992 by Myriad Interactive, and it includes six games: Boogerman, Super Skidmarks, Super Putty, Death Valley Rally, Maximum Carnage, and Claymates. However, Myriad Interactive’s release of the game was controversial, as it was unlicensed by Nintendo and violated its intellectual property rights. As a result, Nintendo took legal action against Myriad, and the company eventually stopped producing the cartridges.
5. Caltron’s 6-in-1
Caltron’s 6-in-1 is a multi-game cartridge of unlicensed Asian Fami-clone carts developed by obscure bootleg companies NTDEC and Mega Soft, that serves as a textbook example of quantity over quality and one of the more heinous examples of blatant plagiarism in that most of the games in the collection are essentially knock-offs of much older and generally better titles.
The games in the collection include Cosmos Cop, Magic Carpet 1001, and Balloon Monster, among others. Cosmos Cop is the only game with any semblance of a storyline and is a rail shooter that is graphically impressive, but the hit detection is awkward, and the game is repetitive. Magic Carpet 1001 is a side-scrolling shooter with unpredictable enemy attack patterns and challenging gameplay but is let down by annoying music and dated graphics. Balloon Monster is a terrible blatant ripoff of Buster Bros, and it’s best avoided. Honestly, Caltron’s 6-in-1 is a waste of time that’s not worth the plastic and metal that it was manufactured from. But from a collector’s point of view, this product is the holy grail.
If you’re looking for a rare multi-game cartridge for the NES, Caltron’s 6-in-1 may be a safer choice as it is better gameplay-wise, but that bar is too low anyway.
6. Panesian Games
At one point in time, prior to The Witcher 3 and it’s not Leisure Larry, there is a deluge of adult-themed games. These Panesian games are rare because they were unlicensed and had adult content, which made Nintendo reluctant to release them on their NES console.
Panesian released them on their own, but in very limited quantities, making them valuable to collectors despite their poor quality. With three more complete versions of these games listed on eBay, it’s hard to say when this heavy rainfall of listings will end.
It’s worth noting that while these games are valuable due to their rarity, they are also notoriously bad games. Their value is largely derived from their historical significance and their appeal to collectors, rather than their quality as video games.
7. Bonk’s Adventure
This platformer features a caveman character that was only released in North America as part of a promotional deal with a cereal company. The cartridge is rare and highly sought after by collectors.
Bonk’s Adventure is a prehistoric-themed side-scrolling platform game in which the player controls a caveman-child named Bonk, who has to defeat King Drool’s evil plans. The game has 35 levels divided into five worlds, offering a range of environments, enemies, and hazards. The game’s controls are good and easy to understand, although they can be a bit stiff. The game is long and challenging, with traps and ambushes set up throughout the levels. Bonk’s Adventure is a classic game and the first in the Bonk series.
The game was released on multiple platforms and the price varies based on the platform and the condition of the game. The original TurboGrafx-16 version of Bonk’s Adventure is one of the most expensive and sought-after games in the console’s library, with a price that can exceed hundreds of dollars. The game’s rarity and demand are due to its popularity, critical acclaim, and the fact that it was only released on a few platforms.
8. Cheetahmen 2
Cheetahmen 2 was created under time constraints and technical difficulties. It was never officially released, but 1,500 copies were printed and sat in a warehouse for five years before being discovered and given an impromptu release. The game is rare and difficult to find, with a high cost for collectors, but it is not worth playing for entertainment value. The gameplay is described as broken and incomplete, and it is impossible to pass the second level without cheating.
9. Action 52
Action 52 is an unlicensed video game compilation for the Nintendo Entertainment System that includes 52 games in various genres, such as scrolling shooters and platformers, and is known for its low quality and horrible production.
Active Enterprises developed and published the game in 1991 and sold it for $199.00, making it one of the most expensive games of its time. It is considered one of the worst games ever made, with many of its games being left unfinished, failing to run, or being the samey game with different titles.
10. Zombie Nation
Zombie Nation is a 1990 NES game featuring a headless samurai battling American zombies with laser eye beams and vomit. The game has six levels, unique bosses, and diverse enemies. Its weapons, toxic barf, and eyeballs are somewhat useless, and the game has a unique sense of humor.
However, Zombie Nation’s rarity and cost are quite high, and its poor quality, unappealing graphics, and unpleasant soundtrack have earned negative reviews. Zombie Nation is a rare and expensive game, but its lack of appeal and poor quality makes it not worth the investment if you are a gamer. For collectors though, this game is probably on their top-10 list.
11. Cowboy Kid
Cowboy Kid is a 1992 NES game developed by Pixel, inspired by Konami’s Ganbare Goemon series, but with a Western twist. While some believe that Konami may have rejected the game, it was eventually published by Romstar in North America. Cowboy Kid features elements of beat ‘em up, side-scrolling platforming, overhead shooter, and RPG, as well as mini-games like blackjack and shooting gallery. Despite being a low-run production game, Cowboy Kid has gained popularity among collectors in recent years.
12. Earthbound Zero
Mother, or Earthbound Zero, is a classic NES game that was never officially released outside of Japan, making it rare and hard to find. Despite its faults, such as grinding, limited inventory system, and slow pacing, the game has a strong fan community due to its charming writing and non-fantasy setting.
The game follows the story of a 12-year-old boy with psychic abilities and his adventure to save the world by traversing several towns and dungeons.
13. Donkey Kong Jr. Math
Donkey Kong Jr. Math is a rare ‘edutainment’ title for the NES that attempts to integrate math problems into gameplay. The game features both one-player and two-player modes, where players must solve basic arithmetic problems to receive points or race against each other to reach a mutual goal number. However, the limited content and confusing controls in both modes make for a lackluster gaming experience.
While the Donkey Kong license may be appealing to some, the game falls short of a proper Donkey Kong title and fails to offer much in terms of engaging gameplay. For those who enjoy math puzzles, the game may hold some appeal, but true gamers may find it to be a waste of time and money. As a rare title, Donkey Kong Jr. Math may hold some interest for collectors or fans of educational games, but there are certainly better options available for those seeking a worthwhile gaming experience.
Donkey Kong Jr. Math is considered rare because it was not a popular game and was not produced in large quantities. It was also released late in the NES’s lifespan, around 1986, and did not sell well.
14. Nintendo World Championships
The 1990 Nintendo Worldwide Championships: Gold Edition was the contest prize in one of Nintendo Power’s monthly promotions. Only twenty-six copies of the game were ever produced, with one grand prize winner and twenty-five runners-up each receiving a copy. What makes these cartridges so unique is that they were distributed to winners throughout North America, making them incredibly rare and sought-after.
There is also a Grey Edition of the same game.
15.1991 Campus Cartridge
The 1991 Nintendo Campus cartridge was created for a video game competition, and it had three games on it with a time limit of about six minutes. The cartridges were supposed to be destroyed after the event. The cartridges had three games on them: Super Mario 3, PinBot, and Dr. Mario
