If you’re like me, then you grew up spending countless hours playing some of the best Nintendo 64 games of all time. While it certainly didn’t dominate the console wars in the late ‘90’s and early 2000’s (that would of course go to Sony’s PlayStation), it did leave its mark on console gaming nonetheless. The last console to use cartridges and one of the wildest controllers ever designed, the Nintendo 64 holds a special place in the hearts of many.
Unfortunately, many of us also sold our Nintendo 64 games when the next console generation rolled around. Regretfully, I have made it my mission to start hunting down my favorite games that I unfortunately sold over a decade ago, yet to my surprise, a ton of my favorites are a little more expensive. Not only that, but a few of the games I remember seeing on store shelves 10+ years ago are now selling for hundreds of dollars!
But it shouldn’t come as a surprise. The Nintendo 64 is a dinosaur at this point, and alas, a few of its games are becoming harder to find all the time. Here are some of the rarest (and expensive) Nintendo 64 games money can buy. So if you want to play Conker’s Bad Fur Day all over again? You better start saving.
Yoshi’s Story International Version
Call me crazy, but I was pretty annoyed that Yoshi’s Story opted for a more 3D look rather than the gorgeous 2D appearance of Yoshi’s Island. Nevertheless, Yoshi’s Story was a fairly fun game, and although you won’t have to spend much to enjoy it all over again, if for some reason you want to buy the International version of Yoshi’s Story, expect to pay a pretty penny.
Yoshi’s Story International Version is nothing more than a demo cartridge that was made for a few kiosks in North America before the game was released. Every bit of text in the demo is in Japanese, yet the cartridge only works on North American Nintendo 64 consoles. There is no word on how many of these bad boys were produced, but nevertheless, it’s by far one of the rarest Nintendo 64 games out there. A mint copy of the game will cost you roughly $400, and judging by the statistics of the game, that price is only going to increase. In 2013, only a few of these games were sold online, so if you spot the International Version of Yoshi’s Story and have a few hundred bucks lying around, consider buying it.
Update: After a dip in online sales during 2020 Yoshi’s Story International Version price has soared to new heights in 2022 as the chart below shows. However, keep in mind that this data is based on very few sales.
Mario Party 3
While not quite as rare as the International Version of Yoshi’s Story, Mario Party 3 is still one of the rarest Nintendo 64 games in existence. The very last game in the series for the Nintendo 64, Mario Party 3 didn’t sell nearly as well as the first two entries in the series (mostly because the Nintendo 64 was winding down), but even so, it is still quite easy to find. So why is it so expensive? Because everybody wants to play the game!
Mario Party 3 is also the rarest Mario Party game out there, and while Mario Party games are not typically rare to begin with, this one isn’t as readily available as the rest. Add to the fact that tons of people out there want to own every Mario Party game in existence, and you can expect to pay at least $30 on a copy that is in the poorest of conditions.
And if you want to purchase a new, sealed copy of Mario Party 3? Expect to pay upwards of around $152. Sealed copies don’t come around but a few times a year (on average), so if you spot one, grab it.
Update: Prices have kept on going up and sealed copies of Mario Party 3 are no exception so you will be lucky to lay your hands on it for only a few hundred dollars. Some sales in the past two years imply a much higher price.
Clay Fighter Sculptors Cut
This game was absolutely terrible, but nevertheless, Clay Fighter Sculptors Cut is one of the most expensive Nintendo 64 games available. What makes it so rare? Because it was a Blockbuster exclusive game, meaning it was only available for rental. An update to the original Clay Fighter 63 1/3 released in 1997, Clay Fighter Sculptors Cut also added a few extra fighters into the game. With only 20,000 copies manufactured, you will need some deep pockets to afford this game. Copies with the instructions and box in condition typically run for nearly $2,000, and because most Blockbuster stores threw out the box and instructions, the box/instruction combo can sometimes cost more than the actual game itself!
Update: Clay Fighter Sculptors Cut makes for a rather steep price increase lately. With examples of box only sales for $1,000-$3,000 and complete in box sales for several thousands in the past two years.
Turok Rage Wars (Gray Cartridge)
Here’s a fun story about the mess that was Turok Rage Wars. When the game was originally released, Acclaim released it in a black cartridge. Unfortunately, the game had a bug in it that did not allow players to beat one of the game’s levels on 2-play mode. To fix the problem, Acclaim released a small amount of gray cartridges, thus allowing those affected by the bug to mail their black cartridge to them in exchange for a bug-free gray cartridge.
The program wasn’t well known so only a few people took part in it. In fact, so few people took advantage of the program that few people knew the ‘gray cartridge’ edition of Turok Rage Wars even existed. Some of the gray cartridge editions are being sold for up to $400 with the cartridge alone, so expect this price to climb even higher as the years roll on.
Update: As we can tell from the chart below, that price prediction was correct. The Turok Rage Wars gray cartridge has increased in price a lot since 2021, sometimes reaching above $1,000.
Conker’s Bad Fur Day
The absolute most mature game available for the Nintendo 64, Conker’s Bad Fur Day includes a wealth of blood, a lot of sex, drunkenness, and a foul-mouthed squirrel named Conker that doesn’t resemble anything close to his original debut in 1997’s Diddy Kong Racing. Released the same year the Nintendo 64 was discontinued, Conker’s Bad Fur Day may have been quite acclaimed, but it didn’t sell well due to the oncoming Nintendo Gamecube on the horizon. You can find Conker’s Bad Fur Day for about $50 – $75 on a good day, but if you want to find it sealed in box? Expect to pay about $160.
Update: Today a cartridge only will probably set you back about $100 for Conker’s Bad Fur Day. And a sealed copy will set you back about $500 – $1,000 most likely.
Bomberman 64: The Second Attack
No worries if you haven’t heard of Bomberman 64: The Second Attack. The game was originally released near the end of the Nintendo 64’s lifecycle, and as a result, was passed over by a ton of different retailers across North America. You were not missing much if you didn’t play Bomberman 64: The Second Attack: the game was nearly identical in every way to the original Bomberman 64, which was one of the many reasons why it wasn’t reviewed very well. Nevertheless, expect to pay a few hundred dollars for a sealed price (over $500 to be exact). And if you want the cartridge only? You will pay at least $60 for a copy.
Update: To find Bomberman 64: The Second Attack sealed for less than $1,000 is no small feat. A cartridge only price is probably around $200 – $250 today.
Harvest Moon 64
One of the very first entries in the Harvest Moon series, Harvest Moon 64 was the best farm/life simulator in the series up until that time (some even say Harvest Moon 64 is still the best in the series). Playing as a small boy who must take over his family farm and raise crops while meeting the townspeople and starting a family, Harvest Moon 64 is also crazy expensive. The price has dropped over the last few years, but nevertheless, it’s still quite expensive. For a new sealed edition, expect to pay a few hundred dollars. The price fluctuates and has been known to cost over $900, but sometimes you can find the game for $50. If you find a copy, purchase it immediately and keep an eye on the market for the game, as you will definitely be able to make a profit if you wish to sell it one day.
Update: Compared to the games above, Harvest Moon 64 has not had a quite as steep price development. You can probably score a copy for around $60 – $70 and a sealed copy will set you back about $1,000.
Indiana Jones and the Infernal Machine
Another Blockbuster exclusive game, Indiana Jones and the Infernal Machine was arguably one of the greatest third-person action adventure games on the Nintendo 64. Unfortunately, not a lot of people played the game, as again, it was a Blockbuster exclusive. Taking place in 1947 after World War II, Indiana Jones and a friend named Sophia Hapgood Jones and Hapgood are tasked with investigating what the Russians are doing excavating the ruins of Babylon. A globe-trotting adventure in the same vein as the other Indiana Jones films, Indiana Jones and the Infernal Machine is unfortunately quite expensive. You can find cartridge-only editions on the game online for around $20 – $30, but if you want a complete sealed edition of the game? Expect to pay a few thousand dollars.
Update: Indiana Jones and the Infernal Machine will cost you about $90 and a boxed copy around $300 and a sealed copy, if you can find it, around $1,000.
Worms Armageddon
Worms Armageddon is without question the rarest game in the Worms franchise on the Nintendo 64. Not a lot of copies were produced for the Nintendo 64 version again due to a decline in interest in the Nintendo 64, and as a result, the game has become more rare as the years have progressed. While you can find a copy of Worms Armageddon for about $60 – $80, but if you want a sealed copy? You will have to pay around $350.
Update: A cartridge only copy of Worms Armageddon will on average set you back about $200 – $300. A sealed copy can cost you several thousand.
Conclusion
The Nintendo 64 may not have a huge library like other platforms – and it may not have a ton of games available for it that are as sought after as games on some other platforms – but for the few sought after games that are available on the platform, they’re certainly quite expensive. One of the most unique platforms in console history, if you’re aiming to start recollecting some of your childhood favorites, you better hope none of them are in this list. Otherwise, you’re going to have to spend an absurd amount of money!
