In recent years, collecting video games has transformed from a casual pastime to a thriving collectible market that rivals the likes of trading cards, vintage toys, and comic books. Nostalgia reigns supreme in this collectible aisle and the state of video games has a number of honorable mentions and updates. If it’s a market that you don’t personally follow, I hope this suffices to bring you up to speed.
Retro Rumble
When it comes to video game collecting, it shares some vibes with comic book collecting but is totally different in other ways. It’s wild to see how the NES has reigned supreme as the top-selling platform since we started tracking sales. There’s just something satisfying about retro games taking the crown—it’s like a little nod to our childhoods. And while the modern comic book scene keeps riding the latest trends, there’s a part of me that wishes we could all just hit pause and appreciate the classics again.
Here’s another cool tidbit: the priciest games aren’t necessarily the oldest. Nope. They’re often the best games ever conceived. That’s pretty epic because in the comic world, value can often hinge on (arguably) superficial factors—think covers, artists, or the debut of a character. But in gaming, the top-value titles are also the most unforgettable experiences we’ve ever had. The magic of the gameplay has a direct role in determining value, not just the hype.
Another satisfying revelation is that it doesn’t matter if a game is a part of a big-name franchise; it has to prove its own worth in order to realize gains. But don’t get it twisted - the sales are still happening. The latest Mario and Pokémon games on the Switch are treated like any recent title that’s just hanging out in the background: they’ve got ground-floor value but are way more appealing to the die-hard fans looking to complete their collections.
Pretty much any game you can think of has seen graded sales at this point. If you’re a coveted title, you’ve been put through the wringer and come out the other side. But it doesn’t always mean you’re clean. For instance, E.T. for the Atari 2600—the game that’s been labeled the worst ever—has sold a whopping 27 copies in the past year. Crazy, right? It just goes to show that sometimes, the reputation alone can drive sales, even if the value isn’t climbing.
If you ARE a high-value game in today’s market, you’re likely older, rare in grade, and we all collectively raced home from our schools and jobs at one point or another JUST to be with you. You either captivated us for hours or left us shaking our heads and crying in defeat. In either case, you made an indelible mark on our gaming history.
Looking at the sales landscape, early PlayStation titles have been holding their own against the classic Nintendo cartridges. Last year, the PS2 racked up over 2,500 graded sales, just behind the NES’s impressive 3,400+. It’s basically a Nintendo and Sony showdown at the top of the leaderboard.
And let’s not forget about the growing interest in vintage PC games, which are getting some serious love and traction lately. We’ve integrated a plethora of PC options onto our site (Windows, DOS, IBM, Commodore, Apple and the Atari 8-bit family) to match the wave of sales so that every gem gets its moment in the spotlight. It’s awesome to see completionists hunting down those elusive floppy disk titles that paved the way for later console hits.
The Numbers Game
So, what’s the scoop on the numbers? We’ve been keeping close tabs on the video game market for years, and we’ve got the lowdown for you.
Sitting pretty at the top as the best-selling game of the past year is The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, with 209 graded sales. Right behind it, Super Mario Bros. 3 holds the second spot with 150 sales. The franchises then flip positions, with Super Mario Bros. Wonder landing in third with 134 sales and Tears of the Kingdom close behind at 129.
Another standout title since we kicked off our tracking is The Last of Us, which sold a solid 103 copies in the past year. Halo 2 is the lone voice for Microsoft, making its mark in the Top 10 with 97 sales, while the crown for the hottest-selling Pokémon title goes to Legends: Arceus, racking up 94 sales.
Now, let’s take a second to highlight something crucial, even if you might already know it: when it comes to video game values, many of the best-selling titles have been released multiple times. Understanding the differences in these variations is key, especially when it comes to their boxes. Often, this is the only real indicator to help you figure out which print of a factory-sealed game you’re actually dealing with.
This is especially true at the top of the leaderboard with the Grand Theft Auto franchise. Three of the top 15 spots are claimed by the Trilogy re-releases of their iconic hits: GTA III, Vice City, and San Andreas. If you only looked at the front cover, you’d never spot the differences. But trust me, the value gap between these re-releases and the original first editions is mind-blowing.
I highly recommend diving into the pricing charts we offer for the games you’re hunting. Use our high-res images, collected from a variety of sales, to get the lowdown right from the certification labels on the highest-value items. You’ll pick up key details, like how to spot the printing address or country of origin on a game. How to spot a punched UPC promo copy. Plus, you’ll learn how to tell if a title was released solo or as part of a larger bundle.
Of course, these sales figures only tell part of the story in the video game marketplace. The other key factor you’re probably curious about is where the real value lies. The top two sales from the past year were sealed copies of the original Legend of Zelda, fetching jaw-dropping prices of $375,000 and $288,000 for the 3 and 5-screw variants, respectively. In fact, nearly every high-value sale over the past calendar year has been a top-tier, early release NES title—a true collector's holy grail.
For a deeper dive into the latest trends and record-breaking sales, be sure to check out our Video Games Market Overview anytime. But if you want my off-the-record thoughts on value before you head off on your hunt, here’s what I’ve got:
Undervalued early titles from established series are finally starting to claim their place among the greats. This applies to all cartridge-based consoles and even extends to those classic PC titles that made their first appearances. Just think about how many Commodore 64 games tanked while their NES counterparts sparked massive followings and became franchises. Finding those early versions in high grade, or even complete, is no easy feat. But the market has been rewarding those who know how to hunt and shows no signs of slowing down now.
