You could get thousands of these for retro consoles and video games as collectors rush to buy goods
Collectors are rushing to buy retro video games, including older Nintendo and PlayStation games following a surge in value.
This means that thousands of people could be sitting on a gambling fortune and might not even realize it.
In August, the most expensive video game in history sold for $ 2 million – an unopened copy of the classic Super Mario Bros video game for the NES, released in 1985.
Sealed copies of Super Mario 64 (released in the 90s) and The Legend of Zelda sold for $ 1.5 million and $ 870,000, respectively.
Auction houses have become more involved in the vintage games market, selling classic games for thousands if not millions.
And to verify the authenticity of these precious game relics, game rating services provide certificates to go with these pop culture artifacts.
Demand and skyrocketing prices mean that a good gambling deal you struck years ago at a yard sale could now be worth hundreds of pounds or more.
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However, you have to keep in mind that not all retro gaming items will be equal in value to others, the Express reports.
Nintendo games that recently broke price records were unopened and in pristine condition.
The copy of the US version of Super Mario 64 that sold for $ 1.5 million got an almost perfect score of 9.8 out of 10 from the gaming rating service Wata Games.
This means that the game – which is almost 25 years old – was in practically new condition.
In July, sales held by Heritage Auctions brought in $ 8.4 million – that included the $ 1.5 million copy of Super Mario 64, as well as games from the Tomb Raider and Final Fantasy series.
Roberto Dillon is the founder and curator of the Museum of Video and Computer Games at James Cook University in Singapore.
This museum presents 400 objects which retrace the evolution of the medium over the years.
Dillon, who started collecting video games 12 years ago, told CNN that the “holy grail” are the first unopened editions of iconic games that are still in their original packaging.
Dillon explained, “If you open it, the value of the game drops by half.”
(Photo: Nintendo)
Even if you missed the boat by getting retro games decades ago, the good news is that with games turning more and more into digital sales, the physical editions currently on sale may become increasingly rare.
Dillon predicts that limited editions of physical games could become the next big thing.
He said: “Twenty years from now kids will have disposable income and they will want (want) to recreate a collection of games from their youth… they are looking for the collector’s editions that were launched back then. , but they didn’t own. “
While unopened games in pristine condition get the highest amount at auction, you might be surprised at the prices of some of the older games and consoles you might have in your home.
Especially if these items are in good condition and have the original boxes and manual.
If you find any retro gaming items lying around and wondering how much it’s worth, head over to pricecharting.com.
There you can find out the value of different game items and how much its value has changed over time.