rare games

Video game companies, much like other companies, sometimes go out of business. This means games that aren't being made anymore get more expensive. You can sometimes find rare games unwittingly in the bin of used games, but often you have to make an effort to find these due to collectors and gaming nerds. Good games that are rare might be found on eBay - for a price. Do you know what games are rare? Do you have any rare games?

Photo by BBC

I recently looked for the game sequel of Hotel Dusk, only to find that it was 100 dollars to get the UK version and cheaper to get the Japanese version (and then it was only in Japanese). It was never released in North America. The games Hotel Dusk and Last Window are from a company that went out of business. They are incredible games worth the extra cost, if you like mystery novels that are interactive. 

There are amazing games out there that are rare because the company that made them isn't around. It is either that or they didn't make many of them and they discontinued that game. Great games don't guarantee success, sadly, so a fabulous, fun game doesn't mean the company lasts or the game gets a good reception from the public fanbase. We continue onward with a list of games and companies that are considered rare. 

Gaming Companies

There are many consoles included in the list below. A handful of these companies still exist in a weaker state, but many are finished making games. 

- Radical Entertainment  - Guerilla Cambridge  -  Silicon Knights  - Acclaim Entertainment 

- Zipper Interactive  - Bizarre Creations  - Psygnosis/ Sony Liverpool  - Lionhead Studios

- Free Radical Design  - Ensemble Studios  - Pandemic  - Clover Studios  - Visceral Games 

- Neversoft  - Midway

All of these are gaming companies with good quality games attached, including the games Mortal Kombat, Guitar Hero, Dead Space, Star Wars Battlefront, Age of Empires, and many more. A few of these are part of other companies by now. Others went bankrupt. Creative endeavors are not always successful - even if the game is the best thing ever made - because money and the arts are hard to balance. It takes money to create and you need a created game to make money. 

Rare Games Worth Money

Here is a list of games that collectors are looking for. If you have these and enjoy them DO NOT GIVE THEM AWAY! You will have a hard time replacing them if you do get rid of them. These are for all different consoles, and I'll have the console beside the name. 

- Outrun 2006 Coast to Coast (Xbox)  - Futurama the video game (PlayStation 2 and Xbox)

- Suikoden II (PlayStation 1)  - Cubivore Survival of the Fittest (gamecube)   - Shepherds Crossing  (NDS)  - Black Lamp (Sinclair ZX Spectrum)  - Haunting Ground (PlayStation 2)  

- Spelunker (commodore 64) - Kuon  (Playstation 2)  -Pokemon Box Ruby and Sapphire (gamecube)

- Ninja Five -0 (gba)  - steel battalion (Xbox)  

If you want the rest of this long list, see these links: click here and

here

Board Game Bonus

Those board games you have from your grandmother or great aunt may be worth actual money. The rare games are extremely hard to find, especially undamaged. Old TV show toys are often valuable, anyway, but these are for sure valuable. 

Photo by Worthpoint

Lost In Space is a board game and not just a TV show. It has three levels and actually looks fun. You can't move up to the next level without hitting a certain space, apparently, so it might take longer to play. At any rate, it is rare. Most Lost In Space anything is rare, if we're honest. 

Haunted House is a game where you explore a model of a haunted house to find a jewel and escape the house. The spinner gives off owl hoots for the number of spaces. This, too, looks rather fun. Different places can send you back spaces or make you start over. 

Dark Tower is a quest game where you take a scepter from an evil king. A tiny computer keeps track of who is winning. You find three keys to unlock a tower and defeat the king. 

The Game of Goose is Italian and has you moving in a spiral shape to the end, facing obstacles on the way. It is a children's game and Italian boards are especially rare. It might date back to ancient Egypt. 

Settlers of Catan is a game in other forms, but the 3D collectors edition is not common. You raid cities and trade with other players. It is a fun, good experience. Storyline is built throughout the playing time. 

Keywood is similar to the game above. Players try to control 6 villages. It has different income complexities and is kind of like some of the video games where you settle and farm small villages, only it is on paper. 

Fortune is a game of Monopoly based on New York streets. It was discontinued after Parker Brothers bought Monopoly, a few years after to be specific. It was not out long, so not many are out there. 

Photo by Worthpoint

The Elvis Presley Game is a trivia game that is not often found in good condition. It is, obviously, all about Elvis' music. If you find a copy in reasonable condition it is worth a lot. 

Be A Manager is a game where you manage a baseball team. In its entirety and with all parts in it, you could get a good price for it. 

Sources:

 https://www.goliath.com/gaming/greatest-video-game-companies-that-no-longer-exist/

https://www.lovemoney.com/gallerylist/84526/surprisingly-valuable-video-games-you-might-have-at-home

https://www.thegamer.com/console-games-rarest-ever-worth/

https://www.workandmoney.com/s/valuable-vintage-board-games-32b5423591a94861

https://howchoo.com/g/n2jkmmixn2i/rarest-video-games-of-all-time

https://www.thecoolist.com/valuable-video-games/