The 15 Rarest N64 Games

Nintendo is a company that has proven time and time again that it is not afraid to go in new directions or take risks. Consoles such as the Switch and the Wii make great examples of its ethos. The same was true of the Nintendo 64, a system that stuck with cartridges rather than moving to CD-ROMs like the PlayStation and had a distinctive-looking controller that was very different from that offered by its competitors.

The console was also home to some great games, from "The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time" and "Super Mario 64" to "GoldenEye 007" and "Perfect Dark." While these games sold millions of copies, plenty of games on the Nintendo 64 were only released in limited numbers or had special editions that have become incredibly valuable due to their rarity. If you have any of these games in your collection, you might be able to make a small forrune selling them online.

As you may have guessed from the name, "Snowboard Kids 2" is a snowboarding game where users race against other players or CPU opponents across a variety of tracks. In a similar manner to "Mario Kart," it is also possible to use weapons to attack other racers, slowing them down and causing them to lose coins, although these can be blocked by performing tricks. Unlike the first game, the sequel introduced a more varied set of courses to choose from, taking action to locations such as a tropical island and a haunted house in addition to traditional snow-filled areas.

According to Kotaku, "Snowboard Kids 2" launched without much of a marketing push and didn't sell in huge numbers. It was also published by Atlus, a company notorious for its smaller initial production runs — a risk-averse strategy designed to ensure it wouldn't lose money due to the expensive cartridge costs. Factory-sealed copies will set you back around $1,000, although loose versions will only cost $80 or so.

The "Ganbare Goemon" series has been well received in Japan since the release of "The Legend of the Mystical Ninja" and has seen several titles launch in overseas regions as well. Two of those games arrived on the Nintendo 64 in the form of "Mystical Ninja Starring Goemon" and "Goemon's Great Adventure." The latter of these was the third game in the series and sees Goemon attempt to win back a resurrection machine constructed by the Wise Man and defeat the evil Dochuki. In addition to the franchise's signature surreal humor, the game also saw a return to the side-scrolling platforming gameplay of the original SNES title.

Although it received a positive reception from critics, "Goemon's Great Adventure" only sold around 160,000 copies worldwide. The most likely reason for this is that the series simply didn't have the appeal in the rest of the world that it did in Japan, as evidenced by the fact it sold double the amount of copies in Japan compared to anywhere else. The humor and references were probably too specific to that region, limiting the appeal in North America and Europe. If you can get past that, though, and want to try out this game, it will cost upwards of $100 for just the cartridge or more than $600 for a sealed copy.

Rare has generally had a friendly and prosperous relationship with Nintendo, developing a number of high-quality games for the SNES and Nintendo 64. "Donkey Kong Country," "GoldenEye 007," and "Perfect Dark" are just a few of the highlights. In 2001, just a few months before the launch of GameCube, the studio released "Conker's Bad Fur Day." This new original property was very different from most of the games it had worked on in collaboration with Nintendo. It contains frequent swearing, graphic violence, purposely offensive jokes, and even drug use.

A sequel was even in the early stages of development before Microsoft acquired Rare, with the new parent company swiftly ending the project (via Den of Geek). The rarity of the game is down to a number of factors. Releasing so close to the launch of the GameCube was one, as was the fact that it was such a sales flop (via IGN). Many blame Nintendo for refusing to market the game properly, with the result being that brand-new copies of the game can fetch prices of more than $500.

"Daikatana" was a first-person shooter from John Romero, one of the leading figures behind the hit shooter series "Wolfenstein 3D," "Doom," and "Quake." His first game after leaving id Software was the 2000 game, which was released only on PC and Nintendo 64. Featuring a famous marketing campaign that heavily featured Romero, it was released to mostly negative reviews with many critics focusing on the outdated gameplay mechanics and complicated story.

Needing to sell millions of copies to be profitable, the sales performance of "Daikatana" was notoriously poor and well below expectations. The Nintendo 64 version was originally exclusive with Blockbuster but rental numbers were also low, prompting the publisher to stock the game elsewhere to try and recoup some of the losses (via Price Charting). This meant that it wasn't worth producing additional cartridges, which were expensive to manufacture, and "Daikatana" quickly became a collector's item. Unboxed versions can reach prices of $80 and sealed copies can be as expensive as $400.

Often said to be one of the worst wrestling games ever made, "WCW Backstage Assault" was a Nintendo 64 and PlayStation game released in 2000. What differentiated it from other wrestling games was that it did not feature any wrestling rings, with all of the action taking place in backstage settings such as locker rooms and toilets. Reviews were universally critical of the decision and also lambasted the decision to restrict matches to just two competitors.

One of the biggest contributing factors that may have led to poor sales is that the World Wrestling Federation acquired the WCW shortly after it launched (via CNN). Few people would want to play a game that was already outdated. Yet, the more important reason is down to the game's lack of any traditional wrestling rings. It went on to sell just 200,000 copies and a planned port for the PlayStation 2 was also shelved. Loose copies without a box or manual can reach prices of almost $250 according to Price Charting.

With the release of the Nintendo 64 and other 5th-generation consoles such as the PlayStation, the "Bomberman" series had its first opportunity to enter the world of 3D. The first game from the Hudson Soft franchise to take advantage of the new technology was "Bomberman 64," which launched on the system in 1997. A follow-up to that game arrived in 1999, although it didn't find the same success as its predecessor.

Switching up the gameplay significantly compared to its predecessors, the game introduced some changes to how the titular character moved around stages and how bombs worked. "Bomberman 64: The Second Attack!" also added platforming sections and elements of the action-adventure genre, making it a somewhat divisive game among critics and players alike.

"Bomberman 64: The Second Attack!" was only released in Japan and North America. The fact that it arrived less than 24 months before the launch of the GameCube also meant that it wasn't produced in very high numbers, so it is now considered one of the rarest games on the console with new unopened copies selling for over $2,000.

"Ogre Battle 64: Person Of Lordly Calibre" is another game that was launched quite late in the life of the Nintendo 64. In fact, it didn't release outside of Japan until October 2000, a year before the GameCube. The third game in the series, it made a number of improvements to help smooth out the gameplay. Taking control of a battalion of 50 troops, you play as a recent graduate of the Ischka Military Academy who joins the revolutionary side in a deadly civil war that threatens the entire country.

Incomplete copies of "Ogre Battle 64: Person Of Lordly Calibre" can sell for over $100, with complete sets costing up to $800. A report from GameSpot suggested that a chip shortage meant that publisher Atlus had to reduce the number of copies it manufactured, which certainly would have made it even more scarce. Its rarity doesn't mean that players can't try the game out, though, as it has been made available digitally in recent years such as on the Virtual Console for the Wii.

Arguably one of the most successful spin-offs of the "Pokémon" series, "Pokémon Snap" is a 1999 rail shooter that switches the gameplay up so that instead of shooting enemies from a fixed position you instead take photographs of the creatures in their natural habitats. There are a variety of different regions to visit and almost half of the original monsters featured in "Pokémon Red and Blue," including the likes of Charizard, Pikachu, and Mew. Grades are awarded depending upon the quality of the photographs, with pictures featuring the creatures in interesting poses or performing impressive moves scoring higher.

One of the first "Pokémon" games to arrive on home consoles, it was the earliest opportunity that players got to see the various creatures in 3D as it launched before "Pokémon Stadium." More recently, Nintendo has produced a sequel under the guise of "New Pokémon Snap" for the Switch. A version of the game that falls under the Not For Resale banner is incredibly rare, with very few copies changing hands. However, even loose copies can attract prices of almost $500.

In 1997, Nintendo allowed players to take direct control of Yoshi like in its earlier SNES game "Yoshi's Island," although this time around the emphasis was not on platforming but rather solving puzzles. "Yoshi's Story" features a brightly colored storybook world where the Yoshis are forced to fight back against Baby Bowser and rescue the Super Happy Tree that provides them with the fruit they need to survive. The gameplay revolves around trying to collect 30 pieces of fruit while overcoming obstacles and defeating enemies, with a score mechanic awarding points depending on the type of fruit eaten.

The "Yoshi's Story: International Version" is an edition of the game that was produced for promotional materials. It is essentially the Japanese ROM of the game that was meant to be showcased in stores and at kiosks for players to try out before buying it. As noted by SVG, it is not known exactly how many copies of this particular version were manufactured and this has made it a desirable item to add to collections. If you want it for yours, be prepared to spend anywhere between $400 to $2,000 to purchase the game online.

Rare is perhaps best known for games such as "Killer Instinct," "Donkey Kong Country," and "Battletoads," at least prior to 1997. That's when the studio launched "GoldenEye 007," a video game adaptation of the 1995 Bond movie. It set a new standard for first-person shooters on consoles, won numerous awards, and sold more than 8 million copies (via The Guardian). Largely following the same plot as the film, it contained many elements that are considered standard in shooters today, including deathmatch multiplayer and stealth elements.

During the life of the Nintendo 64, it was common for games to be showcased in special kiosks set up in stores. They were essentially marketing tools designed to entice players to buy a game by giving them the opportunity to try it out. Often, the cartridges used for these displays would not be standard copies but special editions marked Not For Resale. Made in small numbers, these are often exceedingly rare and can command large sums of money. That's exactly the case with this edition of "GoldenEye 007 (Not For Resale)," which has sold for more than $1,000.

"The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time" is widely considered to be one of the best games of all time. The first 3D game in the action-adventure series, it followed a similar story to previous entries whereby Link fights against Ganon to save Hyrule. One of the first open-world games, it contained a number of innovations such as the ability to lock onto targets, and a plot that included time travel as the action switched between a young and adult version of the hero.

Having sold more than 7 million copies and been remade for numerous consoles, including the GameCube and 3DS, "The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time" could hardly be said to be a rare game (via Screen Rant). However, according to IGN, a Collector's Edition of the title that came with a gold cartridge instead of gray was made available to some of those who pre-ordered the game in the US and was only produced in small numbers. That has increased the price for this version and it can now sell for up to $1,640 for a sealed copy.

"Super Bowling" is the name of two versions of the same game that were developed by KID. The first launched on the SNES in 1992 and the second edition was a Nintendo 64 game that featured more advanced graphics and 3D visuals, as well as some gameplay improvements. Players could choose between eight characters, an assortment of game modes, and play with up to three others in multiplayer.

According to IGN, "Super Bowling" was a difficult game to track down even in 2001 just a year after it had been released. A number of factors likely contributed to its rarity, with the most important being that it didn't launch until near the end of the life of the Nintendo 64. It also came from a little-known developer and was the third bowling game to become available on the console. Anyone who does own a copy may well be able to sell it for $600 to $1,100, via sites such as Price Charting.

Developed by Boss Game Studios and published by Midway, "Stunt Racer 64" is a racing game where futuristic versions of modern-day cars battle against each other not only to come first but to perform the best stunts. During races, players can pull off a variety of tricks to earn cash that can then be used to buy upgrades for their vehicles or unlock new cars. In total, players can compete in five different racing leagues, with later leagues only becoming available if you place high enough in prior races.

Like many Nintendo 64 games, "Stunt Racer 64" didn't release in every territory. Actually, the only market it was available in was North America, as a proposed European launch was canceled in 2000 before it made its way to store shelves. According to SVG, this was another example of a title that was only available to rent through Blockbuster, further restricting the number of copies that were manufactured. Little wonder then that this has become one of the rarest games for the console, with prices ranging from $400 to $4,000 (via Price Charting).

Despite its name, "Rampage 2: Universal Tour" is actually the third game in the "Rampage" series, acting as a direct sequel to the 1997 release, "Rampage World Tour." Developed by Avalanche Software and published by Midway, it continues the story of George, Lizzie, and Ralph who have been transformed into terrifying monsters. After being captured and imprisoned, three new monsters aim to free them before taking part in a battle to save Earth from invading aliens. Levels usually revolve around causing as much damage to cities as possible, destroying buildings and vehicles to progress to the next stage.

Big Box releases were special versions of games that often contained some sort of extra merchandise for players. This could be anything from an action figure to a story book that necessitated a larger case than normal to contain all of the additional items. The Big Box version of "Rampage 2: Universal Tour" is possibly the rarest of them all and will likely cost anywhere between $1,000 and $4,000, with higher prices for any sealed copies of the game.

"ClayFighter 63 ⅓" is a fighting game that originally launched on the Nintendo 64 in 1997. The third entry in the "ClayFighter" series continues the trend of using stop motion animation, a distinctive trait of the franchise that gave it a unique visual style compared to most other fighters on the market. Developed by Interplay Productions, the game often parodied other notable series in the genre, like "Street Fighter" and "Killer Instinct," and features a mechanic where each arena would have multiple rooms for players to duke it out in.

While the base game isn't particularly rare, an edition known as "ClayFighter 63 1/3: The Sculptor's Cut" is very difficult to come by. This special edition was released as an exclusive to Blockbuster and included a number of gameplay enhancements and extra content. However, this meant that it couldn't be bought and was only available to rent, and was not produced in great numbers. IGN reports that only 20,000 copies were manufactured. Typical prices for a loose version are around $900 but graded copies are worth big bucks, with prices starting at $14,000.