In the 1990s, Blockbuster Video was the biggest place to rent movies and games. To beat other stores, they made deals with Nintendo and Sega to have "Exclusive" games.
This meant you could only rent them at Blockbuster; you couldn't buy them at normal stores like Walmart or Toys "R" Us.
The Table of Contents
What Made Blockbuster Exclusives Different
Blockbuster exclusive games are rare and valuable today. Only a few were made for rental, and most copies got heavy wear. So finding one complete and in good shape is very uncommon.
Why Are Blockbuster Exclusives So Valuable?
- They are Rare: Because they were only for rent, Nintendo didn't make nearly as many copies as they did for regular games.
- They are Hard to find in Good Shape: People who rented them didn't always take care of them. Most of the original boxes were discarded or crushed, and the instruction manuals were often lost.
- Special Versions: Some of these games were "updated" versions with new characters or levels that you couldn't find anywhere else.
Behind the Scenes: My Blockbuster Story
- When I first published this article, I used a photo of a Blockbuster store as the main image.
- True story — Blockbuster actually sued me for copyright infringement, and I ended up paying $1,200 to settle it!
- So yes, even today, Blockbuster has a way of leaving a mark...
- (Lesson learned: always use properly licensed images!)
Two I’m going to go into more detail about are ClayFighters Sculptures Cut, and the Flintstones Surprise. I have purchased both of these games several times over the years. I actually had a couple of different customers try to sell me a counterfeit copy, trying to pass it off as the real deal. That was the game that gave the inspiration to write the how to Spot Counterfeit N64 games article, a few years ago.
How to Identify a Blockbuster Exclusive Game
It’s actually hard to prove! Since Blockbuster is gone, there are no official records left. Collectors have to talk to each other and look at old stories to agree on which games were truly exclusive. Many
collectors look for the original Blockbuster stickers on the back of the cartridge to help prove its origin.
Watch out for fakes! Because these games are worth so much, some people make "counterfeit" (fake) copies to trick buyers. Always check with an expert before buying one!
Spotlight: The Flintstones – Surprise at Dinosaur Peak
The NES, released in 1994, holds "legendary" status among collectors due to its rarity. The collector community generally agrees that it was a Blockbuster rental exclusive, which has contributed significantly to its high value, which can exceed $5,000 for a complete copy.
As you can see by the photos, this is my personal copy of The Flintstones, which I bought back in 2009. When I got the game, I opened it to ensure it was authentic, then decided to leave the Blockbuster stickers on the back of the cartridge.
ClayFighter Sculptor's Cut: The Deleted Content
Even without naming the characters, you can explain why this version is so valuable to a 6th grader. The "Sculptor's Cut" was
basically a Director's Cut of the original N64 game (ClayFighter 63 1/3).
- The "Secret" Content: When the first version of the game launched, the creators had to delete a lot of content to fit it on the cartridge.
- The Second Chance: When Blockbuster asked for an exclusive game, the creators brought back all those deleted levels and fighters.
- The Rare Result: Because it was only available for rent at Blockbuster, they made only about 20,000 copies. For comparison, a popular game like Super Mario 64 had millions of copies made
Most Valuable Blockbuster Exclusives
Finding these games with their original boxes and manuals is considered the "lottery win" of retro collecting.
| Game Name | System | Why It’s Noteworthy | Blockbuster Connection |
|---|---|---|---|
| Donkey Kong Country Competition Cartridge | SNES | Special timed competition version created for the 1994 Blockbuster World Video Game Championships. | Used exclusively at Blockbuster tournament events; most copies were destroyed after. |
| Final Fight Guy | SNES | Enhanced version of Final Fight restoring the missing character Guy. | Widely believed to be distributed through Blockbuster rentals instead of retail. |
| Indiana Jones and the Infernal Machine | Nintendo 64 | Late-release N64 title with limited availability and minimal production. | Available only through Blockbuster rentals or Nintendo Power mail order. |
| Stunt Racer 64 | Nintendo 64 | Arcade-style stunt racing game with physics-defying tracks. | Full Blockbuster rental exclusive; never sold at retail. |
| Hagane: The Final Conflict | SNES | Extremely difficult late-era SNES action game with limited distribution. | Often cited as a Blockbuster rental exclusive, though limited retail copies may exist. |
| Madden ’93 Championship Edition | Sega Genesis | Tournament-only variant created for competitive play. | Distributed for Blockbuster-hosted gaming competitions. |
| Blockbuster World Video Game Championship II | Sega Genesis | Custom competition cartridge featuring modified versions of NBA Jam TE and Judge Dredd. | Used in the 1995 Blockbuster World Video Game Championships; most carts destroyed afterward. |
The Wrap Up
Loose Blockbuster cartridges are already rare. But finding one complete with the original box and manual is much harder. Most rental boxes got crushed or thrown away when Blockbuster closed its stores. The instruction booklets were often lost or damaged by renters.
Cartridge games like these, NES, SNES, and N64 titles, can be worth three to four times more when complete. But the condition matters a lot. Games with heavy label wear, missing Blockbuster stickers, or crushed boxes sell for less. Even small damage, like rental stickers peeling off or box corners dented, can lower the value.
We buy Blockbuster exclusive games at The Old School Game Vault. This includes loose cartridges or complete-in-box games, in any condition. We pay cash! If you have ClayFighter Sculptor's Cut, The Flintstones, or any rental exclusive, we’ll give you a fair cash offer based on current market prices.
