Rarest NES Games: Stadium Events, Little Samson, and More

The Nintendo Entertainment System era ended quietly. As the world moved to 16-bit graphics, a final batch of games came out in very small numbers. These late-release titles are now some of the most valuable games in retro gaming.

Here are the 10 rarest licensed NES games. I've bought and sold most of these over the years. Some are great games. Some are not. But they're all rare and expensive.

The Top 10 Rarest Licensed NES Games

This article covers officially licensed retail games. The prices listed are for loose cartridges.

The Table of Contents

Stadium Events ($18,000)

This is the "Holy Grail." Released by Bandai in 1987, it was soon recalled. Nintendo bought the rights to rebrand it as World-Class Track Meet. Only 200 copies were ever sold. If you find this in a box of old video games, you've found a life-changing payout.

Pricing:

• Loose: $18,000
• Complete in Box: $40,000
• New/Sealed: $160,000
• Graded (like photo from Heritage Auctions): $175,000

My Take 30 Years Later: Sure, I haven't played this game and probably never will. This game is so rare that it's even been presented on Pawn Stars. It's just a track-and-field-type game that uses the exercise pad. Hard pass unless you have money and enjoy collecting - then this game is for you.

Little Samson ($2,400)

Released in 1992, this platformer is a masterpiece that almost nobody played. It had a tiny print run and zero marketing. Unlike many rare games, it's actually a top-tier game, which keeps collector demand at an all-time high.

Pricing:

• Loose: $2,400
• Complete in Box: $5,500
• New/Sealed: $22,000

My Take 30 Years Later: This is really a solid game. You begin the game at a screen where you can choose your level. The stage designs are simple, but the challenges encourage you to combine your skills.

To me, one level in particular reminds me of Mega Man - with the square blocks, the speed, and the weapons. Then you have the way you can upgrade your special weapons, a lot like Mega Man again. Oh, and I forgot about the old school passwords. At least the password here was short, unlike the paragraph I remember writing down while playing Metroid.

The Flintstones: Surprise at Dinosaur Peak ($1,200)

This is the "Blockbuster Exclusive." It was never sold in stores - only available for rent at Blockbuster Video. Years of rentals beat up most cartridges, making clean copies rare.

Pricing:

• Loose: $1,200
• Complete in Box: $4,203
• New/Sealed: $17,000

My Take 30 Years Later: This is one of those games I learned about through the business, and it introduced me to rare Blockbuster exclusive games. Sure, I remember Blockbuster, but I don't recall any exclusive games until Blockbuster moved on from them when the Super Nintendo came out.

This is one game that I bought probably back in 2010, and have never sold. I've had plenty of the other games in stock over the years and always sold them. I don't know - maybe it was really my first truly rare game from The Old School Game Vault, so I've kept it.

The gameplay is fine. It's an old-school platformer you can play as Barney or Fred, each with a different weapon. There's a level where you play hockey. I don't remember seeing ice hockey in the cartoon, but it was a blast. This is my copy of the game, I thought it was a nice touch to keep the blockbusters stickers on the cartridge for a change.

Power Blade 2 ($960)

A late-1992 release from Taito. By the time it landed, the SNES was already a year old. It's a classic case of "right game, wrong time," resulting in very few copies surviving in the wild.

Pricing:

• Loose: $960
• Complete in Box: $3,339
• New/Sealed: $13,358

My Take 30 Years Later: I played the first Power Blade game and had a blast. This is another game late in the NES cycle, but this title really doesn't show anything great or better graphics than the first game.

Sure, you now have some different suits you can get in this game, which really make a world of difference, but the gameplay and mechanics just play like the original - which is not a bad thing. I like having the suit where I could jump and shimmy along the top of the screen and shoot. It reminded me of Metal Storm, but not as quick or fluid.

Panic Restaurant ($825)

This whimsical Taito title features a chef fighting food monsters. It's quirky and charming. The game had very limited print runs, making it a "must-have" for high-end NES collectors.

Pricing:

• Loose: $825
• Complete in Box: $1,950
• New/Sealed: $7,800

My Take 30 Years Later: Another weird game on this list. This odd game is about a chef called "Cookie." Each level of the game has different foods attacking you - like carrots, pizza, and beans.

You kill these foods with a frying pan or a wooden spoon, and I was able to get a fork. Certainly a different game. Again, there are many better, cheaper alternatives to experience what the NES had to offer.

Bonk's Adventure ($700)

Originally the mascot for the TurboGrafx-16, Bonk made a late jump to the NES. Since he was part of a rival console, there was no marketing for him. This caused a quiet and rare retail release.

Pricing:

• Loose: $700
• Complete in Box: [price not provided]
• New/Sealed: [price not provided]

My Take 30 Years Later: The TurboGrafx is my 2nd favorite retro console, and I enjoy it for its awesome shmups. I have played Bonk's games on the TurboGrafx, and I'll certainly stick with playing them there.

Given the price tag on the NES, there is no point in buying this game unless you are a collector. For the same Bonk's experience, I'll pass on this version. Below is my personal copy of the game.

Zombie Nation ($440)

A bizarre shooter where you play as a floating samurai head. Its "weirdness factor" and late release made it an instant cult classic. It's one of the hardest titles to track down in very good condition.

Pricing:

• Loose: $440
• Complete in Box: $972
• New/Sealed: $3,889

My Take 30 Years Later: Side-scrolling NES shooter - I think there's a reason I've never played this title, as it's pretty weird. You're playing as a cut-off head and not a spaceship, but a head, and you're shooting or spitting eyeballs out of your mouth as bullets.

It's not a long game, as there are only four levels to play through, but the gameplay is certainly weird, to say the least. This game will take you a little time to complete.

Bubble Bobble Part 2 ($345)

Everyone knows the first Bubble Bobble, but the sequel arrived in 1993 with almost no fanfare. It is often considered the rarest of all sequels in the entire system.

Pricing:

• Loose: $345
• Complete in Box: $1,400
• New/Sealed: $5,597

My Take 30 Years Later: I played the first game, and it's generally another title I enjoy playing when we get a copy to test. This is pretty much the same as the first game, since it's a puzzle game.

You beat one with a bunch of random enemies, and once you defeat all the enemies, you move to the next screen. I'm not sure if I'd pay the hefty price tag when I can buy the original game for about $20.

Mighty Final Fight ($324)

Capcom released this "chibi-style" version of the SNES classic at the tail end of the NES life cycle. The 16-bit version overshadowed it, making the 8-bit cartridge a rare find today.

Pricing:

• Loose: $324
• Complete in Box: $791
• New/Sealed: $3,167

My Take 30 Years Later: I'll admit this is another game that I never played or heard of as a kid. As a kid I was big into beat'em up games - playing Double Dragon in the arcade at ShowBiz Pizza. I was a fan of River City Ransom, and this game is kind of like a mix of Double Dragon and River City.

The back-and-forth side-scrolling action is very similar. The characters are very cartoonish, and I like when you're beating up an enemy - it looks as if his or her eyes are popping out of their head. And the sounds do get a little louder when you start punching a character, which I can do without. Overall, I had fun trying out something new, and I'd certainly play the game again.

Chip 'n Dale Rescue Rangers 2 ($300)

One of the final licensed NES games ever released (1994). It arrived years after the cartoon's peak popularity, meaning it sat on very few store shelves.

Pricing:

• Loose: $300
• Complete in Box: $1,106
• New/Sealed: $4,438

My Take 30 Years Later: Yes, I watched the cartoon back in the late 80s - and DuckTales while we are on the topic. This is another game, very similar to DuckTales 2, that I didn't really know existed until I started The Old School Game Vault.

I did play and beat the Rescue Rangers game. So I decided to give the game a go, and instantly I noticed the gameplay felt very similar to the first game, but the graphics are very colorful and sharp. I remember in the first game throwing apples at the bad guys. In this game, you're throwing boxes the entire time.

I can't recall the cartoon characters off the top of my head, but I see several similar characters between the cartoon and the game. Honestly, for an old NES game, the controls aren't terrible, and I'd certainly play this game again.

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