5 Of Our Rarest Retro Video Games & Why They Are SO Coveted

1. Chrono Trigger [Complete In Box] for the Super Nintendo – What defines how good a game studio is that makes the game in question is the quality of the team of designers making the game. In the case of Chrono Trigger, you have Hironobu Sakaguchi of Final Fantasy, Yuji Horii of Dragon Quest, and Akira Toriyama, the legend behind Dragon Ball Z. We are talking about an SNES cartridge game that had incredible sound design, character design, is hailed as one of the greatest RPGs ever made AND has 13 story branches – that’s a lot going on in one small but mighty cartridge. This game was also released later in the Super Nintendo’s life cycle, which led to it having a comparatively smaller production amount. Naturally, cartridges of this game are rare but more commonly found without the box, but to find one with the box, manuals, and all the goodies that came with it is a rarity. Shop Chrono Trigger [Complete In Box] for Super Nintendo

2. Metal Storm [Complete In Box] for the Nintendo Entertainment System – Now this is a heavy-duty game. Metal Storm follows the trend of retro gaming where games about mechs, robots, and war suits were popular amongst consumers. The story about Metal Storm is that like Chrono Trigger, it came out at the end of the NES life cycle and received virtually ZERO media coverage. It had almost no advertising, was a limited print game, and did not receive the coverage it deserved, which leads to the scarcity we have now. Metal Storm on NES is closer to SNES level quality in terms of graphical output, and gameplay. It is a genuinely good game that has positive feedback amongst players of the time and collectors now, but it simply had a limited life cycle and went relatively unknown. Shop Metal Storm [Complete In Box] for NES

3. Haunting Ground [Complete In Box] for the PlayStation 2 – Of course a survival horror game had to be on the list, what grail list is complete without one? Haunting Ground is unique because it features no combat, you can’t simply kill your nightmares. In this case, Haunting Ground challenges you to overcome puzzles with critical thinking and a detective’s mind. The atmosphere of the game is a beautiful contrast to Silent Hill’s dreary environment, with a sprawling Gothic mansion being the stage that the game takes place in. You will notice a trend with this one as well, it being a late arrival in the PS2 life cycle, minimal print, and cult demand for the game make it one of the pricier entries in the survival horror genre, only really sitting behind Rule Of Rose, and Kuon. Overall, Haunting Ground is a well-made survival horror classic that deserves its spot on the grail list. Shop Haunting Ground [Complete In Box] for PlayStation 2

4. Godzilla 2: War Of The Monsters [Complete In Box] for the Nintendo Entertainment System – Our favorite fire breathing monster, Godzilla, comes crashing into this list with a hefty price tag. Godzilla 2 on NES changes things up from earlier entries with a play style more focused on turn-based gameplay. Players take on the perspective of the humans as you maneuver your elements into position to protect the city and defeat Godzilla. Unlike Chrono Trigger, which is heralded for its fantastic game quality, Godzilla 2: War Of The Monsters is known for being widely unpopular amongst gamers. Players were not happy with the confusing and clunky turn-based controls, when NES games were largely action driven. Bottom line, people didn’t like the game because it was not well made, so retailers didn’t put orders in, and the game did not sell well. For a Godzilla fan or NES completionist, a complete copy of Godzilla 2: War Of The Monsters deserves a spot on the grail shelf. Shop Godzilla 2: War Of The Monsters [Complete In Box] for NES

5. Sparkster [Complete In Box] for the Sega Genesis – This game highlights the all-out battle of the 90s – Sega vs. Nintendo! Sparkster is the sequel to Rocket Knight Adventures, the well-received action-platformer. The game was released both on the Super Nintendo and Sega Genesis, roughly at a time when the Super Nintendo was being crowned as the winner of Sega’s and Nintendo’s 16-bit contest. In fact, Konami, Sparkster’s publisher, was marketing the game’s Super Nintendo version more, as Super Nintendo consoles were in more households and were dominating sales in the console market. As Super Nintendo consoles were finding more homes, the Sega Genesis version of Sparkster was being limited in its print cycle, which contributes to its scarcity today. The Sega Genesis version was not a bad game, it just had a hard time competing with the Super Nintendo version, making it a rare collector gem today for Sega Genesis disciples. Shop Sparkster [Complete In Box] for Sega Genesis

These five retro rarities only scratch the surface on the deep roster of mortgage-priced retro grails. You can expect any rare retro video game from us to be tested, cleaned, and transparently priced, as well as having actual photos of the very game you are ordering. Be sure to check out our Collector’s Corner for updated inventory, as we get in new games every single day!