The Rarest Games Consoles (& How Much They’re Worth)

Summary

• A rare “This Is Cool” Sega Saturn can sell for $400-$700 on eBay due to its unique design and limited production.
• An Apple Bandai Pippin, priced at $800 for a complete set, is a unique multimedia console licensed to Bandai.
• PS3 Debugging Stations, priced at $1,000 for a complete set, were crucial developer tools allowing game testing and previewing.

Video game consoles are often called collector’s items, but only a few really live up to that title. Sure, there are hundreds of millions of PS4s and Xbox Ones throughout the world, so those can’t really be considered as such. But when special collector’s editions, custom-made consoles, and rare consoles from the past are taken into account, it’s easy to see what an extensive and expensive hobby console collecting can become.

Many of these consoles are beautiful or key parts of gaming history, but anybody hoping to get their hands on them all is going to have to pay a pretty penny, assuming, that is, that they can even find them for sale. These are some of the rarest video game consoles on the market, and how much they’re worth.

Updated April 4, 2025, by David Heath: Collecting video games and gaming hardware isn’t particularly easy, especially nowadays. The COVID-19 pandemic and lockdowns saw a huge jump in retro game prices, and a few have dropped back down over time. Even relatively modern retro consoles, like the PS3 and Xbox 360, still go for 3 figures for complete sets.

Still, gamers can find a good bargain for big-name consoles since they’re all over the place. Even older machines like the NES, ZX Spectrum, and Atari 2600 might turn up at a yard sale or a store tucked away somewhere. Others are much harder to find and even more difficult to afford. That is why this list has been updated with a few more rare machines, from consoles that let players make their own games to diagnostic machines that have become priceless over the passage of time.

Prices are sourced from PriceCharting.com except where noted.

30

This Is Cool Sega Saturn

Putting a Price on Coolness

The “This Is Cool” Sega Saturn was a model of the Skeleton Saturn line. These were the final Saturn models to be produced, and they are distinguished by their see-through bodies, which was the style at the time. One of the models had the words “This Is Cool” inscribed on the CD drive for some bizarre reason, and only 30,000 or so were ever produced, leading to their reputation as a valuable collector’s item.

Luckily, there are a few of them still floating around on eBay, where they typically sell for between $400 and $700, depending on their condition. Whether those three words and a see-through body are worth that kind of premium will depend very much on the buyer. It’s a lot of money to spend on a slightly more stylish Japanese Sega Saturn, but at least it can play X-Men Vs Street Fighter!

29

Apple Bandai Pippin

The Time Apple Made a Console

The Apple Bandai Pippin is more on par with machines like the 3DO, as it was marketed as a ‘multimedia player platform’ that Apple licensed to third parties to produce models. Most notably, it was licensed to Bandai, who produced the Atmark and @World models. It could connect to the internet for emails and messages, play music, print stickers, and run educational and edutainment software. Oh, and it could play games, too.

The Pippin did better in Japan, where it had a much larger library of games aimed at young children. But in North America, it only received a handful of games and software before being discontinued 1 year into its run. It was too underpowered and overpriced compared to the Sega Saturn and PlayStation. Still, that hasn’t stopped it from charming collectors, as it’s a unique piece of hardware and one that will set buyers back by $800 for a complete set.

28

PS3 Debugging Station

The PS3 had an awful launch that gave developers cold feet, let alone potential customers. It managed to hold its own in the long run, despite its high price and Sony removing its PS2 backwards compatibility, since it wasn’t going to blow its own brains out like the original Xbox 360 models were. Still, those early PS3 games could be rough as developers got to grips with its cell processor, where they made heavy use of the PS3 Debugging Station.

It was a special version of the PS3 made only for developers, where they could figure out their games’ hiccups with its built-in debug tech before releasing them into the wild. Unlike the retail version, it was completely region-free, letting people play PS1, PS2, and PS3 games from anywhere and everywhere. They could also upload their games from discs or USB drives to its hard drive and vice versa, and access PSN (before getting swiftly banned for using a tweaked PS3). Whether it’s worth $1,000 for a complete set is another matter.

27

Pokémon Stadium N64 Battle Set

It’s a Battle to Afford This Set

To promote the wonderful Pokémon Stadium, Nintendo decided to release a special Battle Set version of the Nintendo 64. This included the Nintendo 64 console itself, Pokémon Stadium, an “atomic purple” controller, an N64 transfer Pak, and a Pokémon Trainer Journal. Everything a young fan could want back in the day. But getting it now is much more challenging, as these special sets are relatively rare today.

However, there are still a few circling around on eBay. If browsers are lucky, they’ll see it go for $300-$500, about the price of a modern console. But according to PriceCharting.com, it’s worth at least $1,000 either on its own or with an extra $100 or more if it’s complete. New, sealed consoles have dropped in price, though they still go for over $3,500. Not exactly a drop in the bucket.

26

Pikachu N64 Set

Electrifying Prices

The N64 was all about its Pokémon exclusives. To promote the video game Hey You, Pikachu, Toys R Us decided to release an exclusive Pikachu-themed Nintendo 64 console. This console was painted a vibrant blue and yellow, and it came with massive Pikachu and Poke Ball-themed buttons. It also included the game itself, the Voice Recognition Unit, the required microphone, and a “bonus animated/talking Pokémon watch.”

The game didn’t work so well compared to other microphone-based virtual pet games, like Seaman on the Dreamcast, but the console would be a jewel in a Poke-fan’s crown. Collectors can expect to see the full set selling on sites like eBay for roughly $1,400, nearly $3,800 if the system is boxed and brand new. Though, if they just want the Pikachu console, they should find it for roughly $230 or so in the wild.

25

Panasonic Q Gamecube

Or the “GameQ” for Short

One of the reasons the PS2 took off was that it was a fairly cheap and reliable DVD player compared to standalone models at the time. The Xbox would follow suit, but Nintendo’s purple box of wonders stuck to video games since its disc drive wasn’t big enough for standard DVDs. But that didn’t mean the big N didn’t give it a go, as they let Panasonic produce a special version of the Gamecube called the Panasonic Q. On top of playing Gamecube games, the Panasonic Q could play DVDs, Video CDs, audio CDs, and MP3s.

It even had a backlit LED display and optical sound output for audiophiles. Even more interesting, later models could play US games as well as Japanese ones (no luck for European collectors). It cost ¥46,000 back in 2001 ($328.53 today), but now, it’ll set buyers back by $900 — or $1,362 if they want a complete set. Then, if they want to play GBA games on it, they need to get the console’s own specialized GBA adapter, which is even more expensive at $1,325 for a loose one.

24

Sega Genesis CDX/Sega Multi-Mega (PAL)

Multi-Grand Prices for an All-in-One Machine

In 1994, Sega combined their Genesis and Sega CD into one hybrid console called the Genesis CDX (aka Sega Multi-Mega internationally). The unit retailed for an unbelievable $400 at release ($850 in today’s money), and its exorbitant price resulted in some rather lackluster sales. As good as Snatcher and Sonic CD were, they barely justified buying the Sega CD on its own, let alone as an all-in-one unit with the Genesis.

Of course, the value has only gone up with time, and the Sega Genesis CDX now fetches quite a high price online. Its European equivalent, the Multi-Mega, used to be worth more on the market than the American CDX. But now they’re roughly about as rare as each other. Complete CDXs cost $70 more than complete Multi-Megas ($1,450 to $1,380), but loose Multi-Megas are still worth double that of a loose CDX ($993 to $435). New CDXs are $800 or so cheaper, too ($1,973 to $2,761). All that just to play Sewer Shark on native hardware.

23

JVC Wondermega/X’Eye

A Combo So Nice It Was Made Twice

What’s better than one Sega Genesis/CD combo machine? Another one! Made by JVC, the Wondermega/X’Eye was actually the first of its kind made, preceding the CDX/Multi-Mega by 2 years. Well, in Japan, anyway. The device didn’t reach North American shores until April 1994, the same month as Sega’s homegrown combo machine. Even then, the redesigned X’Eye lost out on a few features the Japanese Wondermega had, like wireless controllers.

Its early models also lacked the 9-pin AV port to let it hook up to the 32X, and the ones that were compatible with the mushroom-like device found it blocked the disc drive from opening up properly. Still, complete boxes did come with Prize Fighter, Compton’s Interactive Encyclopedia, and karaoke discs for ‘Achy Breaky Heart’ and ‘Two Princes’. All it needs is a flannel jacket and Dumb & Dumber on VHS to be the perfect 1990s time capsule. Though at $1,490, there may be cheaper ways to get that hit of nostalgia.

22

Gold Minish Cap Game Boy Advance SP

Worth Its Weight in Gold

The elusive gold Minish Cap Game Boy Advance SP is one of the rarest consoles ever made. They were made as a special promotion for the UK release of The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap, where it would contain the titular game and a golden Game Boy Advance SP. A few even came with golden tickets that entitled the owner to a GBA SP that was made with real gold.

These literal gold SP models haven’t turned up online, but their gold-colored editions are just as rare. Buyers can find the occasional loose machine going for $150-$335, with boxed copies complete with the game and manuals going up to $1,660. New editions have turned up for $8,000, with one completely sealed box being priced as highly as $99,000! Heaven forbid how much the ones made out of actual gold would go for.

21

Sony PlayStation 4 20th Anniversary Edition (PAL)

A High Price for Nostalgia

The first of several limited-edition PlayStation consoles to make the list, the Sony PlayStation 4 20th Anniversary Edition was released in 2015 to commemorate two whole decades of the PlayStation brand. As well as being styled after Sony’s original little gray box of wonders, the system also came with its own PS1-style theme once it booted up, a la the 30th-anniversary themes PS5s got as a system update.

Only 12,300 of the consoles were ever made available to the public, which has contributed greatly to their high resale price in the modern age. North American versions of the machine are pricey enough, going for $1,480 for a complete set. The European ones are even rarer, where loose consoles go for $1,700+, the same as their complete sets. Buyers might get lucky and find cheaper second-hand units, though there’s no guarantee that all the accessories will be included.

20

Red Pokémon Game Boy Micro

If Only the Price Was Micro Too

Not many people remember the Game Boy Micro. It was released back in 2005 as a redesigned version of the Game Boy Advance, likely as a budget option to go alongside the then-new Nintendo DS. Given it was too small to play on comfortably, few people opted for it over its bigger predecessors or dual-screened successor. That said, it holds value, as it ended up being the final product released under the Game Boy name.

The console would be a collector’s item just for that, but there was also a special limited version released exclusively in Japan. It was a red, Pokemon-themed Game Boy Micro that had a little Pikachu decal above the B button. It’s not as outstanding as, say, the Pikachu N64, but its region-exclusive status made it more valuable, going for roughly $2,000 for a complete boxed set.

19

Net Yaroze PS1 (JPN)

Letting Players Make Their Own PS1 Games at a Premium

Some people might remember Net Yaroze or at least have seen the Caddicarus video about it. In short, it was a dev kit for programming enthusiasts that let them make their own PS1 games. Kind of. It wouldn’t help them make Final Fantasy 7-caliber games, but it was enough to give bedroom coders something to practice with, make simple games, or even wacky tech demos. Their works often ended up on the demo discs that magazines offered at the time.

Though if they lost patience with typing up code or handling its manuals, players still got a black, region-free PS1 out of the deal. For $750 in 1997 ($1,491 today), it could’ve given players a way to try importing games without needing to chip their machine or use an Action Replay first, even if the latter two options were cheaper. Nowadays, the machine goes for $2,200 complete, or $1,236 loose, so potential buyers will need to save a pretty penny or two to see what it took to make Blitter Boy and Fatal Fantasy 7.

18

Nintendo 64DD

A Dynamic Drive Off a Cliff

Most companies hate piracy, but Nintendo has been particularly averse to it. It’s why they’ve often tried to make their own media formats instead of using more common yet exploitable tech like floppy disks and CDs. Yet it often led them to disaster. The Famicom Disk System broke so often that its big games were reconverted into NES cartridges. The planned SNES add-on ended up producing their biggest competitor in the Sony PlayStation, and then there was the Nintendo 64DD, a disk drive peripheral released exclusively in Japan in 1999.

It was more stable than the FDS but suffered the same fate when it flopped, with its exclusives being retooled for the regular N64 (The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask) or canceled outright (Earthbound 64). But with failure comes rarity, and these babies are especially hard to come by. If they can find one on eBay, collectors should expect to pay roughly $2,000, loose or complete. Unless buyers really want to make their own courses in F-Zero X via its Expansion Kit, the 64DD is worth more as a collector’s item.

17

Xbox System Partner Edition

A Treat For Hardware Companies Becomes a Test on Bank Balances

Even before consoles essentially became mini-PCs, their components weren’t all bespoke items made entirely by their home company. Sony’s ill-fated deal with Nintendo came about after they quietly helped Nintendo develop the sound chip for the SNES. While Microsoft dabbled in gaming as early as 1983 in a joint deal with ASCII Corporation to make the MSX, the microcomputer that housed the original Metal Gear. Then, nearly 20 years later, they worked with Nvidia and Intel, among others, to help make the original Xbox.

To thank these companies for their hardware, Microsoft made special Partner Editions of the Xbox, which they’d then pass on to their employees via internal sweepstakes competitions. They’re basically the same old Xbox machine and don’t offer anything particularly special over other versions of the console. It just has a little ‘thank you’ badge on the top of it with Bill Gates’ signature as part of the design. It’s pricey enough at $2,310 and would be pricier still if it were a genuine autograph.

16

Resident Evil Code: Veronica Dreamcast

A Biohazard to Bank Accounts

The Dreamcast is an underrated console that was vastly overshadowed by the PlayStation 2. That said, it performed reasonably well and had some killer games, thanks in no small part to Sega’s excellent working relationship with Capcom. These included ports of several of the earlier Resident Evil games as well as Resident Evil Code: Veronica, which was exclusive to the console at the time.

To promote the game, special REC:V themed versions of the Dreamcast were produced and released in Japan. This contained the game itself and a unique see-through Dreamcast console that came in red (the ‘Claire’ version) or blue (the ‘S.T.A.R.S’ version). The latter is harder to find, but the former isn’t exactly common either, costing over $2,500 for a complete boxed set.

15

Panasonic 3DO M2

The Console That Never Was

The 3DO was ahead of its time in that it offered features like internet access, video playback, and online gaming that are commonplace on consoles today. That also meant it didn’t do them particularly well compared to high-end PCs at the time, while being way too expensive for players weaned on the SNES and Genesis. Once the PlayStation and Sega Saturn turned up, the writing was on the wall for the machine.

That’s why its successor, the Panasonic 3DO M2, was swiftly canceled. Developers were able to use its hardware to make arcade games like Battle Tryst, but all that was left of the console were a few prototype models. Some lucky buyers have managed to get one of these models for a few bucks, then sold them on for $4,000+. For everyone else, they’re more likely to cough up $1,000-$3,000 for this piece of gaming potential.

14

Cuphead Xbox One S

A Yellow Console Going for Golden Prices

Most of the rarest video game consoles tend to be from the 1970s-1990s or so. Basically, they’re classic machines that are hard to come by these days. However, there are a handful of relatively modern systems that can sell for ridiculous prices. One such example is the Cuphead Xbox One S, a limited-edition console that was created specifically for the game’s L.A. launch event in 2017.

Only four of them were ever made, and these were given away as prizes to some of the people in attendance. Due to their rarity, they were valued at about $3,000 each at the event, and that price is likely to increase further still as time passes, which would explain why their owners are hanging onto them for now, as none of them have turned up for sale just yet.

13

Pokémon World Championships Nintendo DSi XL

Making People Say Aloha to Their Cash

Out of all the different Pokemon-themed consoles, this is one of the more beautiful-looking ones. According to ConsoleVariations.com, these models were only given out as prizes to the players who came out on top at the Pokémon World Champions in Hawaii back in 2010. Hence, why it’s got the PWC logo, and why it has Pikachu and other Pokémon hula dancing together.

Only 112 models of the Pokémon World Championship Nintendo DSi XL were made, and the few that are on sale are hard to track down. At best, they’ll go for $2,500 loose, or $3,740 complete in box. At worst, prospective buyers will have to fork out $7,100+ for pristine-quality models, with some going for $12,500.

12

Sharp Game Television

It’s a TV and a Console Combined!

Companies have been building game consoles into TV sets since 1976, when Magnavox integrated their video tennis games into their Model 4305 TVs. The PS2, Dreamcast, PC Engine, and even the Philips CD-I all had their tech built into TVs for owners to play games on without needing to fiddle with AV cables. Nintendo even got in on the act when Sharp produced the SHARP 19SV111, aka the Sharp Game Television.

This was a 19-inch CRT that had an NES cartridge slot and controller ports built into the base and came with exclusive black NES controllers and a remote control. The set was only available in KMart stores back in 1989 and is hard to track down nowadays. If buyers find it going for less than $1,500, it’s likely to be missing its accessories, have broken legs, and other bits of wear and tear from 35+ years of use (or lack thereof).

11

Maziora Dreamcast (JPN)

Shifting Colors, Rising Prices

Prices taken from Satakore.com

There were quite a few different variations of Sega’s final home console, although none of them are quite as unique as the Maziora Dreamcast. Developed by a Japanese vehicle manufacturer of the same name, only 500 of them were ever made, with 200 of them signed by Grand Prix motorcycle racer Tadahiko Taira. That’s not the only reason why people are willing to pay upwards of six grand for them, though.

The consoles and controllers feature a special coating that causes their color to change depending on the lighting and viewing angle. Depending on the lighting conditions, it can appear to be aqua blue or a deep purple. The complete set also came with the Dream Passport CD to help players get online, alongside a keychain and a motorsport guide. Put it all together, and it becomes a particularly rare set.