Summary
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 consolesfrom the pastare 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 July 07, 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.
$321.25
$557.68
New
$654.38
The"This Is Cool" Sega Saturnwas 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 playX-Men Vs Street Fighter!
$556.70
$799.99
$999.99
TheApple Bandai Pippinis 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.
$900
$1,080.29
$1,890.50
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 thePS3 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.
$1,039.99
$1,184.99
$3,673
To promote the wonderfulPokémon Stadium,Nintendo decided to release a specialBattle 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.
$230
$1,299.49
$3,782.15
The N64 was all about its Pokémon exclusives. To promote the video gameHey You, Pikachu, Toys R Us decided to release an exclusivePikachu-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, likeSeamanon 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.
$904.32
$1,362.15
$3,814
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 thePanasonic 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.
$993.05
$1,380.57
$2,761
In 1994, Sega combined their Genesis and Sega CD into one hybrid console calledthe Genesis CDX(akaSega Multi-Megainternationally). 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 asSnatcherandSonic CDwere, 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 playSewer Sharkon native hardware.
$513.21
$1,490
$3,725
What’s better than one Sega Genesis/CD combo machine? Another one! Made by JVC, theWondermega/X’Eyewas 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 withPrize Fighter,Compton’s Interactive Encyclopedia, and karaoke discs for ‘Achy Breaky Heart’ and ‘Two Princes’. All it needs is a flannel jacket andDumb & Dumberon VHS to be the perfect 1990s time capsule. Though at $1,490, there may be cheaper ways to get that hit of nostalgia.
$499.99
$1,660
$99,000
Prices taken from eBay.
The elusivegoldMinish CapGame Boy Advance SPis one of the rarest consoles ever made. They were made as a special promotion for the UK release ofThe 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.
$1,702.25
$2,693.99
The first of several limited-edition PlayStation consoles to make the list, theSony PlayStation 4 20th Anniversary Editionwas released in 2015 to commemoratetwo 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.
