It has been over twenty years for the reason that launch of the GameCube, and it’s no secret that it wasn’t Nintendo’s best-selling system. In its seven years of manufacturing, it managed to promote just below 22 million items worldwide, making it the corporate’s second worst-selling residence console behind the Wii U.
Regardless of this, the GameCube was a beloved console to many. From collection debuts like Luigi’s Mansion and Metroid Prime to continuations of well-liked franchises like The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker and Tremendous Smash Bros. Melee, there have been loads of gems for all sorts of gamers.
The video games that got here out throughout this period have appeared to develop in reputation, particularly since a lot of them noticed re-releases over time. And since the console didn’t promote remarkably properly, most of the video games have turn out to be scarce over time.
We’ve put collectively a listing of the ten rarest GameCube video games in the marketplace proper now that might price you an arm and a leg and doubtless a kidney to purchase. In case you personal any of those video games, maintain onto them tight, or think about promoting them for a fairly penny.
The entire estimated costs are taken from the PriceCharting web site in June 2023 and mirror the CIB (Full In Field) costs of just lately offered listings.
Skies of Arcadia Legends – $150-180
Skies of Arcadia Legends, launched in 2002, was one of many few JRPGs that existed on the GameCube. It’s a port particularly for the GameCube for the reason that unique launch was on the Dreamcast and was merely referred to as Skies of Arcadia.
The plot revolves round a younger air pilot named Vyse who groups up with pals to cease the Valuan Empire from utilizing historical weapons to destroy the world.
Whereas Skies of Arcadia obtained vital acclaim on the Dreamcast, the GameCube model obtained extra criticism as a result of the graphics weren’t improved regardless of the extra highly effective {hardware}.
There are variety of copies of Skies of Arcadia Legends in the marketplace, however they’ll nonetheless run you $170 or extra. Not too long ago offered CIB copies in June 2023 went for $155 and $180, with an outlier promoting for $205.
Hearth Emblem Path of Radiance – $200-300
In 2005, Clever Programs launched the ninth sport within the Hearth Emblem collection, Path of Radiance. This tactical JRPG launched the character Ike who travels throughout the land of Tellius to revive peace and ease tensions in different nations.
Hearth Emblem Path of Radiance was solely the third Hearth Emblem sport to be launched within the west, that means the viewers on this a part of the world may not have been very conversant in the collection but. As a result of it was launched on the very finish of the GameCube’s life, it didn’t have an excessive amount of time to promote a ton of copies earlier than the Wii got here round.
It’s not tough to seek out copies of Hearth Emblem Path of Radiance on the secondhand market, however they go for roughly $200-300 CIB, most likely as a result of the Hearth Emblem collection has gained substantial reputation within the west since this sport’s launch.
Chibi-Robo!: Plug Into Journey! – $250
The primary sport within the Chibi-Robo! franchise launched in 2005 on the GameCube. It was a pleasant journey sport by which gamers managed a small robotic tasked with cleansing and fixing puzzles in a family setting.
Regardless of its distinctive mix of platforming, exploration, and heartwarming storytelling, Chibi-Robo! noticed solely modest gross sales. It was not seen as a big industrial success, promoting fewer than half 1,000,000 copies.
The franchise continued on, although, with 4 extra video games after the unique. It’s now seen as a distinct segment Nintendo IP, so it’s no shock that collectors desire a copy of the primary sport. There have been a number of CIB copies offered all through June 2023 with a median worth of round $250.
NCAA School Basketball 2K3 – $300-400
Most sports activities video games don’t usually maintain up in worth, particularly the yearly releases. NCAA School Basketball 2K3 is an exception.
The explanation why it’s so costly at present is as a result of so few copies exist. SEGA stopped producing its 2K video games on GameCube very quickly after NCAA School Basketball 2K3 was launched after which recalled the sport after it was in print.
Individuals weren’t precisely operating out to purchase the most recent school basketball sport, so consequently, only a few of them really made it into the fingers of shoppers.
A handful of CIB copies have been offered in 2023 with the newest going for $425 in June 2023. That is on the upper finish, although; the few earlier than it have offered for round $280-380.
Go! Go! Hypergrind – $300-500
You may not be too conversant in this sport, however extra energy to you if you’re. Go! Go! Hypergrind, a skateboarding sport developed by Atlus, was launched in 2003 completely in North America. The artwork design was a collaborative effort with the studio behind the cartoon Ren & Stimpy.
There’s a little bit of a spread in the marketplace proper now for this sport. CIB copies offered in June 2023 have offered for $300 and $550. In Could 2023, a couple of copies offered within the mid-$300 vary. There appear to be loads of listings presently, so that you most likely don’t have to bid too excessive if you wish to nab one.
Cubivore: Survival of the Fittest – $400+
Cubivore: Survival of the Fittest was a little bit of a bizarre sport with a bizarre historical past. It was initially launched in Japan in 2002, and Nintendo had determined to not localize it for different areas. Nevertheless, Atlus ended up localizing it for North America later that 12 months.
Cubivore concerned controlling a cube-shaped creature that may eat different creatures to mutate and develop stronger. There have been some role-playing components concerned, however the fight was straightforward and fast-paced, and the graphics had been easy and paying homage to the Nintendo 64 period.
Collectors have been paying over $400 for CIB copies of Cubivore in June 2023, which appears to be on the decrease finish from costs within the $500-range earlier within the 12 months.
Gotcha Pressure – $500-$600
Gotcha Pressure was a kind of odd, distinctive video games that didn’t carry out properly critically or commercially however gained its personal area of interest cult following. This 2003 sport by Capcom was each a combating sport and a third-person shooter; gamers might acquire gacha toys and battle with them in-game.
In 2012, Capcom reprinted copies of the sport in Japan, which can have stirred a newfound curiosity in gamers. This, paired with the few gross sales of its unique launch, might clarify why the sport sells for over $500 on the secondhand market.
A couple of CIB copies of the sport had been offered in Could and June 2023 for $550 and $700. On common over the previous few months, it has offered for round $600 with the often “good” deal for beneath $500.
Disney Sports activities Basketball – $800+
Disney Sports activities Basketball may not be essentially the most extremely acclaimed sport on this record, however in fact, something with the identify Disney within the title shall be wanted by collectors. Developed by Konami, this sport was launched on each the GameCube and the Recreation Boy Advance in 2002.
Within the sport, you could possibly play as numerous groups led by your favourite Disney characters like Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck. Even if Disney Sports activities Basketball obtained unfavorable critiques, the sport sells on the secondhand marketplace for a fairly excessive worth.
The just lately offered CIB listings are a bit in all places, with the newest copy in March 2023 promoting for a whopping $1,200, however different just lately offered listings from this 12 months hover round $750-800. In case you accept a free CD with no field, you may pay lower than $200.
Metroid Prime & Zelda Wind Waker Combo – $1,000+
In case you’ve been scrolling by means of this record on the lookout for a sport you personal, your coronary heart might need stopped whenever you noticed the 2 video games on this part. Neither Metroid Prime nor the Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker promote for very a lot on their very own (sorry!), however you may not know that these video games had been as soon as paired collectively in a particular launch.
It was launched completely in the US throughout the 2005 Christmas rush, in response to the Nintendo Fandom web site. The case had discs for each Metroid Prime and Wind Waker inside with no adjustments in any respect to every sport.
As a result of this sport’s cowl artwork is definitely replicated, it is best to look out for fakes if you’re severely planning on buying a duplicate. Professional copies present up on the secondhand market often and fetch excessive costs as a result of particular case artwork.
Probably the most just lately offered listings had been in April and Could 2023, promoting for $1,000 and $1,037 respectively. Earlier within the 12 months, some copies offered for round $550-750, so there appears to be a little bit of a spike in worth presently.
Tremendous Monkey Ball 2 Pack – $1,400+
Now we’re beginning to get into ultra-rare territory. This was a particular version participant’s selection sport that contained each Tremendous Monkey Ball and Tremendous Monkey Ball 2 collectively in a single boxed bundle. Not a lot is understood about when it was initially on the market or what number of copies might need been offered.
Professional copies of this compilation don’t present up usually. A lot of the offered copies listed on PriceCharting had been from 2020 or earlier for round $600-700. Probably the most just lately offered CIB copy, nonetheless, was in March 2023 for a whooping $1,395. Probably the most just lately offered free disc copy was in Could 2023 for $1,069.
If it is a sport you desperately should have on your assortment, you’ll have to hold an eye fixed out for a list to pop up, which appears to solely occur a few times each few years.
Pokemon Field Ruby & Sapphire – $1,500+
Pokemon Field Ruby & Sapphire wasn’t actually a “sport,” nevertheless it was GameCube software program nonetheless. It was launched usually in Japan in 2003, after which it was launched in 2004 in North America the place it was solely accessible for buy on the Pokemon Heart retailer in New York Metropolis.
The “sport” acted as storage software program for gamers’ Pokemon from the video games Pokemon Ruby and Pokemon Sapphire. As much as 1,500 Pokemon might be saved and arranged. This software program additionally gave you the flexibility to play Ruby or Sapphire in your TV if you happen to had a duplicate of the sport.
As a result of this sport was extraordinarily exhausting to come back by, and since it’s wanted by Pokemon collectors, Pokemon Field Ruby & Sapphire sells for over $1,500 on the secondhand market. A couple of CIB copies have offered in June 2023 with worth tags starting from $1,350-$2,375.
Sonic Heroes & Tremendous Monkey Ball Duo Pack – $4,000+
This final sport is slightly little bit of a thriller. Sooner or later, Sonic Heroes and Tremendous Monkey Ball had been paired collectively in a single bundle by Sega. Just like the Tremendous Monkey Ball 2 Pack, it isn’t actually well-documented when, the place, or why this bundle was launched.
In case you’re fascinated by studying extra about this duo pack, the very best supply presently might be this video from Craig’s Recreation Room in 2020; he added this holy grail merchandise to his assortment and provides a fairly thorough historical past of it.
Briefly: it’s extraordinarily uncommon. The final file of 1 promoting was earlier this 12 months in February 2022 for $4,350.
In case you handle to discover a copy of this sport on the market, you seemingly gained’t be paying lower than $4,000 so as to add it to your private assortment. In case you simply discovered a duplicate someplace in your basement and are wanting up how a lot it could be price… congratulations.
Concerning the creator
