Nintendo created so many great games and characters in the past 128 years that it's hard to decide which is your ultimate favourite. Whether Mario or Zelda, Game Boy or Wii; collecting Nintendo items is definitely worth your time. If not for profit (limited editions can be very valuable) then for fun, because who isn't cheered up by Donkey Kong’s big smile and Yoshi’s glee? Here are some rare and special Nintendo collectables that you can't buy in store anymore, but do pop up at our auctions regularly. And guess what? They are highly profitable for investing in too..
1. Stadium Events
Shortly after the release of the Stadium Events game in 1987, the North American version was recalled by Nintendo so they could rebrand the “Bandai Family Fun Fitness” floor mat as the new “Nintendo Power Pad”. This is why the original Stadium Events is now among the rarest and collectable Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) games, selling for hundreds up to thousands of euros on auctions.
2. Gold Link on Epona Statue
Many people worked very hard to earn some of the best Nintendo collectables; for this Gold Link on Epona statue, sold on Catawiki for €320, you needed 19,000-star points on Club Nintendo. Statues like these can be pretty valuable when they are in good condition because you can't buy these items in the regular store.
3. Classic Mini (SNES & NES)
A good investment right now is the new Nintendo Classic Mini SNES. A limited edition that is sold out long before it actually arrived in stores. if you pre-ordered one of these bad boys you will probably sell it for more than the retail prices. Much like the Classic Mini NES IN 2016 (which is already selling for double the original purchase price), it will probably always be sought after by Nintendo enthusiasts, since the production is limited.
4. World Championships
To own this rare World Championships cartridge (gold version) when it was released in 1990, you would have to be one of the 26 lucky winners of a Nintendo Power magazine contest. To buy one today you would have to spend a small fortune because it is considered the most valuable and rare Nintendo cartridge. It was created to be used in the actual 1990 Nintendo World Championships, touring around the US.
5. Nintendo 64DD Randnet Starter Kit
The Nintendo 64DD kit was exclusively released in Japan, as an add-on for the Nintendo 64 console. This rare product only came out for a limited time, because it distributed the development of the Nintendo Game Gube. That is why it was only available in Japan and never flew over to America and Europe. With this add-on, players could go online and play with other gamers around the world.
6. Mario Kart Trophy Collection
Sometimes on Catawiki, you come across a lot that is special due to its unique combination of elements, like this Club Nintendo Mario Kart 7 Trophy collection. In order to own a trophy one needed to earn stars points on Club Nintendo, which makes a collection of all six trophies quite special. So you don’t always have to invest in one expensive, rare item; you can create a unique collection yourself!
7. Nintendo PlayStation
After decades of assuming this collaboration between Nintendo and Sony to be a myth, a few years ago a video showed proof that the Nintendo PlayStation once existed. The prototype, that is. Because the partnership between Nintendo and Sony ended before its release when Nintendo chose to continue with Philips and Sony went on developing the PlayStation. Perhaps in the future, one of these rare Nintendo PlayStation prototypes will go for sale, which would make it the most interesting Nintendo collector’s item ever.
This list could go on and on; there are many valuable, interesting and fun Nintendo items to add to your collection. From statues and trophies to games and consoles. Nintendo will always be legendary. Keep an eye on our Catawiki Computer & Video Games auction to find special and rare Nintendo collectables; after all special is what Catawiki stands for! Do you have a rare game collectable yourself? Register as a seller and see how many bids you will get.