The Rarest & Most Valuable Xbox Games
The original XBox doesn’t have quite as many cult classics as the PS2 and Gamecube, but there are still some gems and oddities in the library that collectors do their best to snatch up. Much like Gamecube games on the Wii, many of the games listed below still benefit greatly from being backwards-compatible on the XBox 360.
In stark contrast to the Cheapest Games series, this Rare & Valuable series by JJ Hendricks and I will round up the rarest and most valuable games for a given console or handheld so you’ll know what to look for whether you are buying or selling. JJ owns the video game pricing website, VideoGamePriceCharts.com and writes a Video Game Pricing Blog which analyzes video game prices, pricing trends, and charts historic video game prices. He used his pricing statistics to find both the average selling price and the highest selling price for each game over the last three months. Below you will see two prices beside each title. The first is the average daily selling price, which is typically the going rate for the game by itself. The second price is the highest price in the past three months which is usually the price for the new/sealed game. The list is ordered by the balance of the two prices.
Treasured Standard USA Releases
 |
Marvel vs Capcom 2 – $73 – $155
If you want the biggest mashup of characters in your fighting games, Marvel vs Capcom 2 is the place to be. It may not be the most balanced game for tournaments, but its one of the hottest mainstream 2D fighters out there. Most gamers may flock to the PS2 version, but the Xbox release is just right behind it in terms of value. You can imagine how many fans would love to see this come to XBLA if they could work out the licensing issues. |
 |
Steel Battalion with Controller: $81 – $204 Steel Battaloin (Game Only): $30 – $35 It’s a bit unfair to include Steel Battalion so high on the list as most of the value of the full set is due to the massive controller that remains as a mech fan’s dream come true. However, even the bare game still holds its own in the top 10, so we can’t complain too much. If you aren’t familiar with it, Steel Battalion’s controller tries to replicate being inside a Mech and had nearly 40 buttons. Because the controller was so large the game retailed for $200 and only limited quantities were produced. The initial production was close to 2,000 units but the game was re-released, adding a few more copies to the market. Check for Steel Battalion on Amazon |
 |
Sonic Mega Collection Plus & Super Monkey Ball Deluxe: $42 – $79
It’s not too often that a greatest hits re-release is more valuable that orignial releases, but in this case, it contains two excellent Sega titles in one. The game originally sold for $19.99 when released (like all Platinum Hits titles) but now the game sells for nearly $40. The game released in December 2005 and like other late generation titles it wasn’t carried by many retailers. |
 |
Halo Triple Pack – $39 – $47
Halo Triple Pack is a bundle that came out rather late in the Xbox’s life resulting in rather small retail support. The Halo bundle includes Halo 1, Halo 2, and the Halo 2 Map expansion. Xbox 360 owners keep the price high because all three discs included in the package are backward compatible. |
 |
Jurassic Park Operation Genesis: $34 – $84
Jurassic Park Operation Genesis is one of the more uncommon original Xbox games. You have to recreate the Jurassic Park theme park by creating dinosaurs, building rides, and attracting guests. Just like the movie, the dinosaurs can attack the guests if you don’t keep them safe. The game received mediocre reviews but it’s rarity makes it expensive. |
 |
Street Fighter Anniversary Collection: $39 – $53
This is really one of the best fighting compilations out there, as it contains Hyper Street Fighter II and Street Fighter III: Third Strike on one disc. The compilations was already quite popular, but the buzz from Street Fighter IV recently helped increase the price for this game. |
 |
Sniper Elite : $33 – $45
Sniper Elite was released on the PS2 at the same time and neither version sold very well, but the Xbox version is the rarer of the two. The game is entirely based upon stealth and using long range weapons. The sniping in this gem is more realistic than most FPS games because it takes into account wind, your breathing, and even gravity’s effect on the bullet. |
 |
Star Wars Jedi Knight Academy: $25 – $55
Jedi Knight Academy sold quite well and there are quite a few copies available, but the game is very popular with Star Wars fans and received very good review scores. You play as a student at the Jedi Academy and complete missions assigned to you by Luke Skywalker and other Jedi. The game also has a network multi-player mode so you can compete with other Jedi in training. |
 |
Grand Theft Auto Trilogy : $30 – $42
Grand Theft Auto Trilogy includes GTA III, Vice City, and San Andreas in one package. The game wasn’t released until November 2005, the same month the Xbox 360 launched. Most retailers quickly dropped support for Xbox titles after the 360 launched so the game was never fully supported. The game is backward compatible with the 360 and even with its high price is a relatively cheap way to play three GTA games. |
 |
Fatal Frame: $27 – $40
Fatal Frame is a survival horror game where your only weapon is a camera. When you snap pictures of the ghosts you can away their soul and protect yourself. The game was ported to the Xbox from the Playstation 2 but did not sell as well on the Xbox. |
Additional XBox Games of Value
- The Guy Game: $27 – $39
- Barbie Horse Adventures Wild Horse Rescue – $25 – $31
- Baldur’s Gate Dark Alliance 2: $29 – $33
- Fatal Frame 2: $22 – $39
- Star Wars Knights of Old Republic 2: $19 – $34
- Land of the Dead Road to Fiddler’s Green: $18 – $33
- Steel Battalion: Line of Contact: $19 – $29
- Outrun 2006 Coast 2 Coast: $20 - $28
- UFC Tapout 2: $17 – $27
- Airforce Delta Storm - $14 – $24
- Star Wars Battlefront 2 – $19 – $33
- Capcom Classics Collection Vol 2: $19 – $23
Rarest Games At Affordable Prices
Each of these games are quite hard to find, but routinely sell for $20 or less. If you are an collector and see a mint copy of any of these on eBay for a low price, you might want to snatch them up — you might not see them often and they could be a higher profile target down the line.
- Outlaw Golf 9 Holes of X-Mas: $4
- Outlaw Volleyball Red Hot: $4
- Outlaw Golf Holiday Golf: $5
- Outlaw Golf 9 More Holes of X-Mas: $4
- Dragons Lair 3D: $9
- Loons Fight For Fame: $6
- Totaled: $8
- Spikeout Battle Street: $13
- Kakuto Chojin: $7
Credits: Xbox Price List provided by VideoGamePriceCharts.com. Used prices are the average sales prices on eBay, Amazon, and Half.com between December 1st, 2008 and February 26th, 2009. New prices are the average sales price for a sealed copy on the same websites during the same time period. The list is ranked by average sales price during the last three months. All the games are not rare (hard to find with small quantities available), but relative to demand all of these are in short supply.
34 Comments:
Here’s an idea for a future article… what XBOX games were Japan-only? There can’t have been that many.
Gotta disagree with Steel Battalion Line of Contact – Gamestop carries it for $5, and many stores have a copy even if it is not on the shelf.
eBay prices for Line of Contact are pretty much as quoted. Check out the completed auctions from the last 30 days. Lowest is $14 shipped.
And denpanosekai, I’ll have to look into that in the future
There’s a very difficult Japan-exclusive Xbox game called N.U.D.E.@Natural Ultimate Digital Experiment. I’m pretty sure its price goes up to U$150+.
(Oh, and the link to the Xbox prices directs to the Gamecube list.)
*difficult to find
Looks like I will be buying and selling every copy of Line of Contact I come into now…$10+ for little work sounds like a winner to me.
Nevermind my question, as wikipedia has the answer!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Xbox_games
There are only 15, none of which are terribly exciting (both Shikigami no Shiro games came out here on PS2) but that list doesn’t include Psyvariar 2 EE, which saw a limited xbox release.
But I’ll agree that the N.U.D.E. “game” should have gone on top of your list, racket!
I’ve seen Marvel vs Capcom 2 at gamestop for 30 bucks.
Then maybe you should buy it and sell it on eBay
The Steel Battalion price quoted is not for Steel Battalion Line of Contact. But the original Steel Battalion. Line of Contact is not very rare at all and doesn’t sell for very much, but the original is the really expensive one.
I wanted to clarify that for people.
@Racketboy: Hey you spelled Steel Battalion as Battaloin… Freudian slip?
halo was probably the only good game here. everything else just plain sucks and the first xbox was out of ps2’s league
I managed to pick up both Steel Battalion games and the controller for £40 (about $60-70). It’s the pride of my collection!
What no Orta?
Baldur’s Gate: Dark Alliance 2 is very hard to find – and also fun as hell.
I got the star wars game for 18 dollars a few months ago at a local used game store, and my brother once got the SMB/Sonic MC+ game for 25 dollars.
There is another thats rare that was forgotten. Kakuto Chojin. I do not know if it is amongst the rarest, but it is up there.
Also, Jaws Unleashed goes for large prices, at least the PAL version does anyway.
Land of the Dead Road to Fiddler’s Green.
I had no idea that this game was even released…
I thought the Rarest and Most Valuable TurboGrafx/PC Engine games list was up next! Awell! Hopefully soon… *KEEN:D*
samurai, my thoughts exactly. Rare and exceptional aren’t exclusive to one another apparently in video game history!
in response to samurai, if you think halo was the only good game mentioned on this list, maybe you should go join a more bro friendly site, marvel vs. capcom 2, fatal frame, and the street fighter collection are all great games…not to mention most of the games listed here are also on the ps2, so your argument there is a bit weak
PLEASE LISTEN:
The awesome Xbox game “Land Of The Dead” is region-free
it was only released in USA, I bought a NTSC copy and
works perfectly on my PAL not-modded Xbox !
Don’t follow the bad reviews.. it’s a zombie filled fps with
a story and for Xbox there aren’t many
“Mic Hey said…
Don’t follow the bad reviews.. it’s a zombie filled fps with
a story and for Xbox there aren’t many”
Thanks for the shout out. I didn’t own an Xbox, but do own a 360, so I will have to check this game out… I saw the movie but had no idea there was a game!
Hmm, these are rare in the UK, some aren’t sought after though…
Winback 2
Painkiller Hell Wars
Gene Soldiers
Castlevania
Ultra Bust a Move
Shadow of Memories
Still Life
Shenmue 2
Morrowind GOTY
Bloodrayne 2
Most are 2006 so it figures that no one bought them…
Is there a rarest and most valuable Playstation 2 list on it’s way?
There is one planned
Hey, could we have a feature on Japan-exclusive Xbox games please?
(Just now noticed denpanosekai brought this up)
Seconded!
We plan to, yes
Just not sure when…
I found Steel Battalion on Craigslist for $100, so I’ll jump on that.
i have several of these games. i either got them but going to a used store and buying them cuz they didnt know or buying lots on ebay that contained one of the rare games along with some crap. i usually pay half of the price of the one rare game and sell the crap to my used store for about the same price i paid for. its a great deal.
“You can imagine how many fans would love to see this come to XBLA if they could work out the licensing issues.”
No need to imagine anymore <3
Aw man, I’ve seen Jurassic Park Operation Genesis at a local Gamecrazy brand new for about 25 or 30 dollars! I might grab that deal…
Post a Comment
Links to This Post: