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No game is this good: NES cart auction for $20,100 photo

First off, what's with the arbitrary extra $100 on the $20,000? Cheeseburgers for a month or something?

The rarest game ever (or so they say) is the Nintendo Campus Challenge 1991 for the Nintendo Entertainment System. JJGames.com just sold this on eBay for $20,100. This cart was from a national tourney that took place in '91. The carts were supposed to be destroyed, but this one wasn't. It is supposed to be the only remaining one of more than 50 originals.

So what do you get for $20,100? Pieces of the games Super Mario 3, Pin-Bot, and Dr. Mario. Woo. Here's how JJGames says this works:

You have 6 minutes to play through this game and get as many points as possible. Once you get 50 coins on Mario 3 you move onto Pin-Bot. Then when you get 100,000 points on Pin-Bot you move onto Dr. Mario. You play the remaining time on Dr. Mario. After 6 minutes you see a "Total Score" screen with you combined score from all three games.

So yeah. This thing actually sold for $20,100. I too am a games collector, but no game is worth this much. I collect old games that I love to play from time to time, not one-of-a-kind partials. I get a stomachache thinking about games that cost over $150.

Is this cart even good for bragging rights? 

[thanks, JJ]


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35 comments | showing # 1 to 35

Quantum Zombie's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/08/2009 15:24
Quantum Zombie
Oh yeah, I remember hearing about this cart a few years ago. This isn't even close to worth it in my opinion. Then again, I collect hats and hockey pucks (<--- This is actually true), so what the hell do I know?
EternalDeathSlayer's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/08/2009 15:30
EternalDeathSlayer
I would never be willing to pay more than, say, 100 bucks on a game, even an extremely rare one that I like.

I'm just not one for collections or any of that stuff.
XGC TheDude's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/08/2009 15:30
XGC TheDude
That is way too much for a game however it does give you mad bragging rights IMO I always find it real interesting to see what people would pay for these rare gems
Cartman's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/08/2009 15:31
Cartman
3 Were given to the kings of dwarves, 5 to the race of the elves, and 9, 9 were given to 9 leaders of men. Blinded by their greed, they took the Carts without question.

But in secret, the dark lord Miyamoto forged one single Cart; in it, he poured his insanity and madness. One cart to rule them all.
EternalDeathSlayer's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/08/2009 15:31
EternalDeathSlayer
And as for if the cart is good for bragging rights, hell no it isn't. I'd give the buyer 5 minutes in an online forum before he's being called a retard by either people who own all 3 full games featured on this cart or by people who tell him, "guess what, I just downloaded all 3 games for free".

This person is a fool.
DevinKills's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/08/2009 15:32
DevinKills
does anyone know the winning bidders address? no reason just curious...
robbway's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/08/2009 15:52
robbway
I am not buying the "The carts were supposed to be destroyed." I used to get Nintendo Power Club catalogs with things like plushies, coins, POGS (yes, POGS), and system cases. I distinctly remember Nintendo sold these for $100+ to the Nintendo Power Club members. The description violates eBay rules using deceptive wording.
w4ffles's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/08/2009 15:53
w4ffles
Makes me want to watch "The Wizard" again.
fetusmilk's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/08/2009 15:56
fetusmilk
whats the port jack on the cart for?
ChronosWing's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/08/2009 15:59
ChronosWing
Was just about to ask the same thing fetus...
Occams electric toothbrush's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/08/2009 16:00
Occams electric toothbrush
Never underestimate the power of human stupidity.
readbigwordsisgood's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/08/2009 16:04
readbigwordsisgood
The extra hundred is to buy clubs to beat the poor if they ask for heathcare.
Xzyliac's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/08/2009 16:05
Xzyliac
I read about this when I was a huge video game history nerd. I think it's pretty cool. If I had the bucks I would've done the same.
robbway's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/08/2009 16:05
robbway
On second thought, my memory isn't that good. It was a Super NES cartridge they sold, so the description may be right.
Jon B's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/08/2009 16:12
Jon B
"only remaining one"
I really wouldn't be suprised if it went for a lot more. This IS a one-of-a-kind item they're bidding on.
Thurber's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/08/2009 16:13
Thurber
Keep in mind it was thought that all of them were destroyed until 2006, and at that point it sold in an auction for $14,000. Presumably this is the same cart, so it turned out to be a 3 year $7,000 dollar profit for the buyer. It's an investment, not a game. Think of it like owning Detective Comics #27, only a hell of a lot rarer. Oooh, or maybe it's money laundering...
fetusmilk's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/08/2009 16:22
fetusmilk
they should give this to the video game museum in Rochester NY
Zoel's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/08/2009 16:26
Zoel
The most I spend on a game was 1500$, but thats an arcade board. I wouldn't pay more then 40$ for nes cart.
Halidar's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/08/2009 16:36
Halidar
Whoever bought this has a hell of a lot of cash to spare. And if I had that kind of cash laying around that I could spend on whatever, I might buy something like this. Or a few arcade machines... either way.
Char Aznable's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/08/2009 16:57
Char Aznable
$20,000 on a game that will likely never be touched again. What a fucking waste. I'm kind of disgusted now.
Everyday Legend's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/08/2009 17:08
Everyday Legend
Hey, folks spend downright ludicrous amounts of money on some pretty asinine shit.

You wouldn't believe the offers my boy gets for his sealed copy of Panzer Dragoon Saga. Also, I myself have made a downright stupidly expensive offer for his set of VO twinsticks for Sega Saturn.

Sommamabitch won't sell 'em. Dick.
TheDreadHawk's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/08/2009 17:44
TheDreadHawk
Starving children everywhere.
Artemus's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/08/2009 18:51
Artemus
$20,100! Holy toledo, brother!
lewness's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/08/2009 19:03
lewness
Buy a truckload of Persona 4 instead because it has not met Atlus' projected sales of the game.
KaL YoshiKa's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/08/2009 19:04
KaL YoshiKa
I thought a cart like this previously went for 20,000 - I expect the extra 100 was to one up the guy who last sold one.
xenon's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/08/2009 19:07
xenon
I guess the +100$ is there because bids are proportional to the current price, so it seems that when playing with tenths of thousand dollars, you can only up the ante by a hundred or more.
This said... fucking crazy! Personally, I get a stomachache thinking about games that cost over $15.
Spelunking raccoon's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/08/2009 19:39
Spelunking raccoon
I got a one of a kind drawing of a stick man by the only one of me, who wants to buy it for a sack of cash?

Rarity really isn't the best thing to use when judging how much something is worth.
buffaloAAA's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/08/2009 23:16
buffaloAAA
Blah blah blah. You people call yourselves collectors. This person is truly a collector. If I had the money I absolutely would spend that. I would also be dumping loads of money into cancer and aids research but that is another matter all together. I'd love to see what their collection is like.
Mr Hibbert's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/09/2009 02:32
Mr Hibbert
Money madness aside, that's actually a pretty cool little cart. Can't say I'd buy it, though.
Bigmoose85's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/09/2009 04:35
Bigmoose85
20k on 20year old tech??? this guy is a loser
ScrapmetaL's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/09/2009 07:35
ScrapmetaL
Hey, it's a one-off peculiarity, of course it's worth it if you're into such things. It's got a fucking phoneline connector on it, or is that a full size network socket? I can't tell, either way, it looks awesome.
Bastard Spawn's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/09/2009 08:40
Bastard Spawn
No game is worth this much when you can buy a copy cart or TOTALLY NOT DOWNLOAD IT
MesonW's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/09/2009 08:50
MesonW
All credit to him. I'd never spend this much myself, unless I was particularly wealthy... but how do you place a value on a one-off? It's *worth* whatever someone is willing to pay. All you need is a wealthy games collector wanting it more badly than the last, and the price goes up. Until, like someone suggested, a museum purchases it. That'd kind of make me feel better at never having a chance to own it myself :)
scottz29's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/09/2009 14:23
scottz29
WTF is wrong with you people? As far as I can see, people can spend whatever money they want on WHATEVER the hell they want. All you idiots bashing this purchase are jealous you don't have the financial ability to like this guy did. Lots of wealthy people are all around you...lottery winners, celebrities, professional athletes, business owners, doctors, lawyers. People can buy whatever the hell they want so STFU. I personally think it's awesome that classic tech like this still commands big dollars for rare items.
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