When it comes to game libraries that appeal to collectors, the SNES is one that’s been somewhat overlooked. This is rather peculiar, given the vast, diverse lineup of countless hundreds of games this charming 16-bit machine features. There’s also got the relative durability of the game carts that lend themselves to preservation without issue.
There are quite a few titles by both Nintendo themselves and third parties that had been produced in large numbers thanks to strong sales. But there are also a surprising amount of limited, unpopular, or otherwise obscure games whose scarcity is a draw for collectors.
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This list will comb the unique, massive library of this beloved retro console and cover ten of its rarest games. It’ll also cover the conditions and events leading to their scarcity and value.
Updated July 25th, 2021 by Stephen LaGioia: Despite its age, the Super Nintendo remains a popular machine among new and veteran gamers alike. There’s a reason many Switch gamers get giddy at the prospect of new releases for the console’s SNES online service. Many of its games have aged like fine wine, thanks in part to the vibrant, colorful pixel art; a style that has seen a renaissance when it comes to the indie scene in particular. With the timeless quality of many SNES titles and the fairly reliable hardware—the platform has remained popular for collectors and enthusiasts looking to score valuable gaming trinkets. It thus seemed appropriate to refresh this list with updated information and more of the rarest super Nintendo games.
15 Space Invaders
- Current price range (PAL) (used to new): $25 – $165
This is a case of a classic, renowned title getting lost in the shuffle on the console’s library with its highly limited release. The result is one of the rarest SNES games. One could probably imagine the lack of demand for this one, being a title that dated back all the way to 1978. It would like the PS4 releasing a port of the 15-year-old original Killzone.
It surely also didn’t help that this game only ever saw the light of day in the isolated “Land Down Under” region of Australia. To top thisoff, there was also a Game Boy version of Space Invaders, which proved something of a better fit for the more portable sensibilities of its fast-paced, undiluted gameplay.
14 Chrono Trigger
- Current price range: $194 – $1,277
While one of the more popular RPGs on the console, this fantastical gem from Square Enix (then Squaresoft) has grown increasingly hard to come by, thanks to its top-tier status which only seems to be solidifying. The time-traveling adventure, memorable narrative, lush visuals, and wondrous locales still grip gamers to this day.
Chrono Trigger‘s popularity has continued following its rerelease on the Nintendo DS, Wii Virtual Console, PlayStation Network, and others. Its original cart, however, remains coveted and elusive, with new-in-box copies potentially netting well over a grand.
13 Hagane – The Final Conflict
- Current price range: $1,100 – $2,260
This obscure action romp is often considered a cult classic for those who bothered noticing it, thanks to its solid mechanics and fun themes that blend traditional Japanese themes and sci-fi robotics. But CAProduction’s game initially garnered a rather “meh” reception for its average visuals and typical gameplay, which had been done to death in the 16-bit era by the time it released in late ’94.
Its sidescrolling nature and basic pixel art seemed a tad dated in an era in which the industry was sprinting towards 3D graphics.
12 Mega Man X3
- Current price range: $273 – $2,100
It may seem surprising that one of the biggest, most iconic action shooters of the 90s managed to secure a spot as one of the SNES’ rarest titles. But given the circumstances behind this one, it does make more sense. On the one hand, sales were somewhat tough to come by given the sheer quantity of Mega Man games on the SNES’ strong library, creating a competitive landscape.
More significant, though, was a rare graphics chip that enhanced the visuals compared to most games on this 16-bit machine, called the Cx4. This was a pricey piece of tech that was hard to come by, thus leading to the extremely limited number of carts being produced.
11 Final Fight Guy
- Current price range: $440 – $2,500
The Final Fight series is certainly well-represented on the SNES, offering some stellar sidescrolling brawling. But unlike the popular, abundant mainline games – this refined, slightly modified version of the original was limited in terms of its availability. The reason for this is that the English rendition of this software was only accessible via rental from the now (mostly) defunct Blockbuster chains.
Basically, collectors had to be lucky enough to have the foresight to purchase one of these rare carts from the store to secure one, unless one happened to work there and were able to score the game that way.
10 Aero Fighters
- Current price range $800 – $4,900
Again, even though this aerial shooter managed to be fairly well-known and renowned elsewhere, the SNES port of this game was a far different story. Being something of a “paint-by-numbers” port amidst a sea of great Super Nintendo games, Aero Fighters largely flew under the radar for most owners of the console, leading to the brief and limited printing of these carts.
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This scarcity has made this is a top target for SNES collectors, who have shelled out over a cool grand to get their hands on a copy – a price that gets quite a bit steeper for an even rarer boxed copy.
9 X Zone
- Current price range $147 – $1,520
Given that X Zone utilized the not-particularly-popular Super Scope, and launched in the limited PAL market of Scandinavia, it becomes apparent as to why this lightgun shooter is one of SNES’ rarest games. X Zone can be found on the Swedish online retailer known as Tradera, where a boxed copy of the PAL version can be fetched for over $1,500.
Between the game’s limited release in Scandinavia, the need of the Super Scope to get the most out of it, and its lack of appeal compared to similar shooters, this was somewhat doomed to obscurity.
8 Cool World
- Current price range (PAL version): $190 – $1,450
For as strange and obscure as this cartoon was—which featured a femme fatale crossing into the real world—try an SNES game basedon this movie. As one might expect, the results weren’t exactly astounding for an audience used to playing the more kid-friendly Mario software. Much like the film itself, the quality and content of Cool World was “questionable” to say the least.
There’s also the fact that this title was released for the NES too, further cutting into potential sales of this version, andits PAL release which was mostly limited to Spain.
7 Rendering Ranger R2
- Current price range: $590 – $3,900
The adrenaline-fueled gameplay of this R-Type-esque shooter would seem appealing enough to garner widespread success. Yet, Rainbow Art’s romp was pretty much doomed for obscurity from launch—being a Japan-only game with just 10,000 copies in circulation. Western publishers opted out, leaving its release in the hands of a Japanese branch of Virgin Interactive.
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Originally known as Targa and conceptualized with hand-drawn graphics, the game’s distinct traits gave way to more typical pre-rendered graphics following Donkey Kong Country‘s success. This likely helped ensure this post-apocalyptic space shooter remained but a blip on the radar.
6 MACS Multipurpose Arcade Combat Simulator 1500
- Current price range: $1,300 – $3,500
True to its title, this shooter is far more simulation than an actual game. It was, in fact, developed specifically for the US Army as a cost-effective means to train and refine soldiers’ shooting skills. A rifle attachment would be hooked up to the console and used as the input device; not unlike a bulkier, more realistic version of the NES’ Zapper.
Ambiguous grey figures would crop up within some mostly bare, basic 16-bit locales; a certain number of which had to be hit in the allotted time. Though not too exciting or sophisticated from a gameplay or technological standpoint, it was seeming enough to help hone one’s basic aiming skills. Though a couple of variants exist, only a couple thousand of these are said to exist in total, being highly specialized programs.
5 Exertainment Mountain Bike Rally/Speed Racer
- Current price range: $1,320 – $4,000
Here’s a peculiar one—a multi-game cart featuring a mountain bike driving sim and a Speed Racer game, both of which were made mainly for the purpose of being used with an exercise bike. This bike, the Life Cycle 9XS, actually came with a built-in screen that would load up these games and (poorly) act as a sort of 16-bit simulation of one’s ride.
Considering these games were basically meant to be sold with this bike, rather than as individual software, the cart that houses them has become one of the rarest SNES carts ever.
4 Donkey Kong Country Competition Cartridge
- Current price range: $2,100 – $3,525
Sure, Rare’s beloved SNES platformer known as Donkey Kong Country may be one of the most successful games to blast onto the console. But actually, there was a far rarer – pun not intended – specialized version meant to be used for a limited-time event; the Nintendo PowerFest ’94.
The game is largely unchanged minus its trimmed-down content, featuring a series of random, timed stages that emphasize the gathering of points while displaying a point counter. As it was just manufactured for this Nintendo-sponsored contest and never meant for a full-fledged release, it’s highlyscarce. Only a meager 2,500 copies of this contest cart can be found out in the wild.
3 Star Fox Super Weekened Cartridge/Starwing Competition
- Current price range: $285 – $1,550
Any specialized game cart customized for the purpose of a one-off event is almost sure to be ultra-rare; and this alteration of Star Fox‘s debut is no different. Nintendo wasn’t shy about holding various competitions for their games in the early 90s. This continued in ’93, with “Starwing Competitions” taking place in various Western game stores to promote the release of this space shooter. There are reportedly around 2,000 copies of this competition cart in existence.
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While the manual and labels vary from the official release, the gameplay is largely the same—aside from a four-minute timer and a shortened, partially redesigned version of the first two stages, chock-full of more foes. A third stage in space is reportedly exclusively designed for this cart, and loops indefinitely until time runs out. Players would have to soar and blast their way through the areas as quickly as possible, as the goal was to wrack up the highest score in this allotted time.
2 Nintendo Campus Challenge 1992
- Current price: $4,000
Much like the famed 1990 Nintendo World Championships, which hosted a number of challenge segments of some NES games, Nintendo held a similar contest that toured various college campuses in ’92. The game featured situational challenges from some big names in the early days of the SNES at the time, Super Mario World, F-Zero, and Pilotwings.
If 2,500 carts seemed like slim pickings, try only three! These larger, abnormal cartridges were supposed to be taken apart and disposed of. Yet, much like the Jedi during the grim event of Order 66, at least a few survivors managed to slip by untarnished.
1 Nintendo Powerfest 1994
- Current price: about $17,500
Apparently, Nintendo was quite busy with competitions showcasing their software in the early 90s. Coming off the heels of the 91-92 event came this more obscure PowerFest of 94. The company, in conjunction with retail stores, had set up a number of trailers right outside various department stores. There, gamers would file in to test their skills at 6-minute trials from Super Mario Bros: The Lost Levels, Super Mario Kart, and Ken Griffey Jr. Presents Major League Baseball.
Managing to beat even our previous entry in rarity, there are only 2known surviving copies of this Nintendo holy grail in the wild. Just about all of the specialized carts were delivered back to the company and destroyed.
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