Pokémon is the biggest franchise to ever exist, so naturally, vintage products are going to fetch a pretty penny. If you’re looking to buy or sell Pokémon games from your past, then we’ve put together a list that should give you an idea of which Pokémon games are the rarest. Collectors and fans alike are eager to discover the value of these nostalgic treasures, and knowing the market can help you make informed decisions.
We’ve all seen the exorbitant amounts that some versions of Pokémon games have sold for, but that’s not what we’ll be showing here today. Our list will cover the amount you’re likely to get if you were to sell one of these games today, or if you’re looking to buy one, then how much you’ll pay. By focusing on boxed copies and examining recent sales, we aim to provide a realistic picture of each game's value.
To simplify things, we’ll be focusing on boxed copies of the games, not free cartridges as they can vary drastically in price. Still, there is a broad range when it comes to boxed Pokémon titles, with the best condition fetching much more than one that’s weathered. After reviewing sold listings on eBay, here are the 10 most valuable Pokémon games of today.
With Pikachu on the box, it shouldn’t be any surprise that Pokémon Yellow is one of the 10 most valuable Pokémon games. This game was the first to allow players to adventure alongside a companion Pokémon, although here it was restricted to just Pikachu.
If you’re in the market to buy Pokémon Yellow, you’ll be looking to spend between $150 and $400 depending on the box quality. Still, this price would seem totally reasonable given the age of the game.
Gen 3 is a lot of Pokémon fan’s favorite generation in the series, and Pokémon Sapphire just happens to be one of the most valuable games to date. Alongside Ruby, which can be purchased slightly cheaper, Sapphire introduced players to the Hoenn region and a whole new Pokédex to complete.
Purchasing Pokémon Sapphire in its boxed form today is going to set you back between $150 and $400. Basically, you can take your pick between Pokémon Yellow and Pokémon Sapphire as they’re in the same ballpark when it comes to resale price.
Another game that heavily featured companion Pokémon, SoulSilver is the remake that captured the hearts of fans everywhere. This Gen 2 remake that launched alongside Pokémon HeartGold featured Lugia as its legendary creature and is also one of the most popular games to date.
You can get a boxed copy of Pokémon SoulSilver for between $200 and $400 on the resale market today.
Pokémon XD Gale of Darkness is one of the most forgotten Pokémon titles to date, but it’s also one of the best. This sequel to Pokémon Colosseum was launched on GameCube and, for that reason, it was missed by a lot of gamers.
If you’re looking to explore this adventure now, a boxed copy of XD Gale of Darkness can be had via online resellers for between $130 and $450.
Remakes are commonplace in the Pokémon franchise, but the first of them was Pokémon Leaf Green. Alongside Fire Red, these games brought the original Pokémon story to the GameBoy Advance era.
You can get a boxed copy of Pokémon Leaf Green for between $200 and $550, making it one of the more expensive games out there, but still a must-have for any collector.
Sticking around the same price, Pokémon HeartGold finally enters the midpoint in our list. The companion title to Pokémon SoulSilver, HeartGold sells slightly higher and tends to be the more sought-after title between the two.
Sales for Pokémon HeartGold tend to land between $230 and $550, but if you want to own it for less, you can always get an in-box version without the PokeWalker.