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Are my old video games worth money?

By Geega Games · Updated

Most old games are worth a few dollars — the bestsellers sold millions of copies. But some are worth far more than people expect, and small details like the box and manual can multiply what a game sells for. Here’s what to check before you sell.

1. Loose, complete in box, or sealed?

Collectors price games in three tiers:

  • Loose — just the cartridge or disc.
  • Complete in box (CIB) — the game with its original box and manual. For older cartridge games, CIB copies often sell for noticeably more than loose ones — sometimes several times as much.
  • Sealed — still in the original factory seal. A separate market with its own prices, so don’t open it.

If boxes and manuals are stored separately, match them back up with their games.

2. What makes a game rare

  • Late releases: games that came out near the end of a console’s life, after most players had moved on, often had small print runs.
  • Niche genres and small publishers: many RPGs and limited releases were never printed in large numbers.
  • Special and limited editions, plus store and contest exclusives.

The flip side: the most popular games — sports titles and games bundled with consoles especially — are usually the least valuable, because so many copies exist.

3. Condition

For cartridges, the label matters most: tears, writing, fading and stickers all lower value. For boxed games, look for creases, crushed corners and sun fading; for discs, scratches and cracked cases. Don’t peel stickers or labels yourself — a damaged label costs more than an old price tag.

4. Consoles and accessories

Consoles sell best complete, with their original controllers and cables — and better still in the box. A console that doesn’t work still has value for parts or repair; just say so.

5. Watch out for reproductions

Popular, valuable cartridges — Game Boy and Game Boy Advance titles in particular — are frequently copied. Blurry or extra-glossy labels, the wrong cartridge color and missing details on the back are common giveaways. If a game seems surprisingly valuable, double-check it’s the real thing.

6. How to check prices

PriceCharting lists recent sold prices for loose, complete and new copies of most games, and eBay’s sold listings (not active ones) are a good second check. Make sure you’re looking at the right version — region, platform and edition all matter.

7. Where to sell

  • Selling it yourself (eBay, Facebook Marketplace): the most money for your best games, and the most work.
  • Chain-store trade-in: fast, but offers on older and collectible games are often well below what collectors pay, and some stores won’t take them at all.
  • A local game shop: in person and quick; prices vary a lot from shop to shop.
  • A buyer who takes whole collections: one offer on everything at once, and no listing it all yourself.

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