The Super Nintendo Entertainment System (aka the SNES) was an incredibly successful console for Nintendo that helped cement its dominance in the early years of the market. It was home to some of the most famous and best-selling games and franchises of all time, such as Super Mario World, F-ZeroAnd Super Metroid.

The SNES had such a long lifespan and hosted such a wide variety of games, that the Super Nintendo has some incredibly rare gems. Tournament games and beloved classics are very rare, with high prices to boot.

Updated August 28, 2024 by Antonio Samson: The SNES is one of the most popular consoles and features a multitude of fan-favorite games. With any retro console, there are games that every collector would love to add to their collection. This article has been updated to include more rare SNES games and to meet CBR’s editorial and formatting standards.

A collector’s dream with a unique “Not for resale” label

Mortal Kombat II is one of the most iconic fighting games of the 1990s. It is infamous for its brutal fighting mechanics, gory deaths, and its role in creating the ESRB rating system. The fast-paced action, unique characters, and competitive gameplay made it a huge hit in arcades and home consoles.

The “Not for Resale” version of Mortal Kombat II is rare because it was never intended for public sale. These cartridges were distributed as promotional items at retail outlets, demo kiosks, and gaming conventions, where they were used to showcase the game. The cartridge usually has a distinct label marking it as “Not for Resale”, making it a unique collectible, and is at the bottom of the list of rarest SNES games.

14 Zombies Ate My Neighbors [Box Variant] It’s an offbeat horror-themed classic with a rare packaging twist.

A retro favorite with a limited edition box design

Zombies Ate My Neighbors is a highly regarded top-down action game developed by LucasArts and published by Konami. It stands out in the SNES library for its unique blend of humor, horror, and cooperative gameplay. The game features two protagonists, Zeke and Julie, who must navigate various levels to save their neighbors from an onslaught of classic horror movie monsters, including zombies, werewolves, and vampires.

“Boxed variant” refers to a specific edition of the game with a unique packaging design. This variant was produced in limited quantities and usually included different artwork or additional promotional material not found in the standard release. Due to its rarity, the boxed variant is highly sought after by collectors eager to complete their collections with every possible version of the game. A complete set with the original box, manual, and cartridge in good condition can fetch high prices, especially among fans of retro horror games.

13 Final Fight Guy is a rare re-release of a beat-em-up classic

The hard to find version featuring fan favorite character Guy

Final fight is one of the quintessential fighting games of the late 80s and early 90s. It was originally released as an arcade game before being ported to the SNES. The original game featured three characters – Cody, Haggar, and Guy – each with their own unique fighting style as they battled through the criminal streets of Metro City to save Haggar’s kidnapped daughter Jessica. However, when the game was first ported to the SNES, the character Guy has been deleted, probably due to memory limitations on the cartridge.

Due to its limited distribution, The guy from the final fight has become one of the most sought-after titles among SNES collectors. The rarity of the cartridge, coupled with the enduring popularity of the Final fight series, means that complete copies (including cartridge, box and manual) can fetch high prices on the secondary market. This title is particularly sought after by those looking to own every variant of Final fight released on the SNES.

A late release on SNES that became a coveted treasure

Metal Warriors is a side-scrolling shooter game developed by LucasArts, a company best known for its adventure games and Star Wars titles. However, Metal Warriors stands out as a unique and innovative entry in the SNES library. The game allows players to control giant robots, or “mechs,” as they battle through various levels to thwart an evil military regime.

Despite its quality, Metal Warriors was released late in the SNES’s lifecycle, when many gamers had already moved on to next-gen consoles like the PlayStation and Sega Saturn. As a result, the game had a relatively limited print run, making it a rare find today. Complete copies, especially those with the original box and manual, are highly sought after and can fetch high prices on the secondary market. The game’s cult status and rarity have made it one of the most valuable SNES titles for collectors.

11 Pocky & Rocky 2 is a high-value sequel with a limited run

A rare Japanese folklore-inspired shooter with co-op play

Pocky and Rocky 2 is the sequel to the original Pocky and Rockya top-down shooter that combines fast-paced action with a distinctive Japanese folk theme. The game follows the adventures of Pocky, a shrine priestess, and Rocky, a tanuki (a Japanese raccoon dog), as they fight hordes of enemies to save their land from evil spirits. The sequel builds on the gameplay of the original, introducing new characters, improved graphics, and additional cooperative play options.

The game’s unique blend of traditional Japanese elements and action gameplay made it a beloved title among fans. However, like many SNES games released in the mid-90s, Pocky and Rocky 2 suffered from limited print run. At the time of its release, the SNES was nearing the end of its life cycle and many gamers were moving on to newer consoles. As a result, Pocky and Rocky 2 did not receive wide distribution, making it a rare find today.

10 The ATV Rally/Entertainment Speed ​​Race is elusive due to limited stock rather than quality

A unique exercise-based game combined with a classic racing title

This extremely rare cartridge contains two games in one. Mountain bike rally was controlled using a real exercise bike, almost like a 16-bit predecessor of Wii Fitand was also known as Cannondale Cup in the American markets.

The second game in the package, Speed ​​runneris much less revolutionary. It was a run-of-the-mill racing game based on the Speed ​​runner anime and failed to turn heads. Few, if any, copies made it to shelves; most of them were ordered directly from Nintendo. The limited stock gives this double feature its high price tag and ranks it at #10 on this list.

9 Mega Man X3 is still an iconic name in the action-platformer genre.

A technological marvel that raised the bar for SNES games

The first entries in the Mega Man The franchise has held up very well, joining a gallery of nostalgic games that only get better with age. In some ways, the fact that the game is so good and beloved by its fans makes it so rare. Those who still own an original copy are unlikely to want to part with it, so it has become increasingly difficult to find.

Another factor that drives up the price of this nostalgic classic is that Mega Man X3 used the improved Cx4 chip which allowed the SNES to render 3D graphics. This made the cartridges themselves more expensive at the time, and that price only increased in the decades that followed.

8 Earthbound is a cult classic JRPG

An RPG gem that found new life thanks to the popularity of Smash Bros.

Attached to the earth is one of the most well-known franchises on the SNES and is considered by fans to be one of the best RPGs ever created. Also known as Mother In Japan, its release was incredibly limited. Very few games in the Mother No series has been released outside of Japan, so the original Attached to the earth is, at the time of writing, the only officially released game with an official translation available outside of the Japanese market.

Besides being a well-received game and an excellent RPG, Attached to the earth was made popular by its inclusion in the Super Smash Bros. The franchise has become increasingly popular with collectors, and original copies have become highly sought after. The few cartridges that remain sealed in their boxes can cost collectors a fortune.

7 Hagane: The Final Conflict is a unique take on the Beat-‘Em-Up genre

A successful rental exclusive that has become a rare collector’s item

A side-scrolling beat-em-up about a cyborg ninja searching for the Holy Grail, Hagane: The Final Conflict is a strange but extremely entertaining game. Praised at the time of its release for its action and writing, the game remains rare today due to the complexity of the marketing and retail strategies of the mid-90s.

Hagane: The Final Conflictwas not sold at retail; It was only available for rental on Blockbuster as part of one of Nintendo’s many partnerships with the video rental company. As a result, fewer copies were manufactured, driving up the prices of the remaining units.

6 The Star Fox Super Weekend competition is a relic from a time before esports

A competitive cartridge from the golden age of Nintendo tournaments

A forgotten aspect of Nintendo’s history is that it used to hold tournaments and competitions around the world, although unfortunately modern eSports have made this practice disappear. Star Fox Super Weekend Competition is a relic of a bygone era in more ways than one, as limited copies of this cartridge were sent to Blockbuster Video stores, which hosted local tournaments.

The cartridge only contained the secret levels from the original Star Fox game, and players competed to see who could earn the most points. With so few copies made, players are probably better off just buying a copy of the original Star Fox to fully enjoy the experience.

5 Aero Fighters was an arcade game in spirit that struggled on the SNES

A commercial failure that became a valuable collector’s item

Originally an arcade game that was later ported to the Super Nintendo, Fighter planes is a top-down shooter. An almost spiritual successor to the previous game Turbo Force, Fighter planes is rare — not because it is well-liked, but rather because the game was a commercial failure.

These types of top-down shoot ’em ups didn’t have much success on consoles in the United States; they were most popular in arcades. Because of this, far fewer copies were manufactured and shipped to retailers in the United States than usual. The game is rare because executives did not expect it to sell well. Considering the prices this game can fetch if still sealed in its original box, these copies may be able to fetch high profits on second-hand markets for avid Nintendo collectors, making it the fifth rarest game on this list.

4 The versatile MACS arcade fighting simulator is a particularly unique Nintendo rarity

Military training tool becomes mysterious collector’s item

MAC is a rarity among Super Nintendo games. It was never sold at retail, and the public never got to see it officially. Instead, the U.S. Army commissioned Nintendo to develop a simulator to train its soldiers to use the M16 rifle at a low cost. This made its mere existence a mystery for years until used copies appeared on online marketplaces.

The game featured a rifle very similar to the Nintendo classic Duck huntingand the operator would point it at the screen to control the game. With only a small number of copies made, collectors will have to seriously empty their wallets to own this strange piece of Nintendo and American military history.

3 Donkey Kong Country Competition is an extremely elusive version of the original game.

A tournament cartridge with limited copies and high demand

Donkey Kong Country is a fantastic platform game, and its relatively short length makes it perfect for competitions. Another competition hosted by Nintendo and Blockbuster Video, Donkey Kong Country Contest was sent to Blockbuster stores to host the local games of the tournament; everyone had the opportunity to qualify for the Blockbuster Video Game World Championship.

Copies only had certain levels selected Donkey Kong Countryand only a few thousand copies were made. With complete, undamaged copies of the game selling for over $4,000, it’s probably cheaper to stick with The Return of Donkey Kong Country.

2 The Nintendo Campus Challenge is an even rarer piece of pre-esports history

A competition cartridge for a college campus is now worth a fortune

Yet another artifact from the era when Nintendo competitions were still widespread, the title of Nintendo Campus Challenge 1992 is a bit misleading. While it may seem like it was an intellectual test, the name refers to the fact that this competition was held on college campuses in the United States and parts of Canada.

The game featured a small selection of levels from some of Nintendo’s most popular titles at the time, including Super Mario World, F-ZeroAnd Pilot Wings. Of the small number created for the contest, an even smaller number are still available today. For collectors who want to get their hands on this cartridge, they’ll have to act fast if they find it; chances are it’s the only one left.

1 Nintendo Powerfest 1994 is the Holy Grail of the classic era of Nintendo competitions

A nearly extinct cartridge that defines SNES rarity

Held just before the twilight years of the SNES, Nintendo Powerfest 1994 was a competition that brought together competitors from around the world. The games on this cartridge are a small collection of levels from Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levelssome tracks of Super Mario Kartand gameplay clips from Ken Griffey, Jr. Introduces Major League Baseball.

Only about 30 copies of this cartridge were made, with most being scrapped by Nintendo after the competition to reuse their parts. The existence of two original copies is confirmedand both sold for absolutely astounding prices, making it arguably the rarest SNES game in the world.