If you’re sitting on a stash of old Sega Genesis games then it’s always worth checking out just how valuable or rare those games are. While most Sega Genesis games will be worth peanuts, Sonic games and Aladdin for instance, other rare Sega Genesis games that may not have been quite so popular, can fetch a pretty penny.
Below you will find a list of the 20 most valuable and rare Sega Genesis games. Prices for games are always changing and so this valuable and rare Sega Genesis games list is continually updated depending on the changes in the market.
20 Of The Most Valuable Sega Genesis Games
***List in rarity order, last updated January 2019***
TETRIS (1988)
RARITY: 10, PRICE: $20,000+
Possibly one of the rarest games ever made, it is believed that only ten copies of Tetris on the Sega Genesis ever existed. A copy of the game was sold at auction for $16,000 in 2008. Another copy signed by creator Alexey Pajitnov was put up for auction at $1,000,000 dollars. The cartridge never sold but offers of around $20,000 were turned down at the time.
The reason behind the incredibly limited release is a long one. It basically came down to who held the rights to the game during the Soviet Union days. The creator Alexey Pajitnov sold the rights to the Soviet government in 1986 for a 10-year period.
The rights to the game were also sold to overseas companies such as Atari Games and Bullet-Proof Software for sales in the west. However, when the game was made in Japan for the Sega Mega Drive (Genesis), legal wranglings meant the game never got produced. A handful of copies were made, but these games are so rare the chances of you ever owning one are practically zero!
BLOCKBUSTER WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP II (1995)
RARITY: 10, PRICE: $1,200 - $2,500
The Blockbuster World Championship II cartridge was used for an in-store competition in 1995. Store champions would progress to the next round in San Francisco, at GamePro’s HQ. This cartridge was used in those competitions and contained watered down versions of NBA Jam Tournament Edition and Judge Dredd.
This Genesis cartridge is exceptionally rare. Not just because only a handful were produced, but because unlike its SNES counterpart which could be won by contestants, Acclaim’s cartridge was ordered to be destroyed after use.
However, even though all these cartridges were supposed to be destroyed, a few cartridges have appeared on the internet, the most recent selling for $2000.
AEROBIZ SUPERSONIC (1994)
RARITY: 10, PRICE: Complete $65, Loose $30
Aerobiz Supersonic is a business simulation video games released on the NES in 1993 and ported to the Genesis in 1994.
The game sees the player become CEO of an airline, battling it out with three other AI-controlled airlines for supremacy in the skies. It’s probably fair to say that Aerobiz Supersonic is not the worst idea for a game. It would work well as a simulator game on PC, however console owners were not so enthusiastic.
Due to poor sales, limited copies of the game were made. This makes it one of the rarest games for the Sega Genesis.
ECCO THE DOLPHIN BOX SET (1992)
RARITY: 9, PRICE: $14,000+
Released only in the UK, this Ecco The Dolphin Box Set was released by Sega in conjunction with a London aquarium which housed a real dolphin named Ecco. Inside the box set was the game cartridge, T-shirt, certificate and dolphin tape.
Very few of these box sets exist and so they are incredibly rare and very collectable. In 2011 a copy of the Ecco The Dolphin Box Set sold for a little over $1400 dollars.
MUSHA (1990)
RARITY: 9, PRICE: Complete $430, Loose $220
MUSHA is a vertical-scrolling shoot ’em up released on the Sega Genesis in 1990. While it was hugely popular in Japan, it never had the same popularity in the states and didn’t even see release in Europe.
The game sees the player take on the role of a flying mecha pilot who must take on a super intelligent computer that is threatening human life and planet Earth.
Due to the limited release, MUSHA is a fairly rare find which commands an incredibly high price tag. If you are after a copy today, you won’t get much change from $500 for a complete boxed copy.
ZERO THE KAMIKAZE SQUIRREL (1994)
RARITY: 9, PRICE: Complete $275, Loose $70
Zero The Kamikaze Squirrel is a spin-off from the Aero The Acro-Bat series, it was released on the Sega Genesis (and SNES) in 1994.
A fairly standard platform game, Zero has to save the forest from the evil lumberjack ‘Jacques Le Sheets’, who will use the paper made from the forest to create counterfeit money.
Zero The Kamikaze Squirrel on the Genesis is an incredibly rare game, far more so than on the Super Nintendo. Even loose copies of Zero The Kamikaze Squirrel sell for around $70 dollars, while a complete copy will set you back the best part of $300 dollars.
AERO THE ACRO-BAT 2 (1994)
RARITY: 9, PRICE: Complete $125, Loose $25
Aero The Acro-Bat 2 was released for the Sega Genesis in 1994. It is the second game in the Aero series and was dedicated to Brazilian F1 driver Ayrton Senna who died that same year at the Italian Grand Prix.
The story starts directly after the events of the first game, with Aero exploring Ektor’s museum after defeating him on the tower. While exploring the museum Aero finds a magician’s box which takes him to an ancient castle.
Aero The Acro-Bat 2 plays much like the first game but with longer levels and a few small differences. However, the biggest difference is the rarity and value of the game, complete copies sell for around $125, that’s if you can find one!
BEGGAR PRINCE (1996)
RARITY: 9, PRICE: Complete $100, Loose $55
Beggar Prince is a Taiwanese role-playing game released for the Sega Genesis in 1996. It was then re-released in 1998 and then again in 2006, selling out every time.
While the game did always sell well, it had a very limited release, which means finding the game today can be fairly difficult.
Beggar Prince takes place in Shatt Kingdom, where the Prince trades places with a beggar who looks very similar too him. When he tries to return to the castle the guards laugh at him, determined to return to his castle, he embarks on a grand adventure.
While Beggar Prince is extremely rare, copies appear from time to time on eBay, don’t expect too much change from $100 though.
JOHN MADDEN 93: CHAMPIONSHIP EDITION (1992)
RARITY: 9, PRICE: Complete $90, Loose $30
The holy grail of Madden games, ‘John Madden 93 Championship Edition’ was a rental only game released in 1992. There were several differences between the standard John Madden 93 and the Championship Edition, however it is probably best known for boasting the very first All-Madden teams. The box cover art was also different, with a gold box rather than the standard blue.
As John Madden 93: Championship Edition was rental only, very few copies were ever made. This of course means the game is incredibly rare today, and therefore, very collectable.
ACTION 52 (1993)
RARITY: 9, PRICE: Complete $85, Loose $60
Action 52 is an unlicensed multicart game compilation released for the Sega Genesis in 1993, two years after it was released on the NES. As the name suggests, there are 52 games to play. However the line-up for the Genesis is considerably different to the original NES version.
The Action 52 cartridge is really only sought after by collectors who want it for the sake of owning it. This is mainly because most of the games on the cartridge are low-quality and buggy and really not worth playing. This is why you won’t find anyone other than collectors shelling out for it.
While the game might be awful, the rarity of it makes it fairly pricey. A boxed copy of the game will set you back the best part of $100 dollars. For a game that is barely worth playing, it’s a fairly heavy outlay.
MASTER OF MONSTERS (1991)
RARITY: 9, PRICE: Complete $70, Loose $40
Master of Monsters is a turn-based strategy game released on the MSX in 1988. It was later ported to a variety of consoles including the Genesis, Saturn and PlayStation.
Gameplay sees the player moves their fantasy-styled characters around the board in an effort to capture towers and defeat their opponent.
While Master of Monsters was never hugely successful in its day, it did have a cult following. This is probably one of the reasons why it is well sought after today. A boxed copy of this game will cost you around $70 dollars. A sealed copy was recently on eBay for $399.99.
THE PUNISHER (1994)
RARITY: 8, PRICE: Complete $250, Loose $80
The Punisher is a 1993 arcade game that was ported to the Genesis in 1994. It stars Marvel’s anti-hero The Punisher and Nick Fury (player 2) as they embark om a mission to bring down the evil crime lord ‘Kingpin’ and his organisation.
While the arcade version of ‘The Punisher’ was widely regarded as one of the best beat ’em up games of its era, the Genesis port got mixed reviews. This was in part due to the worse graphics, less variety of enemies and smaller amount of objects on screen. The Genesis port also censored content, including some of the more graphic violence, Fury’s cigar and women in skimpy clothing.
While the Genesis version of The Punisher may not have been that great, today it’s a hard game to track down. Boxed copies of the game which will set you back around $250 dollars.
SPLATTERHOUSE 2 (1992)
RARITY: 9, PRICE: Complete $150, Loose $60
Splatterhouse 2 is a side-scrolling beat ’em up released for the Sega Genesis in 1992. It is the second instalment in the Splatterhouse series. The first game having been released three years previously as an arcade game.
The game-play is very much the same as the first Splatterhouse game, you control Rick wearing the ‘Terror Mask’ as he goes back to the house and fights through 8 stages of gruesome monsters in a bid to save Jennifer.
While Splatterhouse 2 is fairly rare, finding a loose copy shouldn’t be a problem. Complete copies however are much rarer and will set you back around $150 dollars or more. A sealed copy of the game was recently for sale on eBay for $999.99.
SPLATTERHOUSE 3 (1993)
RARITY: 8, PRICE: Complete $150, Loose $50
Splatterhouse 3 is the sequel to Splatterhouse 2 and one of the very first games to be given a rating (MA-13) by the Videogame Rating Council.
The game takes place 5 years after Splatterhouse 2. Rick and Jennifer are now married and live in a mansion in Connecticut with their son David. This time the monsters have invaded his own mansion. Rick must don the mask once more to save his wife and child.
Unlike Splatterhouse 2, Splatterhouse 3 never saw release in Europe and is therefore well sought after by collectors there. A loose copy of the game can be easily picked up for around $50 dollars. However boxed copies are far tougher to come across with prices starting around $150.
MICHAEL JACKSON'S MOONWALKER (1990)
RARITY: 8, PRICE: Complete $75, Loose $40
Michael Jackson’s Moonwalker is a video game based on the 1988 Michael Jackson film ‘Moonwalker’. It was released on both the Master System and Genesis.
The game loosely follows the story of the film, in which Michael Jackson must save children from the evil Mr Big. It is essentially a side-scrolling beat ’em up game that incorporates some of Michael Jackson’s classic songs such as ‘Smooth Criminal’ and ‘Beat It’.
Today, Moonwalker is a fairly rare game, especially complete boxed versions which will set you back at least $75 dollars. If you fancy a sealed copy of the game, eBay was recently selling one at $499.99.
CRUSADER OF CENTY (1994)
RARITY: 7, PRICE: Complete $570, Loose $210
Crusader of Centy is an action role-playing game released in 1994 for the Sega Genesis. The story centres on Corona, a boy of 14 who inherited his fathers sword and has to fight the monsters who threaten the existence of humans.
Publishers Atlus were known for producing small print-runs of their games. This is a major factor as to why Crusader of Centy has such astronomical value both boxed and loose.
A loose copy of Crusader of Centy will set you back around $200 dollars. While boxed copies are selling for well above $500 dollars. If you are lucky enough to have a copy lying around, you could be sitting on a small fortune.
EL VIENTO (1991)
RARITY: 6, PRICE: Complete $150, Loose $45
El Viento is a 2D platform game released on the Sega Genesis in 1991, it is part of a trilogy of Earnest Evans and Annet Myer games, the other two being ‘Earnest Evans’ and ‘Anett Futatabi’. The game saw release in the USA and Japan, however a UK release by Ubisoft was cancelled.
Set in 1920’s New York, a dark cult plans the resurrection of their master, the Dark Prince Hastur, in order to control the world. You play the part of Annet, who has to stop the evil cult with her endless supply of boomerangs and magic spells.
Because of the UK cancellation of El Viento the game if very rare in the UK (import only). No matter what your location, a loose copy will likely set you back close to $50 dollars. Complete copies of the game will go for at least triple that.
SKELETON KREW (1995)
RARITY: 5, PRICE: Complete $260, Loose $45
Skeleton Krew was released on the Sega Genesis in 1995, towards the end of the consoles life. It is a 3/4 over-head view shooter in which you play one of three skeletal warriors. The game is fairly simple, you must blast your way through Psykogenics, the mutated bad guys that are taking over Monstro City.
Surprisingly, considering the genre, the game never got released in Japan or Asia.
While Skeleton Krew is not that rare, a boxed copy of the game will fetch a small fortune with prices of around $260.
TROUBLE SHOOTER (1991)
RARITY: 4, PRICE: Complete $140, Loose $55
Trouble Shooter, which was known as ‘Battle Mania’ in Japan, is a side-scrolling shooter released in 1991 Vic Tokai. A sequel to the game was released under the name ‘Battle Mania Daiginjo’ in 1993. However this game only ever saw Japanese release.
The game sees two teenage girls, Madison and Crystal, take on dangerous jobs for fame and fortune in what is a fairly comical shooter game.
Even though Trouble Shooter isn’t a truly rare game, it still holds great value. A loose copy of Trouble Shooter will likely set you back around $50 dollars. A complete copy of the game will go for around $150.
