What rare games to get for Nintendo DS?

[g00ber]

With the news about the 3DS recently, i've taken a liking to collecting some of the more rare Nintendo DS games (in anticipation of their future value).

Is there any games that people would recommend I collect?

I heard about electroplankton and the monopoly / boggle / yahtzee / battleship games that i'm considering getting.

So far i've collected all the Final Fantasy's, Chronotrigger, Suikoden, both of the Shin Megami Tensei games, both of the Rune Factory games, Valkyrie Profile, all of the Dragon Quest games (4, 5, joker, and rocket slime, and ix in the future) and some other RPG's that I thought would be worthwhile to keep. It seems that Atlus and NIS games (although some are not the greatest) are valuable to have (just take a look at PS1/2 games and you'll understand).

Was thinking about getting the original Tetris DS, and perhaps the new Tetris Party version as well in the future. Puzzle quest series seems to also be something that would be worth more over time. Pokemon is a given, but I really never liked collecting those titles (just too many, and most are garbage besides the main original game)

Any other games that come to mind as being valuable in the future? (Limited quantities, etc).

[eskobar]

You definitely should look for the original TETRIS DS

[Clownzilla]

Just make sure you look out for the massive amount of bootlegs for the Electroplankton and Monopoly/Boggle games. Even Gamestop has sold bootlegs of these games.

[jcalder8]

Since you are looking for value:

Tech stocks can still be a good way of making money. Its less risky and can get you more profit than any video game.

[carlcarlson]

I think you're setting yourself up for a big disappointment, especially if you're just grabbing these games on ebay or the like for the going prices.

But if you're having fun, well then, carry on!

[JohnnyA]

Buying games cheaper now in order to play them later, at a time when they may be expensive: makes sense. Buyer games now in order for them to appreciate in value: doesn't make sense. They are the worst investment you could make. 99.99% of them depreciate.

[Gameguy]

The original Picross DS might become valuable, otherwise I can`t imagine why it sold for so much in a recent auction.

http://cgi.ebay.ca/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=190388889447

[Ro-J]

I imagine Curling for the DS might become rare as it was only released in Canada for North America. In about 4 years, at the next Winter Olympics, it may even be worth something if no one makes a better curling game in the meantime with all those new fangled motion sensing devices.

[PapaStu]

There is a bunch of stuff that is holding value (or moved up) over the last year or two. The problem is that after it rides the $40-50 wave, most of it tends to settle back down into obscurity because the games arn't all that, they just tend to be the only one of that kind available at the time.

Tetris DS (40-50)
POGO Island (+/- 30) This one has dropped down from the 40-50 it pulled for a while
Rain Drops (40)
Backyard Football (+/-30)
Backyard Hockey (+/-20) This one dropped most of its value
Madden 09 (this one has dropped most of its value)
Electroplankton (+/- 50)
Monopoly/Boggle/Yahtzee/Battleship (+/- 40-50)

There are i'm sure a number of others, but i've not been paying attention to the high value DS games, because by the time I've chased down a few of them (Pogo Island for one) their value has dropped back down.


@ GameGuy
Picross is riding the wave thanks to it being OOP and with the recent release of Picross 3D increasing demand. I'd not be surprised to see it get the Orange Bar re-release like Clubhouse Games and Hotel Dusk did.

[BacteriaInfection]

A truly ridiculous way to try to make money. It's actually pretty sad. Why don't you funnel all your energy into some more positive and productive like getting a master's degree or something.

Anyways, it's your life to waste...so by all means go for it.

[theclaw]

I'd grab Infinite Space ASAP. I already regret not doing that, I've had little luck in obtaining the game.

[RASK1904]

Theres a few club nintendo games (they suck to play) that had limited releases in Japan only. I think a Game & Watch Collection and 2 with the guy from Zelda. Ruppes...? Names elude me atm. Stuff like this will actually be collectable in the futre. The games your going for will real only be as expensive as they are now. It's just most of the other games will be worthless. If your going, you're gonna have to dig alot deeper than Pokeman and Chrono Trigger. The really rare games usually end up the crapiest ones no one even wanted to buy. (Sound fun?) Or even noticed. Or the End of the line when everyones moved on. Not the popular games. They just hold there value.

[portnoyd]

With the news about the 3DS recently, i've taken a liking to collecting some of the more rare Nintendo DS games (in anticipation of their future value).

So far i've collected all the Final Fantasy's, Chronotrigger, Suikoden, both of the Shin Megami Tensei games, both of the Rune Factory games, Valkyrie Profile, all of the Dragon Quest games (4, 5, joker, and rocket slime, and ix in the future) and some other RPG's that I thought would be worthwhile to keep. It seems that Atlus and NIS games (although some are not the greatest) are valuable to have (just take a look at PS1/2 games and you'll understand).

Any other games that come to mind as being valuable in the future? (Limited quantities, etc).

Your first problem is you think rare and valuable are the same when they're not. All the DS FF games, Atlus RPGs, etc will never be rare and never will be. Desired, somewhat. Rare, no. Nothing's going to change the fact you can walk into any KMart in the US and find a copy of Chrono Trigger DS. Mentioning Pokemon as a given shows you don't really understand the concept.

Honestly, if you're never going to play any of these games, don't bother. You're going to be disappointed and end up overpaying for a lot of games with neutral or negative value.

[Gameguy]

@ GameGuy
Picross is riding the wave thanks to it being OOP and with the recent release of Picross 3D increasing demand. I'd not be surprised to see it get the Orange Bar re-release like Clubhouse Games and Hotel Dusk did.
That makes sense, I was just surprised to see it going for that much. I bought a new copy to play a couple of years ago and still haven't got around to open it, I'm wondering if I should sell my new copy and pick up a used one later on. If it's like Mario's Picross for the Gameboy I know I'll enjoy it.

I also have Hotel Dusk, I'm actually a bit annoyed it got the re-release as I thought I'd have a cool game that would be actually somewhat rare. I remember it was available pretty much everywhere around where I am but it practically sold out in a few months. It's still a cool game but it's dirt common now.

[Mayhem]

the guy from Zelda. Ruppes...? Names elude me atm.
The first game got a release in Europe as "Freshly Picked Tingle's Rosy Rupeeland"...

[megasdkirby]

Question: Why is the combo games from Atari (Monopoly/Battleship...) is rare? Even GameStop has it for somewhat high price.

[PapaStu]

Thinking a bit more, many Nintendo published titles tend to hold their values, as a good chunk go OOP and are never seen from again. Doesn't mean they are worth 2k monies, but they arn't 4 buck titles always either.


That makes sense, I was just surprised to see it going for that much. I bought a new copy to play a couple of years ago and still haven't got around to open it, I'm wondering if I should sell my new copy and pick up a used one later on. If it's like Mario's Picross for the Gameboy I know I'll enjoy it.


I havn't played Mario's Picross, but the controls are pretty much the same, save the addition of the stylus 'marking'. I really liked it's controls, but I know a few others who were older Picross fiends who didn't. I'd hold on to your copy until you stumble into another one thats open (if you care) because I've been on the hunt for that for a friend for a few months now with no luck.


Question: Why is the combo games from Atari (Monopoly/Battleship...) is rare? Even GameStop has it for somewhat high price.


It had a short run at the early on in the DS's lifespan, it had very good versions of Monopoly and Battleship and Atari's license to those games went away when Hasbro clamped down soon afterwords.

Battleship has been re-released, along with a few others in the Hasbro 'Friday Game Night' compliation, but that was the only way to get Monopoly on the DS. There is a new Monopoly DS game coming out, but that isn't getting release until next month ( I think). Once that release hits, if the version doesn't suck, the price of Monopoly/... might come down.

[theclaw]

The first game got a release in Europe as "Freshly Picked Tingle's Rosy Rupeeland"...

Yes. I think the balloon fight remake is the one that's japan club nintendo only.

[ScourDX]

Import Jump Ultimate Stars.

[rainking187]

Buying games cheaper now in order to play them later, at a time when they may be expensive: makes sense. Buyer games now in order for them to appreciate in value: doesn't make sense. They are the worst investment you could make. 99.99% of them depreciate.

This. Also it may sound obvious, but make sure you actually want the games you're buying and are not just getting them because of rarity. I bought Electroplankton a while back for quite a bit, but sold it recently when I realized I'd played it exactly once.

[snes_collector]

I noticed Mario & Luigi is retailing for 39.99 used at GameStop, which is insane. I'm guessing it's oop?

[jonebone]

Yeah man, as others have stated, I wouldn't get into DS games unless you have an interest in playing them and value is just an secondary factor. If you are looking to profit off DS games, the amount of time it would take them to appreciate will offset their gains in value.

I.e. if the game takes 10 years to go up $10, you probably didn't even beat inflation and that $10 gain you made was probably close to $0.

[RPG_Fanatic]

I noticed Mario & Luigi is retailing for 39.99 used at GameStop, which is insane. I'm guessing it's oop?

Mario & Luigi 2: Partners in Time cost as much used as it was new. An early DS release and alot of bootleg versions are out there.

[g00ber]

A truly ridiculous way to try to make money. It's actually pretty sad. Why don't you funnel all your energy into some more positive and productive like getting a master's degree or something.

Anyways, it's your life to waste...so by all means go for it.

How is it a waste? I'm having fun collecting rare games and enjoy playing them too!

Its not just about making money - that's just a benefit down the road when I want to sell my collection after i've had my fun playing the games. True, I might not get much more than my investment, but I figure if I can get what I paid for it (most I paid for each was $10-$15) and I was able to play them through, it was worth it.

[g00ber]

Question: Why is the combo games from Atari (Monopoly/Battleship...) is rare? Even GameStop has it for somewhat high price.

I believe because it is out of print now, and they are not making them anymore. Also, it wasn't a great seller, so there are limited numbers of copies out there.

[g00ber]

Since you are looking for value:

Tech stocks can still be a good way of making money. Its less risky and can get you more profit than any video game.

True true, but collecting stocks is not nearly as fun as collecting games. :)

[jcalder8]

True true, but collecting stocks is not nearly as fun as collecting games. :)
Yes it is but when you are buying for future value that's not collecting that's investing.

[g00ber]

Yes it is but when you are buying for future value that's not collecting that's investing.

There's always a critic out there. Sorta like the people who go out of their way to correct a spelling mistake in every post.

:frustrated:

[Bojay1997]

There's always a critic out there. Sorta like the people who go out of their way to correct a spelling mistake in every post.

:frustrated:

I suppose it's fair to assume that you haven't caught the gist of what people have been advising you to do here. So, let me try to put it into terms you might understand. If you are buying games in the hopes of making money on them, you are wasting your money. Don't bother. It's a terrible investment with negative returns.

[jcalder8]

... i've taken a liking to collecting some of the more rare Nintendo DS games (in anticipation of their future value)....


There's always a critic out there. Sorta like the people who go out of their way to correct a spelling mistake in every post.

:frustrated:
Sorry I guess I misunderstood what you meant :rolleyes:

[Gameguy]

There's also KORG DS-10.

http://cgi.ebay.ca/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=190384714700

[Swamperon]

I'm having fun collecting rare games and enjoy playing them too!


It's good that you're having fun playing them but none of the games you mentioned are in any way "rare". In demand and desired yes, but their value is never going to increase beyond current levels. If it at all.

[DreamTR]

The thing is the guy just wants to collect some games and maybe they will increase a few bucks in the future and a couple of posters flat out say you can't make any money in video games which honestly is laughable, the thing is it's way harder now than it was 5-10 years ago...

[portnoyd]

and a couple of posters flat out say you can't make any money in video games which honestly is laughable, the thing is it's way harder now than it was 5-10 years ago...

Well, duh. Let's not forget that this is from DreamTR who, while nothing wrong with it, had/has a barrel of industry contacts to exploit.

[Bojay1997]

The thing is the guy just wants to collect some games and maybe they will increase a few bucks in the future and a couple of posters flat out say you can't make any money in video games which honestly is laughable, the thing is it's way harder now than it was 5-10 years ago...

Well, I suppose to be fair, it's pretty impossible to make any money using the strategy this guy is talking about employing. Yes, there are people who make money selling video games, but this isn't the way they do it.

[jonebone]

This thread confuses me.


With the news about the 3DS recently, i've taken a liking to collecting some of the more rare Nintendo DS games (in anticipation of their future value).

Is there any games that people would recommend I collect?

I heard about electroplankton and the monopoly / boggle / yahtzee / battleship games that i'm considering getting.

So far i've collected all the Final Fantasy's, Chronotrigger, Suikoden, both of the Shin Megami Tensei games, both of the Rune Factory games, Valkyrie Profile, all of the Dragon Quest games (4, 5, joker, and rocket slime, and ix in the future) and some other RPG's that I thought would be worthwhile to keep. It seems that Atlus and NIS games (although some are not the greatest) are valuable to have (just take a look at PS1/2 games and you'll understand).

Was thinking about getting the original Tetris DS, and perhaps the new Tetris Party version as well in the future. Puzzle quest series seems to also be something that would be worth more over time. Pokemon is a given, but I really never liked collecting those titles (just too many, and most are garbage besides the main original game)

Any other games that come to mind as being valuable in the future? (Limited quantities, etc).

No where in the original post did you say a single thing about playing any of these games. Then when we chime in and tell you what a horrible idea this is, you change your story and say "Oh well I'm collecting them to play, value is just a plus and not the main reason."

lol? We weren't born yesterday man.

If value is your only concern, you'll do much better collecting for other systems as "investments". Some that I'd recommend as currently being "low" compared to what their price will one day be are: N64 and PS1.

However, if you only collect games for monetary value, you are probably setting yourself up for failure. Most of us collect systems that we like and know and value is just a plus.

Oh and if you are truly after value, you might want to get into sealed. That's where the big money is... but if you can't spot a real from a fake then don't buy anything until you are more knowledgable.

[Nightram]

If you're playing them, your don't really stand to gain much, even if you leave the games and all inserts, etc. in immaculate condition. As stated in the last post, you should go sealed, and try to find games that only released in certain regions in limited quantities, and keep them sealed. Even then, you seem to be going after games using an SNES model. Chrono Trigger on the SNES always goes for a lot (way more sealed), so therefore CTDS will follow that, right? Not necessarily. It's all about quantity shipped and availibility. I see all the games you mentioned all over the place all the time, whereas I rarely see Electroplankton.
Still, a lot of what has raised in price these days has gained popularity through other game releases etc. Original Harvest Moon, Chrono Trigger (new IP for Square at the time and sort of a gamble), Shantae on GBC has a new title coming out, etc.
You also have to be careful with re-releases and DLC making the actual games decrease. I can cite Marvel Vs. Capcom 2 on that one.

I think what people are saying here is sound. Enjoy the games, or become a collector of sealed ones, but don't expect a profit now or later down the road when doing either.

[kupomogli]

So far i've collected all the Final Fantasy's, Chronotrigger, Suikoden, both of the Shin Megami Tensei games, both of the Rune Factory games, Valkyrie Profile, all of the Dragon Quest games (4, 5, joker, and rocket slime, and ix in the future)

Suikoden and Dragon Quest 5 are the only two games you listed that are going for anything, however, these games are only going for what you probably originally bought them for anyways, and I doubt there will be an increase or if there happens to be there's really not going to be much of one.

Collecting to make money you have to already either have a lot of money, a lot of free time, a lot of luck, or all three, but you also have to know what you're doing. You're better off getting a real job and do collecting on the side, like many of us.

[josekortez]

A truly ridiculous way to try to make money. It's actually pretty sad. Why don't you funnel all your energy into some more positive and productive like getting a master's degree or something.

Anyways, it's your life to waste...so by all means go for it.

Getting a master's degree doesn't necessarily guarantee success in this country anymore with the economy out of whack. That's a big misconception a lot of people seem to have. By the way, I have one and it's not doing me much good at the moment. Not to mention that I have to pay student loans every month which has put a serious dent in my game-buying habit.

[saferkefka]

There's also KORG DS-10.

http://cgi.ebay.ca/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=190384714700

yep, there is (http://cgi.ebay.com/KORG-DS-10-Synthesizer-Nintendo-DS-2008-/320550294107?cmd=ViewItem&pt=Video_Games_Games&hash=item4aa249525b)

[ScourDX]

There's also KORG DS-10.

http://cgi.ebay.ca/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=190384714700

Didn't KORG DS-10 Plus release recently? It is the same as original with added new DSi features.

[Bojay1997]

Didn't KORG DS-10 Plus release recently? It is the same as original with added new DSi features.

Yep. It's even available at Best Buy and Amazon for just $20.

[g00ber]

Wow - a lot of negativity here.

It was a simple question asking on if there are any rare DS games. Also, I did find a couple of rarer titles for Nintendo DS that I will be in the process of getting, without the help of this thread.

https://club.nintendo.com/rewards-details/a/10002.do

https://club.nintendo.com/rewards-details/a/13501.do

Without a doubt, both the Game & Watch titles are worthwhile to have.

To those who don't have something useful to respond with - stop cluttering the thread with pointless replies. I don't care what you think my motives are for collecting games are, and care less what your motives are for responding.

[Gameguy]

yep, there is (http://cgi.ebay.com/KORG-DS-10-Synthesizer-Nintendo-DS-2008-/320550294107?cmd=ViewItem&pt=Video_Games_Games&hash=item4aa249525b)
Wow that used copy you linked to sold for less than the brand new one I linked to. It's almost like the value depends on the condition of the game. :roll:

I still don't get why sealed copies would be worth so much, I haven't found many DS games that sell for more than the original retail price. Most DS games sell for less than retail even when they're out of print and still sealed.

[Bojay1997]

Wow - a lot of negativity here.

It was a simple question asking on if there are any rare DS games. Also, I did find a couple of rarer titles for Nintendo DS that I will be in the process of getting, without the help of this thread.

https://club.nintendo.com/rewards-details/a/10002.do

https://club.nintendo.com/rewards-details/a/13501.do

Without a doubt, both the Game & Watch titles are worthwhile to have.

To those who don't have something useful to respond with - stop cluttering the thread with pointless replies. I don't care what you think my motives are for collecting games are, and care less what your motives are for responding.

I'm sorry, but this is a discussion forum and that's what members of this community do, we discuss things. You don't get to dictate how people respond unless and until someone responding violates one of the rules for the board. You came here asking for help and many long-time and well respected members of this community assisted you by advising you that collecting the DS in hopes of making money down the road was a poor decision. Just because you disagree doesn't give you the right to dismiss all of those replies and demand that people stop posting. If you don't like it, go somewhere else where profiteering and foolishness are supported.

Game & Watch 1&2 are both widely available, making them particularly poor potential investments. The only people who have made money on those games and ever will are the ones who somehow collected lots of codes free and are turning around and selling their free games on Ebay for $20 or $25.

[PapaStu]

Wow - a lot of negativity here.

It was a simple question asking on if there are any rare DS games. Also, I did find a couple of rarer titles for Nintendo DS that I will be in the process of getting, without the help of this thread.

https://club.nintendo.com/rewards-details/a/10002.do

https://club.nintendo.com/rewards-details/a/13501.do

Without a doubt, both the Game & Watch titles are worthwhile to have.




The problem is that the G&W games arn't rare. They are uncommon at best and are easily netted turning in your Club Nintendo codes. If you don't want to do that, they can be snagged from eBay for the +/- 20 range. Were they rare, they'd sell for more than that. The online market is quite capable of price bumping stuff like Pogo Island and Backyard Football quickly and when demand and rarity par down you get the kind of prices that the G&W collections are going for now. I've seen more copies of Game & Watch Collection in the used GS sections than I have Monopoly/Battleship... .

Drop the 'rare' from you DS vocab and focus on 'demand' games. Those will net you the RPG's and other things that are pulling the money. The truly rare shit isn't being bought because its horrible crap filler titles and they just arn't worth anything. People are buying the good games, big name publisher games and games in the desired genres (RPG's ect).

I do a few simple things when it comes to DS games, and I've got more than my fair share of DS games (400+ US titles and counting). RPG's, no matter the company, are buys (and close to day 1 buys often, especially the smaller publishers because when they fall off the shelves, they tend to be gone) and buy all Nintendo published titles. There is enough first party games that are still selling for near retail or more that they arn't stupid buys.

That said however, i've also paid out way more than I'll ever make back on my DS games, having bought like I have. Close to what i've spent on my PS collection, which is twice the size before variants and other stuff i've gotten and I don't expect to make that much back on either collection if I do get to a selling point.

[portnoyd]

Most of the useless replies you've been getting have been people trying to tell you that you're confusing rare with desired/valued. How about you try and digest that concept?

Listen to Stu. As another with a fair share of DS games (300+), I can tell you he speaks the truth.

[Gameguy]

I would think that the Game and Watch games have to be at least an R7 since they were only available online and you couldn't even buy them. I don't think that means that they would be worth all that much though, at least not now. They're pretty simple games with little replay value so they're being sold constantly now, just wait a decade and they might be much more difficult to find.

I'm looking through ebay right now and most of the games listed are the Japanese version, there are several listings of the US version for the first collection(4 listings) but only a few listings for the second collection(2 listings). Just for comparison, Bebe's Kids is listed as an R7 and there's currently 9 copies listed on ebay, most are priced around $10.

I personally want the games but I don't want to spend much on them and I don't think I'd ever be able to save enough points to get them, at least not enough points for both games. You need 800 points for each title, that's either 16 first party Wii games or 27 first party DS games for each collection. While I might have over 27 DS games, they're not all first party games. I just don't see how many people would get both collections by redeeming points, could there really be more than 2000-3000 copies of either collection?

[Bojay1997]

I would think that the Game and Watch games have to be at least an R7 since they were only available online and you couldn't even buy them. I don't think that means that they would be worth all that much though, at least not now. They're pretty simple games with little replay value so they're being sold constantly now, just wait a decade and they might be much more difficult to find.

I'm looking through ebay right now and most of the games listed are the Japanese version, there are several listings of the US version for the first collection(4 listings) but only a few listings for the second collection(2 listings). Just for comparison, Bebe's Kids is listed as an R7 and there's currently 9 copies listed on ebay, most are priced around $10.

I personally want the games but I don't want to spend much on them and I don't think I'd ever be able to save enough points to get them, at least not enough points for both games. You need 800 points for each title, that's either 16 first party Wii games or 27 first party DS games for each collection. While I might have over 27 DS games, they're not all first party games. I just don't see how many people would get both collections by redeeming points, could there really be more than 2000-3000 copies of either collection?

There are other ways to earn points though including surveys, special promos, etc...Many of the Ebay sellers seem to be used game resellers who have simply registered a bunch of games and used the points to obtain multiple copies of each. In the two years or so since G&W came out in the US, I have never seen less than half a dozen available at any given time on Ebay. I suspect tens of thousands of copies of both were pressed and given that the first one is still available from Nintendo for points two years later makes it very unlikely there is any value there even if there is some numerical rarity compared to other games.

[Nightram]

The World Ends with You seems to be a title that will become hard to find down the road.

[kupomogli]

The World Ends with You seems to be a title that will become hard to find down the road.

It's been $20 new for well over a year. For a Square Enix game it sold fairly poorly, but the length of time it's been for $20 really means that no one wants it. Valkyrie Profile 2 is the only Square Enix title in recent times that has went out of print and you can still find it for $20-40 new at Ebay.

Dragon Quest 5 was published by Nintendo and it's keeping its value because they didn't print many copies due to how poorly Dragon Quest 4 did.

I also feel the need to make a rant about Nintendo. Square Enix remade the Dragon Quest series on the DS and the next two main titles on the DS and Wii so Nintendo would get them recognized, but instead, Nintendo prints limited copies, and then pretty much shafts Square Enix at E3 with their less than two minute talk about Dragon Quest 9, along with no video clips, only to rush onto Metroid the Other M. But hey. Who cares if the US buys the Dragon Quest games, Nintendo still gets money per sale from the Japanese who purchase the series. Along with all their other tactics, people wonder why I dislike Nintendo as a company.

[Jorpho]

Wasn't SMT Devil Survivor holding its value nicely?

I'm also wondering about Contra 4.

[kupomogli]

Wasn't SMT Devil Survivor holding its value nicely?

I'm also wondering about Contra 4.

Both are in stock as new sold by Amazon still($21 and $28.) SMT Strange Journey isn't in stock right now and they're possibly just sold out from Amazon. You can still find Strange Journey at Gamestop.

[darkrpger]

I know this is a pretty old topic, but I just recently (in the last week) bought my first DS system.
I'm a big RPG/SRPG player, and to start my collection off, I've bought:
SMT Strange Journey, SMT Devil Survivor, TWEWY, 9 Hours, 9 Doors, 9 People, Theresia, Dragon Quest(s) 4, 5, 6, and 9, and I pre-ordered Devil Survivor 2.
My point is, that after researching, comparing, and buying a bunch of DS games...I only found one that was selling for considerably more than its release price...and that was Radiant Historia (and I'm talking new/sealed prices, here).

@ TC

I'm *far* from an expert or authority on making money off of video games, but, I've found that strategy guides are the better investment since they're usually cheaper than the games when they release - and - I was *amazed* at how many guides on Amazon (in new condition) were selling for considerably more than the games themselves.

A quick and recent example of this would be the hardcover Skyrim guides that I bought...I've already doubled my money on a few of them, and the rest...I'll just hold onto for awhile.

Also of note is that Doublejump is no more. Most of their guides were for Nisa (niche) games and I wouldn't be surprised if in a few more years they were selling pretty high prices.

[Junkyrdsalesman]

I'd the Atelier Annie box set with the figurines is something to desire, it had a print run of only 550. I'd also keep an eye out for the DS games that originally came with pack in soundtracks including

SMT Strange Journey
Knights in the Knightmare
YS I and II
The Dark Spire
Luminous Arc 2
Radiant Historia

Also keep an eye on the Etrian Odyssey series, i bet you could fetch a pretty penny with all 3 games

[Rickstilwell1]

Wow somebody actually paid $35 for a brand new sealed Zelda Ocraina of Time 3D soundtrack when it was a free giveaway. I wonder if that will ever go up in price if I never open it? Did any regular DS games ever have a limited edition soundtrack or bonus item included in their packaging?

[Emperor Megas]

Wow somebody actually paid $35 for a brand new sealed Zelda Ocraina of Time 3D soundtrack when it was a free giveaway. I wonder if that will ever go up in price if I never open it? Did any regular DS games ever have a limited edition soundtrack or bonus item included in their packaging?There was a list of some in the post before yours.

[Junkyrdsalesman]

There was a list of some in the post before yours.

those are all the ones i could think of off the top of my head. if there are others PLEASE list them so we can try to get a comprehensive list

[Rickstilwell1]

Huh weird, the post wasn't visible to me before I posted.

[Junkyrdsalesman]

Huh weird, the post wasn't visible to me before I posted.

there are also some games released by Ignition that have a cardboard outer sleeve. My copy of metal slug 7 has one and included in the case is an extremely small mini poster.

[Jehusephat]

I'd the Atelier Annie box set with the figurines is something to desire, it had a print run of only 550. I'd also keep an eye out for the DS games that originally came with pack in soundtracks including

SMT Strange Journey
Knights in the Knightmare
YS I and II
The Dark Spire
Luminous Arc 2
Radiant Historia

Also keep an eye on the Etrian Odyssey series, i bet you could fetch a pretty penny with all 3 games

I've been trying to find a copy of Radiant Historia since it was released. I couldn't afford it when it launched, and after only one month of waiting I was unable to find a copy anywhere in my area. Now I see the game selling for over $60 used, and even eBay only has a few auctions up. This is the last DS game I want, and the only one I'll likely never own.

[Ryudo]

http://i.imgur.com/JaZfy.jpg

One of the best games on DS.

What happens when you take a visual novel and mix it with an RPG

[portnoyd]

I'd the Atelier Annie box set with the figurines is something to desire, it had a print run of only 550. I'd also keep an eye out for the DS games that originally came with pack in soundtracks including

SMT Strange Journey
Knights in the Knightmare
YS I and II
The Dark Spire
Luminous Arc 2
Radiant Historia

Also keep an eye on the Etrian Odyssey series, i bet you could fetch a pretty penny with all 3 games

Atelier Annie is part of a real grey area in desirability called the NIS Store LE problem. They pump out a metric ton of LEs for just about every game they release, a lot of them nothing more than a bonus box they ship with the game. While that's all well and good, every collector knows about them and if they want them, they get them. 550 is a low print run for sure, but if everyone who wants it, gets it (and moreso gets it JUST because they think it's going to be pricey/hard to find later)... there will be no demand and no value and no desirability.

The other games you mentioned could surely be desired titles, but I don't think they'll ever fetch more than what they originally sold for, at least for a good while.

[Junkyrdsalesman]

The other games you mentioned could surely be desired titles, but I don't think they'll ever fetch more than what they originally sold for, at least for a good while.

And that's the problem with DS collecting right now, there are alot of unknowns :| Anyway speaking of NIS i have my suspicions about A Witch's Tale becoming hard to come by

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/3/35/A_Witch's_Tale_Cover.jpg/256px-A_Witch's_Tale_Cover.jpg

Also we'll have to wait till release for Devil Survivor 2 but it may become hard to find because it's going to be released so late in the DS's life

[Bojay1997]

I actually think few if any of the NIS/Atlus games will retain their value long term. They printed tons of them and many collectors have sealed copies even when they don't ordinarily collect sealed. Frankly, like other consoles, the rare and valuable games are going to be odd things that had very small print runs (I think 5K was the bare minimum you could do on the DS) that got truly limited distribution and which people aren't currently holding onto and may not even be aware of right now. Resale price wise currently, the most expensive DS games seem to be the early first party titles that didn't get Nintendo/Toys R Us reprints like Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2, Yoshi Touch, the two Kirby games (Squeak Squad and Canvas Curse), at least sealed. There are tons of boots of these titles out there, so when a legit one comes up, it tends to draw interest.

[Flashback2012]

And that's the problem with DS collecting right now, there are alot of unknowns :| Anyway speaking of NIS i have my suspicions about A Witch's Tale becoming hard to come by

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/3/35/A_Witch's_Tale_Cover.jpg/256px-A_Witch's_Tale_Cover.jpg

Also we'll have to wait till release for Devil Survivor 2 but it may become hard to find because it's going to be released so late in the DS's life

I would think Witch's Wish would be harder to come across down the road than A Witch's Tale but I could be wrong. I've an idea on some titles that are quirky/off the beaten path that might become more scarce in the future like Honeycomb Beat, Trioncube, Rhythm N' Notes, and maybe Easy Piano (complete anyway). As Port said though, it's still too early to really tell. I do see a lot of titles fetching what they originally sold for so if you can find them on the cheap now, hold onto them and you might be able to get $20-30 for them. Modest for sure, but at the very worst you can break even more often than not. ;)

[Rickstilwell1]

I actually think few if any of the NIS/Atlus games will retain their value long term. They printed tons of them and many collectors have sealed copies even when they don't ordinarily collect sealed. Frankly, like other consoles, the rare and valuable games are going to be odd things that had very small print runs (I think 5K was the bare minimum you could do on the DS) that got truly limited distribution and which people aren't currently holding onto and may not even be aware of right now. Resale price wise currently, the most expensive DS games seem to be the early first party titles that didn't get Nintendo/Toys R Us reprints like Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2, Yoshi Touch, the two Kirby games (Squeak Squad and Canvas Curse), at least sealed. There are tons of boots of these titles out there, so when a legit one comes up, it tends to draw interest.

One of the ones that still seems ridiculously expensive is Super Princess Peach. It's still $40 at Gamestop.

[importaku]

Going down the road of importing is a bit more fun as Japan had so many limited editions & other quirky games to go for, it is indeed very true what others have said though, rare doesn't always mean valuable.

Perfect example is Tingles balloon fight, it was a Japan club nintendo exclusive. You couldn't buy it with club points it was given out to every member who made platinum rank. Only one print run & given out in reasonably low numbers & yet you can easily find it really cheap even now.

Best ones i have found so far are the limited editions from Capcom's Japanese e-shop. Okamiden, phoenix wright & miles edgeworth limited editions hold their value pretty well. Theres nowhere you'll find any of them for less than $100 nowdays.

Hoshizora navi is really hard to get, not much of a game but it's pretty unique as it has a sensor built into the cart so it can tell you where to look for each constallation. If you love star gazing it's an awesome thing to have. Still trying to track it down as it rarely appears on yahoo auctions & i have never ever seen it on ebay.
http://www.seihosha.co.jp/image/used/hoshizora-navi/img13_contents.jpg

[Gameguy]

I've been trying to find a copy of Radiant Historia since it was released. I couldn't afford it when it launched, and after only one month of waiting I was unable to find a copy anywhere in my area. Now I see the game selling for over $60 used, and even eBay only has a few auctions up. This is the last DS game I want, and the only one I'll likely never own.
Is it really that hard to find? I'm sure it's still available new around me for $34.99 plus tax, at least some stores still have it in stock.

[Junkyrdsalesman]

Is it really that hard to find? I'm sure it's still available new around me for $34.99 plus tax, at least some stores still have it in stock.

closest one at a gamestop (for me) is in mexico, i really think that that's just because of the demand for it because of good reviews though.

[Bojay1997]

One of the ones that still seems ridiculously expensive is Super Princess Peach. It's still $40 at Gamestop.

It got a TRU re-release though. In fact, all three of my local Toys R Us locations still have copies in stock. Must just be a situation like Fritz Chess where some people either don't have a Toys R Us locally or just never go there.

[Gameguy]

closest one at a gamestop (for me) is in mexico, i really think that that's just because of the demand for it because of good reviews though.
I checked the EB Games website for stores near me. Of course I can't tell if the stores have multiple copies or if they've been gutted(or missing the soundtrack) but it's still something.

For Rhapsody: A Musical Adventure there's 8 stores within 100km that have a copy, for Radiant Historia there's 33 stores. Just a comparison.

[DOAsaturn]

It got a TRU re-release though. In fact, all three of my local Toys R Us locations still have copies in stock. Must just be a situation like Fritz Chess where some people either don't have a Toys R Us locally or just never go there.\

Was waiting for someone to mention Fritz Chess in this topic. I'm not sure if it's more rare on the Wii (as the Wii is relatively devoid of a true "rare" market) or DS, but it retailed for 19.99 MSRP and you'll pay 2.5-3x that used, 5x or more new no matter where you look for either console. There are enough copies online for people to buy right now, but none are dirt cheap.

I never saw it at my local Toys r Us either - so the endless speculation on that one is it may have been some parts both regional and TRU exclusive. It definitely got distributed in Canada in some parts (it had a bilingual French/English box as well).

[Junkyrdsalesman]

Sorry for the bump, but i found a copy of Scrabble DS at my local game store complete for $35. Do you guys think this is a good deal? some of the online prices for it are ridiculous.

[mr_nihilism]

Just yesterday I just happened to take a look at the games for sale where I rent movies and there was Tetris DS complete and in very nice shape for $10. I thought that was rather lucky.