PS2, XBox, and GameCube Rarity List (Minor Update June 20)

[Charlie]

*Joe put me to task on this, can someone stickify this.*

UPDATED March 1st: Updated all previously listed games with big four standings. Next update will add more games to the lists.

This is the work-in-progress modern rarity guide. Unlike other guides, games won't be rated on a scale. Instead, games will be divided into three catagories.

1. Games that are confimred rare. Hard to find, limited production, etc all qualify games for ths catagory. Although fetching a high price on Ebay does not.

2. Games that are unconfirmed to be rare. They MIGHT be, but we have no solid proof on it. A game that seems hard to find but shows up frequently on auction sites, or can still be bought at several online retailers or local chains in large cities is what gets you into this catagory.

3. Not Rare. Games that are often regarded as being rare but really aren't.

This is a work in progress, so all observations and insight are not only welcome but requested. If you can provide info on production runs (specific numbers hopefully), sales figures, release dates, stuff like that to either confirm a game rare or not, then please provide the information. Speculation is ok if you have some form of proof to back it up. If a game rarely appears on Ebay or if many major game distbutors don't carry it.

Please don't get upset if a game is in a different catagory then what you think it should be in. This is a group effort that will be ongoing. I (or a moderator or Joe or whoever is handy) will update the list as needed. Thank you, and enjoy the lists.

*Note, as information for games is provided, discriptions will be added to explain why a game is or isn't rare. Such discriptions will be below each game and bracketed with stars, like this paragraph.*

$Note, since the most common way to debunk whether or not a game is rare or not is to list a varity of stores where the game is for sale, the dollar sign ($) will be used to show which 'big four major online retailers carry each game. The big four stores are as follows: CircuitCity.com, BestBuy.com, EBworld.com, and Gamestop.com.$

Playstation 2

Disney's PK: Out of the Shadows (Confirmed)
*Limited release, instant budget title.*
$EBWorld.com (used), BestBuy.com (14.95... snag it now)$

Grandia 2 (Not Rare)
*Limited quanities upon release. Wide release since*
$EBWorld.com, Gamestop.com (used)$

Guilty Gear X (Confirmed)
*Very low print run, far less then any main stream PS2 game.*
$EBWorld.com (used), Gamestop.com (used)$

Mad Maestro! (Unconfirmed)
*Possible wide release since becoming a budget title*
$EBworld.com$

Metropolismania (Not Rare)
$EBworld.com, BestBuy.com$

Mr. Mosquito (Unconfirmed)
*Possible wide release since becoming a budget title. Uncommon maybe.*
$Ebworld.com (used), Gamestop.com (used)$

Rez (Not Rare)
*Reissued as a "Greatest Hits" title.*
$none$

Ring of Red (unconfirmed)
$Ebworld.com, Gamestop.com (used)$

X Box

Air Force Delta Storm (unconfirmed)
*Possible recall*
$none$

Kakuto Chojin (unconfimred)
*Recall issued on game. Re-Release is possible.*
$none$

Outlaw Golf: 9 Holes of Xmas (unconfirmed)
*Exclusively for sale at Blockbuster Video or at Toys 'R Us during the 2002 holiday season.*
$none$

Sneakers (unconfirmed)
*Exclusive to Toys 'R Us*
$none$

Steel Battalion (confirmed)
*Confirmed to have limited quanities by Capcom, est. between 5,000 to 10,000 copies.*
$Best Buy.com, EBWorld.com, Gamestop.com for 199.99 each$

Nintendo Gamecube
Cubivore (Confirmed)
*Estimated pressing of between 5,000 and 20,000*
$none$

Disney's PK: Out of the Shadows (Confirmed)
*Limited release, instant budget title*
$none$

Evolution Skateboarding (Unconfirmed)
*More like Uncommon... still too soon to call *
$Gamestop.com$

Gamecube Preview Disc (Not Rare)
*Well over 100,000 copies were made. Despite Nintendo's stance that the game isn't supposed to be for sale, it is being sold at most major retailers. The disc was also given out at E-3 in 2003. Of note, the game was originally sold for $9.99, but now most places are selling it for $39.99.*
$COMING SOON$

NCAA Basketball 2K3 (confirmed)
*Limited quanities, possible recall though unconfirmed*
$none$

Phantasy Star Online 1 & 2 (not rare)
*Some larger chains like Best Buy or Target didn't stock the game initally.*
$EBWorld.com$

Sega Soccer Slam (unconfirmed)
$Gamestop.com (used)$

Ultimate Muscle (unconfirmed)
*Many larger chains are not carrying this game at this time, although that will likely change given the popularity of the cartoon series*
$COMING SOON$

Zoocube (Confirmed)
*Limited print run*
$EBworld.com (used)$

[CrazyImpmon]

Add Zelda OoT/MQ game to the list. Unless Nintendo pulls a fast one, is already planned for a limited print and it will be out of print soon. Some stores don't have them anymore.

[maxlords]

I'd add Suikoden 3 to that PS2 list. Ring of Red is pretty common and was on shelves new and used EVERYWHERE for a long time. I still see it fairly regularly. Some of the other bargain PS2 games like Road Trip may end up on that list too.

As for XBox, two things. First..Air Force Delta Storm isn't even REMOTELY rare. It's still on shelves in some places, and it's used all over the place. It's not hard to get, just going for a premium on eBay due to a bunch of gamefaqs rumors. Second, I've seen Sneakers for sale new at Zellers (Canadian chain dept. store) AND EB in the last month or two, so I don't think it was a TRU exclusive.

[MankeyMan]

I don't know about the US, but over here I have only ever seen one copy of Mystic Heroes, it doesn't appear too much on eBay either.

[Sylentwulf]

Grandia 2?

EB has 5-6 of them for like $15, and they sell a LOT on ebay brand new for like $10-$20, usually WITH the guide. In fact, I've seen it so often, so cheap, that I didn't get it figuring it must suck

[Griking]

I see a copy of Suikoden III at every Gamestop or Funcoland I go into.

[mikeetler]

Mr Mosquito and Mad Maestro were cut to $24.99 retail before X-Mas and are readily available through distributors. I have only seen Metropolismania in Wal Mart and through a few distributors, so that might be a good one.

Evolution Skateboarding didn't hit major distribution channels until two to three weeks ago, so it's a little premature to be worried about 90 day search results on eBay.

I also think the GC Zelda disc is far from rare. Some 50K-100K were pressed for the US. Even if there isn't another shipment, they'll all be out there at some point.

@maxlords Sneakers is indeed a TRU exclusive in the US. That won't stop pre-owneds from showing up in EB. As for Zellers, it would have to be in different packaging since the US ones have TRU exclusive printed on the cover. And Air Force Delta Storm has been out of print since about a month after release. There have been none to be had in the distribution channels for over nine months. I would think the reason for the used ines is because the game wasn't that good.

-Mike

[Achika]

Charlie, don't forget that TRU also had their own Outlaw Golf: 9 Holes of XMas with a different packaging & coupon than BBV version.

[bluecollarninja]

i'd put contra shattered soilder on the list on unconfirms. i haven't seen that game since the day it came out.

[Chunky]

I been keeping notes on these and whats available at stores on my pda.

Playstation 2
Mad Meistro
Metropolismania
Mr. Mosquito /these 3 games are at my circuit city, best buy, comp usa, TRU. all of them are 19.99 of the 4 stores i can prolly count up to 50 of each.
Rez - still 49.99 as of yesterday, tru had 3 vertical rows of these at least 30+ there, half as many at CC.

Nintendo Gamecube
Cubivore - i have seen this in the wild once, didn't pick it up, never seen it again.
Phantasy Star Online 1 & 2, this is at almost every store i see but only 1 or 2 copies left all the time, GS, TRU, CC, target, kmart, tons at hollywood video, none in BB
Zoocube - couple at CC and gamestop, always.

[Charlesaway]

Future Shop has advertised a few times now that there are only 3000 units chain-wide for the Zelda:OOT/MQ disc. That works out to about 30 per store for future shop anyway.

[digitalpress]

It's really tricky calling rares out for recent systems. Just a few months ago it seemed like Mister Mosquito and Mad Maestro were going to be scarce but they keep turning up. I think EBworld.com even has them for $10 online now!

How about Gallop Racer 2001 for PS2? I don't see that one around anymore... though there are quite a few of 'em on eBay.

[kainemaxwell]

What about Document of Metal Gear Solid 2?

[Charlie]

In the long run I don't think Contra for the PS2 is going to be rare. It's almost certainly going to be re-released at some point as a greatest hits game.

[mikeetler]

How about Gallop Racer 2001 for PS2? I don't see that one around anymore... though there are quite a few of 'em on eBay.

That's definitely a good one. With the new GR coming out next month I don't expect 2001 to see a re-issue either.

[kevincure]

Rugby PS2 is not that common, as one could imagine.

[Goodwill Hunter]

The TRU by me had at least 30-40 X-box Sneakers for $19.99.

Rich

[Charlie]

Just to let everyone know, these lists are for US games, not for overseas markets. I will try to include imports as information comes in but don't expect too much as most of the people who will be key contributors to these lists are from the US.

[geelw]

grandia 2 isn't remotely "rare", as it was re-released late last year as a budget title (non-greatest hits overstock). a few distributors had it in volume, and it's one of those games that will probably pop up from time to time.

stuff like steel battallion, gallop racer 2001, klonoa 2, and maybe city crisis are games that got limited pressings. i'm thinking yanya cabillista and guitaroo man may be on this list of "rares" as well...

[Tritoch]

What about Pulse Racer for Xbox? GameStop.com doesn't have it in stock, and there are only two of them on eBay right now. I haven't seen it anywhere around here. It's gotten horrible reviews too, so perhaps they limited it's production run?