Wow, can't believe we're talking about this one again.

To avoid any confusion, let's get our ducks in a row.

Like with ANY system library, you have the following to consider:

US release vs. Non-US release

Retail release, or packaging bonus.

Having said that, this discussion was clearly mentioning the second choice for each subcategory.

If you are asking what is the "rarest" US offical release, not some preorder bonus or packaging gimmick designed to clear out the warehouse of extra stuff, then the answer is simple.

Sega Sports NCAA College Basketball. Period.

This is not a matter of opinion, it's a matter of numbers.

If you are asking what the rarest US release is that can be played on a Gamecube, then that's where it gets dodgy.

US official releases that were done as a preorder (Star Wars Arcade, Pokemon Colluseum) really are not difficult to find at all. Will they be someday, who the hell knows. The two disc releases are probably going to be harder to find.

I've said this one before, and I will say it again - the Star Wars: Rogue Squadron III - Rebel Strike that is packaged with the bonus preorder disc in the two disc snap-case with the actual game release and orange sticker on the front is probably the hardest of the US releases.

I have one, and have not heard, nor seen anyone else claim to have one. I know there are more out there, but you certainly cannot get one now at retail. They were only sold at Target, although there is nothing mentioning Target on the packaging.

Other packaging releases that may be harder to locate are the ones with retailer specific information on them - Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour with the Target Bullseye Tour packaging for example. Also, the KMart releases for Super Mario Sunshine and StarFox (for example.)

If you honestly want to know what import-only releases may become the rarest, you may as well stop now.

This is just like the yearly discussion about which NES releases should and should not be considered part of the "official list".

Collect imports if you like, obviously. Just don't expect them to show up in the DP US Gamecube release guide.

Sorry to ramble...

Steve