The Rarest GameCube Games (& How Much They're Worth)

The GameCube was an innovative lunge towards creativity, and it showed this even in its appearance. The console was released by Nintendo in 2001 and stands as an iconic chapter in the history of console gaming. The console departed from its predecessors in terms of technological advancements and design and offered up a small yet exceptional library of games for video game lovers to enjoy.

Over the years, the console's library expanded further, and the community still appreciates it even today. Collectors and gamers alike are often willing to pay a hefty amount of money to get some of these games, as there are titles that sell for as much as four thousand dollars. With so many titles left unattended for many a year, the most expensive GameCube games are now starting to garner the kind of attention they really deserve.

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Updated February 16, 2025, by David Heath: It's a rough time to get into retro games collection, as even some common games from back in the day are now going for high prices. Metal Gear fans can still find the PS2 version of MGS2 for cheap if they're not picky on condition or extras. But if they want MGS: The Twin Snakes, the Gamecube remake of MGS1, they're going to have to shell out roughly $96 for it in a box. $5 less if they just want the disc. Even so, that's a drop in the bucket compared to the Gamecube's rarest games, which are only getting rarer with each year. Some are tempting enough to pop out of their packaging, but others are worth keeping in as pristine condition as possible. Still, there's always a chance some formerly precious items can drop in price, so this list has been updated with fresh prices for all items, which have been reordered to show which have dropped or risen in price, alongside some new, equally rare Gamecube games across Japanese, North America, and PAL territories.

18 Ohenro-san: Hosshin no Dojo (JPN)

A Pricey Pilgrimage

Ever wanted to take a pilgrimage across Shikoku's 88 different temples? Shinto enthusiasts or keen tourists could give it a go, as up to 150,000 people across Japan travel to Shikoku to walk the 1,200km (745 miles) path set by Kukai, the monk who founded Shingon Buddhism. It's a bit of a trek by bus or bike, but if people took it by foot, it'd take them 45 days. Others do it in chunks, completing different legs of the pilgrimage year by year until they complete a full circle.

If that sounds like it's too much, they could give Ohenro-san: Hosshin no Dojo ('Shikoku Pilgrim: The Halls of Spiritual Awakening') a go. The game was made with elderly pilgrims in mind, who could do walking exercises via a pedometer in their own home until they reached the next temple, where they could check it out virtually and even leave in-game offerings. Being such a niche title with a unique accessory, it's a tricky game to keep track of, setting players back $351 if they want it complete.

17 Frogger Beyond (PAL)

Beyond What Most People Can Afford

Some classic arcade games had trouble fitting in as games got bigger. Score attack games like Breakout and Frogger have their place in gaming history but couldn't compare to wide-spanning adventure games like Metal Gear Solid and Super Mario Sunshine. That's not to say they didn't try. Frogger Beyond gave the frog a story about proving himself to a council of elders — mostly by hopping past obstacles from one end of the level to the other, like in the classic game, just with 3D graphics, power-ups, and a variety of settings.

It wasn't anything special, and its NTSC prices reflect that. Its PAL copy is even cheaper than a loose disc. But Europe must be full of loose Frogger Beyond discs, as it's much harder to find this game in its box. CIB copies have risen in cost to $412 and are climbing, and new copies have climbed even higher. They went from being $217 in late 2021 to being $1,153 now. Despite a brief dip in December 2024 ($335 for CIB copies), the game's price has been on a consistent upward trend.

16 A Star Wars Experience Action Pack (PAL)

The Force Can't Help Make This Set Any Cheaper

Thankfully, the days of the NTSC/PAL frame rate difference issues are mostly over. Europeans don't have to struggle with Sonic the Hedgehog feeling sluggish, and Americans can play The Chaos Engine/Soldiers of Fortune without it feeling too fast. Still, these regions can still have exclusive offers in the form of special packs. Different stores in different countries were able to bundle two or more games together in one pack to appeal to new customers. It was more fussy than just having a 'buy-one-get-one-free' deal, but it produced some rare items.

For example, A Star Wars Experience Action Pack combined Star Wars Rogue Squadron 2: Rogue Leader with Star Wars: The Clone Wars and was exclusive to Europe. Rogue Leader was a fun arcade shooter, The Clone Wars less so, which might be why the Action Pack received a 'Volume 2' that replaced it with Star Wars: Bounty Hunter. Both are expensive, with PriceCharting listing CIB copies of Volume 1 at $419 and Retroplay offering Volume 2 for €1,199 ($1,264).

15 Gotcha Force

Gotcha Money

Gotcha Force is a third-person shooter game that is known for its unique gameplay, which focuses on collecting and using various toy robots called Gotcha Borgs. In the game, players will have battles against numerous computer-controlled robots where they will have to use the unique skills and abilities of their selected robots.

The game has many Gotcha Borgs to collect and fight with, each one having its own stats and moves, and collecting a good team is the key to overcoming the enemy in battles. Gotcha Force was loved for its unique robot battles and still holds its value as one of the most expensive GameCube games. Well, in North America, anyway. Japanese copies are relatively cheap at $52.50 loose, and PAL copies are just less than double that at $116.

14 Go Go Hypergrind

Not as Cartoony as the Prices

Go Go Hypergrind was a cartoony skateboarding game released exclusively in North America, despite being designed by Japanese developers Team Poponchi via Atlus Japan. The character designs were by Spumco, the Ren & Stimpy creators, where their wacky cartoon figures take each other on in skateboarding trials for a spot in a boarding-based cartoon. Aside from the addition of cartoon violence and slapstick, it was essentially an easier Tony Hawk's Pro Skater.

Being region-exclusive and one of Spumco's non-Ren & Stimpy-related projects before their closure in 2005, it's risen in value over the years. In 2016, it was between $17-35, then started gradually climbing from there to $260 loose, $450 CIB, and $805 new. As more copies either get lost or bought up, those prices are only going to rise higher, but for now, they've remained relatively consistent. So, if anyone has this game lurking in their collection, they might want to dust it off and fix it up.

13 Cubix: Robots for Everyone Showdown DVD Edition

The 3DO Company's Last Hurrah

The 3DO console died in the 1990s, but the 3DO Company lived on until the early 2000s, publishing games for other consoles like the Army Men series. But that wasn't enough to keep them going, as the company went defunct in May 2003. But they managed to get one more game out before their end in Cubix: Robots for Everyone Showdown. It was an action RPG made by Blitz Games based on a Korean 3D cartoon about robots (as per the subtitle).

Beyond being the 3DO Company's last published game, coming out just one month after the company closed down, there wasn't anything particularly special about the game. Getting it on its own isn't a test on the wallet, either. But some versions of the game came with a DVD containing a bundle of episodes of the show, making it a must-have item for any zoomer kids back in the day. But today, it's a key item for Gamecube collectors, going for $452 complete or $1,311 if they want it brand new.

12 Cubivore

Devouring Money

One of the ways a game can rise in value is by flopping on release. It's not great for the developers but neat for collectors. It worked out for Cubivore, at any rate, where players fought their way through the dwindling wilderness in order to grow strong enough to take out the Killer Cubivore and restore the natural balance. It was meant to game-ify nature, as the cubivores can mutate into one of 5 forms, from defensive Yellowbrates to fast-running Greyodons, and mate with others to produce more evolved variants.

It received above-average reviews for its unusual gameplay and cubey graphics, which didn't result in large sales. However, its cult-classic status and rarity led its prices to surge. The CIB game is now worth over 7 times its cost from 2014, going from $65 to $470. It's easier to get it that way than brand new. $750 is a hard enough price tag to afford, but the game has spiked to be worth just under $2,000 a few times in the past. With any luck, 2025 will be like 2024, which was the first year since 2020 that its copies stayed at a consistent price.

11 Interactive Multi-Game Demo Disc Version 16

Relive the Days of Playing Demos in Stores

Remember when game stores had displays where people could try out games before they bought them? Maybe some places still have these setups, but dedicated displays have become a thing of the past. It's easier for game companies to plonk demos onto their digital storefronts, if at all than to put them on discs for Gamestop or magazines these days. However, that also means they likely won't mind if these formerly 'Not for Retail' discs end up on the market.

The blandly-named Interactive Multi-Game Demo Disc Version 16 is the most valuable of the Gamecube's demo discs, as it came with a few quirks. Players can use it to download a patch for Pokémon Ruby/Sapphire that gives them a Shiny Zigzagoon with a Liechi Berry and fixes a glitch in the game that stopped Berries from growing. Back in the day, gamers had to be in the right store at the right time to get the patch. Now, they need to cough up some cash. Its CIB and New prices have remained steady, but Loose discs shot up to $407.

10 Super Monkey Ball 2 Pack

Ever-Changing Prices

Curiously, the Super Monkey Ball 2 Pack's prices have been as erratic as the tricky ball-balancing gameplay. For most of the 2020s thus far, its loose copies were going for at least $99, and CIB prices reached their peak in June 2023 at $1,069. Now, the loose prices are much more bearable at $14.99, and CIB prices have remained around half-price at $555. The prices for new copies are still astronomical, and there's still a chance all prices could spike across the board again.

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The pack offers the first two Super Monkey Ball games, which revolve around monkeys trapped in balls which players must roll around various maps with intricate puzzles to solve within the time limit. It was particularly fun in multiplayer mode, as two players had to try and stay on course and reach the goal before their friend did. There are newer Monkey Ball games, yet surprisingly, the only way to play the original games (without the retouches from Deluxe and Banana Mania) is via the Gamecube versions. Best grab the pack loose while the price is still low.

9 Metroid Prime & Zelda: The Wind Waker Combo

Blondes Have More Funds

Another NA-exclusive two-in-one pack that costs nearly $1,000 is the Metroid Prime & Zelda: The Wind Waker Combo. As the title suggests, it offers players two critically acclaimed Nintendo titles in one bundle: Metroid Prime and The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker. In Metroid Prime, players will get the classic Metroid experience from a 3D first-person perspective. Considering it led to 2 sequels and a highly anticipated 4th game in the works, it was a successful move.

The other game in the pack, The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, was initially controversial for its unique art style, as fans were expecting something moodier, like the later release of Zelda: Twilight Princess. But its bright cel-shading aged better over the years and offered a new sea-faring adventure where Link works with his sister Tetra to stop Ganon. Both games are easier to grab separately, but anyone who wants the Combo pack as good as new will have to jump on it now, as New copies have dropped by over 50% from $2,665 to $1,332.