How much are these old Pokemon games worth brand new today?
Pokemon CompanyPokemon games are timeless. Even today the very first games, Pokemon Red and Blue, are played by fans around the world. What would it cost to buy them brand new today, though?
The old Game Boy cartridges for all of the old Pokemon games are still being sold for reasonable prices. You won’t be able to pick them up for next to nothing but they certainly aren’t extortionate either.
So, if you want to play these old classics in their original state, it isn’t too costly to do so. With that said, many fans opt for a more modern (and cheaper) approach in emulation and ROMs.
Buying them used tends to be for those who want to play them, not so much collect them. Given most of these games are well over 10 year sold, and in some cases 20 years, finding brand new copies of them is rare.
Nevertheless, they can be found but do come at an understandably high price. There is always someone who’s willing to pay this type of money however, and the cost they reach can be quite shocking.
Here’s how much you can find each of the mainline Pokemon games in brand new condition today. Naturally prices for these will fluctuate based on numerous factors, but nonetheless here are the price ranges you can expect.
We will only be including brand new copies that are boxed (obviously) and have the Nintendo seal still intact. With items as collectable as these there is always a question of authenticity, so again we’ll only be including items we believe to be completely legitimate.
Pokemon CompanyPokemon Red Blue and Yellow
These are obviously the games that propelled the Pokemon franchise to what it has become today. Any Pokemon fan old enough to play the games in the 90s has done.
Despite their primitive graphics and simple concept, they are still thought of as some of the greatest games of all time. They set the formula and standard for what Pokemon games are judged by today.
You can find copies of Pokemon Blue and Yellow on eBay right now for £2,000. Elsewhere, there are completed listings in North America for Pokemon Red for $2,500 (roughly the same price).
Pokemon CompanyPokemon Gold Silver and Crystal
Gen 2 had a tough act to follow but it did so supremely well. Despite being next to some of the most iconic in gaming history period, the Johto region lived up to fans expectations.
Much like Red, Blue and Yellow, they are still widely played today. Again though, finding a brand new copy of them won’t come cheap.
They are apparently a little cheaper than the first games, however. One listing saw a sealed copy of Pokemon Silver sell for £480.
Prices are similar in North America too, with Silver and Gold selling for around $600 and Pokemon Crystal a little more at $700.
Pokemon CompanyPokemon Ruby Sapphire and Emerald
Interestingly it looks as if the first Pokemon games to come to the Game Boy Advance are more pricey in new condition than the Johto games. A brand new copy of Pokemon Sapphire recently sold for £750 and is also listed elsewhere for $1,000.
However, Emerald seems a little rarer having sold for $1,725, $2,750 and $3,333. This is testament to just how much the prices of new, collectable games can fluctuate.
Pokemon CompanyPokemon Diamond Pearl and Platinum
All of the above are revered but some would argue none more so than Sinnoh Pokemon games. Demand for a remake increases by the month, and you can still find trainers playing them today on their Nintendo DS.
Released in 2006, these games fetch nowhere near as much as their earlier generation counterparts. Each of them routinely sell for little more than $100, although occasionally the odd sale can get a $400.
Fans of Gen 4 will be delighted to know a remake of Pokemon Diamond and Pearl has indeed been teased. It’s not the same as playing their original but another trip to the Sinnoh region could be just around the corner.
It seems, and logically so, that the older games command a higher price when brand new and sealed. If you’re a collector and have the money to spare, and you can get them for a lot less than listed here, they’re unlikely to fall in value.