Old video games and consoles gathering dust in attics, spare rooms and cupboards across Ireland could be worth hundreds of euro, with some classic Nintendo titles now fetching more than €400.
New research has revealed that people who still have their old gaming collections could be sitting on a small fortune, particularly if they held on to the original boxes and instruction manuals.
The data experts at playcasino.com analysed the recent sale prices of more than 200 popular games and consoles from the Sega Master System, Mega Drive, Game Boy, Super Nintendo, Nintendo 64, PlayStation and Game Boy Advance eras.
Using PriceCharting's European (PAL) price guide, the research found that Pokémon games are among the most valuable, taking four of the top 10 positions.
The biggest potential payday comes from Pokémon Crystal for the Game Boy Color. A complete copy, including its original box and manual, can now sell for around €431. Even the game cartridge on its own is worth approximately €114.
Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards for the Nintendo 64 comes in second, with a boxed copy valued at around €427, while Pokémon Emerald for the Game Boy Advance takes third place at approximately €401.
The top 10 most valuable games, based on their boxed prices, are:
However, not every childhood favourite is worth a fortune.
Sonic the Hedgehog, one of the most recognisable games from the Sega Mega Drive era, is now worth around €14 with its original box and just €4 as a cartridge on its own.
The research also highlights just how much difference the original packaging can make.
Super Mario World, which came bundled with the Super Nintendo when the console launched in Europe in 1992, is relatively common. A cartridge on its own sells for around €14, but a complete copy with its original box and manual can fetch approximately €149.
Old consoles could also be worth holding on to.
A boxed Super Nintendo is valued at around €158, while a boxed Sega Mega Drive can fetch approximately €106. The Master System II and original PlayStation are also worth around €99 and €95 respectively when sold with their original packaging.
Without the boxes, the consoles typically sell for between €42 and €80.
A spokesperson for playcasino.com said: "Plenty of people still have a box of old games in the attic or under the stairs, and it's worth having a proper look before anything goes to a car boot sale or the charity shop.
"The box and the instructions make the big difference. A Super Mario World cartridge on its own is only worth about €14, but with the box and manual it can fetch around €149."
They also advised people to check what games in similar condition have actually sold for before putting anything up for sale, as prices can fluctuate.
The figures were based on completed sales of European PAL versions recorded on PriceCharting up to October 29, 2026, with only games and consoles supported by at least five sales in the previous year included in the research.
Before clearing out the attic or getting rid of that old Nintendo collection, it might be worth checking what's inside!
You could have a lot more than childhood memories sitting in those boxes.
