I recently plugged in my old NES to have a play, and it got me thinking; how much is a NES worth today?
No, the rhyme in that line wasn’t intentional, but I think we can all agree that it was a stroke of genius.
The NES housed some of the best titles from the golden age of gaming. Metroid, Super Mario Bros, The Legend of Zelda; they’re all available to play on Nintendo’s first-ever home console machine!
You may have come to this retro powerhouse from the NES Mini, or perhaps you’ve had a lifelong passion for Nintendo hardware. It’s an incredible bit of kit, and soon you’re going to find out whether you’re sitting on a little gold mine!
So, just how much is a NES worth these days?
I guess there’s only one way to find out!
Table of Contents
How much is a NES Worth?
The NES as of today sells for $30 – $375 depending on the condition of the console itself and if you have all of the accessories, including the original box, cables and controllers.
Look at that beauty! Yes, the original NES can still be bought on second-hand sites even in 2020, 35 years after it first appeared on shelves.
As with all of the best 80s toys, the amount of money that you might end up paying for a NES is totally dependant on its condition.
If you’re looking to buy a bare console with no box or games, then you can easily find one for around the $30 mark. We recently came across one that had been opened for testing but came complete with the original box, and it was listed at $299.
A sealed unit, however, recently sold for over $2,000! That’s more than my girlfriend’s car cost!
How Much Is A Top Loading NES Worth?
Hands up if you never knew that one of these NES consoles existed?
The NES Top Loader doesn’t look as iconic in my opinion, but it still makes good money on second hand sites. It brought a new controller to the scene, ‘the dog bone’, which was an early version of the SNES controller.
Still, the old remotes work just fine, and if you’re in the market for a NES with a difference, then you can grab a used unit from $65.
Want a sealed slice of gaming history? You’re looking at spending upwards of $949!
What Is The Difference Between The Original NES & The NES Top Loader
The main difference is kind of in the title.
The original NES console featured a front-loading cart deck, whereas the Top Loader features the same style of top-loading cart deck as the SNES and the N64.
The top-loading cart deck had fewer malfunction issues than the original front-loading design, but there’s one thing that separates these two consoles apart; picture quality.
The picture quality on the original NES is far superior. It has an RCA composite video output, whereas Nintendo wanted to cut costs with the Top Loader and gave it an RF port instead.
The Top Loader can play games from all regions, however, so if you value gameplay over graphics, then this could be the one for you.
How Much Is A Limited Edition NES Worth?
I’ve been a little bit sneaky here as the Nintendo Family Computer, otherwise known as the Famicom, isn’t a limited edition console per say.
This is what the NES looked like in Japan, before Nintendo’s big rebrand. It’s a classic style now, and as such is still sought after by gaming purists and collectors across the globe.
You can pick up a Famicom unit for around $42, and a sealed copy with all of the original boxes, leaflets, and bags will cost you around $399.
How Much Is A NES Classic Mini Worth?
Nintendo discontinued the NES classic in 2019, but there are still plenty of these units on virtual shelves.
Stocks instantly sold out when they first came on the scene back in 2016 and prices shot through the roof. Now, you can pick one up without a box for about $29.
Weirdly, some of the used units in boxes are going for more than the new ones are, but sometimes people just get too excited in a bidding war to care!
How Much Is A NES Controller Worth?
It’s no real surprise that NES controllers aren’t worth that much these days. Compared to the best Nintendo Switch controllers, it’s a bit simple and has very few features.
But the NES controller is a classic symbol of an entire age of gaming. And twinned with R.O.B and the other best NES accessories, it becomes a force to be reckoned with!
Plus, thanks to companies such as 8BitDo, you can now buy wireless controllers too!
Seb Santabarbara has bought every Nintendo console that has ever been released in his 31 years on Planet Earth. His favourite game franchise is Zelda, and he’s patiently waiting for Banjo-Kazooie to come back to the fold. When he’s not playing games, he’s travelling the world in his self-converted camper van.
