GuidesThe 10 Most Expensive Game Boy Games 2026 – Classic, Color & Advance
July 31, 2026
Almost everyone who grew up in the 90s had a Game Boy – over 118 million units sold speak for themselves. The cartridges were practically indestructible and now sit in drawers by the millions.
Which is exactly why most people assume their old Game Boy games are worthless. That's a mistake: while Tetris and Super Mario Land really are mass-market items, certain titles trade for three and four-figure sums in 2026.
The most important rule first: with the Game Boy, the cardboard box is the real gold. Those little boxes were almost always thrown away – so the gap between a loose cartridge and a complete copy (cart + box + manual, "CIB") is often 10–20×. No other platform has a more extreme completeness multiplier.
Current price: ~€400–900 (CIB, PAL) · loose ~€150–300
The holy grail for European Game Boy collectors. Sunsoft's enchanting platformer released in 1992 only in Japan and Europe – in a tiny print run. The game is short, gorgeously animated, and barely anyone bought it at the time.
Why so expensive?
Current price: ~€200–900 (CIB, PAL) · loose ~€100–200
The late Game Boy entries of Capcom's Blue Bomber shipped in homeopathic quantities in Europe. Mega Man V (1994) is considered the best of the handheld series – and together with the PAL-rare fourth entry, it's the most expensive.
Why so expensive?
Current price: ~€250–600 (CIB) · loose ~€100–200
Konami's adorable Castlevania spin-off from 1993. Small print run, quirky charm, and thanks to the Castlevania connection it's hunted by two collector groups at once.
Why so expensive?
Current price: loose ~€50, CIB €800+
The best example of the cardboard-box rule: a completely unremarkable mech-fighting game whose loose cart brings next to nothing – but complete boxed copies are so rare that four-figure sales have happened.
Why so expensive?
Current price: ~€150–700 (CIB) · loose ~€120–180
The 1998 entry starring Sonia Belmont arrived at the very end of the classic Game Boy era. As one of the few Castlevania games with a female lead, it carries extra cult status.
Why so expensive?
What are your Game Boy cartridges worth?
Scan your games with the Kollekto scanner and see current market values in seconds – for free.
Current price: ~€250–1,000 (US-only release)
WayForward's 2002 debut released only in the US – at the very end of the GBC era, when everyone was already looking at the Game Boy Advance. Today Shantae is a successful series, and the original is hunted accordingly. If you own a US copy, you're sitting on a small treasure.
Why so expensive?
Current price: ~€200–500 (CIB)
Known as "Ninja Cop" in Europe: Konami's 2003 action gem sold miserably – and was only rediscovered years later by critics as a hidden masterpiece. Too late for a reprint.
Why so expensive?
Current price: ~€150–350 (CIB) · loose ~€60–120
The mass-market candidate of the list – and that's exactly why it matters: Crystal sits in thousands of households. The third version of Gen 2 sold in far smaller numbers than Gold and Silver, and Pokémon nostalgia has only known one direction for years.
Why so expensive?
Tip: Gold, Silver and the GBA versions (especially Emerald) also reach three figures – check condition and the internal save battery!
Current price: loose ~€50, CIB €800+
Another Metal Masters case: the Amiga mascot on Game Boy interested nobody at the time. Loose carts are affordable – complete boxed copies are first-rate rarities.
Why so expensive?
Current price: ~€80–250 (CIB)
Capcom's horror experiment on the small handheld (2001) released late and in small numbers. Not a masterpiece – but as the only classic Resident Evil on Game Boy, it's a must-buy for series completionists.
Why so expensive?
For a systematic way to value your whole collection, read What Is My Game Collection Worth? – and if home consoles sit on your shelf too, we've broken down the most expensive N64 games and PS2 games as well.
Depends on the title. Loose mass-market games (Tetris, Mario Land) bring €5–15. Loose rarities like Trip World or Mega Man V easily reach three figures. Check first, then decide.
From actually sold listings (eBay sold items, PriceCharting) – not asking prices. Lower end = played but complete, upper end = collector condition.
Handheld nostalgia has been booming for years, and the extreme rarity of complete copies supports prices. As with any collector market: no guarantees.
Yes, but they're their own market: Japanese versions are often cheaper because print runs were larger. Exceptions like Japan-exclusive titles can be pricier. The Kollekto scanner detects the region automatically.
That drawer full of old cartridges scans quickly – check for free what your Game Boy collection is worth.
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