The $17,500 video game

[Dimmauk]

The $17,500 video game

by Mike Smith


Would you pay $17,500 for this?
http://l.yimg.com/a/i/us/ga/buzz/fea...7kgame_300.jpg

Think $60 video games are too expensive? You won't hear any argument from us, but you might from JJ Hendricks, a collector who just paid a clinically insane $17,500 for an obscure NES game from 1990.

The game in question is an ultra-rare, gold-colored version of Nintendo World Championships, a cartridge specially produced for use in a Nintendo-sponsored gaming contest. According to Wikipedia only 26 were created, and Hendricks calls it the "Holy Grail" of video game collectors.

The game itself has a time limit of just 6 minutes and 21 seconds and consists of three short segments from other NES games: Super Mario Bros., Tetris, and Rad Racer. Players are scored according to their performance in each game, and their scores are totaled once the time limit expires. Doesn't sound too riveting to us, but then somehow we doubt Hendricks is in it for the gameplay.

And while $17,500 might seem a bit much for a collection of ones and zeroes, Hendricks actually got a bargain: the game was originally listed on eBay for a cool $25,000.


You could buy a new car with that kind of money.

[Kaslo]

You could buy a new car with that kind of money.

But if it's an american car you would get better milage with the nintendo cart.

[Mizango]

If it were an Atlus game? In a heartbeat.

[Kiro]

Meh. Pass.

[Qalbert]

If it were an Atlus game? In a heartbeat.

<3

[wop]

To some people (addicts), they get satisfaction by obtaining something ridiculously rare, especially when money is not the problem.

This for instance Reports: Victoria Beckham owns about 100 Hermes Birkin bags worth more than $2 million

She also owns the Silver Himalayan style, which comes with a three carat diamond and is worth about $120,000

Why? Only 3 in the world.

[Despain]

Lol shit. I've... seen it all :/

[Firedemon]

wow, thats insane

[Alishe]

This was covered a few months back in Game Informer, they were talking about these cartridges and the insane price they sell for.

[Jakson]

I don't see how this even remotely compares to Timberlake's (or whoever, doesn't matter) half-eaten french toast or the Madonna in your Grilled Cheese.

Anybody ever do the Powerfests? I remember the second one in 1994 and winning a hat. You could really clean up on the Home Run Derby part. Surprisingly, there's only one of those cartridges and it, according to wiki, was listed on ebay for $300,000.

[Olo401]

I think I'll stick to my open source 8-bit games.

[liggy 0]

for a second i thought it was some special addition zelda cartridge made of gold

[miokomioko]

I've played this game on stage at a Nintendo expo in like 1990. I felt like I was in The Wizard. I didn't win... Fun as hell though.

[Darus Grey]

Are people seriously surprised that rare collectors items actually sell for a lot?

Really?

No...Really? Sometimes I feel like the minority who lives in reality.

That said, I own one of the grey versions of this, which is worth about 3 grand.

[Absolutely Virtue]

No, I think we're just surprised that people feel compelled to spend that kind of money just to "own" "things."

But hey, you can show off that you own a lot of really expensive shit. I hear some people are really impressed by that kind of thing. And I hear those people are also called "fucking shallow."

[miokomioko]

No, I think we're just surprised that people feel compelled to spend that kind of money just to "own" "things."

But hey, you can show off that you own a lot of really expensive shit. I hear some people are really impressed by that kind of thing. And I hear those people are also called "fucking shallow."

Welcome to the world from underneath that fucking rock apparently you've been under living all your life so far.

How about we leave little JJ Hendricks and his personal video game collection alone and talk all your shit about the fanatical retards that spend money on shit a celebrity sweated on.

[Narse]

But if it's an american car you would get better milage with the nintendo cart.

But you wouldn't have to blow on your car every time you wanted to start it up.

[Kaslo]

But you wouldn't have to blow on your car every time you wanted to start it up.

Actually, it depends on the person. I have plenty of fraternity brothers that have to.

[Achika]

Got a link to the story? I want to show this to some of my friends.

[Absolutely Virtue]

Welcome to the world from underneath that fucking rock apparently you've been under living all your life so far.

How about we leave little JJ Hendricks and his personal video game collection alone and talk all your shit about the fanatical retards that spend money on shit a celebrity sweated on.

JJ, is that you?