Incredibly Rare Nintendo Console Could Be The Most Expensive Ever Sold

Summary A prototype Super Famicom console could be the most expensive ever sold at auction.

The early build of the console is up for auction and is currently sitting at around $8,500

The industry for retro game collecting is booming as original games and consoles can fetch thousands of dollars.

While many classic Nintendo consoles are known for fetching decent prices among collectors, the most recent one to hit the market may end up being the most expensive ever sold at auction. The world of video game collecting has exploded in recent years as rare games and consoles have become notorious for their impressive prices when sold to the right bidder. Original copies of NES classics like The Legend of Zelda and Super Mario. Bros have been known to be especially valuable, but an early build of a popular console may be even more lucrative for the seller.

Per GamesRadar+, Yahoo Japan recently opened a listing for a prototype version of the Super Famicom console, which is known in the West as the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES). At the time of writing, the device is sitting with a price tag of ¥1,301,000, which converts to just under $8,500, and given that the auction will close on May 12, there's a good chance that number increases. The seller notes that while it looks similar to the retail version of the Super Famicom, there are some key differences to indicate its status as a prototype.

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There's A Precedent For Expensive Prototype Consoles

Retro Tech Can Be Very Lucrative

Some of the more noticeable differences between this early version of the Super Famicom, which was produced years before the official iteration hit shelves in 1991, included a red power button, a differently shaped cartridge slot, and the inclusion of a headphone jack with a volume dial. Why these features were ultimately scrapped for the version that went to market remains unknown, but it's a fun peek into the past for collectors of retro technology. To make the item even more desirable, it also includes an official Nintendo development sticker on its rear.

The industry for retro video game collecting has exploded in recent years as original copies of older games and consoles can fetch thousands of dollars at auction. It's incredibly rare to see prototype hardware go up for sale but it's not entirely unprecedented. Back in 2020, an early build of Sony's console that it was creating in collaboration with Nintendo was sold for a final bid of $300,000; the device was infamous for never entering production as the deal between the companies fell through and prompted Sony to create its own PlayStation.

Whether the prototype Nintendo console manages to sell for that much remains to be seen but there's a distinct chance that might reach such a high number. The Super Famicom and the SNES are widely regarded as some of the best consoles ever made with incredible libraries of video games. Given the nostalgia many players have for these machines, it's entirely possible that some avid collectors could boost those bids higher than expected.

Source: GamesRadar+, Yahoo Japan