Got a spare $1.6k?

Buying vintage games on eBay is a tricky business these days, as collectors have pushed the value of many sought-after titles to eye-watering levels. You'll find a robust market for factory-sealed releases too, some of which can sell for many times more than their original retail price.

Interestingly, publisher Natsume has its own eBay store and is selling off factory-sealed games alongside other merchandise. Among the Hometown Story collectables and plush toys, you'll discover plenty of games - some more desirable than others. We can't imagine Squishy Tank on the DS will get your pulse racing, but what about a sealed copy of Pocky & Rocky on the SNES? A copy has already sold for $1,691.66 and there's another for sale at the moment which currently stands at $133.

Natsume community manager CeeCee has been talking to Tiny Cartridge about the store, and explains that it began life as a way of getting rid of extra merchandise:

We wanted to offer a variety of bundles, and the quantities of games and extra goodies were small enough that it didn't make sense to list them in our traditional store.

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eBay was the logical choice when it came to reaching as many potential customers as possible, and the store has been so successful that it now includes pretty much anything that is lying around the Natsume office and currently not spoken for.

Some of the games - like the aforementioned Pocky & Rocky - are from quite a while ago, which begs the question - why are they still in the office in sealed condition? CeeCee explains:

We've kept copies around of games for a variety of reasons. Review copies before digital distribution was a thing, warranty needs, etc. Over time, these copies slowly added up until we had a fairly extensive collection of classic titles, just not in large numbers for any singular game.

Will you be placing a bid on Pocky & Rocky, or has Lufia II caught your eye? Let us know by posting a comment.

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[source tinycartridge.com]