The SNES Classic Edition lets fans relive the console’s glory days with some of the best and most memorable Nintendo games on the system, all for a budget price of $79.99.
Hold it, you say! Eighty bucks for 20 plus year-old games doesn’t seem like a bargain. Well, what if we told you that purchasing these games separately will destroy your wallet? No, really. The Super Nintendo is one of the hottest retro systems, with the rarest games costing hundreds of dollars, even loose with old Blockbuster Video stickers on the back and some kid’s name written in black ink next to the label; this copy of EarthBound belongs to Billy!
This made us wonder… how much would it cost to assemble the SNES Classic Edition lineup game by game? The result didn’t shock us because we spend way too much money on retro stuff. For you? Might be an eye opener.
This is what you’ll pay to build the SNES Classic Edition library, starting with…
A Super Nintendo
Naturally, you need the console to play these games; away with you, knockoff systems. An original and working SNES (with cables and controller) without a video game will set you back $75.
The price will fluctuate depending on different factors. You might be able to score a yellowed system for less money. Throwing in a game like Super Mario World, however, will jack up the price at least $25.  And if you want a boxed SNES with one game and paper inserts, prepare to pay hundreds. For now, though, we’ll stick with $75.
How much is the SNES Classic Edition again? $79.99? Great. Now we have less than $5 to spend on the entire library. Actually, that’s false, because we also need…
Another SNES Controller
Unlike the NES Classic Edition, you get two controllers inside the box. An authentic SNES controller is another $14. Great, we just spent $89 and can’t play anything.
OK, now it’s time to price these games off eBay. We made sure the carts were loose and without instruction manuals to save you some cash, and we didn’t average every single price. You’ll have to make due with good old-fashioned eyeballing.
Super Mario World
A loose copy of Mario’s unforgettable adventure and SNES launch game will cost about $25 used. Admission one to Dinosaur Land, please.
Super Mario Kart
The first game in Nintendo’s insanely popular kart racing series is at least $30. No, you did not get hit in the head with a green shell. We said 30 big ones.
The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
Easily one of the best Zelda games of all time, this epic journey can be yours for $30, but we’ve seen it for more.
F-Zero
Finally, an affordable one! You can grab this futuristic Mode 7 racing game for $12.
Super Metroid
People LOVE Super Metroid. Some even consider it the best game ever made to this day. That means you’ll need to pay at least $50 for it, and perhaps higher if sellers don’t price their carts to move.
Street Fighter II Turbo
The best Street Fighter II on SNES (fight us) costs $20.
Super Punch-Out!!
Good luck fighting your way out of this one. Super Punch-Out!! is at least $25.
Super Castlevania IV
Want to kick Dracula’s butt? Better have $40 in your pocket, and that’s if you’re lucky and willing to deal with some wear and tear on the cartridge. Otherwise this one sells for $55 at least; we went with $40.
Donkey Kong Country
Ah yes, Rare’s unforgettable platform game… the adventure that breathed new life into the SNES in the face of giants like PlayStation and Saturn. Still sublime to this day, and it costs $25.
Mega Man X
There are three Mega Man X games on the SNES and this is by far the cheapest at $30, and the only one you’ll receive with the Classic Edition.  Mega Man X2 is well over $100, while Mega Man X3 soars past the $200 mark.
Kirby Super Star 8 Games in One!
There’s a price to pay for those 8 games, and it’s $50 for Milky Way Wishes and Dyna Blade dreams.
Final Fantasy III
Japanese RPGs are big games with equally meaty price tags. Get ready to spend $50 on this one.
Kirby’s Dream Course
What? Another Kirby game? Yes, but it’s golf, and Kirby’s the ball! You want this in your life. Fortunately, it’s $30.
Star Fox
Prices for Fox McCloud’s first jump into video game history are a bit all over the place for some reason, but you can find it for $15.
Super Mario World 2: Yoshi’s Island
You might get lucky and find a copy of Yoshi’s pastel-shaded adventure for less, but Super Mario World 2 easily creeps into $40 territory.
Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars
Easily one of the coolest RPGs on the SNES. Super Mario RPG prices hit $80 for the loose cart, but many sellers will hand over theirs for $55, so we’ll go with that price.
Contra III The Alien Wars
There will be much controller throwing and cursing as you play this incredibly tough shooter, but the $45 average is totally worth it.
Secret of Mana
You’ll pry this Secret of Mana cartridge from our cold, dead hands! Or $65. Yeah, that’s about right.
EarthBound
Nintendo did us all a huge favor putting this sought-after game on the SNES Classic Edition. Otherwise we’d have to fork over $180. And no, we didn’t mean to write $18 and accidently tacked on a 0.  A loose EarthBound cart is $180, enough to buy two SNES Classic Editions from the store.
Super Ghouls ‘N Ghosts
This game and Contra will shred your sanity. Unlike Contra 3, though, Super Ghouls ‘N Ghosts is only $20.
Star Fox 2
For many video game fans, this is THE reason to buy the SNES Classic Edition because it marks the first time in history that Nintendo will release Star Fox 2 to the public. We can’t put a price on this game, other than the $79.99 it costs to purchase a SNES Classic, but to us, Star Fox 2 is worth so much more than that.
OK, so we tallied the prices, carried the 1, found pie and after all of these mental gymnastics, the total for a pieced together SNES Classic Edition is…
$926
Thanks a lot, EarthBound!
There it is! You’d need almost $1,000 to buy the SNES and these games separately, and you’d still not have an official copy of Star Fox 2.
You might luck out and find the games at garage sales for absurdly cheap, and with a little persistence you can buy all of these titles for a few bucks less on eBay. Ultimately, Nintendo shoved hundreds of dollars’ worth of games into a $79.99 gray box, making the SNES Classic Edition a tremendous value whether you’re overcome with nostalgia or experiencing these gems for the first time, and WOW if it’s the latter because you’re in for a treat.
That said, the SNES Classic Edition is available on September 29th, and we hope you find one.
Published: Sep 19, 2017 08:45 pm