Paprium (Sega Mega Drive)
A legendary and (unfortunately) also infamous homebrew game. It was highly controversial due to the fact that many of the backers never received their copies—in fact, only a small percentage ever did. As a result, demand for this game is sky high, while supply is painfully low. Combine this with the fact that it uses enhanced hardware to boost the visual and audio capabilities of the Sega Mega Drive, and the result is insanely high prices for genuine physical copies. The copy you see in the image above comes from an eBay listing with a whopping Buy It Now price of £799.99 (approx $1500 AUD).
The game itself is an amazing beat ’em up, featuring bright, flashy graphics, huge player and enemy sprites, detailed animations, and backgrounds, along with plenty of high-energy sound and voice samples that you’d typically expect from an arcade brawler. The ROM is available online, having been leaked in retaliation by disgruntled customers who never received the game they paid for. A special version of a Sega Mega Drive emulator is required to run this ROM—it won’t work on a standard emulator. There is a specific core for this game available to download within the RetroArch interface.
For more information about the Paprium game ROM and playing it via emulation then please read our article Watermelon’s Paprium Leaked ROM Now Playable on Emulator.
| Price | Packaging | Release Date | Publisher |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Loose: $280 USD, Complete: $800 USD |
Box & Manual |
2020 |
Watermelon https://magicalgamefactory.com/ |
B*nq (Atari 7800)
This homebrew game for the Atari 7800 was developed by Ken Siders back in 2007, when the scene was still very young. It’s a clone of Q*Bert, another arcade game to add to the 7800’s library of faithful ports. B*nq is of very high quality and is a very satisfying arcade-style experience. This game received a very limited release, sold exclusively through the AtariAge store for a short time. It never had an official box; however, it did include a manual.
B*nq is now worth about $400 USD ($600 AUD), whether it has the manual or not. Those who were fortunate enough to buy a copy when it was sold on AtariAge have had a really nice payday on this one. This is one that I’m fortunate enough to own along with the manual. Keep a lookout, as some sellers may not know what it is and grossly undervalue it. If you’ve ever played QBert back in the day on arcade or an 8-bit computer, you’ll definitely enjoy this game. I first played QBert on the BBC Micro, so I get a strong hit of nostalgia every time I fire this game up.
| Price | Packaging | Release Date | Publisher |
|---|---|---|---|
|
$375 – $430 USD |
Manual Only |
2007 |
Atari Age https://atariage.com/ |
Rikki & Vikki (Atari 7800)
Rikki & Vikki is considered by many to be the best game for the Atari 7800. It’s a single-screen puzzle platformer for one- or two-player cooperative play. The objective is to collect the keys in each level to progress through the stages of Misery Land. This homebrew was released in late 2018 and was sold until late 2020, when production ceased at approximately 550 units. Because of its rarity and quality, the price collectors are willing to pay has skyrocketed. The game also uses expanded capabilities of the Atari 7800 through extra chips in the cartridge.
It even features a cutscene introduction with excellent voice acting at the start of the game. The release includes typical Atari 7800 box artwork, a large colour manual, and a very attractive transparent orange cartridge. This game is highly sought after by Atari collectors, so if you ever come across a copy for a reasonable price, it would be worth adding to your collection. Due to its reputation, it’s highly unlikely to sell for much less than its market value, which is many times higher than what an Atari 7800 game would have cost brand new on department store shelves.
| Price | Packaging | Release Date | Publisher | Units Sold |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
loose: $260 complete/new: $400 USD |
Box & Manual |
2018 |
Atari Age https://atariage.com/ |
550 |
Xeno Crisis (Neo Geo MVS)
Xeno Crisis is an arcade shoot ’em up developed by Bitmap Bureau. The game was originally made for the Sega Mega Drive and later ported to many systems, including the Game Boy Advance, Super Nintendo Entertainment System, Sega Dreamcast, Nintendo 64, Nintendo GameCube, Neo Geo AES, and Neo Geo MVS. The Neo Geo AES and MVS versions are the rarest and most expensive. The gameplay is similar to Super Smash TV, but more refined and engaging. The Neo Geo MVS version is packaged like a traditional MVS release, in a plain cardboard box with the manual and arcade marquees included.
This is one of the most professional retro-style arcade games produced in recent years. While both Neo Geo versions are valuable, I’ve focused on the MVS version, as it’s likely a bit more common than the AES and it’s the Neo Geo system that I own. If you’re in the market for the MVS version, be very careful—there are many counterfeit copies out there. Official copies have a numbered seal on the side of the cartridge; unless you want a reproduction, avoid buying one without this seal (pictured above).
| Price | Packaging | Release Date | Publisher |
|---|---|---|---|
|
loose: $220 complete: $450 USD |
Box, Manual, Arcade Marcquees |
2019 |
Bitmap Bureau https://www.bitmapbureau.com |
Stramash Zone (Vectrex)
I have very little knowledge of the Vectrex, as it’s an incredibly niche console due to its age, limited distribution, and price. It was never released in Australia, so I hadn’t even heard of it until I started collecting games. To this day, I haven’t learned much more, mainly because I don’t own one. I do, however, have a Kickstarter pledge for the Vectrex Mini, but until that arrives, my exposure to this unique console remains very limited. What I do know is that it didn’t have many commercially released games; however, it has a very active homebrew scene, which has resulted in many new titles being produced over the past couple of decades.
Where there are many homebrews, there is often more demand than supply, which results in some very expensive titles. There are a lot of pricey homebrew releases for the Vectrex, but Stramash Zone is definitely up there. This is a “battle tank” style game where you control a tank and move around a vector-based world, destroying enemy tanks, missiles, and saucers. It seems like a very advanced game for a system limited to vector graphics, which adds to its already high demand. If you’re considering buying it, it would be wise to do your own research, as I know very little about this game beyond the fact that it sells for a very high price.
| Price | Packaging | Release Date | Publisher |
|---|---|---|---|
|
loose: $376 complete: $576 USD |
Box, Manual & Overlay |
2018 |
ClockworkRobot http://www.clockworkrobot.com/ |
Beggar Prince (Sega Mega Drive)
Beggar Prince is the first Sega Mega Drive game to be commercially released on the system since 1998. The game was initially developed and sold in Asia, and the in-game text was in Taiwanese. Super Fighter Team translated the game into English and printed a run of 600 cartridges, which it sold in September 2006 for $40 USD. About a month later, another print run was announced, with an additional 300 copies produced. On the game’s 20th anniversary in 2016, a third and final print run was released, with another 600 units sold. Beggar Prince is a humorous RPG about a misbehaving prince who pretends to be a beggar and convinces a doppelganger to take his place in order to escape the palace for a day. However, he is unable to reclaim his rightful place, as his double refuses to leave—and hilarity ensues.
If you want to obtain this game for your collection, be aware that there may be a significant difference in prices between the print runs. It’s likely that the first run is the most expensive and sought-after version. Definitely do some research before making a purchase. Another thing to be aware of is that, like many homebrew games, reproduction copies exist. Learn how to tell the difference, as these versions are not worth anywhere near what genuine copies sell for. One feature to look for is the “Super Fighter Team” logo on the back of the box, although this alone doesn’t guarantee authenticity.
| Price | Packaging | Release Date | Publisher | Units Sold |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
complete: $100-150 USD |
Box & Manual |
2006 |
Super Fighter Team https://www.superfighter.com/ |
1500 |
Pier Solar and the Great Architects (Sega Mega Drive / Sega Mega CD)
Pier Solar & the Great Architects has a very interesting backstory. It started life as a communal programming project on a forum called “The Tavern” back in 2004. The forum was a loose collection of emulator and Sega programmers, and its lack of organisation and structure meant the project didn’t progress much until 2006, when the engine became sophisticated enough for real content to be created. The team eventually came together under the Watermelon banner, releasing the game in 2010. Unlike the Super Fighter Team releases, this wasn’t a re-translated international game—it was built from the ground up as a brand-new Mega Drive title. It also includes a CD designed to be used with the Sega Mega-CD while playing on the Mega Drive, expanding the game’s audio capabilities. It’s the first game of its kind to use this setup.
Pre-orders were taken in 2008 and began shipping to backers in late 2009. There were 800 copies produced, each including a certificate of authenticity. It’s also worth mentioning that other versions were released on newer systems such as the Sega Dreamcast, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Wii U, Xbox One, PC, and Android under the title Pier Solar HD. The original Mega Drive version is highly sought after by collectors, as it’s the first true homebrew game released for the system and the only commercial title to utilise the Mega-CD’s expanded audio capabilities. If you’re hunting this one down, make sure you get a genuine copy with the certificate of authenticity.
| Price | Packaging | Release Date | Publisher | Units Sold |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
complete: $180 USD new: $320 USD |
Box, Manual, Certificate & Audio CD |
2009 |
Watermelon Games https://wmelongames.com/ |
800 |
Halo 2600 (Atari 2600)
Halo 2600 was famously created by Ed Fries, a former Vice President of Publishing at Microsoft who was involved in the acquisition of Bungie, the original developers of Halo for the Xbox. It’s an action-adventure game that clearly takes inspiration from Adventure and Berzerk on the Atari 2600. The game was created as a demake of the original Halo and includes many elements from it. Ed Fries decided to make the game after being inspired by the book Racing the Beam: The Atari 2600 Video Computer System, which explores programming for the Atari 2600. Halo 2600 was programmed in assembly code and proved quite a challenge, although Fries received plenty of support from the Atari homebrew community. The game was published by AtariAge and sold at the Classic Gaming Expo in Las Vegas in 2010.
The game was extremely well received, earning an 83% score from Retro Gamer, with other outlets praising it for pushing the Atari 2600 to its limits. For an Atari 2600 game, it is very good, and I strongly recommend playing it if you have experience with the system. If you’ve never played the Atari 2600 before, you may not fully appreciate it, as it is a very primitive console. Halo 2600 was re-released in 2013 and sold on AtariAge’s website. That same year, it had the honour of being included in the “Art of Video Games” exhibition at the Smithsonian American Art Museum.
| Price | Packaging | Release Date | Publisher | Units Sold |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
complete: $250 USD, new: $470 USD |
Box & Manual |
2010 |
Atari Age https://atariage.com/ |
500 (2010 release) |
BattleSphere (Atari Jaguar)
BattleSphere is an Atari Jaguar game that was first released in 2000, with an enhanced Gold version following in 2002. The game was originally conceptualised in 1993, when the Jaguar was still on the market. It was later published by ScatoLOGIC after Hasbro Interactive declared the Jaguar an open development platform. The game supports up to 16 players in a deathmatch, with consoles connected via LAN (local area network). Different scenarios are featured in both single-player and multiplayer modes.
It was inspired by several games, including Star Raiders, Doom, Star Wars: TIE Fighter, and Netrek. BattleSphere is a space combat simulation played from a first-person perspective, similar to Wing Commander. The story takes place far in the future, where multiple alien races compete for control of the universe, sending their best pilots to fight in a designated combat zone.
It was extremely well received by game magazines, achieving scores higher than 90%, and is considered by many to be the best game on the Atari Jaguar. All copies were sold directly by ScatoLOGIC, with the first unit being sold via eBay. Due to its extremely low print run and high quality, it’s a very sought-after title, resulting in high prices whenever a copy surfaces.
| Price | Packaging | Release Date | Publisher | Units Sold |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
complete: $180 USD new: $320 USD |
Box & Manual |
2000 |
ScatoLOGIC http://www.scatologic.com/ |
unknown |
Dottie Flowers (Super Nintendo)
Dottie Flowers is a homebrew game for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System with a very unique backstory. It doesn’t follow the usual path that most homebrew games take. The developer first created a demo version and let players try to complete all of the stages. Those who finished the demo were asked to send a postcard to the developer, who then randomly selected winners and sent them a copy of the full physical release.
The idea behind the giveaway was to replicate how video game competitions were run before the internet and email became widespread. Postcards were a popular method of entry in Japan at the time, which is why this approach was used. Because only 100 copies of the game were produced and distributed—and it was released just two years ago—no copies have appeared on eBay yet, so the current value is unknown. However, given its rarity, it’s very likely to become highly valuable, making it worthy of a place on this list.
The ROM (digital copy) of the game can be freely downloaded from the creator’s itch.io page.
| Price | Packaging | Release Date | Publisher | Units Made |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Unknown |
Box & Manual |
2024 |
GoldLocke http://goldlocke.itch.io/ |
100 |
