(Image source: Image: IMAGO / Dreamstime / Editing: GIGA)

Since their debut more than a quarter century ago, the Pokémon games have sold over 515 million copies worldwide. The series is one of the best-selling video game series of all time. However, despite being widely available, these games regularly fetch high prices due to their popularity among collectors and nostalgic fans.

In good condition, the rarest Pokémon games can be used for thousands are sold, although even some of the more common titles are still worth a few hundred euros for the right buyer. Of course, there are console bundles and exclusive releases that are worth even more, but for most collectors the main goal is to get their hands on a complete set of the mainline and spin-off games.

The demand for retro games is constantly increasing while the supply is becoming increasingly scarce. Through this the prices sometimes fluctuate considerably, with the value of certain games suddenly skyrocketing from time to time. This is especially true for the rarest Pokémon games, as many collectors are eager to add these fan-favorite games to their shelves.

Below we list the prices for the 12 Most Expensive Pokémon Games on the market. They all come from Price charting and list the price for Play Only, Complete, New and Rated. The new price serves as the basis for the ranking.

#12 Pokémon Silver Edition SoulSilver (Nintendo DS)

Price “Game only”: 122 euros
Price “Complete”: 181 euros
Price “New”: 452 euros
Price “Assessed”: 1,722 euros

The Kanto region already thrilled millions of players, but Johto went even further. As well as the introduction of color graphics in the series. For those who find Johto not enough, the second generation games offer the opportunity to return to the world of the first generation titles after defeating the top 4, allowing you to catch many more Pokémon and engage in numerous additional battles.

More than a decade later, players were given the opportunity to travel to Johto and later Kanto again thanks to the release of Pokémon SoulSilver and HeartGold. For many fans, these titles from 2010 are among the best Pokémon remakes, are faithful remasters of the second generation games and were enthusiastically received by many players. Their popularity is a big reason why they are so rare these days and why so many people are willing to spend large sums of money just to add them to their collection.

#11 Pokémon Golden Edition HeartGold (Nintendo DS)

Price “Game only”: 122 euros
Price “Complete”: 203 euros
Price “New”: 589 euros
Price “Assessed”: 1,782 euros

For many fans, the second generation games are still considered the highlight of the series. With this in mind, it was no surprise when Nintendo announced that the second generation games would be remade for the DS, nor was the fact that these games sold better than the first generation remakes for the Gameboy Advance. Certain versions were even offered alongside a special accessory called the Pokewalker.

#10 Pokémon Puzzle Challenge (GameBoy Color)

Price “Play Only”: 30 euros
Price “Complete”: 218 euros
Price “New”: 593 euros
Price “Rated”: 668 euros

There have been numerous Pokémon spin-off games over the years, some of which were released for the Game Boy Color. One of those titles was Pokémon Puzzle Challenge: a “Tetris Attack” clone in which players control Pikachu and a variety of second-generation Pokémon.

The puzzle game received surprisingly good ratings. However, its rarity is not due to its critical success, but rather because there are very few copies in circulation compared to some of the main games in the Pokémon series.

#9 Pokémon XD: The Dark Storm (Gamecube)

Price “Game only”: 117 euros
Price “Complete”: 175 euros
Price “New”: 885 euros
Price “Assessed”: 1,490 euros

Pokémon XD: Dark Storm, released in 2004, introduced the concept of Shadow Pokémon. Apart from that, it hardly stood out from other Pokémon games. By the way, it is one of the worst-selling Pokémon games to date. This is probably also because it was released for the GameCube. For this reason, copies of Pokémon XD: The Dark Storm can sometimes be difficult to find.

#8 Pokémon FireRed (GameBoy Advance)

Price “Game only”: 100 euros
Price “Complete”: 311 euros
Price “New”: 1,027 euros
Price “Assessed”: 2,629 euros

For many people, the first generation Pokémon games will always be the best. After all, they were the ones who launched a billion-dollar franchise and helped make characters like Pikachu and Charizard some of the most iconic pop culture characters of all time. With this in mind, it shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise that the games have been re-released several times. Neither is the fact that these reissues are quite popular.

Released in 2004 for the Game Boy Advance, Pokémon FireRed and Pokémon LeafGreen were the first remakes of their kind, bringing fan-favorite titles to a whole new audience.

#7 Pokémon Crystal (GameBoy Color)

Price “Game only”: 143 euros
Price “Complete”: 745 euros
Price “New”: 1,192 euros
Price “Assessed”: 3,856 euros

Similar to Pokémon Yellow, Pokémon Crystal was an expanded third installment. It introduced some notable innovations that would influence later games, including the ability to select the gender of the playable protagonist, the battle tower, and animated Pokémon sprites.

Other than that, it plays largely like the original second-generation games, although the boxing Pokémon Suicune plays a much larger role in the action.

#6 Pokémon Yellow Edition (GameBoy)

Price “Play Only”: 60 euros
Price “Complete”: 360 euros
Price “New”: 1,349 euros
Price “Assessed”: 4,600 euros

Pokémon Yellow was released in Europe in 2000 and was intended to build on the success of the anime by combining characters and ideas from the series with the gameplay of the first generation. Instead of Bulbasaur, Squirtle, or Charmander, players received a Pikachu as their starter Pokémon.

Jessie, James and Meowth also appear in Pokémon Yellow, much to the delight of many anime fans. Perhaps these are the reasons why the game commands such high prices these days, although the fact that it is now more than two decades old also significantly increases its value.

#5 Pokémon Ruby (GameBoy Advance)

Price “Play Only”: 80 euros
Price “Complete”: 384 euros
Price “New”: 1,355 euros
Price “Assessed”: 2,233 euros

Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire sold more than 16 million copies worldwide, which was significantly less than the second generation games and almost half as much as Red and Blue. Nevertheless, the third generation Pokémon games remain very popular today, both among fans of the series and among video game collectors.

#4 Pokémon Stadium 2 (N64)

Price “Game only”: 75 euros
Price “Complete”: 306 euros
Price “New”: 1,664 euros
Price “Assessed”: 2,465 euros

The first Pokémon Stadium game sold remarkably well, which is why it’s relatively easy to find copies online these days. However, the sequel is much harder to come by, largely because the game was released so close to the end of the N64’s lifecycle and offered little in the way of new features other than support for second-generation games. This is precisely why Pokémon Stadium 2 is particularly in demand among collectors today.

#3 Pokémon Emerald (GameBoy Advance)

Price “Game only”: 190 euros
Price “Complete”: 563 euros
Price “New”: 1,938 euros
Price “Assessed”: 4,382 euros

As far as the third installments in the series are concerned, Pokémon Emerald is probably one of the best games. It offers new storylines and several new areas, while also allowing players to obtain a whole host of additional Mythical and Legendary Pokémon. Some of them directly in the game, others as part of special, time-limited events. The mix of additional content, nostalgia and rarity is why so many collectors are willing to pay high sums.

#2 Pokémon Box (GameCube)

Price “Game only”: 1,233 euros
Price “Complete”: 2,044 euros
Price “New”: 2,502 euros
Price “Assessed”: 7,012 euros

In the past, there weren’t too many options for storing Pokémon. The release of Pokémon Stadium made it possible to transfer first and second generation Pokémon to a Nintendo 64 cartridge, but that didn’t help much for those looking for a way to save Pokémon from later Pokémon games. Luckily, a proper Pokémon storage system was finally released with Pokémon Box.

#1 Pokémon Red (Game Boy)

Price “Game only”: 55 euros
Price “Complete”: 302 euros
Price “New”: 2,980 euros
Price “Assessed”: 6,771 euros

Despite selling over 30 million copies worldwide, first-generation Pokémon games are still fairly rare. While individual copies are not that difficult to find, due to the fragility of the cardboard boxes in which the games for the original Game Boy came, it is difficult to find a complete copy today.