It's that time again for the next entry in our rarest game series, where we take a look at some of the most coveted and sought-after titles in gaming. Today, the Nintendo 3DS is front and center. So join me as we take a look back at the top 5 rarest Nintendo 3DS games USA 2022. Let's get to it!
Top 5 RAREST Nintendo 3DS Games USA 2021
Okay as always, just before we get started, let me get a couple of ground rules out of the way. First, this list will not be considering any special or limited edition titles, which are otherwise available easier or for cheap. And each title considered must be an official North American retail release.
That means these titles actually hit store shelves and were available to the public. Each title has been ranked based on a combination of factors including current market value, estimated scarcity, and demand. And finally, every price point that I'll mention in this article is based on the current U.S. market value at the time.
RADIANT HISTORIA: PERFECT CHRONOLOGY
So with that out of the way, first up Rarest Nite do 3DS Games USA at spot number five is Radiant Historia: Perfect Chronology Perfect Chronology is a 3DS remake of the acclaimed RPG Radiant Historia for the original DS.
This version includes all new voice acting, updated artwork for each of the game's characters and cut scenes, added combat skills and maps, various quality of life improvements, and an entirely new additional storyline called Possible History that you can choose to weave into your adventure.
As is the case with the original, this title was published by Atlas--a company notorious for small batch productions and whose games have appeared many times.
Atlas actually had to issue a second print run of the original Radiant Historia on DS in the U.S., as it had such a high demand in comparison to the supply of copies they initially produced, and that demand persisted to this reboot. As abresult, today a complete copy of Perfect Chronology can run you about $80.
Now, the 3DS hardware was discontinued by Nintendo on September 16th of 2020, which likely contributed to the increase in prices and demand for these consoles and games. This one in particular shot up in price specifically at that time.
If you haven't played it before, Radiant Historia offers a deep gameplay experience that has attracted a level of demand for good reason. Thankfully, it's still available digitally for half the price of a physical copy, so this one is mostly just for the collectors.
DRAGON QUEST VIII: JOURNEY OF THE CURSED KING
Next up at spot number four Rarest Nite do 3DS Games USA is Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King. Dragon Quest VIII is a 3DS port of the 2005 classic PlayStation 2 RPG. Through the Journey of the Cursed King, players must step into the role of the hero, working with party members to hunt down and destroy the evil source of a terrifying curse. The entourage explores landscapes and cities of a fully realized 3D world--replacing the top-down view of the previous games--and fighting in turn-based encounters that the series has come to be known for.
Dragon Quest VIII in particular is highly regarded as one of the best entries in the series and highly sought after for that reason. Combine that with the worldwide success of the Nintendo 3DS, and you have a perfect storm for massive demand. Today a complete copy of Dragon Quest VIII is worth right around $100.
As far as how it reached that price point, this one's story is a little interesting. Prices for this game as well as many other highly regarded games have skyrocketed since the beginning of Covid-19.
Due to the need for quarantines and social distancing, as well as the closing of many sources of entertainment, the comfort of nostalgia and appeal of online shopping and collecting shot up, which sparked higher demand for the physical copies that are no longer being sold by retailers.
Now, this title is also still available digitally on the eShop, so if you want to check it out you don't have to shell out a hundred dollars or be forced to miss out.
Or of course, you can always just grab the PS2 original for about 25 bucks on the secondhand market.
YO-KAI WATCH 3
Coming in at spot number three Rarest Nite do 3DS Games USA is Yo-kai Watch 3 Would you look at that--another RPG! I promise this is the last one. Yo-kai Watch 3 is, appropriately enough, the third installation in the Yo-kai Watch series.
You play as a pair of detectives, investigating mysterious cases, meeting and befriending hundreds of friendly Yo-kai, battling the bad Yo-kai and bosses using a new grid-based combat system, and eventually join forces with each other and their Yo-kai teams to face a common enemy.
This title was originally released in two separate versions in Japan, titled Sushi and Tempura, much in the same vein as the mainline Pokemon series.
The third version of the game, known in Japan as Yo-kai Watch 3: Sukiyaki, was released in December of 2016 and was considered to be the definitive edition of the game, with. all available content combined, including American-themed Yo-kai and new areas and features.
This was the version that was eventually released in the U.S. in February of 2019. Today, the game can fetch upwards of $125 for a complete copy. In a story that is becoming all too familiar, this game had a very short print run, likely due to the fact that Yo-kai Watch 4 was confirmed for a Western release in the same month as this game's release, so both the 3DS and Yo-kai Watch 3 were nearing the end of their popularity.
In fact, it's estimated that under 5,000 copies could have been sold in North America, and many stores reported receiving only a few copies apiece. For such a major title published by Nintendo themselves, that number is incredibly low. And as a result, Yo-kai Watch 3 is expected to hold its value for the foreseeable future.
ALIEN CHAOS 3D
At number two on our list of Rarest Nite do 3DS Games USA is Alien Chaos 3D. Alien Chaos 3D is a side-scrolling shooter from Swedish developer Ludosity Interactive. When alien robot animals invade and abduct the protagonist's mom with their UFO, it's up to you to use an arsenal of weapons to blast through hordes of enemies and rescue her.
Technically, this game is a sequel to the little-known Mama and Son Clean House--an indie Xbox Live title--and the dev team originally wanted to call it Clean House, but the publisher changed it at the last minute to the more generic Alien Chaos 3D, making its connection to Ludocity's Mama and Son series unclear.
Now, just looking at this gameplay, you can probably imagine how low this game's print run was. In fact, this game was originally only available digitally and only from the European eShop, so when it came stateside, nobody really knew about this game and didn't have a reason to pay attention.
Today, a complete copy of Alien Chaos 3D can fetch upwards of $175. Now, in the case of this game, supply and demand were both exceedingly low at the time of its launch, which ultimately led to scarcity.
Even the level designer, editor, and programmer Daniel Remar noted that they made the game in just six months, and said himself that it could be described as "shovelware, albeit still fun to play".
And because of its niche appeal and jaw-dropping price tag, this one is generally only for the hardcore collectors.
BARBIE GROOM AND GLAM PUPS
The number one rarest game for Nintendo 3DS USA is Barbie Groom and Glam Pups Yes, finally a real quality title to finish off our list! In Barbie Groom and Glam Pups, players will choose a puppy from one of six adorable breeds, then groom, train, and dress them up as fabulously as possible with a collection of clothes, collars, accessories, and costumes. Along the way, Barbie will give you tips and advice to help you prepare your pup to ultimately be shown off in various canine competitions, including a freestyle dance-off, fashion show, and photoshoots.
Now, if you've happened to see one of these at your local game store, don't grab your keys and head out to nab it just yet.
While Groom and Glam Pups is exceedingly valuable for 3DS, the same title was released for DS and Wii a few years earlier, and that version is much easier to come by for dirt cheap.
Now, for the 3DS version, it's a little difficult to estimate a fair price point just because this game is so rarely seen on the secondhand market, but in recent months, a complete in-box copy of this title has fetched prices in excess of $800.
If you're like me, your first question is, "Why?" Well, it's actually pretty hard to find any official information on the history of this release; most of the information here was pulled from various anecdotal accounts and forum posts.
But as I understand it, although the Wii and DS versions were plentiful, this 3DS port had very few copies made and was pulled from store shelves quickly after selling poorly. On top of that, the NTSC North American release was apparently only sold through stores in Canada, resulting in inflated scarcity.
Groom and Glam Pups was also delisted from the Nintendo eShop in 2017, most likely due to the publisher's license agreement with Mattel expiring. For all these reasons, Barbie Groom and Glam Pups is exceedingly difficult to find and is sure to be a prized collector's item for many years to come.
So this was our list of the top 5 Rarest Nite do 3DS Games USA. Hope you enjoyed that if have any questions or suggestions feel free to drop them in Comments.