The Price of Nostalgia: 5 Old Gaming Systems That Still Cost a Pretty Penny!

Nintendo 64, Atari 7800, Dreamcast, Gameboy, and Playstation 2... What do they all have in common? Each of these gaming consoles is pretty pricey for its age. The nostalgia these old systems bring to most is why the price continues to rise. Anybody born in the early-'90s and earlier can remember these very well. We also remember when their popularity started to fade and we could easily find them for a quick $10 at any garage sale or local Goodwill with a ton of games attached. But not now. Think again if you plan to spend a cheap buck on these five favorite classic systems, because the price of nostalgia is a big price, my friend!

Playstation 2

Compared to the others on my list, this console is the most recent, but with two other Playstation systems out, we would expect to find a Playstation 2 for as low as $10 garage sale price. Originally priced at $299 brand new in 2000, Playstation 2 runs on average about $40 dollars now. Maybe it’s because of King GTA’s San Andreas...

Dreamcast

The short-lived Sega Dreamcast system was pushed aside by its competition, Playstation 2 and Xbox. Famous for the game Crazy Taxi, it will still cost you $70 to $100 dollars. I know, doesn’t seem like a big deal, but this is a system we expect to find for $15; it originally came out at $199 in 1990. With Dreamcast games now costing up to $100, you’d think this system was an Xbox One. 

Gameboy

Gameboy was released in 1989 as the first handheld system from Nintendo’s Gameboy line. Making it the second handheld system to ever be made, and we all love(d) it! Don’t lie, you were excited to play Pokémon or Super Mario Land on the bus and while walking home, missing the door handle as you blindly reach for it while trying to catch that rare species of Pokémon… okay, maybe that was just me. But we all felt so cool with those big handheld systems which now run for a whopping $50 to $75 on average, and that’s not including games! That almost equals its debut price of $89.99.

Nintendo 64

Mortal Combat, Mario Kart, Donkey Kong... the list goes on and on of all the great games we played on this system. Nostalgia makes you want to dig the classic system out of the attic. But if you sold yours and want to buy another one, expect to spend on average $40 to $100. That’s reminiscence at a price. Want to teach the young'uns how to really get down (i.e.: tearing your hand open spinning that joystick in Mario Party)? Expect to put down a big bill.

Atari 7800

The oldest system on this list was released in 1984 at the price of $140. It was like having an arcade system in your house because you could play Ms. Pac-Man and Asteroids right there in your living room. Those most exposed to this system can also remember Michael Jackson’s hair catching fire, Ronald Regan’s Presidency, and the death of Marvin Gaye. Yes, it’s that old. (Editor's Note: AHEM...) To play this joystick-based system today, however, it’ll cost about $75, with the most expensive up for sale to date being $799!

As these five systems gain more hipster popularity, I can see it soon becoming like records -- buy them at nearly original price because it’s cool.

(Photo via WENN)

- Bianca Stitch, YH Staff