For decades, people young and old have been playing video games. From Atari to Playstation, there’s certainly a video game for every collector! With graded games, collectors can take their collection to the next level. Heritage holds a Mini-Boss Select auction weekly, featuring some fine examples of collectible video games.

Golgo 13: Top Secret Episode

Anime in the West is a personal favorite topic of mine. By the late 1980s, the Japanese medium had gained cult-like status with Western audiences thanks to titles such as Akira, Project A-Ko, and even Robotech. Anime-based video games were a somewhat new market in both Japan and America. Many anime-based video games were re-named and re-skinned (but kept the original gameplay) to appeal to a broader Western audience. But in September 1988, Nintendo released Golgo 13: Top Secret Episode.

Golgo 13 has been a popular franchise in Japan dating back to 1968. This would be the first time the franchise would appear in America -- the game was also one of the first mature content video games. Golgo 13 is still prevalent in Japan and has had a much broader presence in America thanks to the 1990s anime boom.

This sealed blue label CGC 9.4 A+ is a treat. While there is little sales data on sealed CGC-graded copies, there have been sales for WATA-graded copies. The current highest-graded sealed WATA copy comes in at a 9.4 and has a one-year average of $249. This could be a chance for a lucky buyer to get a piece of unique anime history for a great price. This game does have investment potential but for a very limited pool. If you're an anime fan or appreciate pop culture history, don't sleep on this game!

Muppet Adventure: Chaos at the Carnival

The Muppets were everywhere in the late 1980s and early 1990s. I grew up watching Muppet Babies and developed a lifelong love for the Muppets. Muppet Adventure: Chaos at the Carnival was a no-brainer when my parents saw it in Toys R Us -- but I only played it a handful of times due to the difficulty of the game. Originally released for the Apple II, the Commodore 64, and MS-DOS in 1989, the game was ported to the NES a year later. The game features six mini-games all aimed at saving Miss Piggy from the nefarious Dr. Grump.

This sealed blue label CGC 9.0 A is a looker. Hilary Barta's cover art really pops on this box! Currently, there is no sales data for any CGC-graded copies of this game, and there is not a WATA-graded 9.0 for reference. However, a sealed 9.2 WATA-graded copy sold for $421 in March of 2022. This is an exceptional copy and would be great for any Muppet fan!

Super Mario 64

While the original Super Mario was a big part of my life (as it likely was for many of you), Super Mario 64 defined the character and would become one of my favorite games. This game brought the world of Mario into the 3D world, and over 20 years later gamers new and old are still finding joy in it. Super Mario 64 sold millions of copies worldwide and won a number of awards. While a sequel was planned yet ultimately never came to fruition, Super Mario 64 stands bright on its own as one of the best video games of all time.

This sealed 8.5 A+ WATA-graded copy might not be a perfect high grade, but this is still a desirable copy. The current one-year average for this game is $5,950. By comparison, a sealed 9.6 WATA-graded copy has a one-year average of $57,600. If you're looking to add this to your collection, now is the time.

*Any perceived investment advice is that of the freelance blogger and does not represent advice on behalf of GoCollect.