There was nothing I loved more than coming home from school and tuning into Disney Afternoon. These shows were the building blocks of my childhood -- Darkwing Duck, Talespin, and Chip 'n Dale Rescue Rangers -- and I still love them to this very day. Lucky for me my parents were also into video games, so when Chip 'n Dale Rescue Rangers for the Nintendo Entertainment System dropped in 1990, my dad scooped it up without hesitation. I played the heck out of this game as a kid. But does it hold up 31 years later?

The Plot

The plot is fairly simple; the rangers are on a mission to rescue a kitten from the evil Fat Cat. The Rangers send Gadget ahead, but she falls right into Fat Cat's trap -- the whole time he was simply trying to kidnap Gadget and force her to join his team. Gadget creates a wireless phone to contact the rangers, who are en route to save her.

This Capcom-created platform game allowed one or two players to play the titular heroes. The graphics are surprisingly good, even for the time. The title cards boast the best graphics -- seriously, it looks like Capcom plucked the characters right from the show. In-play graphics are also great.

Players will have no difficulty telling Chip or Dale apart. The characters can pick up objects to throw at enemies, and can also jump, duck, and run. The sound effects in the game are fine -- the game opens up with the classic theme song, but the music changes once gameplay begins. The music does change from level to level, adding depth to the game. For a five-year-old child, this game was pretty difficult. Now at 36, I can admit that I did have some trouble beating it.

After its initial release, the game was largely praised.

It was even one of the highest-grossing games for Capcom that year! This game is still loads of fun and holds up very well. While I still have my original NES game, you can play it in The Disney Afternoon Collection for the Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and Microsoft Windows.

But what about collecting the game? You can find the cartridge on eBay averaging at $30, but complete, graded copies will cost more. A WATA sealed 9.6 went for $15,600 in January of 2022. A WATA sealed 6.0 sold for $552, so yes -- the better the grade the more it will be worth. But even a mid-grade is nothing to sneeze at. Unsealed but complete in boxes also go for a decent price. A WATA complete in box 9.0 sold for $551 in December of 2021, while a WATA CIB 6.5 sold for $250 in May of 2022.

If you're looking to invest in this game, a sealed-in-the-box copy is the best way to go. Higher graded complete copies won't hurt you in the long run, but anything less than a 9.0 might not seem worthwhile. In the end, collect what you love and what you feel comfortable with.

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Did you play Chip 'n Dales Rescue Rangers for the NES?
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*Any perceived investment advice is that of the freelance blogger and does not represent advice on behalf of GoCollect.