Nintendo Resale Value Guides

4 guides to what used Nintendo is worth — the price at each condition grade, which lines hold their value, and how to date or identify what you have. Nintendo hardware holds value better than any other console maker, and the reason is that the back catalogue never really goes cheap. Older systems stay desirable in a way that rival hardware does not.

Which Nintendo pieces hold their value

Game Boy handhelds in working order, which are collected as much as played and have risen steadily
Retro consoles with their original controllers and leads, since the accessories are specific and often missing
First-party games in their original cases with the manuals, which is how collectors expect to find them
Anything boxed and complete, which on Nintendo hardware commands a clear premium over loose equipment

And what pulls the price down

Leaking or corroded battery compartments on handhelds, which is the standard damage on stored Game Boys and eats the contacts
Failed screens and dead pixels on handhelds, which are repairable but only by someone willing to do it
Yellowed plastic on older consoles, which is the casing oxidising and is not reversible without specialist treatment
Missing original controllers and power supplies, which are model-specific and cost more than buyers expect

Identifying and dating yours

These are the checks that decide which end of the range a piece sits in, and they are the facts a serious buyer will ask for:

Open the battery compartment on any handheld and photograph the contacts, since corrosion there is the commonest hidden fault
Say whether the item is boxed and whether the manuals and inserts are present, because that is most of the collector value
Power it on and photograph the screen displaying an image, which answers the question every buyer has

WishThrift does not authenticate or inspect anything. Condition and origin are described by the seller against five grades — what each one means — so photograph the markings above rather than asserting them.

What Nintendo items are worth

The most-searched Nintendo items on the site, with the band the label typically commands against the generic range for the same item:

Item	Nintendo range	Any brand
Game Boy	£50–£250	£40–£200 (~$67–$333)
Video Games	£6–£50	£5–£40 (~$8–$67)
Retro Console	£50–£312	£40–£250 (~$67–$416)
Game Controller	£19–£62	£15–£50 (~$25–$83)

Sterling guide ranges with an approximate US dollar equivalent at £1 ≈ $1.33 (July 2026). Sellers set their own asking price.

Every Nintendo value guide

Selling Nintendo on WishThrift

Listing is free and there is no commission on either side — the price you agree with the buyer is the amount you keep, whatever the label is worth. Create a free account, or read the selling guides for what to photograph and how to price.

Frequently asked questions

Is used Nintendo worth buying?

It depends far more on the line than the label. Nintendo hardware holds value better than any other console maker, and the reason is that the back catalogue never really goes cheap. Older systems stay desirable in a way that rival hardware does not. Each guide below says which Nintendo lines hold their value for that item and which have almost none, so you are comparing like for like rather than paying for the name alone.

How do I check a piece is genuine Nintendo?

Open the battery compartment on any handheld and photograph the contacts, since corrosion there is the commonest hidden fault. WishThrift does not authenticate, inspect or grade anything — condition and origin are described by the seller, so ask directly and expect an answer. A seller who has the item will send a photograph of the marking in minutes.

What is used Nintendo worth?

Across the 4 guides here, from about £6 to £312 (roughly $8 to $416) depending on the item and its condition. Grades run New with Tags, Like New, Good, Fair and For Parts.