Whilst the original Playstation is one of the best selling and most popular games consoles of all time, next only to the Playstation 2, it has a lot of games that have been very collectable even while the system was still current.

Among the most collectable have always been some of the great Role Playing Games released for the system, of which there were many, and the Playstation still remains one of the greatest platforms for RPG fans.

Among the rare and collectable RPG titles are:

• Elemental Gearbolt: Assassin's Case ($1200 - $1379)
• Suikoden II ($135 - $295)
• Tactics Ogre ($89 - $191)
• Valkyrie Profile ($89 - $155)
• Revelations: Persona ($79 - $123)
• Final Fantasy VII (original black label release) ($74 - $417)
• Lunar Silver Star Story Complete ($62 - $167)
• Ogre Battle Limited Edition ($55 - $153)
• Persona 2 Eternal Punishment ($56 - $140)
• Tales of Destiny II / Tales of Eternia ($55 - $135)
• Lunar 2 Eternal Blue Complete ($54 - $120)
• Brigandine: The Legend of Forsena ($55 - $90)
• Tales of Destiny ($49 - $80)
• Final Fantasy VII Greatest Hits ($53 - $160)
• Xengears ($50 - $154)
• Suikoden ($50 - $115)
• Legend of Mana ($47 - $80)
• Arc the Lad Collection ($44 - $103)
• Monster Rancher (US NTSC release, not UK version which is actually US Monster Rancher 2) (price unknown)

And I'm happy to say that I own original copies of all of these! It took me a long time one summer a few years ago to build up my Playstation RPG collection and I'm very proud of it. Some of these titles were quite rare even back then and took some time searching Ebay and a far few other US and UK game collectors sites to find them. I definitely didn't pay what they are now worth though.

Other Playstation games that are now worth money and are quite collectable include:

• Dance Dance Revolution Disney Mix
• Intelligent Qube
• Team Buddies
• Bust a Groove
• Bust a Groove 2
• Tomba
• Einhander
• X-COME UFO Defense
• X-men vs Street Fighter
• Marvel vs. Capcom
• Spyro Collectors Edition (complete)
• Castlevania Symphony of the Night (black label)
• Klonia Door to Phantomile
• Yu-Gi-Oh! Forbidden Memories Premium (w/cards)
• Return Fire
• Mega Man Legends 2
• Herc's Adventure
• Marvel Super Heroes vs. Street Fighter

Here are some rare Playstation games that are not actually worth much:

• Lifespan Learing Games
• Psychic Detective
• Fo Hunt
• Syndicate Wars
• Motor Toon Grand Prix
• Guilty Gear
• Goal Storm
• Super Puzzle Fighter II

And finally the most expensive inport games:

• Rakugaki Showtime
• Zanac X Zanac
• Harmfull Park

So do you own any of these rare Playstation games? Did you even realise they were so rare?

I will add rough US prices to each when I get time.
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I always loved those crazy multiplayer games such as the Bishi Bashi series, Salary Man, and arcadish non-sense stuff like Incredible Crysis.
Or that Power Shovel simulator, haha, only the Japanese could make such fun games
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The Japanese have, and still do, create some of the maddest video games out there, that is for sure. They have also been responsible for creating some of the best gameplay too compared to a lot of Western developers who tend to be more conservative in their gameplay design and tend to stick more to realism.
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Well, among the rare RPGs i have the black label Final Fantasy VII. Of the others I have Kurushi (pal version of Intelligent Qube) and also its sequel Kurushi Final which I believe is also a rarity even though you didn't list it. And I have the black label Symphony of The Night among those.

Of the worthless rarities I have Psychic Detective and Syndicate Wars. Didn't realise either of those was rare. But I can tell you Psychic Detective really is worthless. I didn't even buy it, a friend just gave it to me as he didn't even want to have it in his house!

Syndicate Wars on the other hand isn't half bad. But it gets unplayable because of the unfriendly interface, you just aren't able to react to situations fast enough with it to get through later missions.
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I also have Syndicate Wars on the PSX and I agree about the interface problems. It just wasn't designed to be played with a console gamepad. In contrast the PC version is much nicer to play as it uses a near identical interface, but is mouse driven.

I will try to add price guides for the other games I've listed later today.
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I noticed Monster Rancher was not on the list, yet opened copies tends to go for a fair bit on certain auction sites nowadays.

And having three copies of it, two of which are sealed, makes me a very happy chappie indeed.
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Are your copies the PAL UK version of Monster Rancher? If so you might be disappointed to know that the UK release of Monster Rancher was actually Monster Rancher 2, because the actual original American game Monster Rancher was never released in the UK. Also in Japan the series is called Monster Farm.

This is the reason the real Monster Rancher 1 US game is now quite collectable. I don't think the UK Monster Rancher (really Monster Rancher 2) is actually that collectable. I just had a look on ebay and someone is trying to sell the UK version for £24.99, and someone else is selling the US MR2 (which is the same) for £4.99. So it can be found cheaply. Not sure what the real US MR1 is now worth though. I will add that US version 1 game to the list though as it is definitely collectable.

I do have the US first game and really liked it. I've played them all, but the very first one is still my favourite. The second one (which was the first in the UK) for me especially felt like it wasn't as good as the original, and while I can't put my finger on it, something felt like it was missing.

BTW, here is a little fact for you. In Monster Rancher 2, Holly, the assistant from the first (US) game, cameos as a ranger from the group, AGIMA, who you train monsters for. Read AGIMA backwards and what do you get?
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My copies are the UK version, and that is the very reason why the UK versions are considered to be rare. They were the only version of the game released in the UK and were only a limited release.

Whereas in America, where there have been multitude of versions, it does make sense that the only one that would be considered a collectible would be the first one.

Sure, it may be cheaper to purchase MR2 from the US, but if you do not have a NTSC or chipped Playstation to play it on, then getting the UK release is the only (and probably the best) option to go with.

Although, I must admit I didn't notice the AGIMA switcheroo... LOL
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True, but how many who still own and use an original Playstation don't have them chipped? Most casual gamers I've known either stick their old consoles in the loft as soon as the new shiny next must have one is out and never use it again, or they sadly bin them. Only the collectors and retro fans are really left using their PSXs.
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My PS1 is in the gaming den (i.e. loft) with the XBox, C64 and Amiga. I have only worthless games for it, though: Crash Bandicoot, Abe's Odyssey, Gran Tourismo, Driver... some others I forget. And it isn't chipped.

Maybe in another 120 years, it'll be worth something (if only to extract the oil from the plastic)!
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