Summary
Throughout gaming history, there have been four big console manufacturers, but one doesn’t do that job anymore. That company is Sega, withSonic the Hedgehogas its mascot. The Blue Blur has been around for over 30 years and has so many games that you can bet there’s a ton of rare titles.
The rare games are surprisingly diverse. There are many rare handheld Sonic titles, combo packs, or even games that have ballooned in price recently. Keep in mind that the main character doesn’t have to be Sonic, either, as several side characters have their own game.
All values are based onPriceCharting’scomplete price at the time of writing.
10Sonic The Hedgehog Pocket Adventure - $161
One Of The Highest Rated Sonic Games
A big fan-favorite system, but also one that’s a pain to collect, is the Neo Geo Pocket Color. Systems like this,or the Sega Saturn, require an unbelievable amount of money to complete the entire set, but at least Sonic the Hedgehog Pocket Adventure isn’t one of the rarest on the console.
A critically acclaimed Sonic game receiving nines and tens across the board, it was the first great Sonic title on a handheld, paving the way for the excellent Advance series on the GBA. With the big cult following of the Neo Geo Pocket Color, a complete in-box copy won’t be cheap.
9Sonic R - $179
Along with Sonic 06, Sonic R has to be one of the most infamously bad Sonic games. In particular, the Sega Saturn version since the PC port fixed several issues.
While notable for its poor quality,Sonic R also had great music, but, most infamously, the introduction of creepypasta legend Tails Doll. As the first release was a Saturn title, a game library that basically requires you to contact your bank to notify them of incoming large charges, it’s wildly expensive but not the rarest on the Saturn.
8Sonic Labyrinth - $210
A Very Uncommon Game Gear Title
In the fall of 1995, many Game Gear Sonic titles were released, and they have become rare collector’s items today. One of them is Sonic Labyrinth, a puzzle game in a similar style to Sonic 3D Blast.
It’s not very fun to play, and it’s even worse than 3D Blast, to be frank, with how sluggish Sonic controls. As the Game Gear performed lackluster financially in terms of sales, especially by the end of 1995, these handful of Sonic games are very uncommon to come across.
7Sonic Jam - $227
The Teaser For What Sonic Would Be In 3D
Sonic Jam is another Sega Saturn game, but this time, there’s a more interesting reason why it’s so expensive. A collection featuring Sonic 1, 2, and 3 & Knuckles, Sonic Jam is particularly noteworthy for featuring a full-3D hub world, giving Sonic fans a taste of what a 3D Sonic game would be.
Ultimately, a 3D Sonic game never happened on the Saturn and would eventually arrive on Sega’s final home console, the Dreamcast. This 3D Sonic teaser was great for fans, making Jam the rarest Sonic game on the system.
6Sonic Adventure 2 - $229
The Sonic 3 Hype Is Real
The Sonic the Hedgehog 3 movie was a great success, but what sometimes happens with these new video game films or shows is that they balloon the price of existing games. Look at how theXbox 360 Fallout: New Vegas Collector’s Edition balloonedin price after the hit Amazon Prime series.
To be fair, Sonic Adventure 2 was always a high-end game in the $100 range due to it being a late-era Dreamcast title, but Sonic 3 pushed it to the moon. In November 2024, a complete in-box copy was $139; now it’s $229. That’s wild, but like all these price balloons for shows or movies, they’ll eventually come down in price.
5Knuckles' Chaotix - $288
The Most Noteworthy Game For Sega’s 32-Bit Add-On
Unlike Sonic Adventure 2 for the Dreamcast, Knuckles' Chaotix has always been in high demand due to it being the most sought-after game for the Sega 32X. It’s the most sought-after game to play, anyway, as it’s a real hidden gem that’s a lot of fun once you get used to the mechanics.
Plus, Knuckles' Chaotix introduced many recurring characters in the Sonic universe, like Vector the Crocodile and Charmy Bee. These notable debuts, along with its release on Sega’s failed 32X add-on, are the big reasons why Knuckles' Chaotix has been in high demand for decades.
4Tails Adventure - $500
Tails' Own Game Packs Quite A Rare Punch
The rarest Game Gear Sonic title isn’t even a Sonic game, but a Tails one. Tails Adventure proves instead to be quite unique among the era’s Sonic games. Yes, it’s a platformer, but not an ordinary one, as there are several adventure game elements put in, like backtracking to access new areas.
Some say it’s a metroidvania, but that’s a big stretch. Think of the game as more akin to the NES classic Bionic Commando. It’s rare, like all the other late 1995 Game Gear Sonic titles, but the uniqueness of Tails Adventure makes it more valuable to collectors.
3Sonic The Hedgehog Master System - $633
A Big Difference Between PAL And NTSC
Many Sonic fans likely forget that the original Sonic game was not only released for the Sega Genesis but the Master System as well. The NTSC version of Master System Sonic 1 is wildly expensive for several reasons. For one, it’s the original Sonic game, which matters a lot.
Second, Sega didn’t print a lot of copies in the region, as the Master System flopped in the US, and the Genesis was gaining much more traction. In comparison, PAL region copies only go for around $30 because the Master System was still doing really well in Europe, so Sega shipped a ton more copies there. With Sega’s history of short-printingmany late-era US Master System games, it makes sense why it’s so rare.
2Sonic Adventure 2 Pack - $761
GameCube Combo Packs Don’t Mess Around
Out of all the consoles in the history of gaming, the GameCube is the only one with alarge portion of its rarest titlesconsisting of combo packs. These were made for stores with overstocked inventory so they could bunch up many of these games to hopefully sell them quicker.
That’s why nearly all of them, including the Sonic Adventure 2 Pack, have the Player’s Choice label, which were lower-priced rereleases back in the day. While the GameCube’s a hot commodity now, it sold poorly at the time, making these rare combo packs even more valuable. There’s one combo pack, however, that’s rarer than all of them.
1Sonic Heroes & Super Monkey Ball Duo Pack - $4,350
Not Only The Rarest Sonic Game But The Rarest GameCube Title Ever
Sonic Heroes and the original Super Monkey Ball seem like an odd pair for a combo pack, but it makes sense as they’re both kid-friendly Sega games. There was even a similar combo pack for the Xbox.
What’s nasty about this product, in particular, is that there were reportedly only 7,500 copies made. That’s an absurdly low number of units and likely the smallest print run ever for a GameCube title. With that metric alone, this combo pack is the rarest Sonic game by a mile.
