The retro gaming boom that is in effect has many people buying up games from their childhood, and as such the simple law of supply and demand takes hold of the secondary market.  These carts are all around 25 years old (or older) at this point, and so finding retro games is as hard as it has ever been. Online market places and retro gaming shops unearth these games and make them available, but there is a markup for the convenience.

Also, everyone remembers and wants the good games, so a game that was mass produced may not be "rare", but it may still command top dollar because it is one that many people want.  The price you end up paying for a game is the result of a confluence of rarity and popularity.
Then there are games that were released late in a console's lifespan, after a successor console has debuted, that were not produced in vast quantities as the companies focused on the new hardware.  Many of these late games are excellent, as game programmers have learned how to get all they can get out of the hardware.

If you have consoles that are capable of playing imported games, you can find deep discounts on Japanese versions of games online.  Many games have little to no Japanese text, so there's no language barrier.  Modding American consoles to play Japanese games, which are often a slightly different shape, is not difficult.  Here's how to mod the main retro consoles"

The American NES carts have 72 contact pins, and are larger than the smaller, 60-pin Japanese counterparts.  All you need is a 60 to 72 pin cartridge adapter, easily found online.  They go for around $25, but the savings in cart costs more than makes up for it.

This converter has a major death grip on the Famicom carts, the Retron 5 has nothing on this!

The Sega Genesis carts are similar in size to Japanese Mega Drive carts, but you will have to widen the cart slot on the Genesis a bit with a file.  I would take the top off to do this, so shavings don't get all over the circuit board.  I have not run into any region compatibility issues, and I think the region lock is programmed in the game itself, not the console.  This started in games produced in 1993 and later, so any game produced before 1993 has no region lock.  If a game does have a region lock, you can always get around this by using a Game Genie.

If you look closely, you can see the widened slot for Mega Drive games

The SNES has a pair of plastic tabs in the cartridge slot that prevent Japanese Super Famicom carts from being inserted.  All you need to do is take a pair of needle-nose pliers and bend them back and forth until they break off.  That's it.  Since these are inside the cart slot, you won't even see the alteration.

The following games are Japanese releases, that were either exclusives, too expensive to buy here.

NES
Gun Nac
I love this game so much.  It has just the right difficulty, it's wacky, and the action is constant.  The only language barrier comes in-between stages at the weapons shop, but through some light trial and error you figure out which weapons are which.

Gradius II
I don't understand why this wasn't released here.  If you like the first, you will like this as well, its a natural progression of where the series would go.

Macross
This game is really simple, yet frustrating.  The best part is the ability to transform into the three different forms, but the gameplay is redundant with only four looping stages, and there's only one music track that repeats endlessly.  It was dirt cheap, and I'm a Robotech fan, so that's why I have it.

Parodius
A parody of the Gradius games, it has major mechanics of its predecessor, as well as the difficulty. Its fun to play just to see what kind of weird stuff the programmers came up with.

Contra
This game is not uncommon, and it was released stateside (obviously), but the reason I sought it out was the sweet background animations in stages 1, 5, and 8, as well as the extra cut scenes.  This version has an additional chip that game features over the American version.  Besides those, everything else is the same.


SNES
The SNES has no programmed region lock, just the shape of the cartridges prevented you from playing a Japanese import.  The mod that allows for region bypass is a simple one; just take a pair of needle nose pliers and twist out the plastic tabs a the base of the cartridge slot.

That rough stub is where there used to be a plastic tab, preventing Super Famicom games from fitting.

Demon's Blazeon (Demon's Crest)
An example of a great game going under the radar due to its late release, Demon's Crest has been cited in numerous YouTube videos as being a hidden gem.  Well, gem yes, hidden no longer.  It has risen in value tremendously over the past couple of years.  The Japanese cart is slowly rising as well, since there is very little translation needed.

Front Mission: Gun Hazard
This game was not released here, and it reminded me of Cybernator or Metal Warriors, so I took a chance on it as it was really cheap.  It has some lite RPG elements to it that give it some depth, and I got it for cheap so it was worth the risk.

Hagane
This game is becoming notorious for being both expensive and rare.  Supposedly a Blockbuster exclusive rental, the number of produced carts is said to be pretty low.  I guess it was not limited in its release in Japan, as it seems to be more prevalent there.  Oh, this game is hard.  It's fun to look at as the graphics are splendid, but prepare for some abuse.


Imperium
A shooter that pretty rare and the domestic release is pricey.  Its ok, not great. There are so few shooters on the SNES, so I thought I 'd track them all down.

Pop'n Twin Bee
Konami's Twin Bee series is virtually unknown here in the U.S., the lone release for the NES was renamed Stinger.  This entry takes things up a notch with more action and just as much pep.


Sonic Wings (Aero Fighters)
This game is ridiculously rare for the SNES, and its asking price is just nuts.  No translation needed for the Japanese version whatsoever.  None.  I'll take one for $25, thanks.  Great game too!


Super Valis IV
This game is on my backlog, so I don't have a lot to say about it.



Genesis
These are all Japanese exclusives that are shooters.  They weren't expensive at all at the time of purchase, but I'm not so sure that's still the case.

Curse
A choppy, mediocre shooter.  The best part about it is the cover art!

Dangerous Seed
A decent vertical shooter.

Zero Wing
All your base are belong to us.  Aside from the terribly great Engrish, the gameplay is sold.

Daisenou (Twin Hawk)
This game is a simple, no-frills WWII-era vertical shooter; it almost seems like it could be a sequel of Capcom's 1942.  I like it, even though it is reudimentary.  The special attack calls in a wave of assist fighters that stay with you until they get picked off one by one.


Darwin 4081
Meh. For completionists or shooter fans only.


So there are my Japanese import carts, all playable on American systems in one way or another, none of which are very hard.  I do have Japanese repros, as mentioned in a previous post, but I figured that I would stick with authentic carts for this post.  All of these games are completely playable with no language barrier, and depending on your interests, may or may not be worth the plunge.  Either way, the possibilities are there.

While I am a retro game player and collector, I don't like to think of myself as a "collector".  I collect games that I know I will like and play, or I don't buy them.  For that reason I don't buy sealed copies of games, because I would rather pay less for a loose cart and be able to play it.  People are different, and some people prefer sealed games and that's cool.  I do prefer playing on actual hardware, and consider emulation only if I am unable to find/afford a copy of a certain game.  The actual task of placing the cart into the machine, hold an original controller, and reading titles off of a shelf to decide what to play next is integral to my enjoyment of playing retro games. I do own a few Everdrives for various systems, and they are great, but personally, I like acquiring carts to play.  I realize there is some sort of inconsistency between being a "purist" gamer and one who buys Everdrives and repros, but oh well.

Here are some of the repro carts that I own for 8 and 16 bit systems, and the stories behind them.

For the NES:
Crisis Force

Crisis Force was a game that I had read about on Retro Sanctuary.  Since my favorite genre is shoot'em ups, this was a game that I had to try for myself.  It was only released in Japan for the Famicom, and prices were sky high.  I stumbled upon Etsy, the website that sells hand made items directly from the makers.  There are a host of reproduction cart merchants, and between them all you can find a reproduction of any high priced game for a less and in some cases, a lot less.  Obviously you have to be ok with settling for a repro instead of the real thing, but once you are, a new world opens up for those who are.  So I purchased a custom repro from RetrogamerRyan.  The game is as good as advertised, and I'm glad that I took a chance.

Summer Carnival '92: Recca

Not only is this game a Japanese exclusive, it is an exceedingly rare one.  It was a small release for Naxat's summer carnival series, which took place near the end of the Famicom's life and most gamers had moved on to more powerful hardware.    The thought of paying over $200 for a game does not even cross my mind, but a funny thing happened.  I knew that repro's of this game were made and available online, but I just never thought too seriously about it.  I was at the Midwest Gaming Classic in Milwaukee, and I was in one of the side rooms that a few vendors were setting up in, and I happened by this merchant who had a whole host of NES repros on display, with a top loader setup for testing.  I scanned through the boxes of available games, and immediately recognized the title.  I asked the merchant to pop this in and I gave it a try.  This was without question the fastest game I had ever seen the NES play, and was mesmerized at the programming skill necessary to pull off what I saw.  I asked the merchant if he had sold a lot of these, and he told me no one has ever asked about it.  The games were priced at $30, so I offered him $25 on the spot and he accepted.


For the SNES:
I don't have a Super Everdrive for the SNES, as that scene is a bit muddled with compatibiliy gaps due to the specialty chips for various enhancements.  Some of those chips are difficult to reproduce, and hence, the Super Everdrive is unable to play certain titles, such as Star Fox, Mario Kart, etc. While advancements are taking place, we are not at the point where I am ready to buy an Everdrive for the SNES.

The Adventures of Batman and Robin

Here's a game that ballooned in price over the past five years or so, and while it is pricey, its not as crazy expensive as some other snes heavy hitters.  I purchased this form RetroGamerandBackups on Etsy, and I have to say the level of quality is impressive for a reproduction.  The price was right for the product, and I got to add a game I've been wanting to my collection for about a third of the price.

Earthbound and Chrono Trigger


I have come to accept that owning original cartridges of these games is not going to happen.  They weren't the first games on my list that I would seek out, but they were cheap enough to give it a shot.  I bought them from thecustomcartridge on Etsy.  The repros play just as it should, but they feel a tad light; they lack the heft that SNES carts should have.  A minor gripe, but one that I noticed.  

Megaman and Bass

This game was another Japanese exclusive, and I'm a megaman fan, so this was a game I had to get and play.  Right around the time I decided to seek it out on eBay, I saw an English reproduction for about the same price.  I don't know the origin of the cart, but it is well made.

Metal Warriors

Another game that has gotten stupid expensive lately.  A great game sure, but not one that I want to pay over $200 for.  I ordered this from a South Korean merchant, for $20 plus shipping at http://newtype-game.com/.  The purchase procedure was a little strange: you would place items in a cart, but you would have to wait for an invoice via email to complete the payment transaction, through Paypal.  It worked fine, it just made me leery at first.  I ended up ordering several carts from this site, and I can vouch for it now.  The cart is a super famicom style cart, and its kinda light.  The sticker quality is just ok, but for $20, I can't really complain too much.  The game plays as it should.

Pocky and Rocky 2

Another stupid expensive game, this is a repro that was so cheap ($10 at the time) on eBay I was suspicious that it would even work.  The English description was lacking, and there was only one picture, but I figured it was low risk.  When it came, I was pleasantly surprised that it worked as it should.

Sparkster

I am a fan of Rocket Knight for the Genesis, so when I found out the sequel was released for the SNES, I early looked it up... and then put it on the backburner.  I forgot about it for a few years, and then its over $75 for a loose cart.  I found a repro cart for under $20, and that works for me.

Undercover Cops

I love beat'em ups, it's possibly my second favorite genre.  This game is another Super Famicom exclusive.  I watched a Retro Snow review on it and thought it looked worth seeking out. It's pretty damn expensive.  I bought my repro copy on eBay for under $20.  As with the other overseas repros that I bought, my first impression is that it looks pretty cheap.  The sticker is die-cut, but it seems to be a pretty poor cut job.  The shell is lighter than original carts, and while it plays as it should, I think about that every time I pick it up.  

Wild Guns

This one I was excited to find.  It's my favorite of all the SNES repros that I have, and the quality is top notch.  It seems a bit heavier than a standard cart, and I like that. I can't explain why, I just like that extra weight. The Sticker quality is excellent.  The only downside for me on buying this one is that I paid about $50 for it, but a month after I bought it the seller lowered their prices to $40.  Oh well.  I purchased it from GamesNDecals on Etsy.



For the Genesis:
For whatever reason, almost all repros that I have seen for the Genesis have pcb pin boards that are thicker than on original carts.  This doesn't affect their function, but I wonder if it is slowly moving the contact pins outward in my Genesis.

Panorama Cotton
I liked Space Harrier as a kid, and this game plays just like that.  The graphics are more cutesy than trippy, but still fun.  This was something I had to add in order to get all the shooters on the system.  I bought it from TheCartridgeArcade on Etsy.

Gley Lancer
This was the first repro that I bought, and it was a little pricier than typical repros today, but I'm still glad I bought it.  It was translated into English, and is one of my favorites on the system.  This was an eBay purchase.




Eliminate Down

This was a game I really wanted, and at the time this was one of the most expensive Mega Drive games (no American release).  There is some serious programming on this game, I think it pushes the Genesis as far as it can go.  Awesome game. I bought this off eBay as well.


The following Genesis repros are only $10 from http://newtype-game.com/

Sparkster
I was so happy to see this, and for ten bucks it was a steal.  The original copy is not something I want to shell out a hundred bucks for.  This is game is not the same as the SNES version, for whatever reason.  I wish there were more entries in the series.

Alien Soldier
This game could have made waves were it released in North America.  One of the many puzzling decisions by Sega.  A real copy is cost prohibitive, so repro it is.

Bare Knuckle 3
For those who don't know, the Streets of Rage series was titled "Bare Knuckle" in Japan.  While the first two entries were solid all around, the American version of SOR 3 was botched with unbalanced difficulty and censored graphics.  The Japanese version of the game, Bare Knuckle 3, is superior to the American version as it does not have these issues.  I used to consider this an unplayable game, but now it is almost as good as SOR 2.  Excellent buy, again for only $10.

Slap Fight
Another Japanese exclusive, I bought this when I set out to acquire all the Genesis/Mega Drive shooters.  Its ok, I can take it or leave it.




Contra the Hard Corps
This is the Japanese version of Contra Hard Corps.  While I already have this game, the reason why I bought this was that this version gives you three hits per life, making the game a lot less "Hard Core" and making it a reasonable challenge, instead of an impossible one.  Also, for $10, why not?

Golden Axe 3
I didn't know there was a third entry in the series until I watched a Game Sack episode on YouTube about games that were left in Japan.  I am a huge fan of the first game, and the sequel is ok.


Splatterhouse 2 and 3
Like I mentioned before I love beat'em ups.  These games are kinda inbetween beat'em ups and hack'n slash games.  I thought they were fun, but not hundreds of dollars fun.  They're rare, expensive, and known mostly for being expensive.


For the PC-Engine (Turbo Grafx-16)
The only repros that I have seen for this system are made by a couple of guys on the Turbo Reproductions Facebook Group.  Shawn Yith and Jodi Whetham are the producers of these Hu-Cards, and they can reproduce any Hu-card game.  All games come with a custom case with artwork. These are a little thicker than the original Hu-cards, and have more weight to them as well.  They play just as they should, but due to the extra thickness, they are gripped tighter by the console than original cards.  I bought three repros from them: Magical Chase, Coryoon, and Tatsujin. All three are slick, and the production values are high.


So, there is a running theme here.  I love cart collecting, and almost exclusively use original hardware.  But as far as cost is concerned, enough is enough.  I know that this can be a polarizing topic, and I'm not trying to change anybody's mind.  This is what I chose, and everyone has their own opinions on the matter.  Either way, I hope you enjoyed reading this.

The Super Nintendo is considered by many to be the best 16-bit system.  When compared to its main competitor, it had a lot of advantages: and expanded color palate, a more sophisticated sound chip, and lots of third party support.  It is known for its plethora titles of the main game genres (RPGs, platformers, fighting games, adventure games, puzzles games, etc.), except for shooters.  The processor speed of the SNES did not match up well against the Genesis' processor, and thus fast paced action games like shooters were not its forte.  Clever programming will overcome limitations, and every system has instances where this is on display.  These are the games that I consider the very best of the genre on the system. If I left your favorite out, its because I don't have it or it just did not make my list. So, here goes.    


10 - Darius Twin

Leading off at #10, Darius Twin is definitely a Darius game.  Full of fish, staggered power ups, level choice, and more fish, this game has everything that you would expect a 16-bit Darius game to have. There aren't as many levels available as in most Darius games, but you still can make choices and that adds to replay value.  It's pretty early in the series, so there are some rough graphics and just ok music, but gameplay is king and this game score pretty well.  The music is interesting at times.  Its not the hardest game out there, but that is refreshing for a Darius game.


9 - Biometal

The first time I played this game I nearly turned it off due to the cheesy, early '90's dance music that was actually licensed from the artist 2 Unlimited.  I know that upbeat music is integral to the shooter experience, but this music sounds like its straight from the Saturday Night Live skit "Night at the Roxbury".  After getting past the initial cheesiness, there is actually solid gameplay here.  There are secondary weapons to be picked up, all of the usual fare, and there is the shield mechanic, which is unique.  Blue orbs circle your ship, absorbing bullets for you.  It can also be expanded, circling in a wider radius for offensive purposes, and even shot out like a boomerang.  It slowly depletes in power as it is used, and that adds an element of strategy as you can turn it off so that it can charge and be fully powered up when you really need it.  Mastering use of this will allow you to progress further in the game as there can be a lot of bullets in the screen, and you can't dodge them all.  Also, the H.R. Giger inspired visuals are well drawn and very reminiscent of the Alien movies, a welcome addition.


8 - R-Type III: The Third Lightning

Following up Super T-Type, this game ups the ante with refined, crisp graphics, amped up music, and choice of three force balls at the start.  The force ball operates as before, but with a new hyper option.   When selected, the fully powered up beam blasts a spread shot, and your normal fire is super strong for about ten seconds or so.  After than it overheats and reverts to normal shot.  An nice addition to add a layer of strategy.  The one thing I don't like is starting at checkpoints when you die, but that's par for the series.  At least this time around you don't feel underpowered for too long.


7 - U.N. Squadron

A clever horizontal shooter with some rpg elements to it, U.N. Squadron if an addictive game.  At the start you choose from three pilots: the fast one with high firepower but weak defense, the slow but sturdy one, and the well-rounded one.  Points are used as currency between stages to purchase new weapons or a new plane.  Each plane that you obtain can be leveled up with experience, and its attributes increase accordingly.  The sprites are realistically drawn, and even though they can be smaller, the on-screen action gets intense as enemy movements seem grounded in realism, for the most part.  Enemies are both airborne and ground based, so you have to bomb, fly, and shoot.  If you neglect the ground forces the sky will fill up with missiles, making maneuvering difficult.  This game is a ton of fun, and one that you have a hard time putting down.  


6 - Parodius (series)





Parodius, a hybrid of the words parody and Gradius, is a tounge-in-cheek interpretation of the norizontal shooter game genre, molded by Konami gameplay elements.  There were three installments released for the Super Famicom:  Parodius Da! (From Myth to Laughter), Gokujo Parodius (Fantastic Journey), and Jikkyo Oshaberi Parodius (Chatting Parodius Live).
Everything about these games are wacky: the selectable characters, enemy designs, the weapons, the stage designs, the music and sound effects, and the bosses.  There are a variety of ships/animals/beings to choose from, each with a personalized set of weaponry.
The only thing from completely making light of the Gradius series is the resident difficulty.  One would think that such a light hearted theme would allow for some ease of gameplay, but make no mistake, these games are Gradius games at heart.  Still lots of fun, though you may want to slide the difficulty down if you want to see all of the stages.


5 - Aerofighters / Sonic Wings

This game is known in SNES circles as being one of the rarest titles for the system.  Its a shame, because it is a solid shooter, and fans of the Strikers 1945 series may find the game uncannily familiar.  You can choose from four different pilots/planes, each representing a different nationality. The main difference is the firepower/type, each can be powered up as you collect icons.  Special attacks are unique to each plane, and more can be picked up.  While there aren't too many frills or special effects in this game, its just a satisfying straight forward, balanced shooter that is fun to play time and time again.  Another odd feature is the sprite visuals you are presented with if you complete the game: the harder the setting that you complete, the less clothing your character is wearing.  How's that for creepy motivation?  Still a solid game, though.


4 - Axelay
This game is a a graphical masterpiece, as it boasts large, beautiful sprites that fill the screen.  Mode 7 is in full effect here as is is used to give the appearance of depth to the backgrounds, which scroll quite nicely.  The stages alternate from vertical to horizontal, giving more variety to the visual effects as well as gameplay.  You have the ability to switch between three weapons at the start, and you will need to do so as certain weapons match certain situations; the fun part is figuring out which ones to use when.  If you get hit, you loose that weapon that was armed, and if you get hit three times you are left with a token pea shooter.  When you die you respawn on the spot. The music is great, if fits the action well.  A great entry, and often cited as the best shooter on the system.


3 - Gradius III

As a launch title for the SNES, this game as aged pretty well.  It took what was great about the original Gradius, enhanced it with 16 bit capabilities, and an instant classic is made.  It plays just how you expect a Gradius game to play, including the trademark slowdown.  This bothers a lot of people, but I find myself thankful for it as I need all the help I can get.  Your weapon select progression can be chosen and/or customized, allowing you to reorder the power ups, which adds to replay value.  Thankfully, the Konami code is present, although it is slightly altered.  Instead of entering the code in the traditional manner when paused (this will cause your ship to self-destruct), press the L and R shoulder buttons instead of left and right.


2 - Macross: Scrambled Valkyrie

I grew up a Robotech fan, and I played the disappointing Macross for the Famicom with a cart adapter to play on the NES.  My next console after the NES was a Genesis, and I actually never owned a SNES as a kid.  It wasn't until five years ago when I heard about this game and bought it on eBay.  It seems like it took forever to get here, as do most games from Japan, but when it did, boy did it live up to the hype.  It made up for that crappy NES offering and then some.  One thing that makes this game awesome is the gameplay variety.  You can choose between Hikaru (Rick), Max, or Milia (Myria).   Each of which has their own customized Valkyrie with different firepower.  Of course you can switch between jet, gerwalk, and battloid at any time, as the stages require different strategies at different points.  Each mode can be powered up individually, depending on which form you're in when you pick up the icon.  What's more, if you don't fire for a few seconds, you activate the "Minmei Cannon", which allows you to capture enemies and they will fight alongside you.  That is badass.


1 - Space Megaforce


This may be an obvious choice, but that would make sense, wouldn't it?  Admittedly, I have a slight bias for vertical strolling shooters, but on a different day, its possible that any of these top five could be number 1. Space Megaforce is a showpiece for the SNES.  All the features are here:  variety of weapons (both traditional and creative), the smooth movement, screen clearing bombs, the tough but fair challenge, dynamic backgrounds (even some mode 7!); all of these combined culminate in a uniquely addicting masterpiece.  For me, the weaponry is the most appealing part of the game.  There are eight different weapons available, each upgradeable.  In addition, the mode of fire can be changed for each weapon by pressing R.  For instance, weapon 1, the multiple shot, can shoot in multiple directions four different ways!  This kind of attention to detail makes for lots of replay value.  The Challenge definitely ramps up as the stages progress, but it does so gradually.  There are also additional difficulty settings for the hardcore shooter fanatics.