If you are a retrophile such as myself, then I must ask you to please pick your jaw up off the floor after seeing the above headline and image. A fabled golden Nintendo World Championships 1990 (NWC) cart recently sold within a collection of 23 other games in an online auction for $21,400 -- it began on March 18th.

There are only 116 NWC carts in circulation today. Ninety of these cartridges were clad in the standard gray casing, but there were 26 special golden cartridges that were given away through a Nintendo Power contest that ran just before the 1990 championship tour. There were only two ways you could possibly get your meathooks on one of the 116 carts: become a finalist in the championships or be a winner in said contest. That's it.

As you can see, the odds of you or I getting our hands on one or, rather, even seeing one in person are ridiculously slim. The notority of these blessed game cartridges has made them the top pick for avid collector's all over the world and continues to be considered the most sought after piece of gaming history.

However, this auction holds a very unique and interesting tale. Hit the jump to continue reading and find out!


The story behind the auction itself is almost as amazing as the rarity of the game it contains. It was started by a father who had lost his son in the Iraq war. The auction description states that his son passed away a few years ago and now he is deciding to sell some of his son's belongings. Ironically, he would've kept this collection for his daughter, but the NES they owned no longer works.

It is quite tragic for anyone to lose somebody they care for, regardless of the circumstances. Perhaps this auction was his son's final way of paying back his father and easing the pain.

Another thing to note, is that the auction began at a mere $24 -- one dollar per game seemed to be a fair price in the seller's eye. Can you imagine going to someone's yard sale and seeing the literal "Holy Grail" of gaming marked for one buck? I think I'd probably pass out just by seeing the friggin' thing.

Nonetheless, a unique treasure of gaming's past deserves an equally unique story to go along with it. See the auction for yourself.

Is that the game where you run on the big floor pad? lol

i wish I was lucky enough to have my child die in iraq so i could make 21,000 dollars from his stuff

The Power Pad is one of the more interesting devices made for the Nintendo. Although track and field enthusiasts think that the Power Pad was made for them, the device was probably made for parents who were worried that their kids would become out of shape due to Nintendo. Either way, the Power Pad saw the light of day during the year 1987.

The Power Pad is a large mat, you press the buttons with your feet. Measuring one meter x one meter (actually 93.5 cm x 98 cm :), the mat is marked as "Side A" and "Side B." Side A consists of eight buttons, six blue and two red. Side B of the Power Pad is needed for playing most of the games. It consists of twelve buttons with the numbers one through twelve written, consecutively.

Although you may not realize it, the Power Pad was also released in Europe, only under a different guise. The Family Fun Fitness was released in parts of Europe, it retailed with the game Athletic World. The mat looks cosmetically different from its American counterpart. The Family Fun Fitness was also manufactured by Bandai, not Nintendo.

Overall, there were only eight games released for the Power Pad, six being unique games. Athletic World consisted of five different levels. The different terrains include the following: Animal Trail (a game where you are chased by wild pigs), Dark Tunnel (you are running across a hilly terrain inside pyramids), Hop a Log (jumping from log to log), Hurdles (jumping hurdles of course), and Rafting (you have to jump over and duck under logs). In all of the levels you race a turtle and you get scored based on you reflexes, agility, endurance, concentration, and flexibility.

Dance Aerobics is a game that was geared towards girls. The game provides gamers with a real aerobics workout, a musical game, and a simple Follow-The-Leader game. Short Order/Eggsplode was the only two-in-one cart released for the Power Pad, while Super Mario Bros/Duck Hunt/World Class Track was the only Power Pad three in one cart. The games positioned you inside a restaurant. Street Cop is probably the most interesting Power Pad game. You step into the shoes of a cop who has to patrol six action-packed stages.

Stadium Events is the most-sought Power Pad game for the Nintendo. Bandai released the game in 1987; it was distributed by Wool Worth stores across the country. When Nintendo re-released the game in 1988 as World Class Track Meet, an instant rarity was made. The game features four different track and field events; 110-Meter Dash, Long Jump, 100-Meter Hurdles, and the Triple Jump. Although the game does not have and long-distance events, it still proves to be a good track simulator.

The last Power Pad game for me to make mention of is Super Team Games. This is the hardest Power Pad game of them all, IMO. There are several events to choose from, including a 6 legged race (!) and a triathlon (swimming, jumping, running). (Thanks Torjus Ravnaas for the Family Fun Fitness information and pictures)

Headbutts - Nature's roofie

That's crazy... sometimes I wish I would have kept my collection of old NES games instead of selling them at a yard sell.

Wonder how much you could net for this badboy?