The price never seems to drop back to what it was before the holidays though. This is a regular trend I've noticed over many years of running EarthBound sites. EarthBound prices increase dramatically around the holiday season and then drop to their lowest in the middle of the year.So don't get caught up in the 'rare' hype! People act like it is (and sellers will even claim so), but EarthBound is not rare at all - at any time throughout the year there's an average of 20 or 30 copies on eBay alone.

If words like 'used' or 'only' or 'just' (as in 'cart only' or 'just cart') are used, the final price is more likely to be below average.If the thumbnail image used is the stock image, then the final price is slightly more likely to be below average.If the title uses the stock title of something like 'EarthBound (1995, Super NES)', then the final price is slightly more likely to be below average.Similarly, words like 'mint' will usually result in a final price higher than the average.If the title has the word 'rare' in it, forget about it - the final price will almost ALWAYS be higher than the average.The way an EarthBound cart is listed will affect how high the final price gets: Pay attention to how auction copies are listed.If you're lucky, you can get your cart for a lot less this way! If you have the patience, bid on one up for auction. Buy-it-now copies of EarthBound on eBay are usually overpriced.It offers a much more affordable way to play the game, but watch out for scalpers trying to sell it for hundreds of dollars.

Note 2: EarthBound is now available as part of the Super NES Mini.

Note: EarthBound is now officially available on the Wii U and New 3DS Virtual Consoles! (note: EarthBound is not available the standard 3DS Virtual Console, however.) If you're just wanting to play the game but don't necessarily care about owning the original Super NES version, save your money! There are a few things you should know when looking for a copy of EarthBound - keep these tips in mind during your search.

Download authentic earthbound cartridge