We love vintage video games as much as anyone, but its fun collecting modern titles as well. Our July 6 Sixth Generation Showcase sale features tons of great games for a variety of recent and current consoles, including the PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch. We’ve also got games for such systems as the PlayStation 2 and Sega Dreamcast, both of which debuted more than two decades ago but still seem relatively modern to us, at least compared to such vintage systems as the Atari 2600 and NES.
Here are five modern and “relatively retro” games in this sale to keep an eye on:
Teen Titans 2: The Brotherhood’s Revenge (GBA)
During the 1980s, the Teen Titans were huge, and they were the closest thing DC Comics had to Marvel’s X-Men. In recent times, the supergroup has seen a revival in popularity, thanks to an animated series that aired on Cartoon Network and a current live-action show running on HBO Max. The cartoon spawned a couple of Game Boy Advance games that are now hard to find, including Teen Titans 2: The Brotherhood’s Revenge, which lets gamers play as Robin, Starfire, Beast Boy, Cyborg, and Raven. The goal is to rescue the other Titans from the Brotherhood of Evil. This is our first time offering the game, and it’s the only copy on Wata’s March 2023 population report.
Contra: Shattered Soldier (PS2)
Most gamers tend to associate the Contra series with the 8- and 16-bit generations of consoles, but the franchise had a couple of interesting titles on the PlayStation 2, including Contra: Shattered Soldier (featured image). The game marked the return to the classic 2D gameplay that was the standard prior to Contra: Legacy of War for the PS1, but it features fully polygonal graphics. Supplementing the classic gameplay are vehicle levels viewed in front of and behind your character. I’ve been a huge fan of the IP since I got my own copy of Contra for the NES back in 1988 when it came out, and I made sure to grab Shattered Solider upon release. I’m happy to say I wasn’t disappointed—it’s a killer game! This is just our third time offering the title, and it’s a dazzling example at CGC 9.8 A+.
Metroid: Other M (Wii)
We periodically get asked about the reasoning behind graded and factory-sealed games. After all, you can’t play them if they are sealed with shrink wrap and/or locked in a plastic holder. And games were made for playing, right? Well, there are thousands and thousands of loose games you can play, and digital games are always an option, but we feel that physical game preservation is important, especially with copies that are rare and/or in exceptional condition. The latter certainly applies to the copy of Metroid: Other M that we are offering in this sale. Not only is it in absolute pristine condition, it has never appeared on retail shelves, hence its “uncirculated” status. For fans of the long-running Metroid series, it is the perfect display piece and artifact of gaming history.
Poop Slinger (PS4)
The term “modern” doesn’t always equal common or easy to find. In fact, Poop Slinger—we’ll get to that wacky title in a sec—is exceptionally rare. The game was originally released on Steam, but Limited Rare Games (not to be confused with Limited Run Games) took out a bank loan to manufacture 820 physical release copies. Unfortunately (or fortunately, if you own the game), they only sold 84 units, with creditors reportedly seizing the remaining copies. As such, this is one of the rarest video games of the modern era. Now, about that crazy title. Players do indeed sling virtual poop in this third-person action game. That may sound gross, but there’s nothing smelly about this clean CGC 9.6 A+ copy!
Super Mario Odyssey (Switch)
When the Nintendo Switch came out in March of 2017, I was a journalist for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, writing seasonal gift guides and other video game and pop culture features. Much to my delight, Nintendo sent me a Switch console and two games: 1-2-Switch and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Later that year, they emailed me a digital code for Super Mario Odyssey, and I played it obsessively to the point of beating it a few days later—such a fun game! As a big fan of Super Mario 64 and Super Mario Sunshine, I love the relatively open-ended gameplay, and a physical copy quickly became a must-own. Now, gamers can purchase an absolutely gorgeous CGC 9.9 A++ copy, nicely preserved in crystal clear casing. Sure, this is a newer game, but even modern titles rarely get such a high grade.
