In 1985, you could buy a brand new Nintendo Entertainment System Deluxe Set, complete with the console itself, two controllers, the awesome R.O.B. robot, a Nintendo Zapper light gun, and cartridges for two games (Gyromite and Duck Hunt) for a mere $199.Today? It'll cost you a little more.
Now for sale on eBay is a perfectly-preserved 1985 Deluxe Set, still in the original box and protected by plastic wrapping. According to eBay seller thegreybox_restorednes, "[t]his version of the Deluxe Set is the first product ever distributed by Nintendo of America to American retailers," one of only 100,000 units sent to test the market.
The starting price? A modest $15,999.95.
Of course, back in the days of Ronald Reagan and leg warmers, an NES was considered the cutting edge in home video game technology. Now, when the average cell phone is hundreds of times more powerful than an NES, the appeal is something quite different: the chance to own a piece of history. And while the $16K asking price may seem exorbitant, it's hardly the most anyone has paid for a game console (given, those examples are covered in jewels and gold as opposed to 25-year-old plastic.)
So if you're seeking the perfect gift for the gamer who has everything, and happen to have an extra 16 grand burning a hole in your pocket, look no further. The auction ends December 23.
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