The PlayStation 1 is one of the greatest video game consoles ever released. To many, the console has a library of games that people view as iconic classics and phenomenal experiences that are great to go back to and play again. As one of the first platforms to put a big focus on 3D visuals for games, a generation of players have very fond memories of the original PlayStation. Along the way, as the console garnered a legacy of classic releases, some PlayStation games became rare and very elusive to collectors.

One can find a lot of the beloved PlayStation games that people always bring up. It's not difficult to pick up original copies of the classics that made the console what it is viewed as today. However, some games for the PlayStation have managed to become valuable over the years due to their scarcity and history. These games are very uncommon to anyone who loves the console, and are not as easily obtained as any other collectible. These are 5 of the rarest PlayStation 1 games you may never get to own, and that's okay. Not everybody will get to have these gems within their collection.

5 The Misadventures of Tron Bonne

A legendary spin-off

Fans of the Mega Man series know all about Tron Bonne and her spin-off title for the PlayStation. It's a part of the franchise that Capcom hardly revisits, for one reason or another. But on the PlayStation back in 1999, Capcom released The Misadventures of Tron Bonne as a prequel to the first Mega Man Legends game. What made this title special was not just because it was a spin-off from a beloved series, but also the support it had for the Pocket Station in Japan, which the North American version did not. The game is an action-adventure where you control the charismatic Tron Bonne, undertaking tasks in three different gameplay styles that are inspired by the Mega Man Legends titles. Tron interacts with her Server Bots, a character that has appeared occasionally in other Capcom titles.

A loose copy of The Misadventures of Tron Bonne is valued at $250, which is pretty steep for just the disc. But complete in a box with everything, the price of the game can skyrocket to $500. Some auctions of this game have been known to reach as high as $1,500 when sold. Not bad for an obscure spin-off based on a beloved franchise. The game had a limited worldwide release, making it a good gem for Mega Man fans to collect.

4 Rayman 2: The Great Escape (Watch Bundle edition)

Time to pay up for this classic

Rayman 2: The Great Escape is another game that came out in 1999 and was released by Ubisoft. Although it was available for the Nintendo 64 and Sega Dreamcast, the PlayStation version of the game is pretty popular. All three versions of the game have some slight differences, with a few hidden areas in the PlayStation version being removed. However, they all play fundamentally the same. Rayman 2 is a 3D platformer that has players gathering lums and traversing obstacles over the course of multiple areas. The Rayman series is known for having a colorful cast of goofy characters with wild personalities, and Rayman 2: The Great Escape is no exception. The title hero has limbs that float around his body, allowing him to do all sorts of interesting things to fight enemies and move around the environment.

Rayman 2: The Great Escape on the original PlayStation had a bundle that came with a clear-colored watch. This version is a bit more expensive than the standard release. Loose without its contents, the game can be priced at around $290 alone. But in a complete package with everything included, this bundle can be valued at anywhere between $500 and $1,300 in total.

3 Mortal Kombat 3 (Jewel Case version)

The limited kombat case

Mortal Kombat 3 is a very divisive game for fans of the franchise. To some, it fundamentally changed the series to be faster and more furious with its fighting, but to others, it went too far in a number of ways. Regardless of how one might feel, Mortal Kombat 3 was a high point for the series back in 1995 for multiple platforms. However, the PlayStation 1 version of the game was touted by series creator Ed Boon to be the one that was as close to arcade-perfect as possible for home consoles. Unfortunately, technical issues within the PlayStation game, such as loading mid-match for Shang Tsung transformations, became a problem for fans. As a whole, the game didn't receive as big of a reception compared to its predecessors.

The release of Mortal Kombat 3 was pretty big, but there was a variation of the game that was limited. Most copies of the game were printed in the large format case for PlayStation releases, with a small batch of units given the jewel case later on. The smaller jewel case is the more valuable version of the game, which can garner a price of $500 loose. But for anyone with a copy that is complete in the box and in good condition, the value of it can be much higher. Some auctions of a Mortal Kombat 3 jewel case have sold for $900 on the lower end, but as much as $2,300 on the higher end of things.

2 Syphon Filter 3 (Original Version)

Before the world changed

When it comes to stealth action games, the PlayStation has no shortage of them. Some titles in the genre went on to become iconic classics, while others became cult hits that PlayStation gamers fondly remember. Syphon Filter 3 is one of those cult hits from 1999, which put players in the role of a special ops soldier undergoing missions to stop international terrorists from causing havoc. The gameplay was in third-person and involved a lot of shooting and stealth to take down enemies and complete missions. Unfortunately, the original release for Syphon Filter 3 was scheduled for a time right after the 9-11 terrorist attack on the World Trade Center, as well as during an anthrax scare in the United States. This led to changes being made to the box art for the game, as well as a delayed release to November of that same year.

Despite the changes to the game's packaging, some copies with the original Syphon Filter box art managed to get out of stores despite a recall. This original box art makes the game more valuable. A loose copy of Syphon Filter 3 can fetch around $575 for anyone, but a complete-on-box copy of the game is valued at around $1,000 in total. A few auctions for a complete copy have even managed to sell as high as $2,600 at the time of sale. There's a lot of history tied to this PlayStation game, but not all of it comes from its gameplay and legendary title.

1 NFL Blitz 2000 (Greatest Hits edition)

A blitz that cost a fortune

If there's one thing that people love, it's sports games that are exciting to play. And just like what NBA JAM did for NBA basketball, NFL Blitz did the same for NFL football. But on the PlayStation 1 in 1999, a sequel to NFL Blitz made its way to the console. It's the third game in the Blitz series, which has updated team rosters and a few minor balance changes to its gameplay. NFL Blitz 2000 is like other arcade sports titles of the era, taking different aspects of the game of football and hyper-exaggerating them to cartoonish heights. The deep passes, the powerful tackles, and the ridiculous plays are all part of the charm that makes this football game stand apart from popular simulation football games like Madden NFL Football. Although NFL Blitz 2000 didn't add a lot of new original content compared to its predecessors, the game was still received fairly well by critics and fans.

The Greatest Hits release of NFL Blitz 2000 is unique because it was never supposed to have one. This version of the game was recalled at one point before launching, but some copies managed to get out into the wild. A regular copy of NFL Blitz 2000 is very cheap and easy to find, but the Greatest Hits version is far from that. A loose copy of this version of the game can be worth over $1,700 to collectors, with a complete-in-box copy going for as much as $5,200. The reason the prices are so high is because of how few copies are known to be around. A few instances of the Greatest Hits version of NFL Blitz 2000 have been known to sell for as much as $13,500 at auction, which sounds absolutely nuts. However, with so few copies of the game circulating, PlayStation and football collectors find this to be very valuable.

You are not ready to pay

Many great PlayStation 1 titles have been released, but not all of them demand the same value among collectors. Some games are just so scarce that they have become incredibly valuable gems of the console that are not easily obtained. And for some, it's a good enough reward to chase these games down to complete a collection. For others, however, they may never get to own any of these rare original PlayStation games. Unless you're ready to drop some serious cash to get them, you might be better off admiring these PlayStation 1 gems from a distance. And chances are, very few will ever be ready to do so.