The console wars of the 90s were an interesting time for anyone that was into playing video games. Two titans of the industry, Nintendo and Sega, were constantly at odds for the attention of young gamers and customers who purchased games. In the midst of that competition, the companies developed and released accessories for their respective consoles that enhanced the experience that players would have playing different games. One of those accessories by Sega was an add-on to the Sega Genesis console named the Sega 32X. This was an attachment that enabled a Genesis to play new games that took advantage of better hardware, expanding upon the lifespan of the Genesis to compete with the Super Nintendo longer.

With the release of the Sega 32X came a collection of new games that were made specifically for use with the attachment. Those without a 32X connected to the Genesis unfortunately couldn't play them. Over the years, some of the games that were exclusive to the 32X have become rare and tough to find. For retro game collectors, these are gems from a time when the gaming industry was in a very different place, where nearly everything is unfamiliar to how things are now. But as much as they might love that era, they may never get to add some of these rare and valuable games to their personal collections. Here are five of the rarest games for the Sega 32X that you may never get to own.

5 Knuckles Chaotix

Not playing backup this time

There have been many spin-offs and side games for the Sonic the Hedgehog series. But not many of them focus on Sonic's allies as much as they should, especially unique characters like Knuckles the Echidna. This is why Knuckles Chaotix is so interesting, because it introduces multiple characters into the Sonic series without the spiky blue hedgehog himself. The game was released in 1995 for the Sega 32X, and was originally planned to be a completely different kind of game. The first parts of its development had Sonic and Tails as the main heroes, until Sonic was replaced with Knuckles and the rest of the Chaotix group was added. Like previous Sonic the Hedgehog games, the plot involves stopping Dr. Robotnik from executing his devious plans, only this time Knuckles and his allies must prevent the evil doctor from gaining control of six magic rings.

Gameplay involved having two characters tethered together by a magical band, with each holding a ring. While the majority of the gameplay plays similar to other 2D games in the series, the tether adds an extra layer of complexity to navigating through each stage. A loose copy of Knuckles Chaotix is valued at around $165 in most auctions, but a complete boxed copy of the game is worth much more. Some copies of the game have been as high as $300 to around $550 at the time of sale.

4 Blackthorne

Heavy-duty action

Sega consoles are known for having some pretty intense action games within their library. On the 32X, Blackthorne was a title that brought gun fights and platforming together for Sega fans to indulge in. The player controls Kyle, and uses a variety of weapons to take down enemies that appear throughout seventeen stages. While the game was available on multiple platforms, including the Super Nintendo and MS-DOS in 1994, the Sega 32X version released a year later has additional exclusive content. An extra stage that takes place in a snow level can only be found in this version of the game.

The Sega version of Blackthorne was originally going to be made for the Sega Genesis, but plans were changed to focus on the 32X instead. Other ports of the game were planned for the PlayStation and Sega Saturn, but they were canceled before development could move forward. Loose copies of Blackthorne can be worth a lot, with most places pricing it at around $200. But if you manage to have a complete-in-box copy of the game, then the value jumps to nearly $350 if in good condition.

3 Pitfall: The Mayan Adventure

Continuing a legacy

The name Pitfall has a lot of history behind it, especially for those who remember playing the game back on the Atari 2600. Following that game, there were multiple Pitfall sequels that Actvision released on diffrent platforms, including Pitfall: The Mayan Adventure. It's the fourth game in the series, and was originally released on the Sega Genesis in 1994. There were multiple ports released for the Super Nintendo, Sega-CD, Windows PC, the Atari Jaguar, and the Sega 32X. Each port has differences to them, but the 32X version has a combination of features from previous ports of the game, including additional levels that were from the Sega-CD version and the presentation of the PC version. This version also contains a remixed soundtrack, minor changes to some stages, and runs at a frame rate of 30 FPS; which is different from some of the other ports.

Pitfall: The Mayan Adventure plays like most other action platformers of the era. Players control Pitfall Harry Jr. as he traverses multiple locations in the Mayan jungles. There are various items to collect and equipment that can help get around many of the obstacles in Harry's way. Some sections are maze-like in design, while others include a special encounter that blocks progression. A loose copy of Pitfall: The Mayan Adventure is worth nearly $200 alone. A complete-in-box version of the game is worth a lot more, with most auctions selling it for around $550. Some auctions have recorded the game complete in its original box selling for as high as $1000.

2 World Series Baseball Starring Deion Sanders

An expensive home run

The Sega Genesis was known for having numerous sports games, which included baseball and football as the dominant games under the Sega Sports banner. While the Madden Football series was the preferred choice for football fans, World Series Baseball kept baseball fans happy. On the Sega 32X, World Series Baseball '95 was released again as World Series Baseball Starring Deion Sanders. This was an updated version of the game that included improved graphics, including better zooming features during games when a ball is caught. Outside of that, both versions play nearly identical, with MLB teams and players from the 1995 season.

Although the packaging of the game highlights Deion Sanders, the game itself doesn't include anything more from him. While he is in the game as part of the San Francisco Giants, there isn't anything special or unique to him elsewhere in the entire game. Had it not been for the graphical improvements, one could confuse both the Genesis and Sega 32X versions as the same game. Loose copies of World Series Baseball on 32X are valued at $230 without their contents. A complete copy of the game is worth much more, often being priced around $600, and in some auctions even higher in the $1,500 range.

1 The Amazing Spider-Man: Web of Fire

Spidey is very pricey

The Amazing Spider-Man: Web of Fire is arguably the most expensive Sega 32X game that one can obtain. The game was developed by BlueSky and published by Sega in 1996. The game features six stages where players control Spider-Man as he battles the forces of Hydra. In the game, Spider-Man teams up with Daredevil to stop Hydra and the New Enforcers before they can execute a plan to cover New York City in an electric plasma grid. It's a game that features the wall crawler without any of his more popular enemies from his Marvel Comics rogues' gallery. Spider-Man can punch, kick, and swing his way through stages as he fights enemies, with Daredevil offering the occasional assist when gathering DD tokens hidden around.

What makes Spider-Man: Web of Fire valuable is how it was the last major game release following Sega stopping their support for the 32X. The release of the game was exclusive to North America, and was the final Marvel-licensed title that was released by Sega for a long time, until the first Iron Man movie tie-in game in 2008. The game also didn't get much coverage by outlets at the time, with only a few places publishing a review of it. As of today, loose copies of Spider-Man: Web of Fire are valued at around $450 alone. But complete copies of the game are far more valuable, with most places selling it for around $1,300 on average. Some auctions have been known to sell a complete version of the game for over $2,500 at the time of sale. Because of how rare the game has become over the years, it demands high prices from most collectors.

Valuables of the 32X

The Sega 32X was a product of its time, with a small library of games that were made exclusively for it. As much as retro game collectors love gathering gems from the era that the Sega 32X was made for, some of its games have become incredibly valuable in the years that followed. Unless you're willing to spend a lot of money to find these games, chances are you'll never get to own them in your collection. Not unless you're lucky and happened to pick them up back in the day. In that case, you might have a gem worth selling for a good amount.