The original Xbox used to be a system that was pretty cheap to collect for. Those days are no longer, as games have noticeably risen in price. Not as much as GameCube or PS2 games, but still a motivator to perhaps collect 360 titles instead, as those are still pretty cheap.
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Systems like the original Xbox, PS2, and GameCube were the last systems before the mass influx of collectors editions present in the next generations. This means most of the rarest Xbox games are standard copies, although some are pricey variants. Some of these games are actually rare and difficult to find for sale.
All values are based on PriceCharting's complete price at the time of writing.
10 Azurik: Rise Of Perathia (Not For Resale) - $104
A launch window original Xbox game is Azurik: Rise of Perathia. A forgotten fantasy action-adventure title, it received poor reviews at the time, but thanks to a variant, it's one of the more expensive games on the system. The good old Not For Resale label is normally reserved for console bundles or sometimes display units.
A lot of the launch-era Xbox games had this variant, but they're not worth much except for Azurik. Due to the high rarity and the fact that it wasn't a part of any bundles, these signs point to Azurik likely being the final game of that launch window timeframe to have the NFR label. This makes Azurik easily the rarest Not For Resale Xbox game.
9 Obscure - $104
For any system, you're bound to discover an expensive horror game. The PS2 catalog is filled with them, so it's no surprise Xbox also has one. What is a surprise is the game. Instead of Silent Hill or Fatal Frame, it's Obscure. Like the name, Obscure is relatively unknown for this console generation. It received mixed reviews, but there are two main reasons why it's so expensive.
One is that with a publisher like DreamCatcher Interactive, not as many copies were printed as Silent Hill or Fatal Frame since those games have big publishers behind them. Second is that the title launched in April of 2005. 2005 was essentially the swan song for the original Xbox before the arrival of the 360, and many of its rarest games were launched that year.
One of the best Capcom fighting games and best fighters of all time is Marvel vs. Capcom 2. It's so beloved, but because it is not commercially available anymore, virtually every port demands a high price. This includes the Xbox port. It's a pretty good version, although not in the top three.
The three versions that most play is the arcade, Dreamcast, and the Xbox 360/PS3 port. It's a shame this game demands such a high price because everyone should play it. If MVC2 ever gets rereleased on modern platforms, all these ports should naturally come down in price.
7 Spikeout: Battle Street - $173
Now here's a Sega game you've probably never heard of. Spikeout was a short-lived Sega series from the late 90s to mid-2000s, debuting in arcades. It was essentially the stopgap between the Streets of Rage and Yakuza series, and even Yakuza creator Toshihiro Nagoshi directed the first installment.
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Spikeout: Battle Street is the only entry on consoles, and strangely released far into the Xbox's life in 2005. This and the utter obscurity of Battle Street is likely why it's so expensive. It's unfortunate because it looks pretty fun, but not worth that kind of money.
6 Teen Titans - $195
Teen Titans on the Xbox isn't based on the comic book but instead on the incredibly popular animated series that was on at the time. The animated series has quite an interesting history, but the game, not so much. It received mixed reviews across all three platforms and was developed by the studio that would later create Dead by Daylight.
The GameCube and PS2 versions aren't worth much, but the Xbox port is a whole different story. Releasing five months later than the other versions in October 2006, Teen Titans is an extremely late-era original Xbox game. With it releasing at the end of the system's life, Teen Titans was bound to become a rare game.
5 Futurama - $207
Matt Groening's second biggest animated show was Futurama. With its lovable characters and solid humor, it made sense to turn it into a game just like The Simpsons or Family Guy. While the Family Guy game and various Simpsons titles are rather cheap, Futurama is in the complete opposite direction.
Both the PS2 and Xbox versions are in the $200 range, which is wild. The game was also launched in 2003, the peak of both consoles' lifespan. The reason why it's so expensive is that the game sold incredibly poorly. Not many are out there in the wild, and considering 2003 was also when the series got canceled, that year just wasn't great for this animated show.
4 OutRun 2006: Coast 2 Coast - $286
The OutRun games are an acclaimed series of arcade racers by Sega. OutRun 2006: Coast 2 Coast is actually an updated version of OutRun 2, and it's fantastic. The PS2 version is not too bad price-wise, but that isn't the case with the Xbox port.
Costing close to $300, Coast 2 Coast is the rarest racing game on the system. The late-era Xbox curse strikes again as this title was launched in April 2006. This game is so good, and the Xbox version is probably the best. However, most will settle with the not-as-good-looking PS2 port due to the price.
3 NBA Ballers (Platinum Hits) - $359
For every disc-based console, there are always one or two extremely rare Greatest Hits games. While many collectors despise Greatest Hits titles, some do try to get a full set. The rarest one for Xbox is NBA Ballers. This is an actual rare game because it's hard to even find current listings for it.
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Once again, it launched at the tail end of the system's life in 2005 and must have had a short print run considering its rarity. If you frequent retail stores, you may know how uncommon certain Greatest Hits games can be, and NBA Ballers must have been the hardest to find at release.
2 Steel Battalion - $514
What makes Steel Battalion so expensive isn't the game itself but the humongous controller that comes with it. This controller is a beast with over 40 buttons, two joysticks, and pedals, making it one of the biggest controllers ever.
You need the controller to play the game, and with it being so unique, the complete package remains highly desired. Even back in the day, Steel Battalion was pretty expensive, and it hasn't gotten any cheaper. The game is really good, though, so if you have a lot of disposable income, it's worth it, as it's a one-of-a-kind experience.
1 Shrek Super Party (Watch Bundle) - $600
Shrek Super Party isn't a rare game on its own. It received terrible reviews, but because of a special variant, it's actually the most expensive standalone original Xbox title. A very rare edition contained a unique Shrek watch, and it was highlighted on the front cover.
To put things into perspective, even a complete copy with no watch is many hundreds of dollars, but with it, the game's even more pricey. Despite Shrek not having a new movie in well over a decade, it's still a wildly popular franchise, and Shrek fanatics are bound to want to collect this.
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