截至2025年，Neo Geo AES 家用卡帶依然穩坐電子遊戲收藏市場金字塔的最頂端，被許多資深收藏家視為「終極領域」。這並不只是因為價格昂貴，而是它同時結合極端稀有性、街機原汁原味的遊戲體驗，以及SNK在1990年代留下的獨特歷史背景，使AES卡帶成為一種兼具文化、情懷與投資屬性的收藏品。對多數玩家而言，Neo Geo AES當年就已是「買不起的夢想主機」，而在三十多年後，這種距離感反而被時間進一步放大，轉化為近乎傳說級的收藏價值。

在眾多Neo Geo AES卡帶之中，被公認為「聖杯」的存在，便是《風雲默示錄》（Kizuna Encounter）歐洲版。這款遊戲本身是SNK後期推出的格鬥作品，發行時間點已接近Neo Geo家用市場的尾聲，使得AES版本本來就數量稀少，而歐洲版更是罕見中的罕見。根據目前收藏圈普遍的認知，已知仍然存在、且保存完整盒裝的歐洲版卡帶，可能僅有四到五片左右。如此極端的稀缺性，使它幾乎不具備穩定的市場行情，價格更多是由收藏家之間的共識與競價所決定。早年的公開成交紀錄約在12,500美元，但隨著Neo Geo收藏熱度逐年升高，不少人認為其實際潛在價值早已遠超這個數字，只是因為持有者極少願意釋出，才讓它長期處於「有價無市」的狀態。

如果說《風雲默示錄》歐洲版象徵的是極限稀有性，那麼《越南大戰》（Metal Slug）系列則代表「人氣與價格的雙重巔峰」。在 Neo Geo AES領域，《越南大戰》幾乎是無人不知的王者系列，其街機版的高知名度與家用版的低產量，形成了極端的供需落差。尤其是《越南大戰 1》，被許多人視為 AES 卡帶中的終極目標之一。全新未拆封版本曾出現高達119,000美元的估價，而即便只是完整盒裝（CIB），價格也往往落在接近 60,000 美元的驚人水準。日版雖然相對容易取得，但仍需約12,500美元左右，對一般收藏者而言依然是難以企及的存在。系列後期作品如《越南大戰 2》美國版完整盒裝約在6,000美元上下，《越南大戰 5》完整盒裝則約為4,700美元，雖然價格略低，但在整體遊戲收藏市場中仍屬於極高價位。

除了這些最知名的代表作之外，Neo Geo AES還存在不少因發行量極少、又恰逢市場末期而身價暴漲的作品。《突擊奇兵：第二縱隊》（Shock Troopers: 2nd Squad）便是其中的典型例子，其完整盒裝版本價格已來到約8,250美元，遠高於多數同期家用遊戲。《英雄榜 完美版》（World Heroes Perfect）作為系列最終作，同樣因發售時機尷尬而產量稀少，完整盒裝價格約在5,500美元左右。《侍魂 零 特別版》（Samurai Shodown V Special）則因其暴力內容與後續風波，使AES版本成為極具話題性的收藏標的，完整盒裝約5,000美元，而若是全新未拆封，價格甚至可飆升至16,000美元以上。《龍吼》（Rage of the Dragons）這類SNK後期格鬥作品，即使是日本版，也已穩定站在3,000美元左右的價位。

整體來看，Neo Geo AES卡帶之所以能在2025年仍維持如此誇張的價格水準，並不只是單一遊戲的特殊案例，而是一整個生態的結果。AES 本身高昂的原始售價、極低的銷量、與街機完全一致的遊戲品質，讓它從誕生之初就注定成為小眾中的小眾。隨著時間推移，卡帶的自然損耗、盒裝與說明書的遺失，更進一步壓縮了完整品的數量，使得「完整盒裝」本身就成為價值的核心。對收藏家而言，這些卡帶早已不只是遊戲，而是代表一段街機黃金時代的實體遺產，也是一種難以再現的歷史證明。

因此，Neo Geo AES卡帶能達到數萬美元的拍賣價格，並非市場泡沫那麼簡單，而是稀有性、歷史意義、玩家情懷與收藏文化長期累積的結果。它們已經從「遊戲商品」轉化為高度專業化的收藏標的，在某種程度上，甚至更接近藝術品或古董的定位，也難怪至今仍被視為電子遊戲收藏界中最昂貴、也最具傳奇色彩的存在之一。

As of 2025, Neo Geo AES home cartridges remain one of the most expensive and prestigious segments in the video game collecting world. For many collectors, this area represents the absolute pinnacle of game collecting, where prices are driven not only by nostalgia, but by extreme rarity, historical significance, and the unique position SNK once held in the arcade industry. Some of the rarest AES releases routinely command prices in the tens of thousands of US dollars, and in exceptional cases even more.

Among all Neo Geo AES titles, the undisputed “holy grail” is widely considered to be the European version of Kizuna Encounter. While the game itself is a late-era SNK fighting title, its timing alone made AES production extremely limited. The European release is rarer still, with collectors generally believing that only four to five complete-in-box copies are known to exist worldwide. Because of this extreme scarcity, the cartridge rarely appears on the open market, making accurate pricing difficult. Earlier confirmed sales reached around USD 12,500, but many collectors believe that in today’s market its true value would be significantly higher. The reason prices have not risen through frequent public sales is simply that owners are reluctant to part with such an irreplaceable piece of gaming history.

If Kizuna Encounter represents the peak of rarity, then the Metal Slug series represents the perfect convergence of popularity and value. Every Neo Geo AES release in the Metal Slug series is expensive, but certain versions are in a league of their own. Metal Slug 1 is often regarded as the ultimate AES cartridge. A factory-sealed copy has been valued at as much as USD 119,000, while complete-in-box examples typically command prices close to USD 60,000. Even the Japanese version, which is comparatively more common, still requires around USD 12,500 to acquire. Later entries in the series remain extremely valuable as well. Metal Slug 2 in its US complete-in-box version is generally priced at around USD 6,000, while Metal Slug 5 complete-in-box averages roughly USD 4,700. Although lower than the first installment, these prices are still extraordinarily high by any standard in game collecting.

Beyond these iconic titles, there are numerous other Neo Geo AES cartridges whose value has surged due to limited production, especially for games released late in the system’s lifespan. Shock Troopers: 2nd Squad is a prime example, with complete-in-box copies reaching approximately USD 8,250. World Heroes Perfect, the final entry in the series, suffers from similarly low production numbers and typically sells for around USD 5,500 complete. Samurai Shodown V Special has gained particular notoriety due to its controversial content and complicated release history. Complete-in-box copies usually sell for around USD 5,000, while factory-sealed examples have been known to reach prices as high as USD 16,000. Late SNK-era fighting games such as Rage of the Dragons also command strong prices, with the Japanese AES version generally valued at around USD 3,000.

Taken as a whole, the extraordinary prices of Neo Geo AES cartridges in 2025 are not the result of a single outlier title, but rather the product of an entire ecosystem. The AES system was expensive from the moment it launched, sold in very small numbers, and delivered arcade-perfect experiences at home. Over time, natural wear, loss of packaging, and incomplete sets have further reduced the number of surviving complete copies, making “complete-in-box” status a major driver of value. For collectors, these cartridges have long since transcended their role as games, becoming physical artifacts of the golden age of arcades and tangible evidence of a unique era in gaming history.

For this reason, Neo Geo AES cartridges commanding prices in the tens of thousands of dollars are not simply speculative bubbles. They represent the accumulated weight of rarity, historical importance, emotional attachment, and decades of collector culture. In many respects, these cartridges are now closer to fine art or antiques than to conventional video games, which is why Neo Geo AES remains one of the most legendary and expensive domains in the entire video game collecting landscape.