California Games

California Games was the original "Extreme Games" – what today's generation might call "X-Games in the sun".

Players can select sponsors (absent in some versions) and compete in events such as skateboarding, footbag, surfing, roller skating, flying disc (frisbee) and BMX.

The Atari 2600 (1977) was the console that first proved interchangeable game cartridges could sustain a mass-market business, effectively founding the home console industry as we know it. Most common 2600 titles are inexpensive today given how many units and copies were sold, but a small number of extremely rare releases — including several from Atari's own late-era prototype and licensed titles — are among the most valuable cartridges in retro collecting.

Gamevaro tracks California Games for Atari 2600 with separate market values for loose, complete-in-box (CIB) and factory-sealed copies, sourced from real eBay sales. Prices also vary by region — PAL, NTSC-U and NTSC-J releases of the same game often sell for different amounts due to print run sizes and regional collector demand.

Adding California Games to a Gamevaro collection takes seconds — search by title or scan the box barcode, and the app fills in cover art, release details and current pricing automatically. This A2600 release dates back to 1987.

Market insights

Only a handful of market sales have been tracked for California Games, suggesting it doesn't trade hands very often — a sign of relative scarcity compared to more common Atari 2600 titles.

Complete-in-box (CIB) copies typically command a premium over loose cartridges/discs because the original box and manual are more fragile and get discarded or damaged over time — fewer complete sets survive.

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