Bard's Tale
Nintendo Entertainment System · 1990
About this game
The small country town Skara Brae was enjoying a peaceful life, until an evil wizard known as Mangar the Dark appeared.
Monsters have invaded the town, terrorizing its inhabitants.
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Mangar cast the spell of Eternal Winter on the surroundings, isolating Skara Brae from any possible help.
Guards that were entrusted with the task of protecting the town have disappeared within one night.
Only a party of brave adventurers can save Skara Brae and defeat Mangar.
The Bard's Tale is a fantasy role-playing game similar to Wizardry games, with first-person exploration of pseudo-3D maze-like environments, and turn-based combat against randomly appearing enemies.
Unlike early Wizardry installments, the town can be explored physically, and parts of the overworld are accessible as well.
Several dungeons must be explored before the player can tackle the final quest.
Six character classes are available when the player is prompted to create a party of six adventurers in the beginning of the game: Bard, Hunter, Monk, Paladin, Rogue, Warrior, Magician, and Conjurer.
The last two can be promoted when specific conditions are met during gameplay.
The bard class plays a special role, possessing magical songs that improves the party's performance in combat and are required to solve some of the game's puzzles.
About Nintendo Entertainment System
The Nintendo Entertainment System (1983 in Japan, 1985 in the West) revived the North American video game industry after the 1983 crash and established conventions — cartridges, licensing seals, save systems — that shaped the industry for decades. NES collecting is one of the most established retro markets: common titles remain cheap, but a well-known handful of low-print-run games (many from smaller third-party publishers) are among the most expensive video games in existence.
Gamevaro tracks Bard's Tale for Nintendo Entertainment System 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 Bard's Tale 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 NES release dates back to 1990.
Price history
Market values by condition
NTSC-U
NTSC-J
Recent sales
| Date | Type | Region | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-07-16 | Complete in Box | NTSC-J | €45.06 |
| 2026-07-16 | Box Only | NTSC-J | €18.03 |
| 2026-07-16 | Item only | NTSC-J | €20.82 |
| 2026-07-16 | Manual Only | NTSC-J | €11.27 |
| 2026-07-16 | Graded New | NTSC-J | €158.16 |
| 2026-07-16 | New (sealed) | NTSC-J | €143.78 |
| 2026-07-14 | Complete in Box | NTSC-J | €44.99 |
| 2026-07-14 | Manual Only | NTSC-J | €11.26 |
| 2026-07-14 | New (sealed) | NTSC-J | €143.56 |
| 2026-07-14 | Item only | NTSC-J | €20.79 |
| 2026-07-14 | Box Only | NTSC-J | €18.01 |
| 2026-07-14 | Graded New | NTSC-J | €157.91 |
| 2026-07-13 | Complete in Box | NTSC-J | €44.97 |
| 2026-07-13 | New (sealed) | NTSC-J | €143.48 |
| 2026-07-13 | Item only | NTSC-J | €20.78 |
| 2026-07-13 | Box Only | NTSC-J | €18.00 |
| 2026-07-13 | Graded New | NTSC-J | €157.83 |
| 2026-07-13 | Manual Only | NTSC-J | €11.25 |
| 2026-07-12 | Graded New | NTSC-J | €158.79 |
| 2026-07-12 | Complete in Box | NTSC-J | €44.99 |
| 2026-07-12 | Item only | NTSC-J | €20.78 |
| 2026-07-12 | Box Only | NTSC-U | €21.85 |
| 2026-07-12 | Item only | NTSC-U | €24.50 |
| 2026-07-12 | Complete in Box | NTSC-U | €60.22 |
| 2026-07-12 | Manual Only | NTSC-J | €11.25 |
| 2026-07-12 | Box Only | NTSC-J | €18.00 |
| 2026-07-12 | New (sealed) | NTSC-U | €196.85 |
| 2026-07-12 | New (sealed) | NTSC-J | €144.36 |
| 2026-07-12 | Graded New | NTSC-U | €563.43 |
| 2026-07-12 | Manual Only | NTSC-U | €14.30 |
Market insights
Rarity & condition
Bard's Tale has a steady sales history on the tracked marketplaces, meaning enough copies circulate to establish a reliable market price.
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.
Frequently asked questions
How much is Bard's Tale worth?
Bard's Tale for Nintendo Entertainment System is currently worth €26.42 loose, €60.22 complete in box, and €196.85 factory sealed. Prices are based on real sales and update regularly on Gamevaro.
Is Bard's Tale rare?
Bard's Tale has a steady sales history on the tracked marketplaces, meaning it trades hands regularly and isn't considered particularly rare.
What's the difference between loose, CIB and sealed for Bard's Tale?
Loose means cartridge or disc only, CIB (complete in box) includes the original box and manual, and sealed means factory-sealed and never opened. For Bard's Tale, loose is €26.42 and CIB is €60.22 — CIB commands a premium because original boxes and manuals are fragile and often don't survive.
Ratings & Reviews
Also on other platforms
More Nintendo Entertainment System games