The Bard's Tale
Nintendo Entertainment System · 1991
About this game
The Bard is a cynical, opportunistic musician who roams the country in search of carnal pleasures.
However, this impatient and selfish fellow is compelled to accept the greatest quest of his life: save the princess Caleigh from a demonic cult that has kidnapped her.
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The unlikely hero must now explore the land in search of the princess, accompanied by the omnipresent Narrator who obviously can't stand the Bard and uses every opportunity to sarcastically comment on his actions.
Furthermore, Fionnaoch, the mysterious abductor of the princess, does everything he can to stop the Bard, sending his minions after him.
A self-proclaimed "quest for coin and cleavage", The Bard's Tale is an action RPG that is more of a whimsical take on role-playing games than a remake of the classic series .
As the Bard, players can fight off hordes of foes with blade and bow, and summon companions through magical Bard Songs.
Leveling up allows the player to raise the character's main attributes and invest specialization points in the different types of weapons he can use.
Magical companions must be sought out and then summoned during battles.
After being summoned, they act pretty much like AI-controlled party members; some of them specialize in physical attacks and offensive spells, while others can heal the hero.
During conversations the player can choose "nice" or "snarky" responses for the protagonist.
While mostly used for humorous effect, some of these responses may affect subsequent events.
The game uses the Dark Alliance engine and has a similar camera and control scheme.
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 The 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 The 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 1991.
Market values by condition
Recent sales
| Date | Type | Region | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-05-27 | Loose / Item only | NTSC-J | €26.22 |
| 2026-05-27 | Boxed (CIB) | NTSC-J | €26.22 |
| 2026-05-27 | Sealed / New | NTSC-J | €26.22 |
Rarity & condition
Only a handful of market sales have been tracked for The Bard's Tale, suggesting it doesn't trade hands very often — a sign of relative scarcity compared to more common Nintendo Entertainment System 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.
Frequently asked questions
How much is The Bard's Tale worth?
The Bard's Tale for Nintendo Entertainment System is currently worth €26.22 loose, €26.22 complete in box, and €26.22 factory sealed. Prices are based on real sales and update regularly on Gamevaro.
Is The Bard's Tale rare?
The Bard's Tale has only a handful of tracked market sales, suggesting relative scarcity compared to more common Nintendo Entertainment System titles.
What's the difference between loose, CIB and sealed for The 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 The Bard's Tale, loose is €26.22 and CIB is €26.22 — CIB commands a premium because original boxes and manuals are fragile and often don't survive.
Ratings & Reviews
Also on other platforms
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