Out of all the commercially sold NES games, Stadium Events is the most rare and in most cases the most realistic goal of NES collectors. What makes this otherwise standard game so rare, is that just after its release, it was recalled.

As an official third party title, Stadium Events made use of an accessory called the Family Fun Fitness Pad. It required the player(s) to run or step rapidly in order to complete each event, not unlike Dance Dance Revolution’s Pad. Upon its release, Nintendo decided to grant the game a first party production, recalling the scant initial cartridges that had been sent out.

The game would later become “World Class Track Meet” and would be played with Nintendo’s own controller the “Power Pad”. Both became very common and were boxed-in with many NES consoles.

But Stadium Events, the original anomaly, had snuck out in ever so limited numbers. 2000 copies is believed to have been the total distribution tally, but doesn’t consider how many of those were sold prior to Nintendo’s recall. Some have suggested that no more than 200 actually made it into NES owners’ homes.

Boxed copies of Stadium Events have been sold for over $1000, and even loose cartridges are closing in on that cost. With just under 800 licensed US games for the NES, collectors of this console have already decided upon a grand challenge, and would be willing to pay almost anything to finish off their collection.

For being such a difficult thing to do, its surprising that completing an NES collection is a desire for so many US collectors; this is likely because of a heavy nostalgia factor and the widespread affinity many people retain for this classic system, Nintendo’s first. But for all of the collectors who chase this achievement, they will need Stadium Events, and there are not very many cartridges to go around.