Here's How Much Nintendo's ROB Is Worth Today
In 1985, two years after the infamous gaming industry crash of 1983, Nintendo released the Nintendo Entertainment System in the United States, deliberately named as such so customers wouldn't immediately realize it was a video game console. Consumers were still pretty wary of game consoles at the time, but toys were selling with the best of them, so Nintendo added a little something extra to make the NES appear more toy-like: the Robotic Operating Buddy, or ROB.
ROB was an amusing little gimmick peripheral, watching your TV screen and moving its gyroscopes around to influence the on-screen action. Unfortunately, while ROB managed to sneak the NES into some homes, the device wasn't very responsive, and Nintendo had already gotten its foot in the door with smash hits like "Super Mario Bros.," so it didn't last very long on the shelves. That said, ROB still has a dedicated fan base these days thanks to its cameo roles in the "Mario Kart" and "Super Smash Bros." games, plus it's cute. If you've got one of the little dudes left over from the old days, it could be sold as a collector's item.
[Matt Grommes (MattGrommes), CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped and scaled]
What is a ROB worth?
The precise value of a ROB unit, much like with other retro gaming hardware, depends on its condition. If it's out of its packaging and has some obvious wear and tear, it'll be worth less, but if it's still factory-sealed, it'll be worth more.
According to PriceCharting, a loose ROB unit can fetch around $153 on average, which is still pretty healthy for an old peripheral. That value only goes up if it's got all of its packaging and manual- a complete-in-box ROB can sell for around $300. If, against all odds, you've got a ROB unit that's still in mint condition in its original packaging, you may be able to score as high as $500 from the right buyer. It's also worth mentioning that, since ROBs originally came bundled with NES consoles, you could boost the value substantially if you've got both sealed into a single package. An unopened NES and ROB combo pack could be worth well over $1,000.
In addition to the Western ROB unit, Nintendo also released a Japanese equivalent for the Famicom a few months prior, named the Family Computer Robot. It's the same device but with a different color scheme and packaging. Unfortunately, this version isn't worth quite as much as the NES one- a loose Famicom Robot could get you around $77, and both a complete and sealed one are worth around $100 to $125.
How to sell a ROB
If you've got a ROB unit you're looking to offload, regardless of the condition it's in, your best bet for doing so would be through eBay. EBay allows you to connect directly with prospective buyers, set your own price, and pocket all of the potential profit. It can be a bit of a hassle connecting with buyers individually, and you may have to deal with people trying to lowball you, but if you can put up with it, it's the most profitable avenue.
If you're looking for something a little more streamlined, you could also try selling your ROB at either a pawn shop or a locally-owned retro gaming hardware store. While specialized gaming shops may be a little reluctant to buy certain pieces of retro hardware, the fact that ROB is a Nintendo product goes a long way toward its marketability. You might not get as good of a price on it as you would on eBay, but they should at least make you an offer. The same is generally true for a pawn shop, though depending on what the pawnbroker thinks your ROB is worth, you might end up getting lowballed for it.