Nintendo released the NES-101 in North America in October 1993, well into the Super NES years, and it arrived before Japan's matching AV Famicom. It loads carts from the top like the Famicom and drops the 10NES lockout chip, so the reset loop that makes a front-loader's power light blink can't happen. Nintendo cut other things too. Stock units have only an RF output, and the new dogbone controller looked more like a SNES pad. Console5 documents three boards, the last of them from 1994, and Wikipedia notes a version with a multi-out A/V port was made in rare quantities. Nintendo discontinued the NES in August 1995, so the top-loader only had about two years on shelves.
Before you plug it in
Should come with it
Check the listing photos against this list, and ask the seller about anything you can’t see. A missing piece should come off the price.
RF-only output is the main drawback, and Console5 lists visible vertical lines in the video as a known flaw. With no lockout chip, it doesn't get the front-loader's blinking reset loop.
New to retro hardware? How to check a used retro console covers testing, yellowed plastic and opened shells, and regions and video out explains what will run on what, and on which TV.
Buying guide
We'd buy the top-loader titled tested and working at $158 delivered, under the $190 to $320 band, with a dogbone controller and the power supply in its photo; it's missing the RF cable, so add one. There are at least 71 for sale, consoles sold alone ask about $140 to $200 delivered, and boxed ones $395 to $545. Stock, it's RF only, so you need a TV with a coax antenna input or an RF converter, and an A/V-modded one should say composite or AV in the title and show the added jacks, since the usual mod turns RF off. Faint vertical lines in the picture are a known flaw of these boards, and yellowing like that on the $158 unit is cosmetic. Skip the $420 bundle from a zero-feedback account.
$95.99est. delivered
The lowest delivered top-loader titled tested, a bundle with games, two controllers and a power supply in the photo, at $96 with 14 bids and over two days left. It will climb, and we'd stop near $158 delivered, what the tested fixed-price one asks.
Nintendo NES Top Loader Console Bundle w/games Tested!
$158.00est. delivered
Titled tested and working, with the dogbone controller and power supply in the photo, at $158 delivered. It's missing the RF cable, which is the only stock video out, so budget for one.
Nintendo NES Top Loader Video Game Console Gray Tested And Working, Missing RF
$176.82est. delivered
Titled tested with a controller, the RF switch and the AC adapter, everything you need to hook it up. It's an auction with no bids at $177 delivered, so it may climb.
Top loader Nintendo NES Console Bundle w/ Controller, RF Switch & AC (TESTED)
Delivered prices include shipping as eBay quoted it to a US address on Oct 15, 2026. Many sellers charge by distance, so your total may differ. eBay shows yours before you pay.
Snapshot
Checked . Some may have sold.
Delivered prices include shipping as eBay quoted it to a US address on Oct 15, 2026. Many sellers charge by distance, so your total may differ. eBay shows yours before you pay.
Used$95.99est. delivered
$81.00 + $14.99 shipping
Auction · 14 bids · ends in 2d 15h
Good buy
Auction, 14 bids. Titled tested, with games. Two controllers and a power supply shown.
Seller: vintagedaddycollectibles
99.7% positive
Used$158.00est. delivered
$140.00 + $18.00 shipping
Buy It Now$140.00
Good buy
Titled tested, missing RF. Dogbone and power supply shown. Yellowed.
Seller: oldcanucklehead
100% positive
Used$176.82est. delivered
$165.00 + $11.82 shipping
Auction · no bids yet · ends in 3d 2h
Good buy
Auction, no bids. Titled tested, with controller, RF switch and AC adapter.
Seller: randomdude13
100% positive
Used$229.69est. delivered
$220.00 + $9.69 shipping
Buy It Now$220.00
Our take
2 controllers and Mario 3. No test claim.
Seller: beezi-17
99.6% positive
Used$237.78est. delivered
$230.00 + $7.78 shipping
Buy It Now$230.00
This seller takes offers, and many sellers accept less than the asking price.
Fine if you might miss it? Send an offer first. Someone else can still buy it while you wait for a reply.
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Our take
2 controllers, the plug and RF switch. No test claim.
Seller: jac-2530
100% positive
Used$431.82est. delivered
$420.00 + $11.82 shipping
Buy It Now$420.00
Check the seller
Zero-feedback seller.
Seller: sethkush
No feedback yet
Used$544.99delivered
$544.99 · free shipping
Buy It Now$544.99
Priced high
Boxed, titled tested. About $150 more than another tested boxed one.
Seller: powerupvideogames
99.9% positive
Used$1,435.81est. delivered
$1,423.99 + $11.82 shipping
Buy It Now$1,423.99
Priced high
Titled the 1996 Target Dr. Mario bundle, boxed. About six times the median.
Seller: sidequestfl
100% positive
Prices change daily. The live eBay search shows everything listed now, including anything new since Oct 15, 2026.
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NES
Console$95–$160 typical ask
NES
Controller$15–$20 typical ask
NES
Add-on$15–$30 typical ask
SNES
Console$140–$260 typical ask