Mario Kart 8 Limited Edition

Some editions are limited. This one was practically mythical. The Mario Kart 8 Limited Edition on Wii U, in its US release, was sold exclusively through the Nintendo World store in New York City. That's one store. One city. One shot at grabbing a cardboard collector's box with the game and that iconic blue shell figurine inside.

If you think the European version is tough to find, the US variant plays in a different league entirely. Walk-in exclusivity at a single retail location means the number of these in circulation is vanishingly small. Every copy that exists was physically carried out of that Manhattan store by someone who made the trip.

The figurine itself, a detailed blue shell, is the same beloved menace that's been ruining friendships since Mario Kart 64. But paired with this level of retail scarcity, it transforms from a fun pack-in to a genuine collector's trophy. The Wii U library is full of hidden gems, but a single-store exclusive Limited Edition of the console's flagship racer sits in a category all its own. If you spot one, you grab it. No hesitation.