{
  "id": 18174,
  "title": "Lost one-of-a-kind Nintendo DS cartridge hits eBay for $9,100 — PokePark Fishing Contest designed to delete itself after 12 hours, game so rare it was only distributed to theme park attendees in 2005",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/01/lost-one-of-a-kind-nintendo-ds-cartridge-hits-ebay-for-9-100-pokepark",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-01T09:00:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Tom's Hardware",
    "slug": "tom-s-hardware",
    "url": "https://www.tomshardware.com/video-games/nintendo/lost-one-of-a-kind-nintendo-ds-cartridge-hits-ebay-for-usd9-100-pokepark-fishing-contest-designed-to-delete-itself-after-12-hours-game-so-rare-it-was-only-distributed-to-theme-park-attendees-in-2005"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "A one-of-a-kind Nintendo DS cartridge, long classified as 'lost media', is currently up for auction on eBay for the staggering sum of $9,100. The high-stakes bidding war is being waged by video gaming fans and archivists alike, eager to get their hands on this rare piece of gaming history. The cartridge in question is believed to contain the elusive PokePark Fishing Contest DS minigame, a fishing mini-game that was only ever distributed to attendees of a short-lived Pokémon theme park in Japan, known as PokePark 2005.\n\nThe rarity of this cartridge stems from its download-only nature, limited distribution, and the fact that it would be automatically deleted once the DS handheld was turned off or after a 12-hour time limit. The eBay listing features images of the cartridge, both front and back, as well as a screenshot of a Japanese-language screen indicating a high-score ranking communication program. Despite the seller's claim that the device is being sold as-is, with no guarantees regarding functionality or compatibility, the 100% selling record of Germany-based catbearpaws lends some credibility to this auction. With less than three days remaining in the auction, bidders are advised to act quickly, as the starting bid is already above their budget.",
  "summary": "A Nintendo DS game that was classified as ‘lost media’ for nearly two decades is now within tantalizing reach of video gaming fans and archivists.",
  "key_points": [
    "One-of-a-kind Nintendo DS cartridge classified as 'lost media'",
    "PokePark Fishing Contest minigame distributed to PokePark 2005 attendees",
    "Cartridge auto-deletes after 12 hours or when DS is turned off"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 3,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Engadget",
        "title": "Ayaneo reveals its Game Boy Advance remake called the Konkr Pocket Advance",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/01/ayaneo-reveals-its-game-boy-advance-remake-called-the-konkr-pocket",
        "published": "2026-08-01T16:40:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Digital Trends",
        "title": "Ayaneo’s new handheld revives the Game Boy Advance. Nintendo probably wishes it had done it first",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/02/ayaneos-new-handheld-revives-the-game-boy-advance-nintendo-probably",
        "published": "2026-08-02T04:07:58.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}