Fans Think A Long-Lost Pokémon Game Has Been Found 21 Years Later

Game archivists may have uncovered a highly coveted title. An eBay listing surfaced—reported by IGN—that appears to be the elusive PokéPark Fishing Tournament DS, a title that never saw a release outside Japan. It was sold exclusively at Pokémon Centers and during limited‑time Pokémon pop‑up events, including the short‑lived Pokémon The Park theme park that operated for only a few months in 2005.

The gameplay let players reel in a variety of Poké‑fish, earning points that factored in the creature’s weight, level, and rarity. A leaderboard feature even transmitted scores to be showcased at Pokémon Centers.

Although the game is no longer in circulation, footage of it in action can be found on YouTube.

Technically, the title is lost media, having been distributed solely as a download that self‑erased from a DS when the console was powered off—an ideal nightmare for preservationists. The eBay listing is priced at about $9,100 USD, yet enthusiasts remain uncertain whether the cartridge actually contains the game.

The community’s chief concern centers on a reference to a “sub‑card,” which raises questions about the cartridge’s authenticity.

Rumors are swirling that the elusive “Fishing Rally” might actually reside on a Game Boy Advance cartridge, with the footage we’ve seen so far merely showcasing its wireless sharing and leaderboard functionalities.

According to the listing, inserting the cartridge into a Nintendo DS triggers a Japanese interface that announces a “high‑score ranking communication program,” strongly suggesting that the unit is not the game itself but a specialized module designed to handle the title’s wireless operations. Yet, a faction of the Pokémon community remains hopeful that a dedicated collector will acquire the cartridge rather than it slipping into a private stash.

Enter Professor Rex, the Pokémon enthusiast who rallied a fleet of consoles in pursuit of a rare shiny Golduck, who has called on fans to pool resources and purchase the cartridge for archival purposes.

Those willing to contribute to a collective purchase can DM me; while it’s uncertain whether we can secure the item before it falls into a private collection, the effort itself is a commendable act of preservation.

To acquire this coveted cartridge, collectors would need a sizable sum. The current eBay auction lists the item for roughly $9,104, and that valuation comes before the contents are even disclosed.