Games from the Incredible Mark Freedman Collection Certified by CGC Video Games Offered in Heritage Sale

CGC Video Games™ had the pleasure of certifying the Mark Freedman Collection, an incredible assortment of factory-sealed games originally owned by Mark Freedman, one of the co-producers of the hit animated series Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. This amazing collection of games will be offered for sale by Heritage Auctions in the January Video Games Signature® Auction taking place January 20-21, 2023.

Mark Freedman was responsible for convincing Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird — the two creators of the TMNT series — to turn their 1984 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comic book into a media and merchandise franchise. As a licensor, Freedman worked with Playmates Toys in 1987 to create a toy line of TMNT action figures. The popularity of the toy line led to the development of an animated television show that was released in the same year, as well as a series of feature-length films in the 1990s, all of which Mark Freedman co-produced.

Freedman used the success of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise to strike a licensing agreement with Konami to produce a series of video games. The first game, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, was released in 1989 for the Nintendo Entertainment System. Sequels quickly followed, releasing across multiple systems including the NES, the Game Boy, the Super Nintendo Entertainment System and the Sega Genesis.

In 1995, Freedman began licensing and merchandising for another comic book franchise: Judge Dredd. Freedman helped spearhead the effort to produce the film adaptation starring Sylvester Stallone. He also worked directly with Acclaim Entertainment to produce a video game based off the film, which was released for the Super Nintendo, the Game Boy, the Genesis and the Sega Game Gear.

Over the years, Freedman accumulated countless product samples from his licensing work. A significant amount of these materials included action figures from the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles toy line, VHS copies of the animated series and films, various promotional items and copies of the video games he helped license.

The games in the Mark Freedman Collection are some of the finest examples of their respective titles in circulation. Freedman kept the collection in storage for decades, occasionally removing an item or two to give away as gifts. However, most of the materials that Freedman received were kept together and remain in pristine condition.

There are several individual highlights from the collection that are being offered by Heritage Auctions. Of note is a stunning copy of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Tournament Fighters for the Nintendo Entertainment System graded CGC 9.8 A++. This game is one of the rarest titles for the console. NES collectors often find it difficult to acquire a cartridge or complete-in-box copy of this game to complete their console library, let alone one in this kind of shape still sealed.

Another standout is a beautiful copy of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III: The Manhattan Project for the Nintendo Entertainment System graded CGC 9.8 A+. This game has long been a favorite among NES collectors and is one of the select-few games listed on the NES Key Titles list in the CGC Video Games Reference Guide. The Manhattan Project is slightly rarer than the previous two games in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise, making it harder to find in such phenomenal condition.

There is also a wonderfully preserved CGC 9.6 A++ copy of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Hyperstone Heist for the Sega Genesis. Hyperstone Heist is one of 21 titles on the Sega Genesis Key Titles list in the CGC Video Games Reference Guide. Many Genesis collectors consider it a must-have for the console, and it remains quite elusive sealed and in high grade.

Two exceptional Nintendo Game Boy games — a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: Back from the Sewers graded CGC 9.8 A++ and a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III: Radical Rescue graded CGC 7.5 A+ — are also featured in this auction. Both games are listed on the Nintendo Game Boy Key Titles list in the CGC Reference Guide. Game Boy games are notoriously hard to find complete in box, let alone sealed.

Besides their impressive condition, the games in the Mark Freedman Collection represent one of the most successful licensing endeavors in history. Mark Freedman was a visionary who took some of the most beloved comic characters and made them into the cultural phenomenon they are today. The games in the Mark Freedman Collection are a testament to both his work and American pop culture.

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