We're actually paying way less for games now. Let me find an ad in one of these old magazines....pick something comparable. September 1996.
Madden NFL 97 at EB for PS1 is $59.99. Same price for Resident Evil.
Mario RPG for SNES is $69.99. So is DKC3.
For the 1996 prices:
$59.99 = $92.28 in 2016 dollars
$69.99 = $107.66
Let me jump ahead to Nov 1997 to get some N64 carts in here.
GoldenEye is $69.99. Cruis'n USA for $69.99.
Mario Kart 64, Super Mario 64, StarFox 64, all yours at $59.99. (Note the developers...)
NFL Quarterback Club 98: $74.99
Madden 64: $64.99
Madden 98 on PS1/SAT: $49.99
GameDay 98: $39.99 (Again, the developer...)
Duke Nukem, $75 on N64, $45 on PS1, $50 on Saturn
Final Fantasy VII: $49.99
PS1/N64: $149.99/$149.99
Memory Card: $19.99/$19.99
Controller: $19.99/$29.99
For the 1997 prices:
$19.99 = $30.06
$29.99 = $45.10
$39.99 = $60.14
$49.99 = $75.17
$59.99 = $90.21
$69.99 = $105.25
$74.99 = $112.77
$149.99 = $225.55