Cory in the House for the Nintendo DS belongs nowhere near the “best games of all time” discussion, but a look at Metacritic’s user ratings would have some players assuming otherwise. And as the Cory in the House DS memes continue to spread rapidly throughout the internet, the cost of a secondhand copy of this infamous game has risen to match.
For those unfamiliar with Cory in the House DS and the reverse review bombing it’s receiving, it’s worth noting that this isn’t a new meme. The family-friendly Disney channel show has long been a favorite target of the internet for its strange concept, with many jokingly dubbing the live-action project their “favorite anime.” Back in 2013, its tie-in game rose to the top of the “most wanted FAQs” on the website GameFAQs, the original hub for video game discussion on the internet. Its Metacritic was also raised to a 9, but has since become a 9.3 as users try to make it the top-rated game on the aggregation website, with Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 currently having the top spot with a 9.5 user score.
As for why Cory in the House on the DS is being pushed so hard right now, it has nothing to do with a dislike for the hugely successful Clair Obscur, but instead is tied to a hatred for current memes. With older internet users disliking the way memes are progressing, as trends like “6,7” are frowned upon compared to “classic brainrot” like MLG memes and other 2010s-era humor. As a result, a 2026 movement aims to deliver a great meme reset this year, reviving a wide range of 2010s jokes to rescue the internet from Gen Z humor. Celebrating a random game like the DS version of Cory in the House falls into that old style of humor, with the original celebration of the game taking place in the 2010s.
Cory in the House’s eBay Listings Keep the Meme Alive
Searching Cory in the House on eBay results in a number of humorous, overpriced listings for the DS game. One boxed copy boasts a $210 price tag, while the cartridge on its own has a separate listing for $140. A hilarious “complete” listing parodies rare game listings, showing the booklets that came inside the case as if they’re equally sought after. There’s even a fake promotional poster quickly drawn by a random eBay user that’s going for $600 USD — though its seller does accept best offers. For those who actually want a copy of the game, their best bet may be to bid for it, though the lowest auction price as of now is up to $51, with 4 days of bidding to spare.
Other eBay auctions have a similar amount of time left to bid but are up to over $100, showing that some people actually are willing to spend a significant amount of money on a 17-year-old tie-in game purely because it’s funny.
For those actually curious about what Cory in the House plays like, it’s about as strange as one would expect. As a “story-driven” adventure game, there are plenty of moments where players roam around the White House as Cory, clicking through dialogue to reach the next scene. There are, however, a range of mini-games, such as hacking and playing the drums. Stealth gameplay is also prevalent, which sees Cory sneaking by Secret Service agents and throwing pastries to distract teachers, enabling him and his friends to get whatever items are needed for their current objective. With the story also being odd — Cory needs to stop an evil toymaker from using bobbleheads of the President of the United States to hypnotize Washington D.C. — it’s not too surprising actual critics bashed the game, with IGN giving it a 3/10 and its GameRankings score being a 35.
Given the negative reception from critics, the internet’s satirical love for the game would have anyone out of the loop confused. But with Clair Obscur still receiving negative user reviews because gamers like Corylover696769 and CoryInThe_House are upset that “Cory is not in the House,” perhaps the internet really will succeed at making this weird (and now very pricey) DS game the most celebrated title on Metacritic.
Source: IGN
