Earlier this year in July, a sealed copy of Super Mario Bros. for NES sold for $114,000 USD. It set a new record for the most expensive video game ever sold. While most probably expected it to hold this record for some time, the highest price paid for a video game at auction has now been broken (again).
Heritage Auctions revealed it sold a sealed copy of the 1990 NES game Super Mario Bros. 3 on Friday for $156,000.
“The lot opened bidding at $62,500 – already an impressive sum for the game graded Wata 9.2 A+. But 20 bidders got in the game, sending the final price soaring toward the world record during what would become the world’s first-ever million-dollar video-game auction.”
Heritage Auctions’ director of video games, Valarie McLeckie, said the it was “no surprise” that another Mario game had set a new world record. This particular copy of the game is described as being in “remarkable” condition, but here’s what sets it apart from the rest:
“what makes this copy even more singular is the layout of the packaging itself: Exceedingly rare are sealed copies with the word “Bros.” formatted to the left, covering one of Mario’s signature white gloves. Collectors have spent years looking for such a version – the earliest in the Super Mario Bros. 3 production history – and usually come up empty-handed.”
So, there you go – another record-breaking sale. Of course, if you would like to relive Super Mario Bros. 3 yourself, you can always check it out on Nintendo’s Switch Online NES service.
