A sealed copy of the original Super Mario Bros. for the NES was sold at a Heritage auction for $3 million.
The sale established a new all-time record in the retro gaming market, significantly surpassing the previous high of $2 million, which had stood for five years. Earlier record-breaking sales in 2021 also involved Nintendo classics, with copies of Super Mario Bros. selling for $660,000 and Super Mario 64 reaching $1.56 million.
The game belongs to the second production run released in early 1986. To date, no sealed copies from the very first print run have been discovered, while only two other examples from the second run in comparable condition have been documented.
This particular copy remains sealed with Nintendo’s original glossy sticker, a packaging method the company used before transitioning to shrink wrap. Because this type of seal left the cardboard box exposed and unprotected, finding a game from that era without damage is exceptionally rare.
Experts graded the copy at 9.6 A++, indicating an almost flawless condition.
Production-run details play a crucial role in determining a game's value. For comparison, another sealed copy of Super Mario Bros. was sold at the same auction for $575,000. Despite receiving a higher condition grade of 9.8 A+, it belonged to the fourth reissue and featured the later “hangtab” packaging design, making it considerably less valuable than the record-breaking copy.
As a reminder, God of War: Laufey became the most-discussed game of the June showcase season.
