Most expensive video game ever? Super Mario Bros. cartridge auction nears $100 million

A nearly 40-year-old, unopened Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) cartridge of "Super Mario Bros." has shattered the record for video game collectibles, selling for $3 million (approximately NT$97 million) at auction.

The sale, conducted by Heritage Auctions, marks a new benchmark, surpassing the previous record by a significant margin. This particular copy is from an early 1986 production run, distinguished by its glossy sticker seal rather than the shrink-wrap packaging common today. It is one of only three known copies with this type of seal and is considered the best-preserved among them.

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Super Mario Bros. is considered one of the most iconic works in the history of video games, so it's not surprising that it set a new high in the collectibles market.

Professional grading company PSA awarded the cartridge an exceptionally high score of 9.6 A++, underscoring its pristine condition. The auction house's video game department director, Evan Masingill, stated that the record-breaking sale was not surprising given "Super Mario Bros." is considered one of the most iconic games in history.

Adding to its rarity, the cartridge was recently discovered within a sealed, new NES console bundle, meaning it has remained virtually untouched for nearly four decades. For high-end collectors, the appeal lies not just in the game itself, but in the historical narrative, the extreme scarcity, and the unique characteristics like the glossy sticker seal that make such an item irreplaceable.

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For top collectors, they are not buying the game itself, but the historical significance, rarity, and the irreplaceable glossy sticker seal behind it.