'Super Mario 64' Sealed Copy Becomes Most Expensive Game Ever After Selling for $1.5 Million at Auction

Now becoming the most valuable video game collectible in history, a copy of the Nintendo 64 classic earned $1.5 million at auction thanks to its Wata grading.

July 11, 2021

n64 — Photo by James Sheppard/Future via Getty Images
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Sure, it’s possible to go to your nearest game store and grab a copy of Super Mario 3D All-Stars for the Nintendo Switch just to play Super Mario 64. Or you can buy the OG cartridge for about $40. But if you’re really feeling it, you can always be like the person who just hit up Heritage Auctions to buy a sealed original copy for $1.56 million.

Now becoming the most valuable video game collectible in history, a copy of the 1995 Nintendo 64 classic earned $1.5 million at auction thanks to its Wata 9.8 A++ rating, meaning the game is pretty mint. The “ Like New Condition” means the game is as close to a 10 as it can be, according to IGN.

While the condition is very unusual, it’s not like the game itself is abnormally rare, having sold nearly 12 million units when it was available. To someone, though, it was priceless.

“Well – we’re a bit speechless on this one,” Heritage Auctions’ description read. “What can we even say that would do this copy the justice it deserves? The cultural significance of this title and its importance to the history of video games is paramount, and the condition of this copy is just so breathtaking that we’re really at a loss here. If you have had your heart set on obtaining the highest graded copy of the single best-selling video game on the Nintendo 64 – the first 3D adventure of Nintendo’s mascot, Mario – we only have one piece of advice: this is not an opportunity to waste.”

The Mario sale beat out the sale of an OG copy of The Legend of Zelda earlier this month, when it sold for $870,000. Before that, a copy of Super Mario Bros. for the Nintendo Entertainment System went for $660,000 in April.