An NES Mario Classic Just Became the Most Expensive Game Ever Sold

A sealed copy of 1985’s Super Mario Bros. has broken the world record for the most expensive video game ever sold at auction, fetching a staggering $3 million. This particular copy of Super Mario Bros. caught the attention of collectors for several reasons, most notably its high-graded Professional Sports Authenticator (PSA) certification, which essentially makes it the finest known example among its variants.

Super Mario Bros. was originally released for the NES in 1985. It is widely regarded as one of the pioneering games of the platformer genre and, as the first entry in the Super Mario series, holds a special place in the hearts of many fans. As of this writing, only three known copies of the gloss-sealed version of Super Mario Bros. have been graded by services such as PSA.

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Why a Sealed Copy of Super Mario Bros. Is Worth $3 Million

On June 12, 2026, Heritage Auctions set a new world record for the most expensive video game ever sold at auction, with a PSA 9.6 A++ copy of Super Mario Bros. selling for $3 million. The auction house described it as “the most significant video game ever offered,” and there are several reasons why. This particular copy is currently the highest-graded known example of the game. The only other graded copies of the gloss-sealed variant are a Wata 9.4 A++ copy and a VGA 80 copy. The gloss sticker seal confirms that it comes from the cartridge’s second production run. As a result, it is also one of the oldest known copies of Super Mario Bros. in near-perfect condition.

Scratch & Peek

Identify the cover art while scratching off as little foil as
possible.

Scratch & Peek

Identify the cover art while scratching off as little foil as possible.

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Before the June auction, the most expensive copy of Super Mario Bros. sold by Heritage Auctions was a 9.6 A mid-production copy that raised $750,000. However, according to Public.com, one of the previous record holders for the most expensive video game ever sold was a sealed copy of Super Mario 64, which brought in just over $1.5 million. Paying seven-figure sums for iconic video games is a relatively recent trend. Heritage Auctions says the first video game to sell for a six-figure amount did so in 2019, when another second-production copy of Super Mario Bros. sold for roughly $100,000.

The game's official promotional art from Nintendo's web site - Super Mario Bros

Most Expensive Super Mario Bros. Games Sold at Heritage Auctions

Game Title	Auction Price
Super Mario Bros. — PSA 9.6 A++ Sealed [Gloss Sticker, Second Production]	$3,000,000
Super Mario Bros. — Wata 9.6 A Sealed [Hangtab, 3 Code, Mid-Production]	$750,000
Super Mario Bros. — Wata 9.6 A+ Sealed [Oval SOQ R, Last Production]	$36,250
Super Mario Bros. — Wata 9.6 A+ Sealed [Oval SOQ R, Last Production]	$36,000
Super Mario Bros. — Wata 9.6 A+ Sealed [Oval SOQ TM, “USA and Canada” Text, Later Production]	$35,000
Super Mario Bros. — Wata 9.6 A Sealed [Oval SOQ TM, Later Production]	$22,800

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Although paying breathtakingly high prices for rare video games is a relatively new trend, a clear pattern has emerged among many of these record-breaking sales. Most games that have sold for six- and seven-figure sums are classic Nintendo titles. For example, one of the biggest deals in recent years involved a copy of The Legend of Zelda that sold for about $870,000. Another notable sale saw a rare copy of Super Mario World fetch $144,000. Nintendo also co-owns the Pokemon franchise, which is well known for its appeal among collectors. Pokemon collectibles, particularly Pokemon Trading Card Game items, regularly sell for eye-catching amounts.

It remains to be seen whether the current record for the most expensive video game will be broken any time soon. However, collectors would likely be willing to pay even more for a sealed first-production copy of Super Mario Bros., assuming one still exists. The record-setting sale also makes people wonder whether any of today’s AAA video games will become highly sought-after collector’s items 40 or 50 years from now.