A One-of-One Mario Bros. Copy Could Rewrite Video Game Collecting History and Bidding Just Started
When you think of Mario, you most likely imagine the plumber running across different levels of the Mushroom Kingdom, stomping on bad guys, and attempting to rescue the princess (who is most likely in another castle). Super Mario Bros. is arguably one of the most iconic video games of all time. And, if you had any doubts, a copy of the Nintendo Entertainment System game recently sold for $3 million at an auction, making it the most expensive video game ever sold. There are few games that can compete with that price or the impact that Super Mario Bros. had on the industry. However, it wasn’t Mario’s first solo outing. That would be the original arcade version of Mario Bros. which was very different. Levels were single-screen layouts completed only after defeating all the enemies by bumping from below. It eventually made its way to the NES, bringing the arcade phenomenon into our homes.
Considering this was all the way back in 1983 (1986 in North America), finding a sealed copy of the game is ridiculously rare these days. however, one copy has been found up for sale at Heritage Auctions, and it’s currently sitting at $131,250, with more bids coming in every day. And this isn’t just one random copy, either. What I actually mean is that this is only copy of its kind in existence. This particular sealed first-print copy is rated PSA 9.2 A++, and includes the glossy Nintendo sticker and there isn’t anything else like it.
One Of A Kind Mario Bros. NES Copy Could Become The Most Expensive Video Game Ever Sold
Before the release of this game Mario appeared in 1981’s Donkey Kong and Donkey Kong Junior the next year as the antagonist. Mario Bros. is his first solo appearance and the start of his titular series. It’s also the first time that we saw the series’ trademark pipes, his brother Luigi, and Koopas as well. While Super Mario Bros. is undoubtedly the more popular game, it wouldn’t exist if it wasn’t for its predecessor. Considering it’s the first ever Mario game, you can bet that a lot of collectors are getting their finances in order so that they can drop some massive bids for it. If Super Mario Bros. is the Holy Grail of video games, Mario Bros. is definitely the Ark of the Covenant.
The game not only introduced us to Mario, but also iconic elements of the series like his jump attacks, enemies, and coins. It was the blueprint upon which one of the world’s most iconic video game series was built. With Mario now becoming a movie star too, it’s hard to believe that it all started over four decades ago, with a plumber punching turtles in the sewers. Nintendo owes a major part of its worldwide success to this title, and it probably wouldn’t be the video game giant it is today without it. The fact that this copy of Mario Bros. is the only one of its kind means the bids are likely going to go into the millions. If it does, that could see it go well above the copy of Super Mario Bros. that went for $3 million and this Mario Bros. copy is even more rare. Given where this game is with the auction just starting and with 21 days left for bidding, there’s a chance that it could smash that record to become the most expensive video game ever sold. It’ll be some time before we see how much it eventually sells for, but I’m willing to bet that it’ll make news headlines across the industry and one gaming collector very, very happy.