Super Mario 64 sells for $1.56M in record-breaking auction

An unopened copy of Nintendo’s “Super Mario 64” sold at auction Sunday for a whopping $1.56 million, shattering the previous record amount paid for a single video game which was set just two days earlier.

Dallas, TX-based Heritage Auctions noted that it’s the first time a single video game has ever sold for more than $1 million.

Super Mario 64 was released in 1996 and quickly became a classic.

It was the first video game to feature the world-famous Mario character in 3D, Heritage Auctions said in a statement, and it was the best-selling game on the Nintendo 64 console.

The game received the highest possible A++ grade from video game grading company WataGames, Heritage Auctions said, meaning it was preserved in nearly impeccable condition.

The Wata-graded 9.8 A++ Sealed copy of Super Mario 64 that sold for $1.5M.
The Wata-graded 9.8 A++ Sealed copy of Super Mario 64 that sold for $1.5M.
HA.com

Heritage did not immediately return The Post’s request for comment on who bought the game.

The record-breaking sale came just two days after a sealed copy of Nintendo’s The Legend of Zelda sold at auction Friday for $870,000, setting a world record that didn’t last the weekend.

A screenshot of the game shows Mario exploring the courtyard of Princess Peach's castle in full 3D -- which was a watershed moment in video game history.
A screenshot of the game shows Mario exploring the courtyard of Princess Peach’s castle in full 3D, which was a watershed moment in video game history.
Alamy Stock Photo

Valarie McLeckie, Heritage’s video game specialist, said in a statement that the auction house was shocked to see a game sell for more than $1 million so shortly after the record-setting auction of the Zelda game.

The sale also underscores the degree to which the market for collectibles has exploded during the pandemic.

Everything from sports and Pokemon cards to non-fungible tokens have soared in popularity over the past year with multimillion-dollar auctions and companies positioning themselves to support the growing industry.

To be sure, within the collectibles market, the Mario franchise holds an especially pronounced nostalgic lure.

The back of the sealed Mario 64 box seen on display in the Wata-graded protection.
The back of the sealed Mario 64 box seen on display in the Wata-graded protection.
HA.com

In April, an original 1985 edition of “Super Mario Bros.” for the Nintendo Entertainment System sold for a then-record setting $660,000.

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