“Ancient” Super Mario Game is Sold for Over $1.5 Million, Breaking Record

Super Mario is a true icon for the gaming industry, and the fact that the funny plumber appeared in about 200 games proves it. The first Mario game was created for the Nintendo Entertainment System in 1985, and since then, the character appeared on a multitude of platforms.

If you remember playing Super Mario 64 when you were a kid, it means you had a great childhood! The 1996 game marked the first time when the Italian plumber went after Bowser in a 3D environment, and there’s no wonder why some people would pay a fortune for it.

Super Mario 64 was sold on auction for over $1.5 million

NPR.com writes that according to Heritage Auctions in Dallas, the legendary Super Mario 64 game was sold to an anonymous bidder for the staggering amount of $1.56 million.

The video games specialist of the auction house, Valerie McLeckie, was also astonished by the sale, and he declared for NPR.com:

I was … a bit blindsided, I have to say.

McLeckie also added:

Essentially, the box and the seal have to be in perfect condition. It has to look as pristine as the day it came off the assembly line,
And this essentially has no notable imperfections.

But above all, the main reason somebody accepted to pay so much money for a 1996 game must have been exactly what we mentioned previously: Super Mario 64 was the first video game with the Italian plumber in a 3D world. Actually, it was the first 3D game that ever landed in the hands of many people, which explains the huge nostalgia for the title.

Although nowadays, it’s almost inconceivable for a game to not be represented as a 3D world, most games were showcasing an environment in only two dimensions a few decades ago.