An unopened copy of the popular video game Super Mario Bros. 3 has sold for a whooping $156,000 during the Heritage Auctions sale which was held on Friday in Dallas, USA. The sale broke the record for the highest selling single video game at an auction.
According to Heritage Auctions, the bid started at $62,500, 20 people participated until it reached $156,000 and broke the previous record, which was held by a sealed copy of 1985's Super Mario Bros. for the NES. In July, it was sold for $114,000 in a separate auction.
"We couldn't be more pleased about breaking the world record for the second time in the same year," said Valarie McLeckie, Heritage Auctions' Director of Video Games. "That said, it's no surprise that another Mario game, which so many of us grew up with, would set the new bar." McLeckie said in a statement.
The copy of Super Mario Bros. 3 has sold for such a huge amount due to a rare box design which has the word "Bros." formatted to the left on its front, where it slightly obscures Mario's hand.
"While the condition of the game is remarkable, what makes this copy even more singular is the layout of the packaging itself: Exceedingly rare are sealed copies with the word 'Bros.' formatted to the left, covering one of Mario's signature white gloves. Collectors have spent years looking for such a version — the earliest in the Super Mario Bros. 3 production history – and usually come up empty-handed." Heritage Auctions said in a statement.