Super Mario 64 might be over 25 years old, but the game is still setting records to this day. A sealed copy of the game has just sold for $1.56 million dollars--the most ever for a video game. The reason behind the demand and staggering price of this version of Super Mario 64 was due to its near-immaculate condition. Sealed, and officially rated a 9.8 by grading company Wata Games, meaning it's almost as pristine as the day it left the factory, Heritage Auctions claims that this is the highest-graded copy of Super Mario 64 in the world.

Super Mario 64 - Wata 9.8 A++ Sealed, N64 Nintendo 1996 USA. Well -- we're a bit speechless on this one. What can we even say that would do this copy the justice it deserves? The cultural significance of this title and its importance to the history of video games is paramount, and the condition of this copy is just so breathtaking that we're really at a loss here. If you have had your heart set on obtaining the highest graded copy of the single best-selling video game on the Nintendo 64 -- the first 3D adventure of Nintendo's mascot, Mario -- we only have one piece of advice: this is not an opportunity to waste.

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[Jayro]

Heh, wait until they get a load of my slightly used copy that I'll sell for $1.57 million...

 

[FAST6191]

Heh, wait until they get a load of my slightly used copy that I'll sell for $1.57 million...

At current rates of inflation in the US that might be undervalued in a couple of months.

 

[Deleted member 194275]

There was a follow up video to the earlier one detailing some of the potentially questionable actions by the auction house and grading company that some enjoyed



Original

look, the amount that I spend with old video games is a value that not even my wife knows (and I just buy cheap Japanese media), so why the hell an individual would made public a 2 million purchase? If is not for advertising, there is no reason for that.

 

[FAST6191]

look, the amount that I spend with old video games is a value that not even my wife knows (and I just buy cheap Japanese media), so why the hell an individual would made public a 2 million purchase? If is not for advertising, there is no reason for that.

It was an auction company holding a public auction (with potential shadiness as described in the videos). Similarly a lot of rich investor types do it to flex*, to ensure they get a better price next time (if it is anything like art, comics, wine and whatnot, and from what I have seen in game collecting circles it is -- see history of Stadium events there) and possibly for insurance.

*for cars but holds much the same whatever you are doing

4:35 particularly.