What Nintendo game sold for $100,000?

In the world of video game collecting, there are standout moments when a particular copy of a game fetches an eye-watering price at auction. One of those unforgettable moments involved none other than Super Mario Bros. on the NES. Here’s the story.

The Record-Breaking Sale

  • In February 2019, a copy of Super Mario Bros. sold at auction for $100,150. Nintendo Life+2Fox News+2

  • What made this copy so special was that it was a test-market version sealed with the rare Nintendo sticker instead of shrink-wrap, from one of the very first batches released in New York and Los Angeles before the NES launch in the rest of the U.S. Business Insider+3Nintendo Life+3Luxurylaunches+3

  • It was graded in “Near Mint” condition by Wata Games, with a seal rating of A++. Fox News+2Luxurylaunches+2

Because of its rarity, condition, and place in NES history, this copy became one of the first video games ever to sell for a six-figure price. GamesRadar++2JOE.ie+2

Why It Was Worth So Much

Several factors combined to make this a landmark sale:

  1. Rarity
    The “sticker-sealed” test market versions were only sold in limited regions (New York, L.A.) during pre-launch tests. Very few are known to be in existence, and even fewer in sealed, high condition. Nintendo Life+2Business Insider+2

  2. Condition and grading
    A sealed game from 1985 that has been preserved in near-mint condition is extremely rare. The fact that the seal was intact, plus the high grade given by a respected grading firm, added huge value. Fox News+2Business Insider+2

  3. Historical importance / “first run” prestige
    Being from a test-market batch makes it more than a copy of a popular game—it becomes a piece of gaming history. This version offered insight into the early NES rollout and how games were distributed before mass launch. Collectors prize “first run” or “test market” items. Business Insider+2GamesRadar++2

  4. Collecting culture & demand
    There is a growing community of retro game collectors who are willing to pay high sums for rarity, condition, and historical significance. Once a certain copy of a title becomes known, especially sealed games, value tends to skyrocket. GameRevolution+2Business Insider+2

Other Notable High-Value Nintendo Game Sales

To give this more context, here are some other auction pieces that also fetched huge sums:

  • A sealed Super Mario Bros. 3 NES copy (graded CGC 9.6 A+) sold for $100,000. CGC Video Games

  • A sealed The Legend of Zelda (first production copy, NES, 1987) graded high by CGC (9.4 A+) went for $300,000 in May 2025. CGC Video Games

What This Means for Collectors & Gamers

The Super Mario Bros. sale shows how video games are increasingly seen not just as entertainment, but as valuable collectibles. The value of a game isn’t just in the gameplay—it’s in:

  • Provenance (where it comes from, when it was made)

  • Condition (sealed, graded, etc.)

  • Rarity (how many copies survived, in what state)

For gaming historians and collectors, sealed copies from early test batches are like archaeological artifacts. They help tell the story of how gaming culture developed.

Final Thoughts

So, what Nintendo game sold for $100,000? It was a pristine, sticker-sealed test market copy of Super Mario Bros. for the NES from 1985. That auction set a benchmark for video game collecting and showed just how much value rare and well-preserved vintage games can hold.