This 1980s Copy of Super Mario Bros. Is One of the Most Expensive Video Games in History

The original Super Mario Bros. changed video games forever when Nintendo released it for the NES in the 1980s, and now it's making history again. As The Verge reports, a mint cartridge from 1985 just sold for $100,150, breaking a world record in video game sales.

Super Mario Bros. was the first game starring Mario that Nintendo released for a home console. Most old copies of the game from the 1980s show noticeable wear, but the item that just sold through Heritage Auctions was a rare find for collectors. The cartridge is still preserved in its sealed case, earning it a "near mint" grade of 9.4 and a A++ "seal rating" from the rare game certifiers Wata Games.

It's also a rare "sticker-sealed" copy that Nintendo created for an exclusive test market launch of the NES in New York and Los Angeles. That, along with the game's pristine condition, helped make it the most expensive graded game ever sold when a group of collectors purchased it for $100,150 at auction.

Super Mario Bros. helped launch a video game franchise and paved the way for some of Nintendo's most famous properties, including Mario Cart and Super Smash Bros. It's one of several old-school NES games that collectors are willing to shell out big bucks for. Stadium Events, the 1990 Nintendo World Championships (one sold in 2014 for $100,088), and the Nintendo Campus Challenge are also very rare and expensive.

[h/t The Verge]