A sealed, boxed copy of Super Mario 64 sold for $1.56 million at Heritage Auctions on July 11, 2021, setting a video-game auction record at the time. The lot was graded Wata 9.8 A++; it was not an ordinary loose cartridge, and the result is not a guide to what a typical copy is worth.
What sold for $1.56 million?
Heritage Auctions listed the lot as “Super Mario 64 – Wata 9.8 A++ Sealed, N64 Nintendo 1996 USA.” In other words, the sale was for a sealed boxed game graded near the top of Wata’s scale, not simply a cartridge that someone could take out and play. Heritage reported the $1,560,000 result and said it was the first video game sold at auction for more than $1 million. Heritage’s sale announcement identifies the lot and price.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
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Super Mario 64 Game for N64 (Renewed) | $74.94 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
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Super Mario 64 DS - Nintendo DS (Renewed) | $50.00 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
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Super Mario 64 (Nintendo 64) (Complete - Very Good) | $64.94 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
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Super Mario 64 (Renewed) | $82.77 | Buy on Amazon |
| 5 |
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Super Mario 64 DS (Renewed) | $42.92 | Buy on Amazon |
Heritage Video Games Specialist Valarie McLeckie described the grade this way: “This is the only graded copy in a 9.8 A++ which is effectively the highest feasible grade one could hope to receive from Wata.” That is Heritage’s statement about the copy and its grading status, not an independently established count of every copy in existence.
How it surpassed the previous record
The earlier record was set two days before the Mario sale, when a sealed NES copy of The Legend of Zelda, graded Wata 9.0 A, sold for $870,000 at Heritage. The Mario lot brought $690,000 more. McLeckie said the Zelda result had made a sale above $1 million seem like a goal for a future auction; the Mario result crossed that threshold days later.
#1 Best Overall
Heritage’s July 13 recap reported that the standalone video-games auction produced $8,471,183 in total sales and drew more than 2,000 bidders. It also listed a sealed copy of Super Mario World at $360,000. Those figures describe one Heritage auction event, not the broader market or a representative sample of game prices. Heritage’s auction recap provides the event totals and other results.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Why the record does not price an ordinary copy
The headline price depended on the specific sealed copy and its exceptional grade. Guinness World Records reported that another Super Mario 64 graded Wata 9.6 A++ sold for $13,200 in the same auction. That is a useful illustration of how sharply results can differ even between sealed copies with high grades, but it is not a complete valuation guide across conditions, editions, or marketplaces. Guinness World Records’ report records both Mario results.
Rank #2
- Nintendo super mairo 64 ds
Ars Technica reported that the record-setting copy showed no indication of being a special or rare print. The evidence here therefore does not support explaining the price as a premium for a documented rare production variant. Ars Technica’s contemporaneous coverage discusses the copy and the sale.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- This renewed game will not come with the original case or manual; cartridge only. It has been cleaned, tested, and is in nice condition.
Rank #4
What a buyer or seller should take from the result
- Compare like with like. Whether a copy is sealed, its condition, the grading company and grade, and the release details can all matter. The $1.56 million sale concerned one unusually high-graded sealed boxed copy.
- Distinguish a sale price from an asking price. The $1.56 million figure was a reported realized auction result, not a listing price or appraisal for every copy.
- Do not treat the record as a current price quote. The sale established a record in July 2021. The sources cited here do not establish whether it remains the all-time record in 2026, nor do they establish a current market value for another copy.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
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