Super Mario is synonymous with video games. As the face of the industry’s renaissance led by Nintendo in the 1980s, the brave mustachioed plumber was many players’ very first introduction to video games, whether it was in the arcade or at home. From the NES to the Switch 2, he’s been at the forefront of accessible, all-ages gaming.
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Mario’s iconic status and the nostalgia associated with his most classic titles means that sealed copies of his games are among the most sought-after collectibles in all of video gaming. While there are many that can sell for several hundred dollars, a few break the thousand-dollar mark.
All prices are approximate, based on data from pricecharting.com on the day this list was written, and are subject to change.
10 Mario Bros (5-Screw Version)
NES, 1986
|
Sealed |
Graded |
|---|---|
|
$1015 |
$1116.50 |
Mario Bros, not to be confused with Super Mario Bros, was the first game to include Mario’s name in the title. Previously, Mario had been the protagonist in the Donkey Kong series of arcade games, and for a while was named Jumpman.
This original arcade classic is available as an Easter egg in several games, including SMB3, but it was ported to the NES as its own title as part of the Arcade Classics Series in 1986.
The important distinction for collectors is to find a copy from the earlier production run; in 1987, Nintendo switched from assembling cartridges with five screws to three, so later copies of Mario Bros have the newer cartridges. Of course, a sealed copy can’t be opened to check without losing all its collector value, so be sure to verify the dates on the box.
A graded copy isn’t much more than an ungraded sealed copy, so if you’re already planning to drop a grand for this title it can be worth holding out for a 5-screw version that’s been verified by a reputable grader.
9 Super Mario World
SNES, 1991
|
Sealed |
Graded |
|---|---|
|
$1300 |
$21157.88 |
Mario’s debut on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System not only introduced Yoshi, but it also remains one of the best and most beloved 2D platformers of all time. Speedrunners and casual players alike delight in its colorful world, intricate level design, and earworm soundtrack.
Prices and overall sales of sealed copies have cooled off in recent years, and graded copies can vary wildly based on the overall rating. If you don’t mind getting an unsealed version, a complete-in-box unit goes for around $400, which can make a fine compromise for a collector on a budget.
8 Super Mario World 2: Yoshi’s Island
SNES, 1995
|
Sealed |
Graded |
|---|---|
|
$1500 |
$3929.08 |
Yoshi’s Island is, fairly or unfairly, best known for Baby Mario’s incessant crying. That’s a shame, because its coloring-book visuals make it a treat for the eyes unlike anything else on the SNES. It seems to be getting its due now as a collector’s item, with sealed copies having trended mostly upward over the last five years or so.
7 Super Mario Bros 3
NES, 1990
|
Sealed |
Graded |
|---|---|
|
$1500 |
$5750 |
Super Mario Bros 3 is a masterpiece of the NES, and was by far Mario’s biggest adventure to date when it launched. It introduced the Koopalings (then called the Koopa Kids), and gave Mario the first of many transformation items, the Leaf.
The “Left Bros” Version
The first production run of SMB 3 had a slightly different box, manual, and cartridge label, easily noticeable by the world “Bros” in the title being aligned to the left; on subsequent versions, it was aligned to the right, near the three, instead of covering Mario’s hand.
Ungraded, there isn’t much difference between a “Left Bros” or “Right Bros” copy of the game, though Left is uncommon enough that it doesn’t see as much circulation as Right. To the correct buyer, though, a graded Left Bros with a high rating could potentially be more valuable than a Right Bros.
6 Super Mario 64
N64, 1996
|
Sealed |
Graded |
|---|---|
|
$2199.57 |
$8700 |
What Mario’s adventures on the NES and SNES were to 2D platformers, Super Mario 64 became to 3D platformers, and then some. Not only did it introduce the collectathon subgenre and the new moves that Mario still uses to this day, but it’s also one of the most-speedrun games ever, optimized and mastered in several categories.
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It’s no surprise that a game as famous as this one commands a high value for collectors, with sealed copies easily breaching the two-thousand dollar mark.
If you’re looking for a copy of your own, be sure to get an original edition, as opposed to the Player’s Choice edition that was produced later; similar to the PlayStations Greatest Hits reissues, these later versions are less valuable and can be easily spotted by the extra label on the right side of the box.
5 Super Mario Bros 2
NES, 1988
|
Sealed |
Graded |
|---|---|
|
$2300 |
$9500 |
Super Mario Bros 2 is famous for being an “unsequel” to the legendary platformer. The real SMB2, which eventually was released in the West as The Lost Levels, was considered too difficult for American audiences. Nintendo’s solution was to reskin a different game, Doki Doki Panic, with Mario characters, and market that as Super Mario Bros 2 in the West.
Despite being a major departure from the original’s gameplay, the game was still embraced by fans, and even informed the development of the franchise; Shy Guys, Birdette, and Peach’s floating jumps have all become canon as a result of Super Mario Bros 2.
It was even re-released in Japan as Super Mario USA.
4 Mario Kart 64
N64, 1996
|
Sealed |
Graded |
|---|---|
|
$2707.73 |
$5785.76 |
Mario Kart 64 took the concept of the SNES original and turned it into a timeless spinoff franchise. Its fast-paced multiplayer mayhem made full use of the N64’s four controller ports while showing off what the console was capable of at launch. Mario Kart World might be the hot new game right now, but this is the game that made it possible.
As with Mario 64, be sure to watch out for the Player’s Choice version of the game, which isn’t as valuable as the original production run.
3 Super Mario Land
Game Boy, 1989
|
Sealed |
Graded |
|---|---|
|
$4108.13 |
$4519 |
Super Mario Land was one of the Game Boy’s launch titles, and it introduced Princess Daisy, who would become a staple of the series’ spinoffs. It’s simple and short, but it did a great job of bringing classic Mario gameplay to the Game Boy, with some of its own twists like the submarine and airplane shooter levels.
While its sequel was probably a better game overall, Super Mario Land’s status as a first-of-its-kind title makes it a prized collectible, and a sealed copy is a pretty rare find.
2 Super Mario Bros
NES, 1985
|
Sealed |
Graded |
|---|---|
|
$4983.11 |
$7508.24 |
You knew it would be on this list, and near the top. The original Super Mario Bros for the NES is the definition of classic Nintendo, and a generation of players could probably get through World 1-1 in their sleep.
While the original SMB has seen its share of inflated listings, especially for graded copies, it’s still an important piece of gaming history that can fairly command a price of several thousand dollars. Remember, though, that this is for the original cartridge that only contains Super Mario Bros; the dual cart that also included Duck Hunt is a separate listing, and its sealed value numbers in the hundreds rather than the thousands.
1 Super Mario Kart
SNES, 1992
|
Sealed |
Graded |
|---|---|
|
$5800 |
$6307.56 |
Super Mario Kart might seem quaint compared to the more modern incarnations of the series, with limited characters and tracks. Still, it’s a classic, and an undeniable piece of gaming history.
The original Mario Kart’s stock has gone up considerably just in the last month, with several sales of sealed copies pushing the average price up. It’s unclear yet whether this is a spike or an actual trend. There haven’t been a lot of graded sales this year to compare them to, so while the numbers are high right now, it might be worth doing your due dilligence even more than usual with this title.
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Time to check our closets and collections for any of the following PlayStation 1 games, they’re worth a fortune!
