A near mint condition copy of the NES classic, Super Mario Bros., sold at a recent auction for US $100,150 (about R1,419,600). This makes it the most expensive video game ever purchased at an auction and also makes me feel poor. More so than usual.
Why was it “worth” so much? Back in 1985 and 1986, Nintendo sold two NES cartridges in “sticker sealed” boxes, as opposed to regular old shrink wrap, at test market launches in New York and Los Angeles. This cartridge is certified to be one of the two and its sticker has never been breached. Hot. This virginal game has never known the touch of a cartridge slot, nor has it been blown by a 10 year old boy, so it is worthy of our idolisation and our money. Or something.
The game was purchased by a group of collectors and the high price suggests that other classic, certified video games will be sold for similarly vast sums in the future. So there’s that.
You can play the slutty version of the original Super Mario Bros. on the Nintendo Switch if you’ve signed up for the online service.