Some rare Mario games could sell for hundreds of pounds.
Paper Mario and Mario Party 3 on the Nintendo 64 and Mario’s Tennis on the Virtual Boy. These are all high-earning titles — if you own them.
New research by troubleshooting website GamesErrors.com based on data analyzed from second-hand retailer CeX has established which rare Mario games could be traded in for the most cash. CeX’s highest trade-in values were compiled for the research, with any requiring peripherals or extras exluded.
The results are quite surprising. Nintendo 64 title Paper Mario (2000) comes first, earning a massive £247 if you traded in a mint condition copy.
Meanwhile, a top-nick condition copy of Mario Party 3 can be traded in from £162, or £84 if unboxed. And third place is 1995’s Mario’s Tennis, a key title on the ahead-of-its-time Virtual Boy. (That console alone is likely to set you back £500 boxed).
Sold mint, this could get you £126 at CeX.
Are rare Mario games affected by the “Mario movie effect”?
A spokesperson for GamesErrors.com said: “Many of the games on this list have stood the test of time, and based on the valuations shown here there is still a good market for them. It will be interesting to watch how valuations change with the release of the new Super Mario Bros movie.
“Additionally, the list shows how much the Mario universe has expanded, spanning genres and –several generations of consoles, with the demand for retro titles in the series remaining high.”
So, there is a chance that those rare Mario game values could keep climbing.
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Christian Cawley is the founder and editor of GamingRetro.co.uk, a website dedicated to classic and retro gaming. With over 20 years of experience writing for technology and gaming publications, he brings considerable expertise and a lifelong passion for interactive entertainment, particularly games from the 8-bit and 16-bit eras.
Christian has written for leading outlets including TechRadar, Computer Weekly, Linux Format, and MakeUseOf, where he also served as Deputy Editor.
When he’s not exploring vintage consoles or retro PCs, Christian enjoys building with LEGO, playing cigar box guitar, and experimenting in the kitchen.
