For decades, people young and old have been playing video games. From Atari to Playstation, there’s certainly a video game for every collector! With graded games, collectors can take their collection to the next level. Heritage holds a Mini-Boss Select auction weekly, featuring some fine examples of collectible video games.

The Original Mario Bros

Before there was Super Mario Bros, there was Mario Bros. This single-player platformer was originally an arcade cab by Nintendo that took the world by storm in 1983. This game was originally a Donkey Kong spinoff, but as we all know Mario is the official Nintendo mascot. Mario Bros laid the piping down for what would become the norm in future Mario games, such as POW Blocks and pipes. This is an absolute delight to play and was ported to several consoles -- including the Atari 2600. You can still play this game on the Nintendo Switch's online portal.

This complete-in-box 9.0 WATA-graded copy is a rare treat. This is a five-screw cartridge, and there is little sales data on this complete-in-box game version. Heritage did sell a sealed 9.0 A+ WATA-graded copy in July 2021 for $156,000, so it is possible this copy will go for an impressive amount.

Group lot of Mario Memorabilia

Vintage group lots are a personal favorite of mine. These lots are usually full of unique or hard-to-find items, but every blue moon one item, in particular, will give me pause. In the case of this lot, all eyes should be on the 1989 Mario Puppet Kooler. These coolers were popular in the late 1980s and early 1990s and featured a number of pop culture and sports icons. These cooler were designed to hold beverages, but they could also double as fun pen holders for your desk. On average, most without the box sell for under $50. A Mario version did sell on eBay recently for $64.95 in December of 2022, making this a potentially affordable collector's piece.

The three plushes are also worth noting. While Heritage doesn't have much information on them, these plushes likely came out in the 1980s due to Luigi's costume and head sculpt. All three still present well and would look great in a Mario collection. Heritage notes this entire lot as being in excellent condition.

The Last of Us

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If you're reading this, chances are high that you're also watching The Last of Us on HBO. The live-action adaptation of this popular survivalist video game from Naughty Dog has been making waves and has fully cemented Pedro Pascal as the current internet darling. The Last of Us was originally released on the PlayStation 3 in 2013, and then again on the PlayStation 4 in 2014. Within a week of its release over a million units of the game were sold, and by the spring of 2018 over 17 million units were sold for both consoles. The game is one of the best-selling games released for the PS3 and would birth a franchise that includes a comic series, game sequels, and of course the aforementioned HBO show.

This sealed 9.6 A+ WATA-graded copy might not be a 9.8, but this could be a more affordable option for collectors. While I personally don't collect modern video games as they tend to be a flash in the pan per se, The Last of Us has been a popular game for 10 years, and now it's a popular HBO show.  Currently, the one-year average on 9.6 graded copies is $413, making this an affordable graded game for collectors.

*Any perceived investment advice is that of the freelance blogger and does not represent advice on behalf of GoCollect.