'Legend of Zelda' auction sets bar for the most expensive video game at $870,000
Link's wallet has never been large enough to carry this many Rupees.
Just a few months after a record-setting auction turned a sealed copy of Nintendo's original Super Mario Bros. into the most expensive video game — at an eye-popping price of $660,000 — that record has fallen. Another NES classic, The Legend of Zelda, is now the title-holder.
In a Heritage Auctions sale that ended Friday, a sealed copy of the very first Zelda game sold for $870,000. Even though this particular copy scored a (slightly) lower quality rating than Mario, the rarity of the item boosted its value significantly.
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This version of Zelda, described in the listing as a "true grail among games," is notable for its age. "This is the only copy from one of the earliest production runs that we've ever had the opportunity to offer," Heritage notes in the description, and that production run only lasted a handful of months.
The distinction here is a major difference-maker for serious collectors. There are little clues on every NES package that indicate which production run the release comes from. This copy of Zelda is from a run dubbed "NES R" (for the ® that appears next to the "Nintendo Entertainment System" logo on the box).
That "NES R" production run dates back to late 1987, and it was preceded by only one other run (dubbed "NES TM"). The auction listing notes that since only one copy of an "NES TM" version is known to exist — and it's not clear if or when it will ever be sold — that makes this particular Zelda "the earliest sealed copy one could realistically hope to obtain."
The fact that it's in great condition no doubted helped boost the sale price as well. While the Mario copy that sold in April rated higher — Wata 9.6 A+ Sealed — this copy of Zelda is still in stellar condition, with a Wata 9.0 A Sealed rating. (Wata Games does professional video game grading for collectors, in case that's not clear.)
Make no mistake, though: It's the rarity and age of this copy that made it such a pricey buy. As Heritage notes, "there has never been a single public opportunity" to buy a copy of The Legend of Zelda from this early in its life.
Topics Gaming
Adam Rosenberg is a Senior Games Reporter for Mashable, where he plays all the games. Every single one. From AAA blockbusters to indie darlings to mobile favorites and browser-based oddities, he consumes as much as he can, whenever he can.Adam brings more than a decade of experience working in the space to the Mashable Games team. He previously headed up all games coverage at Digital Trends, and prior to that was a long-time, full-time freelancer, writing for a diverse lineup of outlets that includes Rolling Stone, MTV, G4, Joystiq, IGN, Official Xbox Magazine, EGM, 1UP, UGO and others.Born and raised in the beautiful suburbs of New York, Adam has spent his life in and around the city. He's a New York University graduate with a double major in Journalism and Cinema Studios. He's also a certified audio engineer. Currently, Adam resides in Crown Heights with his dog and his partner's two cats. He's a lover of fine food, adorable animals, video games, all things geeky and shiny gadgets.
