A Wisconsin gaming store uncovered nearly 100 previously unseen copies of a unique version of Super Mario Bros. and Duck Hunt cartridges in storage, as reported by the shop’s proprietor. These game cartridges differed in their components like screws, labels, motherboards, and manuals compared to earlier versions, confirmed by Jason Ganos of Nintendo Wire. The collection was acquired by Kevin Braun of Onestopwonders in Waukesha, Wisconsin, from an individual who had stored them untouched in his garage for two to three decades. Despite being slated for gold extraction at a metal recovery service, the games were spared from destruction, according to Braun.
The box housing these cartridges was dated 1993, appearing two years after the last known production of the Super Mario Bros. and Duck Hunt combination, noted Ganos. Braun stumbled upon the box concealed behind Halloween decorations in his storage unit, eventually prompted by Ganos to unveil its contents. Though the gameplay remains consistent with the familiar Super Mario Bros. and Duck Hunt, the actual cartridges are distinct, as highlighted by Ganos.
Ganos described this finding as one of the most extensively documented video games in history, emphasizing its unparalleled popularity. Three of the cartridges are set to be auctioned at Goldin Auctions, scheduled for Friday, as per Ganos. Furthermore, the Professional Sports Authenticator has graded several of these cartridges a perfect 10, marking a first for Nintendo Entertainment System games.
In a recent auction on June 12, a Super Mario Bros. game graded 9.6 by Professional Sports Authenticator sold at Heritage Auctions for a record-breaking $3 million, representing the highest-grade copy of the earliest sealed edition of the game. Claire Shelton, the head of Professional Sports Authenticator Games, acknowledged the surging collectible market for video games.
Ganos speculated that these games might have been produced either as replacement stock for warranty repairs and refurbished systems or for a planned but unreleased bundle. The rarity and uniqueness of this discovery left Ganos astounded, emphasizing the unprecedented nature of the find.
