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Dodging bananas. Cursing because a blue shell is on your tail. Trying not to fall off a rainbow. All are regular occurrences in Mario Kart, a bestselling series that launched in 1992 and has so far spawned 17 games across multiple consoles, arcade systems, and devices. All the core instalments in the range have been critical and commercial successes, selling over 200 million copies in total and making it the best-selling video game series of all time.
Like many of us, I have wonderful memories of that first Super Mario Kart title which came out on the SNES and introduced new game dynamics to the simple racing format. As fun as those races and time trials were, I especially loved the battle mode, a feature that remains popular in the most modern-day Mario Kart title, Mario Kart World (2025). The success of the series means copies of the first release for the SNES are much sought-after and costly – especially sealed boxes.
A Sealed and Graded Mario Kart SNES Game Is A Rarity
This is an iconic game. It’s one most Nintendo fans would like in their collections. But of course, it’ll cost you.
One copy currently listed on eBay, however, might be more affordable than its peers. Its asking price is still huge, coming in at $2,549 or best offer – the same amount of money that could get you a small second-hand car or a laptop in the Prime Day deals. Nonetheless, considering this is sealed and graded, not to mention over 30 years old, this isn’t a bad price at all.
The box has remained sealed since 1992, so finding any title still intact from three decades ago is quite a feat, let alone it being one of the best-known and most influential releases of all time. Consider how many items from the early 1990s can still be listed on eBay as “Brand New”! A couple of years ago, we celebrated over 30 years of Super Mario Kart, so finding anything this old that’s still unused is astonishing.
The really important thing, though, is that it’s graded and further sealed in a plastic box with a WATA 8.5 overall rating. WATA is an industry leader in grading, certifying, and sealing games for the purposes of preservation, so this ensures quality.
Let’s look at the competition. Even ungraded sealed copies are typically listed for higher asking prices than this item. During a search on eBay, I found an ungraded copy for $4,500, one for almost $13,000, and another at over $14,000 (which ironically has its original price tags on: reduced to $33 at Woolworth!). On the other hand, some asking prices are lower – some for less than $1000. Condition varies. Certainly if you want a graded copy of Super Mario Kart, you’re likely to pay a high premium or have to be content with a lower-graded box.
But What If You Want to Play Super Mario Kart?
Graded versions are for collectors only. If you’ve got one, it’s difficult to prise open, but not impossible. You would be doing the gaming collectors’ industry a disservice, however. If you do want to play the original SNES Mario Kart, you have other options. If you still have a working SNES console, unsealed copies can be found at decent enough prices.
The 2017-18 SNES Classic Edition has been discontinued, but you can still purchase the plug-in-and-play replica second-hand at a fair price. This includes Super Mario Kart alongside a plethora of other iconic SNES titles like F-Zero, Super Mario World, and Super Street Fighter II: The New Challengers. If you have a more up-to-date console, Nintendo Switch Online gives you the chance to download Super Mario Kart if you’ve got an active membership.
So you’ve plenty of options!
Got your eye on this cartridge like a red shell hunting for its prey? Let us know by leaving a comment below and joining the conversation now in the Forum!
Best Mario Kart Games Ranked, According to Metacritic
