[RETRO GAMING] Remember 'Super Mario 64?'

One of the oldest and most iconic Nintendo games is the "Super Mario 64." Released in 1996, this was the first Mario game to feature 3D gameplay, which introduced a whole new level of gaming experience.

Despite being years behind, "Super Mario 64" still has a lot to offer to interested fans. It features a lot of interesting puzzles and a compelling storyline. Even better, one of its copies just sold over a million dollars last year!

'Super Mario 64': Game Details

According to Nintendolife, "Super Mario 64" is a single-player, open-world adventure game. It features the story of Mario as he collects Power Stars in this journey to save Princess Peach from Bowser.

As it grew in popularity, "Super Mario 64" was released to different countries and different platforms on different dates. "Super Mario 64" was first released on June 23, 1998, for Japan, September 26, 1996, for the USA, and March 1, 1997, for U.K. and E.U.

When Nintendo Wii was introduced, the game eventually moved to Wii Shop on November 19, 2006, for the U.S., December 2, 2006, Japan, and December 8, 2006, for the U.K. and E.U.

Lastly, the game sold its digital copies on Wii U eShop on April 1, 2015, for the U.S. and April 2, 2015, for the United Kingdom and the rest of the European Union countries. The file size is approximately 89MB.

Up to date, players interested in playing the game can do so via Nintendo 3Ds, Nintendo Switch Online, and P.C. Note that it uses Classic and Gamecube controller support.

Nintendo 64 Bestseller Games: 'Super Mario 64'

An interesting fact worth mentioning is that one "Super Mario 64" copy sold for more than $1.5 million on an online bid. This number established a new record as the "most expensive sale ever of a video game at auction," per CNN. Note that his amount also topped the record set by "The Legend of Zelda," which only sold for $870,000.

Valarie McLeckie, the video game specialist at Dallas-based auction house Heritage, said that they were shocked to see the numbers during the sale. It should be emphasized that "Super Mario 64" only sold two days after "The Legend of Zelda" was bought.

McLeckie said, "after the record-breaking sale of the first game in the Zelda series on Friday, the possibility of surpassing $1 million on a single video game seemed like a goal that would need to wait for another auction," per CNN. And yet "Super Mario 64" achieved the impossible.

Nintendo 'Super Mario 64' Game Features

The numbers probably show how much fans continue to support the Mario series. This also shows that fans with a strong sense of nostalgia can still pay for Mario merchandise at shocking prices. Lastly, despite its growing age, the game will always be one-of-a-kind.

It should be emphasized that "Super Mario 64" did a lot for the subsequent Nintendo series. This is because its release served as the foundation and model for other Nintendo 3D games.