For decades, fans of all ages 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 collections to the next level. Heritage holds a Mini-Boss Select auction weekly, featuring some fine examples of collectible video games.

Record of Lodoss War WATA 9.6 A++ Sealed

Out of almost all of the great games in this week's auction, this game caught my eye. We seldom got anime adaptation video games in North America (to this day, it's still uncommon), but when we did, it was exciting for anime fans such as myself! To keep it short, Record of Lodoss War was originally a novel series (inspired by Dungeons & Dragons), which was then adapted into one of the more popular anime and manga series of the 1990s. While this was the only English adaptation we got, Record of Lodoss War has a number of video games dating back to the late 1980s. This game was well received on its release, but unfortunately, it would be the last Record of Lodoss War video game we would get stateside -- for now!

This sealed WATA 9.6 A++ copy is the current highest graded copy from WATA. Sales-wise, the last 9.6 copy sold for $216 in May 2023. To compare, a sealed WATA 9.4 copy sold for $86 in October 2023. It's been nearly two years since a 9.6 example was up in auction, so it's possible this could break the last sales record. If you're a fan of older anime and fun games, I would keep an eye on Record of Lodoss War!

Super Mario Kart CGC Universal 9.4 Sealed

In 1992, Nintendo wanted to test the limits of friendship with the introduction of Mario Kart. This single or multiplayer game was an overnight hit, selling over 8 million copies and potentially ending millions of friendships along the way. Mario Kart is often cited as creating the kart racing video game genre, and is one of the most highly regarded video game franchises of all time. The game has famously spawned many sequels, including the upcoming Mario Kart World for the Nintendo Switch 2, due out in June 2025. However, if you want to keep it old school, the original Mario Kart is available on the Nintendo Switch!

This CGC Universal 9.4 Sealed Player's Choice copy is a great example of the game. I love the box art for this game -- it features almost all of the main Mario characters, including Donkey Kong. I especially love the depiction of Toad, who looks like he's just happy to be there. Sales-wise, this game is hot. The one-year average for 9.4 copies is $1,094, and currently, this is the highest grade CGC has awarded this game.

Dance Aerobics WATA 9.4 A+ Sealed

During the early days of modern video games, Nintendo was no stranger to pushing the limits of what the console could do. We're all familiar with the Light Gun and the Power Glove, but have you used the Nintendo Power Pad? Similar to the modern Dance Dance Revolution pads of today, the Power Pad was a mat controller you would dance, run, or work out on. Only 11 games were made for the Power Pad, all for the Nintendo Entertainment System. The pad did come back briefly in the mid-2000s for the Nintendo Wii, but has since been put back on the shelf.

Dance Aerobics is the only game in the Power Pad family that is considered a music game. One could argue that this game is a precursor to the popular DDR series. Graded copies for this game don't command a lot of money -- in fact, most copies fall under the $175 mark. So, if you're looking to add a unique title to your video game collection without breaking the bank, this game is it!