Super Mario Bros. 3 came out in Japan in October 1988, but North America waited until February 12, 1990. Nintendo used the gap well. The game starred in the final scene of the 1989 movie The Wizard, and it sold 250,000 copies here in its first two days. Shigeru Miyamoto directed it with Takashi Tezuka, and an MMC3 chip in the cart let it scroll diagonally and split the screen. It went on to sell more than 17 million copies, the third best-selling NES game. With that many around, condition and completeness are what to shop for. A rare early box puts Bros. on the left of the title, and in 2020 a sealed copy of that printing set an auction record.
Before you plug it in
Should come with it
Check the listing photos against this list, and ask the seller about anything you can’t see. A missing piece should come off the price.
Loose carts mostly suffer label damage and dirty contacts that stop them booting. iFixit suggests isopropyl alcohol and a cotton swab for the pins.
New to retro hardware? How to check a used retro console covers testing, yellowed plastic and opened shells, and regions and video out explains what will run on what, and on which TV.
Buying guide
We'd buy the loose cart titled tested and working at $21.57 delivered, which shows a clean label in its photo, near the bottom of the $20 to $35 band. That band is loose carts, which make up most of the at least 183 for sale, while a box with no manual asks $35 and complete-in-box copies titled tested ask $62 to $90 delivered. Ask for a photo of the back of the cart, since a 1990 cart should have Nintendo's security screws and Phillips or mismatched screws mean it's been opened, and check the label and pins, since dirty contacts are why loose carts fail to boot. The rare early box has Bros. on the left of the title, so don't pay a premium for one, like the $169 copy titled Left Bros, until a clear photo shows it.
$20.98est. delivered
The lowest ask on a cart titled tested, $21 delivered, and titled NTSC-U/C. The label in the photo is faded, so it's the one to buy if you only want to play.
Nintendo Super Mario Bros 3 Left Game Cartridge Only (NES) NTSC-U/C Tested Works
$21.57est. delivered
Titled tested and working, with a bright, clean label in the photo, for 59 cents more than the cheapest. Ask for a photo of the back to see the screws.
Nintendo Super Mario Bros. 3 (Nintendo NES) Super Mario Bros. Tested & working
Delivered prices include shipping as eBay quoted it to a US address on Oct 15, 2026. Many sellers charge by distance, so your total may differ. eBay shows yours before you pay.
Snapshot
Checked . Some may have sold.
Delivered prices include shipping as eBay quoted it to a US address on Oct 15, 2026. Many sellers charge by distance, so your total may differ. eBay shows yours before you pay.
Used$20.98est. delivered
$14.99 + $5.99 shipping
Buy It Now$14.99
This seller takes offers, and many sellers accept less than the asking price.
Fine if you might miss it? Send an offer first. Someone else can still buy it while you wait for a reply.
Want it for sure? Use Buy It Now.
Good buy
Cart only, titled tested and NTSC-U/C. Label is faded.
Seller: freakytees
99.8% positive
Used$21.57est. delivered
$15.50 + $6.07 shipping
Buy It Now$15.50
This seller takes offers, and many sellers accept less than the asking price.
Fine if you might miss it? Send an offer first. Someone else can still buy it while you wait for a reply.
Want it for sure? Use Buy It Now.
Good buy
Cart only, titled tested and working. Clean label.
Seller: bigtopcomics
100% positive
Used$15.83est. delivered
$10.00 + $5.83 shipping
Auction · no bids yet · ends in 3d 18h
Our take
Auction, no bids. Cart only, no test claim.
Seller: normstradingco
100% positive
Used$24.99delivered
$24.99 · free shipping
Buy It Now$24.99
Our take
Cart and sleeve, no test claim. Uses eBay's catalog title, like other PayMore stores.
Seller: paymore_algonquin
99.8% positive
Used$34.99delivered
$34.99 · free shipping
Buy It Now$34.99
Our take
Box and cart, no manual.
Seller: jaysteckler99
99.6% positive
Used$61.70est. delivered
$50.00 + $11.70 shipping
Buy It Now$50.00
This seller takes offers, and many sellers accept less than the asking price.
Fine if you might miss it? Send an offer first. Someone else can still buy it while you wait for a reply.
Want it for sure? Use Buy It Now.
Our take
Titled complete in box and tested.
Seller: ajm_games
100% positive
Used$20.68est. delivered
$13.99 + $6.69 shipping
Buy It Now$13.99
Check the seller
Cart only, titled tested. The engine found another account using this title; compare photos.
Seller: theperfectbloom
98.2% positive
![NES - Super Mario Bros. 3 [Left Bros] - - As Pictured or Shown Live](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/J4wAAeSwXdFqzHI6/s-l500.jpg)
Used$168.83est. delivered
$163.00 + $5.83 shipping
Buy It Now$163.00
Priced high
Titled Left Bros. Photo shows a box, cart and manual; ask what ships and for a clear shot of the box title.
Seller: retrogamesboutiqueinc
100% positive
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