Nearly 100 never-before-seen Nintendo cartridges found in Wisconsin game shop

August 11, 2026 - 01:35

A small game store in Wisconsin has stumbled onto something collectors only dream about. Nearly 100 cartridges of a previously unknown variant of Super Mario Bros. and Duck Hunt were found tucked away in a back storage room. The shop owners were going through old boxes when they noticed the labels looked slightly off compared to standard copies. After closer inspection, they realized these were not the usual run-of-the-mill cartridges.

What makes these finds so special is the packaging and the cartridge shell itself. The version appears to be an early production test or a regional release that never made it to wide distribution. The artwork is different, and the plastic casing has a slightly different texture. No known database of Nintendo games lists this exact combination of features. That has sent shockwaves through the retro gaming community.

Collectors and resellers have already started reaching out to the shop, but the owners are being careful. They plan to authenticate the cartridges with experts before selling any of them. Some estimates suggest each cartridge could be worth hundreds or even thousands of dollars, depending on condition. The shop is keeping the exact location private for now to avoid crowds and potential security issues.

For now, the cartridges sit in a locked cabinet while the owners decide what to do next. They are considering auctioning a few pieces and keeping one for display. The discovery is a reminder that even in the age of digital archives, physical media can still hold surprises.