Nintendo superfan spent 40 years leveling up his super collection

By Ed Chatterton

A Nintendo megafan has spent around 40 years amassing one of the world's biggest collections of Mario memorabilia.

Steve Bagley, 45, first fell in love with the iconic video game character when he played Super Mario Brothers on the NES as a five-year-old boy.

Since then he has spent thousands of pounds collecting a 3,000-strong hoard of Mario-related mementos - including 500 games from across the franchises.

The collection features figurines, posters, autographs and antique playing cards as well as 50 Nintendo consoles, including every one ever released.

They are all crammed into a bedroom at Steve's house and he reckons it is one of the comprehensive Mario-related gaming collections in the world.

Steve's obsession with the little mustachioed plumber has seen him scouring eBay and Japanese auction sites for elusive games as well as travelling abroad.

They include promotional games only released in Japan, of which only 500 were ever made, and other rare and obscure titles from the 1980s.

Digital content manager Steve, of Staffordshire, said: "I had the NES when I was five and remember playing Super Mario Brothers and I've never looked back since.

"Nostalgia is a big part of this for me and there's still items from my childhood that remain in my collection today.

"It is one of, if not the most complete collections that you’ll find anywhere of games from across all the Mario-related franchises.

"I began collecting properly in early adulthood and my early 20s, a lot of what I have bought is from eBay and Japanese auction sites.

"If you were to start doing what I've done now, these things would cost thousands of pounds - but I sort of blazed a trail and managed to get some good deals.

"There's around 500 games in total. The thing with my collection is that is very niche and unique, some of these games are extremely scarce.

"I have also 1970s Nintendo hardware, playing cards and toys like board games and puzzles from when they were a playing card and toy company.

"Some of them are antiques dating back to before the Second World War.

"But it's also about having fun and being able to play the games.

"I believe there isn't another collection quite like it. There must be around 2,000 to 3,000 items in total.

"Some of it is very rare, even in Japan. I just love Nintendo's innovation and they continue to go from strength to strength with a fanbase across the world."

The computer game character's first appearance in the arcade game Donkey Kong, when he was known as Jumpman back in 1981.

But it was September 1985 with the launch of Super Mario Bros - featuring his brother Luigi - when his legacy in the industry truly began.

Super Mario Brothers is now celebrating its 40th anniversary. Two new games and a movie are scheduled for release next year.

Steve has also travelled on a "pilgrimage" to Japan to visit the Nintendo Museum and HQ in Kyoto and Super Nintendo World in Osaka.

Married dad-of-one Steve also runs a website dedicated to the iconic video game character, called Mario Museum.

His consoles include Game Boys, Wii's, NES', N64s, Switches, SNES/Super Famicons, Gamecubes and DS.'

More from this section

EU proposes action on Israel trade and ministers over Gaza

Ebola Vaccinations Begin in Congo After Deadly Outbreak

Early Breast Cancer Survivors Have Little Added Risk Of A Second Cancer, Study Says

Steve added: "Mario has definitely stood the test of time - it takes something really special to last that long and be stronger today than he's ever been.

"The Mario games have always been groundbreaking really - from Super Mario 64 being the first 3D platformer to the Wii and then the Switch.

"The beauty has been in the simplicity of them really, yet their design is genius.

"It has always fascinated me because the franchise has grown to become massive, there's movies and theme parks dedicated to him.

"It's like Mickey Mouse, even if you don't like Disney, everyone knows who is he is, Mario is a part of social history.

"There's nothing overcomplicated about them - your gran or a toddler can play them. There's something magical about it."

Steve's parents bought him his first console - the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) - to play the game on.

He said it was "special" to now see his 12-year-old son Mathew enjoying the character as much as he did as a boy.

He added: "I have every single Nintendo console and my collection charts the whole evolution of Mario. I'm playing Mario Kart with my son now.

"I've traveled to Japan twice and I was there only last month visiting the Nintendo museum and the Nintendo HQ.

"We actually stayed in a boutique hotel, which used to be the original headquarters of the company. -so my obsession has taken me quite far and wide.

"I'm going to run the Kyoto marathon next year too as Nintendo announced they were sponsoring it.

"I've met the actor who voiced Mario, one of my most prized possessions is a game signed by the man who created Mario.

"I'm not sure of their total value but to me they are priceless to me. None of this is mass market stuff, it's all rare and high quality.

"One is a Mario game which was given away as part of a radio competition in Japan in the 80s, that would around $2,000 by itself now.

"Another is a Yoshi game which was part of a promotion to sell Panasonic ovens - there were only 500 copies ever made.

"But there's hundreds of other games bought at reasonable prices 20-25 years ago, many on eBay.

"Many are now worth four times as much. Condition is everything with regards to value.

"Mario has become a very significant part of modern cultural history - and I think he could go on another 40 years."

To celebrate the 40th anniversary of Super Mario Bros, Steve has been counting down 40 Mario game formats over 40 days on his social media and is showcasing his collection online.

He added: "It's the first time I've unveiled the full collection in over 30 years, so that should be really exciting for Nintendo fans."

Steve's collection features All Night Nippon Super Mario Bros. on the Famicom Disk System, which he paid $500 for and now worth around $1,500

Yoshi no Cookie: Kuruppon Oven de Cookie on Super Famicom was made to promote the sales of a Panasonic Oven in Japan and is now worth $2,000.

Mario the Juggler Game & Watch was the last of the Game & Watch series and released in around 1990. It is valued at over $1,000.

Steve bought Super Mario Sweater on the Famicom Disk System in Japan for the equivalent of $250. It is also now worth over $1,000.