I remember my dear old mum going to a million stores to find me Donkey Kong Classics back then. It was sold out everywhere. I was like "But mooooom, it's got Donkey Kong AND Donkey Kong Junior on the same cartridge!"
And then the SMB3 Christmas was even crazier. I remember running outside with the rest of the world chanting "Mario! Mario! Mario!" and we were in the shape of a giant Mario face across North America. I think it inspired a commercial.