As I said yesterday in my "Sales Battle of the Day" thread, I'm trying to come up with new series of sales topics so I don't use up all the games for my other threads and so I don't get tired of making the same posts.

Thread Description: In this series of posts I will be highlighting an older game (64 bit era and before) that is highly revered, and looking at why it sold the way it did. In the original post there will be a couple of polls, one which asks what was the most important factor in determining the games total sales, and a second question asking why it is that game is still remembered and talked about today.  I'm calling these "…of the Day" threads, but even if it is not the same day feel free to continue to comment in the thread. With the thread description out the way here is today's  Retro Sales Game  of the Day...

Game of the Day

9/14

Super Mario Bros.

Description: Super Mario Bros. first released on the NES in 1985 and went on to sell over 40 million copies, making it the best selling console game until Wii Sports recently overtook it. Many people credit the game with sparking the video game industry and allowing it to become as it big as it is today. So what was it about Super Mario Bros. that got so many people interested in video games? Or do you think the game is given to much credit, and only became so famous because of bundles? Also, why do you think the game continues to be held in such high regard today?  Vote in the polls and the let us know what you voted for and why.

As I said this is the first thread in this series, and if anybody has any suggestions on things they think would make it more interesting let me know. Especially potentially new choices to add to the polls, because I plan on using the same answers for all the polls in this series.

If you liked this post check out the most recent threads in my other "...of the Day" sales threads. Change in Sales Game of the Day , Sales Battle of the Day , and Look at those Legs Game of the Day. I will be posting 1-2 new "...of the Day" sales thread every day, so look out for new ones.

According to Malstrom it sold because of the "Alice in Wonderland" mythos, being a great game probably didn't hurt either.

Personally, I don't see the connection, but I wasn't gaming at the time (due to being a baby). I don't see any of your poll options as sufficient though, and "cultural phenomenon" is an outcome of selling really well rather than the reverse.

Edit: "options", not "results"

As I mentioned at the bottom of post, I'm open to suggestions of choices to add to the poll. So if you have a good one let me know.  About the cultural phenomenon thing, most of the time I would agree with you, but I think there can be exceptions.  For a game like Super Mario Bros. which sold 40 million copies, I think after the game sold 5 million or so, it became well known to the masses.  There was Mario Bros. merchandise and tv shows, and I think that could have accounted for a bulk of the sales.  I think the Wii console/Wii Sports is a good example of this happening as well.  The game sold well on its own initially, but then became popular in the mass media, being featured on talk shows and even in a segment at the emmys. I think it's things like that which have played a big part in the Wii's/Wii Sports continued success.

Does anybody else have an opinion? I'm interested in seeing how much people think bundles inflated the sales of the game. Also as far as the bundles, does anybody know specifics about which regions the game was bundled with the system, how long it was bundled, if it was a forced bundle (came with all systems), etc?