Hotel Mario (CD-i, 1994) - Philips CD-i Game

Hotel Mario for Philips CD-i is one of gaming's most infamous curiosities. The 1994 puzzle game — born from a licensing deal between Philips and Nintendo — features cut-scene animation so notoriously bad it became internet meme material decades later. It's a terrible game that's become a genuinely valuable collectible.

The CD-i's tiny install base means all its games are scarce, but Hotel Mario has the added draw of being a licensed Nintendo title on a non-Nintendo platform. Complete copies with the long-box case and manual are the collector's target. The game is more valuable as a curiosity piece and conversation starter than as something you'd actually play.

Check the disc for bronzing: discs pressed at PDO Blackburn between 1988 and 1993 — etched "Made in U.K. by PDO" — can corrode, showing a bronze tint from the outer edge inward when held to light. Other pressing plants are not affected, so it is worth reading the etching rather than assuming. The long-box jewel case cracks easily, so inspect the hinges. Verify the manual matches the region. Loose discs without case or manual are significantly less valuable. PAL versions are most common in the European market.