A sealed cartridge of "The Legend of Zelda" for the old Nintendo NES console has sold for a world record sum of $870,000, auction house Heritage Auctions said in a statement Friday.

The cartridge, dated to 1987, is still in its original packaging and trumps the previous world record sale of a video game -- $660,000 for a 1986 "Super Mario Bros" cartridge sold in April -- according to the auction house.

The game was the "masterpiece" in a sale of 443 lots that runs until Sunday, Eric Bradley, spokesperson for the Dallas-based company, told AFP.

The "Legend of Zelda" cartridge, dated to 1987, is still in its original packaging
The "Legend of Zelda" cartridge, dated to 1987, is still in its original packaging Heritage Auctions / -

The auction house has not revealed the identity of the buyer.

Blending adventure, action and exploration in a magical universe, Zelda is one of the most significant titles in the history of video games and one of Nintendo's best-known series.

Retro video games have become increasingly popular with nostalgic collectors in recent years, driving up prices for old-school consoles and cartridges at auctions.