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 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.