Super Mario

The global gaming industry now commands a net worth of upwards of $300 billion a year. There are many reasons behind why this media sector, once a close market rival of Hollywood, radically outgrew all other forms of entertainment in the 21st century.

Marvel's "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3" trounced the competition for the second straight weekend in North American theaters, earning $60.5 million for a global haul topping half a billion dollars, industry watcher Exhibitor Relations reported on May 14.

Mario, Madonna and Mariah have entered the national audio canon.

An unopened copy of Nintendo's Super Mario 64 has sold at auction for $1.56 million.

Heritage Auctions in Dallas said that the 1996 game sold Sunday, breaking its previous record price for the sale of a single video game.

A spokesman did not immediately respond to an inquiry about who purchased the game.