Super Mario Bros.

"The One That Started It All"

Introduction: Considered by most gamers to be the great-grandfather of platformers, Super Mario Bros. has sold more copies than any other video game in history. Any game, any time, any system.

Granted, the majority of these sales came in a time when its biggest rival was Pitfall of Atari 2600, but nevertheless, Super Mario Bros. stands as one of the greatest and most influential games of all time. Is it worthy of such a title?

Graphics: It is hard to give an unbiased review of the graphics from a game that over twenty years old. Trying my best to put aside my desire for sharper, better and more realistic graphics, Super Mario Bros. does not disappoint. Up until this point in gaming, graphics had been blocky and barely discernible in shape (see Atari and Intellivision/Colecovision).

While not exactly breathtaking, the graphics are cartoonish enough to appeal to all ages, and easy enough to follow. A turtle, a goomba, a mushroom. Even kids too young to have played this game will easily recognize the older versions of the series' most famous characters. Simple designs, simple graphics. Simply, it works. 8/10

Gameplay: From this game, all the way up to the release of NEW Super Mario Bros. for Nintendo DS, the control scheme remains true to its roots. One button sprints/fires, and the other jumps. That's all you need.

For its time, the game is responsive, and at no point with the controls be a point of frustration. The limit and delay on shooting fireballs can take a bit of getting used to, but beyond that it is very cut and dry. The way it has been through countless Mario adventures.

Also, the gameplay is rather varied for a game of this age. Jumping, swimming, running, climbing. Different levels require different skills, and despite occasionally being repetitive, Nintendo threw in enough of a challenge to keep it fresh and exciting. Many gamers, with a touch of patience, will be consistently entertained. 9/10

Presentation: This is where the dated state of Super Mario Bros. will show up the most, especially to younger gamers reliving video game history. You fire up the game, there's a simple menu and two choices (one- or two-player games, respectively). You start on World 1-1, and have to sit there basically until you conquer World 8-4.

Without the aid of a Game Genie, or other accessories, the lack of a save feature hurts. In 1985, that was perfectly acceptable. The game is not terribly long, but still challenging. Oddly enough, this lack of a save feature was not remedied in this series until the Super NES' Super Mario World.

Not saving aside, the levels a set-up very well. There are underwater levels complete with scenery, vines that lead to cloud-filled skies, and even daytime and nighttime levels. There are no set themes for each world, but normal, underground, nighttime and underwater levels all have their own feel and look. The world-ending castles are solid as well, and the boss battles are consistently challenging (albeit repetitive). 6/10

Sound: I defy you to name one person who wouldn't recognize the original Super Mario Bros. theme if played for them. You can't do it. Again, dated hardware leads to simple music, but the ditties from Super Mario Bros. transcend time. Even the underground levels (doodoo-doodoo-doodoo) have catchy, memorable music.

The sound effect follow suit, being memorable and simple. The sounds for Mario's collisions with various object and baddies is par for the course. Also, is there a more frustrating sound in all of gaming than that weird squelch whenever Mario dies? I didn't think so. 9/10

Replay Value: In the days of the original NES, replay value was hard to judge. Games often didn't save (present company included), and few had unlockables. Despite this, Super Mario Bros. did offer a "Hard Mode" for those who endured all eight worlds and still wanted more. A solid effort for such an aged game, and one would be hard-pressed to demand more. 8/10

Closing Comments: Those that are old enough to have played this game back on the original NES were treated to a real gem at the time. These same people can also look at any platformer since (Mario or otherwise), and truly appreciate the roots from which these stellar new titles grew.

That said, if you are one of the few people either too young, or too shy to have yet tried Super Mario Bros., please do. Any true gamer will have a dusty NES and a few cartridges tucked away in his closet, and is always willing to introduce someone to the original platformer.

It is a strong enough title to hold a gamer's interest even today, and you will gain a new appreciation for just how far gaming has come. A solid challenge (especially the second time through), with enough variety to maintain freshness, even twenty years later.

Long live the king. -MC

FINAL SCORE - 9 / 10 (Not an average)

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 10/25/06, Updated 04/24/07