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Super Mario Bros.

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For other uses, see the Super Mario Brothers video game for the NES.
Super Mario Bros.
"Super Mario Bros." Box art (NES version)
"Super Mario Bros." Box art (NES version)
Developer(s)Nintendo
Publisher(s)Nintendo
Director(s)
Designer(s)Shigeru Miyamoto
Hiroshi Yamauchi
Takashi Tezuka
Koji Kondo
Composer(s)
SeriesMario
Platform(s)Famicom/NES, Famicom Disk System, Game Boy Color, Game Boy Advance, Virtual Console
ReleaseNES
Famicom Disk System
Game Boy Advance
Virtual Console
Genre(s)Platform game
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer

Super Mario Bros. (スーパーマリオブラザーズ, Sūpā Mario Burazāzu, sometimes referred to as Mario, Super Mario or SMB) is a platform game developed and published by Nintendo in late 1985 for the Nintendo Entertainment System. Super Mario Bros. featured gameplay that changed the way video games were created. It is the first console original in this genre to feature smooth-scrolling levels, which made it a landmark in home video-gaming.

Super Mario Bros. sports a "hero must save damsel in distress" storyline. The hero in this case, an Italian plumber named Mario, has to save Princess Toadstool of the Mushroom Kingdom from the evil King Koopa. Mario is aided in his quest by his brother Luigi in two-player mode. In order to save Princess Toadstool, the Mario Bros. must conquer the eight worlds that comprise the Mushroom Kingdom. Mario (or Luigi) must make his way to the castle in each world and defeat one of the King's evil minions, thereby taking control of that world. In order to reach the castle, however, Mario or Luigi must battle through three "sub-worlds" by either destroying or avoiding King Koopa's henchmen. If Mario or Luigi successfully defeats the evil minion, a Mushroom Retainer (later called Toad), is freed. Inside the eighth castle, the Mario Bros. will find Princess Peach.

Super Mario Bros. is the best selling video game of all time,[1] and was largely responsible for the initial success of the Nintendo Entertainment System, as well as ending the two year slump of video game sales in the United States after the video game crash of 1983. It has inspired countless imitators, five direct sequels, and many spinoffs, as well as an entire video game series, and was one of Shigeru Miyamoto's most influential early successes. The game starred the Italian plumber Mario and his brother Luigi. Mario went on to become Nintendo's most well known mascot. The theme music, by Koji Kondo, is recognized worldwide, even by those who have not played the game, and has been considered a representation for video game music in general.[2]

The game was succeeded by a direct sequel in Japan (later retitled Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels outside Japan), and by Super Mario Bros. 2, a slight revision of Yume Kōjō: Doki Doki Panic with playable Mario characters, elsewhere in the world. There also have been many "alternate" versions of the game, such as All Night Nippon Super Mario Bros., which featured personalties from a famous Japanese radio show, as well as an arcade game. The success of Super Mario Bros. has caused it to be ported to almost every one of Nintendo's major gaming consoles, as well as the PC.

Gameplay

A gameplay screenshot

The player takes the role of Mario, or in the case of a second player, Mario's brother Luigi.[3] The object is to race through the Mushroom Kingdom, evade or eliminate Koopa's forces and save Princess Toadstool.[4] The Mario Brothers' primary attack is simply jumping on top of ("Stomping") their enemies, which kills the mushroom traitors, known as Goombas,[5] and sends the turtle soldiers, known as Koopa Troopas into their shells.[6] Mario and Luigi can then kick these shells into other enemies, which will conveniently dispatch them. Conversely, kicked shells can bounce back off of walls or other vertical obstructions and hit Mario or Luigi, causing him to lose a life.[7] If Mario or Luigi gets a mushroom, they will be able to take two hits before losing a life; collecting a fire flower grants the ability to throw fireballs, as well as the increased number of hits.[8] Some enemies cannot be killed by stomping; these enemies can only be killed by turtle shell or fireball as stomping them will hurt the Mario Bros.[9] Jumping on enough enemies in succession or kicking a shell into enough enemies in succession (combos) results in double points earned with each enemy killed, eventually earning Mario or Luigi a 1-up (an extra life).[10] Mario and Luigi can also obtain 1-ups through finding 1-up mushrooms and by collecting 100 coins.[11]

Power-ups

Aiding the Mario Brothers in their quest are several powers. Mario or Luigi can be hurt if either touches an enemy. If he takes a hit from an enemy as Super Mario/Luigi or Fire Mario/Luigi, he simply reverts to regular Mario/Luigi and the game continues.[8] If he takes a hit as regular Mario, falls down a pit (regardless of status), or if the time clock runs out, however, he loses a life and starts again.[12] The point where Mario continues from after losing a life depends on how far he ran through the level before dying: either from the very beginning or at an invisible "checkpoint" partway through the level.[13] There are no checkpoints in castles or in world 8, the final world. Mario or Luigi can also collect a Starman and become invincible for a limited amount of time.[8] Invincible Mario or Luigi is impervious to the touch of enemy characters and most obstacles and he can simply run into enemies to kill them. He will still die, however, if he falls in a pit, falls into lava, or if time runs out.

File:Bowser (smb1).png
Mario battles King Koopa at the end of World 8

The game consists of eight worlds with four levels in each world.[4] Though each world is different, the fourth sub-world is always a fortress or castle. At the end of each castle level, Mario or Luigi fights King Koopa.[14] In the later worlds (worlds 6 to 8), King Koopa throws hammers as well as occasional jets of fire breath.[14] King Koopa may be defeated in one of two ways: either by touching the axe at the edge of the bridge (thereby dropping him into the lava) or, as Fire Mario or Luigi, throwing fireballs at him to defeat him directly. The latter is the only way to receive points for the King's defeat.[15] At the end of each world save the last, Mario or Luigi is greeted with the words "Thank you Mario [or Luigi]! But our princess is in another castle!" spoken by a Mushroom Retainer.[16]

After winning the game, the player is given the option to start the game again in "'Hard' Mode,"[17] where all Goombas are replaced by Buzzy Beetles (Koopa Troopa-like enemies who cannot be killed by fireballs) and all enemies' walking speed is increased.[17] In addition, the elevator-style lifts are about 60% their original size throughout.[17] There are also some hazards in the earlier worlds that only appear in "Hard Mode." For example, in World 1-3 random Bullet Bills fly across the screen, a danger that normally only appears in certain later levels, such as World 5-3. [17]

Players may get to the beginning of any world with a relatively small amount of effort by using hidden warp zones in a number of levels. One is in level 1-2 and is reached by walking on the blocks at the top of the level passing the exit pipe. This zone allows jumping to worlds 2, 3 and 4. The other two are in 4-2; one is reached in the same manner as the one in 1-2 but this only allows access to world 5. The other is reached through a beanstalk that grows from a hidden block and takes the player into a surface area that leads to worlds 6, 7, and 8.[18]

Music

Super Mario Bros. was scored by Koji Kondo.[19] There are four main themes used in the original game:[20]

  • Overworld - The primary theme.
  • Underworld - A simple theme used in the underground levels. The Underworld theme has been used, in one form or another, in almost every Mario platformer.
  • Underwater - A slower theme used in the underwater levels. It has been reused in Super Mario Bros. 3 and New Super Mario Bros.
  • Fortress - A fast-paced theme used in the castle levels.

The Minus World

The Minus World is a well-known glitch in Super Mario Bros. By passing through a solid wall near the World 1-2 exit due to a glitch, it is possible to travel to "World -1,"[21] also known as the "Minus World" or "World Negative One" and considered by the game to be "World 36." This stage is identical to Worlds 2-2 and 7-2, but upon entering the warp pipe at the end, the player is taken back to the start of the level. Exploiting the same glitch in the Japanese Famicom Disk System is considerably different and has three levels, after which the player is returned to the title screen as though he or she completed the game.[22] This glitch has been fixed in the Super Mario All-Stars remake[23] as well as in Super Mario Bros. Deluxe.[21]

Alternate versions

As one of Nintendo's most popular games, Super Mario Bros. has been re-released and remade numerous times, ranging from an arcade version released soon before the original NES release to the game being available for download on the Wii's Virtual Console.

Early re-releases

Super Mario Bros. was re-released many times in the year immediately after its original release on the NES. A side-scrolling platform game entitled Super Mario Bros. was released for the Game & Watch range of handheld LCD game systems by Nintendo.[24] The Game & Watch Super Mario Bros. is an entirely new game, featuring none of the stages from the NES original. In Japan, meanwhile, Super Mario Bros. was released for the Famicom Disk System, Nintendo's proprietary floppy disk drive for the Famicom.[25] This version also had multiple Minus World levels.[22]

Vs. Super Mario Bros.

One alternate version, Vs. Super Mario Bros., is nearly a separate game in its own right. This game, one of several games made for Nintendo's NES-based arcade cabinet, the Nintendo Vs. Unisystem (and its variant, the Nintendo Vs. Dualsystem), is based on Super Mario Bros., and has identical gameplay. The stages are different, however; the early stages are subtly different, with small differences like the omission of 1-up mushrooms or other hidden items, but later stages are changed entirely. (Many of these later, changed stages reappeared in the Japanese Super Mario Bros. 2.) These changes have a net effect of making Vs. Super Mario Bros. much more difficult than the original Super Mario Bros.[26]

As with many older arcade games, it is not clear exactly when this game was released; while the arcade boards themselves are stamped "1985,"[27] the Killer List of Video Games and the MAME game listing list the game as having been released in 1986.[28][29]

File:All Night Nippon Super Mario Bros box art.jpg
The cover of All Night Nippon Super Mario Bros. depicts the Mario series characters as well as the cast of 'All Night Nippon'.

All Night Nippon Super Mario Bros.

All Night Nippon Super Mario Bros. is a version of Super Mario Bros. with graphics based upon a radio show, called 'All Night Nippon', that was very popular in Japan in 1986. It was released for the Famicom Disk System.[30]

The game, which was released only in Japan, was a special promotional version that was given away by the Japanese radio station 'All Night Nippon' in raffles in 1986. The game borrows levels from Super Mario Bros., Super Mario Bros. 2 (Japanese version), and Vs. Super Mario Bros. The enemies and the mushroom retainers at the end of King Koopa's forts are replaced with Japanese music idols, famous recording artists, and DJs, as well as other people related to 'All Night Nippon'. It was published by Fuji TV, the same company that published Yume Kōjō: Doki Doki Panic (which was later remade into Super Mario USA, a.k.a. Super Mario Bros. 2).[31]

File:SuperMarioBrosSNESTitle.png
Title screen of SMB in All-Stars

Super Mario All-Stars

Main article: Super Mario All-Stars

In 1993,[32] Nintendo released an enhanced SNES compilation titled Super Mario All-Stars. It includes all of the Super Mario Bros. games released for the NES/Famicom. The version of Super Mario Bros. included in the compilation had improved graphics and sound to match the SNES's 16-bit gameplay capabilities, as well as minor alterations in some collision mechanics. The new version also included a save game feature. Several glitches from the original NES release were also fixed.[33]

Super Mario Bros. Deluxe

Main article: Super Mario Bros. Deluxe

In 1999,[34] Super Mario Bros. was released on the Game Boy Color, under the title Super Mario Bros. Deluxe. It featured simultaneous multiplayer, a Challenge mode and also included the Japanese Super Mario Bros. 2 (which was released on Super Mario All-Stars as Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels) as an unlockable extra. It also was compatible with the Game Boy Printer. However, the game did not feature any upgraded visuals (aside from some graphics such as water and lava now being animated rather than static), and since the screen resolution of the Game Boy Color was smaller than the NES, the view distance of the player is reduced. To compensate, players can press up and down to see above and below the player. Pressing select during the game also places the player in the middle or off to the left of the screen so that player can see well. Players can alternate between Mario and Luigi by pressing select on the map screen.[35]

Reception and legacy

Super Mario Bros. popularized the side scrolling series of video games and led to many sequels in the series that built upon the same basic premise. Almost all of the game's aspects have been praised at one time or another, from its large cast of characters to a diverse set of levels. One of the most-praised aspects of the game is the precise controls. The player is able to control how high and far Mario or Luigi jumps, and how fast he can run. [36] The music, especially the Overworld theme, has also become one of the most recognizable pieces of music in the world. Super Mario Bros. is still played on the NES, and the style of this game is still used and continues to be very popular around the world. The game has spawned two direct sequels, Super Mario Bros. 2 and 3, both of which have been very successful. The Mario series is one of the most popular and enduring series on the planet. The game also holds the top spot on EGM's greatest 200 games of their time list[37] and IGN's top 100 games of all time list (2005).[38] All together, this game sold 40.24 million copies, making it the best selling video game of all of the Mario Bros. series.[39]

Re-releases

Classic NES Series

Main article: Classic NES Series

In early 2004, Nintendo re-released the game on the Game Boy Advance in Japan as part of their Famicom Minis collection and in the U.S. as part of the Classic NES Series. Unlike previous re-releases, these versions contain no graphical updates and all of the original glitches remain. Super Mario Bros. was one of the best-selling of these rereleases; according to the NPD Group (which tracks game sales in North America), this re-released version of Super Mario Bros. was the best-selling Game Boy Advance game in June 2004, and as of June 2004 the GBA's sixth-best-selling game overall.[40] In 2005, Nintendo released this game again for the GBA as part of its 20th Anniversary with a special edition, which sold approximately 876,000 units.[41]

Virtual Console

Main article: Virtual Console

Super Mario Bros. was released on December 25, 2006 in Japan and North America, and on January 5th, 2007 in PAL regions for Wii's Virtual Console. Unlike other landmark games such as Super Mario Bros. 2 (Japan), which costs 600 Wii Points,"Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels". The Virtual Console Archive. Retrieved 2007-11-01. the price for Super Mario Bros. is the normal 500 Wii Points. As it is a copy of the original game, all glitches, including the Minus World, remain in the game. [42]

See also

Notes and references

  1. ^ "Best-Selling Video Games". Guinness World Records. 1999. Archived from the original on 2006-02-20. Retrieved 2005-11-21.
  2. ^ "Top Ten Tuesday: Best 8-Bit Soundtracks". IGN. 2007. Retrieved 2007-09-30.
  3. ^ "TMK: Mariopedia: L". TMK Mariopedia. Retrieved 2007-10-31.
  4. ^ a b Instruction booklet, p. 7.
  5. ^ Instruction booklet, p. 12.
  6. ^ Instruction booklet, p. 11.
  7. ^ Instruction booklet, p. 19.
  8. ^ a b c Instruction booklet, p. 10.
  9. ^ Instruction booklet, p. 14.
  10. ^ Instruction booklet, p. 20.
  11. ^ Instruction booklet, p. 9.
  12. ^ Instruction booklet, p. 12
  13. ^ Instruction booklet, p. 8.
  14. ^ a b "The Bad". TMK Super Mario Bros. Complete Guide. Retrieved 2007-11-01.
  15. ^ Instruction booklet, p. 16.
  16. ^ "The Good". TMK Super Mario Bros. Complete Guide. Retrieved 2007-11-01.
  17. ^ a b c d "Hard Mode". TMK Super Mario Bros. Complete Guide. Retrieved 2007-11-01.
  18. ^ "Cheats & Codes: Super Mario Bros". themushroomkingdom.net. Retrieved 2007-11-01.
  19. ^ "Koji Kondo". IMDb.com. Retrieved 2007-11-02.
  20. ^ "Super Mario Bros. MIDI's". themushroomkingdom.net. Retrieved 2007-11-01.
  21. ^ a b "Super Mario Brothers bugs and glitches". themushroomkingdom.net. Retrieved 2007-10-31.
  22. ^ a b "Japanese Famicom SMB Minus World". Kotaku.com. Retrieved 2007-11-01.
  23. ^ "Games FAQ: Super Mario All-Stars". nintendo.com. Retrieved 2007-11-02.
  24. ^ "Super Mario Brothers Game & Watch". Parachuter. Retrieved 2007-11-01.
  25. ^ TMK From Japanese To English: Super Mario Bros.
  26. ^ "Vs. Super Mario Bros". themushroomkingdom.net. Retrieved 2007-11-01.
  27. ^ passport (December 29, 2001). Vs. Super Mario Bros.. Everything2. URL accessed 2005-11-21.
  28. ^ "Vs. Super Mario Bros". Killer List of Video Games. Retrieved 2005-11-22.
  29. ^ "Screenshots V". mame.net. Retrieved 2005-11-21.
  30. ^ "Famicom Disk System: All Night Nippon Super Mario Bros". gamespot.com. Retrieved 2007-11-02.
  31. ^ "All Night Nippon Super Mario Bros". themushroomkingdom.net. Retrieved 2007-11-01.
  32. ^ "SNES: Super Mario All-Stars". gamespot.com. Retrieved 2007-11-02.
  33. ^ "Super Mario All-Stars". themushroomkingdom.net. Retrieved 2007-11-02.
  34. ^ "Game Boy Colour: Super Mario Bros. Deluxe". gamespot.com. Retrieved 2007-11-02.
  35. ^ "Super Mario Bros. DX Manual". themushroomkingdom.net. Retrieved 2007-11-01.
  36. ^ "GameSpot Review: Super Mario Bros. (Wii)". GameSpot.com. Retrieved 2007-10-31.
  37. ^ "The Greatest 200 Videogames of Their Time". Electronic Gaming Monthly. Retrieved 2007-08-09. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  38. ^ "IGN's Top 100 Games". IGN. 2005. Retrieved 2007-08-09.
  39. ^ "Super Mario Sales Data: Historical Unit Numbers for Mario Bros on NES, SNES, N64..." GameCubicle.com. Retrieved 2007-10-10.
  40. ^ Thorsen, Tor (November 21, 2005). "ChartSpot: June 2004". gamespot.com. Retrieved 2005-11-26.
  41. ^ Jenkins, David (October 7, 2005). "Japanese Sales Charts, Week Ending October 2". Gamasutra. Retrieved 2005-11-22.
  42. ^ "Super Mario Bros". The Virtual Console Archive. Retrieved 2007-11-01.
  • Duck Hunt/Super Mario Bros. instruction booklet. USA: Nintendo. 1998. NES-MH-USA.
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