Super Mario Bros. (1985 Video Game) User Reviews

Great game, but...

[ajnrules · 10/10 · 17 August 2000]

it's extremely DIFFICULT. I have been playing this game since it was like 2 years old, and I still haven't been able to beat it! That proves how wimpy modern N64 platform games have become, since I am able to easily defeat its 1996 counterpart.

But the graphics for this game and its sometimes-cartridge-partner, Duck Hunt, seem quite advanced for 1985 and 1984 (respectively). At least compared to games like Excitebike (1984) and The Legend of Zelda (1986). The music is nice (although the dungeon and the castle music gets repetitive) and sound effects are cool. Once you've beaten this game, there's no need to play it anymore, but if you haven't, like me, you'll be wanting to keep playing until you beat it, and frustrated if you fail.

But this game is the same age as me, and I still play it at my friends house if they're hogging the Super Smash Bros. (I haven't beaten it yet.)

I beat it.

[eatmypantseatmyshorts · 10/10 · 26 June 2020]

I was playing on the Nintendo Switch Online NES thingy, using the warp zones, and also Tutorials.

It was victory.

What makes this game a classic

[Jiiimbooh · 10/10 · 11 July 2005]

I'm sure most people my age remember one or more situations like this: some guy your parents knew was celebrating his birthday and you went with your parents to the party. A lot of the other people also brought their kids and after a while you were all gathered in one room. You didn't really know each other that well, so what were you going to do? Well, the kid who's room it was had a Nintendo (or later Super Nintendo) or one of those pirated machines that played Nintendo games. The answer was: you played Super Mario! Everybody agreed that it was a fun game and everybody knew how to play it. It's simply the game of my generation.

But what made this particular game so important and well liked? First of all, at the time it arrived it was revolutionary – the first side-scrolling platform game ever and it was the game that made both video games and Nintendo popular. The story was good even if it was simple: You are Mario the plumber in the Mushroom Kingdom and you are on a mission to save the princess that have been kidnapped by Bowser. At the time this game was released they usually didn't bother to come up with interesting stories for games, so it's not like today when a lot of games have complicated story lines. It wasn't hard to figure out how to play, jump and land on an enemy's head and you will kill him, but it still wasn't that easy to beat. (Of course it's easier know that I'm soon to be 21 and have played it as many times as I have.) Last but not least, the music suited the game perfectly.

Something that to me is a sign that this is a good game is that it's still fun to play now when I'm almost 21, even though it was a game that was meant for kids (like all games that were released at that time) and the graphics are very out-dated. This is a game that a lot of people still play, it's been re-released both to Gameboy Color and Gameboy Advance. Of course a lot of people download it and play it on emulators – even though Nintendo doesn't like that.

For someone of my generation playing this game today is like re-living only the happy times of your childhood. When I played it as a kid I wasn't someone sitting in front of the TV playing a video game – I was Mario and I was on a very important mission to save the princess!

10/10

A classic

[Op_Prime · 19 July 1999]

Super Mario Bros. is still one of the best games ever. The game has a strange concept and the graphics aren't nearly as good as anything today, but it's a classic. It's a challenging game, with famous Mario and his brother Luigi, that will never be forgotten.

The most classic video game

[Edragonz · 10/10 · 11 October 2000]

This game deserves a ten for it's ground-breaking game play. Nintendo surprised the world by giving the stage to its biggest future stars. This is an unforgettable classic that will hopefully be preserved for future generations of game players.

There's nothing like a classic.

[PunkJedi · 10/10 · 23 December 1999]

This game was my first video game. It was fun, needless to say, and it also improved my eye-hand coordination (tell your parents this, kids. They'll let you play all day!). But, video games have moved on into the realm of 3-d, and the classic side-scroller has been laid to rest. There's something I've noticed, though. In a lot of these "lush, 3-d environment" games, it seems that fun and challenge have been sacrificed to the great god of graphics. I suggest that the game makers of today do some researching of the past.

Perhaps The Only Perfect Video Game Ever Created

[zkonedog · 10/10 · 12 March 2017]

After receiving my first Nintendo Entertainment System in 1991, I instantly became hooked on one game in particular: Super Mario Brothers. It's relatively new style of play (side-scrolling) in combination with an original story and the perfect difficulty arc (anyone can beat the beginning levels, but it takes a true pro to complete the game) made it the game that I played over and over again. Whether it was screaming in frustration due to the Hammer Brothers, hearing in disbelief that the Princess "was in another castle", or the sheer joy of beating that next castle, I played the game over and over again. Of course, being such a young child, I was never quite talented enough to complete the complicated jump moves or decipher the complex mazes (towards the end) well enough to actually beat the game. Yet, I still had a heck of a time trying!

Flash forward (LOST-style) 10-12 years later: Having been introduced to the NES at such a young age, I continued by brand loyalty to Nintendo by playing the Super Nintendo, Nintendo '64, Gamecube, and Wii. I had a lot of good times with those machines, but one day I got the urge to fire up the old NES again, for old times sake. Within moments (well, not exactly moments, as it took some blowing on the connectors and jiggling the game up and down) I was instantly transformed back into that excited six year old kid who couldn't wait to come home from school and play Mario. This time around, with a little practice, I was able to conquer even the final Bowser.

While playing the game at that older age, though, I was amazed at the purity of it. It was original (which can't be said about most SNES games), it was straight-forward (not like Donkey Kong '64, for example), it's difficulty arc progresses in a logical fashion (not like GCN, where in many games you have to be a master gamer to step right in), and the game's internal bugs are cute and looked forward too, not annoying and troublesome as is sometimes the case on the Wii.

Thus, taking all those things into consideration, Super Mario Brothers for the NES is, at least in my opinion, perhaps the closest thing to a "perfect video game" as has ever been created. Not only did it practically save the entire gaming industry, but it also gave hours of entertainment to people across the world. To me, only The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (for the '64) can challenge Mario Bros. in terms of overall game quality.

So, if you are a nostalgic video gamer (like myself) who is a bit frazzled by the current obsessions and skill levels, I would highly recommend dusting of the old NES box and popping in Super Mario Brothers (it often comes on the same cartridge as Duck Hunt). After a few moments of dickering, a few tries to re-master the old skill-sets, you will NOT be disappointed.

If you haven't played this, you've been living under a rock.

[NeglectfulKiller · 10/10 · 6 May 2002]

This is THE classic, the penultimate video game. The quintessence of nostalgia for us 80's romantics, and the introduction to unparalleled gameplay for those unfamiliar, having been brainwashed by modern hype. This immortal masterpiece embodies the word fun, and is the most simple and sublime experience that can be achieved through a television screen and a system. Enjoy. Now.

What a classic!

[Nic0981323 · 8/10 · 15 February 2021]

This game changed video games forever. It standardizes who Mario is today, and it saved the video game industry. Not only that, but it's a good game. I only rated this 8/10 because you can't go back, and you turn into Small Mario when you get hit as Fire Mario. Still a great game.

The game that defined "classic"

[Ivan Ravenous · 9/10 · 11 October 2000]

Man, this is the ultimate classic video game. Everyone in the world has played it, and I've never heard of anyone even mildly disliking it. It's not as hard as I remembered it being (which is strange, because I usually remember them being easier than they really are) but it's still very challenging. Modern video games would benefit greatly from re-acquainting themselves with the old-school video game rule: There's No Guarantee You Will Win.

Classic, folks...

[Analog_Devotee · 9/10 · 3 August 2021]

What can be said about this game that hasn't already been said? It's a classic that not only spawned a genre but catapulted it into the mainstream via living rooms around THE WORLD!

I don't need to tell people to play this game, but I will say this to all the parents out there: Make your kids play this game! It's the equivalent of taking them to a museum -- they need to see how these things were back in the days before everything was RPG-lite with a battle royal mode and a gaggle of microtransactions and lootboxes.

What did you think I would give it?

[The_Wagon · 10/10 · 27 January 2007]

It's obvious why this is getting a 10. It's Super Mario Bros. It deserves every ounce of respect it gets. This game changed the world. You know it did. Even if for some strange reason you don't like it, you have to admit that it changed the world. If not for Nintendo, you probably wouldn't be sitting at home playing Halo 2 or some game like that. I hate when people say Nintendo sucks, and I'll admit that I've said it before, but I now have full respect for Nintendo once again after playing the Wii. Anyway, yeah, this game is a classic. This game is like the Beatles' Revolver of the video game industry. Sadly, the sequel, SMB2, is more like the With The Beatles of the SMB series. Good, but not as good. However, SMB3 is like the Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band of video games.

It hasn't aged the best, but it's still fun.

[maddoxacox · 7/10 · 27 May 2022]

Several game mechanics are clunky by today's standards, but the game is still as addicting as ever. The goal of the game is simple, rescue Peach from Bowser.

Super Mario Bros.

[bombersflyup · 5/10 · 4 February 2022]

The one that started it all, well it came with the system. It's gameplay's dare I say it, limited. Not exactly enthralling, but points for nostalgia and being a stepping stone.

Who doesn't love this game?

[kt3234-1 · 10/10 · 10 February 2007]

Super Mario brothers is a triumph beyond triumphs. Nintendo brought back the downfall of videogames due to the lack of originality in video games of that time. Mario and Luigi were so different. That's what made them spectacular. Most games of that time were focused on shooting and war and whatever else those companies came up with. Nintendo said No. They stuck with a basic idea about a damsel in distress and a brave knight (or plumber) who had to rescue her. Mario Bros. was also challenging. It had better graphics. it had many different villains. it had power ups. And, it had the most unlikely super hero out there, and that hero was Mario. Nintendo had a hit, and it will always be a hit.

"Thank you Mario! But our princess is in another castle!" - Toad

[davimaia-76303 · 9/10 · 22 December 2022]

Incredible. The concept of a nice plumber (albeit an Italian stereotype) saving the princess instead of a gentleman or prince is quite original and good. Sort of the graphics were nice back then and are still excellent to this day. Generated three iconic power-ups from across the "Mario" series. Super Mushroom, Fire Flower and Starman. Great music too. Top theme is very well known even if you have never played this game. Thank Nintendo for this amazing game. Flaws: Unlike "Sonic the Hedgehog (1991)" you cannot rewind. The game doesn't even have a continue unlike Sonic, if you lose your lives you HAVE TO START ALL OVER AGAIN! At least there's a cheat that makes you pick up where you left off in the world.

Fun fact: If you've lost all your lives, press and hold the "A" button on the NES until the title screen, and while holding, press Start on the NES. So, instead of world 1-1, you will start in the world where you took a Game Over.

The greatest video game of the 80's.

[gangstahippie · 10/10 · 16 July 2006]

Rated E(Contains Mild Violence).

Super Mario Bros was not the first game to feature Mario.The first Mario game was actually Donkey Kong which was released in 1981.This game featured Mario(Jumpman in the Donkey Kong game) trying to save the princess from a big ape(Donkey Kong) by jumping over barrels and other obstacles.Not only was this the first game to feature Mario but the first video game to feature Princess and Donkey Kong.Mario's second appearance came in the sequel to Donkey Kong which was Donkey Kong JR.In that game Mario was the antagonist.You are Donkey Kong's son in that game and you have to save your father from Mario.The third game that Mario was featured in was Mario bros.This one was released in 1982.I have never played that one so I don't know the plot.But the video game that made Mario a video game icon and a super-star was Super Mario Bros.This game was a revolution for 1980's video gaming.I have played this game before and I must say this game is excellent even by today's standards(even though the graphics may seem a bit dated).The game is about two plumbers named Mario and Luigi who end up in the Mushroom Kingdom and must save the princess from the evil Bowser.Super Mario Bros spawned many sequels and spin-off's.If you can find this game(or variations of the game).Get it! You wont be disappointed.

10/10

One of the greatest games in existence

[kargaan · 10/10 · 30 July 2010]

If you haven't played Super Mario Bros. then you've probably been living in a cave for the last twenty five years. Most every gamer instantly knows what Super Mario Bros. is. The music in this game is genius because it just doesn't get old. The Super Mario Bros. Over-world theme is probably the most recognizable video game theme of all time. The game play is fun and very simplistic. To sum things up, it's hard to describe how awesome Super Mario Bros. is. It is yet another game that has stood the test of time. Super Mario Bros. is one of the greatest games ever made period and one of the best platformers out there.

Forever influential and forever fun

[MegaWatOfficial · 10/10 · 8 December 2022]

At this point, I'm sure most of us are aware of just how dire the video game market was back in the old days. While the Atari 2600 was a very important and legendary console that's rightfully looked back fondly, the games only sometimes followed suit; and unlike the Nintendo Wii and DS, this was something the 2600 could NOT afford. This was all evident with the video game crash of 1982. Some blame games like the disastrous port of "Pac-Man" or the poor movie tie-in which was the infamous "ET: Extra Terrestrial" for Atari 2600 (which, despite it being poor, really isn't as bad as people say it was, in my opinion), but the real blame came from 2 things.

One being hardware limitations, as the 2600, despite it being awesome, was undoubtedly very simple compared to anything afterwards. This made any and all games naturally constrained from really being anything all too special, which was fine in the late '70s, but when there's virtually no improvements to future games afterwards, it got stale quick. This transitions to the second thing, which was the overbearing quantity. To put it simply, there were way too many games for the console, and not enough of them were any good. Mix that with the fact that the 2600 was the first ever mainstream video game console to take itself seriously, and it's no wonder people thought it was all a passing fad at the end of the day.

But in 1985, that all changed. Nintendo, formerly a card/toy company, not only threw their hat in the ring, but did a perfect job at it, as the Nintendo Entertainment System (or the NES) took everything Atari failed at, and made one of the best video game consoles of all time; all while geniusly marketing it as an entertainment system to help consumers trust that video games are awesome after all. Of course, that would only mean so much if the showcase game wasn't great.

And great it was. "Super Mario Bros" is, without a doubt, the most important video game of all time, as it not only showcased how great a game could be with properly great vision, but also how great it could be when it's properly using the hardware it's running on. Putting aside the hardware logistics that helped this game even more, the game itself is an absolute joy. With excellent and iconic level design, responsive and fun gameplay, visuals that, while not the best we would see on the console, are much more full of life than any video game beforehand, and the iconic and forever memorable music, this game ticks every box, and would act as an essential pillar for video games as a whole for the rest of time; as evident by the fact that it's still infinitely fun and charming to this day-a moniker no other video game beforehand could use.

Really, there's not much to complain about here. Some could make the argument that this game has aged, and is not as amazing as the famous plumber's future installments, but considering how this not only saved the industry, but also perfects the notion of enjoying expansive games that keeps the player hooked from start to finish even to this day, this game deserves nothing less than all of the credit. If you haven't played this yet (for some reason), I implore you to do so. Even for how slightly basic it is compared to later games, it's an important part of video game culture, and a still incredibly fun reminder on how amazing games can get once the guys behind really know what they're doing.

CLASSIC OF ALL CLASSICS

[maciekstepien · 10/10 · 20 March 2020]

MOST INFLUENTIAL GAME EVER MADE WICH NOT ONLY BECAME REVOLUTIONARY IN TERMS OF MAKING GAMES, IT SAVED THE INDUSTRY!

Yo Bros!

[rabenulrik · 10/10 · 22 January 2021]

As we wait for Mario 2022 on the big srceen let´s go back to the 1980s. When Mario was released it was the beginning of a classic and very long franchise along with VG names like the Sega rival Sonic. There was no Worldwide internet in the 1980s, so you had to buy magazines to find the cheats. Unless you was a tech wizard that knew about Worldwide web, or could communicate via C64 crack tapes. Decades passed as Mario got tons of games from DS to Switch.

A classic platform game

[Rautus · 10/10 · 12 July 2007]

Super Mario Bros. is a true gaming classic that is great fun to play and is a real challenge to complete. The game play has you going through a variety of levels where you have to jump on enemies heads to beat them and jump over obstacles like gaps, water or lava, collecting 100 coins gets you an extra life, jumping under blocks with a ? mark or even solid blocks can give you coins or a power up. The main power up you will need is the Red Mushroom which turns you into Super Mario so if you get hit you become Mario again instead of losing a life, if you're Super Mario and hit a block that has a Red Mushroom you get a Fire Flower instead and getting that gives you the chance to shoot fireballs. Each World has a castle and in it you need to reach the bridge where you fight King Koopa, you can either throw fireballs at him (If you got the Fire flower) or jump over him and drop the bridge. You then meed Toad who tells you that the Princess in another castle so then you're onto the next World. As you progress through the game the levels get more difficult.

If you're a fan of Mario, platform games or retro games then Super Mario Bros. is a great game to look out for 10/10

Ok, but not great

[Some-asshole · 7/10 · 5 May 2020]

The mechanics are clunky, levels are literally copied into later levels, the castle levels and boss fights are repetive and boring, there's a huge lack of power ups (they couldn't add another power up and let us be able to use anything other than the fire flower?), and this game just doesn't satisfy me.

I don't care what it influenced, though I know what it created and what it created is awesome, it's not a great game to me. Just because it started everything, that doesn't make it a fantastic game.

I don't care how influental it was, I hate it.

[jorkan · 1/10 · 23 December 2016]

Super Mario Bros. Centers around an Italian guy (Who is worse than Mussolini, by the way) who begins his noble journey of saving a princess from a mutant turtle named "Bowser". Along the way, he encounters evil mushrooms and dinosaurs, whom he must kill. I don't get why it's so successful. Either way, the "Damsel in distress" plot is used again and again in this long, boring collection of binary codes and music thrown together by one man in a warehouse in Kyoto. To all you people who call Animal crossing boring (I've never actually played a animal crossing game), then you've never played Mario, which I fell asleep attempting to play.