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.)

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

One of the early games for the Nintendo system, opened things up a lot.

[Aaron1375 · 8/10 · 1 March 2010]

This game is basically simple fun. You play as plumber Mario and if you have a friend as Luigi traversing the lands of the mushroom kingdom trying to rescue Princess Toadstool. What set this one apart from other early Nintendo releases of the day is the varied levels and game play. Unlike say the game "Duckhunt" where you simply point gun at the screen and shoot and repeat or other games where the levels are basically the same and repetitive this one had different levels that really set things apart. Different enemies attack you and you have your boss type enemy at the end of a long journey through a set number of worlds in the kingdom, the end level always being a castle that contained a lot of lava and spinning fireballs. You also had to use strategy to defeat Bowser at the end of the levels because if you actually got through the castle with fire powers you could simply waste him with fireballs. If you were at least big it was fairly easy to get past him to get the ax that would send him into the lava, and if you were small you may have had a chance getting underneath him. Yes, by collecting a mushroom Mario would get bigger, and if you add a flower on top of that he hurls fireballs. You also got to go into underground type levels and ones underwater. Thankfully, unlike some characters in the video game world, Mario and Luigi could hold their breaths forever apparently in this game. The game was not entirely perfect, it was rather boring facing off against Bowser every time at the end and I thought the inclusion of Luigi was rather pointless as he was great in "Mario Brothers", but that game was a co-op game this one is not and you simply see him only if you have a friend that does not mind alternating turns. Still, it was a fun game certainly more so than say that horrible "Gyromite" game.

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.

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 best game I have ever played!

[spiderguy_07 · 10/10 · 21 November 2006]

The first time I saw this game, I was 4 years old, and my dad was playing it on his new Nintendo (A 35 year old man, playing a Nintendo lol), and I asked him, "Dad, how are you so good at that?", and he answered, "Practice, lots of practice." I am now 17 and have been playing this game off and on for years. I consider myself the master of this game.

There are 8 worlds with 4 parts. You must go through each of them to get to Bowser. The mini enemies are Bullets, Koopa Troopas, Gumba's, Buzzy Beetle's, and Pipe Flowers.

If you are a beginner, you will probably finish this game in an hour and a half. But if you are the master at it, you will finish it in 30 minutes.

This game will continue to be the greatest game of all time!

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.

Wonderful NES game and just a wonderful game in general

[bradleysloan-24083 · 10/10 · 31 March 2021]

This is a great game starring Mario and Luigi in a game where Mario wants to save Princess Toadstool (Peach) But has to defeat Bowser. Great storyline, artwork, music, Great everything.

Super Mario Bros (1985) A amazing classic

[claszdsburrogato · 8/10 · 29 March 2023]

The first game in the Super Mario Bros franchise is already emerging as one of the greatest games in history. A very well done game with complicated but fun mechanics. The aesthetics are wonderful, from the settings to the characters. Each stage is more beautiful than the other and the colors make the game even more alive. The story is very basic and lacks depth, as this is not the purpose of the game, but seeing the beginning of this great universe of games is really cool. Here we have the great villain Bowser who still doesn't get much attention, but manages to draw attention for his incredible look. It's surprising how a game from almost 40 years ago still maintains an absurd level of quality and surpasses many recent games. This is definitely one of Nintendo's greatest games.

"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.

Classic and best memorable video game ever!

[blanbrn · 10/10 · 20 June 2019]

This was the first and maybe most well known game for the classic NES system as it was fun and a challenge to go thru different worlds and levels and create extra men and have more bodies for battle in the mushroom kingdom as the goal was to save and rescue the kidnapped princess from the evil Bowser. I loved the game as I mastered it several times it was fun as you went thru worlds of water(you had to learn to swim) and facing flying creatures and moving toads and would go thru evil castles of fire all while playing as the little plumber Mario. Really need I say more a memorable video game classic that helped start the industry.

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.

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!

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.