Super Mario Bros. (NES) review "Super Mario Bros was one of the most influential games in the history of videogame history. It was the revolution with a simple plumber named Mario who wanted to jump on Goombas and save a princess. Now this is oldschool, and I mean oldschool. There is truly no story, just gameplay. That was when people minds were simple and did not need a reason to save a princess, just throw in a game and play for the good fun of it. However somehow with all the fancy technology and games where graphics and st..."

Super Mario Bros was one of the most influential games in the history of videogame history. It was the revolution with a simple plumber named Mario who wanted to jump on Goombas and save a princess. Now this is oldschool, and I mean oldschool. There is truly no story, just gameplay. That was when people minds were simple and did not need a reason to save a princess, just throw in a game and play for the good fun of it. However somehow with all the fancy technology and games where graphics and stories dominate, people still play Super Mario Bros. Why? Cause it is the most innovative game, and it sprung the industry to do more, and make better games.

STORY (3/5): I said it before, that this game did not need a story for it is a true oldschool game. You are a guy named Mario who has a brother named Luigi and you are out against a massive turtle named Bowser. However this game was great for you jumped on little mushrooms and turtles, even some armored ones. When you look at the game it looks rediculous, but in truth it would be a game that changed the industry.

GRAPHICS (12/15): You must always put the time period and system into effect and well too my knowledge this was the first big game for the Nintendo Entertainment System. So the graphics are not spectacular NOW. Then for them to get that much movement without slowdown was a big thing, therefore these graphics must be taken to account for being good, and so they were. They have a lot of creatures movie on the screen that looks good, with some background and with little to no slowdown ever. Mario definitely made the videogame industry spurt into action/adventure games.

SOUND (8/10): Y'know I think I have said this in another review before, but the retro music with the beeping is the music I fell in love with. I still listen to some of this stuff, and well it is great. Sure, unlike modern day games, there is not a variety of music, but the music they do have as classic and in my mind some of the best ever played in video game history.

GAMEPLAY (48/55): The principle point of the game is to run and jump across big gaps, and to jump on various creatures and kill them or weaken them. You can also gain the fire shooting ability when you pick up a flower, or become huge by eating a mushroom (read my editorial for more on this). This makes you stronger and able to break blocks with your head. This was innovative for the time, and games like Donkey Kong Country and Crash Bandicoot for example expanded by these simple ideas of Mario. This is addictively fun for there are 8 worlds, and 4 levels per world, which mean 32 pretty long levels, and that is large for any classic game. These levels are not easy, and although a little repetitive not enough to drive you crazy. However what about the level 7-4 with the maze, that probably stumped a few people for a while like it did me. As Mario you are also able to enter pipes and collect coins, which will give you a free life. The controls are very responsive and some jumps reach longer than others, mattering on how much of a running start you have. The game is extremely fun, even if you use the various bonus barrels. I love Super Mario Bros, for although a bit simple, it has great gameplay nonetheless.

REPLAYABILITY (7/10): This is a game in which you just throw in and play for, at the most, thirty minutes. It's a pure entertainment, whether you go level by level, or if you cheat with the bonus pipes and go from worlds 1->4->8 and take on the King of Koopa's himself. However to go through the entire game takes a while, and definitely a fun time at that.

DIFFICULTY (5/5): Not impossible at all, seeing I have beaten it and well I am not usually good at these old classic games. However as a child being raised in this game I played from level to level trying not to be killed as I jump from huge mushroom to huge mushroom.

VINTAGE VALUE (+10): I almost consider giving this more for it sparked the entire videogame into the flame it is today. Not only did it start the dominant Mario industry of games, it sparked the Nintendo Industry and Action/Adventure games in all. What would the videogame industry look like without Super Mario Bros? Luckily we will never know.

OVERALL (93/100): A deserving rating for the game that made the Nintendo System famous. This was in my mind the first game of Nintendo worth truly getting, and what spurred that system and company to the powerhouses they are today. I don't know where the idea came from, but the simple idea of running and jumping on various creatures, and avoiding others worked to perfection in this game. Super Mario Bros still stands tall today, even with all the technology possible. Why? Because it is the simple of the videogame industry.

Honestgamer non-averaged score: 9.3

Community review by ratking (July 14, 2002) A bio for this contributor is currently unavailable, but check back soon to see if that changes. If you are the author of this review, you can update your bio from the Settings page.