Join us as we take a trip down memory lane and look back at the classic that is ‘Super Mario Bros.’.
Name: Super Mario Bros.
Genre: Platformer
Release Date: 1985
Developer: Nintendo
What was it all about?
‘Super Mario Bros.’ is essentially the greatest platformer of all time. It is highly addictive, great fun to play, and has survived the test of time, with many gamers still keen on giving it a go to this day.
The aim of the game is to navigate your way through the Mushroom Kingdom while keeping Bowser’s forces at bay. The ultimate goal is to save Princess Toadstool. This is done by running and jumping with Mario.
Along they way, Mario collects coins to up his gamescore, while special abilities are attainable to help with the navigation of each world. Special abilities include growing twice the size of regular Mario, shooting fireballs, and becoming indestructible for a short period of time.
‘Super Mario Bros.’ consists of eight worlds with four sub-levels or stages in each. Each world has a different backdrop and the game becomes increasingly difficult the further you venture into it.
In a poll run by IGN in 2005, ‘Super Mario Bros.’ was voted the greatest video game of all time. This just shows how important this title was for the world of video games, with the game even being dubbed ‘the saviour of the 80s video game industry’. Quite an honour that.
READ: #ThrowbackThursday – Grand Theft Auto
Best part about the game?
This is a matter of personal opinion.
I really enjoyed the fact that no matter how many times you finished the game, there was always a desire to start it again. Not many video games of recent times have that same appeal.
‘Super Mario Bros.’ was also fairly easy to play in terms of the controls, so just about anyone could pick it up and give it a go. This was a major reason for its popularity, as it appealed to a larger audience.
And, to be honest, who doesn’t like squashing mushrooms? Soooo addictive!
Oh, and don’t forget that ‘Super Mario Bros.’ spawned a massive franchise, with not only more titles to come over the years, but a cult following grew to the point where often the merchandise based on Mario outsells the actual games. Incredible!
READ: #ThrowbackThursday – Command & Conquer: Red Alert