Super Mario Bros.: Celebrating 25 Years of Classic Platform Action

Following his debut in 1981 in the classic arcade game Donkey Kong, Mario would be featured in several other games on his way to becoming a major video game superstar. By 1985, he would become a household name, because that was the year that Super Mario Bros. was released for the Nintendo Entertainment System. Players became addicted to the game, with its amazing game play and exciting levels, and the game has become known for playing a major role in saving the video game industry. It has been a quarter of a century since the game was released, and I shall explain why its appeal has not diminished in spite of some dated features.

The Mushroom Kingdom has been overrun by Koopas, Goombas, and other monsters, all thanks to Bowser, the wicked King of the Koopas. Bowser has also captured Princess Toadstool and has imprisoned her in one of his castles. Only one man can save the princess and rid the kingdom of Bowser and his minions, and that man is Mario. The plot is simplistic, and would be recycled in many subsequent games, but even back in 1985, games did not need complex stories to be terrific.

As Mario, the player's objective is to run through eight worlds, each with four stages, in order to rescue the princess. Mario could stomp on enemies that would get in his way, and all of them would reappear in many other Mario games. The aforementioned Koopas and Goombas made their first appearance here, as did Pirahna Plants, Lakitus, and Cheep Cheeps. In every level, Mario could collect coins, gaining an additional life for every 100 coins he picked up. Lives could also be earned by grabbing the elusive green mushrooms hidden in some blocks the Mario could hit. Sometimes, falling down pipes and climbing up vines would lead Mario to a hidden room with more coins to collect. Even back then, Nintendo did its best to give their games a lot of secrets for players to discover.

Our hero would start out small, with a single hit resulting in him losing a life. However, he could collect power up items to help give him the advantage. Mushrooms would make him grow a little bigger, allowing him to smash blocks and withstand a single hit. Fire Flowers would grant him the ability to shoot fireballs at his adversaries, though some of them were immune to fire. Stars could grant Mario invincibility, but its power would wear off after a short time. These power up items would show up often in later games, and while the amount of power ups in this game is limited compared to subsequent titles, the idea of using these items to Mario's advantage was a novel one at the time, and plenty of fun could be had in trying every single item out.

The level designs would vary on occasion, with some stages taking place underground or underwater. Other levels had moving platforms or gaps that could only be cleared with a running jump. Each world ended with a castle, which had its own hazards such as lava and fireballs. Some castles had multiple paths, only one of which would lead Mario to the next part of the castle. In the end, Mario would fight Bowser, and taking him out would involve grabbing an ax, which would cause the bridge that Bowser stood on to collapse, sending the beast plummeting to the lava below. However, he would become tougher to beat in later levels, even going as far as to toss hammers at our hero. At the end of most castles, Mario would rescue a Toad who would tell him "Thank you, Mario! But our princess is in another castle!" This quote has become quite memorable, and Nintendo would use it again as a joke at the end of Super Mario Bros. 3.

Players did not need to run through all 32 stages to complete the game. Rather, they could find hidden warp zones that would warp them to later worlds. Doing this could help them finish the game rather quickly. Entering one warp zone in a certain way would lead them to the Minus World, an underwater stage that would loop continuously. This glitch would be fixed in later versions of the game, but it has become one of the most well-known secrets in video game history. There was a lot to discover while playing Super Mario Bros., and to this day, players continue to go back in order to find what secrets they might have missed.

The game has also become famous for its music score. Many levels contain one song, known as the Super Mario Bros. Theme, that many people remember by heart to this day. The underground, underwater, and Starman tunes have become equally iconic, and all of these tunes have been remixed numerous times for subsequent Mario games. The sound effects that result from such occurrences as Mario grabbing or losing a power up item, collecting a coin, or gaining an extra life have likewise remained in the minds of players everywhere and would pop up often in other games. Thus, the appeal of the game's music and sound has yet to diminish, and as long as people continue to enjoy them both, they likely never will diminish.

So how does the game hold up in 2010? With some exceptions, it holds up quite well. The game play, while simplistic, remains irresistible, and contains a lot of nostalgic value. The challenge level can be a bit high sometimes, but it is still manageable. As for features that are dated, the graphics are quite blocky, even for an early NES game, although they have become iconic images. Later Mario games for the NES would look a lot better. Due to limited technology, you cannot go back to earlier parts of the stage, and the game must be completed in one sitting, although some versions like that which can be downloaded from the Wii Shop Channel allow you to save your progress and continue the adventure at a later time. As a whole, however, the game remains a classic, and is as fun today as it was 25 years ago.

Super Mario Bros. is simply one of the best Mario games of all time. It may be a bit simplistic by today's standards, but there is no denying its popularity and appeal, which keeps players coming back for more even many years after its release. If for whatever reason you have never played it, you should give it a shot, as I consider it to be one of the games that everyone must play at least once. It helped make Mario into the famous plumber he is today, it helped save the video game industry, and it offers so much appeal that will surely remain intact for many years to come.