Super Mario Bros.
1985
- platform
- adventure
- action
- single player
- multiplayer
The story
A side scrolling 2D platformer and first entry in the Super Mario franchise, Super Mario Bros. follows Italian plumber Mario as he treks across many levels of platforming challenges featuring hostile enemies to rescue Princess Peach from the evil king Bowser.
What it’s like
Bright flat pixel art on a sky-blue backdrop, with rolling green hills, puffy white clouds, and brick castles that read instantly at a glance. The palette is saturated and cheerful, the sprites chunky and bouncing, and the scrolling never stops moving forward. The soundtrack is a set of bouncy chiptune loops, quick and familiar, that rise in urgency when the countdown dips low and drop into eerie, hollow tones in the underground and castle stages. Sessions feel brisk and tactile: a small jump, a stomp, a coin chime, a satisfying slide down a flagpole. Mood is playful and light, with a steady undercurrent of tension from timers and sudden falls into pits, though nothing lingers. Violence is cartoonish, with enemies squashed or flattened and no blood or gore, and the stakes stay low-key. It suits a quick pick-up-and-play session, a nostalgic evening, or an easy game for kids and anyone who wants nimble, instantly readable challenge with a gentle, comic tone. Best for players who enjoy precise timing and the simple pleasure of getting through one more level.
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