Mario Marathon Part 1: Super Mario Bros

I like Mario, that much is clear from the random beginning of this specific marathon, but regardless, there has been so much Mario content that has come out over the last few years that a review of all the Mario games I consider important sounds like a no-brainer. Well, after a couple weeks of thinking about this, that's exactly what I am doing, and what better place than the game that started it all? That, of course, is Super Mario Bros.

Now, this game is hardly the most complex thing out there. It's a sidescrolling platformer where you play as a plumber named Mario who has to save the princess of the Mushroom Kingdom from the villainous turtle dragon thing known as Bowser. But even this simple plot was revolutionary for gaming. You see, prior to this game, video games didn't have any sort of story to them and really were just things made to rack up high scores. This was the first game to really give a more fleshed out story than "Get as much points and then, I don't know, be better than other people and beat high scores." Now, it was the bare minimum, but it made an impact all the same.

The gameplay itself is simple but fun. It's usually about getting from Point A to the flagpole which serves as Point B, while defeating enemies that get in your way by jumping on their heads. In addition, there are also powerups including the Super Mushroom, which makes Mario bigger and gives him an extra hit point, the Fire Flower, which gives Mario the ability to throw fireballs, and the Starman, which makes Mario temporarily invincible. The game is divided into 8 worlds and each world is divided into 4 levels, with each world's final level serving as a castle with a boss at the end.

While the levels get harder as the game progresses, with some levels in the last two worlds being really frustrating, the whole thing feels fair, like it could be done if you are able to master the controls. The game does start off easy, though, meaning anyone can play it, but only those who are determined will be able to master the later, more difficult levels.

Overall, this game is a very good, if simple start to a franchise that still holds value to this day. It literally saved video games from becoming 'just another fad' and actually gave them reason to grow beyond score attack style experiences. As for Mario himself, this game started his rise to popularity that still continues to this day, but as we'll see, his history has had many ups and downs.

Next time, we will be exploring a Mario game that has a very...interesting history and a gameplay style that flips what little everyone knew about Mario on its head. That's right! Prepare yourself for Super Mario Bros 2!