Game Over

The original Super Mario Bros. turns 35 this year, but despite its age, the sheer number of people who have played it over the years, and the legendary status it has earned over time, one quirky little secret still blows the minds of its fans to this day.

As was the norm back then, losing all of your lives in Mario's classic NES outing throws you right back to the very start of the game. The concept probably sounds silly to any youngsters growing up with New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe and the like, where regular save points are a way of life, but that's just how things were back then.

Super Mario Bros
Simpler times, huh?

There was a workaround, though. One that we'd be willing to bet wasn't known by the majority of its players. When you inevitably hit Super Mario Bros.' game over screen, holding down 'A' while pressing 'Start' allows you to continue in the world you died in rather than starting back at World 1-1. It's such a simple trick - and no doubt obvious to those who have known about it for years - but this only adds to the astoundment experienced by anyone reading this for the very first time.

Indeed, the topic was brought to our attention by a conversation on Twitter started by @Clammylizard. The replies reveal that a handful of people knew already, while a good chunk of them were blown away by the revelation. A quick Google search on the matter brings up similar Reddit posts, forum entries and more where an initial post reveals the secret to countless replies full of awe and amazement.

So, we hand it over to you. Did you know about Super Mario Bros.' continue trick? Or is this the first time you've heard of such a thing? Let us know in the comments below.