Super Mario Bros. turns 35 this year and has to rank as one of the most ported games Nintendo has ever produced. It's available, in some shape or form, on pretty much every system the company has produced, and in 2020 we got yet another way to experience it in the form of a brand-new Game & Watch handheld (a line which itself turns 40 this year).
This led Twitter user @akfamilyhome to assemble a mighty collection of machines all playing the iconic NES title – and the end result is rather nightmarish, we have to admit. Maybe this is why Nintendo is delisting various Super Mario titles early next year – it's possible to have too much of a good thing.
Is this your version of hell, or heaven? Let us know with a comment – if you can get that theme tune out of your head, of course.
Comments 57
Someone count, is this at least or exactly 35 copies of Super Mario Bros?
The real scary thing is, this isn't even all of them
True, some other titles could use a biiiiit more attention.
I want the Mario Game and Watch system but I’m also like, why? I can just play it on one of my other handhelds or consoles. If they release like... a Zelda one or something else similar, I’ll be on it. Hell, if it was even all 3 NES Mario’s I would’ve bought it. But just having the first one is kinda like... collectors only. Still, I do love it and think it’s cool.
@RupeeClock Not even close, it’s actually 13 copies.
If we have too many versions of Mario Bros, then why release it at all? There obviously is demand for the product or it wouldn't be sold out everywhere. So the question doesn't make sense as people obviously want more Mario and appreciate the new way to play.
Nintendo is just playing the artificial scarcity game to drum up a bunch of sales in before their annual financials come out. They delayed most of their games and need people to buy the Mario collection and the Mario game and watch so their investors will still be impressed even with a relatively dry 4th quarter release schedule.
Just from my personal collection:
Emulation... Shhh...Yeah, sorry guys... I think I'm part of the problem...
Yep, that sounded like a nightmare.
If only Sega could get the same memo regarding Sonic.
Don't see the Lego tv version!😉
The audio of that clip sounds like if Nintendo opened a real life casino and that was the slot machine area. Or even if any existing casino had a Nintendo section of various slot machines.
I have 3 versions just on my Nintendo switch.
arcade, NES online, and mario 35.
I'm not worthy I guess. This is the most I can do at this time, within the constraints of remaining official (And ignoring the SNES remaster).
-NES
-Game Boy Advance (Classic NES cartridge release)
-NES Classic Edition
-Wii (Virtual Console)
-Wii U (Virtual Console)
I won't cheat and include my 2nd NES Classic Edition or that I could download the VC release on my 3DS XL or New 2DS XL right now.
Hoping to add a Game & Watch (And a Switch) to that list someday soon. Can't have too many ways to play the original Super Mario Brothers.
If I were them I'd keep doing it. It makes money every time.
It's just that if I were them, I'd not limit myself to the NES and SNES era. Come on Nintendo, bring back support for your legacy titles from other systems. Where are Game Boy, GBA, N64 and GameCube!?
Probably easier to list what Nintendo consoles CAN'T you play some variation of Super Mario Bros. on? (counting All-Stars but not counting BC modes)
Game Boy, Virtual Boy, Nintendo 64, DS
(I'm not sure if it was legitimately obtainable in the GameCube version of Animal Crossing, or if it was one of the few games I heard was programmed into the game but only available with a cheat device)
What bothers me is that Nintendo didn't even do anything new to the game. No new playable characters, no new power ups or levels. Nothing.
There's well over 100 SMB hacks that take the game to a whole new level. The same old game just isn't fun anymore. Sure it was genius then but now it's just slow and stiff and meh
I really see nothing wrong with having too much Mario. Why release limited versions of everything Mario, Nintendo? I can't work for a replacement Switch (which is my own fault), and really wish I had one to play Mario 3D All-Stars! Please, please, please keep releasing more of the original model
For Nintendo there's no such thing as too many ports of SMB and it will continue to pop up on any gaming device and the general public/scalpers will lap them all up.
Hence a game & watch anniversary only gets 1 proper G&W game when they could have filled it up with every G&W ever made. Then they decide to put 2 NES SMB games on it which are not G&W games, if you wanted to celebrate Mario 35th then at least put all 3 NES games on it. Overpriced and underthought but then again not the stupity of the Sega micro Game Gears, it's no wonder Sega stopped making hardware.
@KingMike You can cross a couple off your list. They released several classic NES games as Gameboy Advance cartridges, which are playable on most DS models. Super Mario Bros. was one of these games of course, so it’s playable on Nintendo DS. Through the Gameboy Player, it can be played on GameCube as well. So that leaves us with N64, Virtual Boy, and black and white Gameboy.
Which Nintendo systems legally have SMB (chronilogical order):
NES: yes
Game Boy: No
SNES: yes (SMAS)
VB: no
N64: no
GBC: yes (SMB Deluxe)
GBA: yes
NGC: yes (GBA cart)
DS: yes (GBA cart)
Wii: yes (VC and SMAS and also SMB25 which came bundled for a limited time only)
3DS: yes (VC - original and SMBD)
WiiU: yes (VC)
Switch: yes (NSO - original and SMAS-, arcade version and SMB35)
The problem is that it stops at SMB. Every Nintendo system should contain the NES library
The real problem is that most of those versions had to be bought over and over again. Every Nintendo system should just have SMB as a pack-in or pre-installed.
@Atariboy cough GBC
They keep selling it and we keep buying it.i dont have as many versions as in the picture but i have/had at least 5 or 6.why we keep buying the same game lol
NES, GBC, SNES, GC, Wii VC, and Switch are where I own it. At this point I refuse to purchase again on principle.
@serouj2000 I've never owned Super Mario Bros. DX for the GBC, so I couldn't include it on my personal list.
I do own a Game Boy Everdrive, but wanted to stick with fully official means that I'm able to use to play this classic.
@Paulo The DSi and DSi XL don't offer official ways to play it, since they dropped the GBA cartridge slot.
@Paulo NES Classic Edition mini-system
People want to play it on different Devices, so there is enough Demand to sell it.
If I buy a digital song I should be able to play it on all my devices, if I buy a digital copy of SMB I should at the very least be able to play it on all Nintendo hardware that can support digital games.
Dropping already developed ports off a digital platform is dumb, and anti-consumer. Unless, of course the license expires, which is obviously not the case for SMB.
@AlienX That's half true the only problem is Nintendo doesn't know that you own all the device you claim to have so that won't work. Also Nintendo kept making new UI every gen so accounts in the past won't transfer to the upcoming ones so even though your Wii digital games could be transfer to Wii U, those same contents you got on Wii U can't be transfer to Switch cause of different UI and new accounts.
Everyone adding up their collections, let's see mine:
NES: SMB/Duck Hunt
SNES: Super Mario All-Stars
Gamecube: Animal Crossing NES Game
Game Boy Advance: Load it from Animal Crossing
New 3DS: SMB1 from the Ambassador game set
Wii U: "Super Luigi Bros" from NES Remix Pack
Switch: Nintendo Switch Online NES and Famicom apps
Not bad, considering the only two I actually specifically purchased were the NES and SNES carts.
Woah... that’s a lot of Mario
@KingMike Super Mario Bros Deluxe is on the gameboy. Probably the best version of SMB1 in terms of contents.
@Papichulo In my opinion the Game and Watch is a collectible item aimed mainly at people of a certain age (which I am firmly in unfortunately). As it is definitely a nostalgic product I think if they'd started messing about with the game to any great extent I don't think that would have gone down that well. My main gripe is that it doesn't have more actual G & W games on it, preferably with the option to show the the 'graphics' that aren't being used in a greyed out form like my DS version of Mario's Cement Factory, much more authentic. Still love the new G & W though.
@Retro_Player_77 they screwed up from the start, yes, but they also missed their chance to fixup an account system by using the Wii U transfer feature. They didn't care then nor now.
All we need to hear now is "DO the mario"
I wish old Nintendo games would be ported to other consoles as much as this one I mean I get it's the magnum opus of the greatest video-game character ever but The legend of Zelda and METROID deserve some time in the spotlight as well
@Handy_Man ... and a cartridge in a pear tree!
Even when you are not in the mood for Mario, you just can't get enough of it!
I don't find it nightmarish at all. It's great seeing all that history of gaming consoles. And Mario has been championing every single one of them.
Doot doot doot, doo-doot doot, doot!
@Desrever Did you include the Masterpiece trials in Brawl and Smash for Wii U (assuming you have those)?
@link3710 I guess I should've specified more clearly but I was talking about monochrome Game Boy. I'm pretty sure SMBDX is color-only.
@Euler I was looking to not count backwards compatibility, which is why I excluded DS and only wanted to count GameCube if the Animal Crossing method was valid (as I believe that was the only GC-native distribution).
I have so many versions of SMB.
NES, SNES (Allstars), Gameboy Color, GBA, GameCube (Animal Crossing), Wii VC, 3DS VC, Wii U VC, NSO, SMB Game and Watch
Obviously, I'm a sucker for the game. It is a classic, after all.
As a Nintendo fan that hates Mario (not actually all the games he is included in, but just in general), this is Hell.
@Dualmask techniclly, you cant buy it for Switch.
For most people, it came free with a service the where going to suscribe anyway in order to have online play for their favorite game.
In the year 2077, we'll be injecting Super Mario Bros straight into our veins.
why would some one put all of the different variants of Super Mario Bros. together that way? i hope his reason for leaving out some of the variants of the game was because it was too much of a nightmare finding them all and loading them up at the same time to the point where they are all in sync with each other; give or a take a fraction of a second or two.
@Desrever you are part of the problem, but most of us are; we can't help it if we are fans of the Super Mario franchise. thankfully some people have creative outlets to stop them from looking like a crazy person or going too far. (example: the video that we just saw)
right now i have a collection of the Super Mario Legos. at times it growing growing. but at least they are a great way to decorate my place. besides, i find putting Lego sets together relaxing. i just wish there were more sets.
i also would like improvements on current ones. for example, the "Toad’s Treasure Hunt Expansion Set" is nice; however i would like it so that the mushroom house were more than just cut-outs. it would be nice to have the entire house. if we could build them in full, as well as have additional color choices it would allow us to expand are creativity even further and have even more detailed Lego Super Mario courses. i can't wait to get my hands on the 2021 expansion sets.
If this is hell then it is the hell I choose.
Also, I think it’s something that can really be a problem. Super Mario Bros. is regarded as a gaming classic, much as the works of Dickens are regarded as literary classics. Both continued to be published and accessible to modern audiences, and that’s... just fine.
@AlienX The fact that they are a toy company should tell you that they don't know much about micro managing otherwise they'll be the doing same thing that Samsung, Apple, Sony, and Microsoft does by just producing better versions of the same thing they make every gen.
Still just cause you buy one game doesn't necessarily give you free access to that same game on a different platform, that's like if you buy a Pepsi or a Snicker bar at a 7-11 and then later go to a supermarket and claim that those same products should be free to you cause you buy them once elsewhere. It doesn't work like that. If you buy a digital product for one platform and that same product is also available on a different platform regardless if it's from the same company then yes you will have to rebuy it if you want to play it on that specific platform otherwise if you don't want to rebuy it just play the version that you do have on the platform you originally bought it on.
Same thing with Nintendo and Sony's products, just cause you bought Persona 5 on the PS3 doesn't mean you can also get the PS4 version for free, both consoles are incompatible and runs different UI which counts as different platform therefore if you want to play it on the PS4 you will have to rebuy again.
@FargusPelagius Why you hate Mario? Is it because he's always the good guy? Remember Mario was also a villain once too.
@Retro_Player_77 Why compare edible goods to 1s and 0s?
We're talking about a NES game that takes little effort/money to bring to different platforms, unlike this 2008 game you suggested.
If something like Movies Anywhere can exist and be successful, or VUDU's physical-to-digital service, then I see no reason why the same company that created the source content can't offer a better solution than-- just buy it again.
There's no excuse to defend this if you ask me.
@Zequio that's why I said 'most'.
Silly when you consider they show the 3DS, Switch and and GBA several times. Also curious how there's no SMB on the OG DS.
@Retro_Player_77 over use and over exposure. I really enjoyed some Mario games back in the day, Super Mario Bros 3 was epic when I was a child. Nintendo use him too much, it is like Sega with using Sonic too much, only they don't manage to make as many good games with the character. Fundamentally I dislike Mascots. I prefer Nintendo for it's other IP, likewise with Sega.
I kinda feel like this is cheating using so many 3DS's its basically the same containment/platform of SMB.
I love this! I think every Nintendo console ever should have Super Mario Bros. on it.
Show Comments
Leave A Comment
Hold on there, you need to login to post a comment...