Retro Review: Super Mario Bros. (3DS Virtual Console)

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3 mins read

So here we go again. For possibly the 1000th time (may or may not be an exaggeration), people are able to play the original Super Mario Brothers in another form. If you hadn’t experienced it on the original NES, or the SNES remake, the Wii Virtual Console version, the Game Boy Color version or the Wii port of the SNES remake, you’re now able to play it on the Nintendo 3DS if you happen to be an Ambassador.

The problem is, this is easily the worst version to date.

It’s not that the game itself suffers on the 3DS. It’s a perfect emulation of the original game that is emulated well and runs happily on the new hardware. The high quality of the 3DS screen means the pixels in Super Mario Brothers are crystal clear, and the colours pop and have superb depth.

And to get the positives out first: Super Mario Brothers is a surprisingly long game (assuming you don’t use those warp pipes), and difficult to get through in one sitting, especially if you’re using your console on public transport or as a time waster. The ability to suspend a game mid-progress is therefore very, very welcome indeed – though there is no “create save point” option that we get with the Game Boy Virtual consoles. If Mario runs out of lives, it’s back to the very start of the game, in other words.

On the downside, for a game that requires great precision and agility, the 3DS’s ultra click buttons and awkward D-pad positioning are less than ideal. While I was never able to do those crazy speed runs that Mario legends are capable of, I have been playing Mario since I was a kid, and the basic run and simultaneous jump move is far too uncomfortable this time around.

And that’s really what kills this version of Super Mario Brothers. It’s still the same incredible, intelligent level layout. It’s still the same music tracks that have become as iconic as the Final Fantasy theme. It’s still the same mushroom-eating goomba-stomping goodness. It just sucks because it’s easier to lose lives in this game on no fault of the player’s.

And for a game that was challenging with ideal control setups, this version of Super Mario Brothers just becomes frustrating.

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This is the bio under which all legacy DigitallyDownloaded.net articles are published (as in the 12,000-odd, before we moved to the new Website and platform). This is not a member of the DDNet Team. Please see the article's text for byline attribution.

  • just a note, when you get a game over you can hold A and press START on the main menu to resume from the beginning of the world you died in. you dont have to go back to the beginning or anything (especially since you can suspend your progress at will with the home menu close software option)

    …of course it's stupid to expect people to know this when there's no instruction manual or anything (or is there?)

  • just a note, when you get a game over you can hold A and press START on the main menu to resume from the beginning of the world you died in. you dont have to go back to the beginning or anything (especially since you can suspend your progress at will with the home menu close software option)

    …of course it's stupid to expect people to know this when there's no instruction manual or anything (or is there?)

  • Hi Anonymous,

    Thanks very much for that tip! I hadn't realised it personally, that helps a lot.

    Still doesn't change the fundamental problem with playing Mario Bros on the 3DS, but useful to know 🙂

  • Hi Anonymous,

    Thanks very much for that tip! I hadn't realised it personally, that helps a lot.

    Still doesn't change the fundamental problem with playing Mario Bros on the 3DS, but useful to know 🙂

  • I gave it 3 out of 5 because this is an inferior version of the game, thanks to the difficult style of 3DS controls.

    It becomes frustrating, so I would recommend people check out any of the other many versions of the game before this one.

  • I gave it 3 out of 5 because this is an inferior version of the game, thanks to the difficult style of 3DS controls.

    It becomes frustrating, so I would recommend people check out any of the other many versions of the game before this one.

  • Just to clarify a touch further for you, as our scoring policy states:

    "3 Stars – Genre fans should still look into it, but everyone else should pass. This is a game that is either not made for everyone, but has some crucial flaws holding it back."

    This game has a crucial flaw thanks to the hardware. It's not a criticism of the game itself, which is of course incredible.

  • Just to clarify a touch further for you, as our scoring policy states:

    "3 Stars – Genre fans should still look into it, but everyone else should pass. This is a game that is either not made for everyone, but has some crucial flaws holding it back."

    This game has a crucial flaw thanks to the hardware. It's not a criticism of the game itself, which is of course incredible.

  • I have to agree with the control problems mentioned. Its not comfortable and hard to have precise control over run+jump movement.

    The game is great, the controls is not. Play this on NES system will give u a better experience.

  • I have to agree with the control problems mentioned. Its not comfortable and hard to have precise control over run+jump movement.

    The game is great, the controls is not. Play this on NES system will give u a better experience.

  • Yeah, I haven't beaten this yet because of the uncomfortable button layout. If they add the option to switch the buttons to X and A, then I'll come back to it and probably call it the definitive version. Until then I've got hand cramps. 🙁

  • Yeah, I haven't beaten this yet because of the uncomfortable button layout. If they add the option to switch the buttons to X and A, then I'll come back to it and probably call it the definitive version. Until then I've got hand cramps. 🙁

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    Retro Review: Super Mario Bros. (3DS Virtual Console)

    ///
    3 mins read

    So here we go again. For possibly the 1000th time (may or may not be an exaggeration), people are able to play the original Super Mario Brothers in another form. If you hadn’t experienced it on the original NES, or the SNES remake, the Wii Virtual Console version, the Game Boy Color version or the Wii port of the SNES remake, you’re now able to play it on the Nintendo 3DS if you happen to be an Ambassador.

    The problem is, this is easily the worst version to date.

    It’s not that the game itself suffers on the 3DS. It’s a perfect emulation of the original game that is emulated well and runs happily on the new hardware. The high quality of the 3DS screen means the pixels in Super Mario Brothers are crystal clear, and the colours pop and have superb depth.

    And to get the positives out first: Super Mario Brothers is a surprisingly long game (assuming you don’t use those warp pipes), and difficult to get through in one sitting, especially if you’re using your console on public transport or as a time waster. The ability to suspend a game mid-progress is therefore very, very welcome indeed – though there is no “create save point” option that we get with the Game Boy Virtual consoles. If Mario runs out of lives, it’s back to the very start of the game, in other words.

    On the downside, for a game that requires great precision and agility, the 3DS’s ultra click buttons and awkward D-pad positioning are less than ideal. While I was never able to do those crazy speed runs that Mario legends are capable of, I have been playing Mario since I was a kid, and the basic run and simultaneous jump move is far too uncomfortable this time around.

    And that’s really what kills this version of Super Mario Brothers. It’s still the same incredible, intelligent level layout. It’s still the same music tracks that have become as iconic as the Final Fantasy theme. It’s still the same mushroom-eating goomba-stomping goodness. It just sucks because it’s easier to lose lives in this game on no fault of the player’s.

    And for a game that was challenging with ideal control setups, this version of Super Mario Brothers just becomes frustrating.

    Our Scoring Policy

    This is the bio under which all legacy DigitallyDownloaded.net articles are published (as in the 12,000-odd, before we moved to the new Website and platform). This is not a member of the DDNet Team. Please see the article's text for byline attribution.

    Previous Story

    7 Wii exclusives that deserve PS3 remakes

    Next Story

    Madden NFL 12; this instruction manual is pathetic

    Latest Articles

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