1. Mario Was Originally a Carpenter
In Donkey Kong (1981), Mario wasn’t a plumber but a carpenter. His profession changed to fit the underground pipes of Super Mario Bros.
2. Luigi Was First Introduced Here
The game marked the first real appearance of Luigi, Mario’s younger brother, as a playable character in two-player mode.
3. The Iconic Theme Took One Week to Write
Koji Kondo, Nintendo’s composer, wrote the famous Super Mario Bros. Overworld Theme in just one week.
4. Hidden Warp Zones
Players could skip entire worlds by using secret warp pipes, one of the earliest examples of level-skipping in gaming.
5. Bowser Was Originally an Ox
Early concept art for Bowser depicted him as an ox. The design was later refined into the turtle-dragon king we know today.
6. Minus World Glitch
A famous bug in the game created the “Minus World” – an endless underwater level accessible via a glitch.
7. Limited Cartridge Memory
The NES cartridge had such limited memory that clouds and bushes were the same sprite, just recoloured.
8. Mario Was Named After a Landlord
Mario was named after Mario Segale, the landlord of Nintendo of America’s warehouse in the 80s.
9. Sold Over 40 Million Copies
Super Mario Bros. became one of the best-selling video games in history, bundled with the NES console.
10. The Game Saved Nintendo
The massive success of Super Mario Bros. helped revive the gaming industry after the crash of 1983, cementing Nintendo as a global powerhouse.
Why Super Mario Bros. Still Matters
Decades later, Super Mario Bros. remains a timeless classic. Its simple gameplay, hidden secrets, and unforgettable music make it one of the most important games ever made.
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