A revolutionary game with a bit of a clunky feel in hindsight. I don't think it's held up quite as well over the decades as Pac-Man, but it still gets a lot right for an early-'80s game. The four levels all have unique layouts and obstacles, Mario's somewhat slow movement means you have to be careful with your movements, and the game has a bit of challenge while not being too harsh. Comparing it to Super Mario Bros. shows how far platformer design and control would go on to improve over the first half of the '80s.

Reviewed on May 15, 2024


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