The classic I played in my childhood but that I was never able to finish 'till now. Super Mario is a huge franchise, and after all those games, could this game stand the test of the time? Short answer: yes. The titles that came after added so much more to the franchise, but playing the 85 game feels casual but a worth adventure. The visuals aged like good wine, and it's charming as heck. You can realize that the main gameplay hasn't changed so hard in the sequel games, which means it worked fine since from the beginning here. One of the most important games in the gaming industry, and a great title.

Positive points
+ Difficulty increases gradually;
+ Charming and timeless visuals;
+ Remarkable soundtrack;
+ Good controls;
+ There were some "puzzles" to solve in order to move forward in some phases. Pretty refreshing, and a detail i couldn't remember.
+ It's Mario time, guys, let's have fun.

Negative points
- Sometimes very punishing, especially if you're used to the new Mario games. Not as hard as the other NES titles tho;
- Level Design might be repetitive at times, but you can beat the game in 1 hour, not an issue at all;
- The water levels are good, but you can kinda skip them by swimming to the surface most of the time. It felt skippable.

Reviewed on Dec 28, 2023


1 Comment


5 months ago

Good review, but unfortunately I can't agree about the controls having aged well- Mario's floaty jump + penchant for sliding whenever you land made for some frustrating endeavors. If it wasn't for the NES Classic's save states, I might've never beaten this one. "Sometimes very punishing" is an understatement haha.