{"id":585,"date":"2025-08-28T08:08:41","date_gmt":"2025-08-28T08:08:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nintendolife.com\/news\/2020\/11\/hardware_review_game_and_watch_super_mario_bros_-_a_gorgeous_object_that_leaves_you_wanting_more"},"modified":"2025-08-28T08:08:41","modified_gmt":"2025-08-28T08:08:41","slug":"hardware-review-game-watch-super-mario-bros-a-gorgeous-object-that-leaves-you-wanting-more","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/arcader.org\/news\/hardware-review-game-watch-super-mario-bros-a-gorgeous-object-that-leaves-you-wanting-more\/","title":{"rendered":"Hardware Review: Game & Watch: Super Mario Bros. – A Gorgeous Object That Leaves You Wanting More"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\"Game<\/a>\u00a9 Nintendo Life<\/span><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n

Looking back on the history of Nintendo as a maker of video games, it’s clear that the Game & Watch<\/a> line was a significant step; not only did it allow Nintendo’s core developers to hone their skills with snappy, engaging titles, it also gave them the opportunity to evolve their hardware talents, coming up with innovations such as the famous ‘cross’ D-Pad and dual-screen play \u2013 innovations which would influence the entire industry, as well as future in-house projects, like the DS and 3DS.<\/p>\n

Another equally important moment in Nintendo’s history was the arrival of Super Mario Bros.<\/a><\/strong> in 1985, the game which \u2013 alongside Donkey Kong<\/a><\/strong> \u2013 is arguably responsible for establishing the Japanese company as a major player in the world of interactive entertainment. Given that 2020 is the 40th birthday of the Game & Watch and the 35th birthday<\/a> of the game that took plain old Mario and made him super, it makes sense that Nintendo has chosen to celebrate it not only with another re-release of the famous NES title (is it possible to have too many ports of Super Mario Bros. in your home?), but one that also pays homage to the earlier success of the seminal Game & Watch line.<\/p>\n

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It makes sense that Nintendo has chosen to celebrate Super Mario Bros. not only with another re-release of the title, but one that also pays homage to the earlier success of the seminal Game & Watch line<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

If you’re over the age of 40, then you’ll instantly appreciate the packaging Game & Watch: Super Mario Bros.<\/a><\/strong> comes in, which is based on the box designs of the Game & Watch line from the early ’80s. The unit itself is roughly the same size as the initial wave of single-screen Game & Watch titles, and feels just as robust and study. However, Nintendo is wisely not relying entirely on nostalgia to sell this thing; those who weren’t even born when the final Game & Watch model, Mario The Juggler<\/strong>, arrived in October 1991 will still want to get their hands on this device because it’s highly collectable and looks great sitting on a shelf (it’s also likely to rise in value over time, as Nintendo has stated that it’s a limited release).<\/p>\n

The unit adopts the same colour scheme as the Japanese Famicom, and consists of a plastic shell with a golden metal front plate \u2013 another recognisable hallmark of the original Game & Watch line. The iconic cross D-Pad \u2013 which began life on the Donkey Kong Game & Watch dual-screen model from 1982 \u2013 is present and correct, alongside two rubber action buttons (again, another callback to the controls on the original machines). Three option buttons are located on the front as well; one allows you to select between the three games (Super Mario Bros., the Japanese Super Mario Bros. 2<\/a><\/strong> and a version of Ball<\/strong>, the very first Game & Watch title from 1980), while another drops you to an animated clock. The third allows you to pause the game and toggle elements such as screen brightness and volume, as well as reset the current game.<\/p>\n