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Happy 25th birthday, 'Super Mario Bros.'

Written by Andre Yoskowitz @ 13 Sep 2010 11:06 User comments (21)

Happy 25th birthday, 'Super Mario Bros.' Today, in 1985, the original Super Mario Bros. was released in Japan, with the U.S. version coming a month later.
The blockbuster smash landed on the Nintendo Entertainment System, and through multiple iterations, the franchise has now hit 222 million units sold worldwide.

Wired has put together a timeline of all the Mario games, starting with the original, all the way to the recent Mario Galaxy 2. (Below)

The original Super Mario Bros game sold 40.24 million copies (thanks to being bundled with the NES), the best-selling game of all-time until Wii Sports surpassed it in 2008.



Overall, the character of Mario has appeared in over 200 video games.

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21 user comments

114.9.2010 00:17

I have super Mario 64 right infront of me. Should play it to celebrate.

214.9.2010 00:38

I have the rom of this on mame on my PC. One of the best video games ever. Sure its old school, but its a classic no doubt.

314.9.2010 04:39

Quote:
Wired has put together a timeline of all the Mario games, starting with the original, all the way to the recent Mario Galaxy 2.

They forgot Super Mario RPG (1996). IMO one of the most awesome Mario titles.

EDIT: Come to think of it they forgot the Paper Mario titles too.
This message has been edited since its posting. Latest edit was made on 14 Sep 2010 @ 4:44

414.9.2010 04:43

Amazing...25 years of running around and he is still a fat bastard.

514.9.2010 04:53

correct me if im wrong but super mario bros on nintendo wasnt the first title.I know cause i had the original mario game on atari 2600.the super mario bros games were fun but once they started getting into 3D they just seemed to kid friendly.

614.9.2010 04:54

LMAO.. Nice one killer.. As for forgetting about the Mario RPGs, Nintendo was purposely trying to focus on the adventure games for his bday. They also neglected all the games Mario was branched out too, from the original DK as Jump Man to sports games, Alleyway, the hand-held versions *which had some of the best Mario's*, etc...

In fact this is more happy birth day to Mario's fame, rather than Mario itself as a character.

This message has been edited since its posting. Latest edit was made on 14 Sep 2010 @ 4:56

714.9.2010 06:16

I thought it was a celebration of the repetitive nature of the titles that has led to a 50% drop in software sales year to date. You don't see Sega celebrating 20 years of sonic...they know he is dragging the company down; they won't do anything about it, but at least they have noticed.

814.9.2010 07:14

Originally posted by Mysttic:
As for forgetting about the Mario RPGs, Nintendo was purposely trying to focus on the adventure games for his bday.

Sigh... more like no love for non-platform games. :-(

(It was Wired that did the timeline, not Nintendo, BTW. Looks like they got the same complaints on their own site. :-D)

914.9.2010 07:51

maybe they will make mario old like snake in metal gear solid 4, he looks the same regardless

1014.9.2010 10:15

I grew up on this game I still remember when my parents came home with the NES awww man good times. The cart had duck hunt on it as well. The ting is I still have it and it still works i take it out on special occasions. I think I can spear an hour or two tonight maybe I'll try to beat my speed record (yeh right 8 yr old me would kick my butt).
Here's to Super Mario Bro.

1114.9.2010 11:21

I remember playing the handheld version of Mario on my Game Boy Pocket.
Good times...

1214.9.2010 15:11

I still have my original NES and the Mario game that came with it...including the original box ! (I'm a packrat )It still works too. Many wasted hours of mushroom gathering and sore fingers...ahh, good times.

This message has been edited since its posting. Latest edit was made on 16 Sep 2010 @ 10:22

1314.9.2010 15:54

They forgot to include Mario's debut in the Donkey Kong game, but such is life. I was too poor "white trash" to afford the original NES but I remember the Atari 2600 donkey cartridge. A simpler age. Too funny.

1414.9.2010 18:18
lissenup2
Inactive

Originally posted by xboxdvl2:
correct me if im wrong but super mario bros on nintendo wasnt the first title.I know cause i had the original mario game on atari 2600.the super mario bros games were fun but once they started getting into 3D they just seemed to kid friendly.
I could be wrong but the Atari 2600 had Donkey Kong and DK Jr. which technically had the character but I don't beleive the character was officially named Mario.

I gotta say, Jake the one-eyed trouser snake is shedding a tear..........I remember my Nintendo like it was a few years ago. What fun!


...................I just looked and apparently you're right. 1983.......unless someone is scamming and emulated the Nintendo on an Atari, which I doubt.
This message has been edited since its posting. Latest edit was made on 14 Sep 2010 @ 6:21

1514.9.2010 23:17

I can't say if mario was official on the 2600, but I know mario was on the 2600. There was a vibrant homebrew community on the 2600, and just about every game of the day got ported to the 2600 at some point.

I just realized...they forgot mario's tennis on the virtual boy...how could they forget the closest thing to a good game that the virtual boy ever got?

1615.9.2010 07:26

Mario Kart was the business back when we were at Uni (1992-1995) on the NES.....hours and hours of super fun when ur mashed up 2 da max!

This message has been edited since its posting. Latest edit was made on 15 Sep 2010 @ 7:27

1715.9.2010 07:56

I believe the first game to have Mario was Donkey Kong.

1815.9.2010 14:21

Originally posted by lissenup2:
Originally posted by xboxdvl2:
correct me if im wrong but super mario bros on nintendo wasnt the first title.I know cause i had the original mario game on atari 2600.the super mario bros games were fun but once they started getting into 3D they just seemed to kid friendly.
I could be wrong but the Atari 2600 had Donkey Kong and DK Jr. which technically had the character but I don't beleive the character was officially named Mario.

I gotta say, Jake the one-eyed trouser snake is shedding a tear..........I remember my Nintendo like it was a few years ago. What fun!


...................I just looked and apparently you're right. 1983.......unless someone is scamming and emulated the Nintendo on an Atari, which I doubt.
Actually Mario is older than 25 years old and he is correct. Yes Mario was in some Atari 2600 games but he also had his own game on Atari made by Nintendo. The name of the game was Mario bros so Mario was official before NES ever hit the scene. I know because I had the game.

Here is a video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=liZ-yuCzyTc

He might have been on Atari 800 as well.
This message has been edited since its posting. Latest edit was made on 15 Sep 2010 @ 2:31

1915.9.2010 14:34

The titles says "Happy Birthday Super Mario Bros" and not Mario. The game Mario Bros did come out in 1983. Super Mario Bros came out 25 years ago, not Mario. I still enjoy all these games on my mame cabinet like the person above stated.

2015.9.2010 17:05

U are right

2116.9.2010 01:56

Originally posted by lxhotboy:
Originally posted by lissenup2:
Originally posted by xboxdvl2:
correct me if im wrong but super mario bros on nintendo wasnt the first title.I know cause i had the original mario game on atari 2600.the super mario bros games were fun but once they started getting into 3D they just seemed to kid friendly.
I could be wrong but the Atari 2600 had Donkey Kong and DK Jr. which technically had the character but I don't beleive the character was officially named Mario.

I gotta say, Jake the one-eyed trouser snake is shedding a tear..........I remember my Nintendo like it was a few years ago. What fun!


...................I just looked and apparently you're right. 1983.......unless someone is scamming and emulated the Nintendo on an Atari, which I doubt.
Actually Mario is older than 25 years old and he is correct. Yes Mario was in some Atari 2600 games but he also had his own game on Atari made by Nintendo. The name of the game was Mario bros so Mario was official before NES ever hit the scene. I know because I had the game.

Here is a video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=liZ-yuCzyTc

He might have been on Atari 800 as well.
Spot on with the youtube video that is the game i was talking about.I use to own it when i was about 4 years old.

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