Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels: Difference between revisions

{{short description|1986 video game developed by Nintendo}}

{{About|the Japanese sequel to Super Mario Bros|the Western sequel|Super Mario Bros. 2}}

{{Use American English|date=April 2015}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2015}}

{{Infobox video game

| title = Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels

| image = Mariobros2japanbox.jpg

| caption = Japanese cover art

| alt = The Lost Levels box art shows Mario holding the two-finger V sign inside an inscribed circle. Above, red Japanese text reads the title text: "Super Mario Bros. 2". The Nintendo logo and an award ribbon are displayed in opposite corners.

| developer = [[Nintendo R&D4]]

| publisher = [[Nintendo]]

| director = [[Takashi Tezuka]]<br>[[Shigeru Miyamoto]]

| producer = Shigeru Miyamoto

| designer = Shigeru Miyamoto{{r|Atari HQ: SMB2}}

| composer = [[Koji Kondo]]

| programmer = Toshihiko Nakago<br>Kazuaki Morita

| series = ''[[Super Mario]]''

| platforms = [[Family Computer Disk System]]

| released = {{vgrelease|JP|June 3, 1986}}

| genre = [[Platform game|Platform]]

| modes = [[Single-player]]

}}

'''''Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels''''' is a 1986 [[side-scrolling]] [[platform game]] developed and published by [[Nintendo]] as the first sequel to their 1985 bestseller ''[[Super Mario Bros.]]'' The games are similar in style and gameplay, apart from a steep increase in difficulty. Like the original, [[Mario]] or [[Luigi]] venture to rescue the [[Princess Peach|Princess]] from [[Bowser (character)|Bowser]]. Unlike the original, the game has no two-player option and Luigi is differentiated from his twin plumber brother with reduced ground friction and increased jump height. ''The Lost Levels'' also introduces setbacks such as poison [[Mushroom (Mario)|mushroom]] [[power-up]]s, counterproductive [[level warp]]s, and mid-air wind gusts. The game has 32 [[Level (video gaming)|levels]] across eight worlds as well as 20 [[bonus stage|bonus levels]].

''The Lost Levels'' was first released in [[Japan]] for the [[Famicom Disk System]] as '''''Super Mario Bros. 2'''''{{efn|{{nihongo|'''''Super Mario Bros. 2'''''|スーパーマリオブラザーズ2|Sūpā Mario Burazāzu Tsū|lead=yes}}}} on June 3, 1986, following the success of its predecessor. It was developed by [[Nintendo R&D4]]{{emdash}}the team led by Mario creator [[Shigeru Miyamoto]]{{emdash}}and designed for players who had mastered the original. [[Nintendo of America]] deemed the title too difficult for its North American audience and instead chose another game as the region's ''[[Super Mario Bros. 2]]'': a retrofitted version of the Japanese ''Doki Doki Panic''. North America first experienced ''The Lost Levels'', as the Japanese sequel became known, in the 1993 [[Super Nintendo Entertainment System]] compilation ''[[Super Mario All-Stars]]''. It was later [[Porting of video games|ported]] to the [[Game Boy Color]], [[Game Boy Advance]], [[Virtual Console]] ([[Wii]], [[Nintendo 3DS]], and [[Wii U]]), and [[Nintendo Switch]].

The title is known for its intense difficulty, which contributes to its reputation as a [[black sheep]] in the franchise. Reviewers viewed ''The Lost Levels'' as an extension of the original release, especially its difficulty progression. Journalists appreciated the game's challenge when spectating [[speedruns]], and recognized the game as a precursor to the franchise's subculture in which fans create and share [[ROM hacks]] featuring nearly impossible levels. This sequel gave Luigi his first character traits and introduced the poison mushroom item, which has since been used throughout the [[Mario (franchise)|''Mario'' franchise]]. ''The Lost Levels'' was the most popular game on the Disk System, for which it sold about 2.5&nbsp;million copies. It is remembered among [[Nintendo hard|the most difficult games by Nintendo]] and in the video game medium, and among the least important games in the ''Mario'' series.

== Gameplay ==

[[File:Super Mario Bros. 2 (Lost Levels).png|frame|left|Screenshot of gameplay from the 1986 Japanese release, showing a poison mushroom|alt=Mario, viewed in profile, faces to the right of the screen, with question mark boxes and a dark mushroom floating overhead and a green pipe in the ground nearby. The screen is mostly blue sky.]]

''The Lost Levels'' is a [[side-scrolling]] [[platform game]] similar in style and gameplay to the original 1985 ''[[Super Mario Bros.]]'', save for an increase in difficulty.{{r|IGN: review|IGN: history3|Polygon: WUVC|AllGame: SMB2}} As in the original, [[Mario]] (or [[Luigi]]) ventures to rescue the [[Princess Peach|Princess]] from [[Bowser (character)|Bowser]].{{r|Polygon: WUVC}} The player jumps between platforms, avoids enemy and inanimate obstacles, finds hidden secrets (such as [[warp zone]]s and vertical vines), and collects [[power-up]]s like the [[Mushroom (Mario)|mushroom]] (which makes Mario grow), the [[Super Mario#Projectile flowers|Fire Flower]] (which lets Mario throw fireballs), and the [[Super Mario#Invincibility|Invincibility Star]].{{r|IGN: review}} Unlike the original, there is no two-player mode{{r|Eurogamer review}} but at the [[title screen]], the player chooses between the twin plumber characters. Their abilities are differentiated for the first time: Luigi, designed for skilled players, has less ground friction and higher jump height,{{r|IGN: review}} while Mario is faster.{{r|Eurogamer review}}

The game continues the difficulty progression from the end of its predecessor.{{r|IGN: review}} ''The Lost Levels'' introduces irritants including poison mushrooms, [[Level (video gaming)|level]] warps that set the player farther back in the game, and wind gusts that redirect the player's course mid-air.{{r|IGN: history3}} The poison mushroom, in particular, works as an anti-mushroom, shrinking or killing the player-character.{{r|gamespot review}} Some of the game's [[Level (video gaming)|levels]] require "split-second" precision{{r|IGN: history3}} and others require the player to jump on invisible blocks.{{r|1001 Must Play}} There were also some graphical changes from its predecessor,{{r|AllGame: SMB2|IGN: Building}} though their soundtracks are identical.{{r|IGN: review}} After each boss fight, [[Toad (Nintendo)|Toad]] tells Mario that "our princess is in another castle".{{r|IGN: history3}} The main game has 32 levels{{r|Atari HQ: SMB2}} across eight worlds and five [[bonus stage|bonus]] worlds. A hidden World 9 is accessible if the player does not use a warp zone. Bonus worlds A through D are accessible when the player plays through the game eight times, for a total of 52 levels.{{r|IGN: review}}

== Development ==

{{Multiple image

| direction = horizontal

| total_width = 250

| image1 = Takashi Tezuka 2015 (cropped).jpg

| alt1 = refer to caption

| image2 = Shigeru Miyamoto 2015 (cropped).jpg

| alt2 = refer to caption

| image3 = Kōji Kondō 2015 (cropped).jpg

| alt3 = refer to caption

| footer = The game's director, designer, and composer pictured together in 2015: Takashi Tezuka, Shigeru Miyamoto, and Koji Kondo

}} <!-- [[File:[[Takashi Tezuka]], [[Shigeru Miyamoto]] and [[Kōji Kondō]] (cropped).jpg|thumb|upright=1.3|The game's director, designer, and composer pictured together in 2015: Takashi Tezuka, Shigeru Miyamoto, and Koji Kondo]] -->

The original ''Super Mario Bros.'' was released in North America in October 1985. Within four months, it had sold tens of millions of [[Nintendo Entertainment System]] (Famicom in Japan) video game consoles and signaled the end of the [[video game crash of 1983|1983 video game crash]].{{r|IGN: history2}} When developing a version of the game for Nintendo's [[amusement arcade|coin-operated arcade machine]], the [[Nintendo VS. System|VS. System]], the team experimented with new, challenging level designs. They enjoyed these new levels, and thought that ''Super Mario'' devotees would too.{{r|Mush King int}} [[Shigeru Miyamoto]], who created the [[Mario (franchise)|''Mario'' franchise]] and directed ''Super Mario Bros.'',<!-- not in source but easily cited if needed --> no longer had time to design games by himself, given his responsibilities leading [[Nintendo]]'s [[Nintendo R&D4|R&D4]] division and their work on ''[[The Legend of Zelda (video game)|The Legend of Zelda]]''.{{r|IGN: history3}} Thus, the ''Super Mario'' sequel was delegated to its predecessor's assistant director, [[Takashi Tezuka]], as his directorial debut.{{r|BossFightBook: lost|NES Mini interview}} He worked with Miyamoto and the R&D4 team{{r|IGN: fav|IGN: review}} to develop a sequel based on the same [[game engine|underlying technology]],{{r|gamespot review}} including some levels directly from ''[[Vs. Super Mario Bros.]]''{{r|IGN: history3}}

''The Lost Levels'', originally released in Japan as ''Super Mario Bros. 2''{{r|Polygon: WUVC}} on June 3, 1986, was similar in style to ''Super Mario Bros.'' but much more difficult in gameplay{{emdash}}"nails-from-diamonds hard", as Jon Irwin described it in [[Boss Fight Books|his book on the sequels]].{{r|BossFightBook: lost}} Tezuka felt that Japanese players had mastered the original game, and so needed a more challenging sequel.{{r|BossFightBook: lost}} Recognizing that the game might be too difficult for newcomers, the team labeled the game's packaging: "For Super Players".{{r|Mush King int}} They also added a trick to earn [[infinite lives]] as preparation for the game's difficulty.{{r|Mush King int}} Commercials for ''The Lost Levels'' in Japan featured players failing at the game and screaming in frustration at their television.{{r|BossFightBook: lost}} After ''Zelda'', ''The Lost Levels'' was the second release for the [[Famicom Disk System]], an add-on external disk drive with more spacious and less expensive disks than the Famicom cartridges.{{r|IGN: history3}}

{{Quote box|width=30em|quote=As I continued to play, I found that ''Super Mario Bros. 2'' asked me again and again to take a [[leap of faith]], and each of those leaps resulted in my immediate death. This was not a fun game to play. It was punishment - ''undeserved'' punishment. I put down my controller, astonished that [[Shigeru Miyamoto|Mr. Miyamoto]] had chosen to design such a painful game.|source=—[[Howard Phillips (video gaming)|Howard Phillips]] on his test playthrough of ''The Lost Levels''{{r|BossFightBook: lost}}}}

When evaluated for release outside of Japan, [[Nintendo of America]] believed ''The Lost Levels'' was too difficult and frustrating for the recovering American market and declined its release.{{r|IGN: history3|Kotaku: speedrunning}} As a result, the team decided to develop a game called Doki Doki Panic. [[Howard Phillips (video gaming)|Howard Phillips]], who evaluated games for Nintendo of America President [[Minoru Arakawa]], felt that the game was unfairly difficult, even beyond the unofficial moniker of "[[Nintendo Hard]]" that the company's other games sometimes garnered.{{r|BossFightBook: lost}} His opinion was that ''The Lost Levels'' would not sell well in the American market.{{r|IGN: fav|BossFightBook: lost}} "Few games were more stymieing", he later recalled of the game. "Not having fun is bad when you're a company selling fun."{{r|BossFightBook: lost}}

Nintendo instead released a retrofitted version of ''Doki Doki Panic'' as the region’s ''[[Super Mario Bros. 2]]'' in October 1988.{{r|Kotaku: coming to America}} ''Doki Doki Panic'' had originally been developed by Miyamoto and [[Kensuke Tanabe]] as a modified take on a ''Super Mario Bros.'' game. Instead of Mario graphics, Miyamoto collaborated with [[Fuji Television]] to license characters from its Yūme Kojo ‘87 and it was released in Japan as a standalone game in July 10, 1987.{{r|BossFightBook: doki}} Miyamoto spent more time on ''Doki Doki Panic'' than on ''The Lost Levels''.{{r|IGN: history3}} ''Doki Doki Panic''{{'}}s characters and artwork were modified to match ''Super Mario Bros.'' before being released in America, and the re-skinned release became known as the "big aberration" in the ''Super Mario'' series.{{r|IGN: history3}} The American ''Super Mario Bros. 2'' was later released in Japan as ''Super Mario USA''.{{r|Kotaku: coming to America}}

== Rereleases ==

[[File:Nintendo-Famicom-Disk-System.jpg|thumb|''The Lost Levels'' was the second game released for the Famicom Disk System (attached below the Famicom, as pictured)|alt=A white and red Famicom unit sits atop a candy red Famicom Disk System unit with black insertable disk drive. Two rectangular controllers, each with a D-pad and two black buttons, fit into the Famicom.]]

Nintendo "cleaned up" parts of the Japanese ''Super Mario Bros. 2'' and released it in later ''Super Mario'' collections as ''The Lost Levels''.{{r|IGN: history3}} Its North American debut in the 1993 ''[[Super Mario All-Stars]]'' collection for the [[Super Nintendo Entertainment System]]{{r|Polygon: WUVC}} featured updated graphics (including increased visibility for the poison mushroom{{r|Eurogamer review}}) and more frequent checkpoints to [[saved game|save player progress]].{{r|gamespot review}} According to ''All-Stars'' developers, the compilation was created because Miyamoto felt ''The Lost Levels'' had not reached a wide audience and wanted more players to experience it.{{r|Iwata: Updating}} ''All-Stars'' was rereleased as a Limited Edition for the Nintendo [[Wii]] console in remembrance of ''Super Mario Bros.''{{'s}} 25th anniversary in 2010.{{r|Kotaku: coming to America}} ''The Lost Levels'' was edited to fit the handheld [[Game Boy Color]] screen as an unlockable bonus in the 1999 ''[[Super Mario Bros. Deluxe]]'': the visible screen is cropped and some features are omitted, such as the wind and five bonus worlds.{{r|Nintendo Life: SMB DX rev|USgamer: greatest}} ''The Lost Levels'' was rereleased in 2004 for the [[Game Boy Advance]] on the third volume of Nintendo's Japan-only [[Famicom Mini]] compilation cartridges.{{r|IGN: mini}}

Nintendo's digital Virtual Console platform brought the unedited 1986 Japanese release to North America for the first time.{{r|IGN: review|Eurogamer review}} ''The Lost Levels'' was released for Nintendo's Wii [[Virtual Console]] digital platform in 2007 (partially in support of Nintendo's Hanabi Festival{{r|Eurogamer review}}), and the 3DS version followed in 2012.{{r|Nintendo Life: WU rev|IGN: review}} The [[Wii U]] Virtual Console release came to Japan in 2013, and to Europe and North America the next year.{{r|Nintendo Life: WU rev}} ''The Lost Levels'' was also included in Nintendo classic game compilations including the 2014 ''[[NES Remix 2]]'' (Wii U){{r|IGN: Remix 2}} ''[[Ultimate NES Remix]]'' (3DS),{{r|IGN: Ult Remix}} and the [[Nintendo Switch Online]] NES catalog for the [[Nintendo Switch]] in 2019.{{r|Variety: Switch}}

== Reception and legacy ==

{{Video game reviews

<!-- |Famitsu listing (no score): https://www.famitsu.com/cominy/?m=pc&a=page_h_title&title_id=457 -->

| EuroG = Wii: 8/10{{r|Eurogamer review}}

| GSpot = Wii: 6.5/10{{r|gamespot review}}

| IGN = 3DS: 8.5/10{{r|IGN: review}}

| NLife = Wii U: 8/10{{r|Nintendo Life: WU rev}}

}}

At the time of its release, ''The Lost Levels'' topped ''[[Famitsu|Famicom Tsūshin]]''{{'s}} charts.{{r|BossFightBook: lost}} The game was the most popular game on the Disk System, for which it sold about 2.5&nbsp;million copies.{{r|Atari HQ: SMB2}} Retrospective critics viewed ''The Lost Levels'' as an expansion<!-- or update--> of the original,{{r|IGN: review|Atari HQ: SMB2|AllGame: SMB2|Eurogamer review}} akin to extra challenge levels tacked on its end.{{r|IGN: review}} Despite their similarities, the sequel is distinguished by its notorious difficulty.{{r|Nintendo Life: WU rev}} ''[[1001 Video Games You Must Play Before You Die]]'' summarized the game as both "familiar and mysterious" and "simply rather unfair".{{r|1001 Must Play}} ''The Lost Levels'' replaced the original's accessible level designs with "insanely tough obstacle courses"{{r|IGN: history3}} as if designed to intentionally frustrate and punish players beginning with its first poison mushroom.{{r|IGN: 125|Nintendo Life: WU rev|IGN: review}}

Retrospective reviewers recommended the game for those who mastered the original, or those who would appreciate a painful challenge.{{r|Nintendo Life: WU rev|Eurogamer review|GameZone: Does It Hold Up?}} Casual ''Mario'' fans, ''GameZone'' wrote, would not find much to enjoy.{{r|GameZone: Does It Hold Up?}} ''[[Nintendo Life]]''{{'s}} reviewer felt that while the original was designed for recklessness, its sequel taught patience, and despite its difficulty, remained both "fiendishly clever" and fun.{{r|Nintendo Life: WU rev}} On the other hand, ''[[GamesRadar]]'' felt that the game was an unoriginal, boring retread, and apart from its "pointlessly cruel" difficulty, not worthy of the player's time.{{r|GamesRadar: Mario best and worst}} ''GamesRadar'' and ''[[IGN]]'' agreed with Nintendo of America's choice against releasing the harder game in the 1980s,{{r|GamesRadar: Mario best and worst|IGN: review}} though ''[[Eurogamer]]'' thought that ''The Lost Levels'' was "technically a much better game" than the ''Doki Doki Panic''-based ''Super Mario Bros. 2'' the American market received instead.{{r|Eurogamer review}}

''The Lost Levels'' is remembered among the most difficult games by Nintendo and in the video game medium.{{r|GamesRadar: Nintendo Hard|USgamer: hardest}} Three decades after the game's release, ''Kotaku'' wrote that the demanding player precision required in ''The Lost Levels'' made fast playthroughs ([[speedruns]]) "remarkably fun" to spectate.{{r|Kotaku: speedrunning}} ''NES Remix 2'' (2014), a compilation title for the Wii U, similarly segmented ''The Lost Levels'' into speedrun challenges, which made the challenging gameplay more palatable.{{r|IGN: Remix 2}} Many years after the release of ''The Lost Levels'', fans of the series would [[ROM hacking|modify]] ''Mario'' games to challenge each other with nearly impossible levels. The challenges of ''The Lost Levels'' presaged this community, and according to ''IGN'', ''The Lost Levels'' shares more in common with this subculture than with the Mario series itself.{{r|IGN: review}} Indeed, the sequel is remembered as a [[black sheep]] in the franchise{{r|1001 Must Play|Nintendo Life: WU rev}} and a reminder of imbalanced gameplay in Nintendo's history.{{r|1001 Must Play}}

Luigi received his first distinctive character traits in ''The Lost Levels'': less ground friction, and the ability to jump farther.{{r|IGN: history3}} ''IGN'' considered this change to be the game's most significant, though the controls remained "cramped" and "crippled" with either character.{{r|IGN: review}} The game's poison mushroom item, with its character-impairing effects, became a staple of the ''Mario'' franchise.{{refn|name=poison|Games that featured the mushroom include ''[[Super Mario Kart]]'' (1992),{{r|Nintendo Life: Mario Kart|GamesRadar: Kart}} ''[[Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door]]'' (2004),{{r|GameSpot: Thousand-Year}} ''[[Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time]]'' (2005),{{r|GamesRadar: galactic}} ''[[Mario Kart Arcade GP 2]]'' (2007),{{r|Nintendo Life: Mario Kart}} ''[[Super Mario 3D Land]]'' (2011),{{r|Kotaku: poison}} and ''[[Mario Party: Star Rush]]'' (2016).{{r|NWR: Star Rush}} It also appears in Mario-themed games outside the franchise, such as ''[[Puzzle & Dragons Super Mario Bros. Edition]]''{{r|GameZone: Puzzle & Dragons}} and the Wii U version of ''[[Tekken Tag Tournament 2]]''.{{r|IGN: TTT2}}}} Some of the ''Lost Levels'' appeared in [[All Night Nippon Super Mario Bros.|a 1986 promotional release of ''Super Mario Bros.'']], in which Nintendo modified in-game assets to fit themes from the Japanese radio show ''[[All Night Nippon]]''.{{r|Engadget: Nippon}} Journalists have ranked ''The Lost Levels'' among the least important in the ''Mario'' series{{r|USgamer: greatest Mario|GI: ranking Mario}} and of Nintendo's top games.{{r|IGN: 125}}

{{Clear}}

== Notes ==

{{Notelist}}

== References ==

{{Reflist|refs=

<ref name="1001 Must Play">{{cite book |last=Donlan |first=Christian |editor-last=Mott |editor-first=Tony |chapter=Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels |page=129 |title=1001 Video Games You Must Play Before You Die |year=2010 |location=New York |publisher=[[RCS MediaGroup|Universe]] |isbn=978-0-7893-2090-2 |oclc=754142901}}</ref>

<ref name="NES Mini interview">{{cite web |url=http://www.nintendo.com/nes-classic/super-mario-bros-and-super-mario-bros-3-developer-interview |access-date=November 24, 2016 |title=NES Classic Edition Developer Interview |publisher=[[Nintendo]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170101001654/http://www.nintendo.com/nes-classic/super-mario-bros-and-super-mario-bros-3-developer-interview |archive-date=January 1, 2017 |url-status=live}}</ref>

<ref name="AllGame: SMB2">{{cite web |url=http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=1322 |access-date=April 1, 2015 |title=Super Mario Bros. 2 |last1=Miller |first1=Skyler |work=[[AllGame]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141114102808/http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=1322 |archive-date=November 14, 2014 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

<ref name="Atari HQ: SMB2">{{cite web |url=http://www.atarihq.com/tsr/fds/smb2.html |access-date=April 1, 2015 |title=Super Mario Bros. 2 |date=May 4, 1999 |work=Atari HQ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150311184232/http://www.atarihq.com/tsr/fds/smb2.html |archive-date=March 11, 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref>

<ref name="Eurogamer review">{{cite web |url=http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/r_vcroundup_140907 |access-date=April 1, 2015 |work=[[Eurogamer]] |title=Virtual Console Roundup |last1=Whitehead |first1=Dan |date=September 15, 2007 |archive-url=https://www.webcitation.org/6XTDy4GDM?url=http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/r_vcroundup_140907 |archive-date=April 1, 2015 |url-status=live |df= }}</ref>

<ref name="gamespot review">{{cite web |url=http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/super-mario-bros-the-lost-levels-review/1900-6180490/ |access-date=August 24, 2015 |title=Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels Review |last1=Provo |first1=Frank |date=October 5, 2007 |work=[[GameSpot]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150824073600/http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/super-mario-bros-the-lost-levels-review/1900-6180490/ |archive-date=August 24, 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref>

<ref name="GameSpot: Thousand-Year">{{Cite web |last1=Rorie |first1=Gamespot |title=Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door Walkthrough |work=[[GameSpot]] |date=2006-01-18 |url=https://www.gamespot.com/articles/paper-mario-the-thousand-year-door-walkthrough/1100-6111104/ |access-date=2017-03-25 |df=mdy-all |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160622232221/http://www.gamespot.com/articles/paper-mario-the-thousand-year-door-walkthrough/1100-6111104/ |archive-date=June 22, 2016 |url-status=live}}</ref>

<ref name="GamesRadar: galactic">{{cite web |url=http://www.gamesradar.com/top-20-galactic-moments/?page=5 |access-date=April 1, 2015 |title=Top 20 Galactic Moments |date=November 12, 2007 |work=[[GamesRadar]] |archive-url=https://www.webcitation.org/6XTDj7lZq?url=http://www.gamesradar.com/top-20-galactic-moments/?page=5 |archive-date=April 1, 2015 |url-status=live |df= }}</ref>

<ref name="GamesRadar: Kart">{{Cite web |last1=Gilbert |first1=Henry |page=5 |title=Every single Mario Kart item ranked from worst to best (33. Poison Mushroom) |work=[[GamesRadar]] |date=2014-05-16 |url=http://www.gamesradar.com/every-mario-kart-item-listed-worst-best/ |access-date=2017-03-25 |df=mdy-all |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160421154822/http://www.gamesradar.com/every-mario-kart-item-listed-worst-best/ |archive-date=April 21, 2016 |url-status=live}}</ref>

<ref name="GameZone: Does It Hold Up?">{{Cite web|last1=Sanchez |first1=David |title=Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels - Does It Hold Up? |work=GameZone |date=2012-01-02 |url=http://www.gamezone.com/originals/super-mario-bros-the-lost-levels-does-it-hold-up |access-date=2017-03-26 |df=mdy-all |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150120000405/http://www.gamezone.com/originals/super-mario-bros-the-lost-levels-does-it-hold-up |archive-date=January 20, 2015 }}</ref>

<ref name="GameZone: Puzzle & Dragons">{{Cite web|last1=Splechta |first1=Mike |title=Puzzle & Dragons expanding to the Mushroom Kingdom |work=GameZone |date=2015-01-08 |url=http://www.gamezone.com/news/puzzle-dragons-expanding-to-the-mushroom-kingdom-2642-jrrr |access-date=2017-03-26 |df=mdy-all |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160323024547/http://www.gamezone.com/news/puzzle-dragons-expanding-to-the-mushroom-kingdom-2642-jrrr |archive-date=March 23, 2016 }}</ref>

<ref name="IGN: 125">{{cite web |url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2014/09/24/the-top-125-nintendo-games-of-all-time |access-date=April 1, 2015 |title=The Top 125 Nintendo Games of All Time |page=1 |author=IGN Nintendo Nostalgia Crew |date=September 24, 2014 |work=[[IGN]] |archive-url=https://www.webcitation.org/6XTAFyRN0?url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2014/09/24/the-top-125-nintendo-games-of-all-time |archive-date=April 1, 2015 |url-status=live |df= }}</ref>

<ref name="IGN: Building">{{cite web |url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2012/06/01/building-to-new-super-mario-bros |access-date=April 1, 2015 |title=Building to New Super Mario Bros. |last=Thomas |first=Lucas M. |date=June 1, 2012 |work=[[IGN]] |archive-url=https://www.webcitation.org/6XTA6RNsW?url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2012/06/01/building-to-new-super-mario-bros |archive-date=April 1, 2015 |url-status=live |df= }}</ref>

<ref name="IGN: fav">{{cite web |url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2012/06/15/this-is-shigeru-miyamotos-favorite-mario-game |access-date=April 1, 2015 |title=This Is Shigeru Miyamoto's Favorite Mario Game |last=Claiborn |first=Samuel |date=June 15, 2012 |work=[[IGN]] |archive-url=https://www.webcitation.org/6XT3CyWey?url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2012/06/15/this-is-shigeru-miyamotos-favorite-mario-game |archive-date=April 1, 2015 |url-status=live |df= }}</ref>

<ref name="IGN: history2">{{cite web |url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2010/09/14/ign-presents-the-history-of-super-mario-bros?page=2 |page=2 |access-date=April 1, 2015 |title=IGN Presents: The History of Super Mario Bros. |last=McLaughlin |first=Rus |date=September 13, 2010 |work=[[IGN]] |archive-url=https://www.webcitation.org/6XStJfmh0?url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2010/09/14/ign-presents-the-history-of-super-mario-bros?page=2 |archive-date=April 1, 2015 |url-status=live |df= }}</ref>

<ref name="IGN: history3">{{cite web |url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2010/09/14/ign-presents-the-history-of-super-mario-bros?page=3 |page=3 |access-date=April 1, 2015 |title=IGN Presents: The History of Super Mario Bros. |last=McLaughlin |first=Rus |date=September 13, 2010 |work=[[IGN]] |archive-url=https://www.webcitation.org/6XStk6Plq?url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2010/09/14/ign-presents-the-history-of-super-mario-bros?page=3 |archive-date=April 1, 2015 |url-status=live |df= }}</ref>

<ref name="IGN: mini">{{cite web |url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2004/08/13/famicom-mini-series-3 |access-date=April 1, 2015 |title=Famicom Mini: Series 3 |last=Harris |first=Craig |date=August 13, 2004 |work=[[IGN]] |archive-url=https://www.webcitation.org/6XTGJEsVS?url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2004/08/13/famicom-mini-series-3 |archive-date=April 1, 2015 |url-status=live |df= }}</ref>

<ref name="IGN: Remix 2">{{cite web |url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2014/04/23/nes-remix-2-review |access-date=April 1, 2015 |title=NES Remix 2 Review |last=Claiborn |first=Samuel |date=April 23, 2014 |work=[[IGN]] |archive-url=https://www.webcitation.org/6XT9WsDQb?url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2014/04/23/nes-remix-2-review |archive-date=April 1, 2015 |url-status=live |df= }}</ref>

<ref name="IGN: TTT2">{{cite web |url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2012/10/14/nycc-doin-mushrooms-in-tekken-tag-2 |access-date=April 1, 2015 |title=NYCC: Doin' Mushrooms in Tekken Tag 2 |last=Clements |first=Ryan |date=October 14, 2012 |work=[[IGN]] |archive-url=https://www.webcitation.org/6XT2kimYB?url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2012/10/14/nycc-doin-mushrooms-in-tekken-tag-2 |archive-date=April 1, 2015 |url-status=live |df= }}</ref>

<ref name="IGN: review">{{cite web |url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2007/10/04/super-mario-bros-the-lost-levels-review |access-date=April 1, 2015 |title=Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels Review |last=Thomas |first=Lucas M. |date=October 3, 2007 |work=[[IGN]] |archive-url=https://www.webcitation.org/6XT6QGS3T?url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2007/10/04/super-mario-bros-the-lost-levels-review |archive-date=April 1, 2015 |url-status=live |df= }}</ref>

<ref name="IGN: Ult Remix">{{cite web |url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2014/10/16/ultimate-nes-remix-coming-to-2ds-and-3ds-november-7 |access-date=April 1, 2015 |title=Ultimate NES Remix Coming to 2DS and 3DS November 7 |last=Blake |first=Vikki |date=October 16, 2014 |work=[[IGN]] |archive-url=https://www.webcitation.org/6XT9q4dGm?url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2014/10/16/ultimate-nes-remix-coming-to-2ds-and-3ds-november-7 |archive-date=April 1, 2015 |url-status=live |df= }}</ref>

<ref name="Iwata: Updating">{{cite web |last1=Iwata |first1=Satoru |title=Super Mario All-Stars : Updating the Graphics |url=http://iwataasks.nintendo.com/interviews/#/wii/super-mario-all-stars/1/0 |website=[[Iwata Asks]] |publisher=[[Nintendo]] |access-date=April 12, 2019 |date=October 21, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150725233103/http://iwataasks.nintendo.com/interviews/#/wii/super-mario-all-stars/1/0 |archive-date=July 25, 2015 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all }}</ref>

<ref name="Kotaku: coming to America">{{cite web |url=http://kotaku.com/5675480/super-mario-all-stars-coming-to-america |access-date=April 1, 2015 |work=[[Kotaku]] |title=Super Mario All-Stars Coming To America |last=Ashcraft |first=Brian |date=October 28, 2010 |archive-url=https://www.webcitation.org/6XSouzVzh?url=http://kotaku.com/5675480/super-mario-all-stars-coming-to-america |archive-date=April 1, 2015 |url-status=live |df= }}</ref>

<ref name="BossFightBook: lost">{{cite book |title=Super Mario Bros. 2 |last=Irwin |first=Jon |location=Los Angeles |publisher=[[Boss Fight Books]] |date=October 6, 2014 |pages=22–29 |isbn=978-1-940535-05-0}}</ref>

<ref name="BossFightBook: doki">{{cite book |title=Super Mario Bros. 2 |last=Irwin |first=Jon |location=Los Angeles |publisher=[[Boss Fight Books]] |date=October 6, 2014 |pages=30–37 |isbn=978-1-940535-05-0}}</ref>

<ref name="Engadget: Nippon">{{Cite web |last1=Fletcher |first1=JC |title=Virtually Overlooked: All Night Nippon Super Mario Bros. |work=[[Engadget]] |date=2008-08-14 |url=https://www.engadget.com/2008/08/14/virtually-overlooked-all-night-nippon-super-mario-bros/ |accessdate=2017-06-26 |df=mdy-all |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170415203007/https://www.engadget.com/2008/08/14/virtually-overlooked-all-night-nippon-super-mario-bros/ |archive-date=April 15, 2017 |url-status=live }}</ref>

<ref name="Kotaku: poison">{{cite web |url=http://kotaku.com/5861862/super-mario-bros-2-was-a-tiny-tiny-influence-on-super-mario-3d-land |access-date=April 1, 2015 |work=[[Kotaku]] |title=Super Mario Bros. 2 Was a Tiny, Tiny Influence on Super Mario 3D Land |last=Totilo |first=Stephen |date=November 22, 2011 |archive-url=https://www.webcitation.org/6XT1d9oby?url=http://kotaku.com/5861862/super-mario-bros-2-was-a-tiny-tiny-influence-on-super-mario-3d-land |archive-date=April 1, 2015 |url-status=live |df= }}</ref>

<ref name="Mush King int">{{Cite web |title=Nintendo Channel Interview with Shigeru Miyamoto Volumes 1 and 2 |work=The Mushroom Kingdom |date=December 2010 |url=http://themushroomkingdom.net/interview_miyamoto_nc_smb_25th.shtml |access-date=2017-06-05 |df=mdy-all |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170605022456/http://themushroomkingdom.net/interview_miyamoto_nc_smb_25th.shtml |archive-date=2017-06-05 |url-status=live }}</ref><!-- TMK is not a great source, but this is an interview transcript no longer available directly from Nintendo -->

<ref name="Kotaku: speedrunning">{{cite web |url=http://kotaku.com/30-minutes-of-impossibly-precise-mario-speedrunning-1678023949 |access-date=April 1, 2015 |work=[[Kotaku]] |title=30 Minutes Of Impossibly Precise Mario Speedrunning |last=Schreier |first=Jason |date=January 7, 2015 |archive-url=https://www.webcitation.org/6XSq6V2bu?url=http://kotaku.com/30-minutes-of-impossibly-precise-mario-speedrunning-1678023949 |archive-date=April 1, 2015 |url-status=live |df= }}</ref>

<ref name="Nintendo Life: Mario Kart">{{cite web |url=http://www.nintendolife.com/news/2014/05/mario_kart_month_a_brief_history_of_mario_kart_item_evolution_mighty_mushroom |access-date=April 1, 2015 |title=Mario Kart Month: A Brief History Of Mario Kart Item Evolution: Mighty Mushroom |last1=Doolan |first1=Liam |date=May 28, 2014 |work=[[Nintendo Life]] |archive-url=https://www.webcitation.org/6XT1oamR1?url=http://www.nintendolife.com/news/2014/05/mario_kart_month_a_brief_history_of_mario_kart_item_evolution_mighty_mushroom |archive-date=April 1, 2015 |url-status=dead |df= }}</ref>

<ref name="Nintendo Life: SMB DX rev">{{cite web |url=http://www.nintendolife.com/reviews/3ds-eshop/super_mario_bros_deluxe_gbc |access-date=April 1, 2015 |title=Super Mario Bros. Deluxe (3DS eShop / Game Boy Color) Review |last1=van Duyn |first1=Marcel |date=March 7, 2014 |work=[[Nintendo Life]] |archive-url=https://www.webcitation.org/6XTFn6vNe?url=http://www.nintendolife.com/reviews/3ds-eshop/super_mario_bros_deluxe_gbc |archive-date=April 1, 2015 |url-status=dead |df= }}</ref>

<ref name="Nintendo Life: WU rev">{{cite web |url=http://www.nintendolife.com/reviews/wiiu-eshop/super_mario_bros_the_lost_levels_nes |access-date=April 1, 2015 |title=Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels (Wii U eShop / NES) Review |last1=Hughes |first1=Robert |date=January 31, 2014 |work=[[Nintendo Life]] |archive-url=https://www.webcitation.org/6XTCh7KeQ?url=http://www.nintendolife.com/reviews/wiiu-eshop/super_mario_bros_the_lost_levels_nes |archive-date=April 1, 2015 |url-status=dead |df= }}</ref>

<ref name="NWR: Star Rush">{{Cite web |last1=Koopman |first1=Daan |title=Mario Party: Star Rush Review - Review |work=Nintendo World Report |date=2016-10-05 |url=http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/43514/mario-party-star-rush-3ds-review |access-date=2017-03-25 |df=mdy-all |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170313231910/http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/43514/mario-party-star-rush-3ds-review |archive-date=March 13, 2017 |url-status=live}}</ref>

<ref name="Polygon: WUVC">{{cite web |url=http://www.polygon.com/2014/3/16/5514914/super-mario-bros-the-lost-levels-hits-wii-u-virtual-console |access-date=April 1, 2015 |title=Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels hits Wii U Virtual Console |last=Farokhmanesh |first=Megan |date=March 16, 2014 |work=[[Polygon (website)|Polygon]] |archive-url=https://www.webcitation.org/6XT4c4OBi?url=http://www.polygon.com/2014/3/16/5514914/super-mario-bros-the-lost-levels-hits-wii-u-virtual-console |archive-date=April 1, 2015 |url-status=live |df= }}</ref>

<ref name="USgamer: greatest">{{cite web |url=http://www.usgamer.net/articles/the-25-greatest-game-boy-games- |access-date=April 1, 2015 |title=The 25 Greatest Game Boy Games |last1=Parish |first1=Jeremy |date=April 17, 2014 |work=[[USgamer]] |archive-url=https://www.webcitation.org/6XTGBFl3x?url=http://www.usgamer.net/articles/the-25-greatest-game-boy-games- |archive-date=April 1, 2015 |url-status=live |df= }}</ref>

<ref name="GamesRadar: Mario best and worst">{{Cite web|last1=Gilbert |first1=Henry |title=Why every Mario game is the best AND worst in the series |work=[[GamesRadar]] |date=2011-12-28 |url=http://www.gamesradar.com/why-every-mario-game-best-and-worst-series/ |access-date=2017-05-31 |df=mdy-all |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160407164036/http://www.gamesradar.com/why-every-mario-game-best-and-worst-series/ |archive-date=April 7, 2016 }}</ref>

<ref name="GamesRadar: Nintendo Hard">{{Cite web|last1=McGee |first1=Maxwell |title=The classic games that define 'Nintendo Hard' |work=[[GamesRadar]] |date=2015-12-16 |url=http://www.gamesradar.com/the-21-hardest-nintendo-games-ever/ |access-date=2017-05-31 |df=mdy-all |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161112032029/http://www.gamesradar.com/the-21-hardest-nintendo-games-ever/ |archive-date=November 12, 2016 }}</ref>

<ref name="Variety: Switch">{{cite web |last1=Gera |first1=Emily |title=‘Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels’ Coming to Nintendo Switch Online |url=https://variety.com/2019/gaming/news/super-mario-bros-the-lost-levels-nintendo-switch-online-nes-1203179314/ |website=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] |accessdate=March 29, 2020 |date=April 3, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200329225227/https://variety.com/2019/gaming/news/super-mario-bros-the-lost-levels-nintendo-switch-online-nes-1203179314/ |archive-date=March 29, 2020 |url-status=live }}</ref>

<ref name="USgamer: hardest">{{Cite web|last1=Oxford |first1=Nadia |title=What are the Hardest Video Games? |work=[[USgamer]] |date=2015-07-22 |url=http://www.usgamer.net/articles/what-are-the-hardest-video-games |access-date=2017-05-31 |df=mdy-all |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170510174139/http://www.usgamer.net/articles/what-are-the-hardest-video-games |archive-date=May 10, 2017 }}</ref>

<ref name="USgamer: greatest Mario">{{Cite web|last1=Parish |first1=Jeremy |last2=Mackey |first2=Bob |last3=Rignall |first3=Jaz |last4=Benyamine |first4=John |last5=Bailey |first5=Kat |last6=Williams |first6=Mike |last7=Oxford |first7=Nadia |title=What's the Greatest Mario Game Ever? Find Out Where Mario Odyssey Lands in Our Updated Rankings! [Updated] |work=[[USgamer]] |date=2017-11-02 |url=http://www.usgamer.net/articles/the-definitive-super-mario-rankings-30-years-35-games |access-date=2018-01-01 |df=mdy-all |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180101222913/http://www.usgamer.net/articles/the-definitive-super-mario-rankings-30-years-35-games |archive-date=January 1, 2018 }}</ref>

<ref name="GI: ranking Mario">{{Cite web |last1=Shea |first1=Brian |title=Ranking Every Game In The Super Mario Series |work=[[Game Informer]] |date=2017-03-10 |url=http://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2016/03/10/best-super-mario-game-rankings.aspx?PageIndex=2 |page=2 |access-date=2017-05-31 |df=mdy-all |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160514141534/http://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2016/03/10/best-super-mario-game-rankings.aspx?PageIndex=2 |archive-date=May 14, 2016 }}</ref>

}}

== External links ==

* {{Official website}} {{in lang|ja}}

{{Super Mario|state=expanded}}

{{Shigeru Miyamoto}}

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[[Category:1986 video games]]

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[[Category:Video games scored by Koji Kondo]]

[[Category:Video games designed by Shigeru Miyamoto]]

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[[Category:Video games directed by Takashi Tezuka]]

[[Category:Super Mario]]

[[Category:Nintendo Switch Online NES games]]