Super Mario Bros.

Super Mario Bros. is the NES game that launched the Super Mario series. This is the first game with Super Mushrooms, Fire Flowers, Goombas, Koopas, Bowser, and the Princess! The game has reappeared on the Super NES as part of Super Mario All-Stars, and on the Game Boy Color as Super Mario Bros. DX. Its Japanese sequel is here called Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels.

Bowser has attacked the Mushroom Kingdom. Not only has he transformed the local mushroom retainers (whom we now call "toads") into blocks and horsehair grasses, but he has also kidnapped Princess Toadstool (known better today as "Princess Peach")! Mario mounts a rescue mission across 8 worlds and 32 levels of platform adventure.

Controls

 * Use to move Mario left and right and to enter pipes.
 * Press to jump! You can attack most enemies by jumping on them, but do not jump on spiked enemies or Bowser.
 * Hold to dash. Mario will run faster.
 * If you are Fire Mario, tap to launch fireballs.

Super Mario and Fire Mario can "crouch and slide" by using and  to run right, then holding  to duck into areas that are only one square tall.

Underwater, use to move and tap  repeatedly to ascend. Fire Mario can use fireballs underwater, tap !

Super Mushroom
It might not look much like the Super Mushrooms of later Mario games, but it has the same purpose: it transforms regular small Mario into Super Mario. All Super Mushrooms will move right from the block that they were in; do not let yours fall into a hole. Because Super Mario is two blocks tall, so it may be more difficult to dodge enemies. However, Super Mario can break brick blocks, thus opening new paths. Also, if an enemy touches Super Mario, he does not die but only reverts back to small Mario.

Fire Flower
It transforms Super Mario into Fire Mario. It sits on top of its block, and might be unreachable if that block is too high. Fire Mario can do everything that Super Mario can do, plus he can use to throw bouncing fireballs; you can have up to two fireballs on screen. These are very useful, especially against pirahna plants and underwater, where it is impossible to jump on anything. If an enemy touches Fire Mario, he reverts to small Mario. Until then, try to kill the enemies before they can hurt you.

Starman
Mario becomes temporarily invincible and will kill any enemy that he touches. Most of these are in hidden blocks, and once out, they do bounce around making them hard to catch. If you grab one, run to the right to pass as many enemies as possible, but do not fall into any pits.

1-Up Mushroom
These move like mushrooms but give Mario an extra life. Many of these are hard to find and once out of the block, difficult to reach. Try to grab it before it moves permanently off the screen.

The ? block that normally contains a Super Mushroom will contain a Fire Flower if you are Super or Fire Mario. To find a Fire Flower, in most cases you will need to find a Super Mushroom in an earlier course and enter the course as Super Mario. Alas, if you discover a Fire Flower but then hit an enemy becoming small Mario, the Fire Flower will only advance you back to Super Mario.

Coins
You will find coins floating in the air and in some blocks. If you last long enough to collect 100 coins, you will receive an extra life (1-Up). You can carry your coins between courses.

Hazards
Pits, whether empty or filled with water or lava, are instant deaths if Mario falls into them. Mario will lose a life and revert to small Mario, even if he was Fire Mario when he fell in!

There are few enemies. Goombas are simple; jump on them, fireball them, or allow them to fall into a pit. Koopas retreat into their shells when you jump on them. You can touch their shells to kick them; the shells will kill enemies, bounce off walls, and fall into pits. You can destroy their shells with fireballs. Pirahna Plants emerge in and out of pipes, but they do not come out if you stand next to or on their pipe, or you can fireball them. Lakitus drop Spineys on you, and you must dodge or fireball the Spineys, though they will walk into pits. If you can reach high-enough, try to jump on or fireball the Lakitu, but another will appear later. Buzzy Beetles are immune to fireballs, but otherwise they have shells like Koopas; they tend to replace the Goombas in the challenge mode that you play after you finish the game.

Boss
At first, you might not know how to fight Bowser. If you are skilled enough to reach him as Fire Mario, then you could hit him with fireballs. Otherwise, do not attack Bowser directly. Instead, you need to reach the axe on his right, which you can conveniently use to knock Bowser into the lava. Dodging his fire breath or hammers, jump over Bowser, or run under him as small Mario when he hops. If he hurts you as Super Mario, quickly try to pass him and reach the axe.

If you do manage to beat him with fireballs, you will discover that the Bowsers of the first seven worlds are not really Bowser.

Do not...

 * Do not jump on Spineys.
 * Do not jump on Pirahna Plants.
 * Do not jump on Bowser.
 * Do not allow shells to bounce back to you and harm you.
 * Do not try to carry shells; Mario can only kick them in this game.
 * Do not forget that Super Mario can break brick blocks.