Intellivision Super Mario Bros is an anomaly of sorts. This is an entry in our Bandit Gaming section as there is no way this is official. Looking at the developer of this, we are not surprised on bit at the progress. What is surprising is just how close this is to the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) version. This is spot on. Eerily so.

Super Mario Bros changed the industry

Nintendo’s choosing Super Mario Bros as the pack-in cart for their NES console was genius marketing. Not only was this a showcase title, but it was also arguably one of the best early releases. This gave parents a sense of comfort in giving this as a gift or keeping it for themselves.

Super Mario Bros is a 2D side scrolling action platform title. While the Atari 2600 did have 2D games, like Pitfall, they were mostly single screen affairs. Jungle Hunt was one that featured a scrolling screen though. The fact is, 2D side scrolling games were still a wide open genre. Previous entries were more adventure based, with goals and backtracking. SMB by Nintendo went for a decidedly more platforming approach. Gone were the backtracking elements – miss something and it is just gone.

There was also much more emphasis on jumping on, well, platforms, to avoid enemies and collect coins. Nintendo created a new sub-genre that others would struggle to compete in.

Intellivision Super Mario Bros is a marvel to see

The Mattel Intellivision console was released in the late 1970’s, about half a decade before the Nintendo NES. Games back then were more in line with quarter munchers such as Asteroids and Space Invaders. Single screen affairs that had simple goals and a myriad of ways to accomplish them.

Intellivision Super Mario Bros is quite a bit more advanced than what we saw commercially available. Some concessions had to be made for this port, understandably so.

Enemies have lost a bit of detail, as well as the background graphics. Coins are not as defined either. There is a bit of flicker for moving platforms, visible in level 1-2.

Seriously though, those are all nitpicks that do not diminish from the accomplishments on display.

Matthew Kiehl has created a few other eye-opening Mattel Intellivision ports. One being Castlevania, called Intellivania. Another is Paperboy and even Shadow of the Beast.

What do you think of Intellivision Super Mario Bros? Let me know in the comments below.

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Carl Williams

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