The original Super Mario Bros. is one of the most historically important video games. While it was not the first game featuring Mario overall, it was the first Super Mario game and was definitely the series that made Mario go from being a popular mascot to an international superstar. Although it was partially due to the fact that it came with every Nintendo Entertainment System, the game’s success revolutionized the entire industry. Video games were finally legitimized as a source of entertainment, consoles were back on the market, and the platforming genre became one of the medium’s staples.
One of the reasons people keep coming back to Super Mario Bros. is how timeless it is. Even after countless more advanced platformers have been made, including Mario games on the very same system, Super Mario Bros. remained accessible and grounded enough to stand the test of time. The most dated thing about it is the limited graphics, which says a lot about its strong design. Another reason why the game remains relevant is its secrets. There are plenty of hidden elements, intentional or otherwise, in Super Mario Bros., adding even more replay value.
The Warp Zones
Alternate paths have always existed in the mainline Mario games, but because of the overworld maps in Super Mario Bros. 3 and Super Mario World, it can be easy for one to think that the idea of having shortcuts in the series came from these games. However, Super Mario Bros. did it before both of them, and its take on alternate paths is perhaps its most memorable secret. Since there is no world map, the player must rely on their knowledge of the level design to access the Warp Zones.
There are three Warp Zones in the game. The first one is in World 1-2, accessed at the end of the level. By hopping on the brick wall and walking to its end, Mario can choose between three useful Warp Pipes. Each of them will bring him to a different world: either the second, third, or fourth one. Naturally, players that want to beat the game as fast as possible will usually pick the pipe the takes them to World 4. World 4 itself has two different Warp Zones. The first one is in 4-2, accessed in the same way as its counterpart in World 1-2, but it only has one Warp Pipe that leads to World 5. If the player hits a hidden block midway through the level, said block will spawn a vine that will lead to the other Warp Zones in World 4-2. Players can choose to warp to either the sixth, seventh, or eighth world.
World -1
World -1 (pronounced “minus one”) is a glitch level accessed through unorthodox ways that became famous over the years. Like the first Warp Zone, it is accessible through the last stretch of World 1-2. To get to World -1, the player must first break the second block from the right of the Warp Pipe at the end of the normal path taken to finish World 1-2. They must then jump to the right in a backward stance while ducking.
This will allow Mario to walk through the brick wall that normally separates the three Warp Pipes that lead to alternate paths and the bigger Warp Pipe that leads to the regular end of the level. Falling into the first pipe the player can reach will take Mario to the famous World -1. World -1 itself is an endless underwater Super Mario level that can only be exited by turning the game off or letting the timer reach zero. As a bonus, performing the walk-through-walls glitch and going through the second Warp Pipe will take Mario to World 5, bypassing three worlds and a half with the use of a simple combination of commands.
Postgame
While games like Super Mario Bros. 3 and Super Mario World have collectibles and secret levels that are tough to acquire before beating the main game, Super Mario Bros. has a typical postgame. Once the game is beaten for the first time, it informs the player of a “new quest” that can be accessed by pressing the B button. This new quest has the same levels as the regular game, but the difficulty has been increased.
Goombas have been replaced by Buzzy Beetles, who cannot be killed by fireballs. The general speed of enemies was increased. Moving platforms got smaller. Firebars and Bullet Bills were also added in levels that did not feature them beforehand. These additions make beating the game worthwhile and give players a reason to revisit it.
Super Mario Bros. is available on NES and the Switch via Nintendo Switch Online.