Game & Watch: Super Mario Bros.

Released on November 13, 2020 by Nintendo, the Game & Watch: Super Mario Bros is at once a dedicated handheld console, a clock, and a love letter to longtime Nintendo fans.

When Nintendo made announcements surrounding Mario's 35th Anniversary last year, one seemed like a bit of a curiosity: a new version of one of Nintendo's old Game & Watch handhelds, this time featuring 1985's Super Mario Bros. and the Japanese only follow-up, Super Mario Bros. 2 (known as The Lost Levels here in the U.S.). Few people are even aware of Nintendo's old Game & Watch single game LCD handhelds from the early 80's, and surely there was little demand for something calling back to that. Expectedly, upon its original release in late 2020, Game & Watch: Super Mario Bros. sold out in minutes.

 

No, thank you, Nintendo!

Befitting 2020...and 2021, scalpers immediately tried to resell the unit at outrageous prices, but thankfully, Nintendo produced enough for stores to quickly restock, even to the point that some are now offering the Game & Watch for a discounted price. Despite my initial confusion, the 3D-esque outlay of the little handheld's box looked so cool, I decided that if I could find a new one for under $40 total cost, I'd pick it up, and eventually I did, thinking I'd barely touch the thing. A few months later...

 

This is my favorite bedside table object I've had since my childhood aquarium. Now, instead of fish, I have cats, and they leave their hair ALL OVER MY GAME & WATCH: SUPER MARIO BROS.! I miss those hairless, considerate fish.

Game & Watch: Super Mario Bros. is my favorite piece of electronics I've bought in quite a long time. Indeed, the Box, with its pull-out, clear plastic cover, does feature a very cool, unique 3D look. When I took the actual handheld out of the box, I had to laugh. With my giant, oafy hands, there was surely no way I'd be able to play something that small. Still, even the inside of the packaging (which includes a secret message!) is top-notch. It really feels like Nintendo put their full care into this thing. The actual handheld itself is also beautiful, incredibly lightweight, brushed golden metal with red piping in the front, and attractive red plastic on the back.

 

Say what you want about Super Mario Bros. 2, and I will say what I want about it in a minute, but some of the color schemes late in the game, like this autumnal one for 8-2, are truly lovely.

As soon as you fire up the unit, you're given the choice of either the two previously mentioned games, the first original 1980 Game & Watch game, Ball, or the clock. I jumped right into the original Super Mario Bros., certainly a landmark in my own history of video gaming, and a constant favorite to this day. Rather surprisingly, despite the handheld's small size, the controls feel great--just as good as they did on the NES so many years ago. The buttons are a surprisingly durable and comfortable rubber, and even my giant, arthritic hands feel fine after constant play. The backlit screen is bright and lends itself to a beautiful picture. I don't think Super Mario Bros. has ever looked this good.

 

Of course, Luigi's always lookin' suave

As rusty as I was, I eventually finished Super Mario Bros. and started Super Mario Bros. 2. I've, of course, heard about the originally released in Japan-only Super Mario Bros. 2's legendary difficulty over the course of my life. I'm usually pretty damn good at 2D platforming games, though. They're most definitely my bread and butter, buuuuuuut...Super Mario Bros. 2 crushed me. Thankfully, there's an easy to use "infinite lives" trick (just hold "A" for five seconds on the title screen) for (both of) the game(s) because even though 2 features a Castlevania like game element, where a "GAME OVER" just sends you back to the beginning of the world you've made it to, the game is pretty much impossible.

 

Remember getting to a cliff with no apparent way up in Super Mario Bros.? No? That's cuz it only happens in its evil sequel.

I finally beat Super Mario Bros. 2, enjoying just how hard the developers troll the player familiar with the original Super Mario Bros. Maybe this was a brief dark period for Mario creator, Shigeru Miyamoto. Whatever the case, warp pipes send you BACKWARD, some mushrooms shrink or kill you instead of making you bigger, piranha plants pop up faster than they did in the first game, and everything just feels fine-tuned to make the player miserable. It's magnificent. You can also choose to leave Mario behind for this one, and play as his brother, Luigi, who jumps higher, but has greasier shoes than his more friction-friendly sibling. It doesn't really matter, though. This game is abominably difficult either way.

 

Pictured: Probably the easiest screen in the whole game

You aren't just buying this to play two old (but awesome) games, though. It's the overall experience you have with the Game & Watch that makes it worthwhile, and a majority of that experience involves the "Watch" feature...though truthfully, it should be called a "Game & Clock." If you select "TIME" mode, that's exactly what you get: an electronic clock face featuring Mario interacting with one of three Super Mario Bros. environmental background of the player's choice. Unfortunately, the unit doesn't come with a stand, but if you've got a bedside lamp to lean it against, and a nearby USB brick to plug it into, the Game & Watch clock mode features 2D Mario jumping on and around Goombas, snagging power-ups, dancing, breaking bricks, and generally having a great time all day and night. Meanwhile, as the time changes (often involving Mario shattering the minute bricks before new ones fall into place), the in-screen sky begins to orange and purple, mimicking a sunset, and then turns into a night sky, as Mario parties your sleeping hours away--only for the screen to mimic sunrise shades in the morning. This thing really is a comforting marvel.

 

Now I finally have an insomnia friend to hangout with

In addition to everything I've just said, the Game & Watch is full of secrets, from an accessible song and video about how to draw Mario, to special events happening on the clock at only certain moments of the day. In addition to all this unexpected fun, there's the aforementioned Ball, which is really just a simple juggling game, but nice to have as a throwback and tribute to the Game & Watch's history. You can even unlock hard modes for Super Mario Bros. 1 and 2 after beating them, adding an entirely new level of challenge, as well as a world select. I should also mention that the battery life (after USB charging) for the device is quite long, and the little speaker, with adjustable volume, is quite clear and surprisingly loud (if you want it to be). All of this comes together to prove that, in contrast to being a cheap, cynical cash-in, Game & Watch: Super Mario Bros. is a well-made and thoughtful love letter to longtime Nintendo fans. I love this thing!

 

Yes! Thank you!

SCORE: 9.5/10