Mario Bros

Copyright : Nintendo | Reviewed by : Malc Jennings

For those of you that only ever saw the Mario Bros on the Nintendo Entertainment System please do not confuse this one with the platform game that was produced for the console. This version of Mario Bros is a conversion of the earlier released Atari 2600 release.

Here is the story from the original inlay. From the arcade original featuring fireballs, sidesteppers, shellcreepers, and fighterflys. Flip those pests and kick them off the pipes, but don?t loose your footing on those slippery floors. Play as a team or against each other, either way you?re in for a scream with Mario and Luigi - The Mario Bros.

The most addicitve game - the tension builds as you fight off more and more of these pesky varmints and stand your ground or jump from pipe to pipe keeping one step ahead of your pursuers. Fast comic fun with loads of hidden features and unexpected hiccups. Well that is what Nintendo had to say about the game, what about us?

Graphics

I originally played this game on the Atari 2600 some time in the early 1990s on one of my cousins bedroom consoles. It was great fun in 2 player mode as you thought for the higher scores and tried your best not to get knocked off the pipes by the enemies.

The graphics in this CPC version seem a little less than those in the Atari 2600, they just don?t look right somehow. Mario is way oversized and the colour scheme that should be way better than the old Atari system isn?t anywere near as bright. Ocean Software were responsible for converting the game to the home computer but they obviously didn?t put much effort into the graphics in any of the conversions. Everything seems a little oversized and not so well drawn.

Sound

Sound is very basic indeed, when Mario or Luigi run we get to hear the speaker beep (indicating a skid on the floor) and a "well done" sound when you knock off the pests as wells as a tiny thump when you hit the POW button in the center of the screen. Not exactly what we had hoped for but better than nothing I suppose.

Gameplay

The Gameplay is still here but if you have played the Atari 2600 version of the game then perhaps you should stick to it because the oversized graphics kind of put you off playing. If on the other hand you have never played either version of the game then check the CPC version out first, you may prefer it over the 2600 release. The game is best experienced in 2 player mode and is far more entertaining than the dull single player option.