Super Mario Bros title

If you grew up in the 1980s there are very good odds that at least at one point you put your hand on a rectangular controller with a couple of red buttons and spent a few moments playing Super Mario Bros. If by some chance you are one of the few to never play the game or any of its numerous sequels over the years, it is probably safe to assume you at least know of the game and its main protagonist, Mario.

To this day, the 31st anniversary of the initial release of Super Mario Brothers in Japan, the lasting impact the game has had on the industry continues to live on and find new ways to reach new audiences to connect generations of video gamers the way no other game perhaps has.

It would be a little longer before Super Mario Bros. made its North American debut, which is when the game became even more of a revolutionary title that would eventually prove to change the entire outlook for a fading industry. The game was an instant hit in Japan, but its success in North America is what helped revitalize an industry left for dead as a result of so many companies getting in over their heads trying to score a buck in stores.

In the early 1980s, companies were merely trying to copy the simple formula that made a fun game like Space Invaders or Pac-Man and give it a slightly unique spin that led to a gluttony of games on multiple systems that were too pricey and not interesting enough to make it worth the investment. That was, until Nintendo came up with the brilliant strategy to market the Nintendo Entertainment System as a toy instead of a computer. This led to a younger target customer base, and having a game like Super Mario Bros. be as polished as it was was the golden ticket for Nintendo.

By now you probably know the story pretty well. The NES becomes a hot toy around the country and Nintendo rises to the top of an industry left for dead, reigniting the home console video game market and allowing it to evolve to where it is today. Mario was and still is Nintendo’s mascot, and elements of the original Super Mario Bros. game continue to thrive in today’s modern-gaming world. Minecraft is one of the popular games today, yet that was recently given a Super Mario twist, and countless Minecraft fans have recreated Super Mario-inspired worlds before that.

Nintendo has used Mario as the catalyst for any of their ventures in the industry and it has worked just about every time in resounding fashion. The NES had three Super Mario Bros. titles, including Super Mario Bros. 3 (arguably among the best games of all time). When Nintendo jumped into the 16-bit genre, they made sure Mario was there to show off what it could do. The Nintendo 64 launched with Super Mario 64 and the Wii ended up having two Super Mario Galaxy adventures. It may be no real coincidence that Nintendo started slipping in the console battles with the GameCube, which launched with Mario’s brother headlining the line-up (Luigi’s Mansion) and forcing GameCube owners to wait for their one and only Mario title, Super Mario Sunshine (the Super Mario Bros. 2 of the modern generation of home consoles).

Despite taking Mario into three dimensions, the company always finds a way to return Mario to his roots with side-scrolling action like no other. Nintendo revisited the traditional Mario platforming strategy with New Super Mario Brothers for the portable Nintendo DS and later on the Wii with New Super Mario Brothers Wii. It was familiar for those who grew up with the NES titles and new and easy-to-pick-up for newer gamers with limited to no prior experience with a side-scrolling Mario title.

The game may have evolved, but it feels the same as the game that started it all. Last year, one of the surprise hits was Super Mario Maker, which allowed gamers to create, play and share their own Super Mario Bros. levels for the first time (in an official capacity). The game continues to be a big winner for Nintendo, as YouTubers and streamers have found a new way to interact with others by having fun playing Mario levels.

And there is more to come as Nintendo looks forward to a pivotal 2017 that will see the launch of the NX. At this point, there is no confirmed Mario title for the next home (and portable?) console, but you know one will be coming early in the lifespan of the next console. In the meantime, Nintendo is filling time by rehashing the basic principle.

Just last week we witnessed Apple make headlines for a new phone and a weird headphone plan, but also for bringing Super Mario to the mobile gaming world with Super Mario Run. The app, which is due out later this fall, uses the simplicity of the basic Super Mario mechanics of running and jumping and it already has Apple users lining up in a virtual line to try their hand at it. I know I clicked the “Notify” button in the app store so I know when the game goes live in the iTunes Store.

You see, Super Mario Bros. has and will always be there for you. The look may alter from time to time, but it all comes back to what made the game so successful. It’s easy to jump in and play and feel like you are playing a game you once felt you mastered. To this day, expert gamers continue to exploit the game for all they can in attempts to break world-records.

The game has a unique draw that people can’t get enough of 30-plus years later. You can’t say that about many games, movies or TV shows. In all my years, I think the only thing in pop culture that can exceed Super Mario Bros. in this way is Star Wars.

The originals were great. There was a bump in the road at the turn of the 21st century, but what’s old is new again and bridging the gap in our pop culture generation gap by using what was familiar and giving it new life. Star Wars did that with its most recent chapter in the revived Star Wars saga, and Nintendo will hope to do the same with Super Mario Bros. for years to come.

About Kevin McGuire

Contributor to Athlon Sports and The Comeback. Previously contributed to NBCSports.com. Host of the Locked On Nittany Lions Podcast. FWAA member and Philadelphia-area resident.