Super Mario Bros. (NES, 1985)

Since his inception in the original arcade game Donkey Kong, Mario has become the single most recognizable video game character in the history of the medium.  The story behind his creation is well known, and is similar for the design of all game characters back then:  hardware limitations.  The NES processor allowed for sprites contained to a small grid of squares, and only comprised of three colors (although later titles would push these limitations with clever programming).  Mario wears a cap because it is easier to draw than hair.  He wears overalls because it makes it easier to define his chest and torso.  He has a mustache to better show his face.  Limited as it is, Mario's sprite is one of the most classic symbols in video gaming culture.

Super Mario Bros. (1985) was not the first game to feature platforming as it's main design mechanic, but it was the first to truly perfect it.  The platforming-style video game was still fairly new, in an age where most games still comprised of only one screen, and the only truly notable titles were Donkey Kong and Pitfall.  Those games are classics in their own rights, but one problem is in the jumping.  When you pressed the jump button, your character went up, and came down, and you had no control in between.  Super Mario Bros. fixed this problem marvelously.  Mario controls flawlessly, as every single subtle tap of the directional buttons allows you to steer him in mid jump.  He follows the law of inertia, something no other character did before.  If you stopped pressing the D-pad, he wouldn't stop dead in his tracks, he would have to slow down to a halt.  If you ran and ducked, he would slide, allowing you to maneuver with great ease.  Expert players with a complete knowledge of the games secret short cuts and quick reflexes can complete the game in five to ten minutes.

As with most games back then, the plot only serves as a basic motivation for the player to soldier on.  What was your motivation to keep playing Pac-Man?  To get a high score?  Mario was on a quest to save the Princess Toadstool (now known as Peach) from the dragon-like King of the Koopas (now known as Bowser).  Regarded now as the most cliche of all video game plots, but back then, a plot was a lot to ask for.  It could be regarded as a fairy tale story.  After all, this is a world where turtles capture Princesses who rule over a kingdom of giant mushrooms, and the only man who can rescue her is a plumber from Brooklyn, Italy with the superpower of tremendous jumping prowess.

Super Mario Bros. has a huge nostalgic importance for many gamers, as it is typically one of the first games they play.  It has been re-released for almost every Nintendo console, most recently on the Wii's Virtual Console, available for five dollars.  The first time I experienced the game was the 1999 Game Boy Color version, Super Mario Bros. Deluxe, which included bonuses like a race against boo (a ghost enemy who did not actually appear until Super Mario Bros. 3), and the Japanese version of Super Mario Bros. 2 (called SMB for Super Players, and it sure was).  I was unaware that I was playing a remake, I was simply enjoying the robust design and play of the game.

This is a testament to how well Super Mario Bros. has aged.  I have played through to its completion many times, and like my favorite movies, the game only improves with familiarity.  I get into a rhythm of play, and I find myself able to beat it faster each time.  The game transports me to my childhood, where the excitement of my adventures was limited only by my imagination, and where I am the daring hero in a magical land, bravely venturing across the land to save my beloved princess.  That is the mark of a great piece of media.