Super Mario Bros. Deluxe

Super Mario Brothers. Could there be a better set of three words to define the generation of video games that we're currently absorbed in? Yeah, you had your Pong and your Atari and your Colecovision and all that stuff...but that was just the precursor to Mario. When SMB hit--that's when it really all began. Super Mario Bros, redefined the industry when it first arrived back in 1985, and now, 14 years later, it's just as fun and addictive as it ever was. And with all of the additions and extras that Nintendo packed into SMB Deluxe, even the most hardcore Super Mario Bros, players (like myself) will have plenty of new challenges to face long after they've completed the regular game. By far the best of the new additions is the Challenge Mode, which adds Yoshi's Island-like goals to each stage (five hidden red coins and an invisible Yoshi egg to find, as well as a high score to beat), adding TONS of replay value to an already long-lasting game. And then there's the Lost Levels--aka SMB 2 in Japan--which are hidden away on the cart. Yes, the ENTIRE game! Tack on a two-player mode that's tons of fun (and even a one-player variation of the 2P game), as well as tons of little extras (a daily planner, pics you can print out, etc.) and you have one kick-ass package. My only gripe? The vertical scrolling can throw you off at times. Otherwise, this is nearly perfect. Buy it. (Re)Live it. Now.

I still maintain that Super Mario Bros, for the NES is one of the best platform games ever made. I'm sure a lot of you out there would agree. SMB DX for the 6BC is in many ways, a nearly perfect companion to every GBC owner out there. It's the added stuff that makes this such a good buy. Two-player Race Mode is a gas, and the SMB Lost Levels were almost worth the price of admission alone. The only thing that would have made SMB DX better is more two-player levels.

Wow. I wasn't ever expecting this to be this good. OK, so SMB Deluxe has some tiny little problems, like everything not quite fitting on the screen properly, but apart from that...wow. Talk about bringing back fond memories and then adding lots of cool extras. Once you've zipped through the original Mario and reaped the pointless but cool rewards that they give you, try the Challenge Mode...it'll keep you seriously busy. Another "must-buy’ ‘for Game Boy Color.

Hmmm...let's see... 1.) It's a near-perfect portable translation of one of the best side-scrolling games ever. 2.) It's packed full of new modes. 3.) It plays really well. 4.) It's full of secrets to open up. 5.) The two-player link game is a blast. And...6.) It's a near-perfect portable translation of one of the best side-scrolling games ever. The only problem is the GBC screen not being the proper size, which will kill you every now and then (since you can't see too far up or down).