Prepare · Controls & survival
Learn variable-height jumps, running momentum, form damage, checkpoints, lives, and Bowser's bridge rule.
Get ready for World 1-1 →Rescue the princess
CampaignSuper Mario Bros. is a side-scrolling action-platform game for one player or two alternating players. Bowser's Koopa forces have transformed the Mushroom People and captured Princess Toadstool; Mario—or Luigi on the second player's turns—must cross eight four-stage worlds and reach the axe behind Bowser in World 8-4.
The main route is linear unless you deliberately enter a Warp Zone. Each world's fourth stage is a castle; the first seven end with a disguised Bowser and a Mushroom retainer, while the princess waits beyond the real Bowser.
Route at a glance
Worlds 1–4 · Learn the language
Move from tutorial ground to underground, water, night, Lakitu, scale lifts, and the top-then-bottom castle maze.
Begin the no-warp route →Worlds 5–8 · Survive the remix
Clear harder variations, dense Hammer Brother lines, checkpoint-free World 8, and the final pipe sequence.
Continue to Bowser →Optional · Power-ups & secrets
Track all four acquisition items, three Warp Zones, bonus rooms, conditional 1-Ups, and the second quest.
Open the secret index →Release, platform, and rating summary
| Family | Verified date | Guide impact |
|---|---|---|
| Famicom / Nintendo Entertainment System | Japan: 1985-09-13; North America: 1985-10-18 | The original 32-stage campaign described by this guide; NTSC-J and NTSC-U/C retail families. |
| VS. Super Mario Bros. | Arcade-era revision; exact date unavailable | Harder layouts, shortened timers, and different castle-maze routes. Do not use NES maze instructions. |
| Super Mario All-Stars | Japan: July 1993; Europe: December 1993 | 16-bit remake with save support and audiovisual changes; the campaign route remains recognizable. |
| Super Mario Bros. Deluxe | Europe: 1999-07-01 | All 32 original levels plus Challenge collectibles, You Vs Boo, and secret content. |
| Virtual Console | Wii Europe: 2007-01-05; 3DS: 2012-03-01; Wii U: 2013-09-12 | Emulated NES release. Former storefront purchases are closed, but existing access varies by account/system. |
| Nintendo Entertainment System – Nintendo Classics | Switch service: 2018-09-18 | NES game with save states, rewind, and online screen/controller sharing at the service level. |
Official ratings: ESRB rates the GBA/3DS/Wii/Wii U release family E with no descriptors; Nintendo's European listings show PEGI 3 for the NES/Virtual Console family. Ratings belong to specific editions and territories, not automatically to every historical cartridge. Open the full versions and ratings matrix →
Complete guide directory
- Controls & survival — movement, forms, lives, timers, enemies, and castle tactics.
- Walkthrough I — every stage in Worlds 1–4, in order.
- Walkthrough II — every stage in Worlds 5–8 and the ending.
- Power-ups & secrets — every acquisition item, Warp Zone, bonus route, and second quest.
- Versions & ratings — platforms, regions, editions, identifiers, rating boards, and revision boundaries.