Game & Watch: Super Mario Bros. Has Several Hidden Features

The Game & Watch: Super Mario Bros. handheld officially released on November 13, and it gives you yet another way to enjoy the legendary platformer. However, there are also a number of little Easter eggs and secrets that you can use, and Nintendo gave us some tips on how to access them.

Once you beat Super Mario Bros. for the first time on the device, you'll gain access to a new hard mode. This mode was lost when turning off the original NES, but thanks to the advances in technology, now you never have to lose access to it! That is, of course, unless you lose the Game & Watch altogether. It's not very big.

If you hold down the A button when on the title screen, you'll unlock "Infinite Mario" mode, which removes the life limit and lets you keep playing indefinitely. This is a great option if you're getting the system for a younger player, or if you've gotten a little rusty over the years. 8-3 is pretty hard, you know.

An update to the classic Game & Watch Ball game also lets you play as Luigi if you hold down the A button for more than five seconds, and you'll even see some Easter eggs on the included clock based on the time of day. There are 35 of them in total--one for each year since Super Mario Bros. came out. The device functions as a clock if you don't own a phone, which could make it useful for kids to carry around with them.

The Game & Watch: Super Mario Bros. system is selling out quickly whenever it's restocked, and critic Steve Watts was fairly warm on it. Despite its somewhat limited functionality, it's a charming little device and a celebration of Nintendo's most important mascot.

Nintendo is also celebrating Mario's 35th anniversary with Super Mario 3D All-Stars and Super Mario Bros. 35 on the Switch.