An incredible classic that has been given another chance at amazing players old and new thanks to the Virtual Console.
Nothing much has changed about the Virtual Console re-release. You can now choose to play with the wii-mote, classic controller, or even a GameCube controller. In addition, the Virtual Console service allows you to press the Home button, exit the game, play something else, turn your wii off, and still start playing right where you left off. Finally, at 500 Wii Points, or 5 American Dollars, this game is an absolute steal.
But, aside from the Virtual Console trappings, how does Mario fare in this old classic? Surprisingly well. The controls feel tight. putting many recent platforming games to shame. The sound effects, although dated, have become a sort of icon, and probably will sound better on your Wii than on your dusty old NES, anyway. The Musical scores are still great to listen to, their only flaw being that there are only 4 that play on any given level.
Perhaps the greatest testament to Super Mario Bros is that, after all these years, I'm still discovering new secrets on a regular basis. Sure, most of the big secrets aren't too hard to find, but the small details, such as 1-ups and invisible blocks, are seemingly placed in every nook and cranny.
The only thing I could imagine, in my wildest dreams, someone scoffing at in this game is the graphics. Although they are still crisp, clean, and colorful, and probably don't have some of the odd aging side effects of your NES cartridge, they lack an amount of detail that later NES games nailed. Of course, at the time, they were great, just like the sound effects, hardcore players will get a kick out of the retro vibe they provide.
Also, it is important to note that since this is an emulation of the original, all tricks and glitches still remain intact. Yes, you can still wall-jump if you hit a wall just right; yes, you can still enter the "Minus World" while in World 1-2. It may seem odd to some why the glitches were left in this reiteration, but, if you've ever performed the bugs before, you'll probably agree with me when I say that none of them harm the game at all, and most are cool to pull off.
Lastly, before I sum this up, anybody who has played the original game before (myself included) will most likely find this game to be easy. Although many "Lost Levels" hardcore veteran players may find the difficulty underwhelming, most people will find it easier to get into the game. As the saying goes: "Easy to learn, hard to master". I couldn't think of a better way to describe it myself.
Overall, although Super Mario Bros doesn't boast the updated presentation or longer list of levels that more recent games share, it still stands as a timeless masterpeice. If you haven't understood a word I've written in this review, understand this: Buy this game. Now.