Super Mario Bros. – How to Play It Today and Whether It Is Worth It
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Quick verdict
- Recommended version
- Super Mario Bros. via Nintendo Entertainment System - Nintendo Classics
- Best low-friction option
- Same as the recommended version
- Best purist option
- Super Mario Bros. via Nintendo Entertainment System - Nintendo Classics, played without relying on rewind
- Technical friction
- Low
- Gameplay friction
- Moderate
- Beginner-friendly
- Mostly
How to play it today
The best legal way to play Super Mario Bros. today is through Nintendo Entertainment System – Nintendo Classics with a Nintendo Switch Online membership. That is the route most players should choose if they want the original NES game with the least setup friction.
This matters because the most obvious paid listing is not necessarily the one many players expect. Arcade Archives VS. SUPER MARIO BROS. is available as a standalone Switch release, but it is the arcade VS.SYSTEM version. It has different enemy and item placement from the NES game, and it is not the best default choice for a first-time player who wants to experience Super Mario Bros. as the home-console classic.
There is also Super Mario All-Stars through Super Nintendo Entertainment System – Nintendo Classics. That is an official remade collection route with updated presentation. It is useful if you want a softer-looking version or a broader early-Mario sampler, but it is not the cleanest way to understand the NES original.
If your real goal is not historical curiosity, but simply playing a great 2D Mario today, consider Super Mario Bros. Wonder first. New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe is another sensible modern option, especially for families or players who want a more conventional side-scrolling Mario with more built-in support.
Where you can play it today
Super Mario Bros. via Nintendo Entertainment System - Nintendo Classics
YesSubscription
Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2
Legal, low setup friction, current Nintendo subscription access, suspend points, and rewind.
Requires Nintendo Switch Online rather than a standalone purchase of the NES release.
Best for: Most players who specifically want the original Super Mario Bros.
Super Mario All-Stars via Super Nintendo Entertainment System - Nintendo Classics
YesCompilation
Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2
Official remade collection route with updated presentation and a more comfortable collection format.
Not the best way to feel the original NES game as it was designed.
Best for: Players who want a softer presentation or a broader early-Mario sampler.
Arcade Archives VS. SUPER MARIO BROS.
SelectivelyOfficial release
Nintendo Switch
Standalone purchase with arcade-history value, settings options, and online scoreboards.
It is the VS.SYSTEM arcade version with different enemy and item placement, not the NES original.
Best for: Arcade enthusiasts and players who already know they want the VS. version.
Super Mario Bros. Wonder
YesOfficial release
Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2
Modern 2D Mario with current design, smoother onboarding, and a more welcoming first-time experience.
It is not a version of the original Super Mario Bros.
Best for: Players who want the best modern 2D Mario starting point rather than the historical original.
Why this is the recommended version
The Nintendo Classics version is the best recommendation because it solves the two biggest modern problems at once: legal access and practical usability. You do not need original hardware, a cartridge, a CRT setup, or a collector mindset. You can play the NES game on current Nintendo hardware through the subscription app.
It also gives modern players useful convenience tools. Suspend points make it easier to stop and return later. Rewind can soften the sting of a missed jump, a bad enemy bounce, or a late-stage mistake. Those features change the experience, but for many players they are the difference between sampling an important game and bouncing off it after a few harsh restarts.
Purists do not need a separate mainstream recommendation. The same Nintendo Classics version is still the right practical choice, just play without leaning on rewind. Original hardware can be satisfying for enthusiasts, but it is not the most useful recommendation for a normal player trying to make a good decision today.
The main version to avoid as a default is Arcade Archives VS. SUPER MARIO BROS. It is not bad, and it has value for arcade-history fans, but it is a more specialized choice. Buy it if you specifically want the VS. arcade variant, not because you assume it is the standard NES release in a standalone wrapper.
Play Today Framework
What to know before starting
- Difficulty
- Moderate, with sharper late-game pressure than many modern Mario games.
- Pacing
- Fast and compact, but built around repetition, lives, and learning from mistakes.
- Do you need a guide?
- No full walkthrough is needed, but first-time players benefit from knowing how saving, suspend points, and rewind work.
- Good starting point?
- Mostly, if the goal is to understand the original; not the best starting point if the goal is modern 2D Mario comfort.
Start with the NES version in Nintendo Classics. Use suspend points if you want to break the game into manageable sessions, and use rewind if you are sampling the original rather than trying to master it under old arcade-style pressure. Do not treat the Arcade Archives VS. version as the default first playthrough unless you specifically want the harder arcade variant.
Is it still worth playing?
Yes, with caveats. Super Mario Bros. is still worth playing if you want to understand the foundation of 2D Mario or spend a short amount of time with a game that remains unusually readable. It is direct, compact, and easy to parse. Within a few minutes, you understand the basic contract: run, jump, avoid danger, reach the flagpole, and improve through repetition.
It is not the best 2D Mario for everyone. Modern players who want expressive level gimmicks, smoother onboarding, more forgiving progression, or a richer set of movement options should start with Super Mario Bros. Wonder instead. That is the better practical recommendation for many newcomers who are not specifically interested in the 1985 game.
The original is strongest when treated as a focused historical skill game, not as homework and not as the default best Mario platformer. Play it for its clarity, its speed, and its influence. Stop when you feel you have seen what you came for. There is no need to force yourself through frustration just because the game is important.
The final recommendation is straightforward: if you want Super Mario Bros., play the NES version through Nintendo Classics. If you want the most welcoming modern 2D Mario, play Super Mario Bros. Wonder. If you want the arcade variant specifically, then and only then choose Arcade Archives VS. SUPER MARIO BROS.
FAQ
Can I buy the NES original by itself on Switch?
The practical current route is Nintendo Entertainment System – Nintendo Classics through Nintendo Switch Online. The standalone Arcade Archives release is the VS. arcade version, not the standard NES release.
Should I play Super Mario All-Stars instead?
Choose Super Mario All-Stars if you want a remade collection presentation. Choose the NES version in Nintendo Classics if you want the original feel and the clearest answer to “what was Super Mario Bros.?”
Is rewind cheating?
Only if you personally want a purist run. For a first-time modern player, rewind is a reasonable way to reduce frustration and keep learning. Use less of it if you want the original pressure.
Is this a good first Mario game?
It is a good first Mario game if you want historical context. It is not the best first Mario game if you mainly want a welcoming modern platformer. For that, start with Super Mario Bros. Wonder.
Availability note
Digital storefronts and subscription catalogs can change. Check your local Nintendo store and Nintendo Switch Online catalog before subscribing or buying, especially if you are trying to play the NES original rather than the arcade VS. version or the Super Mario All-Stars remake.