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Nintendo dates the original Super Mario Bros. for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) to September 13, 1985. The phrase “33 years ago” fit a 2018 anniversary; as of October 8, 2026, the game is more than 41 years old.
When was the original Super Mario Bros. released?
Nintendo of America’s official Super Mario timeline lists September 13, 1985, for Super Mario Bros. on the NES. Nintendo Co., Ltd.’s Japanese game-history page gives the same release date.
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New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe - US Version | $52.98 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
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Nintendo Game & Watch: Super Mario Bros. - Not Machine Specific | $48.25 | Buy on Amazon |
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Super Smash Bros. Ultimate - US Version | $52.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
![New Super Mario Bros [video game]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/510njj-oGCL._SL160_.jpg)
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New Super Mario Bros [video game] | $39.28 | Buy on Amazon |
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Super Mario Bros.™ Wonder - Nintendo Switch (US Version) | $53.90 | Buy on Amazon |
The title refers to the original NES game, not every later version or re-release. Nintendo’s corporate history also records that the company began selling Super Mario Bros. software for the NES in 1985, though that entry does not specify a day.
Was it released 33 years ago?
Only if the reference point is 2018: September 13, 1985, was 33 years before the game’s 2018 anniversary. By October 8, 2026, more than 41 years had passed since its release. The 33-year wording is therefore a dated headline, not a current age description.
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- A variety of playable characters are available, some with unique attributes that affect gameplay and platforming physics.
- Younger and less-experienced players will love playing as Toadette, who is brand new to both games, and Nabbit, who was formerly only playable in New Super Luigi U. Both characters offer extra assistance during play.
- Multiplayer sessions are even more fun, frantic, and exciting thanks to entertaining character interactions. Need a boost? Try jumping off a teammate’s head or getting a teammate to throw you.
- Features a wealth of help features, like a Hints gallery, reference videos, and a Super Guide in New Super Mario Bros. U that can complete levels for you if they’re giving you trouble.
- Three additional modes—Boost Rush, Challenges, and Coin Battle—mix up gameplay and add replayability, while also upping the difficulty for players who want to try something harder. Players can use their Mii characters in these modes.
Why is the 1985 release significant?
Nintendo describes Super Mario Bros. as the starting point of the Super Mario series. In a translation of Nintendo’s Japanese history page, the company says the series’ history began with the game’s 1985 release. Nintendo also characterizes it as an action game that became popular in Japan and around the world and helped drive the Famicom boom; that is Nintendo’s retrospective account.
What was its original listed price?
Nintendo’s Japanese history page lists a recommended retail price of ¥4,900. The page does not specify tax treatment or provide a current-currency equivalent, so the figure should be read as the price Nintendo lists in that historical Japanese context—not as a present-day value.
Rank #2
- Get your hands on a new piece of Super Mario history with a collectible Game & Watch system
- Play the whole Super Mario Bros. Game and save the Mushroom Kingdom
- Challenge yourself by taking on Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels
- Watch out for Super Mario inspired surprises as time changes in the included digital clock
- Juggle Super Mario Bros. Style in a Mario version of Game & Watch: Ball
Does the release date establish where to play or buy it now?
No. These historical records establish the NES release, but do not verify current digital availability, marketplace inventory, or the authenticity of any cartridge listing. A listing described as a “Super Mario Bros. NES cartridge” should be checked for region, condition, and whether it is an original cartridge or a reproduction; the historical release date alone cannot confirm those details.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- Find wonder in the Flower Kingdom in the next side-scrolling Super Mario adventure
- Collect Wonder Flowers for surprising, game-changing effects like pipes coming alive, an enemy stampede, and much, much more
- Choose from the largest cast of characters in a side-scrolling Mario game, including Mario, Luigi, Peach, Daisy and other favorites
- Ease into the action with four different-colored Yoshis and Nabbit who can’t take damage
- Discover new power-ups like Elephant Fruit, which transforms Mario and friends into an elephant that can swing its trunk and spray water
Rank #4
- Jump into an all-new Mario adventure!
- Run, jump, and stomp your way through raging volcanoes, tropical islands, snowcapped peaks, and unimaginable challenges!
- Grab a Mega Mushroom and grow to incredible proportions, or smash through your foes in a blue koopa shell!
- Challenge a friend to so a wireless face-off on specially designed levels, or play up to three friends in a ton of touch screen mini-games.
Rank #3
- New stages and fighters are joined by the combined rosters of every past Super Smash Bros. Game
- Challenge others anytime, anywhere, whether you're on the couch or on the go
- Play any way you want—locally, online, in TV mode, Tabletop mode, Handheld mode, or even with GameCube Controllers
- Fight faster and smarter with new and returning techniques, like the perfect shield and directional air dodge
- Face off in 2-4 player battles, or play against the computer
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
