Super Mario Bros. Deluxe Review

By Charles

September 14, 2025

I wasn't super excited to start this game - I wasn't a big fan when I first played due to screen crunch. It was one of the few games I completely gave up on. Playing it again for the review gave me more motivation and I was able to 100% complete everything. That doesn't mean I was overreacting before. This might be the most grueling Mario platformer ever, but completing everything is a wonderful feeling.

Super Mario Bros. Deluxe

GBC, 1999 ~$550 sealed ~$35 used

23

/40

Virtual Console 3DS

PRESENTATION

CONTROLS

CONTENT

FUN FACTOR

3

The graphics from the NES game are remade 1:1, but since the resolution of the GBC is smaller, there is a lot of screen crunch. It's very hard to see where you're going and things just feel claustrophobic. I think higher quality tiles and characters are better than what Super Mario Land did, but the level design needs to have the Game Boy in mind. Some animations are improved, but they aren't very noticeable. The best part of the game's presentation is the menus. They're all great and have very well-done pixel remakes of Super Mario Bros. concept art. There's even a World Map. The music is okay, but it sounds a little off compared to the NES.

Mario feels very heavy, which makes it more difficult to jump on enemies. He's slow and doesn't jump very far. If you're playing this after something like Super Mario Maker, the controls will be extremely jarring. You get used to them after a while, but it still feels a little annoying. However, the worst issue by far is the screen crunch. You can barely see your surroundings, so you run into things by accident, have to make leaps of faith often and simply miss things. Jumps are a much larger risk in castle levels since you can't be sure if the roof is just above the screen. These issues aren't the absolute worst, but they're more annoying than even Mega Man 1.

You can play as Luigi in single-player and Hard mode is still present, as well as a level select. There is a points leaderboard, and topping it unlocks The Lost Levels, which is beatable since you don't lose progress on Game Over. There are a few odds and ends like a Calendar, as well as a mode where you race a Boo through special levels. The best new addition is Challenge mode, where you go back through every level and collect Red Coins, look for a hidden Yoshi Egg, and try to hit a high score. There is an album that is only filled if you finish everything. Sadly, you can't fully appreciate all this content since the controls make it infuriating to complete.

6

7

7

In theory, this game should be the best version of Super Mario Bros. and maybe even the best GBC platformer. Unfortunately, the screen crunch and and controls spoil the fun. If you have the patience to get used to them, you can see the effort that was put into this game. The game's aesthetic is changed to line up with more modern Mario games, and there is a lot of content to sink your teeth into. The feeling you get when you complete all of the challenges is amazing, but, again, the journey is excruciating. I am really disappointed that Super Mario Bros. Deluxe couldn't reach its full potential.

WORTH THE MONEY?

If you have a Game Boy Color or Advance, put this on the list - at the bottom. It's fun and a unique experience, but there are better games to spend your money on.

WORTH THE TIME?

Only Mario superfans should play this game. It is very frustrating but provides the ultimate challenge. If you just want to try a retro Mario game, play the NES versions.