Give the gift of SMB (again) this Christmas... maybe

by Blake Snow { Dec 19th 2006 at 7:55PM }

Gossip is running amuck suggesting Nintendo will re-release Super Mario Bros for the Virtual Console on Christmas next Monday. If true, what would this be... like the tenth version of the classic on different platforms spanning its 21 year drinking age? So unless my wife suckers me into this one, this old school gamer will have to pass and keep his Lincoln. And while expected some time in the future, what better time by Nintendo to leverage nostalgia into a SMB purchase than on Christmas day.

Additional games rumored to hit the emulation service on the 25th include Urban Champion, Baseball, and ToeJam and Earl.

[via Digg]

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

silkylove @ Dec 19th 2006 7:58PM

Meh. Give me yoshi's island or donkey kong country

RagnarokSam @ Dec 19th 2006 8:02PM

ill take it...ive never owned the original, just the all-stars version.

ThreeSixWii @ Dec 19th 2006 8:03PM

How about, on X-mas day they give the game away FOR FREE!
You see, we all have the game, in one form or another, on one console or handheld or another. And could always download the ROM off the web.

So why not have the game as a FREE thank you GIFT from Nintendo for all those who stood outside for hours to get the Wii for X-mass?

Please, who wants to download it so they can have it AGAIN???

It would be a nice gift.

silkylove @ Dec 19th 2006 8:07PM

@ 2

The all-stars version is the same thing. It might even have less pixilated graphics. Buying a game you've already played to death and a game that has already seen much better 2D sequels is not worth the Wii points IMO

Jaded Alyx @ Dec 19th 2006 8:12PM

silkylove, I downloaded Donkey Kong Country today. Classic controller totally recommended. Sucks using the GameCube controller.

uglyteeth @ Dec 19th 2006 8:28PM

Urban Champion and Nes baseball? Are you freaking kidding me? Man, talk about a couple lumps of coal. Must be a joke.....Urban Champion.....ok, ok, you almost had me, funny one heh, right?

Fandel @ Dec 19th 2006 8:19PM

@4:

The All-Stars version of Super Mario Bros was a 16-bit remake of all the original 8-bit NES games. Hell, I actually got the game for free in 1994 when I sent in my UPS code back when I bought my Super Nintendo.

Of course the All-Star version of SMB would look better than the NES version;)

silkylove @ Dec 19th 2006 8:20PM

jaded alyx, You must live in the PAL region. The US vc games list is hot garbage right now when compared to the Japanese and PAL vc lists. I think a lot of people in the US are buying crap vc games because there are only two or three good ones out now so original SMB might sell well here.

Also I'll probably buy a classic controller after xmas because they are in short supply right now and as of yet I have no reason to go huntimg for one. enjoy your DKC.

plumenoir @ Dec 19th 2006 8:22PM

@4
The version on All-Stars had updated graphics and the characters look more like their SNES versions.

I was just playing the All-Stars version today, as a matter of fact, and I much prefer the original. Yes, the gameplay is basically the same, but I liked the original, simple version. The -1 world is removed and the castle music just seems too muted.

But charging for this game is insane - anything above $2 for the NES version is way too much.

azesino @ Dec 20th 2006 12:37AM

I tough I would never say this, but I am tired of SMB 1,
I own it on my NES, Snes, GBA, I really don't think its nesesary to realease a new version on each dam system.

Miniboss @ Dec 19th 2006 8:22PM

Actually, if you check out the article and do the Firefox hack, you'll notice that the pages say that Super Mario Bros, ToeJam & Earl, and R-Type are "Free".

http://mikepiontek.com/journal/uploads/nintendo/mario.gif
http://mikepiontek.com/journal/uploads/nintendo/r-type.gif
http://mikepiontek.com/journal/uploads/nintendo/toejam.gif

460 @ Dec 19th 2006 8:22PM

I'm totally with #3 here. SMB should be a gift to all on X-mas day. Absolutely. And maybe extend that free offer until 12/31/06.

ThenMO, Nintendo can go ahead and start charging their 5 shells per SMB download.

It would behoove Nintendo immmensely to give SMB away for those first few days; more positive press can come from it, establishing a solid, post-christmas buzz re: Wii.

Nintendo, make it free...don't be a scrooge about this.

silkylove @ Dec 19th 2006 8:24PM

@ 6

I know what super mario all-stars is. I own it. Some of the games recieved more of a face lift than others. The American version of SMB 2 that's based on Doki Doki Panic recieved the best face lift. But that's all beside the point. I just don't understand why you would buy SMB all over again when you already own it.

Yoshi Likes Boys @ Dec 19th 2006 8:26PM

The All-Stars version actually doesn't play as well as the original. The BEST version of SMB in existence is Super Mario Bros. DX for the GBC, it's refined and enhanced to perfection. However, without that in the running, the best home console version of SMB is the original. Anybody who thinks that SMB isn't worth $5 is on crack.

shwing @ Dec 20th 2006 3:44PM

VC games are too expensive period.$1.00 nes games and the rest $2.00 each is a fair price for something that's already made it's money many times over.It's just a matter of time before someone cracks the VC console and enables roms to be played on the Wii then they'll have a problem selling the games for those rip off prices.

Miniboss @ Dec 19th 2006 8:29PM

No one interested in the fact that three of these games may be FREE???

silkylove @ Dec 19th 2006 8:31PM

@ 12.

Well then pass the pipe my friend cause I must be on crack. I've played the hell out of that game for the past 20 years. No way it's worth 500 Wii points for me. I'll save my points for other games that I no longer own and haven't beaten like a red-headed step child.

nick @ Dec 19th 2006 8:34PM

I could care less if SMB comes out on X-mas. I personally would love to play some Donkey Kong Country on Christmas morning, it would be a real flash back for me :)

And its hell of a game too!

plumenoir @ Dec 19th 2006 11:37PM

All I meant Silky is that the All-Stars version is NOT the same thing. I don't have my NES hooked up right now, but it even seems the characters have more of a "slide" when they land after a running jump.

I think #6 and I (and #12) were just saying that the original played better.

Still having the NES version in my collection, I don't see myself ever paying for this again...

fable2323 @ Dec 19th 2006 8:54PM

No one can beat free. If this turns out to be free I am going to be one happy Wii owner...

stephen @ Dec 19th 2006 9:10PM

yeah they should def make a free gift for all those who get a wii for xmas. the fact that we all have bought this game in atleast 2 forms lol...why charge for the digital distribution? i own the NES & GBColor carts and think (hope) im gettin a wii for xmas...so to get smb on there first thing would be fantastic.

diskoboy @ Dec 19th 2006 9:06PM

Yeah - unless it's free, I think I'll pass.

I still have my NES copy. I also have Mario all-stars. I even have the actual arcade game.

You can only milk this game for so long, Nintendo...

Fandel @ Dec 19th 2006 9:07PM

@12.

Actually, the best version of Super Mario Bros is the original Arcade version. Not many people know this, but there were some changes in the maps of the original arcade version. The reason being, they wanted players to pop more quarters into the machine.

The game was considerably easier on the NES.

Edmund @ Dec 19th 2006 9:21PM

I'll buy it. My old nintendo doesn't work anymore and I've actually never bought this game for anything else. $5 is worth it for me.

Edmund @ Dec 19th 2006 9:21PM

Come to think if it, this game should really be free Christmas day as a Christmas present for everyone who bought a Wii in it's launch window.

chenry @ Dec 19th 2006 10:37PM

I loves me some SMB and i want it.

chenry @ Dec 19th 2006 10:38PM

@8 o rly? that looks good.

dvddesign @ Dec 19th 2006 10:58PM

I've bought SMB on the NES, SNES (all stars), GBC, GBA, Famicom, and I'm about to buy it again next week. For some of us, it's more than "I already have it" or "I could emu that on my cash register at McD's" or "teh gamez shuld be $1..."

This game is my childhood. It's about the same as the old lady who has 3 million beanie babies, or the guy who still drives a Monte Carlo because of Dale Earnhardt.

If you don't want it, fine leave it alone. I don't need to hear you bitch about it. I'd take it free or pay $5 either way. It's worth it because it's a quality game. And if you're buying a game in any situation, its better to buy a quality game than spend that $5 on some offal like Tennis or Pinball.

And until they announce All Stars as a release, it'll be the original we get. We've been over this before.

Ninegauger @ Dec 19th 2006 11:29PM

I've never owned the game so I'd love to be able to legitimately get it. It's one of the most significant games of all time it ought to be available for people who aren't in the habit of stealing. You're just lucky they don't bundle it with a bunch of crap games and sell it for $30 at the store.

The Man @ Dec 20th 2006 12:17AM

Why delay any virtual console games, nintendo is not modifying or adding new features to the vc games at all.

Ben @ Dec 20th 2006 12:33AM

They used to sell this game at Funcoland (pre-Gamestop) for .05

Nathew @ Dec 20th 2006 12:54AM

@ 17:

i was so happy when i got donkey kong country for christmas as a youngin' i cried. much agreed on the flashbacks ;)

Sonojinshi @ Dec 23rd 2006 8:57PM

No chance they'd skip it.

Pedro @ Dec 20th 2006 8:28AM

@31:

The reason behind the VC is to let people who never played it before, to see how great the games were(or not). And as I don't have any of those consoles, I'm really happy to play it in a tv =)

upirons @ Dec 20th 2006 8:48AM

SMB represents THE quintessential game of my childhood and even though I have it on emu on the pc I have longed for the day when I could play it on a Nintendo system again just as it was back in the day. That said, I wouldn't mind if they did give it up for free but I would be willing to pay $5 for it just the same.

Now, Urban Champion is a different story altogether. That game took $30 of my money as a kid (money I had saved up from a paper route for a few weeks) and ripped me off completely. That was the worst game (ok, maybe tied with Jaws) I had ever played on the NES. That one should definitely be free and if not then they should offer a money back offer for anyone who doesn't know any better and buys that Piece of crap.

The VF @ Dec 20th 2006 10:25AM

I have a feeling that Nintendo is going to do something neat, like giving away SMB for free on Christmas Day in the US. It would make sense (since it was a free pack in with the original NES) and could generate a lot of good press and support.

It's not like they haven't made a billion dollars on that game alone anyway.

ackmondual @ Dec 20th 2006 2:08PM

to all who're wondering Y the delay in so many great Nin and other classics....
http://www.wiivcguide.com/2006/12/13/the-waiting-game/

.

Despite how easy and free it would be to DL these ROMs on emus, remember this day in age, many people are still interested in legit games over DL-ed+pirated, CDs over DL-ing music, and games on TV vs PC monitor. I'm used to playing ALL vid games on a PC, but if you have a group of friends over, having ppl gathered around even a 31" screen TV beats having them huddle around your 20" LCD monitor. And then of course on an emu, you'd have to buy an extra controller or use the keyboard which for some reason, really disgusts ppl to no end.

.

@ #13
""VC games are too expensive period.$1.00 nes games and the rest $2.00 each is a fair price for something that's already made it's money many times over""

Whether it be music, movies, or games, no matter how old they are, if they're revered/classics, then they usually still sell very well. By your suggestion, will you also lobby for films like Indiana Jones, Gone With The Wind, and Wizard of Oz to be < $3? After all, Wizard of Oz used to be "the movie more watched than any other movie" (circa mid/late 80s)

.

@ #30
""They used to sell this game at Funcoland (pre-Gamestop) for .05""

Yes, but can you still get it now? If so, get it while you can!