Mario Bros - Commodore 64

Nintendo's Mario Bros for the Commodore 64.

This version was ported by Atarisoft, Atari's home computer/console software division. Atarisoft created some of the best arcade conversions of the day and Mario Bros was among the best arcade conversions for the C64. My friends and I spent hours on end playing this in front of the TV.

Here's a few Phases of turtle popping action for your enjoyment.

The game plays and feels very close to the arcade version, although it's a bit slower on the C64, especially if you're playing on a PAL machine (or emulation). Atarisoft got a lot of the little touches right that really make this feel like the original though - especially the way Mario and Luigi handle.

The main differences are:
- Red, diagonal traveling Fireball is missing
- Mr. Freeze (Slipice) doesn't ice over platforms
- Icicles don't start dive bombing you in later levels.
- Critters stay flipped over a bit longer

The lack of red fireball(s!) and icicles make the home version a lot easier than the arcade.

A few minor differences include:
- Floors don't deform when Mario & Luigi punch them
- No bonus point indicators when you snag coins or kick critters off making it not so obvious the big bonuses you get kick off multiple critters
- No cut scenes introducing new enemies
- No High Score table

You may notice some of the critters, coins or fireballs appearing darker at times - they're actually flickering due to a trick Atarisoft used to get more than 8 sprites the hardware was limited to on the screen at a time.

Mario Bros is still one of my favorite arcade games and Atarisoft's C64 version is a worthy tribute to the original and has held up well over the years and still worth playing in its own right.

Enjoy!

Category:

Gaming

Tags:

• Mario
• Bros
• Luigi
• c64
• commodore
• 64
• nintendo
• atarisoft
• atari
• classic
• gaming
• winvice
• vice

[nomivan]

This was our favourite game in my chioldhood. I wish I could find and play this game again with 2 players.

[patman0322]

@nomivan There are some C64 emulators you can play it on. I think I was using WinVice to record this.

This was one of my favorite 2 player games too. The physics of popping the other player were very satisfying and the balance between cooperating to achieve higher scores and levels and the temptation to screw with each other over was right on.

[suspekt29]

Man I wish someone would put up the Commodore game "Murphy" It was a lot of fun and I always wondered how the hell to beat the game.  Loved the hell out of that and Congo Bongo

[patman0322]

I don't remember "Murphy" but I did play Congo Bongo a lot on the C64

[DVD2409]

look at mario when he jumps its REALY blurry

[patman0322]

Probably because the game is 60 FPS and my DVR knocked that down to an interlaced 30 FPS which had to be deinterlaced and then YouTube knocked that down to 15 FPS.

These old games look a million times better on a color TV - an non-HD CRT TV, not LCD or plasma. Youtube doesn't do them justice and some things should not be seen in HD.

[kevin12567]

Strange that Mr. Freeze doesn't ice over the floors in this version, as even the lowly (but good) Atari 2600 version has that!

[patman0322]

Yeah, I'm not sure why that got left out. Time or memory restraints I guess.

That 2600 version is pretty good. They did a great job capturing the feel of the game with such pitifully limited hardware.

What's weird is how bad the NES version is - the feel is all wrong and the critter & fireball sprites are terrible despite the playfield and Mario looking just like the arcade. You'd think that they'd be able to get the game arcade perfect being a Nintendo game but the C64 version is much better.

[gabri79xxxx]

i love this game;)

[JumpingGinger]

Oh the memories.

[nickantibarney]

who of you remember ocean's version?

[dogcatmouse23]

Atarisoft never released Mario Bros for Commodore 64. I know the ocean version on Commodore 64 came out and is alot better than this emulator version of atarisoft. Atarisoft was maybe thinking about coming out with Mario Bros for Commodore 64 and never did like, Donkey Kong, Robotron 2084, Centipede, Jungle Hunt, Defender, Galaxian, Pac Man, Ms Pac Man, Moon Patrol. Atarisoft was thinking of doing Mario Bros, Missle Command, Donkey Kong Jr, Joust, Crystal Castles, Stargate, and Vanguard.

[ultramick150]

@adshield u lier dat happend to me once... u lied bitch

[mutaforme79]

Uno dei giochi più divertenti per C64 :)

[umchoyka]

One of the best parts of this game was hitting the POW block just before your friend was about to kick a toppled enemy. :trollface: