Mario Bros. Returns

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Mario Bros. Returns
The title screen of Mario Bros. Returns
The title screen
Developer Nintendo EAD
Publisher Nintendo, Nagatanien
Platform(s) Family Computer Disk System
Release date Family Computer Disk System:
Japan November 30, 1988[1]
Language(s) Japanese
Genre Platformer
Mode(s) 1–2 players
Format
FDS:
Disk Card
Input
Famicom:
Serial code(s) FMC-KMB

Mario Bros. Returns,[2] also known as Mario Bros. have returned,[3] is a game for the Family Computer Disk System released on November 30, 1988, through the Disk Writer service. This game was co-published by Nintendo and Nagatanien, a Japanese food company. It is an updated version of Mario Bros. that was released only in Japan,[4] although the 1993 European Classic Series re-release resembles it,[5] using the same enemy sprites and colors from this game. This is the last game of the Super Mario franchise for the Family Computer Disk System, excluding ports, as well as the last Super Mario game to be released during the Shōwa era of Japan, coming out just over a month before the death of emperor Hirohito.

Game modes[edit]

The game has several modes that can be accessed from the main menu.

Original Mario Bros.[edit]

Single player Mario Bros. Returns
Phase 18

This mode plays similarly to the Japanese arcade version of Mario Bros. However, there are several differences from the arcade or earlier NES port.

  • One of three Nagatanien advertisements will appear before the first phase. One ad is for ochazuke nori and features singer-actor Saburō Kitajima who appeared in Nagatanien ads during the game's release. Its BGM is an arrangement from the commercial's song. The other ads are for gomoku fried rice mix and Super Mario Bros. 3 branded furikake.
  • Mario and Luigi can now change direction in mid-air (much like modern remakes).
  • Mario's color scheme is now the same as his Donkey Kong palette.
  • The graphics and music were improved somewhat compared to the earlier port.
  • The top five high scores can now be saved like in the arcade version but not in the earlier port. Names can be longer and in Japanese.

Nagatanien World[edit]

The slots minigame from Mario Bros. Returns
The slots mini-game

This mode is similar to Original Mario Bros., but with three additional features:

  • In addition to watching one of the three ads like above, another cut-scene addressing the player's registered name will advertise products before Phase 1.
  • After losing all lives and receiving a Game Over, players will be given the chance to play a slot machine minigame. The slots can display a kanji for Nagatanien, a Shellcreeper sprite, and the upper halves of sprites for Mario and Luigi. Should they get a match, they will be allowed to continue their game without the score and phase counters resetting. However, this area can only be visited once per game.
    • Nagatanien (永谷園) - 4 extra lives
    • Three matches - 2 extra lives
    • Two matches - 1 extra life
  • After reaching 100,000 points, players are given promotional codes that can be mailed in to a raffle for a pack of Super Mario Bros. 3-themed playing cards. At 200,000 points, players are given another code for entry in a drawing for a Super Mario Bros. 3 cartridge, which released one month earlier in Japan on the Family Computer. All players who sent in codes also had a chance to win a Super Mario Bros. 3 keychain. This promotion was active from November 30, 1988 to May 31, 1989.

Name registration[edit]

Players 1 and 2 may register their name, age, and gender. These are used when a high score is broken and to refer to players with honorifics appropriate for their gender.

Notices[edit]

In this mode, a Shellcreeper explains the promotional features of Nagatanien World.

Gallery[edit]

Names in other languages[edit]

Language Name Meaning Notes
Japanese かえってきた マリオブラザーズ
(disk label)
かえってきた MARIO BROS.
(title screen)
[?]

Kaettekita Mario Burazāzu
Mario Bros. Returns
Original Mario Bros.
Language Name Meaning Notes
Japanese オリジナル マリオブラザーズ[?]
Orijinaru Mario Burazāzu
Original Mario Bros.
Nagatanien World
Language Name Meaning Notes
Japanese ながたにえん ワールド[?]
Nagatanien Wārudo
Nagatanien World
Name registration
Language Name Meaning Notes
Japanese なまえとうろく[?]
Namae Tōroku
Name registration
Notices
Language Name Meaning Notes
Japanese おしらせ[?]
Oshirase
Notices

References[edit]

  1. ^ Game ads (see #Gallery)
  2. ^ "KaetteKita" Mario Bros. (Mario Bros. Returns): Released in November 1988 as a Disk Writer game for rewrite.Iwata Asks - Paper Mario: Sticker Star. Nintendo (English). Page 1. Retrieved November 21, 2024. (Archived September 1, 2024, 15:43:24 UTC via Wayback Machine.)
  3. ^ List of Supported Games. Nintendo Creators Program (English). Archived June 2, 2015, 20:45:27 UTC from the original via Wayback Machine.
  4. ^ GameSpot. Retrieved June 22, 2024.[dead link]
  5. ^ Mario Bros. Classic Series. NinDB (English). Retrieved June 22, 2024.