Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
Super Mario Bros. Deluxe (Game Boy Color, 1999) is an enhanced port of Nintendo’s 1985 NES classic, developed and published by Nintendo. Rather than simply shrinking Super Mario Bros. onto a handheld, Deluxe adds save support, new challenge modes, multiplayer racing, collectibles, and an unlockable version of The Lost Levels. It is an exceptionally generous package, although the Game Boy Color’s small screen creates one major drawback.
Rating: 9/10
Super Mario Bros. as Mario: 00:00:19
Super Mario Bros. as Luigi: 00:35:50
The Lost Levels: 01:09:55
Challenge Mode: 01:48:56
Vs Boo: 02:52:09
Extras: 02:59:45
The main mode, Original 1985, recreates all eight worlds and 32 stages of Super Mario Bros. Mario or Luigi runs, jumps, stomps enemies, collects power-ups, and eventually confronts Bowser to rescue Princess Peach. The controls remain responsive and familiar, while battery-backed saving and a world map make the adventure far more convenient for portable play.
Challenge Mode is one of the best additions. Each stage can be replayed with three objectives: collect five hidden red coins, find a hidden Yoshi egg, and beat a target score. These goals encourage exploration and give familiar levels a completely different purpose. Hunting down every secret adds a substantial amount of replay value.
You vs. Boo provides another change of pace. Mario races against Boo through specially designed courses filled with colored block switches that can alter the route and interfere with the race. There is also a link-cable multiplayer mode for direct competition against another player.
Completing the main game unlocks Super Mario Bros. for Super Players, a version of the Japanese Super Mario Bros. 2, better known as The Lost Levels. Its difficult stages provide a substantial second campaign, although this conversion is not completely faithful. Worlds 9 and A-D are missing, the wind mechanic has been removed, and some of the original Famicom Disk System graphics are replaced with assets from the first Super Mario Bros.
Deluxe is also packed with smaller extras. The Album contains unlockable artwork and achievement-style rewards, while the Toy Box includes features such as a calendar, fortune teller, and roulette game that can provide hints for locating hidden Yoshi eggs. Game Boy Printer support even allows some of the artwork to be printed.
The biggest problem is the restricted field of view. The original NES graphics are reproduced at roughly the same size, but the Game Boy Color screen has a much lower resolution. As a result, far less of each level is visible at once. Enemies, platforms, and hazards that would normally be seen well in advance can suddenly appear near the edge of the screen.
The camera can be moved vertically, and the game allows some backtracking, but neither completely solves the issue. Players who already know the original levels will adapt quickly, while newcomers may encounter blind jumps and unexpected hazards. The problem is especially noticeable in The Lost Levels, where precise timing and difficult jumps were already demanding.
Presentation is otherwise excellent. The graphics are colorful and faithful, the classic sprites remain instantly recognizable, and additional animations give the game extra personality. The music and sound effects are also remarkably close to the NES original.
Super Mario Bros. Deluxe comes very close to being the definitive version of Super Mario Bros. The save system, Challenge Mode, Boo races, The Lost Levels, collectibles, and numerous extras provide an impressive amount of content.
The cramped screen prevents it from completely replacing the NES version, but everything surrounding that compromise is handled extremely well. Super Mario Bros. Deluxe remains one of the best games on the Game Boy Color and one of Nintendo’s strongest enhanced ports.
Super Mario Bros. Deluxe (Game Boy Color, 1999) is an enhanced port of Nintendo’s 1985 NES classic, developed and published by Nintendo. Rather than simply shrinking Super Mario Bros. onto a handheld, Deluxe adds save support, new challenge modes, multiplayer racing, collectibles, and an unlockable version of The Lost Levels. It is an exceptionally generous package, although the Game Boy Color’s small screen creates one major drawback.
Rating: 9/10
Super Mario Bros. as Mario: 00:00:19
Super Mario Bros. as Luigi: 00:35:50
The Lost Levels: 01:09:55
Challenge Mode: 01:48:56
Vs Boo: 02:52:09
Extras: 02:59:45
The main mode, Original 1985, recreates all eight worlds and 32 stages of Super Mario Bros. Mario or Luigi runs, jumps, stomps enemies, collects power-ups, and eventually confronts Bowser to rescue Princess Peach. The controls remain responsive and familiar, while battery-backed saving and a world map make the adventure far more convenient for portable play.
Challenge Mode is one of the best additions. Each stage can be replayed with three objectives: collect five hidden red coins, find a hidden Yoshi egg, and beat a target score. These goals encourage exploration and give familiar levels a completely different purpose. Hunting down every secret adds a substantial amount of replay value.
You vs. Boo provides another change of pace. Mario races against Boo through specially designed courses filled with colored block switches that can alter the route and interfere with the race. There is also a link-cable multiplayer mode for direct competition against another player.
Completing the main game unlocks Super Mario Bros. for Super Players, a version of the Japanese Super Mario Bros. 2, better known as The Lost Levels. Its difficult stages provide a substantial second campaign, although this conversion is not completely faithful. Worlds 9 and A-D are missing, the wind mechanic has been removed, and some of the original Famicom Disk System graphics are replaced with assets from the first Super Mario Bros.
Deluxe is also packed with smaller extras. The Album contains unlockable artwork and achievement-style rewards, while the Toy Box includes features such as a calendar, fortune teller, and roulette game that can provide hints for locating hidden Yoshi eggs. Game Boy Printer support even allows some of the artwork to be printed.
The biggest problem is the restricted field of view. The original NES graphics are reproduced at roughly the same size, but the Game Boy Color screen has a much lower resolution. As a result, far less of each level is visible at once. Enemies, platforms, and hazards that would normally be seen well in advance can suddenly appear near the edge of the screen.
The camera can be moved vertically, and the game allows some backtracking, but neither completely solves the issue. Players who already know the original levels will adapt quickly, while newcomers may encounter blind jumps and unexpected hazards. The problem is especially noticeable in The Lost Levels, where precise timing and difficult jumps were already demanding.
Presentation is otherwise excellent. The graphics are colorful and faithful, the classic sprites remain instantly recognizable, and additional animations give the game extra personality. The music and sound effects are also remarkably close to the NES original.
Super Mario Bros. Deluxe comes very close to being the definitive version of Super Mario Bros. The save system, Challenge Mode, Boo races, The Lost Levels, collectibles, and numerous extras provide an impressive amount of content.
The cramped screen prevents it from completely replacing the NES version, but everything surrounding that compromise is handled extremely well. Super Mario Bros. Deluxe remains one of the best games on the Game Boy Color and one of Nintendo’s strongest enhanced ports.
