Why Super Mario Bros. Was One of the Best Games Ever Made

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by Alex Fitzpatrick and Arpita Aneja

Sep 10, 2015 3:23 PM CUT

1985: Super Mario Bros. This is it, Nintendo luminary Shigeru Miyamoto's zany-looking masterpiece that launched a platforming revolution. It first appeared in Japanese and U.S. arcades in 1985, though Mario's debut was years earlier--in 1981's Donkey Kong, where he was known as "Jumpman."

1985: Super Mario Bros. This is it, Nintendo luminary Shigeru Miyamoto's zany-looking masterpiece that launched a platforming revolution. It first appeared in Japanese and U.S. arcades in 1985, though Mario's debut was years earlier--in 1981's Donkey Kong, where he was known as "Jumpman."

1985: Super Mario Bros. This is it, Nintendo luminary Shigeru Miyamoto's zany-looking masterpiece that launched a platforming revolution. It first appeared in Japanese and U.S. arcades in 1985, though Mario's debut was years earlier--in 1981's Donkey Kong, where he was known as "Jumpman."Nintendo

by Alex Fitzpatrick and Arpita Aneja

Sep 10, 2015 3:23 PM CUT

The Nintendo classic Super Mario Bros., widely considered one of the best video games ever made — and certainly one of the most important — celebrates its 30th anniversary on September 13.

But what’s so special about a decades-old game revolving around an Italian plumber trying to save a lost princess? It’s all about history. When Super Mario Bros. came out, the video game industry was a wreck. But Mario helped save it — and it wasn’t even in another castle.

To find out more about Super Mario Bros., watch the video above.