The brothers, retainers and Bowser
Recognize the playable roles and the rescue encounters in the original adventure.
Original 1985 NES/Famicom game. Luigi shares Mario's movement in alternating two-player play. Super Mario All-Stars, Super Mario Bros. Deluxe and The Lost Levels change features or courses and are outside these guides.
5 characters · one picture per entry · open a picture for full size.
Character directory
Mario
Mario uses momentum and jumping to cross the courses. A Super Mushroom lets him survive an ordinary hit and break brick blocks; a Fire Flower adds a ranged attack.
Princess Toadstool
Known as Princess Peach in later games, Toadstool is imprisoned by Bowser. Mario reaches her at the end of World 8-4 after the earlier castles reveal rescued retainers.
Mushroom retainers
The retainers rescued in the first seven worlds tell Mario that the princess is elsewhere. These encounters mark completed worlds, rather than providing a new playable companion.
Bowser
Bowser blocks the last bridge with fire and hammers. Reaching the axe behind him drops the bridge; Fire Mario can instead damage him from a distance.
Luigi
Luigi takes the second-player turn and uses the same movement physics as Mario in this original game. His later high-jump and low-traction identity does not apply here.
Quick notes
- Know how the two-player mode works. Select a two-player game to alternate between Mario and Luigi.
- Read the end of each world. The castle at the end of the first seven worlds leads to a mushroom retainer rather than Princess Toadstool.
- Choose an approach to the bridge guard. At the bridge encounter you can use Fire Mario's fireballs or reach the axe beyond the enemy.
Luigi's special jump from other Mario games is absent from the original Super Mario Bros.
Picture details
Game artwork belongs to its respective rights holders.