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The Game & Watch Super Mario Bros. is nothing but a beautiful collector’s item

January 7, 2021 by Timby No Comments

Nintendo continues its celebration of the 35th anniversary of Super Mario Bros. by bringing out the Game & Watch. The object is nice and well finished. But its usefulness remains limited, beyond collection and nostalgia.

The timing is sometimes oddly random. While Microsoft launched its super-powerful Xbox Series X on November 10, 2020 and Sony released its PlayStation 5 on the 19th, Nintendo came in between with the Game & Watch Super Mario Bros. On the one hand, we have two new-generation consoles that promise mountains and wonders, and on the other, a small, modest object that will bring back memories for the oldest of us. Without really wanting to, the Japanese firm is responding to the machines of tomorrow with a product bearing the mark of the past. For ten times less, of course. The comparison will end there. We can easily compare it to online casinos, how they evolved to be able to offer real entertainment now with real dealers and live casinos, something that was impossible some years ago. But some online casinos remain offering old fashion and traditional casino games to give the players an experience of traditional games on a computer, such as slots for example.

More concretely, Nintendo is launching this new Game & Watch as part of the 35th anniversary of Super Mario Bros. and in the wake of the Lego range, the compilation of 3D games on Switch, among other initiatives paying tribute to the moustachioed plumber. This Game & Watch is a paradox in itself, since it never hosted the Super Mario Bros. video game – which appeared on the Nintendo in 1985. Ancestors of handheld consoles, Game & Watch were electronic games originally designed to keep Japanese adults busy during their daily journeys. The first model, launched in 1980, included the juggling game Ball – present in this anniversary version (for the wink). Here’s the history.

A NICE OBJECT AND THAT’S ABOUT IT

Esthetically, the Game & Watch 2020 edition is a beautiful object. Starting from the packaging, it is clear that Nintendo does not wish to betray its treasure of yesteryear. The Game & Watch is packed in a cardboard box whose size has not changed, dressed in a transparent plastic sheath that reveals overprinted elements. When the box is opened, the label reads “Special thanks to you” surrounded by Mario and Luigi. Good thing Nintendo has kept the measurements of the original Game & Watch, i.e. a small size (our iPhone 12 is larger) – easy to slip into a pocket, one of the arguments in its favour. The multinational has also kept the colours: this emblematic red and this front with a beautiful brushed gold effect (for the anecdote, the first Game & Watch was silver). Nevertheless, we can deplore the removal of the crutch, which removes the use of this Game & Watch.

Indeed, the Game & Watch includes a nice – but useless – clock mode. Its screen with a diagonal of just over two inches displays the time and animations related to Mario levels (you can scroll through them) and according to the time of day. This could have been handy if the console didn’t go into sleep mode after three minutes, unless it is left plugged ad vitam aeternam. Except that even in this slightly more energy-consuming configuration, the absence of the original stand prevents the Game & Watch from being held, too thin to stand up without help. Alas, Nintendo has also removed the clock function, which would have provided a long-term use for this Game & Watch – past the pleasure of (re)discovery.

A POTENTIAL (SMALL) CHRISTMAS GIFT

Therefore, the Game & Watch is more like a small handheld console, which offers access to three games: Super Mario Bros. 2, Super Mario Bros. 2 and Ball. While the buttons and the crosshair respond very well, the small size does not predispose the Game & Watch to long sessions. The most nostalgic may be delighted to take it out from time to time to enjoy another ten minutes. This is the only playful interest of this Game & Watch, thought of above all as a collector’s item.

Note that Nintendo has stuffed this Game & Watch with numerous easter eggs, some more obvious than others. For example, in the clock menu, if you press A for a few seconds, you will launch the song “Draw a Mario” which will teach you how to… draw a Mario in a few seconds. In Ball, the same manoeuvre will turn Mario into Luigi before starting the game. And in Super Mario games? You’ll have infinite lives – handy to advance more serenely. By pressing A and B at the same time, the time in the home menu will blink (yes, it’s no use). There are others, which we will let you discover for yourself.

Finally, this Game & Watch celebrating the 35th anniversary of Super Mario Bros. will certainly delight those who have already had a Game & Watch in their hands. The others will see it as a nice object to unpack and have fun with for a few minutes every now and then. In short, it’s a potential (small) Christmas present for players who have been fed up with Nintendo’s first video game emotions. No more.

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