Super Mario Bros. – WISE Score & Parent Review | Screenwise

Super Mario Bros.

Name: Screenwise
Author: Screenwise

game1985

78%

WISE Score

84%

IGDB

The 1985 original that started it all—charming but brutally hard by today's standards, best enjoyed as a retro curiosity.

Super Mario Bros.

game

1985

78%

WISE Score

84%

IGDB

The 1985 original that started it all—charming but brutally hard by today's standards, best enjoyed as a retro curiosity.

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Where to Play

Nintendo

Screenwise Verdict

Here's the truth: Super Mario Bros. is historically important and genuinely well-designed, but it's a museum piece for most modern kids. The graphics are ancient, the difficulty is unforgiving, and there's no hand-holding whatsoever. Kids used to Fortnite and Minecraft will likely find it boring or frustrating.

That said, if your family enjoys retro gaming or you want to show your kids where Mario started, it's perfectly safe and still playable. The core loop of running, jumping, and discovering secrets remains solid. Just set expectations—this isn't Mario Odyssey. It's harder, simpler, and way less forgiving.

For most families, I'd recommend starting with newer Mario titles (Wonder, Odyssey, or even New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe) and coming back to this one later if they're curious about gaming history. But if your kid has the patience and interest? It's a genuine classic that still holds up mechanically, even if it looks like it was drawn with crayons.

Age Fit

Common Sense Media suggests 7+, which tracks—younger kids can play with help, but the difficulty demands decent motor skills and frustration tolerance. Teens and adults still enjoy it for nostalgia or speedrunning, though most will prefer modern entries.

WISE Breakdown

Wholesome

Cheerful, non-violent gameplay where enemies simply disappear when jumped on. The rescue-the-princess narrative is straightforward heroism without darkness. Parent reviews consistently note it's family-friendly with no concerning content. The tone is light, colorful, and optimistic throughout.

Imaginative

Revolutionary for 1985—introduced scrolling worlds, secret areas, warp zones, and power-ups that transformed how platformers worked. The Mushroom Kingdom concept was genuinely creative. However, it's more about executing precise jumps than open-ended creativity or building. Still, discovering hidden blocks and shortcuts rewards curiosity.

Safe

Zero safety concerns. No online features, no chat, no purchases, no ads. Violence is cartoonishly mild—enemies squish and vanish. IMDb parent guide confirms 'very mild' content. No surprise mature themes whatsoever. The only 'danger' is frustration from difficulty, which is a feature, not a bug.

Enriching

Teaches pattern recognition, timing, spatial reasoning, and perseverance through trial-and-error gameplay. The difficulty curve builds problem-solving skills. But it's not deeply educational—it's primarily entertainment. The enrichment comes from mastering a challenging skill, not from narrative depth or moral lessons.

Parent Info

✓

Why It Might Be Great

Genuinely safe and wholesome—no concerning content whatsoever, just pure platforming
Teaches perseverance and problem-solving through challenging but fair level design
Cultural touchstone that lets kids experience gaming history firsthand
Rewards exploration with secret areas, warp zones, and hidden power-ups
No monetization, no online nonsense—just the game itself

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What to Watch For

Difficulty is real—kids used to modern games with checkpoints and tutorials may find this punishing
Graphics and sound are extremely dated; some kids will bounce off immediately
Limited lives and no save system mean starting over frequently, which can frustrate
Better Mario games exist for modern kids (Odyssey, Wonder, even the New Super Mario series)

Conversation Starters

"What's the hardest level you've beaten so far? What strategy finally worked?"
"How does this compare to newer Mario games you've played? What feels different?"
"Did you find any secret areas or shortcuts? What made you think to look there?"
"Why do you think this game was so popular when your parents (or grandparents!) were kids?"

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