Ep.159 – Our Princess is in Another Castle: How Super Mario Bros. Revived Gaming and Defined Nintendo’s Legacy

In 1985, Nintendo released Super Mario Bros., the game that redefined platforming and resurrected the video game industry. In this episode, we explore the story behind its creation, tracing Shigeru Miyamoto’s path from Donkey Kong and Mario Bros. to the debut of the Mushroom Kingdom. Our discussion follows how Nintendo’s R&D4 team—including Takashi Tezuka, Toshihiko Nakago, and Koji Kondo—combined lessons from Excitebike and Kung-Fu to craft smooth scrolling, precise controls, and iconic music. We break down the clever design of World 1-1 as a built-in tutorial, the origins of the Super Mushroom, and the creative problem-solving that made every byte count on a 40 KB cartridge. Join us as we jump, stomp, and slide through the history and legacy of Super Mario Bros. on today’s trip down Memory Card Lane.