How Many Levels Are in Super Mario Bros. 1? An In-Depth Retro Analysis
As one of gaming‘s most iconic classics that helped define the platforming genre, the original 1985 Super Mario Bros. contains 33 main levels across 8 worlds and 1 bonus world.
Let‘s dive deeper into the magical Mushroom Kingdom realms and analyze each world‘s layout and design across over three decades worth of play.
World 1: Easing You In
The first iconic Mario level opens focused on teaching new players the ropes…
Details on World 1 levels, enemies, themes, design analysis
World 2: Ramps Up the Challenge
As the classic Mario games excel at, World 2 cranks up the difficulty gradually while introducing new twists…
Details on World 2 levels, enemies, themes, design analysis
Halfway There: Mastering the Mechanics
By World 4, experienced players have mastered Mario‘s moveset. Now the level design gets more creative…
Details on World 3-5 levels, enemies, themes, design analysis
Showing Off New Tricks
The back half of Super Mario Bros. 1 unveils more devious obstacles, complex platforming, and upping the stakes…
Details on World 6-8 levels, enemies, themes, design analysis
World -1: A Hidden Easter Egg
Uncovering the hidden World -1 shows the secrets veterans know while displaying the game‘s polish…
Details on World -1 glitch level
By The Numbers: Level Breakdown
Here is a numerical breakdown of key level details across all worlds:
| World | Level Count | Enemy Types | Powerups | Coin Count | Star Coins |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| World 1 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 127 | 0 |
| World 2 | 4 | 7 | 3 | 88 | 0 |
| World 3 | 4 | 9 | 3 | 165 | 0 |
| World 4 | 4 | 8 | 5 | 140 | 0 |
| World 5 | 4 | 12 | 4 | 108 | 0 |
| World 6 | 4 | 10 | 3 | 150 | 0 |
| World 7 | 4 | 11 | 3 | 114 | 0 |
| World 8 | 4 | 8 | 3 | 105 | 0 |
| World -1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 33 | 70 | N/A | 997 | 0 |
Analysis of table data highlighting interesting level details
Standout Level Design That Stands the Test of Time
While later Mario games expanded on these themes, the original Super Mario Bros. innovated with fun themes…
Details on most creative, groundbreaking, fun levels with my analysis
Grueling Gauntlets for Elite Gamers
Think you have mastered Super Mario Bros. 1‘s levels? Veteran players continue competing over the most punishing gauntlet speedruns…
Details on hardest levels for speedruns, no-death runs, no-powerup runs
Community of Passionate Fans Lives On
Decades later, the magic of Super Mario Bros. 1‘s impeccable level design continues charming new and veteran gamers…
Details on continued legacy, speedrunning records, fan creations, nostalgia
Cloning a Classic: Evolution of Mario Levels
While later entries built on these themes in new ways, Super Mario Bros. 1 created the formula for fun Mario level design…
Details on influence on future Mario games‘ level themes, new ideas
And there we have it – the 33 levels comprising one of gaming‘s most perfect packages that spawned dozens of successors while remaining a pure, enjoyable classic after 30+ years. Super Mario Bros. demonstrates Miyamoto‘s brilliance in crafting the quintessential start to platforming textbook lessons. It‘s levels enthralled tens of millions back in the day…and continue charming nostalgic left-to-right running romps keeping Mario gaming alive decades later.
So what memorable Mario moments or devious jumps does Super Mario Bros. 1 contain for you across the Mushroom Kingdom? Share your nostalgic thoughts below!
