List of references to Super Mario Bros.

Not to be confused with List of references in the Super Mario franchise.

Released on the Nintendo Entertainment System starting in 1985, Super Mario Bros. is the first installment in the Super Mario series, and would lay the groundwork for both future Super Mario games and platformers in general. Due to its significant cultural impact, several references and Easter eggs related to this game have been included in future installments.

This is a list of every time a Nintendo game referenced Super Mario Bros.

Super Mario-related media

Super Mario series

Super Mario Bros. 2

• Aside from being the non-Japanese sequel to Super Mario Bros., Mushrooms, Starmen, and Shells appear, serving the same use as in the game's predecessor.
• Ground BGM plays when the player is in Subspace.

Super Mario Bros. 3

• Bowser returns along with the rest of the Koopa Troop, as well as elements from the original Super Mario Bros.
• When Princess Toadstool is saved, she says, "Thank you! But our Princess is in another castle!...Just kidding!" This is a reference to the mushroom retainer's line in Super Mario Bros.
• Ground BGM plays when the Music Box is used.

Super Mario Land

Comparison between Mario's sprites in Super Mario Bros. and Super Mario Land

• Mario's sprites in this game is near identical to his sprites from Super Mario Bros.
• The gameplay is near-identical, albeit with some technical restrictions.

Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island / Yoshi's New Island

The shortened version of the Course Clear arrangement heard in Yoshi's New Island

• The Course Clear fanfare can be heard after Baby Mario and Baby Luigi return to their home.

Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars / Super Mario RPG (Nintendo Switch)

• If the player goes behind a curtain in Booster Tower, Mario briefly turns into his 8-bit sprite from Super Mario Bros., with Ground BGM playing during this.

Super Mario 64

• Outside the Warp Pipe that leads to the final boss, carved into pillars are what look like sprites of Mario and Bowser from Super Mario Bros.

Super Mario Sunshine

The Secret Course theme from Super Mario Sunshine

• The end of a castle level is seen when Mario first met F.L.U.D.D., during its facial recognition procedure.
• Various 8-bit patterns are seen in the background of the secret levels of Ricco Harbor and Sirena Beach.

Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3

• Some of the available levels for World-e include reproductions of Super Mario Bros.'s Worlds 1-1, 1-2, 1-3, 1-4, and 2-2 in Super Mario Bros. 3's style. Only World 1-1 was originally made available outside Japan.

New Super Mario Bros.

The Grass stage in the Mario Vs. Luigi mode that resembles World 1-1

• Many things from Super Mario Bros. return here, such as Goal Poles, Warp Zones (in the form of Warp Cannons), and the title screen's logo typeface.
• When connecting to a multiplayer game, Mario can be seen running through what looks like World 1-2.
• A close-up of Mario from Super Mario Bros. as well as a picture from said game are unlockable backgrounds.
• The sound effect that plays when Mario or Luigi slides down the Goal Pole is reused, albeit in reverse.
• The second level is an underground level with a secret path over the ceiling leading to a secret exit, similar to the secret path over this game's World 1-2.
• The main boss of World 1 is Bowser, who is defeated by breaking his bridge and dropping him into lava, and the first main boss of World 8 features Dry Bowser, who is defeated in the same way, and throws bones like how Bowser threw hammers in later levels of this game.
• One of the Mario Vs. Luigi stages is a truncated looping version of World 1-1.
• Ground BGM is arranged into the Mario Vs. Luigi Grass stage theme, its unused variant intended to be the game's Ground theme, and Minigames menu theme.

Super Mario Galaxy

• In Toy Time Galaxy, there is a huge 8-bit Mario or Luigi.
• In Flipswitch Galaxy, the background contains a ground scene and an underground scene from this game.

New Super Mario Bros. Wii

• The second level of Coin Courses is a modified variant of World 1-1.

Super Mario Galaxy 2

Mario Squared Galaxy

• In Twisty Trials Galaxy and the second area of the Grandmaster Galaxy, there is a backdrop showing moving sprites of items and an 8-bit Mario and Luigi from this game.
• Mario Squared Galaxy takes place on a modified 8-bit Mario, as well as an 8-bit Luigi during the mission "Luigi's Purple Coin Chaos".

Super Mario 3D Land

• Mario's sprite is used as the marker of where Mario is in a world. Tail Bowsers are tailed variants of fake Bowsers, and the first one is a disguised Goomba.
• The second level has a ledge just out of view that allows the player to walk over the level, and ends in a secret Pipe.

New Super Mario Bros. 2

• The first course in Coin Rush's Gold Classics Pack is based on Worlds 1-1 and 1-2, while the last course is based on World 1-4.

New Super Mario Bros. U

• Sprites from Super Mario Bros. are used in the game menus.
• The second level is an underground course with a secret path over the ceiling leading to a secret exit.
• The first phase of the final boss involves striking an axe to Bowser's bridge to drop him into the lava.

New Super Luigi U

A hidden Luigi sighting in Piranha Heights

• Various sprites of Luigi, including some from Super Mario Bros., are reused as hidden Luigis.

Super Mario 3D World

• Mario's sprite is seen on the saving screen.
  • His sprite can also be seen in a bonus area of Bob-ombs Below.
• Luigi's sprite can be spotted in some levels and on the button to enter the Luigi Bros. game.

Super Mario Maker / Super Mario Maker for Nintendo 3DS

• Super Mario Bros. is used as one of the four game styles.

Super Mario Run

• Several statues based on sprites from this game can be unlocked and used in the Kingdom Builder mode.
• The Ground Theme is arranged into the Remix 10 theme.

Super Mario Odyssey

"Up on the Big Screen"

• In some parts of the game, Mario can walk within walls from a 2D perspective that uses sprites and sound effects from Super Mario Bros., as well as altering the music to an 8-bit variation.
• A scene of Mario confronting Bowser in Super Mario Bros. can be seen when Mario captures Bowser in this game.
• A replica of World 1-1 can be played in a theater in New Donk City in order to obtain the "Up on the Big Screen" Power Moon.
• The musicians that Pauline tasks Mario to find play a rendition of Ground BGM when all of them are interacted with and brought together.

Super Mario Maker 2

• Super Mario Bros. returns as the first of the five game styles.
• The loading icon in the Wireless Play menus features an 8-bit Mario running in a circle. If the loading animation plays for long enough, the Hurry Up variant of the Ground Theme will fade in.

Super Mario Bros. Wonder

• Mario's jumping animation closely resembles the poseMedia:Mario and mushroom SMB1 artwork.png he makes on the Japanese box art of Super Mario Bros.
• Several notes from the ending fanfare are played at the beginning of the intro cutscene.
• The secret exit in Piranha Plants on Parade, the second level of the game, shows a pipe configuration identical to the one in World 1-2 shortly after the end-of-level fortress.
• Shining Falls Special Triple Threat Deluge's first section remakes the beginning of World 1-1 and the lift section of World 1-2.
• In The Sharp Trial: Launch to Victory, during the Wonder Flower's effect, there is a block formation referencing the Fire Flower sprite.

Alleyway

• Several sprites from Super Mario Bros. appear in bonus levels.

Mario Kart series

Mario Kart 7

• Piranha Plant Slide is heavily based on the underground levels of Super Mario Bros.
  • The cloud and bushes in the race course are the same model in different colors, referencing how the clouds and bushes in Super Mario Bros. are the same sprite in different colors.

Mario Kart 8 / Mario Kart 8 Deluxe

• Various sprites of enemies and scenery can be seen on pots in Bone-Dry Dunes.
• Super Bell Subway has graffiti representing World 1-2.
• Piranha Plant Slide, which is based heavily on the underground levels of Super Mario Bros., returns from Mario Kart 7.

Mario Kart Tour

• The 8-Bit Jumping Mario, 8-Bit Jumping Luigi, 8-Bit Star, 8-Bit Bullet Bill, 8-Bit Fire Flower, 8-Bit Super Mushroom, 8-Bit Block Glider, and 8-Bit Goomba are re-creations of their sprites in Super Mario Bros.
• The Super 1 uses the Japanese logo.

Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit

• The race course World 1-1 and the Retro theme it uses are heavily based on the level of the same name.

Mario Party series

Mario Party 5

• The background of the Panic Pinball minigame features the hills and fortresses from the Super Mario All-Stars remake of Super Mario Bros.

Mario Party: Island Tour

• The theme heard in the minigames Xylophone Home and Goomba Tower Takedown is a remix of the Ground Theme.

Super Mario Party

• Mario, Goomba, Spiny, Cheep Cheep, and Bowser's sprites appear in Puzzle Hustle.
• Dart Gallery's background features neon lights resembling Super Mario Bros.'s overworld levels.

Paper Mario series

Paper Mario

• Goombario references Super Mario Bros. in the Goomba's Tattle entry.
• If Mario jumps into a huge vase in a room on the first floor of the Boo's Mansion, he will become 8-bit. Unlike in Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, his allies will not become an 8-bit form.

Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door / Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door (Nintendo Switch)

• If the player jumps up into a vent and then comes down into the changing room in the X-Naut Fortress, Mario and all his allies will become 8-bit and similar in style to the Super Mario Bros. sprites.

Super Paper Mario

• The sprites of Mario, Luigi, Peach, and Bowser appear around said character when they collect the Pal Pills.
• When any character (including a Koopa Troopa) grabs a Mega Star, they turn into a huge version of their Super Mario Bros. sprites. (Mario and Luigi are their Small forms in both).
• Portions of Chapter 1-1, Chapter 3-1, and Chapter 5-3 are identical to Worlds 1-1, 1-2, and 2-1, respectively.

Game & Watch Gallery 3 / Game & Watch Gallery 4

• Playing Star Mode for the Modern version of Donkey Kong Jr. replaces the Goomba enemies with Spinies, similar to the new quest mode in Super Mario Bros. replacing the Goombas with Buzzy Beetles.

Luigi's Mansion

• Luigi's sprite from the 16-bit version of Super Mario Bros. appears as part of the Game Boy Horror's screens.
• Although not distinctly noted as such, the idea of King Boo using a Bowser decoy may be loosely based on the seven fake Bowsers in Super Mario Bros.

Luigi's Mansion 3

• When approaching Mario in the game's opening moments, an arrangement of Ground BGM can be heard.

Mario & Luigi series

Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga

• At the border between the Mushroom Kingdom and the Beanbean Kingdom, there is a minigame titled Border Jump that uses the goal of most levels in Super Mario Bros. (including the flagpole, fortress, and fireworks for success).
• There is a 2D obstacle room before Roy's room which ends with Mario getting the axe and burning the Bowser decoy above a lava bridge.
• A type of ? Block from Super Mario Bros. can be seen among other types.

Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time

• Toadsworth the Younger states when Baby Peach flies away "You will save her, won't you? I assure you she's NOT in another castle.", referencing the mushroom retainers' famous line "Thank you, Mario! But our princess is in another castle!".

Mario Sports series

Mario Superstar Baseball

• The loading screen, which has Mario hitting a ? Block, uses sprites from this game.

Mario Hoops 3-on-3

• In Mario Stadium, one can see an 8-bit Mario chasing two Goombas.
• The music for Bowser's Castle is a cover of Castle BGM.

Tetris DS

• The first two levels are based on World 1-1, 3 and 7 are underground-based, 8 and 9 are based on the cloud areas, and 10 is set in a castle level.

WarioWare: D.I.Y.

Crayon Epic

• The Crayon Epic microgame features a monster spitting fireballs identical to Lava Bubble's sprite from this game.

Yoshi's Woolly World

• The Shell Patch enemy greatly resembles a Red Shell's sprite in this game.

Mario & Sonic series

Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games (Nintendo 3DS)

• A structure in the shape of a Castle from Super Mario Bros. made of Brick Blocks and character wall obstacles of Mario, Bowser, Lakitu, Spinies and Goombas using their sprites from Super Mario Bros. appear as obstacles in Golf Plus.

Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020

• The sprites for Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach, Bowser, Goombas, Koopa Troopas, Hammer Bros, Lakitus, and Toads are reused in the 2D Events. In these events, differently colored Toads appear which have sprites that are based on the sprite used for red Toads, the only color of Toad present in Super Mario Bros.

Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope

• Whenever Rabbid Mario retrieves a Purified Darkmess Energy Crystal, he plays the Course Clear theme on his mandolin.

The Super Mario Bros. Movie

Main article: List of references in The Super Mario Bros. Movie § Super Mario Bros.

Non-Super Mario media

Super Smash Bros. series

One of Luigi's alternate colors from Super Smash Bros.

Super Smash Bros.

• The stage Mushroom Kingdom is a reference to the ground levels.
• When Mario performs his taunt, he mimics his standing pose in Super Mario Bros.
• Mario's and Luigi's victory fanfare is a version of the Course Clear theme.
• Mario and Luigi's helpless animations are based on the pose Mario and Luigi take upon defeat in Super Mario Bros.
• Many items from Super Mario Bros. are usable in this game.
• One of Luigi's alternate colors bears resemblance to his colors in Super Mario Bros.

Super Smash Bros. Melee

• The first Adventure Mode stage is inspired by this game along with other Super Mario titles.
• Many enemies from Super Mario Bros. appear in this game's Adventure Mode.

Super Smash Bros. Brawl

• The stage Mushroomy Kingdom is based on Worlds 1-1 and 1-2 of this game.
• Lakitu and Spinies and Hammer Bro appear as Assist Trophies, with the former two retaining their original 8-bit looks.
• Many enemies from Super Mario Bros. appear in this game's Subspace Emissary Mode such as Goombas and Koopa Troopas.

Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U

• Fire Bars appear as an item in these games.
• In Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS, the Mushroomy Kingdom stage from Super Mario Bros., returns from Super Smash Bros. Brawl, albeit without World 1-2.

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

• The Mushroom Kingdom stage from Super Smash Bros. returns in this game, along with Mushroomy Kingdom from Brawl.

Wii Fit series

Wii Fit

• Some of the sprites from Super Mario Bros. are hidden across Wuhu Island.

Wii Fit Plus

• The minigame "Basic Run Plus" (called "Jogging Plus" in PAL regions) has the player answer questions about things they saw along the path, which are often about Super Mario Bros. sprites.

Wii Sports Resort

• In Island Flyover, if the player flies by the Hillside Cabins, the Super Mario Bros. Ground Theme and Game Over theme can be heard.

NES Remix series

NES Remix

• Super Mario Bros. is one of the games remixed in this game.

NES Remix 2

• A port of the game titled Super Luigi Bros. appears, where the player controls Luigi and all of the levels are mirrored horizontally.

Ultimate NES Remix

• A port of the game titled Speed Mario Bros. appears, in which the game runs twice as fast.

Nintendo Music

• The soundtrack to Super Mario Bros. was made available on the Nintendo Music app at its launch on October 30, 2024.