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{{italic title}}
{{italic title}}
{{Infobox
{{distinguish|Mario Bros. Special}}
{{game infobox
|image=[[File:SMBSpecial.jpg]]
|image=[[File:SMBSpecial.jpg]]
|developer=[[Hudson Soft]], [[Nintendo]]
|developer=[[Hudson Soft]]
|publisher=[[Hudson Soft]] (Japan)<br>Caroline Software Incorporated (South Korea){{ref needed}}
|publisher=Hudson Soft (Japan)<br>Static Soft (South Korea)<ref name=Lost/>
|released={{released|Japan|1986}}{{released|South Korea|1987<ref name=Lost/>}}
|release={{flag list|Japan|August 1986}}{{flag list|South Korea|1987<ref name=Lost/>}}
|genre=Platformer
|genre=[[Genre#Platform games|Platformer]]
|modes=Single player
|modes=Single player
|ratings=
|ratings=
|platforms=[[NEC PC-88|NEC PC-8801]]<br/>[[wikipedia:X1 (computer)|Sharp X1]]<br/>Samsung SPC-1500<ref name=Lost>[http://hg101.proboards.com/thread/6968/hudson-mario-trilogy Hardcore Gaming 101 ProBoards - Hudson Mario Trilogy]</ref>
|platforms={{wp|PC-8800 series|NEC PC-8801}}<br>{{wp|Sharp X1}}<br>Samsung SPC-1500<ref name=Lost/>
|media=5.25-inch floppy, Tape
|format=5.25-inch floppy, Tape
}}
}}
'''''Super Mario Bros. Special''''' (スーパーマリオブラザーズ スペシャル) was developed by [[Hudson Soft]] and released in 1986 for the [[wikipedia:PC-8801|NEC PC-8801]] and [[wikipedia:X1 (computer)|Sharp X1]] series of Japanese computers, and around 1987 for the Samsung SPC-1500<ref name=Lost/> in South Korea. ''Special'' was the second [[Nintendo]]-licensed follow-up to ''[[Super Mario Bros.]]'', released around two months after ''[[Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels]]''.<ref>http://nintendoera.com/discussing-hudsons-mario-games-with-native-japanese-speaker-bando/</ref> Two years earlier, Hudson Soft had released ''[[Punch Ball Mario Bros.]]'' and ''[[Mario Bros. Special]]'', which were both based on the original ''[[Mario Bros. (game)|Mario Bros.]]''
'''''Super Mario Bros. Special''''' (Japanese: スーパーマリオブラザーズ スペシャル, ''Sūpā Mario Burazāzu Supesharu'') is a platform game that was developed by [[Hudson Soft]] and released in 1986 for the {{wp|PC-8800 series|NEC PC-8801}} and Sharp X1 series of Japanese computers, and later for the Samsung SPC-1500<ref name=Lost>{{cite|deadlink=y|archive=web.archive.org/web/20200409192745/hg101.proboards.com/thread/6968/hudson-mario-trilogy?page=2&scrollTo=173288|title=Hudson Mario Trilogy|publisher=Hardcore Gaming 101|accessdate=June 29, 2024}}</ref> in South Korea. ''Super Mario Bros. Special'' was the second [[Nintendo]]-licensed follow-up to ''[[Super Mario Bros.]]'', released around two months after ''[[Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels]]''.<ref>[http://nintendoera.com/discussing-hudsons-mario-games-with-native-japanese-speaker-bando]{{dead link}}</ref> Two years prior, Hudson Soft had released ''[[Punch Ball Mario Bros.]]'' and ''[[Mario Bros. Special]]'', which were both based on the arcade game ''[[Mario Bros. (game)|Mario Bros.]]''


While superficially very similar to the original ''[[Super Mario Bros.]]'', the game features original new levels and has a screen-by-screen scrolling mechanism. The latter is implemented more smoothly in the Sharp X1 version, which features ''Zelda''-style scrolling, where the screen visually slides to the next lock point (with some overlap between screens), whereas the PC-88 version simply turns blank for a moment while loading the next screen.
While superficially very similar to the original ''[[Super Mario Bros.]]'', the game features original new [[level]]s and has a screen-by-screen scrolling mechanism. The latter is implemented more smoothly in the X1 version, which features ''Zelda''-style scrolling, where the screen visually slides to the next lock point (with some overlap between screens), whereas the PC-8801 version simply turns black for a moment while loading the next screen.


Jumping and dashing physics also differ from the original [[Nintendo Entertainment System|NES]], providing a more challenging experience than ''Super Mario Bros.'' Adding difficulty is the fact that the [[Time Limit|stage time]] is slightly faster than in the [[Super Mario Bros.|original NES game]]. Mario's [[Hammer]] from ''[[Donkey Kong (game)|Donkey Kong]]'' makes a re-appearance as a rare item, alongside a variety of past foes from earlier arcade Mario titles and new exclusive [[List of items|items]].
[[Jump]]ing and [[dash]]ing physics also differ from the [[Family Computer]], providing a more challenging experience than ''Super Mario Bros.'' Adding difficulty is the fact that the [[Time Limit|stage time]] is slightly faster than in the original ''Super Mario Bros.''. [[Mario]]'s [[Hammer]] from ''[[Donkey Kong (game)|Donkey Kong]]'' makes a reappearance as a rare item, alongside a variety of past foes from earlier arcade ''[[Super Mario (franchise)|Super Mario]]'' titles and new exclusive [[List of items|items]].


Due to the PC-88 and Sharp X1's technology being inferior to that of the [[Nintendo Entertainment System|NES]]/[[Family Computer|Famicom]], the graphics and audio differ slightly from the original game as well, although they are closely replicated. Additionally, the game does not include [[Luigi]] nor does it contain a multiplayer mode. The Sharp X1 version contains partial scrolling and slightly more colorful graphics, featuring all eight colors possible with 100% and 0% RGB, including lime-green, cyan, magneta and white. While the PC-88 is able to produce eight colors, ''Special'' only uses half of the PC-88's hardware palette, restricted to only black, red, yellow, and blue, including dithered results with those four colors. Further, sprites exclude the use of blue to allow transparency in the sprites.
Due to the PC-8801 and X1's technology being inferior to that of the Family Computer the graphics and audio differ slightly from the original game as well, although they are closely replicated. Additionally, the game does not include [[Luigi]], nor does it contain a multiplayer mode. The X1 version contains partial scrolling and slightly more colorful graphics, featuring all eight colors possible with 100% and 0% RGB, including lime-green, cyan, magenta and white. While the PC-88 is able to produce eight colors, ''Super Mario Bros. Special'' only uses half of the PC-88's hardware palette, restricted to only black, red, yellow, and blue, including dithered results with those four colors. Further, sprites exclude the use of blue to allow transparency in the sprites. This leads to yellow being used as a stand-in for white and swapping with red for recolored enemies, notably causing the "green" enemies to appear with red eyes.


The [[Warp Zone]]s from the original were changed in such a way that ''Special'' has no true Warp Zone. In World 1-2, reaching the area over the [[Warp Pipe|pipe]] instead leads to the single bonus room that could be accessed normally in the stage, but with a pipe that still leads to the overworld, thus to the end of the level. In World 4-2, a room that more resembles a true Warp Zone can be found, however the only pipe it holds does not have any destinations defined, likely due to an oversight by the developers. The pipe can still be entered, but the player will remain stuck there indefinitely, forcing the player to be killed by the timer.
==Enemies==
Hudson Soft's staff took enemies from ''Super Mario Bros.'' as well as earlier ''Super Mario'' games. All are named and ordered per their listing in the cast and credits:


==New enemies==
{|style="width: 100%; margin: 0 auto" class=wikitable
Hudson's staff took these enemies from earlier ''Mario'' games, none of which can be [[stomp]]ed, and provided them with new names:
!Name
 
!X1 image
*'''Chokichoki''' ('''[[Sidestepper]]''') - Originally from ''[[Mario Bros. (game)|Mario Bros.]]'' Can be defeated with a fireball or a bump.
!PC-88 image
*'''Nakaji''' ('''[[Fighter Fly]]''') - Originally from ''[[Mario Bros. (game)|Mario Bros.]]'' Can be defeated with a fireball or a bump.
!Origin
*'''Tsurara''' ('''[[Icicle]]''') - Originally from ''[[Mario Bros. (game)|Mario Bros.]]'' Can be defeated with a fireball.
!width=70%|Description
*'''Sigebou''' ('''[[Fire]]''') - Originally from ''[[Donkey Kong (game)|Donkey Kong]]''.
|-
*'''Tarusar''' ('''[[Barrel]]''') - Originally from ''[[Donkey Kong (game)|Donkey Kong]]''. Can be defeated with a hammer or a bump from below.
|align=center|[[Goomba|Kuribou]]
|align="center"style="background:#00f"|[[File:SMBS-Goomba-SharpX1.png]]
|align="center"style="background:#00f"|[[File:SMBS Goomba NEC PC-8801.png|16x16px]]
|''[[Super Mario Bros.]]''
|The most basic enemy, they can be defeated with a jump on top of them, bumping them from below, hitting them with a fireball, hammer, or shell, or running into them while invincible. Found in Worlds 1-1, 1-2, 1-3, 2-1, 2-3, 3-1, 3-2, 3-3, 4-1, 4-2, 4-3, 5-1, 5-2, and 8-1.
|-
|align=center|[[Koopa Troopa|Nokonoko]]
|align="center"style="background:#00f"|[[File:SMBS-KoopaTroopa-SharpX1.png]] [[File:SMBS-KoopaTroopaRed-SharpX1.png]]
|align="center"style="background:#00f"|[[File:SMBS Yellow Koopa Troopa.png|16x32px]] [[File:SMBS Red Koopa Troopa.png|16x32px]]
|''[[Super Mario Bros.]]''
|Walking turtles, the green of which walk off ledges and the red of which turn at ledges. Jumps and bumps cause them to hide into their shells (which can be knocked around), and fire, a hammer, a shell, and invincibility defeats them instantly. Green found in Worlds 1-1, 1-2, 1-3, 2-1, 2-3, 3-2, 4-1, 4-2, 5-1, 5-2, 6-3, and 7-3. Red found in Worlds 1-2, 1-3, 3-3, 4-3, 5-2, 6-3, and 8-1.
|-
|align=center|[[Koopa Paratroopa|Patapata]]
|align="center"style="background:#00f"|[[File:SMBS Green Paratroopa Sharp X1.png]] [[File:SMBS-KoopaParatroopaRed-SharpX1.png]]
|align="center"style="background:#00f"|[[File:SMBS Yellow Koopa Paratroopa.png|16x32px]] [[File:SMBS Red Koopa Paratroopa.png|16x32px]]
|''[[Super Mario Bros.]]''
|Winged Nokonoko, the green of which jump and the red of which fly up and down. Stomping on them makes them lose their wings, and fire, a hammer, a shell, or invincibility defeats them instantly. Green found in Worlds 3-1, 3-2, 4-1, 5-1, 5-2, 7-1, 7-3, and 8-1. Red found in Worlds 1-3, 5-3, 7-3, 8-1, 8-3, and 8-4.
|-
|align=center|[[Buzzy Beetle|Met]]
|align="center"style="background:#00f"|[[File:SMBS Buzzy Beetle Sharp X1.png]]
|align="center"style="background:#00f"|[[File:SMBS Buzzy Beetle NEC PC-8801.png|16x15px]]
|''[[Super Mario Bros.]]''
|Hard-shelled turtles that act similar to Nokonoko. They can be knocked into their shells with a jump or bump, and can be defeated with invincibility or a hammer or shell. Found in Worlds 4-2, 5-2, 6-2, 7-1, 8-1, and 8-4.
|-
|align=center|[[Hammer Bro|Hummer Bros]]
|align="center"style="background:#00f"|[[File:SMBS Hammer Bro Sharp X1.png]]
|align="center"style="background:#00f"|[[File:SMBS Hammer Bro NEC PC-8801.png|16x24px]]
|''[[Super Mario Bros.]]''
|Turtles that jump and throw arcing hammers. They can be defeated with a stomp, fireball, shell, bump, or invincibility. Found in Worlds 5-2, 8-2, and 8-3.
|-
|align=center|[[Lakitu|Jugemu]]
|align="center"style="background:#00f"|[[File:SMBS Lakitu Sharp X1.png]]
|align="center"style="background:#00f"|[[File:SMBS Lakitu NEC PC-8801.png|16x24px]]
|''[[Super Mario Bros.]]''
|A cloud-riding turtle that drops Paipo to make Togezou. It can be defeated with a stomp, fireballs, or invincibility, after which it does not respawn. Found in Worlds 4-1 and 6-1.
|-
|align=center|[[Spiny|Togezou]]
|align="center"style="background:#00f"|[[File:SMBS Spiny Sharp X1.png]]
|align="center"style="background:#00f"|[[File:SMBS Spiny NEC PC-8801.png|16x15px]]
|''[[Super Mario Bros.]]''
|Spiked turtles that hatch from Paipo dropped from Jugemu. They can be defeated with fireballs, invincibility, or being bumped.
|-
|align=center|[[Piranha Plant|Pakkun Flower]]
|align="center"style="background:#00f"|[[File:SMBS Piranha Plant Sharp X1.png]]
|align="center"style="background:#00f"|[[File:SMBS Piranha Plant NEC PC-8801.png|16x22px]]
|''[[Super Mario Bros.]]''
|Biting plants that go up and down in pipes. They can be defeated through fireballs or invincibility. Found in Worlds 2-1, 2-4, 3-1, 4-1, 4-3, 5-1, 5-2, 5-3, 6-1, 6-2, 6-4, 7-1, 7-4, and 8-4.
|-
|align=center|[[Spiny Egg|Paipo]]
|align="center"style="background:#00f"|[[File:SMBS Spiny Egg Sharp X1.png]]
|align="center"style="background:#00f"|[[File:SMBS Spiny Egg NEC PC-8801.png|14x16px]]
|''[[Super Mario Bros.]]''
|Eggs dropped by Jugemu that hatch into Togezou when they land.
|-
|align=center|[[Bullet Bill|Killer]]
|align="center"style="background:#00f"|[[File:SMBS Bullet Bill Sharp X1.png]]
|align="center"style="background:#00f"|[[File:SMBS Bullet Bill NEC PC-8801.png|16x16px]]
|''[[Super Mario Bros.]]''
|Bullets shot from cannons in infinite amounts. They can be defeated with a stomp or invincibility. Found in Worlds 5-2, 5-3, and 7-1.
|-
|align=center|[[Cheep Cheep|Pukupuku]]
|align="center"style="background:#00f"|[[File:SMBS Green Cheep Cheep Sharp X1.png]] [[File:SMBS Red Cheep Cheep Sharp X1.png]]
|align="center"style="background:#00f"|[[File:SMBS Yellow Cheep Cheep.png|16x16px]] [[File:SMBS Red Cheep Cheep.png|16x16px]]
|''[[Super Mario Bros.]]''
|Fish that swim in groups at the same speed regardless of color, with a few at a time bobbing slightly. Red ones also hop from the water in land levels. When underwater, they can only be defeated with fireballs or invincibility, but on land they can also be stomped or hit with a shell. Green found in Worlds 2-2, 3-1, 7-2, and 8-2. Red found in Worlds 2-2, 2-3, 3-1, 5-3, 7-2, 7-3, and 8-2.
|-
|align=center|[[Blooper|Gesso]]
|align="center"style="background:#00f"|[[File:SMBS Blooper Sharp X1.png]]
|align="center"style="background:#00f"|[[File:SMBS Blooper PC-8801.png|16x24px]]
|''[[Super Mario Bros.]]''
|Bobbing squid found underwater. They can be defeated with a fireball or invincibility. Found in Worlds 2-2, 3-1, 5-1, 5-2 (X1 only), 7-2, and 8-2.
|-
|align=center|[[Lava Bubble|Bubble]]
|align="center"style="background:#00f"|[[File:SMBS Podoboo Sharp X1.png]]
|align="center"style="background:#00f"|[[File:SMBS Podoboo NEC PC-8801.png|14x16px]]
|''[[Super Mario Bros.]]''
|Hopping lava balls that can only be defeated with invincibility. Found in Worlds 2-4, 3-4, 5-4, 7-4, and 8-4.
|-
|align=center|[[Sidestepper|Chokichoki]]
|align="center"style="background:#00f"|[[File:SMBS Sidestepper Sharp X1.png]]
|align="center"style="background:#00f"|[[File:SMBS Sidestepper NEC PC-8801.png|15x16px]]
|''[[Mario Bros. (game)|Mario Bros.]]''
|Crabs that walk in a straight line and can be defeated with a fireball, invincibility, or a bump. Found in Worlds 4-2, 5-2, 7-3, 8-1, and 8-3.
|-
|align=center|[[Fighter Fly|Nakaji]]
|align="center"style="background:#00f"|[[File:SMBS Fighter Fly Sharp X1.png]]
|align="center"style="background:#00f"|[[File:SMBS Fighter Fly PC-8801.png|15x14px]]
|''[[Mario Bros. (game)|Mario Bros.]]''
|Flies that move by taking small hops, pausing in between and able to change directions whenever on the ground. Can be defeated with a fireball, hammer, invincibility, or a bump. Found in Worlds 5-1, 5-2, 8-1, 8-2, and 8-3.
|-
|align=center|[[Barrel|Tarusar]]
|align="center"style="background:#00f"|[[File:Barrel SMBS.png]]
|align="center"style="background:#00f"|[[File:SMBS Barrel NEC PC-8801.png|14x16px]]
|''[[Donkey Kong (game)|Donkey Kong]]''
|These barrels roll down ledges and can be defeated with a hammer or a bump. Found in Worlds 3-4, 4-3, 6-2, 6-4, 7-1, and 8-2.
|-
|align=center|[[Fireball (Donkey Kong)|Sigebou]]
|align="center"style="background:#00f"|[[File:SMBS Fireball Sharp X1.png]]
|align="center"style="background:#00f"|[[File:SMBS Fireball NEC PC-8801.png|15x15px]]
|''[[Donkey Kong (game)|Donkey Kong]]''
|Fireballs that move horizontally, tumbling down ledges the same as barrels. Found in Worlds 7-4 and 8-2.
|-
|align=center|[[Icicle|Tsurara]]
|align="center"style="background:#00f"|[[File:SMBS Icicle Sharp X1.png]]
|align="center"style="background:#00f"|[[File:SMBS Icicle NEC PC-8801.png|10x16px]]
|''[[Mario Bros. (game)|Mario Bros.]]''
|Falling icicles that can be defeated with a fireball. Found in Worlds 4-2, 4-4, 5-3, 6-4, 7-4, 8-3, and 8-4.
|-
|align=center|[[Bowser|Kuppa]]
|align="center"style="background:#00f"|[[File:SMBS-Bowser-SharpX1.png]]
|align="center"style="background:#00f"|[[File:SMBS-Bowser-PC88.png|32x32px]]
|''[[Super Mario Bros.]]''
|The villain, he appears in every castle level (as in, the ones ending in -4). For the first five worlds, he breaths fire, and for the next two, he throws hammers, and for the final, he does both. He can be defeated by touching the nearby [[axe]] or by hitting him with five fireballs.
|}


==Gameplay==
==Gameplay==
The object of the game is to get to the goal flag to advance to the next level. While on Mario's way to the goal, he must encounter many enemies and collect power-ups and use items to help solve puzzles and destroy enemies.
The object of the game is to get to the [[Goal Pole|flagpole]] to advance to the next level. While on his way to the goal, [[Mario]] encounters many enemies and power-ups.
 
===Power-Ups===
===Power-Ups===
{| style="text-align: center; width: 100%; margin: 0 auto; border-collapse: collapse;" border="1" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" class="sortable"
{|style="width: 100%" class="wikitable sortable"
|-style="background: #FAAAAA"
!Name
!Name
!Sharp X1 image
!X1 image
!PC-88 image
!PC-88 image
!Description
!width=70%|Description
|-
|align=center|[[Super Mushroom|Magic Mushroom]]
|align="center"style="background:#00f"|[[File:SMBSpecial-SuperMushroom-SharpX1.png]]
|align="center"style="background:#00f"|[[File:SMBSpecial-SuperMushroom-PC88.png|16x16px]]
|Grab this to change into [[Super Mario (form)|Super Mario]]. '''1000''' points awarded.
|-
|-
!align="center" |[[Super Mushroom]]
|align=center|[[Fire Flower]]
|align="center" bgcolor="#00f"|[[File:SMBSpecial-SuperMushroom-SharpX1.png|32x32px]]
|align="center"style="background:#00f"|[[File:SMBSpecial-FireFlower-SharpX1.png]]
|align="center" bgcolor="#00f"|[[File:SMBSpecial-SuperMushroom-PC88.png]]
|align="center"style="background:#00f"|[[File:SMBSpecial-FireFlower-PC88.png|16x16px]]
|Grab this to change into Super Mario. '''1000''' points awarded.
|Grab this to change into [[Fire Mario|Fiery Mario]]. '''1000''' points awarded.
|-
|-
!align="center" |[[Fire Flower]]
|align=center|[[Super Star|Starman]]
|align="center" bgcolor="#00f"|[[File:SMBSpecial-FireFlower-SharpX1.png|32x32px]]
|align="center"style="background:#00f"|[[File:StarmanWithAFaceSMBS.png]]
|align="center" bgcolor="#00f"|[[File:SMBSpecial-FireFlower-PC88.png]]
|align="center"style="background:#00f"|[[File:SMBSpecial-Star-PC88.png|14x16px]]
|Grab this to change into Fire Mario. '''1000''' points awarded.
|Grab this to briefly change into [[Invincible Mario]]. '''1000''' points awarded.
|-
|-
!align="center" |[[Hammer]]
|align=center|[[Hammer|Hummer]]
|align="center" bgcolor="#00f"|[[File:HammerSMBS.png|28x32px]]
|align="center"style="background:#00f"|[[File:HammerSMBS.png]]
|align="center" bgcolor="#00f"|[[File:SMBSpecial-Hummer-PC88.png]]
|align="center"style="background:#00f"|[[File:SMBSpecial-Hummer-PC88.png|14x16px]]
|The hammer power-up from ''[[Donkey Kong (game)|Donkey Kong]]'', which spawns a hammer in front of Mario that rapidly swings. Found in Worlds 3-4 and 5-1. '''1000''' points awarded.
|The hammer power-up from ''[[Donkey Kong (game)|Donkey Kong]]'', which spawns a hammer in front of Mario that rapidly swings. Found in Worlds 3-4 and 5-1. '''1000''' points awarded.
|-
|-
!align="center" |[[Wing (Super Mario Bros. Special)|Wing]]
|align=center|[[Wing (Super Mario Bros. Special)|Wing]]
|align="center" bgcolor="#00f"|[[File:Smbswing.png|32x32px]]
|align="center"style="background:#00f"|[[File:Smbswing.png]]
|align="center" bgcolor="#00f"|[[File:SMBSpecial-Wing-PC88.png]]
|align="center"style="background:#00f"|[[File:SMBSpecial-Wing-PC88.png|16x16px]]
|Collecting this causes Mario to briefly act as if he is swimming in the air. Found in Worlds 3-2 and 4-1. '''1000''' points awarded.
|Collecting this causes Mario to briefly act as if he is swimming in the air. Found in Worlds 3-2 and 4-1. '''1000''' points awarded.
|-
!align="center" |[[Super Star|Star]]
|align="center" bgcolor="#00f"|[[File:StarmanWithAFaceSMBS.png|28x32px]]
|align="center" bgcolor="#00f"|[[File:SMBSpecial-Star-PC88.png]]
|Makes Mario briefly invincible.  '''1000''' points awarded.
|}
|}


===Items===
===Items===
{| style="text-align: center; width: 100%; margin: 0 auto; border-collapse: collapse;" border="1" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" class="sortable"
{|style="width: 100%" class="wikitable sortable"
|-style="background: #FAAAAA"
!Name
!Name
!Sharp X1 image
!X1 image
!PC-88 image
!PC-88 image
!Description
!Description
|-
|-
!align="center" |[[1-Up Mushroom]]
|align=center|[[1-Up Mushroom|1 up Mushroom]]
|align="center" bgcolor="#00f"|[[File:SMBSpecial-1UpMushroom-SharpX1.png|32x32px]]
|align="center"style="background:#00f"|[[File:SMBSpecial-1UpMushroom-SharpX1.png|16x16px]]
|align="center" bgcolor="#00f"|[[File:SMBSpecial-1UpMushroom-PC88.png]]
|align="center"style="background:#00f"|[[File:SMBSpecial-1UpMushroom-PC88.png|16x16px]]
|If Mario collects one, he'll get an extra life.
|If Mario collects one, he will get an extra life.
|-
|-
!align="center" |[[Coin]]
|align=center|[[Coin]]
|align="center" bgcolor="#00f"|[[File:SMBSpecial-Coin.png|20x28px]]
|align="center"style="background:#00f"|[[File:SMBSpecial-Coin.png]]
|align="center" bgcolor="#00f"|[[File:SMBSpecial-Coin.png|20x28px]]
|align="center"style="background:#00f"|[[File:SMBSpecial-Coin.png|10x14px]]
|Collect 100 Coins for a 1-Up.
|Collect 100 coins for a 1 up.
|-
|-
!align="center" |[[+ Clock|Clock]]
|align=center|[[Hachisuke]]
|align="center" bgcolor="#00f"|[[File:SMB Special Clock sprite.png|28x30px]]
|align="center"style="background:#00f"|[[File:HudsonBeeSMBS.png]]
|align="center" bgcolor="#00f"|[[File:SMBSpecial-Clock-PC88.png]]
|align="center"style="background:#00f"|[[File:SMBSpecial-Hachisuke-PC88.png|16x16px]]
|Upon picking this up, Mario will get an additional 100 seconds added to the [[Time_Limit|timer]]. Found in World 8-3. '''1000''' points awarded.
|The bee from the [[Hudson Soft]] logo. If Mario finds this item, he will be awarded '''8000''' points. Found in [[World 1-1 (Super Mario Bros. Special)|World 1-1]].
|-
|-
!align="center" |[[Hachisuke]] (a.k.a. Hu-Bee)
|align=center|[[+ Clock|Clock]]
|align="center" bgcolor="#00f"|[[File:HudsonBeeSMBS.png|32x32px]]
|align="center"style="background:#00f"|[[File:SMB Special Clock sprite.png]]
|align="center" bgcolor="#00f"|[[File:SMBSpecial-Hachisuke-PC88.png]]
|align="center"style="background:#00f"|[[File:SMBSpecial-Clock-PC88.png|14x15px]]
|The bee from the [[Hudson Soft]] logo. If [[Mario]] finds this item, he will be awarded '''8000''' points. Found in World 1-1.
|Upon picking this up, Mario will get an additional 100 seconds added to the [[Time Limit|timer]]. Found in World 8-3. '''1000''' points awarded.
|-
|-
!align="center" |[[Lucky Star (Super Mario Bros. Special)|Lucky Star]]
|align=center|[[Lucky Star (Super Mario Bros. Special)|Lucky Star]]
|align="center" bgcolor="#00f"|[[File:SMBSpecial-LuckyStarItem.png|32x24px]]
|align="center"style="background:#00f"|[[File:SMBSpecial-LuckyStarItem.png]]
|align="center" bgcolor="#00f"|[[File:SMBSpecial-LuckyStarItem-PC88.png]]
|align="center"style="background:#00f"|[[File:SMBSpecial-LuckyStarItem-PC88.png|16x12px]]
|Resembles an atom. If Mario collects it, all the enemies on-screen will be defeated and award their normal point values as if hit by a [[Super Star|Star]] (similar to a [[POW Block]] except it also affects airborne foes). Found in World 4-1. '''1000''' points awarded.
|Resembles an atom. If Mario collects it, all the enemies on-screen will be defeated and award their normal point values as if hit by a [[Super Star|Starman]] (similar to a [[POW Block|POW]] except it also affects airborne foes). Found in World 4-1. '''1000''' points awarded.
|}
|}


==Glitches==
==Glitches==
Due to both the PC-88 and Sharp X1 technology being inferior compared to the NES/Famicom, some glitches and tricks that were previously not present in the original appear here.
Due to both the PC-88 and X1 technology being inferior compared to the NES/Famicom, some glitches and tricks that were previously not present in the original appear here.


===The Blinkfest===
===Infinite 1-Up trick===
When moving, Mario and some other sprites flicker. Due to the hardware ''Super Mario Bros. Special'' is built on, sprites do not have as fluid and smooth of a movement as they did in NES game ''Super Mario Bros.'' and Sharp X1 version. This "glitch" is more present in the PC-88 version.
Like in the original ''Super Mario Bros.'', jumping on a [[Koopa Troopa]] or a [[Buzzy Beetle]] when it is about three pixels away from an edge or wall makes Mario jump on it continously, thus allowing the player to gain infinite 1-Ups. Unlike the original, the trick is much easier to perform due to the game's different collision physics launching the player higher after a stomp, and can be done in virtually any area with both a Koopa Troopa and an edge or wall.


===Infinite-1 Up trick===
When a sliding Koopa shell is stomped and stops moving, the timer before the Koopa gets back up does not reset, continuing from where it left off when the shell was kicked. Because of this, it is possible for a Koopa to break itself out of the trick, requiring Mario to re-set it up.
Like in the original ''Super Mario Bros.'', jumping continuously on a [[Koopa Troopa]] or a [[Buzzy Beetle]] when it's about three blocks away from an edge or wall won't make it move, thus allowing the player to remain hopping on the shell and gain infinite 1-Ups. Unlike the original, the trick is much easier to perform due to the game's different collision physics launching the player higher after a stomp, and can be done in virtually any area with both a Koopa Troopa and an edge/wall.


When a sliding Koopa shell is stomped and stops moving, the timer before the Koopa gets back up does not reset, continuing from where it left off when the shell was kicked. Because of this, it is possible for a Koopa to break itself out of the trick, requiring Mario to re-set it up.
The player can accumulate a maximum of 255 lives, with the number of current lives remaining represented in hexadecimal numbers (such as "85" for 133 lives and "DE" for 222 lives). Collecting any more loops the counter back to 0 lives.


The player can accumulate a maximum of 255 lives, with the number of current lives remaining represented in hexadecimal numbers (such as "85" for 173 lives and "DE" for 222 lives). Collecting any more will round the counter back to 0 lives.
===Harmless [[Fire Bar|Fire-Bar]]s===
Sometimes, touching the edge of a Fire-Bar does not deliver any damage, likely because of the game's limits in hardware and registering hitboxes with moving obstacles.


===Harmless [[Fire Bar]]s===
===Glitched pipes===
Sometimes, hitting the most external part of a Fire Bar won't deliver any damage, likely because of the game's limits in hardware and registering hitboxes with moving obstacles.
The [[Warp Zone]]s from the original were changed in such a way that ''Super Mario Bros. Special'' has no true Warp Zone. In [[World 1-2 (Super Mario Bros. Special)|World 1-2]], reaching the area over the [[Warp Pipe|pipe]] instead leads to the single bonus room that could be accessed normally in the stage, but with a pipe that still leads to the overworld, thus to the end of the level. In World 4-2, a room that more resembles a true Warp Zone can be found, however the only pipe it holds does not have any destinations defined. The pipe can still be entered, but the player remains stuck there indefinitely, forcing the player to be killed by the timer.


===Lagging Fire Bars===
In World 4-3, there is a [[beanstalk]] that leads to a [[Coin Heaven]]. When trying to leave, sometimes Mario is unable to enter the exit pipe. It is assumed to be an overlooked program error, as the entrance back to the main level from this bonus area is present underneath the mushroom stairs leading to the [[Goal Pole|flagpole]].
In World 8-4, in the room with five Fire Bars, the game will lag, probably due to technical limitations with the number of sprites that can be projected on-screen exceeding the normal limit.


===Trap or Glitch?===
Course designer Ichirou Sakurada has acknowledged that these are unintentional glitches.<ref>{{cite|language=ja|url=togetter.com/li/244217?page=2|title=元ハドソン・桜田名人によるハドソン昔話 (2ページ目)|publisher=Togetter|accessdate=June 29, 2024}}</ref>
In World 4-3, there is a [[Beanstalk]] that leads to a [[Coin Heaven]]. When trying to leave, sometimes [[Mario]] will be unable to enter the exit pipe. It is assumed to be an overlooked program error, as the entrance back to the main level from this bonus area is present underneath the Mushroom stairs leading to the [[flagpole]]. A similar error appears in 4-2, where a hidden pipe placed beyond the exit pipe can be entered, but it lacks a destination to take the player, thus causing Mario to be stuck inside the pipe until time runs out.


===Out Of Service Springboard===
===Out-of-service [[Trampoline|jumping board]]===
Compared to the original ''Super Mario Bros.'', the [[Springboard|Jumping Board]] present in 2-1 is much more difficult to perform a higher Jump off of due to poor collision detection, sometimes being stuck in its animation frames when Mario jumps off. Sometimes holding the Jump key while landing on the Spring will guarantee success in jumping off, and in the event that a player would have trouble, the set of invisible [[? Block]]s placed around the Spring allows players to bypass it.
Compared to the original ''Super Mario Bros.'', the jumping board present in World 2-1 is much more difficult to perform a higher jump off of due to poor collision detection, sometimes being stuck in its animation frames when Mario jumps off. Sometimes holding the jump key while landing on the board guarantees success in jumping off, and in the event that a player would have trouble, the set of [[Hidden Block|invisible blocks]] placed around the board allows players to bypass it.


===Disk Error===
===Disk error (PC-88)===  
Some copies of the PC-88 version of ''Super Mario Bros. Special'' (notably ROM dumps that are run on computer emulators) are missing the data necessary to trigger the IPL switch needed to load World 8-4, and thus will load a blank screen reading "DISK ERROR! PLEASE RESTART GAME PUSH IPL SWITCH", after clearing World 8-3.<ref>MrPodoboo. (August 22, 2009). [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i8i3soQcUbU Let's Play Super Mario Bros. Special - World 8]. ''YouTube''. Retrieved June 30, 2018.</ref> This glitch is very likely not present in an authentic copy of the game.
[[File:SMBS9.png|thumb|Disk Error]]
If the system encounters an error while trying to read and load data from the disk, the screen displays the message: "''DISK ERROR! PLEASE RESTART GAME PUSH IPL SWITCH''" (the IPL switch being a reset button present on PC-8801 family machines). The error is caused by corrupted data, which may be a result of a damaged disk or a improperly performed ROM dump, the most notable example being a ROM in which 8-4 is corrupted.<ref>{{cite|author=MrPodoboo|date=August 22, 2009|url=youtu.be/i8i3soQcUbU?si=50N8uESjA_Fn38Lm&t=290|timestamp=04:50|title=Let's Play ''Super Mario Bros. Special'' - World 8|publisher=YouTube|accessdate=June 29, 2024}}</ref> This error, being a disk read error, is likely to exist in other versions of the game, but it has not been confirmed, and it is extremely unlikely that the error is identical across all systems.


===Stop Music===
===Music stop error===
Due to bad pipe entering detection, if Mario gets too close to a horizontal pipe that can be entered and quickly turn around, the player will hear the pipe entering sound, and the music will stop until Mario actually enters the pipe. The player can do this multiple times in the same room, but all that will happen is that they will hear the pipe entering sound again.
Due to bad pipe entering detection, if Mario gets too close to a horizontal pipe that can be entered and quickly turns around, the pipe-entering sound plays and the music stops until Mario actually enters the pipe. The player can do this multiple times in the same room which repeats the pipe-entering sound.


==Staff==
==Staff==
{{main|List of Super Mario Bros. Special staff}}
{{main|List of Super Mario Bros. Special staff}}
===Programmed By===
;Programmed By
*Yukio-Takeoka
*Yukio-Takeoka
===Course-Designed By===
 
;Course-Designed By
*Ichirou-Sakurada
*Ichirou-Sakurada
===Sound Effected By===
 
*Fumihiko-Itagaki
;Sound Effected By
*[[Fumihiko Itagaki|Fumihiko-Itagaki]]
*Megumi-Kawamata
*Megumi-Kawamata
===Produced By===
 
;Produced By
*Takashi-Takebe
*Takashi-Takebe


Line 149: Line 263:
SMBS1.png|Hachisuke
SMBS1.png|Hachisuke
SMBS2.png|Wing
SMBS2.png|Wing
SMBS3.png|Hammer and barrels
SMBS3.png|Hammer and Tarusar
SMBS4.png|Lucky Star
SMBS4.png|Lucky Star
SMBS5.png|Icicles and Sidesteppers
SMBS5.png|Tsurara and Chokichoki
SMBS6.png|Fighter Flies
SMBS6.png|Nakaji
SMBS7.png|Fire
SMBS7.png|Sigebou
SMBS8.png|Clock
SMBS8.png|Clock
</gallery>
</gallery>


==External links==
==Media==
*[http://wayback.archive.org/web/20160531211715/http://andre.facadecomputer.com/saw/pc88.html Strange and Wonderful NEC PC-8801 Games] (various games covered, including ''Super Mario Bros. Special'')
{{main-media}}
*[http://www.uvlist.net/game-159777-Mario+Bros.+Special Universal Game List entry for ''Super Mario Bros. Special'']
{{media table
*[http://themushroomkingdom.net/games/smbs-x1 More information on Sharp X1 version]
|file1=SMBS Overworld.oga
|title1=[[Ground Theme (Super Mario Bros.)|Ground Theme]]
|length1=0:30
|file2=SMBS Underwater.oga
|title2=[[Underwater Theme]]
|length2=0:30
|file3=SMBS Invincible.oga
|title3=[[Super Star (theme)|Starman]]
|length3=0:30
|file4=SMBS Castle.oga
|title4=[[Shiro BGM|Castle Theme]]
|length4=0:20
|file5=SMBS Lost a Life.oga
|title5=Lost a Life
|length5=0:03
}}


==References==
==References==
<references/>
<references/>
{{SMB Special}}
 
{{MarioGames}}
==External links==
{{CompGames}}
*[https://www.badgamehalloffame.com/blog/super-mario-bros-special/ Bad Games Hall of Fame] (various Hudson Soft Mario games and the South Korean Samsung SPC-1500 ad)
*[https://www.uvlist.net/game-159777-Mario+Bros.+Special Universal Game List entry for ''Super Mario Bros. Special'']
*[https://themushroomkingdom.net/games/smbs-x1 More information on the X1 version]
*[https://archive.org/details/SuperMarioBrosSpecialSharpX1Manual Instruction manual]
{{SMBS}}
{{Super Mario games}}
{{Computer}}
[[de:Super Mario Bros. Special]]
[[de:Super Mario Bros. Special]]
[[it:Super Mario Bros. Special]]
[[it:Super Mario Bros. Special]]
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[[Category:Games]]
[[Category:Games]]
[[Category:1986 games]]
[[Category:1986 games]]
[[Category:Platforming games]]

Latest revision as of 22:43, November 10, 2024

Not to be confused with Mario Bros. Special.
Super Mario Bros. Special
SMBSpecial.jpg
For alternate box art, see the game's gallery.
Developer Hudson Soft
Publisher Hudson Soft (Japan)
Static Soft (South Korea)[1]
Platform(s) NEC PC-8801
Sharp X1
Samsung SPC-1500[1]
Release date Japan August 1986[?]
South Korea 1987[1]
Genre Platformer
Mode(s) Single player
Format 5.25-inch floppy, Tape

Super Mario Bros. Special (Japanese: スーパーマリオブラザーズ スペシャル, Sūpā Mario Burazāzu Supesharu) is a platform game that was developed by Hudson Soft and released in 1986 for the NEC PC-8801 and Sharp X1 series of Japanese computers, and later for the Samsung SPC-1500[1] in South Korea. Super Mario Bros. Special was the second Nintendo-licensed follow-up to Super Mario Bros., released around two months after Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels.[2] Two years prior, Hudson Soft had released Punch Ball Mario Bros. and Mario Bros. Special, which were both based on the arcade game Mario Bros.

While superficially very similar to the original Super Mario Bros., the game features original new levels and has a screen-by-screen scrolling mechanism. The latter is implemented more smoothly in the X1 version, which features Zelda-style scrolling, where the screen visually slides to the next lock point (with some overlap between screens), whereas the PC-8801 version simply turns black for a moment while loading the next screen.

Jumping and dashing physics also differ from the Family Computer, providing a more challenging experience than Super Mario Bros. Adding difficulty is the fact that the stage time is slightly faster than in the original Super Mario Bros.. Mario's Hammer from Donkey Kong makes a reappearance as a rare item, alongside a variety of past foes from earlier arcade Super Mario titles and new exclusive items.

Due to the PC-8801 and X1's technology being inferior to that of the Family Computer the graphics and audio differ slightly from the original game as well, although they are closely replicated. Additionally, the game does not include Luigi, nor does it contain a multiplayer mode. The X1 version contains partial scrolling and slightly more colorful graphics, featuring all eight colors possible with 100% and 0% RGB, including lime-green, cyan, magenta and white. While the PC-88 is able to produce eight colors, Super Mario Bros. Special only uses half of the PC-88's hardware palette, restricted to only black, red, yellow, and blue, including dithered results with those four colors. Further, sprites exclude the use of blue to allow transparency in the sprites. This leads to yellow being used as a stand-in for white and swapping with red for recolored enemies, notably causing the "green" enemies to appear with red eyes.

Enemies[edit]

Hudson Soft's staff took enemies from Super Mario Bros. as well as earlier Super Mario games. All are named and ordered per their listing in the cast and credits:

Name X1 image PC-88 image Origin Description
Kuribou Little Goomba Little Goomba Super Mario Bros. The most basic enemy, they can be defeated with a jump on top of them, bumping them from below, hitting them with a fireball, hammer, or shell, or running into them while invincible. Found in Worlds 1-1, 1-2, 1-3, 2-1, 2-3, 3-1, 3-2, 3-3, 4-1, 4-2, 4-3, 5-1, 5-2, and 8-1.
Nokonoko Koopa Troopa (green) Koopa Troopa (red) Koopa Troopa Koopa Troopa Super Mario Bros. Walking turtles, the green of which walk off ledges and the red of which turn at ledges. Jumps and bumps cause them to hide into their shells (which can be knocked around), and fire, a hammer, a shell, and invincibility defeats them instantly. Green found in Worlds 1-1, 1-2, 1-3, 2-1, 2-3, 3-2, 4-1, 4-2, 5-1, 5-2, 6-3, and 7-3. Red found in Worlds 1-2, 1-3, 3-3, 4-3, 5-2, 6-3, and 8-1.
Patapata Green Koopa Paratroopa Koopa Paratroopa (red) Koopa Paratroopa Koopa Paratroopa Super Mario Bros. Winged Nokonoko, the green of which jump and the red of which fly up and down. Stomping on them makes them lose their wings, and fire, a hammer, a shell, or invincibility defeats them instantly. Green found in Worlds 3-1, 3-2, 4-1, 5-1, 5-2, 7-1, 7-3, and 8-1. Red found in Worlds 1-3, 5-3, 7-3, 8-1, 8-3, and 8-4.
Met Buzzy Beetle Buzzy Beetle Super Mario Bros. Hard-shelled turtles that act similar to Nokonoko. They can be knocked into their shells with a jump or bump, and can be defeated with invincibility or a hammer or shell. Found in Worlds 4-2, 5-2, 6-2, 7-1, 8-1, and 8-4.
Hummer Bros Hammer Brother Hammer Brother Super Mario Bros. Turtles that jump and throw arcing hammers. They can be defeated with a stomp, fireball, shell, bump, or invincibility. Found in Worlds 5-2, 8-2, and 8-3.
Jugemu Lakitu Lakitu Super Mario Bros. A cloud-riding turtle that drops Paipo to make Togezou. It can be defeated with a stomp, fireballs, or invincibility, after which it does not respawn. Found in Worlds 4-1 and 6-1.
Togezou Spiny Spiny Super Mario Bros. Spiked turtles that hatch from Paipo dropped from Jugemu. They can be defeated with fireballs, invincibility, or being bumped.
Pakkun Flower Piranha Plant Piranha Plant Super Mario Bros. Biting plants that go up and down in pipes. They can be defeated through fireballs or invincibility. Found in Worlds 2-1, 2-4, 3-1, 4-1, 4-3, 5-1, 5-2, 5-3, 6-1, 6-2, 6-4, 7-1, 7-4, and 8-4.
Paipo Spiny's egg Spiny's egg Super Mario Bros. Eggs dropped by Jugemu that hatch into Togezou when they land.
Killer Bullet Bill Bullet Bill Super Mario Bros. Bullets shot from cannons in infinite amounts. They can be defeated with a stomp or invincibility. Found in Worlds 5-2, 5-3, and 7-1.
Pukupuku Green Cheep-cheep Red Cheep-cheep Cheep-cheep (green) Cheep-cheep (red) Super Mario Bros. Fish that swim in groups at the same speed regardless of color, with a few at a time bobbing slightly. Red ones also hop from the water in land levels. When underwater, they can only be defeated with fireballs or invincibility, but on land they can also be stomped or hit with a shell. Green found in Worlds 2-2, 3-1, 7-2, and 8-2. Red found in Worlds 2-2, 2-3, 3-1, 5-3, 7-2, 7-3, and 8-2.
Gesso Bloober Bloober Super Mario Bros. Bobbing squid found underwater. They can be defeated with a fireball or invincibility. Found in Worlds 2-2, 3-1, 5-1, 5-2 (X1 only), 7-2, and 8-2.
Bubble Podoboo Podoboo Super Mario Bros. Hopping lava balls that can only be defeated with invincibility. Found in Worlds 2-4, 3-4, 5-4, 7-4, and 8-4.
Chokichoki Chokichoki Chokichoki in Super Mario Bros. Special (NEC PC-8801) Mario Bros. Crabs that walk in a straight line and can be defeated with a fireball, invincibility, or a bump. Found in Worlds 4-2, 5-2, 7-3, 8-1, and 8-3.
Nakaji Nakaji Nakaji Mario Bros. Flies that move by taking small hops, pausing in between and able to change directions whenever on the ground. Can be defeated with a fireball, hammer, invincibility, or a bump. Found in Worlds 5-1, 5-2, 8-1, 8-2, and 8-3.
Tarusar Tarusar Tarusar Donkey Kong These barrels roll down ledges and can be defeated with a hammer or a bump. Found in Worlds 3-4, 4-3, 6-2, 6-4, 7-1, and 8-2.
Sigebou Sigebou Sigebou Donkey Kong Fireballs that move horizontally, tumbling down ledges the same as barrels. Found in Worlds 7-4 and 8-2.
Tsurara Tsurara Tsurara Mario Bros. Falling icicles that can be defeated with a fireball. Found in Worlds 4-2, 4-4, 5-3, 6-4, 7-4, 8-3, and 8-4.
Kuppa King Koopa King Koopa Super Mario Bros. The villain, he appears in every castle level (as in, the ones ending in -4). For the first five worlds, he breaths fire, and for the next two, he throws hammers, and for the final, he does both. He can be defeated by touching the nearby axe or by hitting him with five fireballs.

Gameplay[edit]

The object of the game is to get to the flagpole to advance to the next level. While on his way to the goal, Mario encounters many enemies and power-ups.

Power-Ups[edit]

Name X1 image PC-88 image Description
Magic Mushroom Magic Mushroom Magic Mushroom Grab this to change into Super Mario. 1000 points awarded.
Fire Flower Fire Flower Fire Flower Grab this to change into Fiery Mario. 1000 points awarded.
Starman Starman Starman Grab this to briefly change into Invincible Mario. 1000 points awarded.
Hummer HammerSMBS.png "Hummer" The hammer power-up from Donkey Kong, which spawns a hammer in front of Mario that rapidly swings. Found in Worlds 3-4 and 5-1. 1000 points awarded.
Wing The Wing from Super Mario Bros. Special. Wing Collecting this causes Mario to briefly act as if he is swimming in the air. Found in Worlds 3-2 and 4-1. 1000 points awarded.

Items[edit]

Name X1 image PC-88 image Description
1 up Mushroom 1 up Mushroom 1 up Mushroom If Mario collects one, he will get an extra life.
Coin Coin Coin Collect 100 coins for a 1 up.
Hachisuke Hachisuke Hachisuke The bee from the Hudson Soft logo. If Mario finds this item, he will be awarded 8000 points. Found in World 1-1.
Clock Clock Clock from Super Mario Bros. Special (NEC PC-88). Upon picking this up, Mario will get an additional 100 seconds added to the timer. Found in World 8-3. 1000 points awarded.
Lucky Star Lucky Star Lucky Star Resembles an atom. If Mario collects it, all the enemies on-screen will be defeated and award their normal point values as if hit by a Starman (similar to a POW except it also affects airborne foes). Found in World 4-1. 1000 points awarded.

Glitches[edit]

Due to both the PC-88 and X1 technology being inferior compared to the NES/Famicom, some glitches and tricks that were previously not present in the original appear here.

Infinite 1-Up trick[edit]

Like in the original Super Mario Bros., jumping on a Koopa Troopa or a Buzzy Beetle when it is about three pixels away from an edge or wall makes Mario jump on it continously, thus allowing the player to gain infinite 1-Ups. Unlike the original, the trick is much easier to perform due to the game's different collision physics launching the player higher after a stomp, and can be done in virtually any area with both a Koopa Troopa and an edge or wall.

When a sliding Koopa shell is stomped and stops moving, the timer before the Koopa gets back up does not reset, continuing from where it left off when the shell was kicked. Because of this, it is possible for a Koopa to break itself out of the trick, requiring Mario to re-set it up.

The player can accumulate a maximum of 255 lives, with the number of current lives remaining represented in hexadecimal numbers (such as "85" for 133 lives and "DE" for 222 lives). Collecting any more loops the counter back to 0 lives.

Harmless Fire-Bars[edit]

Sometimes, touching the edge of a Fire-Bar does not deliver any damage, likely because of the game's limits in hardware and registering hitboxes with moving obstacles.

Glitched pipes[edit]

The Warp Zones from the original were changed in such a way that Super Mario Bros. Special has no true Warp Zone. In World 1-2, reaching the area over the pipe instead leads to the single bonus room that could be accessed normally in the stage, but with a pipe that still leads to the overworld, thus to the end of the level. In World 4-2, a room that more resembles a true Warp Zone can be found, however the only pipe it holds does not have any destinations defined. The pipe can still be entered, but the player remains stuck there indefinitely, forcing the player to be killed by the timer.

In World 4-3, there is a beanstalk that leads to a Coin Heaven. When trying to leave, sometimes Mario is unable to enter the exit pipe. It is assumed to be an overlooked program error, as the entrance back to the main level from this bonus area is present underneath the mushroom stairs leading to the flagpole.

Course designer Ichirou Sakurada has acknowledged that these are unintentional glitches.[3]

Out-of-service jumping board[edit]

Compared to the original Super Mario Bros., the jumping board present in World 2-1 is much more difficult to perform a higher jump off of due to poor collision detection, sometimes being stuck in its animation frames when Mario jumps off. Sometimes holding the jump key while landing on the board guarantees success in jumping off, and in the event that a player would have trouble, the set of invisible blocks placed around the board allows players to bypass it.

Disk error (PC-88)[edit]

Screenshot of Super Mario Bros. Special PC-8801 Disk Error Screen
Disk Error

If the system encounters an error while trying to read and load data from the disk, the screen displays the message: "DISK ERROR! PLEASE RESTART GAME PUSH IPL SWITCH" (the IPL switch being a reset button present on PC-8801 family machines). The error is caused by corrupted data, which may be a result of a damaged disk or a improperly performed ROM dump, the most notable example being a ROM in which 8-4 is corrupted.[4] This error, being a disk read error, is likely to exist in other versions of the game, but it has not been confirmed, and it is extremely unlikely that the error is identical across all systems.

Music stop error[edit]

Due to bad pipe entering detection, if Mario gets too close to a horizontal pipe that can be entered and quickly turns around, the pipe-entering sound plays and the music stops until Mario actually enters the pipe. The player can do this multiple times in the same room which repeats the pipe-entering sound.

Staff[edit]

Main article: List of Super Mario Bros. Special staff
Programmed By
  • Yukio-Takeoka
Course-Designed By
  • Ichirou-Sakurada
Sound Effected By
Produced By
  • Takashi-Takebe

Gallery[edit]

For this subject's image gallery, see Gallery:Super Mario Bros. Special.

Media[edit]

For a complete list of media for this subject, see List of Super Mario Bros. Special media.
Help:MediaHaving trouble playing?

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d Hudson Mario Trilogy. Hardcore Gaming 101. Archived from the original via Wayback Machine. Retrieved June 29, 2024.
  2. ^ [1][dead link]
  3. ^ 元ハドソン・桜田名人によるハドソン昔話 (2ページ目). Togetter (Japanese). Retrieved June 29, 2024.
  4. ^ MrPodoboo (August 22, 2009). Let's Play Super Mario Bros. Special - World 8 (04:50). YouTube. Retrieved June 29, 2024.

External links[edit]