Super Mario Bros. X

Super Mario Bros. X is an unlicensed Super Mario Bros. clone developed for Windows.

It should not exist due to legal reasons, but I am glad it does exist: Super Mario Bros. X does what Nintendon't.

2009 and 2010 have been great years for Mario games with New Super Mario Bros. Wii and Super Mario Galaxy 2 seeing releases. These are both very good games, with the latter being one of the best gaming has to offer. What these two games lack, however, is a comfortable familiarity that comes with Super Mario Bros. X.

Using assets from Super Mario Bros. 1, 2, 3, Super Mario World, Super Mario All-Stars, Super Mario RPG and Super Mario 64, SMBX is the Mario game that I have been waiting for: a return to proper 16-bit platforming fun that has been lacking since 1991's Super Mario World. Everything is here - the graphics, the sounds, the level design, the exploration - that make the Mario games of yesteryear among my favorite, so it is great to see a new game such as this appear.

Even better, the developer has a solid grasp on Mario's history and comes through with fantastic level design throughout and a multiplayer-mode that appears to be implemented better than that in NSMBW. I have yet to play multiplayer, but I intend to very soon.

The only negative critique I can level at the game thus far is that despite overall very good level design that is steeped in classic Mario themes, there are some original experiments that do not go so well and become boring quickly.

With an easy-to-use level editor that will take years off my life, I do not see any sunlight hitting my skin for a long time to come, or at least as long as this gem exists. I am sure that one day Nintendo will cease-and-desist this game to oblivion, but until then download and love this amazing throwback to Mario's gaming heyday.

Super Mario Bros. X

B3 out.