[GameSpot] - Game & Watch: Super Mario Bros. Is Almost The Game Boy Classic I Always Wanted

[343iBot]

Nintendo's most iconic character turns 35 this year, and among the celebratory gestures is a tiny nod to some of Mario's earliest history. The Game & Watch: Super Mario Bros. takes the form factor of a Game & Watch, the classic LCD systems from the early 1980s, but instead squeezes in two classic Mario games: the original Super Mario Bros. and The Lost Levels (aka Super Mario Bros. 2 Japan) alongside the Game & Watch title Ball. And though it's a nifty novelty, it also feels like a proof-of-concept for what could have been much more--not unlike a certain other Mario 35th celebration.

When we made our 2020 predictions, I called my shot: Nintendo would (or at least should) make a Game Boy Classic in the style of the NES and SNES retro systems. A small, preloaded Game Boy with a couple dozen standout classics would be the perfect next step for Nintendo's retro line, and would do more to pay homage to Nintendo's legacy than the other common prediction, a miniaturized N64. Nintendo has arguably become known more for its handheld successes than its consoles, culminating in the current hybrid Nintendo Switch. It all began with the Game Boy, and this seemed like the perfect year to honor it with a retro system.

My only lingering question was whether Nintendo could outfit it with a decent screen without driving up the price. Nintendo's other retro systems are essentially just flash storage running emulators in a custom shell. A screen adds complexity and cost. Would Nintendo take a reduced profit margin to make such a retro revival possible?

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