Mario Bros

The Arcade Classic Arrives on Atari 2600: Mario Bros. Brings Plumbing Action to Your Living Room!

SUNNYVALE, California — Atari, in partnership with Nintendo, announces the official release of Mario Bros. for the Atari 2600 video game system. Originally released in arcades in 1983 by Shigeru Miyamoto and Gunpei Yokoi, the legendary platform action game receives its home adaptation, allowing players to tackle pests in the New York sewer system right from their home TV.

In Mario Bros., players control plumbers Mario and his brother Luigi. The goal is to clear the city's sewers by defeating creatures that emerge from the pipes. Unlike other platformers of the era, the mechanics require hitting the platforms from below to flip enemies upside down before kicking them off the screen.

TECHNICAL SPECS AND RELEASE DATA

Title: Mario Bros.

Platform: Atari 2600 (VCS)

Original Developer: Nintendo

Publisher (Atari 2600 Cartridge): Atari, Inc.

Atari Release Year: 1983

Genre: Platformer / Arcade Action

Game Modes: 1 Player or 2 Players (Simultaneous / Co-op)

Format: ROM Cartridge (8 KB)

KEY FEATURES

Simultaneous Co-op Action: For the first time in a Mario franchise game, two players can play on screen at the exact same time, collaborating to clear stages or competing by bumping each other into oncoming hazards.

Unique Combat Mechanics: Enemies cannot be defeated by jumping directly on top of them. Players must strike the underside of the floor platform to stun them, then run over to knock them out.

POW Block Strategy: The central POW block shakes all platforms at once when struck, instantly flipping multiple enemies (limited to 3 uses per block).

Variety of Threats: Face off against Shellcreepers (turtles), Sidesteppers (furious crabs requiring two hits to flip), Fighter Flies (hopping pests), and bouncing fireballs.

TRIVIA AND ATARI VERSION FACTS

Luigi's Debut: Mario Bros. marks the official debut of Luigi, created as a palette-swapped alternate player for the simultaneous two-player co-op mode.

Career Shift: This game introduced Mario's official transition from a carpenter (his role in Donkey Kong, where he was known as Jumpman) to a plumber, fitting the sewer and pipe aesthetic.

Technical Feat: Porting a complex arcade title to the 1977 Atari 2600 hardware required clever programming. The cartridge used an expanded 8 KB ROM size (double the standard 4 KB capacity of the era) to handle dual player logic and enemy AI.

Visual Adaptations: Due to memory limitations of the Atari 2600, sprites for crabs and flies were simplified with reduced colors, the POW block layout was adapted, and sound effects were re-engineered for Atari's TIA audio chip.

Historic Partnership: Before Nintendo and Atari became direct rivals with the NES launch, Atari licensed and produced the official home cartridges for Mario Bros. on Atari 2600 and Atari 5200 in Western markets.

ABOUT THE EXPERIENCE

Mario Bros. for the Atari 2600 delivers one of the most faithful and fast-paced arcade adaptations in the system's library, standing out as one of the few titles to offer true simultaneous two-player cooperative and competitive action.

Available now at major electronics and department stores.

Shigeru Miyamoto e Gunpei Yokoi

1983