Background
Gaming and game design is one of the standards for this class. Designing high quality games requires that you play games too! If you were training to be a chef, you would eat a lot of food. The same idea applies here. For this assignment, students will have some time to play one of the greatest games of all time: Super Mario Bros. It was created by a team lead by Shigeru Miyamoto.
In North America, Super Mario Bros. was released alongside the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) in 1985. It was the first of many games in one of the most popular gaming franchises of all time.
Please read one of the following reviews of the game, check out this GameSpot review or this GameTyrant review. You can also find your own review.
The following video shows game play from every Super Mario Bros. game released over the first 25 years.
Pre-Play Quiz
Before playing the game, students need to score 70% or better on the Pre-Play Quiz in Focus. Students can use any resources available to them including search engines, game magazines, books, or newspapers but please do not share answers / talk during the quiz. Students will be allowed one re-take.
Students cannot complete the pre-play quiz until they have submitted the My Favorite Noun project.
Playing the Game
The basic game is to move through the level to right of the screen while avoiding and defeating enemies. Each world is timed, if you do not finish before time is up you will lose a life. The faster you finish the more points you score. At the end of most worlds is a flagpole. The higher on the flagpole you jump the more points you score. Some levels have a boss you must defeat to continue in the game.
Please click this link to access a scanned copy of the original game manual. If you have never played the game before it is strongly suggested to read this at least once.
- Students will play in pairs for 15 minutes.
- Player One will play first and controls Mario. Player One plays until they lose a life or finish the game.
- Player Two will play after Player One loses a life. Player Two will also play until they lose a life or finish the game.
- Play will alternate between the two players until 15 minutes have passed.
- Keep track of the highest level world you reach in the game. For example, World 2-2 or World 9-1.
- If all players lose their lives, restart the game and switch Player One and Player Two.
Post-Play Survey [Coming Soon]
After playing the game, please complete the Post-Play Survey.
