Super Mario Bros - Deluxe (GBC)

Nintendo's own Super Mario Bros. Deluxe is among the first of these conversions, and it certainly remains one of the best. Actually, calling this game a conversion really doesn't do it justice. This version actually contains more levels than the original game, including the entire Japanese version and a slew of extras (such as a two-player mode).

The controls in this game are easy to grasp--even for novice gamers. All Mario can do is jump (and shoot fireballs with the right power-ups), but it is amazing to see how much gameplay can be squeezed from these simple actions when the controls work in direct harmony with a player's thoughts. The only element of this game that could have been better is that the Game Boy Color's screen isn't quite large enough to show the entire layout of the original game screen, so players may occasionally need to press up and down on the control pad to see some off-screen action. While this can be distracting, it ultimately has minimal impact on gameplay. If you are looking for the quintessential side-scrolling platform game, you can't do much better than Super Mario Bros. Deluxe. --T. Byrl Baker