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I know that I am already a few years behind the curve on this, but I think it’s worthwhile to talk about the sheer level of child-like joy I feel every time I pick up my Mario Game and Watch. Something about being able to pick up a classic Mario game on a light and very carryable device just makes me think about the good ol days before things got complicated. A simple game, from a simple time. Everything is so complicated and messy today. Every game has so much going on, and frankly it’s a little dizzying! Mass marketing and in game purchases has perverted what gaming used to be. Granted, the modern system has given us some truly incredible games, as well as some great new memories. Yet, nothing brings me youthish glee like plinking away at the familiar level of Mario while waiting for my plane on a brightly colored screen. I believe this classic is worth it’s weight (which is admittedly light) in gold.
The Games
It doesn’t have a lot in terms of games. Only three in fact. It has the entirety of Super Mario 1 & 2. Obvious classics, and a cute mario version of the original game and watch game “Ball”. Just enough to keep you entertained on the go! I don’t know about you, but I could spend hours just playing the mario games. The odd simplicity of the Ball game is appealing too. It’s refreshing to be able to zone out, and just…juggle as Mario! The games have save points, and will pick up right where you left off which is great for an on the go device.
The other tidbits
Now obviously, this device is simple, so it really doesn’t have much else going on. I do love the watch feature. I usually set it on my desk at work and just let it do it’s thing. Some fun animations of Mario sprinting across the screen, hurdling Goombas, certainly breaks up the monotony of a long work day. It has a seconds dot, that blips around the edge of the screen. To top off the fun, it has a fun event that will play on the hour, every hour. There are 35 unique events that may play.
Again, simple, but not unenjoyable. The battery will last about 8 hours, but you can play, or view the time while that it’s charging. The screen brightness is quite remarkable. The weight is probably comparable to an AirPods case.
The Cons
Not much to be fair, the only complaints I have come down to me being a bit finicky. For one, I really wish they could’ve gotten Super Mario three on there as well. I can’t imagine that would’ve been too difficult. For two, the speakers aren’t great. Good enough for that old game music, but I would love a headphone port so that I could jam out to my Mario tunes, without disturbing others. Finally, the buttons, dude…What is the deal with these mushy buttons?! You think after the many years of gaming experience they could’ve done better with this, but the buttons on this thing kind of suck. The d-pad is fine, but the buttons, of which their are only two, are a soft rubbery material. You can see in the gif I how much jiggle is there. They have too much give and wiggle and not nearly enough umph.
Conclusion
In the end, the minor complaints I have about this are definitely overruled by the amount of joy it has brought. Not to mention the price point is crazy affordable. At only about $50 on amazon, you really can’t complain too much. If you’d like to try it out for yourself, use our affiliate link below and support the blog! We certainly appreciate any help we can get so that we can dedicate more time and resources to bringing you some good tech and enjoyable reviews. Thanks for reading our article and stick around as we continue unveiling the future, one Gizmo at a time.