Dusting off the Classics: "Super Mario Bros."

There is no doubt that the most iconic video game character in history is Nintendo's Mario. He has appeared in countless games over the past 30 years, and his face, hat and unmistakable mustache have become symbols not only for the corporation that created him, but for gaming itself. Whenever someone thinks about video games, chances are the first thing that pops into his or her head is everyone's favorite digital Italian plumber.

Though he appeared previously in "Donkey Kong," "Donkey Kong Junior" and "Mario Bros.," the game that put Mario on the map was "Super Mario Bros.," released in 1985 for the Nintendo Entertainment System home game console. The game went on to become the best selling video game of all time, and revitalized the home game console market, which was seen as dying in the early ‘80s.

It's hard now to separate "Super Mario Bros." from its tremendous legacy. After all, the game is the gold standard of platform gaming, and is the father of many other platformers that followed, such as the "Mega Man" series, the "Sonic the Hedgehog" series, as well as the numerous "Super Mario" sequels.

But the game is just as playable today as it was in 1985. All the hallmarks of platforming are here, and the airtight controls make it a breeze to just pick up and play. If you decide to avoid the famous warp zones and play the game beginning to end, it is surprisingly difficult as well. Gamers have made their own "Mario" levels for years (exemplified by the ‘Super Mario Frustration' videos available on YouTube), but the original designers knew what they were doing, and it takes a good amount of skill to make it all the way to the end with your original complement of lives.

Even with the difficulty, however, the game can be beaten in an hour or less, so it requires almost no time commitment. It's the perfect game to kill ten minutes with and drop at a moment's notice.

But the thing that gives you goose bumps playing "Super Mario Bros." is the music. The main theme is the most recognizable piece of video game music ever, and the Internet is littered with musicians covering it on electric guitar, classical guitar, piano, even 11-string bass. You're probably humming it in your head right now. But hearing the song in its original form, along with the underground level theme, the water level theme and castle theme is a real treat, and even the game over music softens the blow of getting hit in the face with another stupid Bullet Bill.

The bottom line is, if you love video games, you love this game, whether you've played it or not. It's available in all kinds of formats for all kinds of consoles and computers, and it belongs in your collection, no matter the price.