Difference between revisions of "Mario Bros. VB (lost build of unreleased Virtual Boy "Mario Bros." remake; 1994)"

Revision as of 15:40, 21 January 2022

Screenshot of the game's title screen.

Status: Lost

Mario Clash's retail box art.

Mario Bros. VB is a cancelled remake of the 1983 arcade platformer Mario Bros. intended to launch alongside the Virtual Boy^[1] in August 1995. The game was first unveiled at Shoshikai Software Exhibition 1994 alongside the Virtual Boy itself, Space Pinball (then known as Pinball VB), and Teleroboxer.^[1]^[2] Screenshots from the game would appear in various magazines until July 1995. Its last appearance was in issue 13 of EGM², where the game was mistakenly referred to as the actually released game Mario Clash,^[3] which is likely what Mario Bros. VB evolved into.

Mario Bros. VB gameplay.

Gameplay[edit | edit source]

Man playing the Mario Bros. VB demo at the associated kiosk.

Being a remake of the Mario Bros., its gameplay would have been practically the same. You would have platformed around a simple stage as either Mario or possibly Luigi to defeat all enemies and progress to the next level. The remakes stand out additions would have been all-new sprites as well as three-dimensional backgrounds and effects.^[4] Players may have even been able to play through the game with co-op by using the Virtual Boy's unreleased GameLink Cable.^[2]

Availability[edit | edit source]

During its first and only trade show appearance at Shoshikai 1994, a demo of the Mario Bros. VB could be played by attendees.^[2] A ROM has neither resurfaced or been leaked to the internet since and it is unknown if Nintendo still has a copy.

Gallery[edit | edit source]

Images[edit | edit source]

Videos[edit | edit source]

A 3 minute Virtual Boy report by Brut Press. Audio from Mario Bros. VB can be heard from 0:12 to 0:22.

An episode from a Japanese TV show called Game Catalog II covering Shoshinkai 1994. Gameplay footage of Mario Bros. VB can be seen from 15:40 to 16:01.

The British TV show Movies Games and Videos' report on Shoshinkai 1994. Mario Bros. VB gameplay can be seen from 0:33 to 0:39.

References[edit | edit source]

↑ ^1.0 ^1.1 Electronic Gaming Monthly Issue 66 page 89 Retrieved 16 Jan '22
↑ ^2.0 ^2.1 ^2.2 Planet Virtual Boy's article on Shoshinkai 1994. Retrieved 16 Jan '22
↑ Planet Virtual Boy's EGM² issue 13 listing. Retrieved 16 Jan '22
↑ Nintendo Magzine System issue #24 page 6. Retrieved 16 Jan '22

[:0-1] 1.0 ^1.1 Electronic Gaming Monthly Issue 66 page 89 Retrieved 16 Jan '22

[:1-2] 2.0 ^2.1 ^2.2 Planet Virtual Boy's article on Shoshinkai 1994. Retrieved 16 Jan '22

[3] Planet Virtual Boy's EGM² issue 13 listing. Retrieved 16 Jan '22

[4] Nintendo Magzine System issue #24 page 6. Retrieved 16 Jan '22

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

@@ Line 5: / Line 5: @@
 |status=<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
 }}
-[[File:Virtual-boy-mario-clash-box-scan-front-usa.jpg|thumb|214x214px|''Mario Clash's'' retail box art]]
+[[File:Virtual-boy-mario-clash-box-scan-front-usa.jpg|thumb|214x214px|''Mario Clash's'' retail box art.]]
-'''''Mario Bros. VB''''' is a cancelled remake of the 1983 arcade platformer ''Mario Bros.'' intended to launch alongside the Virtual Boy<ref name=":0">[https://files.virtual-boy.com/magazine/974266/electronic-gaming-monthly-us-number-66-january-1995-page-99.jpg Electronic Gaming Monthly Issue 66 page 89] Retrieved 16 Jan '22</ref> in August 1995. The game was first unveiled at Shoshikai Software Exhibition 1994 alongside the Virtual Boy itself, ''Space Pinball'' (then known as ''Pinball VB''), and ''Teleroboxer.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1">[https://www.virtual-boy.com/events/shoshinkai-1994/ Planet Virtual Boy's Article on Shoshinkai 1994] Retrieved 16 Jan '22</ref> ''Screenshots from the game would appear in various magazines until July 1995. Its last appearance was in issue 13 of ''EGM²'', where the game was mistakenly referred to as the actually released game ''Mario Clash''<ref>[https://www.virtual-boy.com/magazines/egm2/egm2-volume-2-issue-1/ Planet Virtual Boy's EGM² issue 13 listing] Retrieved 16 Jan '22</ref>, which is likely what ''Mario Bros. VB'' evolved into.
+'''''Mario Bros. VB''''' is a cancelled remake of the 1983 arcade platformer ''Mario Bros.'' intended to launch alongside the Virtual Boy<ref name=":0">[https://files.virtual-boy.com/magazine/974266/electronic-gaming-monthly-us-number-66-january-1995-page-99.jpg ''Electronic Gaming Monthly'' Issue 66 page 89] Retrieved 16 Jan '22</ref> in August 1995. The game was first unveiled at Shoshikai Software Exhibition 1994 alongside the Virtual Boy itself, ''Space Pinball'' (then known as ''Pinball VB''), and ''Teleroboxer.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1">[https://www.virtual-boy.com/events/shoshinkai-1994/ Planet Virtual Boy's article on Shoshinkai 1994.] Retrieved 16 Jan '22</ref> ''Screenshots from the game would appear in various magazines until July 1995. Its last appearance was in issue 13 of ''EGM²'', where the game was mistakenly referred to as the actually released game ''Mario Clash'',<ref>[https://www.virtual-boy.com/magazines/egm2/egm2-volume-2-issue-1/ Planet Virtual Boy's EGM² issue 13 listing.] Retrieved 16 Jan '22</ref> which is likely what ''Mario Bros. VB'' evolved into.
-[[File:Mc sho94 07.png|left|thumb|227x227px|''Mario Bros. VB'' gameplay]]
+[[File:Mc sho94 07.png|left|thumb|227x227px|''Mario Bros. VB'' gameplay.]]
 ==Gameplay==
 [[File:Mariobrosvbkiosk.png|thumb|185x185px|Man playing the ''Mario Bros. VB'' demo at the associated kiosk.]]
-Being a remake of the ''Mario Bros.'', its gameplay would have been practically the same. You would have platformed around a simple stage as either Mario or possibly Luigi to defeat all enemies and progress to the next level. The remakes stand out additions would have been all-new sprites as well as three-dimensional backgrounds and effects.<ref>[https://files.virtual-boy.com/magazine/980664/nintendo-magazine-system-issue-24-mar-95-page-6.jpg Nintendo Magzine System issue #24 page 6] Retrieved 16 Jan '22</ref> Players may have even been able to play through the game with co-op by using the Virtual Boy's unreleased GameLink Cable.''<ref name=":1" />''
+Being a remake of the ''Mario Bros.'', its gameplay would have been practically the same. You would have platformed around a simple stage as either Mario or possibly Luigi to defeat all enemies and progress to the next level. The remakes stand out additions would have been all-new sprites as well as three-dimensional backgrounds and effects.<ref>[https://files.virtual-boy.com/magazine/980664/nintendo-magazine-system-issue-24-mar-95-page-6.jpg ''Nintendo Magzine System'' issue #24 page 6.] Retrieved 16 Jan '22</ref> Players may have even been able to play through the game with co-op by using the Virtual Boy's unreleased GameLink Cable.<ref name=":1" />
 ==Availability==
-During its first and only trade show appearance at Shoshikai 1994, a demo of the ''Mario Bros. VB'' could be played by attendees.''<ref name=":1" />'' A ROM has neither resurfaced or been leaked to the internet since and it is unknown if Nintendo still has a copy.
+During its first and only trade show appearance at Shoshikai 1994, a demo of the ''Mario Bros. VB'' could be played by attendees.<ref name=":1" /> A ROM has neither resurfaced or been leaked to the internet since and it is unknown if Nintendo still has a copy.
 ==Gallery==
 ===Images===
 <gallery mode=packed heights=175px>
@@ Line 33: / Line 32: @@
 File:Mario-bros.-vb-famitsu-no.-323-2-24-1995-p97.jpg
 </gallery>
 ===Videos===
 {{Video|perrow  =3
@@ Line 44: / Line 42: @@
    |service3     =youtube
    |id3          =wyjTldI1HLw
-   |description3 =The British TV show ''Movies Games and Videos''' report on Shoshinkai 1994. '''''Mario Bros. VB''''' gameplay can be seen from 0:33 to 0:39.
+   |description3 =The British TV show ''Movies Games and Videos''' report on Shoshinkai 1994. ''Mario Bros. VB'' gameplay can be seen from 0:33 to 0:39.
 }}
 ==See Also==

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