Game of the Week #20

Metal Mario · 11-29-2009, 06:02 AM

Mario's Bombs Away (Game & Watch, 1983)

If you've ever wondered what it would be like if Mario had devoted his career not to stomping Koopas and saving princesses, but to knocking over Marxist republics in South America, then Mario's Bombs Away might provide some insight into such a world. Released in 1983 as part of Nintendo's line-up of handheld Game & Watch devices, Mario's Bombs Away features Mario (in full combat fatigues) attempting to carry a bomb from one side of the screen to the other, where he will pass it off to his comrade-in-arms. Unfortunately for our perpetually plucky protagonist, this was easier said than done; not only were enemy troops hiding in the treetops waiting to ignite Mario's bombs with torches, but one of Mario's own, less intelligent comrades was slouching against a leaking oil barrel, smoking endless cigarettes (the only instance ever of tobacco use in a Mario game!) and tossing the butts into the trail of flammable fluid, making things that much more hazardous for poor Pvt. Mario.

For those having a difficult time envisioning what I describe, I've included a gameplay video of Mario's Bombs Away in action.

Click to view video.

Mario's Bombs Away, in its original form, was included in 2002's Game & Watch Gallery 4 for GBA.

Dark Seraphim · 11-29-2009, 02:39 PM

I have never seen this before! I was actually wondering if this was actually considered a Mario game, but the cartoon (which is very hard to see) with the cartridge certainly looks like Mario.

They could bring this back, you know, although they'd have to censor it and make it more Mushroom Kingdom-y. Probabaly instead of Bombs they would be Bob-Bombs, and instead of soldiers they would be Koopa Troopas and instead of allies they'd be Toads, and the smoking solider would probabaly be replaces with a fire spitting Piranha Plant or something.

jigglypuffer · 11-29-2009, 02:41 PM

Always considered it one of the better Game & Watch games. I often bring this one up through Gallery 4 to win bets that there were Game & Watch games with color, and every time both me and the other person ends up having a laugh playing it.

Metal Mario · 11-29-2009, 03:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dark Seraphim

I have never seen this before! I was actually wondering if this was actually considered a Mario game, but the cartoon (which is very hard to see) with the cartridge certainly looks like Mario.

Here's an enlarged image of the boxart.

Dark Seraphim · 11-29-2009, 06:03 PM

And Nintendo never retconed this that this Mario isn't the same Mario as from the Super Mario Bros.?

Metal Mario · 11-29-2009, 06:18 PM

^Nintendo hasn't inflicted Mario with the same syndrome they've forced upon Link. And I, for one, am incredibly grateful.

Dark Seraphim · 11-29-2009, 07:07 PM

^

Was Mario in the army before or after Pauline got kidnapped by Donkey Kong chronologically?

MeowMan · 11-29-2009, 07:15 PM

^I'm wondering the same. Wait. If it was BEFORE the Donkey Kong games, then his name would be Jumpman, not Mario!

Dizzy · 11-29-2009, 07:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Metal Mario

Mario's Bombs Away (Game & Watch, 1983)

Myth busted.

Luigiman7 · 11-29-2009, 07:18 PM

I haven't gotten enough stars in G&W4 to play this game yet.

Dizzy · 11-29-2009, 07:19 PM

I got the actual G&W version from a relative.

It rules.

Metal Mario · 11-29-2009, 07:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MeowMan

^I'm wondering the same. Wait. If it was BEFORE the Donkey Kong games, then his name would be Jumpman, not Mario!

Mario debuted in Donkey Kong two years before Mario's Bombs Away was made.

Also, Mario was never known as "Jumpman" outside of Japan. By the time NOA released Donkey Kong in the US, the character had been officially named Mario.

Robotazy · 11-29-2009, 07:58 PM

Mario really had some odd jobs when Pauline broke up with him.

MeowMan · 11-29-2009, 08:13 PM

Army man, doctor, what else?

Metal Mario · 11-29-2009, 09:04 PM

Demolitions expert.

**X-3** · 11-29-2009, 09:07 PM

And now he's an acrobating, stomping god of destruction.

**Valigarmander** · 11-29-2009, 09:09 PM

Who killed the sun.

**X-3** · 11-29-2009, 09:12 PM

Several times, with either a koopa shell or hammer.

Luigiman7 · 11-29-2009, 09:13 PM

He's an astronaut, olympic gold medalist, pro golfer/tennis player/baseball player/soccer player/basketballer, dancer...

Metal Mario · 11-30-2009, 11:12 AM

And a chef!

11-29-2009, 07:18 PM	#10
Luigiman7 ヽ(◔ ◡ ◔)ノ.･ﾟ*｡･+☆ Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: ~)´◡｀(~ Gender: Posts: 17,605 Thanks: 1,134 Thanked 1,012 Times in 713 Posts Blog Entries: 8	I haven't gotten enough stars in G&W4 to play this game yet. __________________ ／人◕ ‿‿ ◕人＼ＷＯＮ’Ｔ　ＹＯＵ　ＢＥＣＯＭＥ　Ａ　ＭＡＧＩＣＡＬ　ＧＩＲＬ？

11-29-2009, 09:13 PM	#19
Luigiman7 ヽ(◔ ◡ ◔)ノ.･ﾟ*｡･+☆ Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: ~)´◡｀(~ Gender: Posts: 17,605 Thanks: 1,134 Thanked 1,012 Times in 713 Posts Blog Entries: 8	He's an astronaut, olympic gold medalist, pro golfer/tennis player/baseball player/soccer player/basketballer, dancer... __________________ ／人◕ ‿‿ ◕人＼ＷＯＮ’Ｔ　ＹＯＵ　ＢＥＣＯＭＥ　Ａ　ＭＡＧＩＣＡＬ　ＧＩＲＬ？

11-29-2009, 02:39 PM	#2
Dark Seraphim Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Gender: Posts: 431 Thanks: 4 Thanked 20 Times in 15 Posts	I have never seen this before! I was actually wondering if this was actually considered a Mario game, but the cartoon (which is very hard to see) with the cartridge certainly looks like Mario. They could bring this back, you know, although they'd have to censor it and make it more Mushroom Kingdom-y. Probabaly instead of Bombs they would be Bob-Bombs, and instead of soldiers they would be Koopa Troopas and instead of allies they'd be Toads, and the smoking solider would probabaly be replaces with a fire spitting Piranha Plant or something.

11-29-2009, 02:41 PM	#3
jigglypuffer Member Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Sweden Gender: Posts: 2,012 Thanks: 63 Thanked 19 Times in 16 Posts	Always considered it one of the better Game & Watch games. I often bring this one up through Gallery 4 to win bets that there were Game & Watch games with color, and every time both me and the other person ends up having a laugh playing it.

11-29-2009, 06:03 PM	#5
Dark Seraphim Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Gender: Posts: 431 Thanks: 4 Thanked 20 Times in 15 Posts	And Nintendo never retconed this that this Mario isn't the same Mario as from the Super Mario Bros.?

11-29-2009, 06:18 PM	#6
Metal Mario Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 1999 Gender: Posts: 16,435 Thanks: 72 Thanked 190 Times in 127 Posts	^Nintendo hasn't inflicted Mario with the same syndrome they've forced upon Link. And I, for one, am incredibly grateful.

11-29-2009, 07:07 PM	#7
Dark Seraphim Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Gender: Posts: 431 Thanks: 4 Thanked 20 Times in 15 Posts	^ Was Mario in the army before or after Pauline got kidnapped by Donkey Kong chronologically?

11-29-2009, 07:15 PM	#8
MeowMan Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Las Pegasus Gender: Posts: 6,606 Thanks: 849 Thanked 208 Times in 132 Posts Blog Entries: 46	^I'm wondering the same. Wait. If it was BEFORE the Donkey Kong games, then his name would be Jumpman, not Mario!

11-29-2009, 07:19 PM	#11
Dizzy Podiaphobe Join Date: Oct 2007 Gender: Posts: 19,359 Thanks: 1,764 Thanked 1,162 Times in 805 Posts Blog Entries: 116	I got the actual G&W version from a relative. It rules.

11-29-2009, 07:58 PM	#13
Robotazy PRESS ANY KEY TO PANIC! Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: A Tiny Shed Gender: Posts: 16,483 Thanks: 529 Thanked 1,254 Times in 897 Posts Blog Entries: 46	Mario really had some odd jobs when Pauline broke up with him.

11-29-2009, 08:13 PM	#14
MeowMan Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Las Pegasus Gender: Posts: 6,606 Thanks: 849 Thanked 208 Times in 132 Posts Blog Entries: 46	Army man, doctor, what else?

11-29-2009, 09:04 PM	#15
Metal Mario Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 1999 Gender: Posts: 16,435 Thanks: 72 Thanked 190 Times in 127 Posts	Demolitions expert.

11-29-2009, 09:07 PM	#16
X-3 Useful as an Owl Join Date: Jan 2004 Gender: Posts: 15,947 Thanks: 753 Thanked 1,213 Times in 790 Posts Blog Entries: 10	And now he's an acrobating, stomping god of destruction.

11-29-2009, 09:09 PM	#17
Valigarmander The Bee's Knees Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: The land of rain and trees (Oregon) Gender: Posts: 29,755 Thanks: 1,649 Thanked 5,701 Times in 2,581 Posts Blog Entries: 20	Who killed the sun.

11-29-2009, 09:12 PM	#18
X-3 Useful as an Owl Join Date: Jan 2004 Gender: Posts: 15,947 Thanks: 753 Thanked 1,213 Times in 790 Posts Blog Entries: 10	Several times, with either a koopa shell or hammer.

11-30-2009, 11:12 AM	#20
Metal Mario Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 1999 Gender: Posts: 16,435 Thanks: 72 Thanked 190 Times in 127 Posts	And a chef!