Nowadays, it’s common knowledge that Mario works as a plumber. Yet, in an unusual game from 1983, he had a drastically different role.
Trivia question: Who stands out as the most renowned Italian plumber globally? If your answer is “Mario,” you’re one of those who has been aware of his existence for the past 30 years. Well done!
Since the early 80s, we’ve been following the plump, thrill-seeking character with a moustache on his quests and rescue missions. Clad in his overalls and signature cap, Mario has been ingrained in our minds as a plumber for many years.
However, Mario wasn’t always a fixer-upper. In November 1983, he took on a wholly different career in a game titled “Mario’s Bombs Away” – as a soldier.
You likely wouldn’t see that today
From a modern standpoint, it’s quite a peculiar theme, particularly for such a family-friendly franchise. Standards were quite different during the 80s. Mario’s Bombs Away is an official Nintendo game released in 1983 as part of the Game & Watch series. In this game, you control Mario dressed in green military attire, moving a bomb from left to right:
On the left side of the display, Mario receives a bomb that needs to be delivered to the right, where another comrade will arm it and launch it at adversaries. Naturally, it must not be lit by the torches en route, or Mario himself will face the consequences.
But that’s not strange enough: The challenge is heightened by another soldier who leisurely smokes cigarettes and discards the butts onto an oil slick. This hazardous trail is right where Mario is navigating with the volatile device.
At that time, Mario wasn’t as prominent as he is now: Mario Bros. had just launched as an arcade game in June 1983, and Super Mario Bros. didn’t make its debut until 1985 for Nintendo’s Famicom and 1987 for the NES. Thus, Mario’s brief stint at the frontlines in 1983 remains somewhat obscure.
Nonetheless, Nintendo’s Game & Watch systems were among the first truly victorious handheld consoles from the Japanese firm. Every Game & Watch featured a built-in game, including Mario’s Bomb Away, as well as timeless titles like Donkey Kong and Super Mario Bros. Today, if you wish to own one of these, you’ll have to shell out over $200.
The games from this collection were also preserved in the so-called Game & Watch Galleries, playable on various Gameboy models. For instance, Mario’s Bomb Away can be unlocked in Game & Watch Gallery 4 for the Gameboy Advance. Perhaps it’s not so bad that it’s somewhat concealed there.
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