Nineteen eighty-three was a weird time for Nintendo. Honestly, before the NES took over the world and became a household name, the company was basically survives on these tiny, handheld LCD gadgets. If you’re a collector or just a casual fan of retro stuff, you’ve probably heard of the Game & Watch Mario Bros handheld. But here is the thing: most people actually confuse it with the arcade classic, and they couldn’t be more different.
While the arcade version had Mario and Luigi kicking turtles in a sewer, the Game & Watch version was a stressful simulation of a bottling plant. It’s frantic. It’s loud. It’s weirdly addictive. It’s also one of the few times we see the brothers working a mundane 9-to-5 job instead of saving princesses.
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Why Game & Watch Mario Bros is a Mechanical Masterpiece
Gunpei Yokoi, the legendary designer behind the Gameboy and the D-pad, was the mind behind this. He didn't just want a screen; he wanted an experience. This specific model, the MW-56, was part of the "Multi Screen" series. It opens up like a clamshell, sort of like a proto-DS. You have Mario on the left and Luigi on the right.
The gameplay is deceptively simple but gets brutal fast. You’re moving packages across a series of conveyor belts. Mario starts the process on the bottom left, moves the box up, and then Luigi has to grab it on the other side. If you drop a box, your boss screams at you. Seriously, a tiny digital foreman pops up to yell at the brothers.
The Dual-Screen Chaos
Most handhelds of that era were single-screen affairs. Having to manage two characters simultaneously across two different panels was a massive leap in complexity. You aren't just playing as Mario; you are playing as the entire logistics department of a suspicious beverage company. The pacing is what gets you. It starts at a leisurely crawl. Then, the "beeps" get faster. Suddenly, you’re frantic. You’re toggling between screens, trying to remember if Luigi is in position while Mario is loading the next pallet. It’s high-stakes manual labor.
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The Real Collectibility and the "Pocket Size" Myth
People often ask if these things are worth anything today. Short answer: yes. Long answer: it depends on the "Gold" vs "Silver" series distinctions, though the Game & Watch Mario Bros specifically holds its value because of the iconic orange casing.
If you find one in a garage sale for twenty bucks, buy it. Don’t think. Just buy. In the current market, a mint-condition, boxed MW-56 can easily clear several hundred dollars. Even "loose" units (just the handheld) are pricey because the battery covers always seem to go missing. It’s like a law of physics. If you own a Game & Watch, you will lose the battery cover eventually.
Common Misconceptions About the Hardware
- It's not a backlit screen. You need a lamp. A bright one.
- The "Game A" and "Game B" buttons. Most people think Game B is just a harder version. It’s actually a completely different speed scaling logic.
- The Alarm feature. Yes, it has a kickstand. Yes, it’s a clock. No, you probably shouldn’t rely on a 40-year-old LCD buzzer to get you to work on time.
Comparing the Port to the Original
Nintendo eventually ported this version of Game & Watch Mario Bros to the Game & Watch Gallery series on the Game Boy. They added "Modern" modes with better graphics and Peach/Toad cameos. But it loses something in translation. There is a tactile click to the original buttons that a Game Boy just can't replicate. The original LCD "shadows"—where you can see the faint outlines of where the sprites could be—give it a haunting, mechanical soul.
Interestingly, this bottling plant concept actually showed up again in much later Nintendo titles as a nostalgic nod. It’s a core part of the "Working Class Mario" lore that enthusiasts obsess over. Before he was a doctor, an athlete, or a space traveler, he was just a guy trying not to drop a crate of soda.
Preservation and Modern Play
If you actually want to play this today without dropping $300 on eBay, you have a few options. The digital recreations are okay, but they lack the physical "flip" of the clamshell.
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- The Game & Watch Gallery 4 (GBA): This is arguably the best "official" way to play it now.
- The Mini-Classics: In the late 90s, these were re-released as tiny keychain versions. They’re cramped but authentic to the LCD tech.
- Simulator Sites: There are dedicated hobbyists who have mapped the exact logic of the original chips into browser-based emulators.
Technical Specs You Should Know
The unit runs on two LR44 button cell batteries. Pro tip: if you’re storing one of these, take the batteries out. Acid leakage has killed more Game & Watch units than actual physical damage ever has. The screens are also prone to "LCD bleed," which looks like a dark ink blot spreading across the display. If you see that on a listing, stay away. It’s a terminal illness for electronics.
The design of the MW-56 was actually quite robust. The hinge is the weakest point. If you find one where the ribbon cable is still intact and the screens aren't fading, you've found a gem. The orange plastic tends to hold its color well, unlike the grey NES plastic that yellows if you even look at it wrong.
Actionable Steps for Aspiring Collectors
If you're looking to get into the world of Game & Watch Mario Bros, don't just jump at the first listing you see. Start by checking the serial number on the back; lower numbers don't necessarily mean more value, but they indicate an earlier production run which some purists crave.
Verify the Polarizer: Look at the screen from an angle. If it looks completely washed out or has a "rainbow" oily sheen, the polarizing film is toasted. You can replace it, but it’s a surgical process that requires a steady hand and a hobby knife.
Test the Buttons: The rubber membranes inside these units dry out over decades. If you have to mash the button to get Luigi to move, the conductive pad is worn down. You can sometimes fix this with a bit of graphite or specialized conductive glue, but it's better to find a unit that "clicks" responsively.
Check for the Box: If you are buying for investment, the box is 80% of the value. A "CIB" (Complete in Box) unit is the gold standard. It should include the styrofoam tray, the manual, and those little "caution" slips about battery usage.
Avoid "Refurbished" Scams: Some sellers on marketplaces use aftermarket shells that feel "light" or "cheap." Always look for the textured matte finish on the orange plastic. If it’s shiny or smooth, it’s likely a modern reproduction shell, which kills the resale value for serious collectors.
Once you get your hands on a functional unit, keep it in a cool, dry place. These were toys meant to be shoved into pockets, but now they are pieces of industrial design history. Treating them with a bit of reverence ensures that the frantic, beeping chaos of Mario and Luigi's bottling plant survives for another forty years.