In the living room, the game console sits in its place next to the TV. A blue box with white accents catches my eye as I walk over and reach for it. Inside is a cartridge of “The New Super Mario Bros.” It’s brand new, still in its shrink wrap. The cover shows a vibrant green landscape with Mario running through it, his mustache standing out against the background. I pull out the disc carefully, trying not to get fingerprints on it.

I place the game into the GameCube and connect the controller to the system. The console hums softly as it boots up. The screen lights up with a menu of options—New Game, Load Game, Options. I choose New Game and start the adventure. The characters appear one by one: Luigi, Daisy, Wario, and Yoshi. Each character has their own unique appearance and sound effects. The level selection screen shows various zones like Flower Gardens, Whomp’s Fortress, and Bowser’s Castle.

I pick the first zone, Flower Gardens. The game begins with Mario running across a field of flowers, collecting power-ups. I find a red mushroom that makes him grow big, allowing me to stomp on enemies. A Koopa Troopa walks by, but it’s no match for the growing Mario. He stomps on its shell, and it breaks into pieces. The screen shakes slightly with each hit.

The level is filled with mushrooms, fire flowers, star power-ups, and coins scattered across the ground. I run through the field, collecting as many coins as possible before reaching the flagpole at the end. The game’s music plays a catchy tune that stays in my head all day long. I reach the final Koopa Troopa and stomp on it to win the level.

As the credits roll, I watch as Mario and Luigi celebrate their victory. It’s a fun game with lots of challenges and rewards. I put the cartridge back into its box and close it up. The GameCube turns off quietly, and the console returns to its silent state until next time.