Original Super Mario Bros. plans included beam guns and rocket packs

This information comes from the Super Mario Collection Special Pack, and the images are Shigeru Miyamoto’s design documents…

– Game was described as having big Mario characters and using the “athletic part” of “Junior Mario Bros” (most likely in reference to Donkey Kong Jr.)
– Plans of making Mario bigger, scrolling, gimmicks including lifts
– Control scheme:
Left: Walk Left
Right: Walk Right
Up: Jump
Down: TBA (Duck)
B: Run (Accelerate) (Rocket->Shoot)
A: Attack (Depending on Item) (Bare Hands->Kick; Rifle; Beam Gun)
– Left/right would make Mario walk at two different speeds
– B would make Mario accelerate
– Jump with Up, height based on the length of time of the button press and the speed of left/right movement
– “A” button to use current item or engage in hand-to-hand combat