When comparing Metroid vs Super Mario Bros., the Slant community recommends Super Mario Bros. for most people. In the question“What are the best and the most revolutionary games of all time?” Super Mario Bros. is ranked 1st while Metroid is ranked 14th. The most important reason people chose Super Mario Bros. is:
Super Mario Bros. introduced the concept of [level design as a tool for educating players](http://www.1up.com/features/learning-level-design-mario) that created a low barrier to entry for new players that was instrumental in pulling the industry out of the [North American Video Game Crash of 1983](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_American_video_game_crash_of_1983) and set the bar for level design for generations to come.
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Pros
Pro Atmospheric sound and graphics
Metroid paved the way for using not only sound and graphics, but level design as an element of atmosphere in games. Its deep, dark, winding tunnels with cleverly hidden passages and non-linear gameplay, together with its foreboding soundtrack and sound effects create a desolate feeling of loneliness akin to the cinematography of the film "Alien".
Pro Created a new sub-genre (Metroidvania)
Because of their atmospheric design and non-linear gameplay, Metroid and Castlevania have forged their own sub-genre, original enough to bear their names - Metroidvania.
Pro Encouraged speed running
Metroid's innovation doesn't stop there - Metroid was one of the first games to not only cater to, but encourage speed running, a concept ultimately popularized by one of its sequels, Super Metroid.
Pro Challenged players' assumptions
Metroid uses this mechanic to go step further - upon being completed in under a certain amount of time, it breaks players assumptions and defies gender stereotypes in revealing that the hero they've been playing as is actually a heroine.
Pro Birth of modern level design
Super Mario Bros. introduced the concept of level design as a tool for educating players that created a low barrier to entry for new players that was instrumental in pulling the industry out of the North American Video Game Crash of 1983 and set the bar for level design for generations to come.
Pro Greatly influential
The game's influence stretches beyond even this - many of the most important franchises and development studios in the industry got their start from imitating Super Mario Bros., including Sega's Sonic the Hedgehog and id Software's Commander Keen.
Pro One of first side scrollers
This game was one of the first side scroller games.
Pro It saved the video game industry
If this game didn't happen then video games would've died. Zelda, Metroid, DOOM, Sonic the Hedgehog, GTA, Call of Duty, and Halo would not have existed if it weren't for this game.
Pro Created defining mechanics of the platformer genre
Super Mario Bros. introduced several game mechanics that would become the bread and butter of platformers as a genre.
Cons
Con You have to play in one sitting
No saves, passwords, or retries if you get a game over.