Quarters optional for this Super Mario game in a box

Back in the old days, before TV tenderized our brains into lumps of clay, side-scrolling games dwelled inside delicately crafted cardboard boxes.

At least, that's what the hardware wizards at Teague Labs evidently believe. Their latest project, a contraption involving servos, magnetic tape, and an instantly familiar game reel somehow boils down the already straightforward Super Mario Bros. into a mobile, box-shaped retro dish.

The controls are simple: Players use a dial on the side of the box to move Mario up and down the track while avoiding Goombas and pipes. The challenge arises from the steadily increasing scroll rate of the reel, eventually resulting in victory…or a very abrupt collision before the box snaps shut over the doomed plumber.

Check out Teague Labs' take on gaming hackery in action below, and make sure to leave a comment if your mind went to a dirty place after hearing “game in a box.”