Mario's Cement Factory

Mario's Cement Factory was one of many Game & Watch games released in the series's lifetime. Initially released for the Tabletop range, it was later released as part of the New Wide Screen series, and years later, it would later see release in the Mini-Classics line, along with three other games.

Gameplay
The gameplay screen of Mario's Cement Factory is perhaps unusually complex for a Game & Watch game; in the game, Mario has to walk about in a cement factory to prevent buckets of cement from overflowing, and ensuring that they fall into one of two trucks on either side of the screen. The cement, however, starts at the top of the screen, and is interrupted by two buckets; each bucket can hold up to three units of cement, and levers must be pulled on them as to allow them to empty. Should any of these buckets attain four units of cement, then the cement will knock out the truck drivers, costing the player a life. Alarms, however, will sound should one of these buckets get three units of cement.

The main challenge, however, is navigating the cement factory; in the center of the stage, there is a tall column than the player must traverse, but the only way to cross it is via platforms than move up and down it. Players, however, will lose a live if they fall off these platforms or if they stand on one too long. The bottom of this shaft, however, features a "safe-zone" that Mario can stay in.

Game B increases the speed at which blocks of cement appear, as well as how fast the elevators move.

New Wide Screen release


Mario's Cement Factory later received a less clunky design as part of the New Wide Screen release; additionally, the screen, instead of being completely monochrome like the original (save for the red girders and the yellow and black "CAUTION" decals in the lift), now has some colours on the trucks and buckets, as well as a higher level of detail on both.

Mini Classics release


Mario's Cement Factory was also among three games to be re-released for an entirely new audience in the Mini-Classic series, alongside Super Mario Bros. and Donkey Kong Jr.; Mario's Cement Factory received a blue casing. The game screen, however, looks more similar to that of the Tabletop release, with the trucks and buckets lacking any coloration.

Appearances and references in other games

 * The compilation Game & Watch Gallery 4 featured Mario's Cement Factory, both in its original and updated versions. This version is notable for not penalising Mario for falling off the elevators.
 * The game has since reappeared on DSiWare, for 200 Nintendo Points when using the Nintendo DSi Shop, or for £1.80 when using the United Kingdom localization of the Nintendo eShop on the Nintendo 3DS system.