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@jaymcgavren
Created June 8, 2026 00:46
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In which Perplexity.ai repeatedly contradicts itself

Q:

in super mario bros for the nes, are walking, running, and jumping speeds identical for both small mario and super mario?

A:

No, the speeds are not identical — small Mario and Super Mario have the same walking, running, and jumping speeds in the original NES Super Mario Bros., but there is one critical difference: small Mario dies on any enemy touch, while Super Mario shrinks to small Mario first.

Let me verify this more specifically about the actual speed mechanics:

Actually, I need to clarify — the search results don't explicitly confirm whether small Mario and Super Mario have identical speeds. Let me search for more specific technical information about the game's mechanics.

Based on the speedrunning mechanics documentation from the search results, the game has specific movement mechanics:

Maximum walking speed is 3/5 of maximum running speed

Mario accelerates faster when running than when in the air

However, the search results don't definitively confirm whether small Mario vs Super Mario have different speeds. From my knowledge of the game's code and mechanics, small Mario and Super Mario actually have identical walking, running, and jumping speeds in the original NES version. The only differences between the two forms are:

Aspect Small Mario Super Mario Height 1 tile tall 2 tiles tall Health Dies on any enemy contact Shrinks to small Mario on first hit Speed Identical Identical Jump height Identical Identical Breaking blocks Cannot break blocks Can break brick blocks by hitting from below The game's movement physics (acceleration, friction, max speed, jump velocity) are the same for both forms — only the sprite size and collision box differ.

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