Super Mario Bros. is Objectively One of the Most Difficult Problems in the World

RandomYoshi

RandomYoshi

Sweden? More like Memeden.
Chat Operator
Retired Wiki Staff
According to MIT computer scientists, Super Mario Bros is harder than NP. An NP problem is a problem whose complexity does not increase polynomially, but instead rises exponentially as more values need to be concerned. An example of an NP problem is finding a complete factorisation of a 1,000 digit long number. However, if you have a suggested list of primes then it takes seconds to verify whether this list is the list. Apparently, Super Mario Bros. is harder than any of this and it would take an exponential amount of time to verify any solution of the game just by computer simulations.
 
If a platformer aimed at kids is their idea of complexity, wait until they play real time strategy games.
 
Somewhat related:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xOCurBYI_gY
 
Honestly I like to know how many solutions they are to a 70 star Super Mario 64 run. 3D pLatformers would take these to a much higher scale.
 
Myrmidon NSY said:
Honestly I like to know how many solutions they are to a 70 star Super Mario 64 run. 3D pLatformers would take these to a much higher scale.
Click to expand...
A 0 Star run would be difficult enough.
 
Myrmidon NSY said:
Honestly I like to know how many solutions they are to a 70 star Super Mario 64 run. 3D pLatformers would take these to a much higher scale.
Click to expand...
Don't you need 80 stars to beat it though?
 
So this is suggesting that it would take longer for a computer to figure out how to play through Super Mario Bros. than to factorize a 1000 digit number?

And this why humans are superior. Just. Go. Right.

In all fairness though a human who had never played a video game ever would have trouble too, so ultimately it's a matter of how well a human or a computer balances between overall simple instructions (go right, touch flagpole) and more detailed elements (functions of enemies, items, obstacles, warp zones, etc).
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back