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'''MarioWiki: Chronology''' is a guideline to help contributors organize the information surrounding the events of the video games, cartoons, comics, etc. should be placed in articles, specifically in "History". All articles must be written according to these guidelines in order to maintain consistency throughout the Super Mario Wiki.
'''Here is a new policy I would like to put into action.  If you have any questions or comments, please use the [[MarioWiki talk:Chronology|talk page]].  Do not change this page, at least, not yet. I think this new policy could effectively frame how we should write about Mario’s fictional universe (with some freedom, of course).'''


--[[User:Son of Suns|Son of Suns]]
Articles must list information about a subject according to the release date of the sources. Different sources may have different release dates in different regions, in which case, whichever region it was released in first provides the release date. Although information from one source may be listed after another source, that does not mean the events depicted ''literally'' occurred after, and writers should not make such an assertion (unless Nintendo has established a connection between the two sources). While information may be divided into different sections based on the series they are from, this does not reflect that certain media products are [[MarioWiki:Canonicity|more or less canonical]] than any other source.  For example, "core" ''Super Mario'' titles are no more important than the "spin-offs" like the [[Mario Kart (series)|''Mario Kart'']] games or alternative media, such as the [[Super Mario World (television series)|''Super Mario World'' cartoon series]]; they are merely organized into their respective sections to avoid speculating on how titles from various series relate to one another in an attempt to write a continuous timeline.
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Although each game in the Mario series and various sub-series has its own unique adventure and story, the Super Mario Wiki believes a greater story is being told by Nintendo. The various games have weaved an intricate and complex web of stories to form one great fictional history.
While most people view the [[Super Mario (franchise)|''Super Mario'' franchise]] from an "in-universe perspective", the articles must adhere to the release date order. "Background" sections can be made to cover events that are known to occur before the actual first appearance (i.e. [[Mario]]'s infancy, as depicted in ''[[Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island]]'', and his life before ''[[Donkey Kong (game)|Donkey Kong]]'', which is referenced many times throughout the ''Super Mario'' franchise). Links between games can also be mentioned in the sections, but the section order itself cannot be changed to reflect the so-called chronology.


==Creating a Chronology – Use the Original Release Date==
==Guidelines==
Newer games constantly make references to the old, reinforcing the point that the stories told in these games are making up an entire history, and the games are not isolated events.  Therefore, when one is attempting to write the history of a character, species, or place, one can basically place the fictional historical events depicted in the game in order of the game’s original release date, regardless of region.  However, not every game needs to be listed in a history or biography.  Some games, such as Mario Party games, Mario sports games, Game & Watch Gallery games, Super Smash Bros. games, Japanese-only games (it is unknown how the rest of the world is supposed to interpret the events of these games, as official localization has not been done), and unlicensed Mario games may seem trivial compared to the rest of the character’s biography ("Mario defeated the evil King Bowser, then played a round of golf with him during his next adventure").  Games as just described can be placed in an "Other Events" or "Minor Events" section below the main "History" or "Biography" section.  That way, we can keep major events in the main body of the article, while minor events, which are still canonical but not important historically, can be noted without interrupting the flow of the article.  Sometimes characters have minor appearances, such as cameos or hosting a mini-game apart from the game’s main storyline.  Once again, the events depicted are canonical, but should probably be placed in a "Minor Appearances" section as opposed to an "Other Events" or main "Biography" section.  Cameo appearances in other Nintendo franchises and video games should simply be listed as cameos in a "Cameos" section.
Here are the specific guidelines to be followed when organizing historical or biographical information in an article.  


==What’s the Deal with Remakes? – Both are True and Occur at the Same Time==
===Release dates===
Often a remake has update graphics and minor changes and additions, which makes our lives a lot easier.  But sometimes remakes have major changes, even an overhaul to the whole storyline. We appear to have two conflicting histories. Some are easy to reconcile – Donkey Kong ’94 for the Game Boy is simply expanding the story of the original Donkey Kong for the arcade.  However, games like Super Mario 64 and Super Mario 64 DS (which is an enhanced remake) are difficult to reconcile.  These two games should be noted as retellings of the same event. They should be placed in the same time frame as the original event in the fictional history, but be stated as differing accounts. For example, one may write that "Yoshi appeared in Super Mario 64, rewarding Mario after the plumber defeated Bowser. Alternatively, in Super Mario 64 DS, the games’s remake, Mario was captured by Bowser, and Yoshi was forced to save the plumber."  Both accounts are canonical – the remake takes place in the same order of events in the greater history as the original story.  The remake is simply an alternative version of the original events depicted, and both should be mentioned with equal importance.
Information in articles should be ordered according to the '''release date''' of the video game, cartoon, comic, etc. If the article is divided into various subsections, such as "''Mario Kart'' series", all information from sources that fall under that subsection should be organized according to the release date. This type of organization ''does not'' mean that events listed earlier necessarily occurred earlier in the ''Super Mario'' franchise timeline; only if a source specifically establishes a chronological relationship with other titles should writers indicate as such. If no official material indicates when a title occurs in relation to other sources, then the information is simply placed in order of release date and no speculative comments should be added. For example, there is no specific indication that ''[[New Super Mario Bros.]]'' (released May 15, 2006) occurred after ''[[Super Princess Peach]]'' (released October 5, 2005), although ''New Super Mario Bros.'' was released after ''Super Princess Peach.'' Thus writers should place information about ''New Super Mario Bros.'' after information about ''Super Princess Peach'' for organizational purposes, but '''should not''' state ''New Super Mario Bros.'' occurs after ''Super Princess Peach''.  However, if a title '''does''' reference earlier Mario media, this should be mentioned in that later title's section. For example, the manual for ''[[Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3]]'' (released January 21, 1994) states that the events of the game take place some unknown amount of time after ''[[Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins]]'' (released November 1992), and so the earlier ''Mario Land'' game can be mentioned in the ''Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3'' section.


==Explicit Prequels and Direct Sequels - Ignore the Rules of Release Date==
===Age of characters===
However, not all games make sense if they are placed in order of release date.  If a game explicitly occurs earlier or later in the timeline, it should be placed there. For example, while ''Super Mario World 2: Yoshi’s Island'' was released after Super Mario World and is the game’s sequel, ''Super Mario World 2'' takes place when Mario is a baby, not a grown man like in ''Super Mario World''.  Therefore, ''Super Mario World 2'' would come before any game that features Mario as a man (effectively making SMW2 the first game in the chronology). However, the rules once again switch to default game release order even during the games that depict early events.  For example, SMW2 would be followed by ''Yoshi’s Story'' and then ''Yoshi’s Island DS''. Both are sequels to SMW2, but ''Yoshi’s Island DS'' does not state it takes place directly after Super World 2, and thus we revert to the order of release, and ''Yoshi’s Story'' was released before ''Yoshi’s Island DS''. Remember, this can also work the other way.  ''Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins'' was released many many years after ''Super Mario Land'', and many Mario games were released during this time. However, the story of the game is explicitly stated to take place directly after ''Super Mario Land'', as Mario returns from his adventure to find his castle taken over by Wario. Additionally, ''Super Mario World'' is the direct sequel of ''Super Mario Bros. 3'', as ''SMW'' is stated to take place directly after ''SMB3'', as the heroes were in need of a vacation following their adventures in the Mushroom World. Remember, this does not mean all sequels take place directly after the original game.  For example, ''Super Mario Bros. 2'' can take place any amount of time after ''Super Mario Bros.'', as the game does not state that immediately after Mario saved Peach, he fell asleep and had a dream about Subcon. Any games released between SMB and SMB2 would occur in the timeline in the order of their release.  Just as in SMW2 and ''Yoshi’s Island DS'', any games that take place in the same era as SMW2 but were released before would take place before ''Yoshi’s Island DS''.  Although the games states it takes place after SMW2, that does not mean it takes place directly after.  Of course this is all very tricky.  Not everything can be placed easily. For example, ''Yoshi Touch & Go'' appears to be a retelling of the original ''Super Mario World 2: Yoshi’s Island'', and should be noted as such.
The relative age of characters can also be used to place events within a timeline. ''[[Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island]]'' established itself as the first chronological game in the ''Super Mario'' franchise, as it depicts the morning of the Mario bros.' birth. A few games, such as ''[[Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time]]'' and ''[[Yoshi's Island DS]]'' feature characters traveling back in time and meeting their younger selves. As such, sources can be referenced in an initial "Background" section of the History, though the sections themselves must still go in their appropriate release-date order, wherein the bulk of their information will be contained. Past the adult stage this guideline no longer applies, as no definitive signs of aging between titles is apparent (Mario doesn't look older since assuming an adult form in ''[[Donkey Kong (game)|Donkey Kong]]'' to ''[[Super Mario Galaxy]]''). An example: in Mario's "Background", we mention that ''Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island'' affected Baby Mario, but save the full plots of the game for their later sections. Besides the exception of the baby forms of central ''Super Mario'' characters, this concept usually goes hand-in-hand with the release date concept. For example, ''[[Mario Golf (Game Boy Color)|Mario Golf]]'' for the [[Game Boy Color]] released on September 10, 1999, features [[Kid]] as a boy. ''[[Mario Golf: Advance Tour]]'' released on the later date of April 22, 2004, features Kid as a young man. The same character has aged from an earlier title to a newer title, establishing that the newer game occurs after the older game. In games featuring time travel, events depicted in the past are mentioned in the "Background" with the games that occurred in the past, and like those games, the full coverage of the time-travel title is placed in the actual section, located farther down the "History". For example, this would be a short version of Mario's biography with respect to ''[[Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time]]'':


Okay, that was confusing. Simply put, here’s how these games should be listed in a history:
<blockquote><div id=fh2 class=mw-headline>History</div>
<div id=fh3 class=mw-headline>Background</div>
...At one point in Mario's early childhood, the Mushroom Kingdom was invaded by an alien race known as the Shroobs. Fortunately, a time-travel incident also occurred during the invasion, and Babies Mario and Luigi were able to team up with their adult counterparts to defeat the aliens. The adult Mario and Luigi then returned to their time and the children returned to their normal lives as well.<br>
...<br>
<div id=fh3 class=mw-headline>''Mario & Luigi'' series</div>
...<br>
<div id=fh4 class=mw-headline>''Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time''</div>
Mario and Luigi next teamed up to rescue Princess Peach when she disappeared into the past, having used a time machine created by Professor E. Gadd. When the time machine returned, Peach was nowhere to be found. Instead, an alien creature appeared in the malfunctioning contraption. The Mario bros. had to use the random time holes the time machine created to travel to the past themselves in pursuit of the wayward princess. They then discover that the Mushroom Kingdom had been invaded by aliens known as the Shroobs, and that they had to save the past as well as the princess. They soon cross paths with their infant selves, Baby Mario and Baby Luigi, and the foursome band together for their adventure...
</blockquote>


#''Super Mario World 2: Yoshi’s Island'' (occurs when Mario is still a baby; the remake is ''Yoshi’s Island: Super Mario Advance 3'', which should also be noted in case of changes or conflict between the two) '''and''' ''Yoshi Touch & Go'' (a retelling of ''Super Mario World 2: Yoshi’s Island'', so it occurs at the same time as SMW2)
On a related note, information that is indicated to occur long before the events of the game can also go in the "Background", or possibly in the Introduction if the information is limited to a one-liner piece of information. For example, the [[Shadow Queen]] attempted to take over the world a thousand years before the events of ''[[Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door]]'', so information surrounding those events a millennium in the past can likewise be placed under a "Background" header placed before the actual "Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door" section. Another example: according to the [[Star Spirits]], they have watched over the [[Star Rod]] since the ''"beginning of time"'', which is a statement perfectly suited for the Introductory paragraphs of the Star Spirits' article.
#''Yoshi’s Story'' (the sequel to SMW2, Baby Bowser makes reference to Baby Mario, thus placing the game after SMW2; however, it was released before Yoshi’s Island DS, so it occurs before that game – this does not mess up any continuity)
#''Yoshi’s Island DS'' (another sequel to SMW2, it is not a direct sequel as it does not take place immediately after ''Super Mario World 2: Yoshi’s Island'', some time has passed)
#''Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time'' (Mario is a toddler is “Past” timeline)
#''Donkey Kong''
#''Donkey Kong Jr.''
#(etc. etc.)
#''Super Mario Bros. 3''
#''Super Mario World'' (although released later then ''Super Mario Land'', the game takes place directly after ''Super Mario Bros. 3'', as stated by the story)
#''Super Mario Land''
#''Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins'' (although released much later, SML2 is the direct sequel to ''Super Mario Land'', as stated by the story)
#''Dr. Mario'' (normal rules of release date now apply)
#(etc., etc.)


The Yoshi games about the past, ''Super Mario Bros. 3'', ''Super Mario World'', and the ''Super Mario Land'' games are the only games we know that must be placed in the chronology without using the original release date rule. ''Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time'' also breaks this rule, as some events occur in the past, while others in the present (the present events follow the release date rule).  Every other game in the series should be placed in release date order, as none explicitly state they occur immediately before or after another game.  Note that ''Luigi’s Mansion'' is not the last game in the series, as references are made to this game in later released games (such as the updated Poltergust models).
===Discontinuities===
As there is no central [[MarioWiki:Canonicity|canon]] organizing the ''Super Mario'' franchise, there are bound to be inconsistencies between sources. While many sources work well together and establish a (mostly) coherent narrative, other sources appear to take greater liberties with the content established by previous sources, including completely re-working character biographies and changing other pre-established conventions. Sources that greatly diverge from their predecessors include the [[Super Mario Bros. (film)|''Super Mario Bros.'' film]], the [[:Category:Anime|''Super Mario'' anime series]], and the [[Super Smash Bros. (series)|''Super Smash Bros.'' series]], among others (to various degrees).  However, despite their differences, they are '''as official''' as any other source and should be treated as such.


==Questionable Canonicity - Use Discretion==
Again, returning to the ''New Super Mario Bros.''/''Super Princess Peach'' example. There is no explicit connection between the two games, so we cannot speculate when each event occurs. Similarly, there is no explicit explanation for how the ''Super Mario'' franchise is connected to the ''Super Smash Bros.'' series, so we cannot speculate on their relationship. Like remakes, diverging sources may simply represent different versions of the same events, or represent completely different events in the same timeline (or even something else entirely). We simply don't have any official evidence to establish the relationship between many sources.


Games of questionable canonicity in Mario’s world, such as Super Smash Bros. or unlicensed Mario games, should be treated with discretion and most likely be placed in an "Other Events" section. As these games are not regulated by the same rules as other Mario games, they should not be considered the definitive account of a character’s history.
As such, contradictory information surrounding the same basic event should still be presented to the reader equally, and preferably, simultaneously - fortunately, these issues usually arise within the backstories of characters, and so the mixed-series "Background" section is the perfect place to deal with them. For example, ''Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island'' depicts the newborn Mario being delivered to his parents by a [[Stork]], whereas ''[[Super Mario Momotarō]]'' has Mario emerging from a giant peach that fell from the sky. Although these sources contradict each other, they can both be included in a common "Background" section, where the fact that they are each valid versions of Mario's birth can be adequately explained. If there is a contradiction that does not fit into the History's "Background" section, the information pertaining to the different sources should be kept within the separate sections. The existence of contradictory information should then be mentioned, with a link to the sections containing the information (using the coding: "<nowiki>[[#Section Name]]</nowiki>"). For example, if Mario's birth was not included in the "Background", the "Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island" section would include the statement: "Another version of Mario's birth has been depicted in ''{{fake link|Super Mario Momotarō}}''.", and "Super Mario Momotaro" would reference and link to "Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island".


==Breaking the Fourth Wall – A Fictional Universe in a Real Video Game==
However, none of this means that writers should include speculation in an attempt to rectify the discontinuity between various sources. Editors should draw attention to any discontinuities or plot holes, and then simply continue with the article, leaving the readers to draw their own conclusions about the facts we have provided them.


Remember, characters at times seem aware that they are in a video game, as well as being a part of a fictional universe.  As such, one can freely alternate between writing about fictional stories and game elements. For example, we write phrases like "Mario saved the Mushroom Kingdom during the events of the game Super Mario Bros.", "The player had to press the A and B buttons at the same time to increase Luigi’s attack power, etc." In these sentences, we have combined fictional stories with gaming reality. This should not be seen as an error, as sometimes we can only make the fictional clear by stating the game an event happened in, or what the player must do to perform an action if it isn’t already obvious.  Note that characters in video games do the same, and as such we can do the same as well.
===Remakes===
Information regarding remakes of original games should be included within the original releases' sections; if there is a lot of information pertaining to the remake, a subsection can be created. If the subject of the article appeared in the remake but not the original game, the information will be organized using the mindset that the remake '''is''' the original as far as that individual page is concerned: the section will possess the remake's title and be placed in the History according to the remake's release date. Remakes often include differences in plot and gameplay, but it is not up to us to say whether the original or the remake depicts what "actually" happened, nor can we decide if they are actually separate events. Some remakes are officially said to be retellings of past events (such as ''[[Super Mario 64 DS]]''), in which case both the original and remake are true and happen at the same time; they are simply alternative versions of the same occurrence, as with other forms of discontinuity.


== Final Notes ==
Examples of notable remakes include ''[[Super Mario 64 DS]]'' and ''[[Diddy Kong Racing DS]]''. Straight ports or re-releases, such as the ''[[Classic NES Series]]'' or [[Virtual Console]] games, need not be mentioned.


Remember, the Super Mario Wiki is not an official source of information, but instead tries to translate as much official information into accurate articles on the various subjects of Mario’s world.  Nintendo is the only official source for anything related to Mario.  We are just doing our best to weave the packets of information they send into a complete fictional universe.  Only Nintendo can provide an official history, but we must do our best to write these articles in the best format possible, given the limited information we have.
==See Also==
*[[MarioWiki:Canonicity]]


[[Category:Writer Guidelines]]
{{MarioWiki}}
[[Category:Writing guidelines]]

Latest revision as of 17:04, October 27, 2024

MarioWiki: Chronology is a guideline to help contributors organize the information surrounding the events of the video games, cartoons, comics, etc. should be placed in articles, specifically in "History". All articles must be written according to these guidelines in order to maintain consistency throughout the Super Mario Wiki.

Articles must list information about a subject according to the release date of the sources. Different sources may have different release dates in different regions, in which case, whichever region it was released in first provides the release date. Although information from one source may be listed after another source, that does not mean the events depicted literally occurred after, and writers should not make such an assertion (unless Nintendo has established a connection between the two sources). While information may be divided into different sections based on the series they are from, this does not reflect that certain media products are more or less canonical than any other source. For example, "core" Super Mario titles are no more important than the "spin-offs" like the Mario Kart games or alternative media, such as the Super Mario World cartoon series; they are merely organized into their respective sections to avoid speculating on how titles from various series relate to one another in an attempt to write a continuous timeline.

While most people view the Super Mario franchise from an "in-universe perspective", the articles must adhere to the release date order. "Background" sections can be made to cover events that are known to occur before the actual first appearance (i.e. Mario's infancy, as depicted in Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island, and his life before Donkey Kong, which is referenced many times throughout the Super Mario franchise). Links between games can also be mentioned in the sections, but the section order itself cannot be changed to reflect the so-called chronology.

Guidelines

Here are the specific guidelines to be followed when organizing historical or biographical information in an article.

Release dates

Information in articles should be ordered according to the release date of the video game, cartoon, comic, etc. If the article is divided into various subsections, such as "Mario Kart series", all information from sources that fall under that subsection should be organized according to the release date. This type of organization does not mean that events listed earlier necessarily occurred earlier in the Super Mario franchise timeline; only if a source specifically establishes a chronological relationship with other titles should writers indicate as such. If no official material indicates when a title occurs in relation to other sources, then the information is simply placed in order of release date and no speculative comments should be added. For example, there is no specific indication that New Super Mario Bros. (released May 15, 2006) occurred after Super Princess Peach (released October 5, 2005), although New Super Mario Bros. was released after Super Princess Peach. Thus writers should place information about New Super Mario Bros. after information about Super Princess Peach for organizational purposes, but should not state New Super Mario Bros. occurs after Super Princess Peach. However, if a title does reference earlier Mario media, this should be mentioned in that later title's section. For example, the manual for Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3 (released January 21, 1994) states that the events of the game take place some unknown amount of time after Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins (released November 1992), and so the earlier Mario Land game can be mentioned in the Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3 section.

Age of characters

The relative age of characters can also be used to place events within a timeline. Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island established itself as the first chronological game in the Super Mario franchise, as it depicts the morning of the Mario bros.' birth. A few games, such as Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time and Yoshi's Island DS feature characters traveling back in time and meeting their younger selves. As such, sources can be referenced in an initial "Background" section of the History, though the sections themselves must still go in their appropriate release-date order, wherein the bulk of their information will be contained. Past the adult stage this guideline no longer applies, as no definitive signs of aging between titles is apparent (Mario doesn't look older since assuming an adult form in Donkey Kong to Super Mario Galaxy). An example: in Mario's "Background", we mention that Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island affected Baby Mario, but save the full plots of the game for their later sections. Besides the exception of the baby forms of central Super Mario characters, this concept usually goes hand-in-hand with the release date concept. For example, Mario Golf for the Game Boy Color released on September 10, 1999, features Kid as a boy. Mario Golf: Advance Tour released on the later date of April 22, 2004, features Kid as a young man. The same character has aged from an earlier title to a newer title, establishing that the newer game occurs after the older game. In games featuring time travel, events depicted in the past are mentioned in the "Background" with the games that occurred in the past, and like those games, the full coverage of the time-travel title is placed in the actual section, located farther down the "History". For example, this would be a short version of Mario's biography with respect to Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time:

History
Background

...At one point in Mario's early childhood, the Mushroom Kingdom was invaded by an alien race known as the Shroobs. Fortunately, a time-travel incident also occurred during the invasion, and Babies Mario and Luigi were able to team up with their adult counterparts to defeat the aliens. The adult Mario and Luigi then returned to their time and the children returned to their normal lives as well.
...

Mario & Luigi series

...

Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time

Mario and Luigi next teamed up to rescue Princess Peach when she disappeared into the past, having used a time machine created by Professor E. Gadd. When the time machine returned, Peach was nowhere to be found. Instead, an alien creature appeared in the malfunctioning contraption. The Mario bros. had to use the random time holes the time machine created to travel to the past themselves in pursuit of the wayward princess. They then discover that the Mushroom Kingdom had been invaded by aliens known as the Shroobs, and that they had to save the past as well as the princess. They soon cross paths with their infant selves, Baby Mario and Baby Luigi, and the foursome band together for their adventure...

On a related note, information that is indicated to occur long before the events of the game can also go in the "Background", or possibly in the Introduction if the information is limited to a one-liner piece of information. For example, the Shadow Queen attempted to take over the world a thousand years before the events of Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, so information surrounding those events a millennium in the past can likewise be placed under a "Background" header placed before the actual "Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door" section. Another example: according to the Star Spirits, they have watched over the Star Rod since the "beginning of time", which is a statement perfectly suited for the Introductory paragraphs of the Star Spirits' article.

Discontinuities

As there is no central canon organizing the Super Mario franchise, there are bound to be inconsistencies between sources. While many sources work well together and establish a (mostly) coherent narrative, other sources appear to take greater liberties with the content established by previous sources, including completely re-working character biographies and changing other pre-established conventions. Sources that greatly diverge from their predecessors include the Super Mario Bros. film, the Super Mario anime series, and the Super Smash Bros. series, among others (to various degrees). However, despite their differences, they are as official as any other source and should be treated as such.

Again, returning to the New Super Mario Bros./Super Princess Peach example. There is no explicit connection between the two games, so we cannot speculate when each event occurs. Similarly, there is no explicit explanation for how the Super Mario franchise is connected to the Super Smash Bros. series, so we cannot speculate on their relationship. Like remakes, diverging sources may simply represent different versions of the same events, or represent completely different events in the same timeline (or even something else entirely). We simply don't have any official evidence to establish the relationship between many sources.

As such, contradictory information surrounding the same basic event should still be presented to the reader equally, and preferably, simultaneously - fortunately, these issues usually arise within the backstories of characters, and so the mixed-series "Background" section is the perfect place to deal with them. For example, Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island depicts the newborn Mario being delivered to his parents by a Stork, whereas Super Mario Momotarō has Mario emerging from a giant peach that fell from the sky. Although these sources contradict each other, they can both be included in a common "Background" section, where the fact that they are each valid versions of Mario's birth can be adequately explained. If there is a contradiction that does not fit into the History's "Background" section, the information pertaining to the different sources should be kept within the separate sections. The existence of contradictory information should then be mentioned, with a link to the sections containing the information (using the coding: "[[#Section Name]]"). For example, if Mario's birth was not included in the "Background", the "Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island" section would include the statement: "Another version of Mario's birth has been depicted in Super Mario Momotarō.", and "Super Mario Momotaro" would reference and link to "Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island".

However, none of this means that writers should include speculation in an attempt to rectify the discontinuity between various sources. Editors should draw attention to any discontinuities or plot holes, and then simply continue with the article, leaving the readers to draw their own conclusions about the facts we have provided them.

Remakes

Information regarding remakes of original games should be included within the original releases' sections; if there is a lot of information pertaining to the remake, a subsection can be created. If the subject of the article appeared in the remake but not the original game, the information will be organized using the mindset that the remake is the original as far as that individual page is concerned: the section will possess the remake's title and be placed in the History according to the remake's release date. Remakes often include differences in plot and gameplay, but it is not up to us to say whether the original or the remake depicts what "actually" happened, nor can we decide if they are actually separate events. Some remakes are officially said to be retellings of past events (such as Super Mario 64 DS), in which case both the original and remake are true and happen at the same time; they are simply alternative versions of the same occurrence, as with other forms of discontinuity.

Examples of notable remakes include Super Mario 64 DS and Diddy Kong Racing DS. Straight ports or re-releases, such as the Classic NES Series or Virtual Console games, need not be mentioned.

See Also

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