Mario and the Incredible Rescue

The cover of Mario and the Incredible Rescue

Mario and the Incredible Rescue is a short chapter book written by Tracey West and published by Scholastic in January 2006. The book includes several characters and locations from Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars. Like Link and the Portal of Doom, another title in the Nintendo Heroes series, this book includes stickers; they depict character artwork from Super Mario 64 (both the original game and the Nintendo DS remake) and various titles in the Mario Party series.

Plot synopsis

Chapter 1: Princess Peach Needs Help!

The story begins with Mario and Luigi relaxing, confident that the Mushroom Kingdom is safe. Suddenly, Toad comes running to the brothers, tired and out of breath as he informs them that Princess Peach had just been captured by ghosts and taken to Bowser's Keep. Knowing he has to fight Bowser again, Mario readies to go on an adventure as Toad and Luigi hesitate with worry.

Chapter 2: The Sorceress

Shortly after, Mario approaches a pipe that will take the group to the Kero Sewers, serving as a shortcut to Bowser's Keep. As the trio enters, the trio encounters and defeats a group of three Little Goombas. The three then come upon a T-shaped fork in the tunnel; a whole group of Little Goombas begins to pour in from the left end, forcing the trio through the right passage until the trio eventually stops at a brick wall. Mario, Luigi, and Toad begin kicking the wall until it breaks apart, revealing a small chamber full of coins (one of which Luigi keeps). The group then breaks open a small hole in a second wall at the back end of the chamber, which they crawl through into a mysterious, unknown forest. The three of them all look back and realize the wall they came in through had disappeared, leaving them confused and scared.

Mario, Luigi, and Toad press on, eventually finding a small stone cottage. Stepping inside, they meet Cybele the Sorceress, who offers to help them in exchange for a gift. Luigi hands her a coin from the chamber in the Kero Sewers; satisfied, she begins explaining that Bowser has stolen a book from her titled The Book of Spells and used it to conjure up an army of ghosts. To defeat them, Mario must gather six different special mushrooms from different locations in the Mushroom Kingdom. With the six mushrooms in hand, Mario must then recite the words of a spell to send the ghosts back to their realm. She gives him, Luigi, and Toad a clue to where the first mushroom is located, written on a piece of flat wood shaped like a mushroom. She also gives Mario a blue pouch with long straps to carry the six mushrooms, along with a white envelope that he is instructed to open only when "there is no hope left."

Chapter 3: The Kero Sewers

After Mario, Luigi, and Toad leave the cabin, Toad asks Mario what the clue says. Mario studies the wood, which reads "SREWES OREK," with the phrase "Go backwards for the answer" under it. Toad soon finds a pipe in the forest, and the trio hops in, landing back in the Kero Sewers. As the three walk around lost in the complicated maze of tunnels, Mario is startled by a Piranha Plant that pops out of one of the pipes. The group makes its way to a ravine while avoiding several other Piranha Plants, and spots a magical black mushroom on the other side of the ravine.

The only way across that ravine is a series of four pipes—if Mario misses a jump to any of them, he would fall into the pit down below. As Piranha Plants pop in and out of the pipes in rhythm, Mario goes first and manages to make it across the ravine. Toad climbs on Luigi's back as he begins hopping from pipe to pipe; however, the third pipe wobbles and Toad begins to slide off Luigi's back, forcing Luigi to toss him over the fourth pipe to Mario, who catches Toad. Luigi then jumps to the fourth pipe but loses his footing; Mario catches him in time.

Chapter 4: A Song for Toadofski

Upon finally grabbing the first magical mushroom, Mario secures it in the blue pouch and examines the second clue: "Look in a place where Frogs and Toads live in harmony." Mario figures out the hint—the second mushroom is at Tadpole Pond, which he, Luigi, and Toad can reach only by going through the Midas River. As they continue through the sewers, they hear the sound of rushing water, and Mario leads them in the direction of the sound. They find a pipe submerged in water that can lead them to the Midas River. Two Koopa Troopas suddenly appear on a ledge, blocking their path; the Mario Bros. jump on them and kick them away, but the shells roll out of control, bouncing off a wall and crashing into the trio. The impact knocks the three into the water, with the stream pushing them uncontrollably through the pipe. As they pass through and come out on the other end, Mario, Luigi, and Toad spot a waterfall just before they tumble down it.

Finally, the three of them land in Tadpole Pond and are approached by Frogfucius. After Mario explains his mission, he is informed by Frogfucius that the second magic mushroom is in Melody Bay. As the trio walks there, the trio encounters Toadofski sitting in front of a magic green mushroom. Toadofski offers to help the gang, and he gives the gang the mushroom in exchange for Mario performing a song for him. Mario takes a flute and performs a song that he titles "Falling Down a Waterfall."

Chapter 5: A Maze and a Mushroom

Toadofski awards Mario the magic mushroom, and Mario looks at the second clue: "F C O B R E E L S E T S M O A R Z C E," and under that is the phrase "Jump to find the answer." After figuring out the riddle presented to them, Mario and Luigi realize that every odd letter spells out "Forest Maze." Toadofski leads the trio through a meadow path, where the Forest Maze begins.

As Mario, Luigi, and Toad venture through the forest path and its many turns, they come face to face with a sleeping Wiggler. They manage to tiptoe past it and continue their trek, until the group comes across a spot in the maze where the path separates in multiple directions. The pouch begins glittering, lighting up and showing the three the correct path, which they take to discover the magic orange mushroom.

After grabbing the third mushroom, Mario reads the next clue: "R Y S ' O T E L I S E," and under it is "This clue is like eggs." Mario figures out that the clue is scrambled, and Toad deciphers the next area it points to: Yo'ster Isle. While attempting to exit the maze, the trio comes across two Hammer Brothers, each on top of a pillar. After being hit by a hammer, Mario gives one of the pillars' loose bricks a kick, causing it to tremble; Luigi begins kicking the other pillar, and the group dodges the hammers raining over them until the pillars finally crumble. The Hammer Brothers fall and land on the sleeping Wiggler, which awakens and angrily attacks them. Mario picks up and puts away one of the hammers for future use, and the trio manages to sidestep the Wiggler and escape the maze.

Chapter 6: Yoshi Saves the Day

Mario, Luigi, and Toad continue on, coming across a large pipe that leads to Yo'ster Isle; as they travel through the pipe and exit at their destination, the trio comes across Yoshi. Mario asks Yoshi if he has seen one of the magic mushrooms that Mario seeks, and Yoshi nods. Mario tells Toad and Luigi to wait for him, planning to ride Yoshi to its location and save them time. Yoshi leads Mario to the top of a hill where the magic blue mushroom resides; before Mario can read the next clue formed by the fourth mushroom, he is pelted by Spiny Eggs thrown from a group of Lakitus. Mario retrieves the hammer he had pocketed earlier and begins hitting the Spinies landing on the ground. He then turns to see Yoshi jump up, stick his tongue out, and eat all of the Lakitu's Clouds; the Lakitus plummet to the ground, allowing Mario to hop on Yoshi's back and escape with the mushroom and its clue. Running back to Luigi and Toad, Mario pulls out the mushroom and reads its clue: "The next clue is mine."

Chapter 7: The End?

The three are confused by the unusual clue, and they suddenly notice Yoshi digging into the dirt. Mario then figures out the riddle: The fifth mushroom is in a mine, specifically the one in Moleville. Mario asks Yoshi if he wants to accompany them on their journey, and Yoshi agrees, with the four of them jogging to a pipe leading to Moleville. Upon exiting, they come across a jagged mountain, with the entrance to the mine within blocked by a Chain Chomp. Mario hops on the post attached to the Chain Chomp and pounds it into the ground, freeing the Chain Chomp and rendering it friendly as it rolls away from the gang. Inside the mountain, the quartet enters a mine shaft and finds a cart on a metal track, boarding it as it begins to roll along on the track. The cart takes the group of four straight to the magic yellow mushroom; as Mario picks it up, the next clue forms.

Mario then pulls the lever controlling the cart, and it returns to the entrance, where he reads the clue for the sixth mushroom to the group: "2 15 15 19 20 5 18 16 1 19 19," and under it is "1-26." Mario and Toad learn that each number corresponds to a letter in the alphabet, and they figure out the riddle points them to Booster Pass. As the four hike the short distance from the Moleville mountain to Booster Pass, they are ambushed by a large group of Koopa Paratroopas. Mario, Luigi, and Yoshi fight off the Koopas, jumping on them until they are all eliminated, save for one. The final Koopa slams into Mario, seemingly sending the pouch of magic mushrooms flying over the cliff of the pass.

Chapter 8: Watch Out for Wario!

As Mario quickly looks over the edge of the pass, he sees the pouch hanging on to a branch extending from the cliffside, much to his relief. Using a vine, Mario and Luigi lower Toad down to dangle him closer to the pouch so he can retrieve it. After Toad successfully grabs it, he, Mario, Luigi, and Yoshi continue along Booster Pass, eventually finding the magic red mushroom at the end of the road. While Mario runs to grab the sixth mushroom, a bucket lands on him, and he looks up to see Wario flying over him on a plane.

As Wario continues dropping buckets from the sky, Mario grabs one and hops on Yoshi's back, jumping with him and attempting to pull the bucket over Wario's head. The second try succeeds, and the blinded Wario loses control of his plane, spiraling out of view. With Wario handled, Mario runs back to the mushroom and picks it up, causing a blinding bright light to appear.

Chapter 9: G-g-g-g-ghosts!

The light becomes more and more uncomfortably intense until it suddenly disappears, leaving the gang dazed and confused but unhurt. Regaining their senses, the four realize they have been transported straight to Bowser's Keep. Mario, Luigi, Yoshi, and Toad hop up the castle steps towards the gate; as Mario retrieves the mushrooms from his pouch, a ghost snaps it from his hands and giggles, while five other ghosts appear from thin air. They begin tossing the pouch amongst themselves, but Luigi manages to take it back from the ghosts by using his jumping skills, and he hands the pouch back to Mario, while Toad tries to distract the ghosts by zigzagging around the room. Mario begins to line up the mushrooms and read the spell: "'Eenie, meanie, minie, mo. Send the ghosts where Bad Boos go!'" A ray of shimmering rainbow then grabs each ghost, wrapping them all in colored light and causing them to vanish. The four then suddenly hear Peach's voice cry out, "Mario! Help!"

Chapter 10: Big Bad Bowser

Mario and the others begin running through the castle, following the voice, and enter a round room with Peach trapped in a metal cage dangling from the ceiling. Bowser enters the room through a back door and begins shooting off fireballs across the room, briefly setting Luigi on fire. The four run around, dodging the barrage of fireballs, and start bumping into one another; before long, Bowser traps them in a corner of the room, forcing Mario to retrieve the envelope Cybele had given him earlier. With no hope left, he opens it and finds a letter with the following message: "Once the spell is good and done, throw the mushrooms one by one. What they do I cannot say, but be sure they'll save the day!"

Mario begins pelting Bowser with the mushrooms: The black mushroom casts a cloud of black smoke that confuses Bowser, while the green mushroom turns into a green ball that bounces painfully into him; the orange mushroom transforms into five small hammers that pummel Bowser as well. Bowser tries to fight back, spewing a fireball that Toad douses out with the blue mushroom, which turns into a splash of water. Mario throws out the yellow mushroom, and it turns into a slippery yellow slime that causes Bowser to lose his footing and fall. Finally, Mario throws out the red mushroom, which turns into a fireball that slams Bowser and sends him out the window. With Yoshi's help, Mario jumps up to the cage containing Peach and opens it, releasing the princess and completing the rescue. Mario then retrieves The Book of Spells from a table against the wall; as Mario puts it in his pouch, Cybele smiles at the heroes' victory from the depths of her forest.

Stickers

Book-exclusive Bob-omb artwork used for a sticker

These are the stickers that come with this book:

Super Mario 64

• Mario
• Mario jumping
• Mario swinging Bowser around
• Boos (known as ghosts in the book)
• A 1-Up Mushroom
• Wario from Super Mario 64 DS

Mario Party series

• Toad holding a Star from Mario Party
• Peach with a Star, also from Mario Party
• Yoshi from Mario Party 4
• Luigi surrounded by Bob-ombs from Mario Party 5

In addition, there is a Bob-omb sticker with original artwork, exclusive to the book that has not been linked to any other media of the Super Mario franchise.