MarioWiki:Chronology is an editor guideline that aims to help contributors place the events of video games, television shows, comics, etc. in the same order throughout the Wiki. Nintendo has not published an official chronology for the Super Mario series. Thus, the Super Mario Wiki is forced to speculate as to the order in which the sources take place for the purpose of articles about in-universe topics, such as characters or places. The list is unofficial and should not be taken as fact.
How the System Works
The chronology below is based off of several concepts and assumptions. Below is an explaination of what they are and how they are applied.
Release Dates
The first is the release date concept: when no indication of when the events of a title took place in relation to other titles, the Super Mario Wiki assumes that titles that were released first occurred first, and those that were released later occurred later. For titles released in multiple regions, such as Japan, North America, Europe, and Australia, the earliest release date is used. For example, there is no specific indication that Super Princess Peach occurred after Super Mario Sunshine. However, because Super Mario Sunshine was first released on July 19, 2002 (in Japan) while Super Princess Peach was first released on October 5, 2005 (also in Japan), we ASSUME that Super Mario Sunshine occurred first. The reason for this assumption is that many other titles reference earlier released titles. For example, in Super Mario Sunshine, Mario is shocked when a Pianta janitor suggests that they suck up the Boos with a vacuum cleaner, a reference to the events of Luigi's Mansion, originally released September 14, 2001 (in Japan).
This concept is only applied when the other concepts do not apply to a title. Such titles that do allow for the other concepts to be used are called exceptions to the release date order.
Age of Characters
The second concept used is the age of characters. We ASSUME that any title featuring Baby Mario without his older self occurred in the past because of the precedents set by Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island and Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time. Since then, this concept has expanded: if a character appears to have obviously aged between two appearances, that aging is used to justify placing the appearance in which the character is older at a later point in the chronology than the appearance in which the character is younger. For example, we assume that “Family Album "The Early Years",” a Nintendo Comics System comic featuring Baby Mario and Baby Luigi, occurred earlier in the chronology than the previous comic in the Nintendo Comic System because they featured the adult Mario and Luigi. With 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, featured Kid as a boy. Mario Golf: Advance Tour released on April 22, 2004, featured Kid as a young man.
Direct Sequels
The Super Mario Wiki chronology policy also accounts for direct sequels. Titles such as Super Mario Land and Super Mario Land 2: Six Golden Coins may be released years apart, but the storyline of the second title makes it clear that the second story happened soon or immediately after the first. In the above example, Super Mario Land 2: Six Golden Coins revealed that when Mario came home from saving Sarasaland, which he did in Super Mario Land, he found that Wario had taken over his castle. Therefore, the Super Mario Wiki places Super Mario Land 2: Six Golden Coins immediately after Super Mario Land.
Remakes
Unfortunately, the relation between originals and remakes is one area where Nintendo has left no known precedents. Because of this, the Super Mario Wiki makes an un-backed assumption that remakes occur at the same time. If a remake makes significant additions, it should be mentioned alongside the original in the articles. For example, such as Donkey Kong for the Game Boy, expand upon and/or continue the events of the original, and thus both titles are considered to chronologically happen at the same time. Other examples include Super Mario 64 DS and the Super Mario Advance series. However, straight ports or rereleases, such as the Classic NES Series or Virtual Console, need not be mentioned.
If there is information that proves the remake assumption false, the Super Mario Wiki would appreciate it if a user would present said information.
Alternate Timelines
Also of note are the two confirmed alternate timelines: the "What If..." timeline that only includes the Super Mario Bros. film and the Super Smash Bros. timeline.
"What If..." Timeline
The Super Mario Wiki knows the conjecturally named "What If..." timeline exists because of the introduction to the Super Mario Bros. film. In the introduction, the narrator recounts the destruction of Earth's dinosaurs by a giant meteorite. He asks, "But what if the dinosaurs weren't all destroyed? What if the impact of that meteorite created a parallel dimension, where the dinosaurs continued to thrive, and developed into intelligent, vicious, aggressive beings?! Just like us. And, hey, what if they found a way back?"
Super Smash Bros. Timeline
The separation of the central timeline from the Super Smash Bros. timeline is assumed simply because their connection has not been confirmed. One would note that the Star Wars fictional universe is connected to the Super Mario fictional universe even though there are references to Star Wars within Super Mario. In the same way, one would not assume that the universes of Super Smash Bros. and Super Mario Bros. are connected because they reference each other. As explained by Masahiro Sakurai, creator of Super Smash Bros., the fighters are sentient trophies that awaken for fights. This contrasts with the Super Mario series, in which Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach, Bowser, and others are flesh and blood: when defeated they do not freeze into trophies.
"Why is this in the Central Timeline?"
The "Central Timeline" is the timeline established by the Super Mario, Donkey Kong, Wario, and Yoshi series of video games and their spin-offs. For the purpose of the articles, one should assume that unless distinct, explicit proof exists that a source is not in the central timeline, the source is in the central timeline. However, this does not mean one should include speculation in an attempt to rectify the discontinuity between two sources. Editors should explain any discontinuity or plot hole, then continue with the article.
The Super Mario Wiki tendency to sort certain spin-off titles (such as the Mario Kart series) and alternate media sources (such as The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!) is technically not required by any policy. It is simply done for the purpose of organization - not to imply that such sources are in an alternate timeline.
Current Chronology
This article is under construction. Therefore, please excuse its informal appearance while it is being worked on. We hope to have it completed soon. We need to add the Nintendo Comics System, Super Mario Adventures, etc. Anything you can't find should be here with the exception of remakes.
Note: ports and most remakes are not included on this list, with the exception of titles such as Super Mario 64 DS in which certain elements, such as characters or stories, were significantly altered. One should look up the original title to find where information from the remake belongs. Titles with a "*" by them violate the rules of release dates because they fall into one of the exceptions listed above. If one wishes to contest their placement, please leave concerns on the talk page.
Central Timeline
- Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island*
- Yoshi Touch & Go*
- Yoshi's Island DS*
- Yoshi's Story*
- Mario & Luigi Partners in Time* (past storyline)
- Donkey Kong Circus*
- Saturday Supercade* (alternate media)
- Donkey Kong (arcade version) / Donkey Kong (Game Boy version)
- Donkey Kong Jr. / Donkey Kong II
- Mario Bros.
- Donkey Kong 3
- Mario's Bombs Away
- Mario's Cement Factory
- Donkey Kong Jr. Math
- Donkey Kong Hockey
- Golf
- Wrecking Crew
- The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!* (live-action segments) (alternate media)
- Super Mario Bros.
- The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!* (animated segments) (alternate media)
- Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels
- Super Mario Bros. (Game & Watch)
- Famicom Grand Prix: F-1 Race
- Famicom Grand Prix II: 3D Hot Rally
- I Am A Teacher: Super Mario Sweater
- Super Mario Bros. 2
- Super Mario Land
- Super Mario Land 2: Six Golden Coins*
- Dr. Mario
- Super Mario Bros. 3
- The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3 (alternate media)
- Super Mario Bros. & Friends: When I Grow Up
- Mario the Juggler
- Yoshi
- Super Mario World (video game)
- Super Mario World (television series) (alternate media)
- Mario Paint
- Super Mario Kart
- Yoshi's Cookie
- Mario is Missing!
- Mario's Early Years! Fun with Letters
- Mario's Early Years! Preschool Fun
- Mario's Early Years! Fun with Numbers
- Yoshi's Safari
- Mario & Wario
- Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3
- Wario's Woods
- Mario's Time Machine
- Hotel Mario
- Wario Blast: Featuring Bomberman!
- Donkey Kong Country
- Donkey Kong Land*
- Mario's FUNdamentals
- Mario's Picross
- Mario Teaches Typing
- Mario's Tennis
- Mario's Super Picross
- Mario Clash
- Virtual Boy Wario Land
- Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest
- Donkey Kong Land 2*
- Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars
- Super Mario 64 / Super Mario 64 DS*
- Tetris Attack
- Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble!
- Donkey Kong Land III*
- Game & Watch Gallery
- Mario Teaches Typing 2
- Excitebike: Bun Bun Mario Battle Stadium
- Game & Watch Gallery 2
- Diddy Kong Racing / Diddy Kong Racing DS*
- Mario Kart 64
- Wrecking Crew '98
- Wario Land II
- Donkey Kong Country (television series) (alternate media)
- Game & Watch Gallery 3
- Mario Golf* (Game Boy Color version)
- Mario Golf (Nintendo 64 version)
- Donkey Kong 64
- Mario Artist: Paint Studio
- Mario Party
- Mario Artist: Talent Studio
- Wario Land 3
- Mario Artist: Communication Kit
- Mario Tennis* (Game Boy Color version)
- Mario Tennis (Nintendo 64 version)
- Paper Mario
- Mario Artist: Polygon Studio
- Mario Party 2
- Dr. Mario 64
- Mario Kart: Super Circuit
- Warioland 4
- Luigi's Mansion
- Mario Party 3
- Super Mario Sunshine
- Mario Party 4
- Game & Watch Gallery 4
- WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Microgame$!
- Wario World
- WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Party Game$!
- Mario Golf: Advance Tour*
- Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour
- Mario Kart: Double Dash!!
- Mario Party 5
- Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga
- Donkey Konga
- Mario vs. Donkey Kong
- Donkey Konga 2
- Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door
- Mario Pinball Land
- WarioWare: Twisted!
- Mario Power Tennis
- Mario Party 6
- WarioWare: Touched!
- Yoshi Topsy-Turvy
- Donkey Kong Jungle Beat
- Mario Party Advance
- DK: King of Swing
- Donkey Konga 3
- Dance Dance Revolution: Mario Mix
- Mario Superstar Baseball
- Mario Kart Arcade GP / Mario Kart Arcade GP 2*
- Super Princess Peach
- Mario Party 7
- Mario Kart DS
- Super Mario Strikers
- Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time (present storyline)
- New Super Mario Bros.
- Mario Hoops 3 on 3
- Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis
- WarioWare: Smooth Moves
- Wario: Master of Disguise
- Super Paper Mario
- Mario Strikers Charged
- Mario Party 8
- Itadaki Street DS
- Donkey Kong Barrel Blast
- DK Jungle Climber
- Super Mario Galaxy
- Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games
- Mario Party DS
- Mario Kart Wii
- Mario Super Sluggers
- Wario Land: Shake It!
- Captain Rainbow
"What If..." Timeline
- Super Mario Bros. (film)