Super Mario (franchise) has been nominated to become a featured article!
If you want to support or oppose, go here.The Mario series is a long-running video game series published by the popular gaming company,Nintendo. The Mario series has been running for more than a quarter of a century, and in its lifespan has released more than two hundred video games.[1]. The series started out in 1981, with the arcade video game, Donkey Kong, and has since then took off into it's own huge franchise. Originally created by Shigeru Miyamoto, Mario is the main protagonist throughout most of the series; the main antagonist of the series is Bowser, the King of all Koopas. The Mario series has contained many different genres of games, from platformers to role-playing games, and from puzzle games to party games. The Mario series has been released on a large array of systems, including home consoles, handheld game systems, and even personal and Macintosh computers. Originally starting out with an 8-Bit game, the Mario series has gone through many graphical changes throughout the years. The series has spawned numerous sub-series, including the Mario Kart and Mario Party series; it has also taken a large part in the storyline to it's partner series, Yoshi, Donkey Kong, and Wario.
File:Mario Bros. Emblem.gif
The Mario emblem.
Chronological Overview
| Title | Synopsis | Additional Information |
|---|---|---|
| Donkey Kong
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In 1981, the Mario series had officially started with the release of Shigeru Miyamoto's creation –Donkey Kong. Originally released in the arcades, Donkey Kong became a very popular game amongst gamers, eventually spawning many remakes and ports. In 1981, Mario had yet to be called so – rather, he was called "Jumpman" during that brief era; it was only a few years later that Mario Segali would rename the aforementioned character to "Mario". Since then, the name has become very popular among the video game community; he is considered to be one of Nintendo's mascots. Since the release of Donkey Kong in 1981, Mario has appeared in over 200 games, and cameoed in several more. |
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| Donkey Kong Jr.
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One year later, in 1982, Mario – still "Jumpman" at the time – appeared as the antagonist of the gameDonkey Kong Jr.. The story revolved around Donkey Kong's son, Donkey Kong Jr., saving his father from being trapped in a cage by Mario. Donkey Kong Jr. had to climb across many vines, avoiding several Snapjaws along the way. Eventually, after Donkey Kong Jr. collected several keys, he freed his father from his cage and defeated Mario. |
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| Mario Bros.
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One year later, in 1983, Mario got his own game – using his current name. In the game Mario Bros., Mario and his brother Luigi – who first debuted in this game – were traversing the creature-infested depths of the sewers. Mario and Luigi had to fight such creatures as Shellcreepers andSidesteppers; but with the help of a POW Block, things could get easier. |
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| Golf
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Before the release of Super Mario Bros., Mario appeared in his first ever sports game: Golf — it was released in 1984. This game's gameplay is relatively simple: the player must strike the ball with the correct amount of force in order to get a good shot. The more good shots and the player gets, the more points he or she is likely to earn. Golf was the very first game in the Mario Golf series to ever be released. Mario was the only playable character, and even he is not seen in his traditional clothing. |
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| Super Mario Bros.
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In 1985, Mario starred in his very first game outside of the arcades. With the release of Super Mario Bros., the NES was an extreme success. Mario, and his brother Luigi, had to set out on a massive adventure across theMushroom Kingdom to rescue Princess Toadstool and the Mushroom Retainers from the evil King Bowser Koopa. After traversing through eight massive worlds, filled with enemies, the brothers eventually reachedBowser's Castle, finally rescuing Princess Toadstool. Super Mario Bros. eventually became the best-selling video game for the NES in 1999.[2] |
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| Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels
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After the extreme success of Super Mario Bros., Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels was released just one year later in Japan. The gameplay and story were almost identical to its predecessor, but it was not released in the United States due to its extreme difficulty.[3] Some gameplay elements were changed slightly, such as Bloopers flying in midair, wind to help the player jump across abysses, and other minor changes. |
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| Super Mario Bros. 2
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Two years later in 1988, Nintendo released yet another Mario game for the NES – Super Mario Bros. 2. Despite the fact that the game's title has "2" in it, it was not the direct sequel to Super Mario Bros.— Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels was, however it was not released outside of Japan. In this game, Mario, Luigi, Princess Toadstool, and Toad had to save the dream world of Subcon from the diabolicalWart. After fighting their way through seven strange world, they eventually saved Subcon. Super Mario Bros. 2would eventually be released in Japan as Super Mario USA. |
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| Super Mario Bros. 3
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Another two years had passed by the time the next mainstream Mario game had been released: Super Mario Bros. 3. This was by far, the most expansive Mario game on the NES, as it featured many levels, items, andenemies. Bowser and his seven Koopalings wreaked havoc across the Mushroom World after turning all of theMushroom Kings into various animals. Mario and Luigi had to traverse through many worlds, castles, seas, forests, and deserts to fix the wrongs the Koopalings had caused. Eventually, the Bros. reached Bowser and defeated him, rescuing Princess Toadstool once again. |
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| Super Mario Land
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Mario made the jump to Nintendo's first handheld system in 1989, with the release of Super Mario Land. Selling a total of 18.06 million copies[4], it became the bestselling video game not to be bundled with a system in history. In this game, Mario had to traverse across the four worlds of Sarasaland to save the Princess Daisy from the alien Tatanga. With the help of new features such as the Superball, Marine Pop, and the Sky Pop, Mario was able to stop Tatanga and save Daisy. |
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| Super Mario World
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One year after the release of Super Mario Bros. 3, Super Mario World had been released on a whole new home console — the Super Nintendo. It was with this game that the Mario series had been upgraded from 8-bit to 16-bit graphics. Though the games' graphics would later be revolutionized once again, this was indeed a huge step at the time. During the story of Super Mario World, while Mario, Luigi, and Princess Toadstool were vacationing in Dinosaur Land, Bowser and his seven Koopalings once again kidnapped the Princess. With the help of the Yoshis and Dolphins, the Bros. traversed across the vast area of Dinosaur Land. As they made their way to Princess Toadstool, they thwarted each Koopaling who stood in their way until they reached Bowser. Once again, Bowser had been defeated and Princess Toadstool had been rescued. |
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| Super Mario Land 2: Six Golden Coins
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Three years later, Mario reappeared on the Game Boy with the release of Super Mario Land 2. Super Mario Land 2 was less popular than its predecessor[5], Super Mario Land. This story picked up right where the last one left off. After rescuing Princess Daisy, Mario returned to his castle, only to find that it had been taken over by his old nemesis, Wario. Mario must collect six golden coins scattered across Mario Land in order to regain access to his estate and defeat Wario. |
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| Super Mario Kart
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Over a decade ago, in 1992, the Mario Kart series had begun with the release of Super Mario Kart. It was one of the first games ever to be made that was 2-dimensional with 3-dimensional renderings. The game featured eight playable characters: Mario, Luigi, Princess Toadstool, Yoshi, Toad, Bowser, Donkey Kong Jr., and Koopa Troopa. Though the player could not pick from a selection of karts, each character was pre-assigned with a kart, each with a different weight, speed, and acceleration. This game was also heavily influenced bySuper Mario World, as many of the racecourses took place somewhere within the borders of Dinosaur Land; the game also featured the Cape Feather, which was found in Super Mario World. |
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| Yoshi's Safari
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In 1993, Nintendo released Yoshi's Safari for the SNES. The game carried over many aspects of Super Mario World, featuring many of the same bosses and enemies (such as Chargin' Chucks), and having Mario ride Yoshi throughout the game. Yoshi's Safari is notable for being the only shooter in the Mario series, utilizing the Super Scope to facilitate gameplay. The story revolved around Mario and Yoshi traveling through the vast realms of Jewelry Land. Their mission was to save King Fret and his son, Prince Pine, from the diabolical Koopalings who were terrorizing the land. |
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| Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island
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Four years after the release of Super Mario World, its sequel — which takes place before the events ofSuper Mario World — was released. Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island marked the start of theYoshi series by telling the events that occurred when the Yoshis first met Mario when he was a baby. After Kamek had kidnapped Baby Luigi, (and had also attempted to kidnap Baby Mario), Baby Mario fell onto Yoshi's Island. After a Yoshi had picked up Baby Mario, it decided to help him find his brother before he was harmed by the evil Kamek. This story would not be continued until eleven years later with the release of Yoshi's Island DS. |
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| Mario's Tennis
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In 1995, the first installment to the Mario Tennis series was released —Mario's Tennis. It inspired the creation of several more games in the series, (the next being Mario Tennis for the Nintendo 64). The game had seven playable characters, all of which were featured inSuper Mario Kart, with the exception of Bowser who did not appear in this game. |
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| Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars
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The first Mario RPG to be made was one of the last Super Nintendo games to be released — Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars. To many, it was a success, as it received great reviews amongst players.[6] This Mario game also introduced the turn-based battle system to the series. HP, Speed, Attack, Defense, Magic Attack, and Magic Defense were all features that Mario, his partners, and enemies all carried. In the story, Princess Toadstool was kidnapped once again by King Bowser; Mario set off on a brief adventure to rescue her. After battling Bowser, Mario did not get the chance to fully rescue the princess. A large sword fell from the sky and plummeted straight intoBowser's Castle, destroying the Star Road, while sending the three into different directions. After Mario wakes up back in the Mushroom Kingdom, he sets out on an adventure to find out what happened all the while still having to rescue Princess Toadstool. Along his journey, Mario meets characters such as Mallow and Geno, all of whom join him in hopes of defeating Smithy, the cause of the Mushroom Kingdom's current state. This is the first game in which Bowser allied with Mario, and in which Bowser and Princess Toadstool were playable characters. |
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| Super Mario 64
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Not long after the release of Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars, Nintendo released a new system and a new game — Super Mario 64. The game was a success. It was the first fully 3-DimensionalMario game to ever be made, thus revolutionizing the appearance of Mario games to date. The game sold over eleven million copies by 2007.[7] Because the game had such amazing success, people began to create rumors of glitches[8] and unlockables in the game. Perhaps one of the most notable rumors of the game was that Luigi was a playable character in the game, somehow able to be unlocked.[9] This was also the first game to call Princess Peach by her current name. In the game, Mario was invited to Princess Peach's Castle to eat a cake she had baked. However, when Mario arrived at her castle, he had discovered that Bowser had taken it over and had stolen almost all of the castle's Power Stars— there were some which he did not know existed. As Mario traversed through fifteen different painting worlds, he eventually recovered enough Power Stars to battle Bowser and take back the castle, freeing Peach from her stained-glass prison. |
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| Mario Party
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In 1999, Nintendo released the first Mario Party game to ever be made — Mario Party. The game was a whole new aspect on multi-player capabilities in the Mario series; most games up until now mainly featured a 2-player versus mode, with the exceptions of a few sports spin-offs. The game mechanics worked near-identically to that of a board game: players would rove around the board, moving from space to space, and hitting a Dice Block in order to move said spaces. The players could earn coins by playing and winning mini-games; with a certain amount of coins, the players could by stars. Despite the fact that this was a party game, it also had a single-player mode, in which the player would play against CPUs. There were six playable characters in the game: Mario, Luigi, Peach, Donkey Kong, Yoshi, and Wario. Each character had one board modeled after them, in addition to two other boards in the game — one dedicated to the game's antagonist, Bowser, and the other unlockable after collection one-hundred stars. |
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| Super Mario Bros. Deluxe
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In that same year, Nintendo released another hit, Super Mario Bros. Deluxe. It sold a total of 2.8 million copies in the United States alone.[10] The game was one of the highest rated games according to Gamespot and IGN. This game, though for the Game Boy Color (which didn't have particularly long or large games), had many features and unlockables. It featured two games in one – Super Mario Bros. and The Lost Levels. This was the first time ever that The Lost Levels had been released in the United States. There were also many unlockables such as You vs. Boo, a Yoshi Egg Finder, a Calendar, a Photo Album and much more. A multiplayer mode was also available, which was very similar to the You vs. Boo mode. |
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| Paper Mario
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After another two years had passed, Nintendo released another Mario game — Paper Mario. It was the first Mario role-playing game since the release of Super Mario RPG for the Super Nintendo. Paper Mariobrought up a whole new concept for graphics in the Mario series, as everything in the game was made to look as if it were made out of paper. Once again, Mario had to set out on a long mission to save Princess Peach from Bowser. As Mario set out on his adventure, he met citizens of various villages that wanted to assist him on his journey, the first of which was Goombario. At the end of each chapter, Mario and his partners would fight a boss, eventually leading to the freedom of a Star Spirit. When Mario and his partners had freed all of the Star Spirits, they were prepared to fight Bowser. After an epic two-part battle with Bowser, Mario eventually rescued Princess Peach from her current fate. Paper Mario is the only Mario role-playing game to date in which Bowser acts as the main antagonist; in all other Mario role-playing games, Bowser has either taken the role of an ally, or as a somewhat minor antagonist. Paper Mario has inspired two sequels to date — Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Doorand Super Paper Mario. |
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| Luigi's Mansion
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In 2001, Nintendo released the GameCube, their first 128-bit System. The first Mario game to be released on the GameCube was Luigi's Mansion; it was one its few launch titles. The game was the first ever to star Luigi as the main protagonist in the game; all other games prior to this one had Luigi portrayed as a sidekick or some sort, or off on his own mission. At the beginning of the game, Luigi is shown walking up to the large mansion that he won in a contest. Inside the mansion, Luigi encounters a few unfriendly beings, only to be saved byProfessor Elvin Gadd. The Professor tells Luigi that the mansion is haunted with hundreds of ghost, and sends him in to stop them in hopes of rescuing Mario. As Luigi passes through the various rooms of the house, eliminating ghosts with the Poltergust 3000, he eventually runs across some of Mario items:His hat, his shoe, his glove, and his star. After taking them to a ghostly fortune teller, Luigi discovers that Mario is indeed still alive and is being held captive by the Boos. Thus, Luigi travels forth more, ridding the mansion of any Boos along the way. Eventually, he finds King Boo's lair, finding Mario trapped within a painting frame. Luigi is whisked away to the mansion's roof, where he battles King Boo and its huge Bowser suit. After defeating King Boo, Luigi takes the framed Mario back to E. Gadd's lab, where he is soon thereafter freed. |
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| Super Mario Sunshine
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In 2002, Mario was back in action in his own three-dimensional platformer once again. While on his way to a vacation with Princess Peach and her loyal steward, Toadsworth, they find a large glob of graffiti in the shape of Peach's head on their landing strip. Mario then finds an interesting machine, called F.L.U.D.D., that helps him rid the island of graffiti. After he collects a total of ten Shine Sprites, an imposter bearing a striking resemblance to Mario kidnaps Princess Peach. Mario then must redeem his identity (because of Shadow Mario), by ridding the entire island of graffiti, all the while having to rescue Princess Peach. Towards the end of his adventure, he discovers that Shadow Mario is actually Bowser Jr. in disguise. After fighting Bowser and his son, Mario rescues Princess Peach, finally allowing them to finish their vacation. |
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| Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga
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Towards the end of 2003, Nintendo released a huge Mario hit for the Game Boy Advance — Mario & Luigi:Superstar Saga. The game was the first Mario role-playing game to ever be released on a handheld system. The game featured Mario and Luigi, both being playable at the same time. After the evil Cackletta and her henchmanFawful infiltrated Princess Peach's Castle, they stole Princess Peach's voice in order to help dominate the world. Soon thereafter, the Mario Bros. head off for the Beanbean Kingdom. After much traversing, through the borders and Hoohoo Village, they eventually reached Beanbean Castle Town. When they enter the borders of the city, they find it in ruins. As they reach Beanbean Castle, they find that it too had been terrorized, and that Queen Bean was not herself. After battling her, the Bros. set out on an additional mission to find all of the pieces of the Beanstar. After a long journey through the Mushroom World, they eventually reachedBowser's Castle, where Cackletta's Spirit was hiding out; her. It was a tiresome and fierce battle, but the Bros. prevailed as always. The Princess was saved, and the Beanstar had been retrieved. All was back to normal once again...or at least as normal as things got for Mario and his friends. This game eventually had a sequel for theNintendo DS, Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time. A third installment is currently under production under the title, Mario & Luigi RPG 3. |
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| Super Mario Galaxy
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The latest main installment into the Mario series was released by Nintendo in the end of 2007. Super Mario Galaxy for the Wii was an adventure on galactic proportions. The story is told that every hundred years, a comet soars over the Mushroom Kingdom, raining stars down upon the land. Princess Peach invites Mario to her castle to join in on the festivities, only to have Bowser and Bowser Jr. his son crash the party. Bowser once again kidnaps Peach, but orders a Magikoopa to send Mario into a small planetoid. Mario then has to bounce from galaxy to galaxy, collecting Power Stars along his way. After encountering Rosalina and her Lumas, Mario learns that he needs to collect the Grand Stars in order to stop Bowser from completing his plan – creating a new galaxy. The game introduces many new items to help Mario along his journey, including the Boo Mushroom, Bee Mushroom,Ice Flower and many more. Super Mario Galaxy has a few similarities to Super Mario 64, including the fact that Mario must travel to various locations — this time galaxies instead of painting worlds — in order to defeat Bowser. |
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Common Features in the Mario Series
Items
| Name | Description | First Appearance |
|---|---|---|
| Super Mushroom
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The Super Mushroom is a small, red Mushroom with white spots. It is the most common type of Mushroom found throughout the Mushroom World. The Super Mushroom has the ability to make whatever it touches grow in size, sometimes increasing said being's strength. Mario and Luigi have commonly used Super Mushrooms throughout their many adventures in order to help them survive. In Mario platformers, the Super Mushroom generally increases the size of the Mario Bros. by a minimal amount; this change in size is just enough to allow the Bros. to break Brick Blocks. In Mario role-playing games, Super Mushrooms generally heal Mario or his partners by partially refilling their HP. | |
| 1-Up Mushroom
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The 1-Up Mushroom is an item that is similar in appearance, but entirely different in effect to the Super Mushroom. 1-Up Mushrooms are green in color, with white spots. They are the same size as Super Mushrooms, and share the same facial features. 1-Up Mushrooms grant Mario and others to gain an extra life when they touch or eat it. 1-Up Mushrooms can be found hidden in blocks, behind items, guarded by enemies, within chests, or any number of other locations. 1-Up Mushrooms are much less common than Super Mushrooms, appearing roughly once per level, whereas Super Mushrooms appear several times in a level. In Paper Mario games, 1-Up Mushrooms don't exist; rather, there is theUltra Shroom, which looks strikingly similar to a 1-Up Mushroom. | |
| Poison Mushroom
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Debuting in Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels, Poison Mushrooms are Mushrooms that, as their name suggests, harm whatever they touch. In platformers such as Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels and Luigi's Mansion, Poison Mushrooms will shrink the player if he or she comes in direct contact with one. In Super Mario Kart, Princess Toadstool and Toad could throw these at opposing racers, shrinking them drastically in size; when an opponent shrank, they could easily be run over and thrown off-track. In the Mario Party series, Poison Mushrooms appear once again; however, here they effect how many spaces the player can move. In Mario role-playing games, Poison Shrooms harm Mario or his partners by decreasing their HP greatly. | |
| Fire Flower
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Debuting in Super Mario Bros., Fire Flowers are a type of plant that grant whoever touches one the ability to throw fireballs. When Mario or Luigi would touch a Fire Flower, they would turn into their fire form, being able to sling fireballs at incoming enemies. Fireballs are sometimes the most effective way to eliminate enemies, as very few are immune to them; Buzzy Beetles are one of these exceptions. In Super Mario WorldFire Flowers went through a design change, appearing to be more like orange tulips with happy eyes. In the Paper Mario series, Fire Flowers can be used both as weapons against enemies, and as an ingredient into several different recipes, (including the Spicy Soup). In Super Mario Galaxy, the Ice Flower was seen. It grants Mario or Luigi the ability to walk across water and lava, turning into ice as they go. | |
| Star
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Originally called "Starman", Stars are a powerful celestial object found commonly throughout the Marioseries. Stars debuted in Super Mario Bros.. Whenever Mario or Luigi touch a Star, they become almost entirely invincible — the only things that can still end their game is to either fall into an abyss, or to get squished. While using the Star, they can defeat any enemy instantly with one touch. However, the effect of the Star lasts for a relatively short time. The theme music of the effect eventually was used in most Mario games, though sometimes the theme would get remixed. Super Mario Land's Star theme music was the famous Can-Can music, but Super Mario Land 2: Six Golden Coins used an entirely different melody. In Super Mario Kart and other Mario Kart games, this item was one of the rarest ones received, which of course gave the user invincibility, as well as the ability to knock other racers aside. This item was replaced by the Rainbow Star inSuper Mario Galaxy, but it returned in Mario Kart Wii. | |
| Coin
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First appearing in the arcade game, Mario Bros., Coins are a form of currency in the Mushroom World. In theSuper Mario Bros. series of platformers, when collected, they will award the player with a total of one-hundred points per coin; also, after collecting one-hundred coins, the player would earn an extra life. In Super Mario 64, there were three different types of Coins: Yellow Coins, Blue Coins, and Red Coins. Yellow Coins played a much more vital part in completion of the game. By collecting coins, the player's HP meter will refill by one notch; also, if the player collects one-hundred coins on a stage, he or she will be awarded with an secret Power Star, which is vital to entirely completing the game. In Mario RPGs, Coins act as a form of currency to purchase items, weapons, badges, and other things that are useful along Mario's journey. |
Objects
| Name | Description | First Appearance |
|---|---|---|
| Brick Block
|
Perhaps one of the most common type of Blocks found throughout the Mario series is the Brick Block. First appearing in Super Mario Bros., Brick Blocks can only be broke by Super Mario or Super Luigi; they can only achieve this status after they have used a Super Mushroom. Some Brick Blocks turn out to hold many coins for the player to collect and add to his or her point total. Brick Blocks are also know to secretly contain power-ups and 1-Up Mushrooms. Brick Blocks also sometimes provide a bridge for the player to walk across abysses. Beanstalks also can be found hidden within certain Brick Blocks, allowing the player access to a Coin Heaven. Certainswitches can also be unveiled from a Brick Block; this can sometimes be vital to completing a level, depending on whether or not said switch activates an event that helps the player gain further access in the level. | |
| ? Block
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Debuting in Super Mario Bros., the ? Block provides the player with many things. Super Mushrooms, Fire Flowers, and Coins can all be received by hitting a ? Block in the game. In Super Mario 3 and in Super Mario World, there was also the possibility that a Switch would pop out of the block. In Super Mario 64, ? Blocks are replaced with ? Switches. In order for Mario to get his Wing Cap, he must find the ? Switch hidden in thecastle and press it. ? Blocks also appear in Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door; here, they are seen only during the chapter intermissions in which the player controls Bowser. These ? Blocks containMeat, which help Bowser to grow in size and become more powerful. In Super Mario Galaxy, ? Blocks holdStar Bits within them. Item Boxes from the Mario Kart series have an appearance similar to ? Blocks, only they have a transparent color. Another similar object is the ! Block. | |
| Warp Pipe
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Throughout the Mushroom Kingdom, Warp Pipes are used as the primary way of transportation. Debuting in Mario Bros., Warp Pipes would randomly eject various enemies for the player to defeat or avoid. In Super Mario Bros., Warp Pipes had a much more noticeable role. While they provided access to secret underground areas that often hosted mass amounts of Coins, they also were commonly clogged with Piranha Plants. On occasion, the player would have to use Warp Pipes as platforms to traverse from one area of a level to another. In Super Mario Bros. 3, Warp Pipes served basically the same purpose. However, the seventh world of the game was a massive maze of Warp Pipes that the player had to maneuver through. Certain Warp Pipes would take the player further into the level, while others would send them backwards. In almost all main Mario games, and in most role-playing games, Warp Pipes serve exactly the same purpose. In Mario Party 7, there was the Warp Pipe Orb, which served as a road block; any player that would pass over the space it had been set on would be teleported to a previous location in the board. | |
| POW Block
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Beginning from the Mario Bros. arcade game, POW Blocks have made great appearences in the Mario Series. One bump from under, and every enemy on the ground are stunned (For Shellcreepers, and later Spinys, is that very easy. But Sidesteppers first come in a bad mood, so must be done 2 times to stun. Fighter Flys can only be stunned on the ground, as mentioned before). However, the POW Block becomes flatter. It can be used 3 times, so players must use it wisely. In their debut, they appear in most phases. in Super Mario Bros. 2, they appear again, but are red instead. It can now be picked up, and can used once. This also defeats any ememy on the screen. In Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island, it appears, too, but enemies on the screen will change into Stars with feet, that can be counted to the counter. It also appears in every Paper Mario game, doing damage to all enemies in-battle. They also appear in Mario Kart Wii and Mario Kart: Arcade GP 2, but in comparision to the two mentioned games, the POW Block in those game work different to each other. Recently, they appear actually more than first. |
Major Characters and Species in the Mario Series
Characters
| Character | Brief Biography | First Appearance |
|---|---|---|
| Mario
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Mario is the main protagonist in his titular series of games. He made his debut in 1981, with the release ofDonkey Kong for arcades across the world. Mario, (going by the name "Jumpman" in that game), had to fight his way through several mazy stages full of obstacles and enemies in order to rescue Pauline from the large ape, Donkey Kong. After that, Mario became largely popular, receiving another game for the arcade — Mario Bros.— and then several more games for the newly-developed home game console, the NES. Throughout almost thirty years, Mario has been the star of the largest game franchise Nintendo has published. Many characters have fought alongside Mario in his adventures in platformers and RPGs, but many have also fought against him during those times. Mario has gone through many physical changes, from his original 8-bit appearance, to his current 128-bit appearance. Mario commonly rescues Princess Peach, as well as several others, such as Mushroom Retainers, as his adventures continue. Mario has even been accepting enough to team up at times with his greatest foe; Bowser. | |
| Luigi
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Luigi is Mario's younger brother, and a main protagonist in many games in the series. Luigi first debuted alongside his brother in Mario Bros. in 1983, fighting off the many Shellcreepers and Sidesteppers that would get in his way. Luigi reappeared in Super Mario Bros. for the NES, playable only in the two-player mode of the game. He later appeared in Super Mario Bros. 2, being playable in one-player mode for the first time. Luigi has appeared in many of Mario's games, but there were some from which he was excluded — among which are Super Mario 64 and Super Mario Sunshine. Luigi received his first starring role in Mario is Missing!, in which Luigi had to go on a search for Mario. Several years later, Luigi received a similar role in Luigi's Mansion, having to search for and rescue his brother. Luigi has appeared in every single Mario spin-off to date, from theMario Party series to the Mario Kart series. | |
| Princess Peach
|
Princess Peach — originally called "Princess Toadstool" — is one of the main protagonists in theMario series, and usually plays the damsel in distress. Princess Peach is the ruler of the Mushroom Kingdom, and is protected by many Toads. However, her protection commonly fails and eventually results in her being kidnapped, be it by Bowser, or by another villain. Princess Peach's original appearance was in a white dress with red stripes. However, it later changed to a pink dress in Super Mario Bros. 2. Super Mario Bros. 2 also marked the debut of Peach's first playable appearance, something not found often in mainstream Mario games. Princess Peach was repeatedly the victim of kidnapping for many years, until she finally took over the role of the main protagonist. In Super Princess Peach, Princess Peach had to rescue Mario, Luigi, and many of the Mushroom Kingdom's Toads from Bowser and his minions. Princess Peach has always been playable in whichever spinoff game she has appeared in; never once in a spin-off has she appeared as the victim. | |
| Bowser
|
Bowser is the main antagonist throughout most of the Mario series. He first appeared in Super Mario Bros.for the NES, having kidnapped Princess Toadstool. He is the King of all Koopas, and is found to be the final boss in almost all platformers. However, Bowser has, on occasion, teamed up with Mario to help save the world. Bowser is the father of many children, including the seven Koopalings — from the SNES era — and Bowser Jr.— from the Gamecube era forth. Bowser has shown signs of affection towards Princess Peach over the years as well; so despite the fact that he is a villain, he has never put her in any mortal danger. Rather, he has consistently attempted to put an end to Mario and Luigi. Bowser has appeared in almost every spin-off game in the Mario series; however, he has never once appeared as a playable character in the Mario Party series. | |
| Toad
|
Toad is a main protagonist in the Mario series, and is commonly found in the company of Princess Peach. Toad originally played the role of Princess Peach's assistant, as well as her guide and guardian throughout her travels; however, he has been reduced to mostly appearing as a playable character in spin-off titles, with his role in main games having been replaced by Toadsworth. His first playable appearance was in Super Mario Bros. 2. He appeared a few years later as the main protagonist of Wario's Woods; with the help of Birdo and Wanda, Toad had to defeat the monsters Wario was sending out from his woods to attack the Mushroom Kingdom. Though he appears identical to many others in his species, Toad is actually an entirely different character. | |
| Donkey Kong
|
Donkey Kong is a character that appears in the Mario series, but is the main protagonist of his own series. Donkey Kong made his first appearance in his titular arcade game released in 1981, appearing as the games main antagonist. He later appeared as a sort-of protagonist in Donkey Kong Jr., as he was the caged victim of Mario. Donkey Kong has appeared in the Mario series mostly in spin-off games since his arcade days. In the Mario Party sub-series, Donkey Kong originally appeared as a playable character, but eventually became a feature found on most boards from the fifth installment on. He has also appeared in some spin-offs withDiddy Kong, such as Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour and Mario Kart: Double Dash!!. Donkey Kong has recently reappeared as an antagonist in the Mario series, once again rivaling Mario in Mario vs. Donkey Kong and Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis. | |
| Yoshi
|
Yoshi is a main protagonist in the Mario series, and is also the main protagonist of his own series. Yoshi is native to Yoshi's Island, along with his fellow species. Yoshi's first appearance was in Super Mario World, in which Mario would ride Yoshi across the various levels of the game. Yoshi later appeared in his own series of games as a playable character. His only appearances in main Mario games after that were non-playable. Yoshi has appeared in almost every Mario spin-off game to date, always as a playable character. He has starred in every game in the long-running Mario Kart andMario Party sub-series, and has commonly appeared in the Mario Tennis and Mario Golf sub-series. | |
| Wario
|
Wario is an antagonist appearing in the Mario series, and is the main protagonist of his own series. Wario first appeared in Super Mario Land 2: Six Golden Coins, having taken over Mario's estate. Wario mostly appeared in Mario spin-offs after that game. He is always a playable character, and is often found partnered in some way with Waluigi. Wario appeared in Super Mario 64 DS as one of the games four playable protagonists; he was the last playable character to be unlocked, and was unlocked after defeating Chief Chilly. Wario is a burly person, generally classified as a heavy character in some manner. | |
| Princess Daisy
|
Princess Daisy is a protagonist in the Mario series, and is the ruler of Sarasaland; in her first appearance, she had been kidnapped by Tatanga and had to be rescued by Mario. Princess Daisy has appeared in manyMario spin-offs since Super Mario Land. She has appeared in installments of the Mario Party, Mario Kart, and Mario Tennis series, all of which are playable appearances. Daisy is a bit of a tomboy, despite being a Princess. As seen in many of the spin-offs she has appeared in, Daisy seems to have a strong connection with flowers; any special abilities she has used in games are powered by flowers in some way. | |
| Waluigi
|
Waluigi is a character that has never appeared in a mainstream Mario game. He is rumored to be Wario's brother, but no more has been confirmed than the fact that he is Wario's counterpart. Waluigi first appeared inMario Tennis for the Nintendo 64, in which he was Wario's teammate. Waluigi appears commonly in the Mario Party, Mario Kart, and Mario Golf sub-series as well, usually playing opposite of Wario. Waluigi has appeared as the main antagonist in only one game: Dance Dance Revolution: Mario Mix. In this spin-off, Waluigi had stolen all of the Music Keys in hope of world domination. Not much has ever been revealed about Waluigi's past, so where he comes from, and who he is related to remains a mystery. | |
| Toadette
|
Toadette is a female member of the Toad species, and is commonly found as a playable character in Mario spin-off titles. She is generally paired with Toad, and always has the same abilities as him as well. She was first seen as an unlockable character in Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, in which she was Toad's partner. She has since reappeared in the Mario Party and Mario Kart series. Toadette has appeared in only one mainstream Mario game to date:Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door. When Mario would receive the Super Boots, Super Hammer, Ultra Boots, or Ultra Hammer, Toadette would give Mario a tutorial on how to utilize the new ability he would gain from said objects. | |
| Bowser Jr.
|
Bowser Jr. is one of Bowser's sons, and the newest one introduced to the Mario series; he is sometimes considered a replacement for the Koopalings. Bowser Jr. first appeared in Super Mario Sunshine, acting as one of the game's two main antagonists. He was convinced that Princess Peach was his mother, and thus kidnapped her back from Mario. Bowser Jr. has commonly reappeared in mainstream Mario games, alongside Bowser, usually in the act of kidnapping Princess Peach. He has appeared as a playable character in some games as well; among these are Mario Kart: Double Dash!! and Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour. | |
| Birdo
|
Birdo is a character in the Mario series. Though she first appeared in Super Mario Bros. 2, she mostly appears in spin-off titles now. Birdo is shown to have strong affection towards Yoshi. Birdo is actually a member of aspecies that shares her name. The pink Birdo that appears in various spin-off titles was not clearly identified until she had commonly reappeared in said spin-offs. Birdo also has caused much controversy over her gender. In the American versions of games, Birdo is usually portrayed as a female; in the Japanese versions, Birdo is portrayed as a male thinking he is female. | |
| Toadsworth
|
Toadsworth is a protagonist in the Mario series, and serves as Princess Peach's personal steward. He has replaced the role of Toad since the release of Super Mario Sunshine. He also appeared in Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door as Peach's steward; the player could talk to him at any time at the inn at Rogueport. Toadsworth also appeared in New Super Mario Bros.; in this game, he didn't act as Princess Peach's steward; rather, he ran the Toad Houses found throughout the various worlds of the game. Toadsworth has also appeared as a host of a few spin-off titles, such as Mario Kart: Double Dash!! and Mario Party 7. He has appeared as a playable character only in the Mario Baseball series. |
Species
| Enemy Name | Brief Biography | First Appearance |
|---|---|---|
| Goomba
|
Goombas were the first enemy to appear in Super Mario Bros., and have since then generally been the first common enemy featured in mainstream Mario games. Goombas have been depicted to be "the underlings of underlings", though they are commonly found throughout the Mushroom Kingdom. Goombas are brown mushroom-like creatures that generally work under the orders of Bowser. There have been Goombas shown to have more benevolent personalities in such games as Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, though they are less common than the actual enemies. Goombas can be found both on their own, as well as with several other Goombas and other types of enemies. Goombas have had important roles in games in the Mario Party series, appearing as hosts, as well as obstacles in mini-games. Goombas have had very few appearance changes over the years, almost always appearing as brown, teardrop-shaped creatures with two feet. However, the Goombas of Super Mario World — Kuribons — are round in design. | |
| Paragoomba
|
Paragoombas, first debuting in Super Mario Bros. 3, are an aerial subspecies of Goombas. Paragoombas share the exact shame appearance as regular Goombas, except they have white, feathery wings, which give them the ability to hop and fly. Paragoombas usually hover about in random patterns, similar to some Koopa Paratroopas. They also have the ability to create multiple Micro Goombas that stick to the player and temporarily remove their ability to jump. Paragoombas have since reappeared in many games, including all games in the Paper Mario series and Super Princess Peach. They also appeared in Mario Superstar Baseball, in which they were playable for the first time. | |
| Koopa Troopa
|
Koopa Troopas are common enemies from the Mario series, and sometimes an ally, which first appeared alongside with Goombas from Super Mario Bros.. They appeared as a regular turtle, acting just like one, however, in Super Mario World, Koopa Troopas began to walk on their feet, and not on all four's. They come in many different colors, ranging from Red ones to Blue ones. Koopa's have first appeared as an ally from Paper Mario, in which many of the Koopa's from Koopa Village help out Mario and friends. Koopa Troopa's have also made their first playable appearance in Super Mario Kart. In the Paper Mario series, Koopa Troopas were also featured as an enemy, and wore shades and a spiked collar too. Koopa Troopa's will hide in their shell if stomped on, or be flipped over, in which they cannot get up for a certain amount of time. Their shells can be kicked, and can defeat enemies by just knocking them out. Koopa Troopas were modelled after Shellcreepers which first appeared in the original Mario Bros. in the arcade. | |
| Koopa Paratroopa
|
This aerial subspecies of Koopa Troopa first appeared in Super Mario Bros.. Much like Paragoombas, Paratroopas share the same basic physical features as their ground-bound counterparts. Should a Paratroopa be jumped on, it will lose it's ability to fly, becoming a mere Koopa Troopa. Depending on their shell color, Paratroopas have varying flying patterns. For example, green-shelled Paratroopas are not fully airborne, as they can only hop along whilst fluttering their wings; red-shelled Paratroopas are fully airborne, being able to fly in swift, continuous patterns, be it vertically or horizontally. A Paratroopa became playable for the first time in Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, in which, it could receive Triple Shells as it's special item and was standardly teamed with a Koopa Troopa. | |
| Boo
|
Boos are a species of ghosts that tend to haunt castles and other dark locations; they first appear in Super Mario Bros. 3. Boos have the ability to make themselves invisible to others around them, keeping them safe from most possible harm. In Super Mario Bros. 3, Boos are invulnerable to all attacks except for being touched while using a Star. If the player were to stare at a Boo, it would cover its face; if they player were to face the opposite direction, the Boo would chase after the player to attack. Boos also have several alternate varieties, from theirlarge counterparts to their vibe-inflicted ones. In Super Mario Bros. Deluxe, Boos were show to have a natural talent for racing. In this game, several different-colored Boos appeared as opponents, each much swifter than the last. Boos have also appeared as playable characters in many spin-off games, including theMario Party series, as well as the Mario Golf series. Some Boos have been shown to have friendly personalities as well, much like Bow from Paper Mario, and the Creepy Steeple Boo from Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door. | |
| Hammer Bro.
|
Hammer Bros. are a variety of bipedal Koopas that wield many hammers as their weapons. First appearing in World 3 of Super Mario Bros., Hammer Bros. would always appear in pairs, throwing massive amounts of hammers at Mario or Luigi. Hammer Bros. were vulnerable to fireballs and jumps, just as most enemies were, and they could also be knocked off of the blocks that they stood upon. They reappeared in Super Mario Bros. 3, along with their many related species — Boomerang Bros., Fire Bros., Sledge Bros., and Sumo Bros.. Hammer Bros. have consistently reappeared in many games since then, generally appearing as tough foes for Mario and Luigi to defeat. In Mario Party 8, a Hammer Bro. became playable for the first time, being available as an unlockable character. | |
| Magikoopa
|
Magikoopas are a species of Koopas garbed in cloth robes; they are highly notable for their ability to cast various magical spells on their victims. First debuting in Super Mario World, Magkioopas would cast spells on Mario, inflicting damage on him with immediate contact. Magikoopas have reappeared in many different games since then, from the Mario Party series, to the Paper Mario series. Perhaps two of the most notable Magikoopas areKamek — who is portrayed as the main antagonist of the Yoshi series — and Kammy Koopa, who plays Bowser's assistant in the Paper Mario series. Magikoopas have many different relatives, all of which can perform different magic. | |
| Lakitu
|
Lakitus are a variety of Koopas that ride on clouds, throwing Spiny Eggs at their prey. They first appear inWorld 4-1 of Super Mario Bros.. Lakitus will continue to chase their enemies as long as they can. Though they reside high in the sky, they are not invincible. Should the player reach a platform that is high enough, he or she can jump on top of the Lakitu, defeating it instantly; fireballs also can defeat Lakitus if they are shot from a high location. Lakitus appear in many games as enemies, constantly bombarding their enemies with Spiny Eggs. In Super Mario 64 and its DS counterpart, a Lakitu played a somewhat large role as the cameraman; this Lakitu was always behind the player, in order to give a clear third-person view of the game. | |
| Buzzy Beetle
|
First appearing in World 4-2 of Super Mario Bros., Buzzy Beetles are extremely hard-shelled Koopa-like creatures. They are small in size with a relatively dark shell; this shell, though similar in appearance to a typical Koopa Shell, protects them from being harmed by fireballs. However, Buzzy Beetles are still vulnerable to being flipped over onto their backs — or into their shells — and being kicked around to harm other enemies; Buzzy Beetle shells will ricochet off of any hard surface and come rocketing back to the player to inflict damage if he or she does not avoid it in time. Buzzy Beetles appear in many games as enemies that Mario must fight. In the Paper Mario sub-series, Buzzy Beetles appear not only as enemies, but as notable characters such as Chan, Torque, and Spiky Joe. In these games, Buzzy Beetles are just as impervious to fire as ever, and they even have high defense that protects them from damage. | |
| Spiny
|
Spinies are small, Koopa-like creatures that hatch from the Spiny Eggs thrown by Lakitus. They are similar in stature to Buzzy Beetles, as they are quadrupedal and have a hard shell that cover them almost entirely. Their shells are a fiery red color, with sharp white spikes poking from all available spots. Because of these spikes, they cannot be jumped on; rather, they must be defeated by being attacked with fireballs. Spinies appear in several games after Super Mario Bros., reprising their role as the live ammo thrown by Lakitus. Despite the fact that they are ground-bound, Koopa-like creatures, they do not have airborne subspecies. | |
| Cheep-Cheep
|
Cheep-Cheeps are a species of fish that first appear in World 2-2 of Super Mario Bros.. In this game, they appear in two different colors: red and green. The red Cheep-Cheeps could swim in a diagonal pattern, while the green ones were restricted to swimming in a straight line. Underwater, Cheep-Cheeps can only be defeated by attacking them with fireballs; otherwise, they must simply be avoided. Cheep-Cheeps are also shown to be able to survive above water, despite being fish. They have the ability to jump at extraordinary heights out of water; there are also some Cheep-Cheeps that live on land, (such as Chef Shimi). Cheep Cheeps have a large variety of subspecies, some of which are spiked, are extremely large, or are miniscule in size. | |
| Shy Guy
|
First appearing in the American version of Super Mario Bros. 2, Shy Guys are a commonly recurring species in both the Mario and Yoshi series. In the Yoshi series, Shy Guys are always found as enemies; however, in the Mario series, they are commonly seen as benevolent characters. In Super Mario Bros. 2, Shy Guys appeared as enemies that were attacking Subcon, along with their relatives, Beezos. Shy Guys generally appear in spin-off games, such as those from the Mario Party, Mario Tennis, and Mario Kart series. They are generally seen in the audience, or help take part in the story of a mini-game, but have also appeared as playable characters in a few games, such as Mario Kart DS. | |
| Dry Bones
|
First appearing in Super Mario Bros. 3, Dry Bones are the zombified skeletal remains of a Koopa Troopa. In their first appearance, they were quadrupedal, crawling around much like a Koopa Troopa; they later became bipedal, just as Koopas. Perhaps their most notable feature is their ability to reanimate. After being jumped on, they will collapse into a pile of bones; after a few moments, they will arise and once again act as enemies. Originally, they were made to be impervious to fire; however, they were later shown to be vulnerable to the attacks of a fireball. Dry Bones always appear as enemies in main games, and very seldom do the speak. However, a Dry Bones was brought into theMario Party series as a playable character. In New Super Mario Bros., Bowser falls into a pit of lava. His bones are later reanimated to make Dry Bowser, the Dry Bones form of Bowser. | |
| Blooper
|
Bloopers — originally called "Bloobers" — are squid-like creatures that are generally found underwater, usually with the company of Cheep-Cheeps. Bloopers can move freely in any direction they wish, though they do so in a slow manner. Bloopers like to corner their prey, closing in on their victim, even ganging up on them. InSuper Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels, Bloopers have the ability to hover through the sky. Their motion in the sky is identical to those made in water, so it looks as if they are swimming through the sky. Bloopers have been shown to be able to survive out of water in the Paper Mario series as well. A Blooper first became playable in Mario Party 8, where it was an unlockable. | |
| Piranha Plant
|
Piranha Plants are a type of flora that dwell within warp pipes. When they come out, they will bite anyone who steps on them. However, if someone is right beside a their pipe, they will not come out, making the pipe safe to stand on. Piranha Plants can only be damaged by attacking them with fireballs, or other projectiles. Despite the fact that they live in pipes, they do not clog the pipes; as such, the pipes are still able to be used as a form of transportation. There are many types of Piranha Plant. Some, like the Venus Fire Trap, can emit fireballs from its mouth as an additional way to attack. There are also Ptooies, which blow on a heavy ball; should this ball be touched, the player will be damaged. Piranha Plants do not have eyes, so it is unknown how they see their prey, or if it is a heightened sense — such as smell — that allows them to locate their prey. | |
| Chain Chomp
|
Chain Chomps are vicious, dog-like creatures that resemble a ball and chain. They are often staked to the ground so that they can only reach so far. Chain Chomps have long, sharp teeth that they bite their prey with; they also tend to ram their head into any being that approaches them. Chain Chomps have no feet or arms, so they must hop along by their head. They have extremely vicious personalities, and tend to attack anyone or anything that approaches them. They have also appeared in the Mario Party series, usually acting as the subject of a mini-game; even in these roles, they are feared by any around them, and generally try to attack the players in some manner. | |
| Bullet Bill
|
Bullet Bills are the last type of enemy to be introduced in Super Mario Bros., appearing in World 5 of the game. Bullet Bills are a type of projectile that are shot out of blasters in order to attack the player. Once fired, Bullet Bills could only move in a perfectly horizontal line across the screen. They are impervious to fire, and can only be damaged by jumping on them. In Super Mario 64, Bullet Bills were much larger in size, and were given the ability to make turns after being shot. Bullet Bills have many varieties, including the large Banzai Bill — which act identically to a Bullet Bill — the sea-bound Torpedo Ted — which are launched out underwater to attack — and the Bombshell Bill, an extremely hard and powerful version of a Bullet Bill. Bullet Bills have never been playable in a game, and no confirmation has been made as to whether or not they will be. |
![Artwork of a Boo in Mario Party 8. It has subsequently been used for Super Mario 3D Land.[1]](/File:BooMP8Official.png)
Other Series
Partner Series
| Emblem | Summary | List of Main Games |
|---|---|---|
| Yoshi Series
|
The Yoshi series is perhaps one of the most tightly linked partner series to the Marioseries. While all of the games star Yoshi and his island's villagers, some games also featureBaby Mario, Baby Luigi, and several other infant characters from the Mario series. With the release of hisself-titled debut, Yoshi earned his own series in 1991. The series then spawned several games from there. While some Yoshi games are in the puzzle genre, the more main series takes place on Yoshi's Island, where he must constantly save his island and the babies from imminent doom. |
|
| Wario Series
|
The Wario series is another fairly large Nintendo franchise. The series started with Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3, in which Wario was the main protagonist in the game. Despite the game's title, it had nothing to do with Mario whatsoever. From there, the Wario Land sub-series spawned five more games over the next fourteen years. The most recent Wario Land game was released for the Wii in 2008; this game was titled Wario Land: Shake It!. The Wario series also has another sub-series — the WarioWare series. This sub-series consists of several games, all of which contain microgames. TheWario series finally received a playable character in the Super Smash Bros.series when Wario was included in Super Smash Bros. Brawl's lineup. |
|
| Donkey Kong Series
|
If not for the Donkey Kong series, there would be no Mario series. In 1981, with the release of Donkey Kong, Donkey Kong posed as the main antagonist in the game; the main protagonist, "Jumpman", had to rescue Pauline from the evil ape. Over a decade later, the series would adopt a whole new premise with the release of Donkey Kong Country. Though the game was 16-bit, it had the appearance of a 3-dimensional sidescroller — somewhat like New Super Mario Bros.. Donkey Kong Country featured Donkey Kong andDiddy Kong as the main protagonists throughout the game. The series later released two more sequels to Donkey Kong Country, which featured new playable characters such as Dixie Kong and Kiddy Kong. The latest 3-dimensional Donkey Kong adventure game was Donkey Kong 64, for the Nintendo 64. It brought new characters into the series such as Tiny Kong and Chunky Kong. Many rumors were made about the release ofDonkey Kong Wii, but no official information was ever confirmed. |
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| Super Smash Bros. Series
|
With the release of Super Smash Bros. in 1999, Nintendo started the Super Smash Bros. series. Though the series was more of a crossover series for all of Nintendo's major series, it has featured five different Mariocharacters: Mario, Luigi, Peach, Bowser, and Dr. Mario. Yoshi, Donkey Kong, Diddy Kong, and Wario have also appeared as playable characters, however they are shown to represent their own series. In the games, players would select whichever character they wanted, and would then fight against each other on a specific stage. Each character had different movesets, clearly defining them from one another. Characters could also use items to harm other characters or help themselves in some way. The game was an all-out fight between some of Nintendo's most popular video game characters. |
|
Spin-offs
| Artwork | Summary | List of Games |
|---|---|---|
| Mario Party Series
|
The Mario Party sub-series is the largest Mario spin-off series to date. With a total of ten main games, the sub-series has been released on the Nintendo 64, Game Boy Advance, GameCube, DS, and Wii. There were also quite a few games released in Japan; they were playable only on arcade machines. The series started in 1999 with the release of Mario Party. The general plot of each game of the series relies solely on luck and skill. While the actual game boards rely on luck — either from the Dice Block, or from which paths the player takes — the mini-games rely on skill. The player must perform various tasks in each mini-game; some mini-games will award the player with coins as long as they play, while others require the player to win to earn coins. Many characters have been playable throughout the series, including characters such as Koopa Kid, Hammer Bro., and several other unique characters. The most recent Mario Party game to date was Mario Party DS, released for the Nintendo DS in 2007. |
|
| Mario Kart Series
|
The Mario Kart series is one of the most popular genres of Mario spin-offs. Like the titles says, the player could race as one of the Mario characters. The first game of every Mario Kart was Super Mario Kart, released for the SNES. This had eight characters: Mario, Luigi, Peach, Yoshi, Toad, Koopa Troopa, Bowser and Donkey Kong Jr. The courses took mostly in the same locations, but the courses self had their location name and the number of this course (e.g. Koopa Beach 1). Also, there were 5 courses in 1 cup, and the Special Cup was only playable in 100cc. This later changed in Mario Kart 64. Wario and Donkey Kong took the places of Koopa and DK Jr., Courses were differently named, 4 courses in 1 cup and the Special Cup was in every cc playable. It was also the first Mario Kart that can be played up to 4 players. Also, more and more was added to give whole fun to racing (e.g. VS in Mario Kart: Super Circuit, More karts in Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, Classic courses in Mario Kart DS, bikes in Mario Kart Wii). Recent games have also more functions added than older games, like Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection in Mario Kart DS, but not in Mario Kart: Double Dash!!. Some functions are also deleted in other games (e.g. 2 racers rode in 1 kart in Mario Kart: Double Dash!! was deleted in Mario Kart DS, which had the function to play missions, but were replaced by the competitions in Mario Kart Wii). Like the Mario Party Series, more and more characters have parcipitaded in Mario Kart Series (e.g. Rosalina, R.O.B and Petey Piranha). The items (which were introduced in the first Mario Kart) also got more additions (like Mega Mushroom, Blooper and Bob-Omb). Special Items were also once in Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, but were deleted. Some Special Items stayed or were replaced. |
|
| Mario Golf Series
|
The Mario Golf series is yet another one of Mario's sports spin-offs. This sub-series revolves around the grassy sport of golf. Mario and his friends (and enemies in some games) grab their golf clubs and tees and prepare to compete to see who is the best golfer. The series started with the release of Golf for the NES in 1984. The only playable character in the game was Mario, who appeared in much different apparel than usual. Past there, the series started to introduce more and more characters to be playable, including Luigi, Peach, Bowser, and many others. Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour featured the largest cast of playable characters ever; it also had the compatibility to be linked to the Game Boy Advance game, Mario Golf: Advance Tour, for the addition of new characters. The home-console-to-handheld-system linking capability is a feature that has been available since the release of Mario Golf for the Nintendo 64. The games feature the exact same rules as a real world golf game; however, many Mario elements are added as obstacles throughout some courses, giving the series even more originality. |
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| Mario Tennis Series
|
The Mario Tennis series is yet another sports sub-series of the Mario series. The series revolves around the concept of tennis, as the games' titles imply. The series started in 1995 with the release of Mario's Tennis for the Virtual Boy. Despite the fact that Nintendo started the series on an unpopular game system, four more games have been released to date. The games stay fairly close to the real world concept of tennis; however, there are some Mario series features added to each game. Many human characters are introduced in the sub-series — as with the Mario Golf series — though they were never seen in any other Mario series or games. The latest release in the series was Mario Tennis: Power Tour for the Game Boy Advance. |
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| Mario Strikers Series
|
The Mario Strikers series is a soccer-based sports spin-off in the Mario series. The series has only two installments: one for the Gamecube, and one for the Wii. The Mario Strikers series features many playable characters in its few installments. The first release was Super Mario Strikers, for the Gamecube; it featured eight team captains, along with four different types of sidekicks. The second installment, Mario Strikers Charged, featured twelve team captains and eight types of sidekicks to select from. |
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| Mario Baseball Series
|
The Mario Baseball series is the latest sports-based spin-off in the Marioseries. As its name implies, it revolves around the concept of baseball. This sub-series features more playable characters in a single game than in any other spin-off title, with a total of more than forty in the most recent installment, Mario Super Sluggers. The series originated with Mario Superstar Baseball for the Gamecube, which was developed by Namco. The sequel was released on the Wii in 2008 in Japan and North America; however, no announcements of release dates in Europe or Australia have been announced. |
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Film and Literature
Cartoons
| Series Name | Synopsis | # of Episodes |
|---|---|---|
| The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!
|
The Super Mario Bros. Super Show! was the first animated series to revolve around the Mario series. It debuted in 1989 and ended in 1990. The show was loosely based on Super Mario Bros. and Super Mario Bros. 2. Each episode would have Mario, Luigi, Toad, and/or Princess Toadstool fighting against King Koopa in some way. In addition to the animation, the show featured a short live-action segment with each episode. One episode would air per day from Monday to Thursday of each week; on Friday, The Legend of Zelda cartoon would air. The Super Mario Bros. Super Show! was renamed 'Club Mario' in 1990. | |
| The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3
|
The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3 was the second Mario animated series to be made; it debuted in 1990 and ended in 1991. Unlike its predecessor, which aired four days a week, The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3 only aired once a week, on every Saturday morning. As its title implied, the show was based off of Super Mario Bros. 3, thus, the show's atmosphere had morphed somewhat to make a more fitting link between the show and the game. Each of Bowser's seven Koopalings appeared in the show, however under entirely different names. Among many other things from Super Mario Bros. 3 that had been implemented into the cartoons included the various power-ups of the game, such as the Frog Suit and Super Leaf. | |
| Super Mario World
|
The Super Mario World animated series was the third and final animated Mario series; as its name implies, it was based somewhat off of the game of the same, Super Mario World. It was a short-lived series, debuting and ending in the same year: 1991. The show featured mostly the same features that The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3 had, only some of it had been twisted to match the story of Super Mario World a little better. It also introduced two new characters, exclusive to this show: Yoshi and Oogtar the cave-boy. |
Movie
- Main article: Super Mario Bros. (film)
The Super Mario Bros. film was a movie that was loosely based on the Super Mario Bros. series of video games; it was released in 1993. The movie is often considered to be very poor. The estimated production of the film was $42 million; however, the gross revenue wasn't even $21 million — thus, the movie took a huge financial loss. The movie starred Bob Hoskins, (as Mario), John Leguizamo, (as Luigi), and Dennis Hopper, (as King Koopa). In the movie, Mario and Luigi must rescue Daisy, the princess of Dinohatten, from King Koopa's cousins —Spike and Iggy.
Comics
- Main article: Club Nintendo
Club Nintendo was the German equivalent of Nintendo Power; it was a series of magazines dedicated to everything Nintendo-related. However, Club Nintendo had a unique feature: every other month, a comic was published by Club Nintendo, generally featuring Mario-related characters and species. The first comic issue debuted in April of 1991. Over a span of eight years, Club Nintendo released a total of 37 comics that were based around the Mario series.
Critical Reception
The Mario series is the largest video game franchise in existence, and has had a lifespan of almost thirty years. It is often considered to be the greatest video game series of all time, receiving many high-scoring reviews on their various games.[11] In the series, many games have been considered to be the best of their time by players.[12] However, the series has been considered to have some games of lower quality.[13] An example is the Mario Party sub-series; after the release of Mario Party 2, the series is considered to have lost its flair, as the games often contain the same mechanics.[14] Super Mario Bros. was declared to be the greatest video game of all time twice: once by IGN in 2003, and the other time by GamesRadar in 2000.[15]
The Mario cartoons also were shown to have received good reviews.[16][17][18] Though each of the series were very short-lived, they were considered to be highly popular, attracting an audience of children to each episode.[19]
Even with the success of the games and cartoons in the series, there was still a large production that attracted a lot of negative reviews. The Super Mario Bros. film is often considered to be a great failure. The film took over a $20 million gross loss in profits. Bob Hoskins, who played the role of Mario in the film, was recorded saying that the movie was a "nightmare". In the May 2006 issue of Nintendo Power, an interviewee from the magazine had said, "Yes, it happened. Let us speak no more of it."
Cultural Impact
The Mario series has been referenced many ways throughout the years. From animation to music, and from the internet to other video games, the Mario series has culturally impacted many people.
In animation, Mario characters and elements have appeared in such shows asThe Simpsons, The Ren and Stimpy Show, and even Spongebob Squarepants.
In films, the Mario series has been referenced in such titles as Billy Madison and Ghostbusters II.
Not many references have been made to the Mario series in music, but some songs have been dedicated to the popular series, such as the song "Birdo" as performed by Horse the Band.
The Mario series is highly popular on the internet. Many websites have dedicated themselves to the series in some way, while others poke fun at the series. The popular website, Newgrounds, has many fan-made games that are Mario-themed in some way.
Many comics and books have also referenced the Mario series, or are completely centered around them.
In television, the Mario series has been referenced in such shows as The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and My Name is Earl.
The Mario series has been referenced more times in video games than in any other form of publication. Many games created by Nintendo, such as Animal Crossing make very notable references to the Mario series. Even games on non-Nintendo consoles, such as Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts and Bolts, have referenced the Mario series in some way.
The Mario series has also been referenced in commercials as well as in theaters.
External Links
References
- ^ 200 games released
- ^ Best-selling NES game
- ^ Extreme difficulty of Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels
- ^ Super Mario Land's sales total
- ^ Mario Land 2 sales
- ^ Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars user ratings
- ^ Super Mario 64 sales results
- ^ Rumored glitches in Super Mario 64
- ^ Rumors of Luigi in Super Mario 64
- ^ Super Mario Bros. Deluxe sales
- ^ Critical acclaim (from IGN)
- ^ 100 games — 7 of which are Mario games
- ^ 10 Biggest Video Game Flops — GamePro
- ^ Mario Party series ratings
- ^ Super Mario Bros. declared the greatest game of all time
- ^ Review of The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!
- ^ Review of The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3
- ^ Review for the Super Mario World animated series
- ^ The cartoons that had children waiting for more of the Mushroom Kingdom