From an outside perspective, it can be tough to truly understand what makes Mario a big deal. He is an Italian plumber made by a Japanese company who speaks English. He has been featured in hundreds of games as a racer, doctor, fighter, golfer, partier and more.
How did he get to this point? How has this one character been able to spawn so many different entertainment properties around him? There is a movie, an amusement park and multiple stores across the U.S. selling his merchandise.
It starts by first figuring out what a real deal Mario game is. Typically, when someone says they’re playing “Mario,” they are referring to either the 2D games or the 3D ones.
The 2D games are the originals. They aren’t really what started it all (Mario’s first appearance can be dated back to the 1981 arcade game “Donkey Kong”), but Nintendo likes to focus its anniversaries around the initial 1985 release of “Super Mario Bros.” in Japan.
Though this particular genre in the series has evolved a lot over the years, it has kept its main focus on linear platforming with different mechanics and power-ups to spice up the level design.
Every level generally comes with its own idea, where the game gently teaches the player one new mechanic and then another, until slowly it ramps up into an entirely new thing, the likes of which you’ve probably never played before.
Though there have been 24 mainline games over these 40 years, each one comes with its own identity and focus.
“Super Mario Bros.” (1985) created the blueprint for what modern games could be, with that first level being burned into countless players’ minds and plastered over countless arcade and gaming spaces around the world.
“Super Mario 64” (1996) saw the birth of three-dimensional video games. Because the Nintendo 64 cartridges didn’t have the memory to support a bunch of linear, individual levels, the game instead had fewer, but larger open-ended levels. What was created as a response to limitations actually created an entirely new and beloved genre of Mario based on exploration and creative movement.
“New Super Mario Bros. Wii” (2009) was the first time you could play with friends, all at the same time, in a Mario game. The “New” series of games would grow a bit stale as time went on, as these games were a bit tame in originality, but they still serve as an important stepping stone for the series today.
“Super Mario Odyssey” (2017) was a much-needed return to form. After years of stale, risk-free entries in the series, Mario returned to 3D in a big way that was as much an ode to Mario 64 as it was its own thing entirely. Based on the mechanics of taking control of enemies, its imaginative world design and intricate movement made it one of the best games of all time.
“Super Mario Bros. Wonder” (2023) injected the 2D series with some much-needed life. Structurally, it mirrors that of the “New” series, but with flashes of modern ingenuity. Mario got a new art style, each level features a wild twist, and the gameplay has a particular focus on enemies and environment.
As many 80s arcade coin-op characters fade into obscurity, Mario stands as a triumphant reminder of technological innovation and progress. While gaming titans like EA and 2K continue to flounder around with recycled game engines and overbearing micro-transactions, Nintendo pushes the envelope for what a great game looks like.
Nintendo is certainly not free from scrutiny, with rising prices at the forefront, but at the very least, when you do actually buy a Mario game, it doesn’t lose value like most other games on the market.
What stands out about these games is not only a singular focus on fun, but the game’s staunch creativity and unwavering replayability. The beauty here is that anyone, from any country or walk of life, could boot up these games and have fun.
