Super Mario (franchise)
- This article is about the multimedia franchise as a whole. For the series of platform games, see Super Mario (series).
| Super Mario | |
|---|---|
 Logo design used since Super Mario 3D Land | |
| First installment | Donkey Kong (1981, overall) Mario Bros. (Game & Watch) (1983, Super Mario–specific media) |
| Latest installment | Yoshi and the Mysterious Book (2026, overall) The Super Mario Galaxy Movie (2026, Super Mario–specific media) |
| Number of installments | 300+ |
| Series | Mario Bros., Wrecking Crew, Super Mario, Mario Golf, Famicom Grand Prix, Dr. Mario, Mario Teaches Typing, Mario Kart, Mario Discovery Series, Mario's Picross, Game & Watch Gallery, Mario Party, Mario Artist, Mario Tennis, Paper Mario, Luigi's Mansion, Mario & Luigi, Mario vs. Donkey Kong, Super Mario Stadium, Mario Strikers, Mario & Sonic, Mario + Rabbids |
| Related franchises | Donkey Kong, Yoshi, Wario |
- “Super Mario is equivalent to the Big Bang of our gaming universe. If it were not for this blindingly spectacular creation, digital entertainment as we know it today would not exist.”
- —Hideo Kojima, Nintendo Power Volume 230, November 2010
The Super Mario[1][2][3][4] franchise, also known as the Super Mario Bros.[5] franchise or simply the Mario[6][7][8][9] franchise,[10] is a media franchise chiefly consisting of video games published and produced by the Japanese company Nintendo. It centers around the fictional character Mario, an Italian plumber who serves as the hero of a realm called the Mushroom Kingdom. The franchise was created by game designer Shigeru Miyamoto, and its first installment was the arcade game Donkey Kong, released on July 9, 1981. Many of the games are developed and self-published by Nintendo, while others are developed by other companies under Nintendo's supervision (such as Hudson Soft, Camelot Software Planning, and Intelligent Systems) or by development studios affiliated with Nintendo (including Next Level Games, Retro Studios, and Nintendo Cube). Most Super Mario games have been released for Nintendo's various video game consoles and handhelds, from the third generation onwards.
The main series in the franchise is the Super Mario series, consisting of platform games that typically involve Mario and his brother, Luigi, adventuring to save the Mushroom Kingdom and its ruler, Princess Peach, from the Koopa villain Bowser and his army of minions. The two brothers use their jumping prowess and various power-ups to progress through levels, while also being helped by their friends, such as the dinosaur-like character Yoshi and Mushroom Kingdom citizen Toad. Super Mario games of other genres include the Mario Kart racing series; sports games such as the Mario Tennis, Mario Golf, Super Mario Stadium, and Mario Strikers series; party games such as the Mario Party series; role-playing games such as the Paper Mario and Mario & Luigi series; puzzle games such as the Dr. Mario and Mario vs. Donkey Kong series; the action-adventure Luigi's Mansion series; and educational games such as the Mario Discovery Series, among others. Furthermore, a few spin-off franchises have arisen starring specific characters from the franchise, namely the Donkey Kong, Yoshi, and Wario franchises. In total, over 300 video games are included in the franchise, which combined have sold over 950 million copies, more than any other video game franchise. The franchise has also been licensed into other media, such as television series, anime, comics (including manga), children's books, and feature films, and spawned various promotional videos and a theme park attraction. As the flagship franchise of Nintendo, Super Mario has garnered critical acclaim and widespread recognition throughout the world, with several of its games being considered to be among the best video games ever made. It has become one of the world's highest-grossing media franchises, as well as one of the longest-running video game franchises of all time.
The best-selling game in the franchise is Mario Kart 8 Deluxe for the Nintendo Switch, selling over 71.53 million copies worldwide as of June 30, 2026.[11]
Common elements
Plot, themes, and universe
Characters
The franchise revolves around the adventures of an extensive cast of recurring characters. The main protagonist of the franchise, the titular Mario, is a fictional Italian-American plumber who serves as the hero of a realm called the Mushroom Kingdom, which he endeavors to defend by traversing through stages filled with obstacles and enemies. His arch-nemesis is Bowser, the king of the Koopas, a race of evil-driven anthropomorphic turtles. Bowser is responsible for the vast majority of the Mushroom Kingdom's invasions, and almost always appears as the final boss, who consistently attempts to put an end to the escapades of Mario and his friends.
Mario's younger but taller twin brother, Luigi, often participates in his adventures alongside him; in early games, he was playable only in the two-player mode as a simple palette swap, but with the passage of time, he went on to gain more significant roles. The Mushroom Kingdom's ruler, Princess Peach, is Mario's love interest and recurring damsel in distress; she repeatedly gets kidnapped by Bowser and has to be rescued by Mario, but occasionally serves as a protagonist herself. Her kingdom's inhabitants and her personal servants are the Toads, a species of fungal creatures who often support Mario during his adventures. A homonymous individualized member of this species often appears as a sidekick to Mario and Luigi and sometimes serves as a damsel in distress. Additionally, Toadette, introduced in spin-off games as Toad's female counterpart, has also begun to play a larger role in the main platformer series' recent games, from helpful side character to playable protagonist. Another prominent sidekick of Mario's is Yoshi, a dinosaur-like creature who serves as a riding mount to Mario, and has a long tongue which he uses to eat food and enemies; this character became so popular after his debut that he was spun off into his own franchise. Mario also has a greedy, hot-tempered doppelganger rival named Wario, who has antagonized Mario on various occasions, and also serves as an anti-hero with his own adventures which generally involve money grubbing and treasure hunting. Donkey Kong, a muscular and somewhat dim-witted ape, originally served as Mario's first rival in his arcade debut, but eventually became the main protagonist of his own franchise; in his adventures and spin-offs, he pairs with his buddy Diddy Kong, a monkey who specializes in acrobatics.
Other significant recurring characters in the franchise include Princess Daisy, the tomboyish ruler of a four-kingdom country called Sarasaland who later became a friend to Peach; Birdo, a pink dinosaur creature originally portrayed as an antagonist but revived as Yoshi's frequent ally in spin-offs; Waluigi, Wario's accomplice in many spin-off games; Professor Elvin Gadd, an aging scientist and inventor; Rosalina, a mysterious figure who watches over the cosmos; the Lumas, a species of stars who are cared for by Rosalina and accompany her often; and Pauline, originally portrayed as the damsel in distress in the arcade Donkey Kong but eventually resurrected as a city mayor and singer. Additionally, Mario and Luigi have their own infant versions, who are recurring characters in Yoshi's adventures and appear alongside their adult counterparts in spin-offs.
Enemies
Throughout his adventures, Mario faces a wide variety of enemies that make attempts to hinder his progress. The majority of these enemies are in the service of Bowser, and are collectively known as Bowser's Minions.
Mario's most common enemies are the Goombas, closely followed by the Koopa Troopas. Goombas are mushroom-like creatures that betrayed the Mushroom Kingdom, and are almost always the first enemy that Mario encounters on his adventures. They are the most basic and standard enemies of the series; typically they are extremely weak to the extent that a single stomp is enough to defeat them. Koopa Troopas, as their name implies, are Koopas serving as basic foot soldiers for Bowser who retract into their shells if stomped on, after which they can be used to attack other foes (either by being kicked or picked up and thrown). They come in multiple colors, most often green and red; green Koopa Troopas move around recklessly and tend to fall off platforms, while red ones are much more cautious. Koopa Troopas also exist in several variants, the most common being the aerial Koopa Paratroopas, which have wings on their shells that Mario can detach with a single stomp; and the skeletal, undead Dry Bones, which are typically found in fortresses. Aside from Koopa Troopas and their variants, there are also many other types of Koopas, such as the projectile-wielding Hammer Bros., the hard-shelled Buzzy Beetles, the cloud-riding Lakitus and the spike-topped Spinies they drop, the ball-belching Spikes, and the sorcerous Magikoopas.
Other common, recurring enemies that Mario has faced over the years include Boos, timid ghosts that cover their faces whenever the hero stares at them; Piranha Plants, man-eating flora that dwell within pipes; Pokeys, spiked cacti with detachable body segments; Monty Moles, rodent creatures that burst out of the ground; Wigglers, caterpillars with segmented bodies and large noses which when stomped on get angry and run frantically; Shy Guys, masked creatures wearing robes who come in many different variations; Bullet Bills, projectiles that are shot out of cannons called "blasters"; Bob-ombs, anthropomorphic wind-up bombs with short tempers leading to inevitable explosions; Chain Chomps, tethered ball-and-chain creatures that lunge at Mario when in close proximity; Bloopers, squids that like to corner and close in on their prey; Cheep Cheeps, fish with wing-like fins and the ability to attack above the surface of the water; Thwomps, rectangular rock creatures that flatten whoever passes below them using their own weight; Whomps, stone slab creatures with bandaged backs that use their faces to flatten Mario; and Lava Bubbles (also known as "Podoboos"), living fireballs that inhabit lava pits and attack by leaping upward out of the lava.
Major individualized minions of Bowser include his son Bowser Jr.; a seven-member clan called the Koopalings; Kamek, a high-ranking Magikoopa who often serves as one of Bowser's top acolytes; King Boo, the supreme leader of most Boos and an arch-nemesis to Luigi; and Boom Boom, a short-tempered powerhouse who attacks by flailing his arms (who later gained a female boomerang-throwing counterpart, Pom Pom).
Locations
The central location of the Super Mario universe is the Mushroom Kingdom, which Peach rules over and Bowser regularly invades. The kingdom has a diverse landscape that includes forests, deserts, snowlands, beaches, mountains, and plains. When Bowser invades the kingdom and kidnaps Peach, he takes her to his castle, usually situated in a volcanic world, and Mario and his friends have to travel there and defeat some of Bowser's most powerful minions, as well as Bowser himself, in order to get the princess back. Some games have been set in locations other than the Mushroom Kingdom, such as the island where Yoshi and his dinosaur friends live, and Isle Delfino, a large dolphin-shaped tropical resort.
Aesthetics, tone, and style
Aesthetically and tonally, Mario's world is cute, colorful, cartoonish, quirky and full of personality. The Super Mario series is very flexible in terms of plot, with gameplay and character interactions almost always emphasized over story; nonetheless, the games' plots can range from simple stories meant as a vehicle for the gameplay (as with many of the 2D platformers) to more complicated plots (as with many of the RPG titles). While the overall direction of the games can vary from lighthearted romps to epic, sprawling adventures, they are always optimistic and family-friendly in nature. As Nintendo's flagship franchise, Super Mario is designed with universal appeal in mind; although its colorful characters and settings are highly appealing to children, various key people at Nintendo, including Miyamoto and former company president Satoru Iwata, have repeatedly stressed that Mario and his games are designed to be "cool"[12] and to be played and enjoyed by video game players of all ages.[13] As such, the games often feature simple core gameplay, while featuring bonus levels and modes meant to appeal to more seasoned gamers.
Gameplay mechanics
In the main Super Mario series, Mario traverses his way through the games' various levels by defeating enemies, collecting coins, and solving puzzles. Since his earliest games, Mario has been defined by his trademark jumping ability, which he commonly uses to help him progress through the playfield and defeat the majority of his enemies. This ability has seen numerous evolutions throughout the series, including the Spin Jump from Super Mario World; and the Triple Jump, Wall Kick, and Long Jump, all introduced in Super Mario 64. In the 2D platformers, Mario must reach a single-exit objective (marked by a flagpole or other object) within a set time limit to get to the next sequential level; the 3D games' levels, however, are less linear and allow Mario to walk around freely and gather special objects, like Power Stars and Shine Sprites, that allow him to progress further into the game.
Another integral element of Super Mario franchise gameplay is the use of items, which Mario can use to power himself up. Often these items can be found in special item blocks, labeled with a question mark (?), which alternatively can also yield coins.
Many power-ups in the Super Mario games are mushrooms. The most iconic of this category of power-ups is the Super Mushroom, which increases Mario's size and allows him to break brick blocks. When hit by an enemy, Mario reverts to his smaller size instead of losing a life. While Mario is already in Super form, most blocks that would contain a Super Mushroom instead offer a more powerful power-up. The Japanese Super Mario Bros. 2 introduced the Poison Mushroom, which behaves more like an enemy, shrinking or killing Mario whenever he comes in direct contact with it. The New Super Mario Bros. series introduced two additional mushroom power-ups: the Mini Mushroom, which shrinks Mario into miniature size, allowing him to access areas he normally cannot; and the Mega Mushroom, which grows Mario into a towering, invulnerable giant who destroys enemies and the environment by running through them.
Certain items exist that grant Mario an extra life. The most recurring and significant is the 1-Up Mushroom, which appears similar to the Super Mushroom but is green instead of red. It is sometimes hidden in invisible item blocks, and in the 3D games, it sometimes appears when Mario walks in a particular area. Although the 1-Up Mushroom is the most common extra life-granting item in the franchise, there are other items that serve the same or a similar function, such as the 3-Up Moon introduced in Super Mario World, which grants three extra lives instead of one.
There are also power-ups taking the form of flowers, which allow Mario to shoot projectiles of various kinds. The first and most significant is the Fire Flower, which turns Mario into his fire form, in which he is able to sling bouncing fireballs at incoming enemies. Mario's fireballs instantly kill most enemies on contact, except for certain enemies which are fire-resistant, like the Buzzy Beetle. Later games introduced alternate variants of this item, such as the Ice Flower, which allows Mario to shoot balls of ice that can also freeze enemies in ice blocks to be used as platforms or projectiles; and the Gold Flower from New Super Mario Bros. 2, which turns Mario into gold and allows him to turn bricks into coins and earn bonus coins for defeating enemies.
Another prominent item in the series is the Super Star (also called the Starman), a flashing anthropomorphic star which grants Mario temporary invincibility, allowing him to kill virtually any enemy upon making contact with it. Some games feature substitutes for this item, like Super Mario 64, where Mario can resist harm using the Metal and Vanish Caps; and Super Mario Galaxy and its sequel, where invincibility is provided by the "Rainbow Star", which also progressively increases Mario's speed, to the point where he becomes almost uncontrollable as his power wears off, and allows him to break through certain objects.
The games often feature collectibles found in levels in order to progress in the overworld, most frequently with the visual motif of a star. They are typically situated in locations that are not readily found or reached, or awarded for completing stunts, or objectives given by NPCs. They include the Power Stars in Super Mario 64 and the Super Mario Galaxy games, Shine Sprites in Super Mario Sunshine, Star Coins in the New Super Mario Bros. games and Super Mario 3D Land, Green Stars in the Galaxy games and Super Mario 3D World, and Power Moons in Super Mario Odyssey.
Flight is a common theme throughout the series, first enabled with the magic carpet item in the international Super Mario Bros. 2. The Super Leaf and Tanooki Suit items, first appearing in Super Mario Bros. 3, provide Mario with an animal-suited tail which in turn acts as a flight propeller. The Tanooki Suit returns in Super Mario 3D Land, and the Super Leaf returns in New Super Mario Bros. 2. In the New Super Mario Bros. games, the Spin Block and the Propeller Mushroom let Mario spin up into the air and slowly descend. Super Mario World has for its various forms of flight the Cape Feather, the Power Balloon, and the wings that Yoshi is given after eating a blue Koopa shell. In Super Mario 64, flight is granted for a limited time by the Wing Cap, and in New Super Mario Bros. U, Mario has limited flight and gliding capabilities in his Flying Squirrel form. In Super Mario Galaxy, Mario can obtain a special red star that transforms him into Flying Mario for a limited time. Finally, Lakitu's cloud can be commandeered in several of the side-scrolling games.
Several additional suits have also appeared in the Super Mario series. Most of these, like the Raccoon and Tanooki Suits, are based on animals, but there are some based on Super Mario enemies, such as the Hammer Suit (consisting of a Hammer Bro's helmet and shell), which allows Mario to throw hammers as projectiles to defeat enemies at a distance. Other power-up suits in the series include the Frog Suit, Penguin Suit, Cat Suit, Boomerang Suit, and Bee Suit.
Coins are a common element in Super Mario game design, traditionally incorporated as puzzles and rewards. Most Super Mario games award the player an extra life once a certain amount of coins are collected, commonly 50 or 100. There are also special variants of Coins, such as Dragon Coins in Super Mario World, Red Coins in Super Mario 64 and a number of games afterwards; and Star Coins in the New Super Mario Bros. games. In Super Mario 64, Sunshine, and the Galaxy games, coins replenish health (and air, when Mario is underwater). In RPGs, Coins can be used to purchase items and other useful things.
One of the Super Mario franchise's most common modes of transportation is the Warp Pipe, a drain pipe-like structure which comes in a number of different colors (the most common being green). Warp Pipes provide access to secret underground areas that often host mass amounts of Coins, and can also function as platforms that allow Mario to traverse from one area to another; some pipes even launch the hero into the air. Special well-hidden areas in early games, known as "Warp Zones", contain pipes that allow players to skip several levels and even entire worlds at once. Most 3D games in the series feature cannons that allow Mario to progress through levels and reach otherwise inaccessible areas; to use them, he jumps into the barrel, aims himself and is fired at his target.
Yoshi has served as a riding mount to Mario in several Super Mario platformers, starting with his debut in Super Mario World. He had been planned to appear in this role as early as the days following the completion of Super Mario Bros., but his inclusion was impossible then due to the technical restraints of the era.[15] In addition to the ability to eat enemies, he has other abilities including flying, breathing fire, and spitting out enemies that he has eaten. Besides Yoshi, other riding mounts have appeared that the player can control, including animals such as the Plesiosaur characters Dorrie and Plessie, from Super Mario 64 and Super Mario 3D World respectively; and vehicles such as the Marine Pop (a submarine) and the Sky Pop (an armed biplane) in Super Mario Land, or the Koopa Clown Car, an aircraft that belongs to Bowser but has been usable by Mario in the Super Mario Maker games. Super Mario games additionally feature automated objects in various levels that may transport Mario to certain places.
Video games
Origins
Donkey Kong series
- Main article: Donkey Kong (series)
After the commercial failure of Radar Scope in North America, Shigeru Miyamoto was assigned to create an arcade game that would appeal to the North American market. Miyamoto came up with the idea of a game in which the playable character has to make his way through an obstacle course consisting of sloped platforms, ladders and rolling barrels. He named the game Donkey Kong, which was originally released on July 9, 1981, and is an early example of the platform genre. In addition to presenting the goal of saving Lady (later renamed Pauline), the game features a scoring system where points are awarded for finishing screens, leaping over obstacles, destroying objects, collecting items, and completing other tasks. The game was surprisingly successful.[16] The player character did not originally have a permanent name, so when Nintendo requested its U.S. localization team to name him, it was decided that he would be internationally named Mario, his namesake being the Italian-American landlord of storage and company housing, Mario Segale.[17] The success of the arcade game spawned ports to numerous platforms such as the ColecoVision and the Atari 2600.
A direct sequel to this game, Donkey Kong Jr., was released the following year; it was the only game to feature Mario as the antagonist, in which role he kidnaps Donkey Kong and cons the ape's son into saving him. Another sequel, Donkey Kong 3, was released in October 1983 and did not feature Mario; instead of him, the hero was an exterminator named Stanley who had to defend his greenhouse from Donkey Kong.
Early Mario-branded games
Nintendo released eleven Mario-relevant LCD electronic games as part of the Game & Watch line between 1982 and 1991. One of these was Mario Bros., released in 1983, where Mario received title billing for the first time; the game introduced Mario's brother Luigi, who frantically worked alongside him in a bottling plant. In the same year, two more Mario-branded Game & Watch games were released, Mario's Cement Factory and Mario's Bombs Away. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, Nintendo released four Game & Watch Gallery games on the Game Boy, featuring a combined eighteen Game & Watch handheld games in both their original forms and new "Modern" versions, which feature updated graphics and enhanced gameplay and replace the generic Game & Watch characters with the characters of the Super Mario franchise. Mario Bros. and Cement Factory were featured in the third and fourth entries of that series, respectively; the "Modern" version of the former had the brothers work in a cake factory instead, and that of the latter changed the "cement" to cookie dough.
Later in 1983, Mario Bros. reappeared as an arcade game, unrelated to the same-named Game & Watch handheld, and Luigi now appeared as a green palette swap. The object of the game is to defeat all of the enemies in a series of platforms, called a "phase" in-game, with four pipes at each corner of the wraparound screen and an object called a "POW Block" in the center. The gameplay mechanics involve only running and jumping; in this game, enemies cannot be jumped on until Mario or Luigi flips them over, either by jumping under the platform they are on or with a POW Block. The game was reimagined as Mario Clash, released for the Virtual Boy in 1995. As part of the "Year of Luigi" celebration in 2013, Super Mario 3D World also includes a port of the NES release, titled Luigi Bros., in which both characters are Luigi (using his original sprite and an edited sprite based on his modern appearance).
Wrecking Crew series
- Main article: Wrecking Crew (series)
Mario stars as the main character of the 1984 VS. System arcade game VS. Wrecking Crew and its 1985 NES follow-up Wrecking Crew, which are the first puzzle games to feature the character. The games have Mario working on a demolition site, with the goal being to break every wall on each stage while avoiding enemies such as Gotchawrenches, Eggplant Men, and Spike, the site's foreman. The games would receive a sequel, Wrecking Crew '98, which was released exclusively for the Super Famicom in Japan over the Nintendo Power service in 1998 and would later be released as a standalone cartridge later that year. This game features a story mode, in which Mario must stop Bowser from building a series of high-rises across the Mushroom Kingdom.
Super Mario series
- Main article: Super Mario (series)
In 1985, Mario became the star of his own side-scrolling platform game called Super Mario Bros., which was the pack-in title for the Nintendo Entertainment System, and introduced the Super Mario branding as it is known today. The game centers around Mario's quest to save the Mushroom Kingdom and Princess Peach (then known to the Western world as Princess Toadstool) from Bowser and his minions. To save the princess, Mario conquers the eight worlds of the Mushroom Kingdom by going to the castle in each to defeat Bowser and his minions. The plot of Bowser kidnapping the princess has been repeatedly reused throughout the subsequent games in the core Super Mario series. Super Mario Bros. sold over 40 million units worldwide for its original Famicom and NES release alone; as such, it had the all-time highest sales of any title in the franchise until the end of 2021. It was also the world's best-selling video game overall until 2009.
A direct sequel to Super Mario Bros., with significantly more challenging levels, was released in Japan in 1986 for the Famicom Disk System add-on. However, Nintendo of America deemed the game far too difficult for Western gamers and instead released its own Super Mario Bros. 2 in 1988, this title being an altered version of the unrelated Famicom Disk System title Yume Kojo: Doki Doki Panic ("Dream Factory: Heart-Pounding Panic"). In this game, Mario travels the dream world of Subcon with Luigi, the princess, and Toad to free the land from the curse of an evil frog king named Wart. One and a half years later, in 1990, the next mainstream Super Mario game was released: Super Mario Bros. 3. Here, Mario goes on a quest to save the rulers of the seven kingdoms in the Mushroom World from the Koopalings (then portrayed as Bowser's children), traveling across these kingdoms to restore order. When Mario finishes saving the Mushroom World, Bowser kidnaps Princess Peach, and Mario must traverse his kingdom and storm his castle in order to rescue her. In 1991, Super Mario was revolutionized once again for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System, with the launch title Super Mario World. Peach is once again kidnapped while on vacation with Mario and Luigi in Dinosaur Land, and the brothers must once again foil Bowser and the Koopalings. Several of the native Yoshis have also been trapped inside of eggs, and help Mario on his quest by allowing him to ride them. In 1993, a game called Super Mario All-Stars was released on the SNES, which compiled the entire NES Super Mario Bros. trilogy into one cartridge, adding a save system to these games and enhancing the graphics and audio of all three for the more powerful console; additionally, the cartridge included a remake of the Japanese Super Mario Bros. 2, labeled in-game as "The Lost Levels", introducing that game to Western audiences for the first time.
The Game Boy had its own series of three Super Mario platformers, titled Super Mario Land. This series' first entry was released in 1989 as one of the handheld's launch titles, and became its best-selling game despite not being bundled with the system. It follows Mario as he travels through Sarasaland, a kingdom with four geographical areas, to corner the alien Tatanga and rescue the region's kidnapped ruler, Princess Daisy. A sequel, subtitled 6 Golden Coins, was released in 1992 and had Mario working to save his private island from an evil spell conjured by his childhood friend turned rival, Wario. That character became so popular that a little over a year later, the third game in the Super Mario Land series shifted the attention to him, spawning the Wario Land series. Neither of Nintendo's next two handhelds received any original mainstream Super Mario games, only ports and remakes; these included a 1999 "Deluxe" edition of Super Mario Bros. for Game Boy Color; and Super Mario Advance, a series of Game Boy Advance cartridges containing ports of various SNES Super Mario adventures with new features and additions, with a remake of Mario Bros. included as bonus content.
In 1996, the Nintendo 64 console debuted with Super Mario 64 as a launch title, one of the first fully 3D console games, and the first game to feature the Super Mario characters in their 3D rendered versions. Peach sends Mario a letter inviting him to her castle; however, when he arrives, Mario discovers that Bowser has invaded the castle and imprisoned the princess and her servants within it using the castle's Power Stars. Many of the castle's paintings are portals to other worlds, which Mario explores to recover the stars from Bowser's Minions. The game was followed up in 2002 with Super Mario Sunshine, for the Nintendo GameCube. There, Mario and Peach take a vacation to the tropical resort called Isle Delfino, which has been vandalized and polluted by a mysterious figure similar in appearance to Mario. Mario is arrested and ordered to clean up the island; in the process, he seeks the help of F.L.U.D.D., a robotic water pump, and must also collect the Shine Sprites, which the pollution has caused to flee the island's main plaza. Eventually, Peach is kidnapped by Shadow Mario, who later reveals himself to be Bowser Jr. (in his debut appearance), and Mario must confront him, along with Bowser senior, to rescue the princess.
In 2006, a 2.5D retro throwback subseries called New Super Mario Bros. was inaugurated for the Nintendo DS. Beyond the first game, the series has continued with follow-ups on the Wii, Nintendo 3DS, and Wii U. The games in the series are similar in structure and gameplay to the original 2D games, and as such have generally minimalist stories, where Bowser simply kidnaps Peach and provokes Mario to give chase, venturing through eight worlds as in the original Super Mario Bros., and eventually do battle with him to rescue the princess. In the Wii and Wii U installments, four players can simultaneously control their characters; the Mario brothers are accompanied as playable heroes in these games by two Toads, one blue and the other yellow.
In 2007, the mainstream Super Mario series continued for the Wii with Super Mario Galaxy, today recognized as the franchise's most critically acclaimed game of all time. While Mario prepares to attend the Mushroom Kingdom's centennial "Star Festival", Bowser invades and uproots Peach's castle, carrying it into space toward the "center of the universe". In space, Mario meets star-like creatures called Lumas and their guardian Rosalina, who tells Mario that he must recover the Power Stars―the power source for her mobile observatory―from Bowser's Minions in order to reclaim Peach from Bowser's "galaxy reactor" in the center of the universe. The game was followed up in 2010 with a sequel that features a loosely similar plot; this time, Bowser uses the Power Stars to become a giant, and Mario navigates through the galaxies and eventually to Bowser's lair using a "Starship", or mobile planet, in the shape of his head.
In 2011, the series would receive a new type of 3D platformer with Super Mario 3D Land for the Nintendo 3DS. Developed to appeal to fans of the 2D games, the game combines elements of the 3D Super Mario platformers with those of the 2D side-scrollers, and a plotline involving Peach being kidnapped by Bowser. This game would also be followed up in 2013 with Super Mario 3D World for the Wii U, which incorporates four-player simultaneous multiplayer for the first time in a 3D Super Mario game. In this game, Bowser has taken over the Sprixie Kingdom, having captured its seven princesses, and Mario and friends journey through the realm to save it from Bowser's rule.
In 2016, the team behind New Super Mario Bros. released Super Mario Run, Nintendo's first real smartphone game, which was one of the few instances a Super Mario game was developed for non-Nintendo hardware.[19] In the game Mario automatically runs through stages, while the player must tap on the screen to have him jump.
A new game titled Super Mario Odyssey was released for the Nintendo Switch console in 2017, to universal acclaim. The game marks a return to the original open-ended, exploration-based style of 3D Super Mario games as seen in Super Mario 64 and Super Mario Sunshine. Mario travels through different kingdoms, such as a metropolis that resembles New York City, a sand-filled country which shares inspirations from Mexico and Egypt, and a wooded forest with mechanical elements. During his adventure, the hero's hat is possessed by his newest ally, Cappy, which allows him to throw it like a long-range weapon and use it to capture and possess certain objects and enemies. The story centers around Mario's efforts to prevent a forced marriage between Peach and Bowser, in which process he must rescue not only Peach but also Cappy's sister, Tiara.
Another 2D side-scrolling game, Super Mario Bros. Wonder, was released for the Switch in 2023, also to widespread critical acclaim. Mario―accompanied by Luigi, Princesses Peach and Daisy, multiple Toads, and Yoshi―journeys to the Flower Kingdom at the invitation of its ruler, Prince Florian, to see a demonstration of the kingdom's treasured Wonder Flower, which has the power to warp reality; but Bowser interrupts and seizes the flower, merging himself with the kingdom's castle, and places the inhabitants under his control. Mario and his friends volunteer to help Florian save the imprisoned population, defeat Bowser, and restore order to the kingdom. In the process, they make use of the Wonder Flower's ability to trigger strange effects that involve the player character and the world being altered.
Puzzle games
Dr. Mario
- Main article: Dr. Mario (series)
Dr. Mario (ドクターマリオ Dokutā Mario)[20] is an arcade-style action puzzle game series originally developed by Nintendo Research & Development 1, and later developed by Arika and produced by Nintendo Software Planning & Development. It casts Mario as a medical doctor who must eradicate deadly viruses; the player's objective is to destroy the viruses populating the on-screen playing field by using falling colored capsules that are dropped into the field, similarly to Tetris. The player manipulates the capsules as they fall so that they are aligned with viruses of matching colors, which removes them from the playing field. The player progresses through the game by eliminating all the viruses on the screen in each level.
The first Dr. Mario game was launched in 1990 on the NES and the Game Boy to critical and commercial success. It has spawned five original follow-ups, three for home consoles and one a handheld game. To keep the brand fresh, each follow-up has introduced new gameplay elements and modes. After an eleven-year hiatus, the series returned in 2001 with Dr. Mario 64 for the Nintendo 64, which introduced three new game modes ("Story", "Score Attack", and "Marathon"), added Wario as a playable character alongside Mario, and updated the multiplayer functions to allow up to four people to play. Two additional Dr. Mario games were launched in 2008: Dr. Mario Express for the Nintendo DSi's DSiWare service, and Dr. Mario Online Rx for the Wii's WiiWare service; the latter introduced online multiplayer to the series. In 2013, a Wii U game called Dr. Luigi, available on Nintendo eShop, gave Luigi his own "doctor" persona and featured an "Operation L" game mode in which all capsules assume the shape of the letter L. Finally, Dr. Mario: Miracle Cure was released for the Nintendo eShop on Nintendo 3DS in 2015. In addition to all of the returning game elements from previous installments, this game introduces the Miracle Cure, which can have a variety of different effects to help destroy multiple Viruses at once.
Mario's Picross
Mario's Picross is a Game Boy game released in 1995 which features nonogram logic puzzles. Each puzzle consists of a grid of tiles, ranging from 5×5 to 15×15, where each row and column includes a number of tiles that should be filled in to create a hidden picture. The player must use deductive reasoning to determine which squares to fill and which to leave blank. Mario is portrayed as an archaeologist who chisels away to form the images on the grid. The game was poorly received in the West, but in Japan, it was successful enough to spawn two sequels: one on the SNES, and another on the Game Boy. These sequels introduce larger puzzles and new gameplay features. Altogether, the games spawned the Picross series, which continues to receive new entries into the present day, though only some feature Mario elements.
Mario Kart series
- Main article: Mario Kart
Mario Kart (マリオカート Mario Kāto) is a series of go-kart racing games developed by Nintendo Entertainment Analysis & Development. It is possibly the franchise's most popular spin-off series; since its inception, it has become the most successful and longest-running kart racing series in gaming history, and has sold over 100 million copies worldwide.[21] Players compete in go-kart races, controlling one of a selection of pre-established Super Mario characters, and use various power-up items obtained by driving into item boxes laid out on the course. Different items assist the player-characters in different ways; for example, the Super Mushroom gives players a speed boost, the shells of Koopa Troopas are thrown at opponents to stun them, and banana peels can be laid on the track as hazards.[22]
There have been a total of 13 games in the Mario Kart series: six for home consoles, three portable games, and four arcade spin-offs developed by Bandai Namco, generally considered separate from the Nintendo titles. The series' first entry, Super Mario Kart, was released in 1992 for the SNES and was critically and commercially successful. As the series has progressed, new course types, items, playable characters, and other elements have been introduced to keep the experience fresh.[22] In 1996, Mario Kart 64 for the Nintendo 64 introduced four-player racing and 3D graphics.[22] This was followed up in 2001 with Super Circuit for the Game Boy Advance, which featured unlockable retro tracks from the first installment. In 2003, Double Dash!! for the GameCube introduced a co-operative LAN multiplayer mode and was the only entry to feature two-person karts.[22] Mario Kart DS, released in 2005, introduced dual-screen play and online multiplayer via Wi-Fi; additionally, the use of unlockable retro tracks from previous installments was reintroduced and made a permanent feature of the series. In 2008, Mario Kart Wii introduced motion controls, 12-player racing, motorbikes, stunts, and playable Mii characters. In 2011, Mario Kart 7 for the Nintendo 3DS featured optional stereoscopic graphics, and introduced hang gliding, submersible karts, an alternate first-person perspective, and kart customization.[22] Mario Kart 8, released for the Wii U in 2014, introduced anti-gravity racing, ATVs, and downloadable content; allows highlights to be uploaded to YouTube via "Mario Kart TV"; allows up to four people to play in Grand Prix races; and is the first game in the series to boast HD graphics. The game was ported to the Switch in an enhanced Deluxe edition in 2017; this release introduced a third mini-turbo boost level called "Ultra Mini Turbo", and more accessible options for beginners, such as "smart steering" (which allows the kart to avoid off-road areas) and auto-acceleration.
The four Bandai Namco arcade installments comprise a subseries known as Mario Kart Arcade GP, and consists of four installments: Mario Kart Arcade GP, Mario Kart Arcade GP 2, and Mario Kart Arcade GP DX, and Mario Kart Arcade GP VR. These titles have different features from the main installments, such as a timer similar to other arcade racing games, many more items than the normal installments, and the inclusion of characters from Bandai Namco series such as Pac-Man, Tamagotchi, and Taiko no Tatsujin.
Role-playing games
The first role-playing game in the Super Mario franchise, Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars, was released in 1996 for the SNES to critical acclaim. Developed by Squaresoft before it merged with Enix, it contains gameplay elements similar to or inspired by Square's Final Fantasy series. The story focuses on Mario as he, with the help of four other characters, seeks to eliminate the game's main antagonist, Smithy, who has stolen the seven pieces of the Star Road where all the wishes of the world's inhabitants are turned into stars; Mario must return the pieces so these wishes may again be granted. Super Mario RPG was later followed by two role-playing game series, called Paper Mario and Mario & Luigi, which have been considered informal sequels and spiritual successors to Square's game.
Paper Mario series
- Main article: Paper Mario (series)
Paper Mario (ペーパーマリオ Pēpā Mario) is developed by Intelligent Systems and launched its first installment on the Nintendo 64 in 2000, to critical and commercial success. In the Paper Mario series, the player controls an alternate-style depiction of Mario in a mixture of 3-dimensional environments and 2-dimensional characters who look as if they are made of paper. This version of Mario can jump and use his hammer to overcome physical obstacles placed in the game's overworld, and combat enemies in turn-based battles. In battles, the player can influence the power of a move when attacking or defending by timing a button-press accurately or performing some other action command as required, similar to the "timed hits" mechanic in Super Mario RPG. Progression through these games depends upon interaction with the game's non-player characters (NPCs), who will often offer clues or detail the next event in the storyline. In the first three games, Mario accumulates partners with specialized skills, who also assist him in battle. The series' original formula is similar to those of traditional RPGs, involving special moves that consume a particular number of points when performed, badges that yield bonuses like added moves or gradual health restoration, and an experience-point system that allows Mario to level up either his health, his special-moves points, or his badge points.
There have been six Paper Mario games released, five being home console entries and one a portable game. As time has passed, each game has introduced new elements in order to keep the gameplay fresh; since 2012, however, the stories and character rosters have been significantly toned down from what they were in the first three games. The original Paper Mario for Nintendo 64 is set in a paper-based version of the Mushroom Kingdom, where Mario tries to rescue Peach from Bowser, who has imprisoned the seven Star Spirits, lifted her castle into the sky, and has successfully defeated his foe after stealing the Star Rod from Star Haven and making himself completely invulnerable. To save Mushroom Kingdom, rescue Peach, get the castle back, and defeat Bowser, Mario must locate the Star Spirits, who can negate the effects of the stolen Star Rod, by defeating Bowser's Minions who are guarding them. In the sequel, Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, released in 2004 for the GameCube, Mario quests to retrieve seven