The 'Shroom:Issue 140/Pipe Plaza

Director’s Notes
Written by:

It's getting colder outside. Winds, rain and grey skies all around. Luckily, here in Pipe Plaza, we have so many hot facts to keep you warm this month. Feeling too hot? We also have cold, hard facts to keep things fresh around here. Have a good read.

I've got rad news and sad news here. Firstly, our long-time writer has resigned from writing The 'Shroom Report to focus on real life commitments, but will luckily still be able to write Monthly Report. Thank you for your service! Secondly, will be concluding his Upcoming Game section next month. Enjoy the... upcoming section while you still can! But I also have some of the Rad news- and  will be officially starting The 'Shroom Recap today, creating content every other month. Welcome! Finally, remember last month when we had two interviews? This month is just as mirthful. See below for details.

Section of the Month

Monthly Report
Written by:

Welcome back, readers! Take a look at this month's Monthly Report, coming kindly from your Statistics Manager. Just as a reminder that, in this section, I give you an overview of various statistics of the Super Mario Wiki. The wiki stats for November, compared to the previous month.

*All times EST.

That’s all for this month’s report. I hope you enjoyed your reading. See you next month!

Interview
Written by:

Hello, 'Shroom readers! Welcome to this month's interview, where I pick a random person to pull the life story out of! This month, we're going down under, so we can get a good solid look at Crackin355! Joining in 2009, Crackin's been here eversince, consistently showing up and involving himself in the community. He's never tried for any staff jobs or anything, but that's not essential to being a community mainstay. So let's jump right into it and see what he's got to say! The Interview Superchao: Hello, 'Shroom readers! Once again, I'm here to interview people so you don't have to! Superchao: And for today, I'm interviewing longtime user Crackin355! Crackin355: hello there Superchao: So, for my first question, let's start at the very beginning. Superchao: What led you to find the wiki and community way back in 2009? Crackin355: thats a long time ago, i don't think i was even in high school yet Superchao: That'd explain some of your behavior and typing at the time, no offense. Crackin355: I understand completely Crackin355: I used to just randomly look up things I was interested in and would find wikis Crackin355: but this one was like a rabbit hole with how long some of the main pages can be Crackin355: I ended up sticking around after a returning a lot of times and it looks like I stuck too well Superchao: Ha, yeah, some of them got so big we had to split them up. Superchao: I take it you were just fascinated by all the info, then! Crackin355: Yeah, as a kid I would just read whatever was interesting to me at the time and back then it was videogames Crackin355: It might be a bit harder to get me to read as much these days hah Superchao: That's the unfortunate reality of the lack of time as you get older. Still, it's pretty neat that a simple desire for knowledge caused you to stick around so long! Crackin355: knowledge is power Crackin355: but power is not time Crackin355: I'll need to find another source of time Superchao: Time comes from The World, so that's always an option. Superchao: Are there any particular pages you remember engaging you back then? Crackin355: I usually stuck to the main character pages but I remember returning to pages for new/upcoming games to see updates pretty often Superchao: Reminds me of... well, me! Ah, the memories of reading about Bowser's Inside Story before it came out... Crackin355: For me it was the first Mario & Sonic Winter olympics game Superchao: I never played those. Were they actually any good? Crackin355: To be completely honest, not really Crackin355: but I liked the snowboarding minigames so I still played them Superchao: ahahah, yeah, guilty pleasure games can be like that Crackin355: I was much more easily entertained back then so I could just replay the same stuff frequently and enjoy it just as much Superchao: What about now - you need to find the new hot games or at least the old really good ones? Crackin355: I try to let my impulses decide what I play these days, I can't find it in me to force myself to play something because it's new or I feel like I should Crackin355: Which means long streaks of no games sometimes Superchao: Eh, I'd say a streak of no games is better than a streak of games you don't really want to play. Crackin355: exactly right Superchao: As an example from my own history, I tried to force myself to play Ocarina of Time because it's iconic despite not enjoying it, so eventually I just went "wow I should just play games I like instead" Crackin355: That's the one truth Crackin355: the answer to everything Crackin355: do what you like Superchao: even if it's not a good idea Superchao: So, speaking of doing things you like... why'd you decide to actually join the community and stick with it, rather than be The Eternal Lurker? Crackin355: At the time I didn't have an email address and every site required it so when I came across the wiki and the forum and saw it didn't need one, I think I just joined because it was something I could actually join Crackin355: To be honest, for a long time I was still mostly a lurker Superchao: Yeah, looking at your post history shows you weren't originally a bastion of quality and activity. Superchao: (it ALSO showed me your shitty mspaint comic but some things should be left buried) Crackin355: I was the pinnacle of 12 year old humour Crackin355: if I was 12 at the time, I don't remember Crackin355: I can fully understand how frustrating it would have been to watch from a distance Crackin355: although someone probably had a good time watching the trainwreck Superchao: Well, we all do stupid shit when we're 12. Superchao: I just lucked out and all my stupid 13-year-old stuff happened outside of the forums :V Crackin355: I might have lucked out in a sense considering how difficult it must be to hide that kind of stuff these days Crackin355: if the worst is bad forum posts then I'll take it Superchao: And then you regret it when your terrible 2009 comic is placed in front of you at a job interview, worst ending Crackin355: no regrets Crackin355: I'd ask them to print me a copy so I can frame it Superchao: So was there anything in particular that caused you to stick around? As opposed to being one of our many people who shows up for a little while and then vanishes into the mists of the internet Crackin355: I think around 4 or 5 years ago I ended up going on irc for some reason and I'd say that ending up increasing my activity enough that it would be pretty difficult to just disappear Superchao: Eyyy, nice! Always glad to hear IRC's a help, Anton would be proud. Superchao: Live chat just makes it easier to connect with people, huh? Crackin355: It really does Crackin355: I think 100% orange juice might have even had a part in it Superchao: Now that's interesting, mind sharing more? Crackin355: It was around the time that came out and I was still a bit uncomfortable about going on irc so having that as a way to help me communicate with people was nice Superchao: And it's a fun game, too. Superchao: Even if it's gotten ridiculous as far as I know... Crackin355: I quite enjoyed the changes but I ended up losing interest after some of the added content too Superchao: Yeah, it's almost like it has too much stuff these days, y'know? Crackin355: The achievements started to become a little bit difficult/impossible Crackin355: It would probably be a bit of an investment to buy all the new content these days too Superchao: When your game's DLC price tag is twice as much as the game's price tag... that's a little worrying. Superchao: Still, good game at heart! Crackin355: Yeah, I wouldn't mind playing it again one day but for now it's resting in the steam library graveyard Superchao: The place where games go to die. Temporarily. Superchao: So I'm guessing that pretty much brought you in enough that you've just stuck around with things like awards? Crackin355: Yeah, pretty much just as a participant though Crackin355: I try not to join things I'm not certain I can follow through with but I can be a +1 for mario kart pretty easily Superchao: Someday (TM) we'll get you to do a presentation, I bet Crackin355: When the FF7 remake is released* Crackin355: *this is not a legally binding statement Superchao: imagine if you said when Final Fantasy 16 comes out Crackin355: I had to choose something that has at least some hope of existing Superchao: nonsense, we'll get it in 2028 or so! Superchao: if Kingdom Hearts 3 can happen... Crackin355: then anything can Crackin355: I still won't believe KH3 is coming out until it actually is Crackin355: something will happene 1 month before release and we'll be waiting another 10 years Superchao: You'll have it in your hands, you'll open the case up, and inside is just a sticker that says "i lied lol" Crackin355: the long awaited sticker Crackin355: the most expensive sticker made Superchao: it goes down as the greatest punchline in human history Superchao: So, what's it been like, seeing the community grow and change over eight years? Crackin355: It seems that things have gravitated more towards places like irc and discord but I think that's a trend thats happening everywhere Superchao: Yeah, there's been a general shift towards instant messaging over time. And really, it's fine for the health of the community if people are just interacting on a different facet/outline, imo Crackin355: Yeah, I think it's a fine change although I can't bring myself to use discord anymore Crackin355: I just can't keep up with all the messages Crackin355: but find myself always wanting to go back and read what I missed Superchao: That's fair, that happened to me on Skype. You've still got the forum and IRC, so it's not like you're going anywhere any time soon! Crackin355: true, discord is just one part but I don't think I'm missing much by leaving it out Crackin355: well, maybe I'm missing some drama but I think I can afford to miss it Superchao: Hahaha, yeah, drama is always affordable to miss in my view. Superchao: Is that why you've never really tried to pursue anything staff-wise or 'shroom wise? Crackin355: Yeah, a lot like how I avoid playing games when I don't feel like it I don't think I'd be a good choice for anything that requires some consistent responsibility Crackin355: Timezones and work hours certainly don't help either Superchao: That's fair, just look at getting this interview set up! Superchao: But hey, the payoff's worth it here. Crackin355: I hope so, it can cause some awards tournaments matches to have a really small window of opportunity too which I kind of feel bad about Crackin355: or trying to set up any kind of multiplayer group Superchao: At least you and GBAToad are guaranteed to always be able to make up two of a team, right :V Crackin355: Yes, if it goes in rounds then rest assured, we will be enemies during round 1 Superchao: and that's australian friendship, right Crackin355: I'd say it's a faithful representation Superchao: So, speaking of Mario - any particular Mario games you really like? Crackin355: Paper Mario TTYD and Luigi's Mansion 2 are the two that come to mind Superchao: TTYD doesn't surprise me, but LM2 does - i don't hear that many people listing it as a favorite. Superchao: What draws you to it? Crackin355: I really enjoyed the mission style that it used, exploring a mansion multiple times with different goals/pathways and moving onto a fresh new area before you truly lose interest in the prior one Superchao: Ah, i see what you mean. Yeah, it had its strengths! So I take it the different aesthetics helped, too? Superchao: As opposed to the general "haunted mansion" theme of LM1. Crackin355: Yeah, I liked the first game enough but while I think most people didn't like that they removed the singular mansion thing I was pretty happy about it Superchao: Hey, different tastes. Superchao: And heck, I remember you used to like sticker star. Superchao: Still do? Crackin355: Yeah, I still say Sticker Star is a fine game Crackin355: Colour Splash though, I can't defend that one Superchao: Huh, I usually hear it the other way around! Superchao: What do you like about SS vs. CS? Crackin355: It's probably more what I disliked about CS, the random areas around each level to paint were a nuisance compared to random stickers which were mostly optional and in general the game was extremely slow Crackin355: I feel like CS added in some stuff that was loved by the old games like the witty dialogue but took the worst aspects of Sticker Stars gameplay and doubled down on it Superchao: Ah, that makes sense. I've never played CS so I can't really compare, but if it amps up on what you didn't like... yeah, that's always bad. Superchao: Why'd you enjoy Sticker Star, anyway? I'm curious, since it is well-disliked after all. Crackin355: I think the stuff I liked the most would be the areas/levels Crackin355: the most memorable parts were always stuff like exploring the giant sphinx area, climbing the desert tower, etc Superchao: That's one of the parts I enjoyed, really; the detail put into the areas. Superchao: When you played TTYD, how'd you feel about the battle systems and dialogue in each? Crackin355: I feel like battles and dialogue were a significant reason to why everyone loves it, and why I love it Crackin355: and on the flipside, why people dislike Sticker Star Crackin355: I haven't replayed TTYD in quite a while at this point but I've gone through it multiple times when I was younger and enjoyed it every time Superchao: You are one of the rare people who likes both TTYD and Sticker Star, and it impresses me. Superchao: Keep doing your own thing, bro! Crackin355: I will do so sir o7 Superchao: On the flipside, besides Color Splash, any Mario games you dislike? Crackin355: I had to take a look at what I had for that but I can't really say there's anything that I would pinpoint for that Superchao: I'd say that's a good thing! Crackin355: I thought CS was slow but I can't say I disliked the good parts of it Crackin355: There's not enough hate in me to give out too often Superchao: Except for the bit where I don't have as many questions as a result. Superchao: Still, if you're a non-hating person, i can always ask you what other non-Mario games you're a fan of! Crackin355: I'll work on learning to hate things more in the future Crackin355: with age comes wisdom and becoming jaded Superchao: it's true Superchao: in time, you will be filled with infinite hate Crackin355: I'm pretty fond of the usual stuff like Pokemon and Zelda Crackin355: but I'd have to say I enjoy the Xenoblade and Ys series more as a whole Superchao: Pokemon X(enoblade) and Pokemon Y(s) Crackin355: Those two were definitely a very rocky transition onto the 3ds for pokemon Crackin355: It seems like they've straightened out again with Sun/Moon though Superchao: I'm a weirdo who got back into Pokemon with Y so my tastes are bizarre :V Crackin355: Well that's understandable, it was going from BW2 which were my favourites into X/Y which were my least favourites Crackin355: that caused me to get turned off the series for a few years Superchao: That's fair, and I went from White which wasn't a favorite to a game who - oh my god Superchao: Y is my sticker star (for you) Crackin355: I'm actually you from Australia Crackin355: where everything is reversed Superchao: my god, everything makes sense now Superchao: sadly that means i'll never get you into touhou Crackin355: some things were never meant to be Superchao: So what draws you to Xenoblade and Ys? Superchao: Or Ys and Xenoblade, if you wanan go that order? Crackin355: I tend to gravitate towards jrpg's more than anything else so it's no surprise that they both fall under that Crackin355: Xenoblade games have a gameplay style you aren't going to find in most single player games and tend to focus on a beautiful world that you just want to explore Superchao: I've never played a Xenoblade, I need to get around to doing it so I can see the appeal. Crackin355: Most people don't talk about Xenoblade Chronicles X compared to 1 and 2 but its location was my favourite place to explore in any game period Crackin355: They're a definite time investment so you need to put aside the time and hope you don't give up half way Superchao: Luckily, I don't have a social life, so that's one barrier out of the way Crackin355: I don't have a social life specifically because I want to play jrpg's Crackin355: that is the only reason Crackin355: :shifty: Crackin355: On the other hand, Ys are action rpg's that tend to be pretty short but are difficult to compensate Superchao: Also up my alley! Superchao: I'm getting all sorts of good games to play from this interview. Crackin355: and another thing they both have in common is amazing soundtracks Crackin355: I actually forgot to mention the Etrian Odyssey series but similarly it's another jrpg with great music Superchao: All I know about EO, I learned from Touhou Superchao: What draws you to JRPGs? Crackin355: I think their general progression can be addicting, levelling up and seeing your numbers go higher so that you fight enemies with higher numbers Crackin355: You can make things tougher on yourself as a result just by not levelling up as much and there's generally a large focus on your party characters Superchao: Character stories! In most of the good ones. Superchao: The bad ones... not so much. Crackin355: It's definitely a fine line to cross Crackin355: If they aren't written properly they can just become something you want nothing to do with Crackin355: and bring the whole game down with them Crackin355: Fortunately (most) games have a writer Superchao: Most. Superchao: Are there any cases you can remember where it just really didn't work out? Crackin355: I think the most notable example of this was Tales of Graces, the gameplay was fine but the characters were completely uncompelling so I found myself not caring about it as much as I could have Superchao: It happens, unfortunately. Superchao: So besides video games, one other thing I remember associating with you - Love Live. Thanks in part to TFP. Superchao: What'd you like about it? Crackin355: That was a while ago, I think we only ended up watching it because of a youtube video to be honest Superchao: >a youtube video Superchao: now this i GOTTA hear considering how iconic it is Crackin355: well, it's definitely not a family friendly video Superchao: Oh. That's different. Superchao: We'll just pretend you told me and move on. Crackin355: I ended up enjoying the stuff outside of the show more, goofing around on the forums about it more than I actually enjoyed the show Crackin355: As far as an anime, it was just decent with a few good characters Superchao: Like Maki, if you're not TFP! Crackin355: Truth Superchao: What makes you like her? Superchao: If I asked NEX about Honoka I gotta ask you about Maki! Crackin355: I guess just among the characters that were there she was the easiest to like, she played the piano and showed some actual reservations about the whole thing before she joined in Superchao: so she had half a brain Crackin355: we don't talk about the half that made her join Crackin355: her episodes tended to be the best ones and she actually felt like a character as a result Crackin355: also I'm a sucker for red hair Superchao: It's a shame they only got the two seasons, I never felt the Aquors had the same appeal to them as the original crew Crackin355: It's okay for me, I like to pretend that it ended with season 2 and there was nothing else Crackin355: in fact that's exactly what happened Crackin355: love live has been over for a long time now Superchao: a shame i thought it was a franchise with potential Superchao: i guess they just didn't think it could go further Crackin355: I'm sure they could be making mega money selling png's by now but I guess it wasn't meant to be Superchao: Besides Live Love, do you have any other standout animes you enjoy? Crackin355: Yeah there's plenty of good stuff out there, stuff like Haikyuu is always nice Crackin355: I don't watch anime as much these days but back when I did it was the stuff that was usually kept to a single season that ended up being the best Crackin355: as long as you ignore when the second season is bad Superchao: Probably because it didn't generally have to stretch itself out over forever like, say, One Piece. Manga's good though! But the anime pacing... Crackin355: Yeah, I stick to manga much more these days for reasons like that Crackin355: I'm also just a faster reader and y'know, time Superchao: The big advantage of being able to read at your pace rather than watch a video at the video's pace Crackin355: Manga tend to look better overall as well, sometimes reading through and seeing the art style get more refined over time is part of the charm Crackin355: There's always exceptions though. Superchao: When aren't there? Crackin355: In the hypothetical perfect world where nobody disagrees with another person Crackin355: so nowhere Superchao: time to move to kansas Crackin355: lmao Superchao: lesse... what do you like about the anime you do? Crackin355: I guess I just like the anime that stick to their theme and do it well Crackin355: Ping Pong is all about the different competitors for a sport and it doesn't stray from that, Hyouka's general theme is a grey coloured life vs a rose coloured life, etc. Superchao: Ah, I getcha. Superchao: And then you've got the ones that just don't have a point/purpose Crackin355: The kind of show where something happens but it just returns to status quo afterwards, like it had no meaning Superchao: UGH yeah I can think of a couple like that. Crackin355: There's a lot of stuff like that out there but I think it's easier to find the good stuff with ranking lists and such Superchao: There was one show that really felt like it flopped at the very very end because it was just "nah the end is back to normal" Crackin355: It's just like 'what was the point' Superchao: I know, right? Superchao: At least you've got some top tier stuff anyway Crackin355: you know the saying, always stick to top tiers and don't play your favourite characters Crackin355: thats how it was right Superchao: it's either that or tires dont exits Crackin355: whats a tier list to a non-believer; still a tier list Superchao: unless you're one of those guys who takes a bottom tier character and makes them a god Superchao: like that one guy with Brawl Ganondorf Crackin355: I love those guys Crackin355: Triple R in Melee is a sight to behold when he's not getting stomped for playing Kirby Superchao: I can't wait to see who's bottom tier in Ultimate and who makes them impossible to beat Crackin355: There's so many characters, it's going to be an unfortunate title of 'the worst out of 80 characters' Superchao: So what interests you about competitive Smash, anyway? Crackin355: I think it just stems from enjoying Smash Bros itself, but I remember watching the Smash Brothers Documentary and just started to enjoy watching these Melee tournaments that just happened to be going while I had free time Crackin355: You end up enjoying certain players maybe because of the way they play the game, or what character they main or even just their personality that shines through in these choices Crackin355: I never understood how invested people got into sports until I'd gotten invested into watching smash tournaments Superchao: it's called e-Sports for a reason! Crackin355: I'm just glad it's stuck around, even just The Mango that happened this weekend was really fun to watch Superchao: I've wanted to watch it, but y'know how it is with time. Crackin355: although I had to watch it afterwards, unfortunately my work schedule lines up perfectly so that I can not watch things live anymore Crackin355: yeah, time is always a limiting factor Superchao: just skip work and give your boss the "i got tournaments" excuse Superchao: they'll understaaaand Crackin355: They're a pretty understanding group Crackin355: I'm gonna walk in and say I don't feel like working and then sleep on the couch Crackin355: I think it will go well Superchao: Sounds like a plan! Superchao: Anyhow, now that we know you'll be fired, I have the chance to ask: Superchao: Is this the last question? Crackin355: I'll flip a coin Crackin355: I can't find a coin so I'm just going to pretend I did Superchao: works for me Crackin355: Is the answer yes Crackin355: My coin is telling me it's probably pretty late Superchao: That sounds like a good answer. Superchao: Thanks for being here. Crackin355: No worries. Crackin355: I'll keep you updated on my getting fired work plan In Closing He's another of the people who's never really gotten deeply involved in any authority or significant roles in the community, just like NEX. But you know something? You don't need any of that to be a good and well-liked longtime user, one who's remembered and who's very clearly a true part of the community. Crackin's been around for years, always popping up to participate in community gaming or to watch shows or just to be part of the community. Here's hoping he stays around quite a while longer!

NIWA Spotlight
Written by: Hello everyone and welcome back to NIWA Spotlight, a NIWA-focused spotlight that covers one article from all of our partnered wikis that need help. These can range from articles that need more information or created to images that need replacing or uploaded. Notice something on a different wiki you can't fix and want to get the word out? Let me know on my talk page or in this forum topic and it will be added to a future issue. For our Mario-related topics, check out the current The 'Shroom Spotlight!

Last month I put Epoch Tetris in Wanted Articles, when it should've been in Stub Articles. Whoops!


 * Metroid Wiki and Lylat Wiki are currently undergoing maintenance, but can still be edited.
 * Any additions that could be made to the Donkey Kong Wiki should be made to the Super Mario Wiki instead, where possible, as per this discussion.
 * Remember to follow the wiki policies when adding content!

Something of a quick announcement, I stated in my Upcoming Game and Could Have Been sections that I'll be leaving those after the year ends. But for NIWA Spotlight, I want to see if I can keep it up. So I'll still be part of The 'Shroom, I'm just shortening my workload so I can focus on other projects and life aspects I need to. With that said, here's this month's list!

Poll Committee Discussion
Written by:

Hello and welcome back to the Poll Committee discussion, I’m Fun With Despair, but if you read the title, you probably know that. If you did, I’m proud of your observational skills. If not, how’s third grade treating you? Anyway, I’m filling in this month for Roserade, so consider this a special guest episode, which is fine by me, because I’m the best character on the show anyway.

Dumb joke intros aside, we’ve got a whole bunch of polls lined up and ready for discussion, so let’s dive in.

Archives

Which Super Smash Bros. Ultimate newcomer are you looking forward to the most? ( and, November 11th, 2018)
What Super Mario subseries should receive more representation (fighters, trophies, stages, music, etc.) in Super Smash Bros.? (, November 4th, 2018) What is your opinion on potential leaks of upcoming Mario information? ( and, October 28th, 2018) What is your opinion on the "Super Crown" meme (Bowsette, etc.)? (, October 21st, 2018) Which of these gameplay mechanics would you most like to see return in Luigi’s Mansion 3? ( and, October 14th, 2018) The Mario franchise has created many spinoff games, such as Mario Kart and Mario Party. How do you feel about how many games they have? (, October 7th, 2018)

Analysis
 * Which Super Smash Bros. Ultimate newcomer are you looking forward to the most? -- In a really shocking turn of events, Piranha Plant somehow takes the gold medal in this category, which is bizarre, because from what I recall, the character did have a decent amount of backlash. Maybe this poll proves that people who reacted badly to his reveal are a vocal minority. Anyway, besides that little turn of events, the other top characters are about what you’d expect. K. Rool, a classic villain that most people love, ended up taking second, with the Inkling from Splatoon taking third, and Daisy, a character boasting a large and sometimes controversial fanbase to say the least, taking fourth. Besides Piranha Plant’s surge in popularity though, it’d be fairly easy to just outright guess most of the results this time around, which does speak to the vocal and widespread passion present in the fans of these characters.


 * What Super Mario subseries should receive more representation (fighters, trophies, stages, music, etc.) in Super Smash Bros.? -- As always, Paper Mario climbs to the top of this ladder, with Mario and Luigi not far behind, The two RPG franchises have always had an extremely vocal fanbase gunning to get at least one of the titles into Smash Bros, with Paper Mario himself being a popular rep to request. Personally, I’ve always found it odd that Nintendo’s ignored their beloved RPG cast when it came to Smash, but maybe one day we’ll get Fawful or something, who knows. Mario Party is another fairly popular choice here though, for some reason, but I imagine most who voted for it would be looking for a stage or some music, rather than a fighter, which would be a bizarre choice. Mario Kart’s in the top 4 as well, but that one actually does have a decent amount of representation in this game as it stands, so it’s probably less of a concern if we don’t get more.


 * What is your opinion on potential leaks of upcoming Mario information? -- I’ll admit it: I love leaks, because I like getting news on a game I’m anticipating a lot faster than the painful pace at which companies seem to reveal them. 26.51% of our voters though do not share this sentiment, and instead prefer to ignore them for official reveals, which isn’t necessarily a bad path to take, when a sizeable chunk of our voters points out their dislike for the ever-present fake leaks that especially dominate any and all Smash Bros. discussion. Still, another good chunk of our voters also enjoy reading and discussing leaks, so maybe I have some company in the Leak Lover’s Club after all.


 * What is your opinion on the "Super Crown" meme (Bowsette, etc.)? -- While I may have written the poll myself, I’m firmly in the “whatever” camp regarding the Super Crown, and Bowsette herself. It happened, and nearly as soon as it did, it was gone. Seriously you’d be hard pressed to find new artwork of Bowsette nowadays, because the meme died pretty quick, and it died hard. Regardless, in the time it was alive, it did gather quite the passionate fanbase, with a large percentage of our voters praising the meme for the unique character designs it gave us, something I can agree with. According to the poll, there weren’t even really a lot of people hating on the Super Crown either, the two “main” groups involved either liked the meme, or just didn’t care. No matter what your opinion is though, I think we can all stand back and at least acknowledge the sheer amount of effort put into some of the artwork and other content that this meme spawned.


 * Which of these gameplay mechanics would you most like to see return in Luigi’s Mansion 3? -- Frankly, I’m not even sure if I can give much insight into this one, because the jury has spoken: Portrait Ghosts, the minibosses from the first game, are overwhelmingly the element that most fans want to see return, and I can see why. They all had unique designs, personalities, and some of them were pretty spooky. In my opinion, the portrait ghosts were some genuinely great content. As for the other options here, for the most part they all seem pretty even in terms of popularity besides that one standout option, although the Game Boy Horror does take a fairly high spot on the list as well, comparatively.


 * The Mario franchise has created many spinoff games, such as Mario Kart and Mario Party. How do you feel about how many games they have? -- Again, we’ve got the second overwhelming consensus of the night: people want more spinoffs, whether they’re satisfied with the ones we have or not. The Mario spinoffs always seemed in general to have a lot more… creativity to them than the mainline games, at least until recently, with spinoffs like Sticker Star and Color Splash, and mainline games like Odyssey. It’s quite obvious why a lot of them are as popular as they are, because almost all of them are pretty fun. Whether it’s Kart, Party, or even more RPGs, there’s usually always at least a decent amount of fun to be had, unless, as previous polls have indicated, the games in question are Sticker Star, Mario Party 9, Mario Party 10, or Color Splash. Only madness and despair can be found there.

Well, this has been fun and all, but alas, my second day in the spotlight is about to come to a close, and the curtains are about to be drawn on my magnificent performance. Or something like that, anyway. My own theatrics would be nothing without you, the reader though, so do me a favor and keep reading, because both me and my talent agent generally appreciate it.

Anyway, that’s it for this month’s article. Be sure to pop in next month for even more Poll Committee adventures, and don’t forget to vote on the polls yourself, because who knows, your chosen option might get talked about, and then you’ll technically be famous. Pretty cool, huh?

'Shroom Recap
Written by: and Welcome to the full debut of The 'Shroom Recap. Every other month from now into the foreseeable future, this section will present an in-depth examination of one user's history with The 'Shroom and look back on the development of some of the paper's well-known sections. This month, we feature The 'Shroom's current Sub-Director in the user feature and ask a few questions about Interview in the section feature. User Feature

has been a part of this community for most of its history, having been here basically from the start. He's seen or knows about most everything that's unfolded on the Super Mario Wiki and Super Mario Boards and in their extended community, and he's a rich repository of information. Unsurprisingly, this unofficial community historian also has extensive experience with The 'Shroom, though he may not have written as many sections as you'd expect since he debuted in Issue III in March of 2007. While much of his work has been in the background, with the Staff, Perch's involvement has certainly shaped this publication in significant ways. That said, it seems reasonable to take a closer look at what all he's done in his time with The 'Shroom.

As mentioned, Perch first appeared in The 'Shroom in Issue III while writing Quiz for Fun Stuff, though it was simply called Fun Section back at that time. Much like Fun Stuff, Perch went by a different name in those early years, being called TheGreatBlockyBoo. His quizzes appeared in Issue IV and Issue VI, as well, and they all had the same basic format. Perch offered ten questions about the Mario franchise, often drawing questions from the RPGs. In the first two editions, the questions were multiple choice, and he provided four options. The third and final edition instead used a true or false system of questions. Perch hid the answers at the end of the quizzes and offered commentary on the reader's knowledge of Mario based on the number of questions they answered correctly. In Issue VII, Perch's Quiz is briefly mentioned in the Director's Notes, where Plumber states that the Quiz is missing but will be added in a few days. Unfortunately, the Quiz never did become a part of the issue. After this initial burst of activity, Perch retired from The 'Shroom in Issue VIII, with Plumber using the Director's Notes to encourage other users to take Perch's positions starting in Issue X. Though Issue VIII was the start of his hiatus from The 'Shroom, it thankfully was not the end of Perch's involvement in the publication.

Still called TheGreatBlockyBoo (though also acknowledging that some might know him better as Superchao), Perch reappears in Issue 64 with a special section, Dangan Ronpa Explained. Yes, being that the game wasn't localized at the time, Danganronpa was split into two words for the original article. As the name implies, the section explained just what it was that inspired everyone's favorite forum fad. Perch says it best when he notes that “myself and several other people got name changes around a month and a half ago to a bunch of different Japanese names. These characters originate from the Japanese-only game Dangan Ronpa.” Perch explains the nature of Danganronpa, explains why it had recently became popular, and asks a few other users to explain what they find enjoyable and interesting about it. On a side note, this special section isn't the only place where Perch is present in Issue 64. In his Forum Update, MCD announced Perch's promotion to Forum Moderator, a position in which he continues to serve today.

Since his return, Perch has continued contributing to The 'Shroom as a writer and Staff Member. It's easier to follow the remainder of Perch's story by grouping sections and positions together, rather than continuing with a chronological approach. That said, there's a few miscellaneous sections Superchao has written either out of a desire to write a special section or as part of another community organization. Speaking as the Awards Committee Organizer, Perch contributes his thoughts in the Awards Committee Commentaries in Issue LXVI. He once again offered his reflection in Issue LXXVIII, this time as the Sub-director of the Awards Committee. Wanting to write a special section, Superchao spent some time collecting his thoughts and opinions on exploration in 3D Mario games for Holiday Issue LXXXI. He wrote the Anniversary Announcements in Pipe Plaza for Issue LXXV, announcing the upcoming Awards Mafia III and providing updates on Guess the Results, polls, and other tournaments. As part of the 8th Poll Committee, Superchao analyzed the results of 2017's Awards Ceremony in Issue 126's Awards Analysis. Just this past September, Superchao wrote another set of analyses, this time focusing on 2018's Awards Ceremony results, in Issue 138.

Superchao hasn't just written for The 'Shroom; he has taken up a number of Staff positions over the years. He become Activities Manager in Issue LXXIX, before retiring from the position without an immediate successor in Issue LXXXII. Why did Perch retire and why was the position left vacant for a short time? In Issue LXXXII, Perch became the Director of The 'Shroom. This development also offers an explanation as to why the position of Activities Manager was not immediately filled, though that explanation will be returned to momentarily. Before moving on to his tenure as Director, it's worth noting that Perch again became the Activities Manager in Issue 107. He remained Activities Manager until Issue 126, at which point the position was dissolved.

In December of 2013, Superchao entered the Director election in Issue LXXXI. He ran on a platform which included a promise to improve The 'Shroom's announcements on Facebook and Twitter, to make it clearer to potential writers that they could submit ideas for new sections, to work with the Awards Committee for 'Shroom Awards V, and establish a system in which Staff positions would be filled by holding an open application. That last bit was rather important, since that basic system of applications is still used for Staff positions like the Team Directors. As a well-known community member with respectable credentials and the only candidate, Superchao won. Superchao then went on to lead The 'Shroom through 2014, beginning with Issue LXXXII, and into the first month of 2015 with Issue XCIV. His tenure as Director saw a number of changes in the Staff, with a fair number of users retiring and others filling those positions. Superchao set out his plans for the year in Issue LXXXII. In addition to the goals he discussed in his platform, he made it clear that he would continue working to improve the archives by saving externally hosted images and fixing broken coding. He also implemented a policy of sending out reminders to writers at least a week before their deadlines, which current writers may know are still in place today. Superchao oversaw the a special holiday Issue (XCIII) in December and a Mario Kart 8 themed special in July in Issue LXXXVIII. Nothing caught fire and burned to the ground, so Perch's stint as Director went rather well.

Of course, as the Director, Perch had quite a bit of housekeeping work to do. He wrote the Opening Statement from Issue LXXXIII to Issue XCIV, the Closing Statement from Issue LXXXII to Issue XCIV, and set up the Poll Chairperson Election in Issue LXXXVII. Though it isn't recorded, he certainly must have done the background work that comes with being Director, as well. In addition, Superchao listed the Section of the Month results from Issue LXXXV, when he took over from his Sub-Director Turboo, to Issue LXXXVIII, after which Mario4Ever wrote the section. Superchao returned briefly to write the Section of the Month for Issue XCIII, after which Edofenrir wrote it for one Issue before the Section of the Month ceased to be a seperate section altogether. Of course, Superchao had previous experience writing the Section of the Month, having previously covered for Tucayo in Issue LXVIII.

Perch's experience as Director didn't end in January 2015, though. Understanding how he again became Director requires starting with Issue 112. After Super Mario Bros. retired with Issue 111's release, Pi was promoted from Sub-Director to Director in Issue 112. With the Sub-Director role vacant, Perch stepped in to fill the position. This arrangement continued until Issue 115. At this point, reading the Staff History reveals that Perch officially became Director, though the story isn't quite as clean cut as this suggests. For Issue 115, Pi disappeared, and Superchao was forced to put up the Issue at the last minute. When it was clear that Pi wasn't returning, Perch was made the Interim Director for Issue 116 and Issue 117, with Meta Knight as his Sub-Director. With a ticket which listed Meta Knight as Director and Superchao as Sub-Director, Meta Knight and Perch won the Director election in Issue 117. Perch, officially serving as Director for the month, made way for Meta Knight as he brought in 2017 with Issue 118. From that point to this issue, Superchao has served as Sub-Director under Meta Knight, and has done a wonderful job working with the rest of the Staff to make The 'Shroom as great as it can be. As part of his duties as Sub-Director and Director, Superchao has written the Staff Notes/Director's Notes from Issue 112 to Issue 139.

At this point many long-time readers might be wondering why there's been no mention of a particular section that is heavily associated with Perch. Yes, ever since he took over Interviews from Stooben in Issue LXX, Perch has been known for conducting informative and often entertaining interviews with a number of community members. Perch has a rather casual and approachable style and personality which make his interviews unique and enjoyable for both readers and the interviewee. That he has interacted rather extensively with a great number of users doesn't hurt Perch's interviews, either. With a characteristic “Greetings, 'Shroom readers!” (which attentive readers may notice still starts Perch's sections, though as "Hello, 'Shroom readers!" today), Perch begins his long career of interviews by sitting down with Bop1996 in Issue LXX. He went on to win his first Section of the Month award for his interview with the current Fake News Director, MCD, in Issue Issue LXXI. From this point to Issue LXXXV, Superchao faithfully provides readers with a new interview each month. He continues with Pi, Threek, Shoey, Gamefreak75 (for the seventy-fifth issue, centered around Gamefreak75, fittingly), Mario4Ever, Turboo, Brock, Mason (Puddin), Packy, Shokora, Luke Atmey Epic Nitwit, Glowsquid, and Timmy. After the initial onslaught of interviews, Perch slowed down, though continued doing conducting his interviews at an irregular pace. His next interview was with the late Bureaucrat and all around extraordinary community member Walkazo in Issue LXXXVIII. He followed this up with a surprisingly Nico-free interview with TFP in Issue XC. For holiday Issue XCIII, Perch had an ambitious two interviews with Toadbert101 and Galactic Petey. In the grand celebration which was Issue 100, Perch had the ultimate opportunity to interview the Wiki's founder and Proprietor, Porplemontage.

With Porplemontage as the capstone, Perch then ceased conducting interviews, or, he did until Issue 130. Now a part of the Pipe Plaza team, Perch's Interview has made a triumphant return this year. Since starting with a not-so-Honoka-free interview with NEXandGBX, Perch has interviewed Meta Knight, Stargazing, The Pyro Guy, GBAToad, 2257, Lakituthequick, LudwigVon, and Lord Bowser. With interviews planned for the remainder of the year, more can certainly be expected from The 'Shroom's prolific interviewer.

Interviews aren't all that Perch has done recently, though. In Issue 109, Superchao joined Strategy Wing with Let's Play Showcase, a section in which he introduced to readers Let's Players that he liked. He continued writing it on a bi-monthly schedule until Issue 117, only having to skip Issue 115. Superchao started a new Strategy Wing section in Issue 138. This section, titled Mach Speed Mayhem, offers an in-depth exploration of every F-Zero character's role in the franchise. With four years of content for the section at a monthly pace, Superchao should have a long future with this section. It's long life isn't the only ambitious part of this section; Perch is aiming for reader involvement. Starting with the release of this Issue, readers are encouraged to go to his forum thread for the section and vote on which character he should feature in each month's edition of Mach Speed Mayhem. He's covered Captain Falcon, Black Shadow, and Samurai Goroh, but he has a great list of the rest of the F-Zero cast for readers to choose from.

In Issue 139, he made his Palette Swap debut with another new section, Touhou (Remix) Project. Currently writing it on a bi-monthly schedule, Perch uses each edition to select one piece of music from the Touhou franchise and examine a collection of fan remixes of the selected piece.

That's it in terms of sections, but there's still a bit more to Perch's history with the Staff. Before he was Director, he was the Fun Stuff Director. He started as Fun Stuff Director in Issue LXXVI, taking over the position from Shoey. He continued as Fun Stuff Director in Issue LXXVII and Issue LXXVIII before Smasher took over the position. He then returned as Fun Stuff Director in Issue 105. While Super Mario Bros. appears on the page, he credits Superchao and Tucayo for putting it Fun Stuff together in that Issue. Superchao was the Fun Stuff Director proper for Issue 106. These two Issues were the transition period between Packy and Andymii, so Superchao helped out by covering.

Even with all of that, there's still one more of Superchao's accomplishments to discuss, and it's a rather large and recent one. As LudwigVon noted two months ago, Superchao has directed all six of The 'Shroom's teams. Actually, he's directed for all six during the course of 2018. In issue 130, he directed Pipe Plaza between Yoshi876 stepping down and The Pyro Guy stepping into his new position. He returned five Issues later to cover for The Pyro Guy for a month. In the interim, Perch directed Critic Corner while Anton was moving during the release of Issue 131 and returned to a familiar position when he covered for Lord Bowser as the Fun Stuff Director for Issue 132. In Issue 134, he directed Fake News as as a stand in for MCD and directed Strategy Wing to help out Meta Knight. To complete the year, Perch then took over for FunkyK as Palette Swap Director in Issue 138. Needless to say, it's been a busy year for The 'Shroom's Sub-Director.

And, with that, we've covered every one of Superchao's accomplishments and contributions on the record. Even with all of this, though, we haven't been able to look at all of the work Perch has done behind the scenes. As someone with extensive knowledge of the community and The 'Shroom and a great deal of direct experience with both, Perch will continue to be a great asset and source of information for the publication and the community as a whole. With plenty left to write about for Mach Speed Mayhem and the recent creation of sections like Touhou (Remix) Project, it will certainly be worth keeping up with and reading Perch's work in the coming months and, with any luck, years.

Section Feature

Introduction

Welcome back to The 'Shroom Recap's section feature, and thank you for joining us for the first proper issue of the section. After some deliberation with my co-writer, we have decided to start lining up the section and user features to focus on the contributions of a prominent community member. This month we are focusing on another old section written by an even older member of the boards and wiki. Though this section has moved teams and seen various incarnations, it has found a home in Pipe Plaza and become one of its most prominent sections. So without further ado, I would like to present “Interview” for you viewing pleasure. Please enjoy.

Debut and Early History

Initially, “Interview” got its start as its own section in Issue V of The 'Shroom. It kept today’s theme of messaging prominent community staff and contributors such as, but 's work held a much different tone than its modern structure. The interviews were a lot more formal and involved a quick question-answer exchange. In fact, the interviewer did not even respond to questions and simply moved on to the next one after receiving a response. Without any of the modern banter, the section ended up being much shorter than it currently stands.

With its second writer,, Interview took on a more personable tone. While much of the interviews would be the simple exchange of words that the section started as the writer would not hesitate to interact with the interviewees. Some of the ever famous interview banter got its start under Glitchman. This would typically happen towards the end of the interview where he would typically ask “Is this the last question?” which would really throw the conversation off the rails. Though similar to its predecessor in its more formal nature Glitchman did help set the tone for modern writers of the section.

Though they were only writer for a single issue, still made some noticeable changes to the section format. The section actually took on a somewhat more serious note than with Xzelion, though still retained a trace of the informal work of Glitchman. “Interviews” returned to the simple question and answer exchange minus a single joke at the end. Enumerated questions were perhaps what set Issue XXIII’s section apart from its predecessors. Though likely these were all a set up for the pun made at the interview’s conclusion.

if anything worked to carry the tradition created by their predecessors and did not add much new to the section. The question pool was similar to those used by previous writers as well as the interactions between both the interviewer and interviewee. In his sections, however, they did abbreviate their names to help make the section slightly more compact that it was previously. While Yoshario’s changes were small they were welcome.

While not offering the largest change in terms of style did help make “Interview” into the lengthy section it is today. They also continued the trend started by Yoshario of abbreviating the names of the interviewer and interviewee. There were more past trends they drew from as well by ending off the interview by asking “Is this the last question?” and trying to bring back enumerated questions, albeit only for a single instance in the section.

“Interview” started to look very familiar to its current incarnation when took over as the writer in Issue XXXVI. Having been the second longest writer of the section, it is fair to say they have had a great impact upon the section. At the start of his tenure, he reworked “Interview” to give it a sleek new look with opening and closing sections to help break up the massive wall of text that it had become. Stooben also included bolded names in order to make it easier to differentiate who was speaking. Beyond the structural aspects, they also helped give a new spirit to “Interview.”

The section received tons of personality upon Stooben taking over and it was no longer just the simple question-answer exchange it had been since Issue V. There was plenty of banter and witty comments which are still currently seen in the section today. In regards to overall contributions to the section, Stooben has perhaps made the greatest single improvement to “Interview.”

With as the head of the section, “Interview” went back to its roots as a more basic section. The interviews decreased in length and became a pretty straight forward Q&A once more, however, some of the questions were quite different than the ones asked in the past. These questions went into more of the personality of the interviewee instead of just their activity on the boards and wiki and marked a welcome departure from tradition.

While not using the format provided by Stooben in Issue XXXVI, has more than enough personality to make up for it, just like their predecessor. The section does not feature an introduction or closing portion and instead relies on the typical one line of text naming the interviewee. The content of the interview itself is not quite the same, however. In the text there is a lot more thought put into each individual message by the interviewer and interviewee which really helps give the section its own sense of character.

continued in much of the traditions set by former writers of the section in length and formula. Similar to New Super Mario they also introduced a new pool of questions often molding them to fit whoever they were interviewing. They also introduced more personality as compared to some of the earlier writers of the sections which made it a solid addition to the history of The 'Shroom.

During ’s first stint as the writer for “Interview”, he used the style Stooben Rooben had introduced to the section after he resigned. The introduction and closing sections were rather informal, but the main interview contained all the character that came to be expected of his predecessor. Banter and jokes were the highlights of the section as it once again regained its informal nature and made for a more enjoyable read for the reader. Superchao did their part not so much with the format of the section, but by staying with it for 15 consecutive issues which is more than can be said for past writers.

Recent History

and rebranded “Interview” as “Banjo ’n’ Gutseh’s Late-Night Actually Legit Interviews” when it transferred over to its new home in Pipe Plaza. The two also provided a new take on the section with two interviewers. In terms of structure and content their take was pretty similar to what was written by Stooben Rooben and Superchao during their first stint. Where it deviates is the section gets even more informal than its predecessors through more frequent use of language throughout the interviews and other sorts of gags. Past that the section remains largely true to its past takes.

In Superchao’s second stint as the writer for “Interview” they offered up a more polished section after a three-year break. It does not offer any major updates as the section had already settled into a new format by the time he took over originally, though formal introductions and closings are now included. The section is improved upon in more subtle ways by reading more like an exchange between two friends than the tradition of formality “Interview” once had and represents a new age for the section.

Final Thoughts

Though it was slow and had many setbacks along the way, “Interview” has improved thanks to the dedicated work of its many writers. It has moved from a short and formal section to a lengthier and more interactive one. This, of course, was for the better and is thanks to Stooben Rooben who overhauled the section. Though Superchao really helped make the overhaul tradition and really cemented a standard of quality. Overall “Interview” has come far from the days in from when Xzelion wrote it for the first time in Issue V, and of course, it will continue to get better in the days to come.

Thanks to for the coding in the tables, as well as  for allowing us to modify them. The information in the above article is accurate to the best of our knowledge as of Issue 139.

Upcoming Game
Written by:

Hello everyone! I am Alex95 and welcome back to Upcoming Game! The Nintendo Direct on March 8 gave us plenty of surprises: It gave us new info on Mario Tennis Aces, the Octo Expansion for Splatoon 2, WarioWare Gold, and of course, the reveal of the next Super Smash Bros. title. But there was one that left most of us… confused. Coming off of the remake of Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga, Nintendo thought they should do it again and we got Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story + Bowser Jr.'s Journey. Well, first, let's go over what it is. This game with a super long name is an enhanced remake of Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story that released for the Nintendo DS in 2009. And it was a fantastic game, arguably the best in the Mario & Luigi series. The game takes the subtitle to the literal extreme; a majority of the game has the Bros. explore the depths of Bowser. While that may sound gross (and it is), Bowser's inards are filled with platforms, enemies, and puzzles that the Mario Bros. need to overcome. And why are the Mario Bros. exploring the depths of their arch enemy? Bowser was tricked into eating something known as a Vacuum Shroom and started inhaling most of the Mushroom Kingdom; the Mario Bros., Princess Peach, and the other residents included. Story unfolds, and the Mario Bros. and Bowser ending up having to work together to save Princess Peach and the Mushroom Kingdom from the return of Superstar Saga's chortling beanhead villain, Fawful. As you can probably tell by the "+ Bowser's Jr.'s Journey" part of the title, the game adds a secondary plotline to the main adventure. In a similar vein to Minion Quest: The Search for Bowser from Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga + Bowser's Minions, the side story follows Bowser's son, Bowser Jr., as he goes to find out what happened to Bowser. Bowser Jr. can command various other troops like Goombas, Koopa Troopas, and Boos to fight against Fawful's troops. That's about all we have on this sub-plot, so moving on! This is a rather confusing choice of a remake for a few reasons (Warning: Opinionated info ahead). First, they skipped an installment. Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time released between Superstar Saga and Bowser's Inside Story, also for the Nintendo DS. This installment didn't do as well as Bowser's Inside Story, but maybe it would have if they remade it! With this skip, it seems like Nintendo is trying to ignore it and we may not get an enhanced remake of a great game you should all play. Second, this is obviously trying to cash in more on the recent remake of Superstar Saga. Did we really need another Mario & Luigi remake so soon? And with an additional sub-plot that is essentially the same as the original idea that came before it? And finally, why remake it at all? The original game can still be played on Nintendo 3DS systems, so a remake for the same system seems largely unnecessary. Superstar Saga's remake is understandable: the original game is the only title in the Mario & Luigi series that cannot be played on a Nintendo 3DS (it is on the Wii U's Virtual Console, however). What makes this even more pointless is the game can only be played in 2D…

Thoughts (or final thoughts, rather)
Don't get me wrong, I'm all for Bowser's Inside Story getting an enhanced graphical overhaul. It was a great game and the remake looks amazing! But the timing and execution on this whole thing is just terrible. One Mario & Luigi remake after another, and of a game you can already play on the same system (if you still own it, anyway). Maybe if this game came out for Nintendo Switch instead, a completely different system than the other M&L games are on, I wouldn't be so conflicted. So this all comes down to if you've played the original game or not. I have the original game and can play it on my 3DS, so I don't have much of a reason to buy this myself. But if you missed out on the original story, you gotta pick this one up, it's a great game! And if you've played the Superstar Saga remake, but didn't play the original Bowser's Inside Story… expect more of the same in Bowser Jr.'s Journey.

Now for a quick announcement: Next issue will be my last Upcoming Game. I've been going over my priorities and I need focus more on other life matters, and The 'Shroom sections have been taking something of a backseat lately for me. I decided to round out this year with Upcoming Game (and Could Have Been in Critic Corner), and then hand off the section to whoever else wants to do it.

But be sure to come back for next issue for a last look into 2019! See you around!