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Alleyway is a video game for the Game Boy. It was developed by Intelligent Systems and published by Nintendo in 1989. It is a classic Breakout-style game that requires the player to clear out all of the breakable blocks above, without allowing the ball to go below the paddle. The intro of the game (as well as the western box art) depicts Mario controlling the paddle.
Alleyway was re-released on the Nintendo 3DS's Virtual Console in 2011.
Gameplay[edit]
The goal of the game is that the player must control the paddle to break all the remaining bricks in the playfield by using a ball. When the player successfully breaks the breakable bricks, the player moves onto the next level. In the next level, there is the same block structure as from the previous level. The main difference is that there are three different types of patterns that make the levels challenging, though using the same level.
- Normal Block Screen: Nothing at all. The bricks simply stay in place.
- Scrolling Block Screen: The rows of bricks move either left or right depending on the level the player is in.
- Advancing Block Screen: The rows of bricks push down towards the paddle after a few bricks are destroyed. Additionally, the top of the screen will sometimes either reveal more bricks for the player to destroy with the same brick pattern; or the steel bricks the player cannot break.
Every fourth round the player enters a bonus level; the bonus levels feature various sprite pieces from Super Mario Bros. The following objects from the Mario franchise appear in these bonus levels:
Additionally in the bonus level, the ball can destroy the bricks without bumping around the playfield; also there is a timer that contains 99 game seconds. If the player destroys all the bricks before the timer runs out, the player gains bonus points. After the bonus level ends, the rounds repeat, but with a new set of bricks.
Description from Nintendo eShop[edit]
Originally released at the launch of the Game Boy, Alleyway is a fondly remembered update to the classic ‘bat and ball’ style of games.
The aim is simple: survive and rack up a huge high score! Take control of the paddle and deflect the ball to break the blocks, but don’t let it drop. Break all the blocks to move onto the next of 32 challenging stages.
It starts out simple but later levels introduce walls of blocks that move horizontally or vertically. You can also enjoy bonus stages where the aim is to break as many blocks as possible within the time limit.
Gallery[edit]
Box art[edit]
Screenshots[edit]
Reception[edit]
Alleyway sold well during its production run,[citation needed] but it was not released as a "Player's Choice" title, and the reviews have been mostly mixed to negative.
Mean Machines gave the game a 33/100%, and they criticized the game's repetitiveness and they stated "this variant doesn't have much more to offer than the original Breakout". They also added "once you've finished a couple of screens, you'll be bored stiff." They also compared it to Arkanoid, and regarded a lack of power-ups in the game.
4 reviewers from Electronic Gaming Monthly gave the game scores of 6/10, 6/10, 5/10, and 3/10. All of them compared it to Arkanoid, and they complained about the lack of enhancement over the Breakout format. However, two reviewers who gave the game a 6/10 said it was perfectly designed for the Game Boy, and one of them added that "it's also a very good game that combines some new features ... with the original Break-Out theme," and they concluded with the game being good, but a bit long.
External links[edit]
Alleyway coverage on other NIWA wikis:
Mario games
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Platformers
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Donkey Kong / Mario vs. Donkey Kong series
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Donkey Kong (1981, Arcade) • Donkey Kong (1994, GB) • Mario vs. Donkey Kong (2004, GBA) • Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis (2006, NDS) • Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Minis March Again! (2009, DSiWare) • Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Mini-Land Mayhem! (2010, NDS) • Mario and Donkey Kong: Minis on the Move (2013, 3DS) • Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Tipping Stars (2015, 3DS/Wii U) • Mini Mario & Friends: amiibo Challenge (2016, 3DS/Wii U)
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Mario Bros. series
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Mario Bros. (1983, Arcade) • Mario Bros. Special (1984, Comp) • Punch Ball Mario Bros. (1984, Comp) • Mario Clash (1995, VB)
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Wrecking Crew series
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VS. Wrecking Crew (1984, VS) • Wrecking Crew (1985, NES) • Wrecking Crew '98 (1998, SFC)
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Super Mario series
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Super Mario Bros. (1985, NES) • Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels (1986, FDS) • Super Mario Bros. 2 (1988, NES) • Super Mario Bros. 3 (1988, NES) • Super Mario Land (1989, GB) • Super Mario World (1990, SNES) • Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins (1992, GB) • Super Mario 64 (1996, N64) • Super Mario Sunshine (2002, GCN) • New Super Mario Bros. (2006, NDS) • Super Mario Galaxy (2007, Wii) • New Super Mario Bros. Wii (2009, Wii) • Super Mario Galaxy 2 (2010, Wii) • Super Mario 3D Land (2011, 3DS) • New Super Mario Bros. 2 (2012, 3DS) • New Super Mario Bros. U (2012, Wii U) • Super Mario 3D World (2013, Wii U) • Super Mario Maker (2015, Wii U) • Super Mario Run (2016, iOS/iPadOS/Android) • Super Mario Odyssey (2017, NS) • Super Mario Maker 2 (2019, NS)
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Other
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Mario Bros. (1983, G&W) • Mario's Cement Factory (1983, G&W) • Super Mario Bros. Special (1986, Comp) • Mario & Wario (1993, SNES) • Hotel Mario (1994, CD-i) • Super Princess Peach (2005, NDS) • New Super Luigi U (2013, Wii U) • Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker (2014, Wii U) • Super Mario Bros. 35 (2020, NS)
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Ports and remakes
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Crazy Kong (1981, Arcade) • Donkey Kong (1982, G&W) • VS. Super Mario Bros. (1986, VS) • Super Mario Bros. (1986, G&W) • All Night Nippon Super Mario Bros. (1986, FDS) • Kaettekita Mario Bros. (1988, FDS) • Super Mario Bros. (1989, NGW) • Super Mario Bros. 3 (1990, NGW) • Super Mario World (1991, NGW) • Super Mario All-Stars (1993, SNES) • Donkey Kong (1994, NGW) • Super Mario All-Stars + Super Mario World (1994, SNES) • BS Super Mario USA (1996, SNES) • BS Super Mario Collection (1997, SNES) • Super Mario Bros. Deluxe (1999, GBC) • Super Mario Advance (2001, GBA) • Super Mario World: Super Mario Advance 2 (2002, GBA) • Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3 (2003, GBA) • Famicom Mini Series (2004, GBA) • Classic NES Series (2004-2005, GBA) • Super Mario 64 DS (2004, NDS) • Virtual Console (2006-current, Wii/3DS/Wii U) • Super Mario All-Stars Limited Edition (2010, Wii) • Luigi Bros. (2013, Wii U) • Super Mario Maker for Nintendo 3DS (2016, 3DS) • Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker (2018, NS/3DS) • New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe (2019, NS) • Super Mario 3D All-Stars (2020, NS) • Game & Watch: Super Mario Bros. (2020, G&W) • Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury (2021, NS)
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Tech demos
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snd_test (Unknown, SNES) • Super Mario 128 (2000, GCN) • New Super Mario Bros. Mii (2011, Wii U) • Mario vs. Donkey Kong Wii U demo (2014, Wii U)
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Canceled games
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Mario Takes America (CD-i) • Super Mario's Wacky Worlds (CD-i) • VB Mario Land (VB) • Super Mario 64 2 (N64DD)
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Mario Kart series
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Main
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Super Mario Kart (1992, SNES) • Mario Kart 64 (1996, N64) • Mario Kart: Super Circuit (2001, GBA) • Mario Kart: Double Dash!! (2003, GCN) • Mario Kart DS (2005, NDS) • Mario Kart Wii (2008, Wii) • Mario Kart 7 (2011, 3DS) • Mario Kart 8 (2014, Wii U) • Mario Kart Tour (2019, iOS/iPadOS/Android)
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Arcade
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Mario Kart Arcade GP (2005, Arcade) • Mario Kart Arcade GP 2 (2007, Arcade) • Mario Kart Arcade GP DX (2013, Arcade) • Mario Kart Arcade GP VR (2017, Arcade)
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Other
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Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit (2020, NS)
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Ports
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Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (2017, NS)
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Tech demos
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Mario Kart for Nintendo GameCube (2001, GCN) • Mario Kart XXL (2004, GBA)
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Mario Party series
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Main
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Mario Party (1998, N64) • Mario Party 2 (1999, N64) • Mario Party 3 (2000, N64) • Mario Party 4 (2002, GCN) • Mario Party 5 (2003, GCN) • Mario Party 6 (2004, GCN) • Mario Party 7 (2005, GCN) • Mario Party 8 (2007, Wii) • Mario Party 9 (2012, Wii) • Mario Party 10 (2015, Wii U) • Super Mario Party (2018, NS) • Mario Party Superstars (2021, NS)
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Arcade
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Super Mario Fushigi no Korokoro Party (2004, Arcade) • Super Mario Fushigi no Korokoro Party 2 (2005, Arcade) • Mario Party Fushigi no Korokoro Catcher (2009, Arcade) • Mario Party Kurukuru Carnival (2012, Arcade) • Mario Party Fushigi no Korokoro Catcher 2 (2013, Arcade) • Mario Party Challenge World (2016, Arcade)
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Other
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Mario Party-e (2003, GBA) • Mario Party Advance (2005, GBA) • Mario Party DS (2007, NDS) • Mario Party: Island Tour (2013, 3DS) • Mario Party: Star Rush (2016, 3DS) • Mario Party: The Top 100 (2017, 3DS)
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Sports games
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Mario Baseball series
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Mario Superstar Baseball (2005, GCN) • Mario Super Sluggers (2008, Wii)
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Mario Golf series
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Mario Strikers series
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Super Mario Strikers (2005, GCN) • Mario Strikers Charged (2007, Wii) • Mario Strikers: Battle League (2022, NS)
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Mario Tennis series
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Other
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Donkey Kong Hockey (1984, G&W) • Famicom Grand Prix: F1 Race (1987, FDS) • Famicom Grand Prix II: 3D Hot Rally (1988, FDS) • Super Mario Race (1992, GwB) • NBA Street V3 (2005, GCN) • SSX on Tour (2005, GCN) • Mario Hoops 3-on-3 (2006, NDS) • Mario Sports Mix (2010, Wii) • Mario Sports Superstars (2017, 3DS)
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Ports
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New Play Control! Mario Power Tennis (2009, Wii)
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Canceled games
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Super Mario Spikers (Wii)
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Role-playing games
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Paper Mario series
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Paper Mario (2000, N64) • Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door (2004, GCN) • Super Paper Mario (2007, Wii) • Paper Mario: Sticker Star (2012, 3DS) • Paper Mario: Color Splash (2016, Wii U) • Paper Mario: The Origami King (2020, NS)
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Mario & Luigi series
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Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga (2003, GBA) • Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time (2005, NDS) • Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story (2009, NDS) • Mario & Luigi: Dream Team (2013, 3DS) • Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam (2015, 3DS)
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Other
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Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars (1996, SNES)
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Remakes
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Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga + Bowser's Minions (2017, 3DS) • Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story + Bowser Jr.'s Journey (2018, 3DS)
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Canceled games
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Super Mario RPG 2 (N64DD) • Super Paper Mario (GCN)
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Dr. Mario series
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Main
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Dr. Mario (1990, NES) • Dr. Mario 64 (2001, N64) • Dr. Mario Online Rx (2008, WiiWare) • Dr. Mario Express (2008, DSiWare) • Dr. Luigi (2013, Wii U) • Dr. Mario: Miracle Cure (2015, 3DS) • Dr. Mario World (2019, iOS/iPadOS/Android)
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Other
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VS. Dr. Mario (1990, VS) • Dr. Mario (1992, GwB)
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Remakes
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Tetris & Dr. Mario (1994, SNES) • Nintendo Puzzle Collection (2003, GCN) • Dr. Mario & Puzzle League (2005, GBA)
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Luigi's Mansion series
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Main
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Luigi's Mansion (2001, GCN) • Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon (2013, 3DS) • Luigi's Mansion Arcade (2015, Arcade) • Luigi's Mansion 3 (2019, NS)
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Remakes
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Luigi's Mansion (2018, 3DS)
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Tech demos
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Luigi's Mansion (2000, GCN)
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Educational games
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Mario Discovery series
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Mario is Missing! (1993, MS-DOS/SNES/NES) • Mario's Time Machine (1993, MS-DOS/SNES/NES) • Mario's Early Years! Fun with Letters (1993, MS-DOS/SNES) • Mario's Early Years! Fun with Numbers (1994, MS-DOS/SNES) • Mario's Early Years! Preschool Fun (1994, MS-DOS/SNES)
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Other
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Family BASIC (1984, FC) • Mario Teaches Typing (1991, MS-DOS) • Super Mario Bros. & Friends: When I Grow Up (1991, MS-DOS) • Mario Teaches Typing 2 (1996, MS-DOS)
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Ports
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Mario's Early Years! CD-ROM Collection (1995, MS-DOS)
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Art utilities
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Released games
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I Am a Teacher: Super Mario no Sweater (1986, FDS) • Super Mario Bros. Print World (1991, MS-DOS) • Mario Paint (1992, SNES) • Super Mario Collection Screen Saver (1997, PC) • Mario no Photopi (1998, N64) • Mario Artist: Paint Studio (1999, N64DD) • Mario Artist: Talent Studio (2000, N64DD) • Mario Artist: Communication Kit (2000, N64DD) • Mario Artist: Polygon Studio (2000, N64DD) • Mario Family (2001, GBC)
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Canceled games
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Mario Artist: Game Maker (N64DD) • Mario Artist: Graphical Message Maker (N64DD) • Mario Artist: Sound Maker (N64DD) • Mario Artist: Video Jockey Maker (N64DD) • Mario Paint 64 (N64DD)
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Miscellaneous
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Games
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Mario's Bombs Away (1983, G&W) • Pinball (1984, NES) • Alleyway (1989, GB) • Mario's Egg Catch (1990, SMBW) • Luigi's Hammer Toss (1990, SMBW) • Princess Toadstool's Castle Run (1990, SMBW) • Mario the Juggler (1991, G&W) • Yoshi's Safari (1993, SNES) • Undake30 Same Game (1995, SFC) • Mario's Game Gallery (1995, MS-DOS) • Mario's Picross (1995, GB) • Mario's Super Picross (1995, SFC) • Donkey Kong (slot machine) (1996, Arcade) • Picross 2 (1996, GB) • Excitebike: Bun Bun Mario Battle (1997, Satellaview) • Mario's FUNdamentals (1998, Windows) • Picross NP (1999-2000, SFC) • Super Mario Fushigi no Janjan Land (2003, Arcade) • Mario Pinball Land (2004, GBA) • Yakuman DS (2005, NDS) • Dance Dance Revolution: Mario Mix (2005, GCN)
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Tech demos
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Mario Demo (1994, VB) • morphdemo (Unknown, N64) • Peach's Castle (2002, GCN) • Mario's Face (Unknown, NDS) • Koopa Troopa Forest (Unknown, Wii) • Mario FPS (Unknown, Wii)
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Crossovers
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Mario & Sonic series
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Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games (2007, Wii) • Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games (2008, NDS) • Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games (2009, Wii) • Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games (2009, NDS) • Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games (2011, Wii) • Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games (2012, 3DS) • Mario & Sonic at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games (2013, Wii U) • Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games (2016, Wii U) • Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games (2016, 3DS) • Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games Arcade Edition (2016, Arcade) • Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 (2019, NS) • Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 - Arcade Edition (2020, Arcade)
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Super Smash Bros. series
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Super Smash Bros. (1999, N64) • Super Smash Bros. Melee (2001, GCN) • Super Smash Bros. Brawl (2008, Wii) • Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS (2014, 3DS) • Super Smash Bros. for Wii U (2014, Wii U) • Super Smash Bros. Ultimate (2018, NS)
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Mario + Rabbids series
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Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle (2017, NS) • Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope (2022, NS)
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Itadaki Street series
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Itadaki Street DS (2007, NDS) • Fortune Street (2011, Wii)
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Other
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Nintendo Land (2012, Wii U) • Puzzle & Dragons: Super Mario Bros. Edition (2015, 3DS)
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Tech demos
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Chase Mii (Unknown, Wii U)
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