History of Mario
Mario is the main character of the Super Mario franchise. His history spans decades of media primarily in video games, but it also includes cartoons, books, and other promotional materials. Though Mario is usually the main protagonist in his appearances, he has also played other roles across his history with ranging significance, such as a captive that needs to be rescued (such as in Mario is Missing!, Luigi's Mansion, and Super Princess Peach) and a minor supporting character (such as in several games of the Mario vs. Donkey Kong series and Yoshi's New Island). He has even served the role of a villain very rarely, such as in Donkey Kong Jr.
Background[edit]
Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island depicts Mario's beginnings by delivery of a stork at nearly the same time as Luigi, suggesting a twin birth. Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island is usually considered as one of the first media chronologically in Mario's history, but a few other sources, usually older than Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island, depict different beginnings. In Super Mario Momotarō, for instance, two elderly Hammer Brothers have found and raised Mario, who emerged out of a peach that has fallen from the sky. Mario here resembles his older self, although smaller and without a cap. The story in Super Mario Momotarō, however, is a retelling of a popular Japanese fairy tale and may have no actual bearing on Mario's history. The Nintendo Comics System comic entitled "Family Album 'The Early Years'" is another early medium that depicts Mario's childhood. According to it, Mario has taken an early interest in plumbing, although frequently misbehaving, such as making his father's pipe emit bubbles instead of smoke. Mario is also adept at sports, scoring home runs in his neighborhood softball team. Mario at birth is shown to have full hair on the head and facial stubble that quickly became a mustache. The comic also depicts Luigi as several years younger than Mario, whereas he is depicted as Mario's younger twin in the video games.
The Super Mario Bros. Movie is a later portrayal of Mario's childhood from Brooklyn. Family portraits and dialogue (such as Luigi's awkward recall of a friend from high school) indicate that they attended high school and graduated. From Mario and Luigi's room, Mario's hobbies include playing sports, playing retro video games, and collecting retro video game memorabilia. Before working as plumbers, Mario and Luigi worked in a construction company with Spike as their boss. They left their job to pursue their interests, though at an apparent cost, with Luigi claiming that they spent their life savings on their commercial and their father's criticizing their risky choices.
Donkey Kong franchise[edit]
Donkey Kong series[edit]
Donkey Kong[edit]
In Donkey Kong, Mario is a carpenter who needs to rescue his girlfriend, Lady (renamed Pauline in later games), from Donkey Kong at a construction site. Mario can jump over obstacles such as the barrels Donkey Kong throws, or Mario can use hammers to destroy the barrels and defeat other enemies. After defeating Donkey Kong in the final level, Mario is reunited with Lady.
In the Game & Watch version of Donkey Kong, the objective is the same as in the arcade version, but Mario must trigger a lever, causing a hook to appear. If Mario grabs the hook, a girder wire is removed and he is transported to the starting point. If Mario misses, he falls and loses a life. If Mario removes all the wires, he defeats Donkey Kong.
Donkey Kong Jr.[edit]
- “Save your papa, huh? Save yourself first!”
- —Mario, Donkey Kong Jr. commercial[1]
In Donkey Kong Jr., Mario, an antagonist, holds Donkey Kong hostage in a cage, while Donkey Kong's son, Donkey Kong Jr., must rescue him. As Donkey Kong Jr. moves through the levels, Mario releases enemies such as Snapjaws and Nitpickers to stop him. After Donkey Kong Jr. rescues Donkey Kong in the final level, Mario falls and is defeated. In the arcade version, Mario regains consciousness and attempts to pursue the pair, only to be sent running away by a kick by the elder Donkey Kong.
During the intro to the arcade version of the game, there are two Marios that are seen carrying Donkey Kong away.
Donkey Kong II[edit]
Since Donkey Kong II serves as a semi-sequel to the Game & Watch Donkey Kong Jr., Mario reprises his role as the antagonist.
Donkey Kong Circus[edit]
Mario appears as a spectator in Donkey Kong Circus. He laughs at Donkey Kong whenever he drops a pineapple or grabs a fireball by mistake. The circus seems to be at the construction site where the first game begins, based on the girder-like platform Mario stands on.
Donkey Kong Hockey[edit]
Mario appears as the protagonist in Donkey Kong Hockey. His hockey shot is less powerful than Donkey Kong's, but it has more range.[citation needed]
Donkey Kong (Game Boy)[edit]
Mario makes a later appearance in the Donkey Kong series with a new appearance in Donkey Kong for the Game Boy. Along with the original four Donkey Kong levels, Mario has to travel through an additional nine worlds to rescue Pauline. Mario can also perform additional acrobatic maneuvers that can assist him in navigating through levels.
Mario can perform a handstand move, which protects him from any objects falling on him from above. From the handstand position, Mario can also perform the Handstand Jump. The game also features the Backflip as well as wires on which Mario can wire-spin and jump to catapult himself high in the air. Another essential part of Mario's moveset, taken from Super Mario Bros. 2, is his ability to pick up enemies and objects and lift them over his head to throw them. This is also one of the few Super Mario games in which Mario takes damage and can lose a life from a high fall.
In most stages, Mario has to find the key and take it to the locked door in order to proceed to the next level. As long as Mario holds the key, he has an additional hit point, although he loses the key when he takes damage. He uses hammers as seen in the original Donkey Kong and constructs temporary ladders and roads in order to pass through the levels. Other levels are boss fights against Donkey Kong Jr. and Donkey Kong. In the final level, Mario must navigate through the level while chasing Donkey Kong and Donkey Kong Jr. to the top of the tower, where he eventually traps Donkey Kong Jr. in a cage, defeats a giant Donkey Kong, and rescues Pauline. In the game's credits, however, Mario seems to have reconciled with Donkey Kong since they are shown together with Donkey Kong Jr. and Pauline in a photo in Rocky-Valley.
The ending to the game shows Mario holding Donkey Kong above his head (with Donkey Kong yelling, "HELP!") as Donkey Kong Jr. is standing to the left of him. To the right is what appears to be the start of World 1-1 from Super Mario Bros. This foreshadows the events of both Donkey Kong Jr. and Super Mario Bros.
Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest[edit]
Mario makes a cameo appearance in Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest. He appears at the end of the game as one of Cranky's Video Game Heroes, along with Diddy Kong, Link, and Yoshi. With 39 DK Coins in the original and 67 in the Game Boy Advance version, Mario is the top video game hero.
Donkey Kong 64[edit]
In Donkey Kong 64, specifically in a port of the original Donkey Kong game, playable via an arcade set up in Frantic Factory, Mario re-enacts his initial role. Mario has to go through the same construction site as in the original game, while the old Donkey Kong creates mischief down Mario's path. However, a slight modification has been brought to this port, which is related to the game's objective. In the first run, Mario has to rescue Pauline from Donkey Kong; however, after she is rescued and the player restarts, Mario can instead collect a special Nintendo Coin at the end.
Mario vs. Donkey Kong series[edit]
The Mario vs. Donkey Kong series revisits the old Donkey Kong series, pitting Mario against a misbehaving Donkey Kong. The original Mario vs. Donkey Kong game, released in 2004, introduced the windup toys known as Mini-Marios. The Mini-Marios replaced Mario as the playable character in Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis, Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Minis March Again!, Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Mini-Land Mayhem!, and Mario and Donkey Kong: Minis on the Move, although Mario is still present in the storylines, as is Pauline.
Mario vs. Donkey Kong[edit]
- “Mario vs. Donkey Kong!”
- —Mario, Mario vs. Donkey Kong
In Mario vs. Donkey Kong and its remake, Mario's objective is to recover the stolen Mini-Marios from Donkey Kong. Mario has access to his moveset from Donkey Kong on the Game Boy, being able to perform handstands and Wire Spins. This is one of the few games where Mario speaks in full sentences.
In the first area of the main levels, as well as in the Expert Levels, Mario needs to carry a key to a locked door in order to progress, solving puzzles along the way. In the second area of the main levels, Mario needs to rescue a captured Mini-Mario while dodging enemies and obstacles. Once Mario completes six levels in a world, he has to lead the six Mini-Marios into a toy box and then fight Donkey Kong. In the Plus Levels, Mario has to lead a single Mini-Mario with a key attached to it to the locked door.
Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis[edit]
Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis starts with Mario and Pauline cutting the premier ribbon of the theme park called Super Mini Mario World. After Pauline takes a Mini Mario toy from Mario, Donkey Kong kidnaps her. Mario chases after Donkey Kong to rescue Pauline, but his path is blocked. Instead of Mario, the playable characters in this game and all following installments of the Mario vs. Donkey Kong series are the Mini Marios. They clear the way for Mario to get to Pauline. Mario and Pauline feel sorry for Donkey Kong, and the three celebrate the opening of the theme park.
Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Minis March Again![edit]
Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Minis March Again! begins once again with Mario and Pauline opening an expansion to Super Mini Mario World, with numerous Toads and Donkey Kong waiting to get in. However, as Donkey Kong reaches the ticket counter, he sees that tickets are sold out and, out of rage, kidnaps Pauline. Mario tries to save her, only to end up ripping off part of her dress, allowing Donkey Kong to escape. Two Mini Marios then approach him, and Mario decides to use them to help save Pauline.
Eventually, Mario reaches the top of the building, where he finds Pauline in a room with one window. As they are about to hug, Donkey Kong flips the light switch off, grabs Pauline, and leaps out the window, with Mario and the minis following him.
After much more toil, Mario once again enters the room, where he finds Donkey Kong, Pauline, two Toads (one blue and one green), and two Mini Marios. As Mario is confused, Pauline reveals that the entire adventure was to test the Mini Mario product, and the group decides to celebrate.
Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Mini-Land Mayhem![edit]
In Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Mini-Land Mayhem!, Mario and Pauline are once again opening a theme park, but this time, he is giving away Mini Pauline toys to the first 100 guests. Donkey Kong, wanting a Mini Pauline, charges through the line to get to the front but finds out that he is visitor 101. When he learns from Mario that the toys are out of stock, he goes into yet another fit of rage, capturing Pauline. Mario once again must rely on his minis to help get her back.
After much journeying, Mario defeats Donkey Kong and tries to hug Pauline, but Donkey Kong captures her again, leaving Mario to chase after him again.
Mario once again defeats Donkey Kong after many more challenges. As Donkey Kong is about to capture Pauline again, Mario offers him a Mini Pauline. Donkey Kong accepts this gift, and, happy again, the entire group decides to ride the Ferris wheel.
Mario and Donkey Kong: Minis on the Move[edit]
The Mini-Marios again play a major role in Mario and Donkey Kong: Minis on the Move. Unlike the other Mario vs. Donkey Kong games, this game has little story and Mario makes only a minor appearance.
Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Tipping Stars[edit]
Mario appears once again in Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Tipping Stars. Pauline is once again kidnapped by Donkey Kong, and Mario chases them down with his Mini Mario toys. Mario has to free Cursed Mini Marios along the way. When Mario catches up to Donkey Kong and Pauline, he finds out they and two Toads have thrown him a surprise party. Mario continues on to the bonus worlds afterwards.
Super Mario franchise[edit]
Game & Watch series[edit]
Mario has appeared in several Game & Watch games, including Mario Bros., Mario's Cement Factory, Mario's Bombs Away, Super Mario Bros., and Mario the Juggler. He also appeared in four installments of remakes marketed as the Game & Watch Gallery series, and he later appeared in Game & Watch Collection.
In Mario Bros. (which is unrelated to the arcade game of the same name), Mario and the newly introduced Luigi must cooperate and put pallets of bottles on a delivery truck. They have to use conveyor belts to send the package to each other. If they drop a pallet, their foreman yells at them. If they drop three pallets, the game is over. In Game & Watch Gallery 3 and Game & Watch Gallery 4, Wario drives the delivery truck and Bowser periodically reverses the conveyor belt directions. Cakes replace pallets in the game.
In Mario's Cement Factory, Mario must move cement from conveyor belts into cement trucks by emptying hoppers. The hoppers can hold only three loads of cement. If a hopper overflows, some cement can land on a driver, making Mario lose a life. Mario can move by using an elevator, but if he moves when the elevator is not there, he falls and loses a life. If Mario stays in the elevator for too long, he can be crushed or can touch the very bottom, losing a life either way; there are safe zones to circumvent this. In the remake in Game & Watch Gallery 4, Yoshi and Toad appear as background characters. A Boo can appear and interfere with the work. Mario can fall from the elevator, but when he touches the bottom ground, he gets a miss.
Mario must safely deliver bombs in Mario's Bombs Away, avoiding oil spills and torches.
Super Mario Bros. for the Game & Watch plays similarly to the original game for the NES. This version, however, is simpler and shorter.
Mario is featured in Mario the Juggler, a Game & Watch game based on the very first one, Ball.
In the Modern games of Game & Watch Gallery remakes, Mario also takes some roles previously taken by other characters. Other times, he is a non-playable character. In Fire, for instance, he and Luigi rescue Toads, Yoshis, and Donkey Kong Jrs. from a fire. In another example, Chef, Princess Peach must cooperate with Mario and Luigi to feed Yoshi. Mario and Luigi throw the food, and Peach can catch it in her pan.
Mario Bros. series[edit]
After Donkey Kong Jr., Mario's next arcade appearance is Mario Bros. in 1983. Only Mario's physical appearance is taken from earlier titles; Mario is now a plumber in the sewers of New York[2][3] (his house, according to Atari)[4] and fights an endless number of creatures, such as Shellcreepers and Sidesteppers. Unlike in later games, Mario cannot jump on enemies. Instead, he must jump against the ceiling of a floor from below to stun all enemies walking on top of it. When Mario approaches the stunned enemies, he kicks them out of the screen, rendering them defeated. In the two-player mode, the second player plays as Luigi, here portrayed as a green palette swap of Mario.
The brothers reprise their role in two Japan-only sequels for home computers, Mario Bros. Special and Punch Ball Mario Bros. In Mario Bros. Special, Mario has to stun enemies by jumping on shared trampolines before dispatching them. In Punch Ball Mario Bros., he needs to hit them with a Punch Ball first.
Mario shoots at Koopas and various other enemies in Mario Clash, a game for the Virtual Boy. Mario has to knock enemies away with Koopa Shells at the side. The game's gameplay is similar to the style of Mario Bros., but Luigi is absent.
Pinball / VS. Pinball[edit]
In the bonus stage of Pinball and VS. Pinball, Mario returns, trying to rescue Lady by holding a platform and having a ball bounce off it to pass through bingo lamps so the size of the floor Lady is on decreases. Once the floor is small enough, Lady falls through, and Mario can catch her and bring her to an exit. If not, Lady will fall to the floor, and the player will be sent back to Scene A.
Golf[edit]
The first time Mario starred in any sports game was in Golf, where his proportions are more realistic. Captain Rainbow would later identify this character as Ossan rather than Mario (although this was one of Mario's initial names during development of Donkey Kong).
Family BASIC[edit]
Family BASIC is an accessory to the Family Computer that lets users program their own games. Mario is one of the available sprites. In Family BASIC V3, he appears in two minigames, one in which he is a controllable character.
Wrecking Crew series[edit]
VS. Wrecking Crew / Wrecking Crew[edit]
In VS. Wrecking Crew, an arcade game for the VS. System, Mario and Luigi are workers on a demolition site. Mario must break all the walls before enemies can stop him. In this game, Mario wears a helmet, shoes, and dark-red overalls. Unlike the NES version, this game has a simultaneous two-player mode, where Mario and Luigi can compete or cooperate. In single-player mode, Luigi is an opponent that attacks Mario, but Mario can hit him with his hammer and cause him to fall. They use hammers similar to those previously seen in Donkey Kong against Gotchawrenches or each other. If Mario stays too long, a fireball appears to hinder his progress.
In the NES game Wrecking Crew, Mario faces off against Foreman Spike instead of Luigi. Mario can now defeat enemies by trapping them in drums. Mario can also wield the Golden Hammer, which can smash any wall with a single swing.
Unlike their sequel, Wrecking Crew '98, these games have no specific plot.
Wrecking Crew '98[edit]
In Wrecking Crew '98, Mario finds the Mushroom Kingdom covered with Bowser's new high-rises. Foreman Spike also makes a reappearance, along with several other enemies from Wrecking Crew, this time helping Bowser. These buildings negatively impact the Mushroom Kingdom's environment, so Mario must demolish these structures.
Unlike in the earlier games, Mario can hinder his opponent's progress by raining panels on them. To clear the stage, Mario must demolish blocks or arrange three consecutive panels vertically or horizontally. If four or more panels are aligned, Mario can rain panels down onto his opponent. If he clears the field, he receives a Mushroom, boosting his offensive combos toward his enemy.
Super Mario series[edit]
Super Mario Bros.[edit]
In Super Mario Bros., Mario arrives in the Mushroom Kingdom, where his objective is to rescue Princess Toadstool (renamed Princess Peach in later games) from Bowser. Mario can gain power-ups and coins from jumping against ? Blocks and Bricks. Mario begins the game as Small Mario, who loses a life from any enemy attack. By using Super Mushrooms, Mario grows into Super Mario, who has an additional hit point (reverting to Small Mario after being hit). Super Mario has access to the Fire Flower, which lets him throw fireballs that can knock out enemies. Mario can also become invincible for a short amount of time with the Starman.
Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels[edit]
Mario appears in Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels, the sequel to Super Mario Bros., with the same role as in the original game. Mario's traction and jumping height remain the same, while those of Luigi are changed to differentiate him more from Mario. Luigi jumps higher than Mario but has less traction. This would be a distinguishing feature used in future games.
Super Mario Bros. 2 / Super Mario Advance[edit]
- “Super Mario 2!”
- —Mario, Super Mario Advance
In Super Mario Bros. 2 and its reissue, Super Mario Advance, Mario, along with Luigi, Princess Toadstool, and Toad, rescues Subcon from Wart. The ending of the game, however, reveals the events to take place in Mario's dream. Mario is a well-balanced character with no special abilities. The gameplay of the two games is different from that of other Super Mario titles: Enemies can no longer be defeated by stomping them, and Mario gains the power to pick up enemies, lift them over his head, and throw them.
In the story, based on the Japanese game Yume Kojo: Doki Doki Panic, Mario has experienced a dream one night. The fairylike beings from the land of Subcon inform him that Wart has taken over the land of Subcon and that they need Mario's help to defeat Wart. After awakening from his dream, however, Mario dismisses the dream and returns to sleep. The next day, Mario, along with Luigi, Princess Toadstool, and Toad, decides to go on a picnic. While searching for a proper place, they notice a cave and decide to explore within it. After entering the cave, the four of them are transported to Subcon. Mario remembers his dream, and they decide to save Subcon from Wart and the 8 bits.
BS Super Mario USA[edit]
- “BS Super Mario USA! Power Challenge!”
- —Mario, BS Super Mario USA
Mario reappears in the spiritual sequel to Super Mario Bros. 2, BS Super Mario USA, retaining his characteristics of being well balanced. While the four heroes celebrate their victory after the events of Super Mario Bros. 2, Mario is seen to be awakening during the end of the game, implying the message that the whole adventure is simply a part of Mario's dream. BS Super Mario USA explains that Subcon is a dream world, and, while Mario and the others initially thought it is all a dream, they learn the truth about the realm when they are called back into the world to save it from Wart again. They must collect golden Mario statues in each level, defeat the boss, and find Wart.
Super Mario Bros. 3 / Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3[edit]
In Super Mario Bros. 3 and its Game Boy Advance reissue, Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3, after Bowser has invaded again, Mario and Luigi travel through eight kingdoms, in which the kings have been transformed into different creatures by the seven Koopalings. During Mario's quest, he is repeatedly sent letters by Princess Toadstool, who encloses power-ups for him. Eventually, Toadstool is kidnapped, but the Mario Bros. save her from Bowser in Dark Land. Super Mario Bros. 3 introduces several new power-ups that Mario can now use in addition to the Fire Flower, including the Super Leaf, Tanooki Suit, Frog Suit, Hammer Suit, and Goomba's Shoe.
Super Mario Land[edit]
In Super Mario Land, Mario travels to Sarasaland to rescue the land's princess, Daisy, from the alien Tatanga. Mario's powers in the game are limited to Superball Mario, in which he can shoot balls that ricochet off walls, as well as