Mario is Missing!: Difference between revisions

{{Infobox

|image=[[File:mism1.jpg|250px]]

|released='''MS-DOS:'''<br>1992, 1993 (re-release)<br>'''SNES:'''<br>June 1993<ref name="complete old games list">https://web.archive.org/web/20050501150013/http://www.nintendo.com/consumer/downloads/completeoldgameslist.pdf</ref><br>'''NES:'''<br>July 1993<ref name="complete old games list"/> <br> '''MAC:''' <br> June 1994<ref>"The Software Toolworks ships ''Mario is Missing!'' on Macintosh CD." The Free Library. 1994 PR Newswire Association LLC 19 Jul. 2014 http://www.thefreelibrary.com/THE+SOFTWARE+TOOLWORKS+SHIPS+MARIO+IS+MISSING!+ON+MACINTOSH+CD-a015487402 {{dead link}}</ref>

|platforms={{wp|MS-DOS}}, [[Super Nintendo Entertainment System|SNES]], [[Nintendo Entertainment System|NES]], {{wp|Macintosh|MAC}}

|media={{media|dos=1|nes=1|snes=1}}

'''''Mario is Missing!''''' is an [[Genre#Edutainment|educational]] game created for {{wp|MS-DOS}}, the MAC, the [[Super Nintendo Entertainment System|SNES]], and the [[Nintendo Entertainment System|NES]]. The gameplay was widely panned by critics, although its ''[[Super Mario World]]'' music remixes have gained recognition. ''Mario is Missing!'' was released in floppy disk format for MS-DOS in 1992, with the ''CD-ROM Deluxe'' edition and console versions released the following year. A follow-up called ''[[Mario's Time Machine]]'' was eventually produced. This is the first game where [[Luigi]] is the main protagonist with [[Mario]] in a supporting role and the second solo adventure for Luigi (the first being ''[[Luigi's Hammer Toss]]'') until 2001 when ''[[Luigi's Mansion]]'' was released on the [[Nintendo GameCube]].

In his latest scheme, [[Bowser]] decides to flood the [[Earth]] with hairdryers from [[Hafta Havit Mail-Order]] to melt [[Antarctica]]. In order to buy the hairdryers, Bowser has his [[Koopa Troopa|Koopa]]s travel all over the world and steal various important landmarks he plans to sell. [[Mario]], [[Luigi]] and [[Yoshi]] follow Bowser to Antarctica to stop him. However, Mario is captured by Bowser when he continues on his own.

 

 

 

With Mario captured, Luigi finds himself faced with the task of returning all the stolen artifacts and saving both his brother and Earth itself. He bravely enters the castle, leaving Yoshi outside.

[[File:BeachKoopa-Bowser.png|thumb|right|Bowser is de-shelled, as seen in the DOS version of the game.]]

In the DOS version, Luigi takes Bowser's shell (which covers his tail in this depiction) off, causing Bowser to run off screen, embarrassed about his polka-dot boxers. This is the only time Bowser has been seen in his [[Beach Koopa|shell-less]] form. Luigi shakes the shell to retrieve the key to Mario's cell, and then throws the carapace away. Bowser returns wondering where his shell is, with Luigi then lying to him saying he threw the shell off the balcony; then, when Bowser leans over the railing to look for it, Luigi kicks him off and he lands in the snow. Luigi then opens Mario's cell and the two dance around in joy. They then go outside and shake Yoshi's hand, before walking off into the distance together. Bowser then pokes his head out of the snow, looking in their direction with his shell back on.

In the SNES version of the ending, Luigi pulls a lever to reveal Mario behind a wall. Bowser then jumps down from a distant ledge, but Luigi pulls the same lever, causing Bowser to fall down into a [[cannon]]. He is then launched out of the castle and into the snow, where he freezes instantly and then shatters. In the NES version, Luigi and Bowser have a boss battle and "Bowser" turns out to be a normal [[Koopa Troopa|Koopa]] in disguise, who turns the key to Mario's cell, freeing him.

*[[Ludwig von Koopa|Ludwig van Koopa]] (PC and SNES)

*[[Dino Rhino|Dino-Rhino]] (''CD-ROM Deluxe'' only)

In each level, Luigi must retrieve several artifacts which were stolen by several [[Koopa Troopa|Koopa]]s within the city and return them to their rightful places. Luigi must jump on the Koopas to defeat them and reclaim the artifacts, which he then takes back to the landmarks they were stolen from. He must answer trivia questions about the landmarks before the [[curator]]s will take the wares back. In the SNES version, all the information kiosks are manned by women resembling [[Princess Daisy]] (complete with crown), although this is an unconfirmed appearance.

The DOS version adds a videophone aspect to gameplay, and Luigi must call the help number provided at the landmarks to get in touch with his friends, answer the questions, return the artifact, and receive a monetary reward. The mayor of the city also phones Luigi when he arrives, asking for his help in stopping the Koopas; he later phones when Luigi secures the city, thanking him and wishing him luck in finding Mario. The red plumber himself even manages to phone Luigi, giving him advice on his journey as well as updates on his capture and the Koopas' struggle to maintain their plot as planned. The DOS version also has a Taxi feature, in which Luigi collects little Taxi tokens around the city and then exchanges them for rides across town. The SNES version instead uses more [[Warp Pipe]]s to facilitate speedy travel.

As well as returning the artifacts, Luigi must also deduce what city he's in so that he can use the [[Globulator]] and call [[Yoshi]] to his aid for double the walking and running speed. Without Yoshi, Luigi cannot finish the level, as the exit [[Warp Pipe|pipe]] is occupied by a large [[Pokey]]. Yoshi proceeds to gobble the Pokey up in the DOS version, whereas the Pokey is merely scared away by Yoshi's presence in the SNES release.

Once Luigi has secured all the cities whose doors are located on a floor of the castle, Luigi must use a [[Fire Flower]] collected in the cities to defeat them using their only weakness - [[Fire Mario|Fire]]. The console releases remove the Fire Flower in favor of a small boss battle. However, the bosses cannot hurt Luigi, and must be stomped on a certain number of times to be defeated in the SNES and NES versions. The console versions also differ in that the Koopas are not defeated when they are knocked about and forced to leave in an undignified manner, but rather a sound stomp with destroy them upon impact (including the [[shell]]). The SNES version also has them literally fall to pieces, like a collapsing building.

[[File:MiM Larry Floor.png|thumb|right|[[Larry Koopa|Larry]]]]

[[File:MiM Roy Floor.png|thumb|right|[[Roy Koopa|Roy]]]]

[[File:MiM Wendy O Floor.png|thumb|right|[[Wendy O. Koopa|Wendy]]]]

[[File:MiM Iggy Floor.png|thumb|right|[[Iggy Koopa|Iggy]]]]

[[File:MiM Ludwig Von Floor.png|thumb|right|[[Ludwig von Koopa|Ludwig]]]]

*[[Istanbul]], Turkey (Europe) 1st door

*[[Jerusalem]], Israel (Asia) 2nd door

[[File:Mario is Missing!.PNG|right|thumb|All countries and cities (yellow ★) that Luigi visits in the three versions of the game]]

{{construction|section=yes|user={{user|Time Turner}}}}

Although ''Mario is Missing!'' is intended to teach its players geographical facts, it contains numerous errors in its teaching material.

*There are many items and objects that are implausibly stolen, such as the entire [[Sistine Chapel ceiling]] and the 165-meter<ref>"The Montréal Tower." ''Parcolympique.qc.ca'', parcolympique.qc.ca/en/what-to-do/the-montreal-tower/. Retrieved February 2, 2018.</ref> [[Tilted Tower]]. This is coupled with how all of them can be carried in a small bag by both miscellaneous Koopas and Luigi.

*Whenever an item is stolen from a landmark, the entire landmark is closed down, even if the item should realistically not affect the location in any way. For example, the theft of a single [[Striped Prison Shirt]] causes [[Alcatraz]] to shut down.

*Some information in the game features proper terms that are not well known outside of North America. For example, the pamphlet for the [[Big Ben]] calls its subject "England's Capitol Hill"; as {{wp|Capitol Hill}} is a metonym for the area surrounding the {{wp|United States Capitol}}, this analogy, despite being technically correct, would confuse players who are unfamiliar with the metonymies used in American politics.

*In the DOS and Deluxe version, Luigi is required to call phone numbers that are obviously shorter than reality. The numbers within [[Moscow]] are only two digits long, for example.

*Several cities that share its name with its surrounding country or state do not have "City" in their name; for example, [[New York City]] is simply "New York", {{wp|Guatemala City}} is "Guatemala", and so on.

*Diacritics are also not rendered; {{wp|San José, Costa Rica|San José}} is "San Jose", for example, and {{wp|Medellín}} is "Medellin".

*The Deluxe version released in 1993 reuses the map of the DOS version in 1992, meaning that it lists several countries that no longer exist, including {{wp|Czechoslovakia}} (which dissolved into the {{wp|Czech Republic}} and {{wp|Slovakia}}) and {{wp|Yugoslavia}} (which dissolved into {{wp|Bosnia and Herzegovina}}, {{wp|Croatia}}, {{wp|North Macedonia}}, {{wp|Montenegro}}, {{wp|Serbia}}, and {{wp|Slovenia}}). It also does not list {{wp|Eritrea}}, which split from {{wp|Ethiopia}}.

**However, countries such as Croatia, Macedonia, and Eritrea gained independence in 1991.

**All other mistakes between the DOS and Deluxe versions are also identical.

*{{wp|Colombia}}'s capital, {{wp|Bogotá}} is misspelled as "Bogata".

*{{wp|French Guiana}} is rendered with a hyphen, as "French-Guiana".

*The second-largest city in {{wp|Bulgaria}}, {{wp|Plovdiv}}, is spelled "Ploudiv".

*{{wp|Western Sahara}} is listed as a country despite the {{wp|Political status of Western Sahara|still-disputed nature of its sovereignty}}.

*{{wp|Kufra}} is listed as a city in {{wp|Libya}} despite being an oasis; its name is even rendered as "Kufra Oasis".

*{{wp|N'Djamena}} is rendered with a space, as "N' Djamena".

*{{wp|El-Obeid}} is rendered without a hyphen, as "El Obeid".

*{{wp|Lesotho}} is rendered as "Sinai Lesotho".

*{{wp|Muttrah}} is not only listed as a city in {{wp|Oman}}, despite being an administrative district, it is also misspelled as "Matrah".

*The capital of {{wp|Kuwait}}, {{wp|Kuwait City}}, is rendered as "Al Kuwait".

*The city of {{wp|Tel Aviv}} in {{wp|Israel}} is rendered as "Tel Aviv-Jaffa".

*The city of {{wp|Ashgabat}} was spelled "Ashkhabad" before 1991; "Ashkhabad" is the name used in-game.

*The city of {{wp|Almaty}} was renamed from "Alma-Ata" after {{wp|Kazakhstan}} gained independence (although "Alma-Ata" is a transliteration of the original Russian name); "Alma-Ata" is also the name used in-game.

*The capital of {{wp|Mongolia}}, {{wp|Ulaanbaatar}}, is spelled "Ulaabaatar"

*The capital of {{wp|North Korea}}, {{wp|Pyongyang}} (alternate spelling P'yŏngyang), is rendered as "P'yong'yang".

*{{wp|Myanmar}} is rendered as "MyAnmar".

*{{wp|Yangon}} in Myanmar was renamed from "Rangoon" in 1989,<ref>"Myanmar Profile - Timeline." ''BBC News'', BBC, 11 Jan. 2018, www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-pacific-12992883. Retrieved January 21, 2018.</ref> but the game still uses "Rangoon".

;[[Amsterdam]]

 

*In the SNES version, there are several buildings whose signs read "ΟΔΑΝΤΟΚΡΕNΑ". This seems to be a misspelling of "ΟΔΟΝΤΟΚΡΕΜΑ", which literally means "toothpaste"; if the signs were supposed to read "dentist", this is spelled "ΟΔΟΝΤΙΑΤΡΟΣ".

*A scientist says that Athens became the capital of Greece in 1834, when it was actually in 1833.<ref>Hall, Thomas. "Athens." ''Planning Europe's Capital Cities: Aspects of Nineteenth-Century Urban Development'', Routledge, 2003, p. 114. ''Google Books'', books.google.ca/books?id=7wORAgAAQBAJ. Retrieved February 8, 2018.</ref>

*He also says that 3000 years had passed between Athens being founded and becoming Greece's capital. As Athens was founded in 3000 BC,<ref>"Athens History." ''Athensguide.org'', Athens Greece Guide, 2007, www.athensguide.org/athens-history.html.</ref> close to 4,800 years had actually passed between the two dates.

*A scientist says that the [[Caryatid]]s have stood for 2000 years. Considering that they were constructed in 406 BC,<ref>Langmea, Donald, and Christine Garnaut. "Erechtheion." ''Encyclopedia of Architectural and Engineering Feats'', illustrated ed., ABC-CLIO, 2001, pp. 110–111. ''Google Books'', books.google.ca/books?id=T5J6GKvGbmMC. Retrieved February 8, 2018.</ref> they have stood for close to 2,400 years (at the time of the game's release).

*The [[Erechtheion Temple]]'s proper name is just the {{wp|Erechtheion}}, without the word "temple" being a part of it.

*Despite what its DOS sprite depicts, the Erechtheion Temple does not have four extremely large Caryatids looming over it.

*The temple's pamphlet says that the Caryatids are 6 feet and 6 inches tall, when they are actually around 7.48 feet (2.28 meters).<ref>"Caryatid." ''British Museum'', Trustees of the British Museum, 2017, www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?objectId=459389&partId=1. Retrieved February 8, 2018.</ref>

*The [[Brass Plaque]] is nonexistent in reality; the inscriptions of [[Hadrian's Arch]] that are supposedly on the plaque are carved directly onto the monument.<ref>Nefasdicere. "J. Matthew Harrington, Personal Digital Image." ''Wikimedia Commons'', Wikimedia Foundation, 4 Mar. 2007, commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Arch-of-Hadrian-5.jpg. Retrieved February 7, 2018.</ref>

 

 

 

;[[Kathmandu]]

 

*The pamphlet for the [[Big Ben]] states that the distinction of the tower's eponymous nickname goes to its chime bell and not the clock itself. This is both incorrect and a hypocrisy; the bell is technically a part of the clock's mechanism, and evidence suggests that the "Big Ben" name is collectively used for both the entire clock mechanism and the Elizabeth Tower (then known as the Clock Tower).<ref>"[https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-36138203 Big Ben 'bongs' to be silenced for £29m refurbishment]". BBC News. BBC. April 26, 2016. Retrieved December 6, 2019.</ref>

*The pamphlet describes {{wp|Francisco Franco}} as a "stuffy tyrant", which is a gross understatement: he ruled as a militaristic dictator for more than thirty years, and his policies and actions were responsible for 200,000 to 400,000 deaths in his first nine years in power alone (in an event called the {{wp|White Terror (Spain)|White Terror}}).

*It also says that he died two years before Spain's 1978 constitution was ratified (i.e. in 1976), but he actually died in 1975.<ref>The Local. "On This Day in 1975: Spain's Dictator General Francisco Franco Died." ''thelocal.es'', The Local, 20 Nov. 2015, www.thelocal.es/20151120/on-this-day-spanish-dictator-francisco-franco-dies. Retrieved February 12, 2018.</ref>

 

;[[Mexico City]]

*The image for the [[Guard's Hat Pin]] does not depict a {{wp|red star}} behind the {{wp|hammer and sickle}} as it should.

*The center is also describes as being a "United Nations headquarters". Although the fourth {{wp|United Nations Conference on Trade and Development}} did take place at the center, this was only for the purposes of the assembly; the building was never used as a headquarters.<ref>Mochorwa, Silvia. "Kenya's Mice Tourism Goes a Notch Higher." ''kicc.co.ke'', 8 Jan. 2016, kicc.co.ke/media/newsDetails/35. Retrieved January 23, 2018.</ref><ref>United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, ''Proceedings of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development FOURTH SESSION Nairobi'' (5-31 May 1976), unctad.org/en/Docs/td218vol1_en.pdf. Retrieved on January 23, 2018.</ref>

*The pamphlet for the center describes {{wp|Jomo Kenyatta}} solely as a "{{wp|freedom fighter}}". For starters, although he rallied for Kenya to be freed from British rule, he did so through non-violent means and actively opposed others' brutal methods<ref>"Kenyatta, Jomo 1891(?)–1978." Contemporary Black Biography. ''Encyclopedia.com''. 21 Jan. 2018 www.encyclopedia.com/people/history/african-history-biographies/jomo-kenyatta. Retrieved January 23, 2018.</ref> (labelling him as a "freedom fighter" due to his desire for an independent Kenya is a misuse of the term, anyways). Beyond that, he is best known as the first {{wp|List of heads of state of Kenya|Prime Minister and President of Kenya}}, and not as a "freedom fighter".

*A boy mentions that France is the biggest country in Europe after the Soviet Union has broken up, despite that Russia's European portion and Ukraine's land area is larger than France.<ref>[https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/the-largest-countries-in-europe.html The Largest Countries in Europe] ''World Atlas''. Retrieved April 10, 2019.</ref>

*A business woman mentions obtaining French fries though their origin as a French food has been disputed, with sources citing origins in possibly Belgium or Spain.<ref>Rupp, Rebecca (January 8, 2015) [https://www.nationalgeographic.com/people-and-culture/food/the-plate/2015/01/08/are-french-fries-truly-french/ Are French Fries Truly French?] ''National Geographic''. Retrieved April 10,2019.</ref>

 

*The [[Fog Horn]] is touted as if it is the only one along the [[Golden Gate Bridge]], despite there being multiple fog horns.<ref>"Fog Horns." goldengatebridge.org, Golden Gate Bridge Highway & Transportation District, goldengatebridge.org/research/factsGGBFogHorn.php. Retrieved February 5, 2018.</ref>

 

;[[Toronto]]

{{rewrite-expand|reason=include information about [https://www.spriters-resource.com/nes/mim/ lots of unused sprites] from NES version}}

It also appears that [[Lemmy Koopa|Lemmy]] and [[Morton Koopa Jr.|Morton]] were going to appear in game, as their unused dialogue was found in the Deluxe version's data (they are the only Koopalings who do not appear in at least one version of the game).<ref>https://tcrf.net/Mario_is_Missing!_(DOS)#Koopalings</ref> In the final game, Lemmy is mentioned as having run off to play in the snow while Morton is said to watch the others.{{ref needed}} Furthermore, the CD-ROM release of the game features Lemmy on the cover despite him not appearing in the game.<ref>[https://twitter.com/MarioBrothBlog/status/888616075881066496 @MarioBrothBlog on Twitter]</ref>

The Deluxe edition's files also contain live-action footage featuring landmarks of several cities that are not visited in-game. These include:

There are exactly ten cities that go unused; considering the unused dialogue for Lemmy and Morton and how every other Koopaling guards five cities of their own, it is likely that they were meant to guard the unused cities.

Luigi's sprite in the PC version started the Internet meme "[[List of Mario references on the Internet#Weegee|Weegee]]", as well as Mario being "Malleo" and Yoshi being called "Yushee".

*''[[Super Mario World]]'' - The Mario, Luigi and Yoshi sprites in the NES and SNES versions were taken from this game. Bowser's sprite in the NES version appears to use an edited version of Morton, Ludwig, and Roy's body from this game, along with an edited version of Lemmy's head. As such, he is uncharacteristically short in this game. When retracted into his shell, it uses the normal [[Koopa Troopa]] shell sprite from this game, except with all original detail removed and spikes drawn on. Finally, after defeat, he is knocked out of his shell and appears as a [[Beach Koopa|Koopa without a Shell]], specifically from a Koopa Troopa. In addition, the [[curator]]s in the SNES version have their sprites being slightly modified from Princess Toadstool's sprite in ''Super Mario World''. The map included in the [[Globulator]] in the SNES version is based on the map for [[Dinosaur Land]] from ''Super Mario World'', and some backgrounds in the NES version is derived from similar backgrounds in ''Super Mario World'' (this is most especially evident in the opening for the NES version).

|Fra=''Mario a disparu !''

|FraM=''Mario has disappeared!''

*Mario's voice is inconsistent in the the ''CD-ROM Deluxe'' edition. Sometimes he has an Italian accent, sometimes he has a New York accent with a slight hint of Italian. The game's data includes all of his lines in both accents, so it is likely that the developers accidentally assigned some from both.<ref>[https://tcrf.net/Mario_is_Missing!_(DOS)] TCRF</ref>

* Although some Mario media supply voice acting for the Koopalings, the ''CD-ROM Deluxe'' edition is the first game to have the Koopalings voiced, as well as the only game to actually supply them with dialogue until the release of ''[[Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam]]''. Later games starting with ''[[New Super Mario Bros. Wii]]'' have the Koopalings voiced, although it is limited to roars and grunts.

*The [[United States of America|USA]] and Canada are the only countries that are visited twice at different cities in the DOS version of the game (New York and San Francisco in USA, Toronto and Montreal in Canada). In other versions, only USA is visited twice.

{{MarioGames}}

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