Genre: Difference between revisions

'''Genres''' are different types of [[List of games|video games]] classified by gameplay. With over 250 entries, the [[Mario (series)|''Mario'' series]] has included a variety of different genres. The oldest ''[[Mario (series)|Mario]]'' games started out as platformers, but with the introduction of the [[Super Nintendo Entertainment System]] and [[Nintendo 64]], many new genres of ''Mario'' games were created.

: ''See also: [[List of games by genre]]''

[[File:SM64BobOmbBattlefield.png|thumb|right|Mario running in the course [[Bob-omb Battlefield]], which is from ''[[Super Mario 64]]''; the first three-dimensional platform game in the ''Mario'' series.]]

Platform games (often known as platformers) consist of going through levels to reach a '''[[Goal Pole|goal]]'''. The majority of ''Mario'' games fit under this category. This genre can be divided into two sub-genres: sidescrollers and three-dimensional platformers. Sidescrollers are the most common type of platform game and usually allow travel in only one or two directions. Three-dimensional platformers allow travel in any direction and usually consist of the newer ''Mario'' platform games. A sidescroller may have three-dimensional graphics, like ''[[New Super Mario Bros. Wii]]'', but it is still classified as a sidescroller.

The 3D platformers have a feature that brings up a menu of what [[Power Star]] (or [[Shine Sprite]] in the case of ''[[Super Mario Sunshine]]'') to get whenever Mario enters an area (except ''[[Super Mario 3D Land]]'' and ''[[Super Mario 3D World]]'', where levels are instead completed by reaching the [[Goal Pole]]). The player can select a star they have gotten once before, and fight any of the bosses as many times as they want.

Most ''[[Mario (series)|Mario]]'' platformers are part of the ''Super Mario'' series. The only exception is ''[[Super Paper Mario]]'', which is the only platformer from the [[Paper Mario (series)|''Paper Mario'' series]], being a mixture of platformer and RPG genres.

For the list of platform games, see [[:Category:Platforming Games]].

===Role-playing===

[[File:Tubba Blubba's Heart Attack.png|thumb|left|A screenshot of the batlle with Mario and [[Bow]] versus [[Tubba Blubba's Heart]] in ''Paper Mario''.]]

Role-playing games (often abbreviated as RPGs) place Mario in a major role. Common gameplay features in RPGs include detailed storylines, a large cast of [[List of characters|characters]] and the ability to [[Level Up|level up]]. Mario's first appearance in an RPG was in ''[[Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars]]''. Later, the [[Paper Mario (series)|''Paper Mario'' series]] and [[Mario & Luigi (series)|''Mario & Luigi'' series]] were introduced. Another common feature in RPGs is the ability to use items and equip [[List of weapons in Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars|weapons]], [[armor]], [[clothing]], [[badge]]s, and [[accessories]]. These items can be bought at [[Item Shop|shops]] or be found in [[block]]s and [[Treasure Chest|treasure chests]]. RPGs often have multiple playable characters with unique stats and [[Special Moves|abilities]]. ''Mario'' role-playing games often contain platforming elements.

The battle system usually involves Mario, his partner(s), and enemies taking it in turns to attack, with action commands to every move. The ''Paper Mario'' series differs slightly from the other RPGs because the damage and HP ratio is lower and Mario and his partner will always attack first, and attack power is achieved by getting hammers and boots rather than leveling up. ''Paper Mario'' is also split into chapters for which stars Mario must get, and has chapter bosses, with minibosses along the way, while neither really exists in the other RPGs; only bosses, identifiable by different battle theme and higher HP (and often they are characters). ''Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars'' and ''Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door'' make it possible to completely defend against attacks (excluding magic attacks in ''Super Mario RPG''), or at least reduce the amount of damage taken. In the ''Mario & Luigi'' series it is possible (and often necessary) to avoid enemy attacks altogether.

With the exception of ''[[Paper Mario]]'', ''[[Paper Mario: Sticker Star]]'', ''[[Mario and Luigi: Dream Team]]'', and ''[[Mario and Luigi: Paper Jam]]'', [[Bowser]] is never the antagonist in RPGs, though he fights Mario in all of them. Two of them (''Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars'' and ''Super Paper Mario'') even have him join Mario's team (though usually his intent is to take over the world himself once the greater threat is out of the way). He is also a playable character in four of the RPGs: ''[[Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars]]'', ''[[Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door]]'', ''[[Super Paper Mario]]'', and ''[[Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story]]''. Out of these four, only ''[[Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars]]'' and ''Super Paper Mario'' actually has him join forces with Mario, even though in ''Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story'' he is fighting against the same enemies as Mario. ''Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door'' simply had Bowser (and Peach) being playable in intermissions between the main chapters.

[[Luigi]] had major roles in all five ''Mario & Luigi'' games, and ''Super Paper Mario'', although the earlier games did not involve him as much. He only had small cameos in ''Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars'', and though he does appear in the first two ''Paper Mario'' games, Luigi has no role in the plot. He is off on his own adventure in ''Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door'' and frequently recounts his experiences to Mario.

RPGs also feature normal ''Mario'' enemies including [[Goomba]]s, [[Koopa Troopa]]s, and other common enemies. However, characters and locations originally found in an RPG rarely appear in other games.

Various other games have RPG elements fused into them, but are not traditional RPGs in the sense the aforementioned series are. One example is being some of the handheld ''[[Mario Tennis (series)|Mario Tennis]]'' and ''[[Mario Golf (series)|Mario Golf]]'' games, namely ''[[Mario Tennis (Game Boy Color)|Mario Tennis]]'' and ''[[Mario Golf (Game Boy Color)|Mario Golf]]'' for the Game Boy Color, and ''[[Mario Tennis: Power Tour]]'' and ''[[Mario Golf: Advance Tour]]'' for the Game Boy Advance, where they fuse their respective sport with RPG-like mechanics. Another example is ''[[Puzzle & Dragons: Super Mario Bros. Edition]]'', where the game is a puzzle game with a heavy emphasis on RPG elements.

For the list of role-playing games, see [[:Category:RPGs]].

[[File:BallMinigame-MP10.jpg|thumb|right|A screenshot of [[Rosalina]], [[Donkey Kong]], [[Daisy]], and [[Luigi]] playing the [[Balance Ball Brawl]] minigame in ''[[Mario Party 10]]''.]]

Party games are multiplayer games usually involving short [[minigame]]s. This genre is dominated by the [[Mario Party (series)|''Mario Party'' series]], but the [[WarioWare (series)|''WarioWare'' series]] and ''[[Itadaki Street DS]]'' are also part of it. While most party games involve multiple players, some party games are single player, like certain ''WarioWare'' games. Luck is a large factor in party games, but players must also have a certain degree of skill. Party games are rarely played competitively and are usually played casually, although many also have story modes that can be completed.

===Racing===

[[File:Rocket Start (Mario Kart 8).jpg|left|thumb|Mario racing all by himself in the Time Trial mode of ''[[Mario Kart 8]]''.]]

Racing games involve speedy competitions with other characters. The main objective in racing games is to reach the finish line before the other racers and attain first place. Nearly all ''Mario'' racing games are part of the [[Mario Kart (series)|''Mario Kart'' series]], except for ''[[Diddy Kong Racing]]'', ''[[Diddy Kong Racing DS]]'', and ''[[Donkey Kong Barrel Blast]]''. All racing games in the ''Mario'' series involve [[item]]s or power-ups which can do various things like slow down the other racers or speed up the player. Racing games also build on this by providing battle modes in which items are used as weapons. Online racing was introduced with the release of ''[[Mario Kart DS]]'' and is integrated in every ''Mario'' racing game since.

For the list of racing games, see [[:Category:Racing Games]].

===Sports===

[[File:MSM 1-1 Hockey.png|thumb|right|[[Mario]] in the sports game, ''Mario Sports Mix''.]]

Sports games, like the name implies, are games based on sports. Unlike most conventional sports games, ''Mario'' sports games feature items and obstacles. Racing and fighting games are sub-genres of sports games. The genre started with ''[[Golf]]'' for the [[Nintendo Entertainment System]]. This genre of ''Mario'' games did not become well known until the release of the [[Nintendo 64]] with games like ''[[Mario Tennis (Nintendo 64)|Mario Tennis 64]]'' and ''[[Mario Golf (Nintendo 64)]]''. Currently, ''Mario'' sports games include [[Mario Golf (series)|golf]], [[Mario Kart (series)|racing]], [[Mario Tennis (series)|tennis]], [[Mario Strikers (series)|soccer]], [[Mario Hoops 3-on-3|basketball]], [[Super Smash Bros. (series)|fighting]], [[Mario Baseball (series)|baseball]], and [[Mario & Sonic (series)|Olympic events]]. There is only one game that has four sports and that is ''[[Mario Sports Mix]]''.

For the list of sports games, see [[:Category:Sports Games]].

===Puzzle===

[[File:P&DSMBE Screenshot 3.jpeg|thumb|left|A screenshot from the puzzle game ''[[Puzzle & Dragons: Super Mario Bros. Edition]]''.]]

Puzzle games test the player's reflexes and knowledge. The objective in most ''Mario'' puzzle games is to clear the screen of various objects similar to ''[[Tetris]]''. However, a few ''Mario'' puzzle games incorporate different types of gameplay such as ''[[Mario's Picross]]'' and [[Yakuman DS|mahjong]]. Games belonging to this genre include the ''[[Dr. Mario (series)|Dr. Mario]]'' series, ''[[Wario's Woods]]'', ''[[Yoshi's Cookie]]'', and ''[[Puzzle & Dragons: Super Mario Bros. Edition]]''.Other than the latter, unlike most ''Mario games'', puzzle games do not have items. However, they generally have a large cast of characters.

For the list of puzzle games, see [[:Category:Puzzle Games]].

===Fighting===

[[File:Match Start (Mario Galaxy).jpg|thumb|right|A basic VS battle in ''[[Super Smash Bros. for Wii U]]'', involving [[Mario]] and [[Bowser]].]]

Fighting games pit characters against each other in combat. The objective of most fighting games is to knock out the other characters. Fighting games are a sub-genre of sports games. This genre has exclusively been a part of the crossover ''[[Super Smash Bros. (series)|Super Smash Bros.]]'' series.

Mario's first appearance in a fighting game was as a referee in ''[[wikipedia:Punch-Out!!|Punch-Out!! (arcade game)]]'' (the [[wikipedia:Punch-Out!! (Wii)|latest installation]] in that series features [[Donkey Kong]] as an opponent). Mario's first playable role in a fighting game was in ''[[Super Smash Bros.]]'', along with [[Luigi]], [[Yoshi]], and Donkey Kong. Fighting games in the ''Mario'' series have significant differences from arcade fighting games. [[Bowser]], [[Princess Peach]], and [[Dr. Mario]] later appeared in ''[[Super Smash Bros. Melee]]'', and [[Wario]] and [[Diddy Kong]] appeared alongside all of them (except Dr. Mario) in ''[[Super Smash Bros. Brawl]]'', and [[Rosalina]] and [[Bowser Jr.]] made an appearance in ''[[Super Smash Bros. 4]]''. Instead of depleting the enemy's health, the player must knock the enemy off the screen. Items and obstacle are also available whereas most fighting games do not.

===Edutainment===

[[File:mariotype.jpg|left|thumb|The alternate game mode of ''[[Mario Teaches Typing]]''.]]

Edutainment games are meant to both educate and entertain the player. Compared to the other genres in the ''Mario'' series, the number of edutainment games is relatively small. The purpose of edutainment games is to solve mysteries or simply learn how to do something, like typing or math. Games belonging to this genre are usually developed by a third party company. Due to this, characters may have different personalities. For example, Mario has full dialogue in ''[[Mario's Time Machine]]'', despite the fact that he rarely speaks in other games.

For the list of edutainment games, see [[:Category:Edutainment Games]].

===Dancing===

[[File:Ddrsuperhard.jpg|thumb|right|[[Luigi]] dancing in ''[[Dance Dance Revolution: Mario Mix]]''.]]

Dancing games are games where the player must step on the arrows of a dance mat according to in-game instructions. There are only two ''[[Mario (series)|Mario]]'' dancing games: ''[[Mario Unkurukai]]'' and ''[[Dance Dance Revolution: Mario Mix]]'', based on the ''[[wikipedia:Dance Dance Revolution|Dance Dance Revolution]]'' series.

===Rail shooter===

[[File:Yoshi's Safariscreenshot.png|thumb|left|Mario riding [[Yoshi]] in a first-person view in ''[[Yoshi's Safari]]'' -- the only ''Mario''-related rail shooter to date.]]

Rail shooter games are games where the game follows a specific route and that the player must shoot all the enemies on the screen. The only ''[[Mario (series)|Mario]]'' rail shooter game to date is ''[[Yoshi's Safari]]''. To play it in single player, the player must use the [[Super Scope]].