The Super Mario Wiki is a database focused on all aspects of the Mario series, including spin-off series and cross-over series. What distinguishes this wiki from other video game wikis is that we not only cover our primary series, but also all other sub-series and games which have emerged as their own distinct franchises in the greater Mario series. Crossover games, such as the Super Smash Bros. series, are also covered here, but from the perspective of the Mario series. This guideline is here to help users determine what content is and is not acceptable for inclusion in the Super Mario Wiki.
No Canon
Based on MarioWiki:Canonicity, there is no "canon" regarding the Mario franchise. Since there is no canon, we cover any "Mario related" media product given some sort of official authorization by Nintendo at some point in time, be it through the Official Nintendo Seal or a contract with another company, etc. All content from such sources is allowed on this wiki, without speculating on what content from what source is "more official" than other content from other sources. As Nintendo has never established an official canon regarding the Mario series, we cannot say newer or older Nintendo games, media, content, policies, etc. are more "official" than the others. They are all essentially as "official" as each other.
So what does the Mario Wiki cover?
The games and other media products we cover can be divided into three categories: sequels and spin-offs, cameos, and cross-overs.
Sequels and Spin-offs
As there is no official canon, content from any official source from Nintendo related to Mario and his universe is allowed. As far as the "universe" goes, we cover all franchises, series, games, etc. that have emerged from or spun-off from the original Donkey Kong arcade game, Mario's first appearance in any media. This includes all Nintendo-authorized video games about Mario, Donkey Kong, Wario, Yoshi, Banjo, Conker, Pyoro, etc. All content from games in these series is allowed on the wiki. Content from media not authorized by Nintendo but featuring these characters or franchises is not allowed, except for certain references considered notable by the wiki community.
Cameos
Content from Nintendo franchises, series, and games that have not emerged from Donkey Kong or its many sequels and spin-offs but instead have emerged as their own independent franchises (such as The Legend of Zelda, Star Fox, etc,) is not allowed on this wiki, except for cameo information regarding "Mario related" subject appearances. This content would also not be restricted, as long as the content is related to the Mario subject. For example, the Thwomp article has a section about the Thwomps' appearances in The Legend of Zelda series. This content regarding Thwomp in its official Nintendo cameo appearances is not to be regulated, as long as the information stays on subject (i.e. all the Zelda information in the article has to pertain to Thwomp, not say Link's friend Marin who also appears in the game but who is not a character from the Mario series). As there is no official canon, we cannot say such information about Thwomp is "false" just because it is not in a Mario game.
Crossovers
The last area we cover is crossovers, which can be considered both "spin-offs" (a new franchise based around characters of an older one) and "cameos" (featuring Mario characters in another independent franchise) simultaneously. Crossover games would include the Super Smash Bros. series, Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games, Itadaki Street DS, etc. Like a normal spin-off game, we cover all information in the crossover. However, we can only cover information in the crossover and cannot add additional content from the other previously established franchises. For example, we can fully cover all the information regarding Ganondorf's appearances in Super Smash Bros. Melee and Brawl, but we cannot cover his boss battle in The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time or his personality in The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, etc. Only information from the crossover is permitted.
Organization of the Wiki
However, while we do not limit the amount of content from any official source, we can organize information based on the relative importance users feel such content has to the Mario series and the Super Mario Wiki. This can be done by merging articles from sub-series, cross-overs, etc., or by placing them in specific categories or templates distinct from other, Mario-focused categories and templates. For example, instead of giving every Subspace Emissary enemy from Super Smash Bros. Brawl its own article, the wiki has agreed to merge all these articles into one Subspace Army article. The Subspace Army article is then placed in the "Super Smash Bros. Enemies" category, instead of the more general "Enemies" category. Such organization is allowed under the policy as long as the content is not compromised. Again, there is no official canon regarding this information, so all information regarding the subject is valid; but we can as a wiki give more emphasis to Mario enemies by giving them all individual articles and give less emphasis to SSBB Subspace Emissary enemies by merging them into one article. Likewise, we can put The Legend of Zelda information about Thwomp into a "Cameo" section at the end of the article's History section, instead of giving it prominence in the beginning. All the content is official, but the wiki has collectively agreed such information is best placed last in relation to other content. Article and wiki organization is always subject to change based on agreement made on the talk pages of individual articles through democratic votes or via proposal. A list of current regulations regarding article creation is listed below.
Current Regulations
The following regulations are based on previous proposals and consensus reached via voting on talk pages. Such regulations are subject to change, but must be followed until they are changed (if ever). Minor merges between a couple articles need not be mentioned, only those proposals which affect an entire class of subjects.
- All Banjo and Conker content must be placed in either the Banjo-Kazooie (series) article or the Conker (series) article, except for subjects which have appeared in the Mario series or Donkey Kong series. These subjects are as follows: Banjo, Bottles, Conker, and Tiptup.
- All content about common enemies from the Adventure Mode of Super Smash Bros. Melee must be placed in the Adventure Mode Enemies article, except for subjects which have appeared outside of Super Smash Bros. Melee. These subjects are as follows: Goomba, Koopa Troopa, Koopa Paratroopa, and Polar Bear.
- All content about common enemies from the Subspace Emissary mode of Super Smash Bros. Brawl must be placed in the Subspace Army article.
- All content about special moves from the Super Smash Bros. series, including Final Smashes, must be placed in the articles about individual fighters in the series.