Super Mario World (television series)
Super Mario World is an animated series that is loosely based on the game of the same name. The cartoon chronicles the adventures of Mario, Luigi, and Princess Toadstool in Dinosaur Land. Yoshi and several new characters, such as Oogtar the Caveboy, make an appearance as well. Super Mario World was the last of DIC's Super Mario cartoons and originally aired from September 14th, 1991 to December 7th, 1991.
Overview
Sometime after the events of The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3 series finale "Super Koopa", King Bowser Koopa, the Koopalings and their armies were banished from the Mushroom Kingdom.
After the banishment of the Koopa family and their minions, Princess Toadstool, Mario and Luigi went on vacation to the Dinosaur World. Only for Princess Toadstool to be kidnapped by King Koopa and his minions. After adventuring and befriending Yoshi, Mario and Luigi managed to rescue Princess Toadstool from Bowser's Neon Castle and subsequently decided to stay in Dinosaur Land's Dome City with the cave-people.
Several episodes of Super Mario World often had Mario, Luigi, Yoshi, Princess Toadstool and occasionally a show-exclusive character, Oogtar the Caveboy, trying to stop the schemes of King Koopa and the Koopalings, as well as other villains such as Wizardheimer or the DinoRiders. Note:Toad did not appear in the series. He got replaced by Oogtar (due to the fact that he did not appear in the Super Mario World game). But it could be true that Toad watched over the Mushroom Kingdom for Toadstool.
Social Issues
Some episodes of Super Mario World can also be seen as social commentary for controversial issues, such as street gangs ("Born to Ride"), addiction ("Rock TV") and obesity ("King Scoopa Koopa").
The show also had several episodes, such as "The Wheel Thing" and "Party Line", dealing with the introduction and consequences of introducing new concepts and technologies to others without thinking ahead, in this case, the cave-people of Dome City.
Comparison to the Video Game
Super Mario World, though based on the video game of the same name, included several creative licenses. The cave people and Dome City are both introduced in the television series. Yoshi spoke in English rather than with whistle noises from the video game. Characters retained their color differences from The Super Mario Bros. Super Show! King Koopa was never referred to as "Bowser" and the Koopalings retained their alternate names from The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3. Many locations and enemies were referred to by different names:
- Boos were referred to as "Ghosts"
- Banzai Bills were referred to as "Magnum bills."
- Bowser's Castle was referred to as "Neon Castle" and "Coney Island Disco Palace"
- Chargin' Chucks were referred to as "Koopa Football Players"
- The Forest of Illusion was referred to as "the Enchanted Forest."
- Mecha-Koopas were referred to as "Mechkoopas" or "Robot Koopas."
- Magikoopas were referred to as "Koopa Wizards"
- Sumo Bro. were referred to as "Fire Sumo."
- Urchins were referred to as "Spine Fish."
- Wigglers were referred to as "Caterpillars."
- Monty Moles were referred to as "Gophers".
Airing History
Super Mario World originally aired alongside Captain N: The Game Master on NBC, where it was erroneously referred to as Super Mario Bros. 4 in commercial bumpers. Super Mario World was also the only Mario cartoon to air in Australia on Network Ten and Cheez TV, though only on Mondays to Wednesdays on the latter. Oddly, in both the United Kingdom and Australia, the episode "King Scoopa Koopa" aired before "The Night Before Cave Christmas", due to a mishap involving the show's production order and the production order of Captain N: The Game Master.
Due to the nature of its production, Super Mario World is actually one half of a series entitled Captain N and the New Super Mario World, which also consists of the third season of Captain N: The Game Master. Although the "New" suffix was used to promote the Super Mario World game when the show first aired, it is part of the series' proper title, and was never dropped. An episode of this half hour series consists of a Super Mario World cartoon and either a Captain N cartoon, or a second Super Mario World cartoon. Due to legal issues, the third season episodes of Captain N and the Super Mario World episodes are inseparable, and have to be released on DVD in the same set. This also explains why the first two seasons of Captain N: The Game Master were released in a "complete series" set; the third season is part of a separate show.
Distribution
The Super Mario World episode "The Night Before Cave Christmas" was released sometime in 1996 for a VHS tape entitled "Super Mario Bros. Super Christmas Adventures"; along with "The Night Before Cave Christmas", "Koopa Klaus" and "Santa Claus Is Coming to Flatbush" were also released as a part of "Super Mario Bros. Super Christmas Adventures".
Currently, DVDs of every single Super Mario World episode are available in Australia; the episode "A Little Learning" was also available on a VHS tape for a time in the UK.
Due to complications involving the use of Yoshi, it was originally thought that DVD box sets of Super Mario World weren't going to be made. However, those issues were resolved, and Shout! Factory has released a box set containing the complete series, along with the third season of Captain N: The Game Master.
Cast
- Walker Boone — Mario
- Tony Rosato — Luigi
- Tracey Moore — Princess Toadstool
- Andrew Sabiston — Yoshi
- Harvey Atkin — King Bowser Koopa
- Tara Charendoff — Hip, Hop
- John Stocker — Oogtar the Caveboy, Koopa Wizard, Monty Moles, Koopa Football Players, Wizardheimer
- Paulina Gillis — Kootie Pie Koopa
- James Rankin — Cheatsy Koopa
- Dan Hennessey — Big Mouth Koopa, Green Dinosaur, Purple Dinosaur
- Michael Stark — Kooky Von Koopa
- Gordon Masten — Bully Koopa
- Judy Marshak — (Additional Voices)
- Catherine Gallant — (Additional Voices)
- Stuart Stone — (Additional Voices)
Episodes
# refers to Episode #. Organized alphabetically. <DPL> category=Super Mario World Episodes uses=Template:SMWbox includepage={SMWbox}:image,{SMWbox}:#,{SMWbox}:airdate,{SMWbox}:writer,#Plot Synopsis[500 ...→] mode=userformat listseparators={| class=sortable style="font-family: verdana; font-size:11px; padding: 6px; margin: 0 0 1em 1em; background-color: #FFF8E7; border:1px solid black; color:black; border-collapse:collapse;text-align:center" cellspacing=0 border=1 cellpadding=3 width=100% \n|- style="background:#029D00;font-size:12px" \n! Title \n! Image \n! # \n! Airdate \n! Writer(s) \n! Synopsis \n|-, \n| %PAGE%, \n|-,\n|} secseparators=\n| </DPL>
Theme Song
The lyrics and melody of Super Mario World's theme song were written by Mark Mothersbaugh.
Super Mario
Super Mario
Super Mario World
Super Mario World
It's a blast from the past
In Super Mario World
You've got to move fast
Mario and Luigi
Are doing what they can
Yoshi and the Princess
Are givin' them a hand
Super Mario World
Super Mario World
It's a blast from the past
In Super Mario World
It's a blast
Super Mario World
