Hello to all of you readers of The 'Shroom! We continue to navigate uncertain times in our lives, and yet, thanks to the efforts of our staff, writers, and the supportive community behind it, The 'Shroom continues on its normal schedule, giving us all a much-needed source of entertainment month after month.
Many of you out there have been living in your home away from home on a tropical island through Animal Crossing: New Horizons, and many more of you, I am sure have been finding comfort in and passing the time with your favorite videogames, from Nintendo or other companies. Yes, videogames have always been a welcome source of distraction, and, as this Wiki and its community shows, a force that have connected people. They continue to do so, especially in these times where human connection seems to be missing from our lives. We've come a long way, us players, moving from the monochrome screen of the Game Boy to the hybrid console and handheld that is the Nintendo Switch, but the games have been there the whole time, a source of amusement and entertainment.
In celebration of that, we want to look back on a series of games that has, while evolving with the times, always retained its simple and charming core gameplay concept. Almost thirty years ago now, on July 27th, 1990, Dr. Mario first released in Japan, bringing its three classic viruses and it's Megavitamin-stacking puzzles with it. Shortly afterwards, it released on the Game Boy, letting players take this addictive puzzle game on the go. The release of Dr. Mario World, allowing a new generation of players to experience the game on the go through a different medium, provides a sense of continuity over those three decades. Considering how far this sub-series has come, we're going to celebrate the Dr. Mario series with a special issue in July. I'll let Rose speak a little more about this, but please look forward to a Dr. Mario theme in issue 160.
Meanwhile, before you run off to read the rest of this issue, I have one more announcement. You'll notice that there's a special section in this issue, and that's because Lord Bowser (talk) is hosting a photo contest for players of Animal Crossing: New Horizons. Be sure to check it out and participate. I hear there might even be some Bells for people who participate, and, since I don't see Tom Nook anywhere around here, I'm certain that you don't have to pay these Bells back.
—Hooded Pitohui, Director
Please help me, beautiful ‘Shroom readers. I’ve been trapped inside this office for a month now, and I’m starting to become a little stir-crazy. I swear, everytime I shut my eyes to go to sleep at night, I can hear a voice, echoing distantly in my ear… “Vote in Mach Speed Mayhem…”
Welcome to this April edition of The ‘Shroom! As always, we’ve got a new issue packed to the gills with great content, so make sure to check out everything each team has to offer! I want to thank our writers tremendously for their continuous bolstering of The ‘Shroom, even while we continue to live within uncharted territory every day. I’m positive that their undeterred attitudes and inspired writing can bring a smile to your face, even amongst this chaos.
Speaking of individuals to thank, our message of gratitude extends beyond just the scope of this publication. As Pitohui mentioned, our July issue of The ‘Shroom will be Dr. Mario themed, in part because of the thirtieth anniversary of the original game. This is not our only reason for selecting this theme, however. Right now, thousands of health-care workers are doing their damnedest to keep everybody alive and well, and we want to honor that in some way. While we are not intending to make any profound statements (we are just a Mario-centered newsletter, after all), we on the staff believe that shining a positive light on the medical world is apt for this time in our history, and hopefully serves as a way for us to give our thanks to those fighting for our lives. Be on the lookout for that, and if you’re a part of the writing staff, start brainstorming how to Dr.-ify your ‘Shroom sections! Perhaps I need to find an attractive doctor’s coat to wear for the occasion. I’m sure there’s one tucked into the Wardrobe, though it’s still been hard to salvage anything out of there ever since that fire a few years back…
Please enjoy this month’s ‘Shroom, and stay safe out there!
—Roserade, Sub-Director
Staff Section of the Month for March 2020
| STAFF-VOTED SECTION OF THE MONTH | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Place | Section | Writer | Reasoning | |
| 1st | Anton's Half-Baked Reviews | Hypnotoad (talk) | The way that Anton has been able to so thoroughly dive into a topic such as alternative milks is astounding. He's gone out of his way to make certain that he can speak to each milk as personally as he can, and his further reading linked for the reader allows them to become just as informed as he is. Additionally, the artwork by Toadbert and Edo gives the section even more personality to the section, making it feel truly unique as a review section. This month's Half-Baked Reviews is a perfect send off section to the alternative milks theory, and we are excited to see what Anton's next topics are in store. | |
| 2nd | Drawn & Pressed | winstein (talk) | As an overview and introduction to Garfield, winstein does a wonderful job at explaining all of the important aspects of Garfield that makes it unique. His use of personal voice, along with any quotes and/or fun facts throughout the section, makes the reader invested in his topic, and his research has clearly been done, since he's even included a bibliography. His choice to compare Garfield to Sonic and the moments where Winstein discusses his personal thoughts on the franchise, those are pieces which add a unique charm to the piece. Well-structured, well-organized, well-written, and a great new addition to the Palette Swap team. | |
| 3rd | 'Shroom FM | MrConcreteDonkey (talk) | As a smaller section, MCD's introductions and feelings towards each album are concise and to-the-point, without at all sacrificing why you should be interested in the albums on show. His section is visually appealing, with the table's format and alternating colors, and we appreciate that he still included more albums at the end that he wanted to share, even after he had already written about all the others. | |
| 4th | SGoW's Declassified Mario Kart Wii Survival Guide | Shy Guy on Wheels (talk) | We found it useful to have a guide that hits upon the major points quickly. SGoW doesn't dwell on the mechanics, giving a reader just the information they need to understand it and leaving them to do more research on their own. He gets into more detail at some points, such as when breaking down why certain vehicles dominate the game's competitive scene, but he keeps it concise with his choice to organize it as a "whittling down" of the vehicles that don't perform as well. | |
| The 'Shroom: Issue 157 | |
|---|---|
| Staff sections | Staff Notes • The 'Shroom Spotlight |
| Features | Fake News • Fun Stuff • Palette Swap • Pipe Plaza • Critic Corner • Strategy Wing |
| Specials | ACNH Photo Contest |