Do you remember Super Mario Brothers? If you grew up in the late 1980s or early 1990s, there is no way the Super Mario Bros mania could have passed you by. The little pudgy man with his iconic black mustache is arguably the most famous video game character ever. If you are one of those who spent countless hours and days playing video games featuring this legendary character, enjoy these 25 Super Mario Facts Nintendo Gamers Might Have Missed.
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Developed by Nintendo, a Japanese multinational consumer electronics company, the first Super Mario video game was released 30 years ago, in September 1985.
Source: en.wikipedia.org, image: gamesdbase.com 24
However, the character of Mario is even older. Created by Japanese designer Shigeru Miyamoto, Mario first appeared in Donkey Kong, an arcade game released by Nintendo in 1981.
Source: en.wikipedia.org, image: www.bitrebels.com 23
In the Super Mario Bros game, Mario is an Italian plumber who resides in the Mushroom Kingdom and his mission is to save the Princes Peach. He is often helped by his younger and taller brother Luigi.
Source: en.wikipedia.org, image: www.themushroomkingdom.net 22
In total, about 300 million copies of games in the Super Mario series have been sold worldwide, making it the best-selling video game series in history.
Source: en.wikipedia.org, image: allyoucanlove.com 21
Mario was not always Mario. Originally, he was called “Ossan” which translates to middle-aged guy. Then his name changed to Mr. Video, Jumpman, and ultimately Mario.
Source: nintendo.com, image: vgboxart.com 20
In Super Mario Bros 3, there is an island the shape of which resembles that of Japan. The castle is situated where Kyoto, the home town of Nintendo, would be located on the map.
Source and image: www.backofthecerealbox.com 19
Originally, Mario was an action game in which the main character was riding rockets and wielded a beam gun and a rifle.
Source and image: nintendo.com 18
The mushrooms featured in the game are inspired by actual mushrooms Amanita Muscaria, (commonly known as the fly agaric or fly amanita) that have strong psychedelic effects.
Source and image: en.wikipedia.org 17
Super Mario Bros borrowed some elements from the Legend of Zelda, another popular video game by Nintendo. Miyamoto was working on both of these games at the same time and he incorporated some of the Zelda features (e.g. the feared firebars) into Mario.
Source: gamerheadlines.com, image: www.gamefaqs.com 16
Mario´s brother´s name Luigi might have been inspired by a pizza parlor near Nintendo America's headquarters in Redmond, Washington, called "Mario & Luigi's".
Source: en.wikipedia.org, image: www.screwattack.com 15
While you might know there is a secret world (-1) known as the Minus World that you can get to by passing through a wall at the end of World 1-2, there are actually 256 more hidden levels in the game.
Source: www.screwattack.com, image: www.gamefaqs.com 14
Another less-known game hack is that you can actually jump over some of the levels end the flagpoles. To do it, you have to hit a turtle just as it falls in the pit during the level. Then, by keeping the turtle in sight, you will get an extra bounce when jumping to the flagpole that will actually get you over it.
Source: gametrailers.com, image: www.youtube.com 13
Sonic the Hedgehog, a video game developed by Sonic Team, was inspired by its creator playing Mario over and over again, trying to get through the first level as quickly as possible.
Source: buzzfeed.com, image: blog.dwolla.com 12
In 2000, Nintendo was sued because Mario Party’s joystick-spinning mini-games caused hand injuries to children. As a result of the lawsuit, the gaming giant agreed to invest $80 million in protective gloves for the owners.
Source: gamespot.com, image: zoki64.deviantart.com 11
Prior to the release of the Super Nintendo, Mario wore red overalls and a blue shirt. Since then, he’s worn a red shirt and blue overalls.
Source: eatmyclick.com, image: supersmash3ds.deviantart.com 10
The original Super Mario Bros game is a bit basic by modern standards. It’s stored on a 256 kilobit cartridge. Kilobit not kilobyte. It would translate to a mere 32 kilobytes, which is just about twice the size of this JPEG screenshot.
Source: www.phactual.com, image: www.gamefabrique.com 9
Did you know that the sound the game makes when you are hit (and get small) and when you go down a pipe, are the same sound effect? The perception that they are different is just a mind trick.
Source: uproxx.com, image: www.imagekb.com 8
Mario was originally a carpenter, not a plumber. He's also appeared as a doctor in the 1990 puzzle title Dr Mario and its sequels.
Source: www.theguardian.com, image: themedia10.com 7
The Chain Chomp is said to be based on a neighborhood dog chained to a post that terrorized Shigeru Miyamoto, Mario´s creator, as a child.
Source: buzfeed.com, image: hassanlechkaryoutuber.wikia.com 6
Talking about the Chain Chomp, if you let him tug on its chain 49 times in Super Mario Bros. 3, it will break free and attack Mario.
Source and image: eatmyclick.com 5
Composed by Koji Kondo, the iconic Super Mario Bros soundtrack theme known as 'Ground Theme', is one of the most recognizable pieces of game music ever recorded. The tune remained in the Billboard ringtone charts for 125 weeks.
Source: wired.com, image: platformed.info 4
A Q Score survey in the early nineties revealed that Mario was more recognizable to American children than Mickey Mouse, the Disney´s iconic character.
Source: guardian.com, image: areguil.deviantart.com 3
Bowser, the main antagonist of the Super Mario Bros series, has also appeared as a good guy. He helps Mario in the 1996 title Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars.
Source: en.wikipedia.org, image: youtube.com 2
The game´s back story is darker than you might think. Bowser and the koopas are actually black magic wielding wizards who turn everyone in the Kingdom into bushes, blocks and mushrooms. The goombas are corrupted denizens of the Mushroom Kingdom turned into twisted little chestnut men.
Source: uproxx.com, image: theirategamer.com 1
Bullet Bill and Torpedo Ted are thought to be a reference to Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure, a 1989 American science fiction comedy.
Source: mariowiki.com, image: www.gamedynamo.com Lists Going Viral Right Now
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