Mario News
December2015
Talking Point Each Super Mario Maker Update Promises Much for the Future of the Franchise
Flying levels, helmets being vital to gameplay - the game has changed
The latest major Super Mario Maker update is live, being the second of its kind (outside of minor Mystery Costume additions) at the time of writing. The first notable update was, in some ways, focused on fixing perceived shortcomings of the launch code - it included stacked...
Nintendo Life Weekly The Last Smash Bros. DLC Fighters, Super Mario Galaxy on Wii U eShop and More
Week & feeble
The final Super Smash Bros. Nintendo Direct caused a stir amongst the fans, but just in case you're not as hot on these things as you'd like we've once more produced a compendium of the biggest news of the past week coupled with all the releases and reviews you'd expect from Nintendo Life Weekly. This week we look at the last Smash...
Video Check Out the Super Mario Bros. 3 Port That Never Was
What could've been...
For those of you that have been playing video games for several decades, you probably remember the glory days of id Software. Beginning its work on the PC, the studio is arguably responsible for the modern shooter genre, with games such as Quake, Wolfenstein, and Doom all being products to emerge from the studio. While shooters...
November2015
Review Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam Bros. (3DS)
This Mario mashup is a real jam
Though it came as a bit of a surprise, quietly tucked away into Nintendo's Digital Event during E3 earlier this year, fans of RPG silliness have been anticipating the crossover of a lifetime since the announcement of AlphaDream's latest adventure. Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam Bros. (known simply as Mario & Luigi:...
Video Take a Look at This Super Mario Mod for Sonic Generations
Looks surprisingly polished
For those of you that aren't part of the PC gaming world, you may not be too familiar with mods. Basically free, fan-created DLC, mods can put an interesting spin and add significant value to the base game that they're made for. It's gotten to the extent that certain mods have become more popular than the game they've...
October2015
News Dry Bowser and Bowser Jr. will be in Mario Tennis: Ultra Smash
Now we just have to wait for Pink Gold Peach...
It's hard to believe that in just a few short weeks, Mario Tennis: Ultra Smash will be gracing the consoles of Wii U owners in the West. It'll certainly be interesting to see how this one performs both critically and commercially, as many see it as a consolation prize that's trying to fill the gap...
News Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam Launches on 4th December in Europe
Two worlds collide
Mario has had an interesting journey in the RPG genre. After an initial start in Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars on the SNES, Mario went on to star in the Paper Mario franchise, which was something of a spiritual successor. Then, a little before the release of Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, the Mario & Luigi...
News Takashi Tezuka on Mario's Success and His Hopes for the Future of the Character
"I think it all started with how the gameplay resonated with players."
It's no exaggeration to say that Super Mario has become a pop culture icon. The red-hatted plumber has appeared in dozens, if not hundreds, of games and has arguably become the unofficial face of gaming itself. If nothing else, he's been the star of the best-selling video game...
Review Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis (Wii U eShop / DS)
A toy story
Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis is the Nintendo DS sequel to the original GBA classic and a new recruit to the ever-growing Wii U Virtual Console library. Rather than being more of the same platforming puzzle action, Nintendo chose to focus this entire game around what is but a small percentage of the previous game - the...
September2015
Review Mario vs. Donkey Kong (Wii U eShop / GBA)
Prophesizing the amiiboom
Mario vs. Donkey Kong is interesting in that it's the only game in the Mario vs DK franchise (to date) that actually allows the player to control Mario; indeed this was originally planned to be a sequel to 1994's Donkey Kong on Game Boy, so arguably those two have more in common than the other games in the series. Mario vs...
News Nintendo UK Store Serves Up Incentives for Ordering Mario Tennis: Ultra Smash
A ball and a plush doubles partner
It feels like Mario Tennis: Ultra Smash has been cruising under the radar, even as real-life tennis has lately grabbed even more attention than it tends to. The Nintendo UK Store, however, is starting to hype up the 20 November release of the game in Europe with a couple fine items for those who pre-order through...
Reminder It's Super Mario's 30th Anniversary
Celebrate in your own way
It's only natural that many treated the launch day for Super Mario Maker as a 30th Anniversary celebration for the franchise. It's worth remembering, though, that 13th September 1985 is the day that Super Mario Bros. was released on the Famicom in Japan, as a result beginning its journey to changing the games industry...
Mario History Mario Kart 8 - 2014
Taking racing to a new level
In this series of articles we'll write about one or more Mario games per day (apart from when we miss a day), each representing a different year as part of our Super Mario 30th Anniversary celebrations. Despite its ups and downs the Wii U has delivered a relatively small but distinguished library of excellent...
Mario History Super Mario 3D World - 2013
A new generation of hybrid (no it's not a car)
In this series of articles we'll write about one or more Mario games per day (apart from when we miss a day), each representing a different year as part of our Super Mario 30th Anniversary celebrations. We have a fond story we like to recall about Super Mario 3D World in Nintendo Life HQ. It was E3...
Mario History New Super Mario Bros. 2 & U - 2012
So. Much. Mario.
In this series of articles we'll write about one or more Mario games per day (apart from when we miss a day), each representing a different year as part of our Super Mario 30th Anniversary celebrations. We're now well into the current generation with this series (which ends soon, we promise). 2012 was also a weird year for 2D Mario...
News Super Mario Maker Patch Speeds Up Tool Delivery
9-day unlock period significantly shortened
Nintendo's decision to release level design tools in Super Mario Maker over a slow, 9-day drip was apparently to guide newcomers up a learning curve. The reaction, however, has largely been negative, with many people seemingly more than eager to try pulling sick rodeo flips off that curve on Day One. It...
Mario Memories Getting Creative With Mario Paint
"And then... We clicked on the coffee mug icon..."
In this series of articles celebrating the upcoming 30th Anniversary of Super Mario, various members of the Nintendo Life extended family will share their memories and thoughts on the iconic franchise. This time we have our wannabe hipster reviewer Jose Acosta. When I think of Mario Paint the...
Weirdness The Bizarre Truth of Bowser Jr.'s Mother, According to Shigeru Miyamoto
Erm...
Earlier this week Nintendo of Europe teased a Mario myth-busting video in which Shigeru Miyamoto would tackle some of the tales and questions that revolve around the mascot. We expected some light-hearted confirmations and some nudging / winking, and that's what we got. The video was initially shared by NoE on Twitter, and though some...
Mario History Super Mario 3D Land - 2011
Literally 3D Mario
In this series of articles we'll write about one or more Mario games per day, each representing a different year as part of our Super Mario 30th Anniversary celebrations. Super Mario 3D Land wasn't the first 3D Mario to grace a Nintendo portable - that honour goes to Super Mario 64 DS - but it was the first original game of its...
News Watch Chibi-Robo! Running Around In His Mario Costume In The Latest Zip Lash Gameplay Trailer
The Chibi-House is almost ready for departure sir!
As the release of Chibi-Robo!: Zip Lash for 3DS draws ever closer Nintendo has been releasing new snippets of information about the game, along with the recent gameplay trailer below. In the trailer we can see a snippet of Chibi-Robo! running around in a Mario costume, which we can only assume is...
Talking Point Nintendo's Challenge With Super Mario's 2D Future
Vocal fans prefer a retro style, while modern entries are sales leaders
With Super Mario Maker around the corner there seems to be a consensus - at least in this pre-release stage - that Nintendo has got it right with this creation tool. When you combine the excellent tool-set with a potentially endless supply of levels you arguably have - as we...
Mario History Super Mario Galaxy 2 - 2010
Some say sequel, some say level pack - we say brilliant
In this series of articles we'll write about one or more Mario games per day, each representing a different year as part of our Super Mario 30th Anniversary celebrations. Nintendo has some rules that it follows with its games and franchises, particularly in terms of frequency. There's one...
Mario History Super Mario Galaxy - 2007
Out of this World
In this series of articles we'll write about one or more Mario games per day, each representing a different year as part of our Super Mario 30th Anniversary celebrations. In our previous entry we highlighted how New Super Mario Bros. was the first new 2D Mario title in some time; that was due to a general focus on 3D Mario...
Mario History Super Mario 64 DS - 2004
3D Mario on the go
In this series of articles we'll write about one or more Mario game per day, each representing a different year as part of our Super Mario 30th Anniversary celebrations. If you'd have said that one day it would be possible to play Super Mario 64 on a handheld console back in 1996, you'd likely have been laughed out of the room...
August2015
Video Super Mario Maker Contains Secret Fly Swatting Mini Game
Mario Paint style
Not content with being what is arguably the ultimate 2D Mario experience, Super Mario Maker is also host to some neat little features burrowed away behind walls of code. One that caught our eye as we were playing was that shifting a block can sometimes reveal three flies from underneath it. Swatting these flies takes you away from...
News McDonald's Happy Meal Boomerang Mario In UK Tabloid Scandal
"I was very concerned because it looked completely inappropriate"
We've been enjoying collecting the new range of Super Mario toys in McDonald's Happy Meals in the UK since the promotion started up again on the 12th August. We even tasked Nintendo Life's YouTube botherer Alex with doing an unboxing last week for you lovely people. Thankfully Alex's...
Mario Memories Super Mario RPG Opens Up The World (and a Boss's Big Mouth)
"Mario! Prepare yourself for the great beyond!"
In this series of 30 daily articles celebrating the upcoming 30th Anniversary of Super Mario, various members of the Nintendo Life extended family will share their memories and thoughts on the iconic franchise. Next up is reviewer and news contributor Tim Latshaw. Super Mario RPG: Legend of the...
News Super Mario Happy Meal Toys Hit The UK On 12th August
Supersize me!
Move over Minions, it's Super Mario's time to take over McDonald's Happy Meals in the UK. From 12th August anyone who buys a Happy Meal will be treated to a Super Mario toy, starting with a Mario Visor and a Yoshi toy. A reader who wishes to remain anonymous shared these photos with us. This follows a similar promotion from March...
July2015
Video This Trailer For Super Mario Maker Is Rather Nostalgic
Remember your favourite Mario moments in new ways
Since the initial reveal of Super Mario Maker, Nintendo has been hard at work promoting the Wii U title's upcoming release. We've already seen the game in action on a competitive level at this year's Nintendo World Championships, held during E3, and just recently, the Kyoto-based company announced it...
News Mattel Is Releasing Mario Themed Hot Wheels Racers
Lead the way
As of late, Nintendo has been collaborating with a wide variety of companies to help increase its brand exposure. Just last week, for example, it announced a special partnership with social media giant, Facebook, to promote the upcoming Wii U title, Super Mario Maker. This week, news has surfaced via Brazillian toy site T-Hunted, that...
Weirdness Super Mario Bros. 3 is Rather Creepy With "The Plumber's Dream" Theory
The hills have eyes
Super Mario Bros. 3 is an undoubted classic, and one of the finest platformers of all time. At times bizarre, always great to play, it's a testament to what could be achieved on the 8-bit NES. Naturally it's an enduring topic for gamers of all types, and some like to really dive into the meaning of the colourful and bonkers...
News Here's What The Mario & Sonic Rio 2016 Olympics Arcade Game Looks Like
Arriving Spring 2016 in Japan
We recently reported on the fact that Sega is releasing an arcade variant of its forthcoming Wii U and 3DS title Mario & Sonic at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games. The Japanese firm has now published an image of the cabinet, as well as an official site. The game is scheduled for release next Spring in Japan, and one w
Hardware Review Awesome Super Mario Inspired Watch - Sun and Moon Miyamoto
Partner in time
A while ago we reported that Mr Jones Watches had produced a limited edition wristwatch inspired by the Super Mario series. The response to the design was so positive that the watch became a permanent fixture in their lineup after a small design change to differentiate itself from the limited edition variant. We were kindly given...
News Mario & Sonic At The Rio 2016 Olympics Is Getting An Arcade Release
Recently underwent location tests in Japan
Sega has confirmed that the forthcoming Wii U and 3DS release Mario & Sonic At The Rio 2016 Olympic Games will also be released in arcades. The game recently underwent location tests in Japan which allowed Sega to balance things and iron out any issues. It was on test at Club SEGA Akihabara and SEGA...
Video There's Plenty to Admire in this Super Mario World Speedrun
Son of a Glitch explains how it's done
Speedrunning is a particularly neat part of gaming culture, in which extremely dedicated and skilful players push games and their coding to the limit. Often exploiting glitches and - in the case of retro games - memory limitations of the original hardware, gamers find clever way to beat classic titles in a...
Weirdness Mario, Luigi and Wario Cheer On Tour de France Riders
Ooh la la
The Tour de France is well underway, and this great cycling event wouldn't be complete without some colourful characters to cheer on the riders. It's commonplace to see spectators such as El Diablo running on the roadside alongside their heroes, even if it is potentially quite dangerous and frowned upon by the event organisers. This year...
Review Mario & Luigi: Partners In Time (Wii U eShop / DS)
Fun for all ages
It takes quite a lot of star power to be able to co-star with yourself in something. The upcoming Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam is set to show that our favourite plumbers are not lacking in this department, but it's not the first time developer AlphaDream has pulled a similar gimmick! For that we should look to Mario & Luigi:...
Video This News Anchor Sure Is Excited About Super Mario Maker
"Oh man, this is so awesome!"
When Nintendo of America tweets a link to a TV news segment, we're normally inclined to shrug it off. We've seen enough news anchors stumble their way through a conversation about Nintendo games for one lifetime. Yet this one's a bit different. A Nintendo of America rep appeared on Fox 5 Morning News with some props,...
Video Prepare Your Creative Appetite with these Top Five Things to Make in Super Mario Maker
A fistful of favourites
Super Mario Maker is just a few months away, and in order to keep those creative juices flowing we've compiled a super concise list of five things we feel you absolutely must create in this stand-out creation game. Of course you no doubt have your own ideas as to what your creative fingers will be most keen to create first,...
It's a-me, charity!
While much of his time at E3 was spent attending events, previewing games and working alongside Morgan Sleeper to produce LA-based content on Nintendo Life, Alan Lopez also took the opportunity to work on a charitable side project. With Charles Martinet on hand to promote Super Mario Maker, Alan was able to get the voice of...
June2015
Video Mario is Unreal in This New Take on The Plumber's Adventures
Utilises Unreal Engine 4 and goes viral
Though we now have Mario looking fabulous in HD, most notably in Super Mario 3D World, fans and those keen to work on their coding still like to create their own flashy re-imaginings of the plumber's adventures. A recent example that went viral was a Unity-based recreation of one stage from Super Mario 64 in...
First Impressions Celebrating a Gaming Icon With Super Mario Maker
Let's Super Mario!
Super Mario Maker, recently powered-up from its initial moniker of 'Mario Maker', was a huge part of Nintendo's E3 presence both this year and last. Just a few months ahead of its September release it still had plenty of new surprises in store for this year's show, and still managed to captivate attendees' imaginations. The...
News Nintendo Wants You To Celebrate Super Mario's 30th Birthday In The Name Of A Good Cause
Make a fool of yourself, help others
Whether it's through covering songs or acting like lunatic plumbers in public, the Super Mario series has inspired people to express their love in all kinds of ways. Nintendo's Digital Event wrapped up with an occasionally awkward but overall charming video compilation showcasing some silly examples, but it...
News Super Mario Maker Arrives This September With amiibo Support In Tow
Costume Mario also revealed
Nintendo's E3 Digital Event just wrapped up for another year and sure enough new information has emerged regarding the upcoming Wii U title, Super Mario Maker. Firstly, the game will be released on 11th September. This launch aligns with the 2015 celebration of the 30th anniversary of the Mario Bros. series. During a...
Talking Point Super Mario Maker Stole the Show at the Nintendo World Championships 2015
A game changer for the franchise
The Nintendo World Championships 2015 was an event that had various similarities to the Super Smash Bros. Invitational from E3 2014 - it was charming, had some flat moments, the occasional hiccup, yet managed to seize momentum at key moments to keep us watching. It was a lengthy event that actually started rather...
Rumour Animal Crossing and Pixel 8-Bit Mario amiibo Look Set For E3 Reveal
Nintendo Spain is to blame this time
It seems that inadvertent E3 reveals are continuing to spill out, this time courtesy of a sloppy promotional email sent out by Nintendo Spain. In a mailing to promote the new amiibo announced during Masahiro Sakurai's Super Smash Bros. Special Presentation, it seems that some artwork has outlined more of the...
The two rivals talk Sonic, Mario and much more besides
Cast your mind back to the console war of the early '90s and one thing springs to mind - Sega vs Nintendo. The titanic struggle between these two Japanese giants dominated the video game industry for the best part of a decade, with the incumbent Nintendo - along with world-famous mascot Mario -...
News Gold Mario amiibo Arrives At Target Australia On 25th June
No pre-orders, one per customer & limited supply
At the end of last month Nintendo revealed the silver Mario amiibo figure would be available in Australia and New Zealand exclusively from EB Games from the 30th of May onward, with limited stock and strictly one per customer. It was also revealed the gold Mario amiibo figure would be exclusive to...
Nintendo Life Weekly Possibility of Pokémon amiibo Cards, Monster Hunter X (Cross)
All the reviews, releases, and top news from the past week
We're nothing if not hard working here at Nintendo Life, and in order to help you digest seven days word of news, releases, and reviews, we've bundled it all together into a video to make your life easier. This week we look at the possibility of Pokémon amiibo cards sucking all the cash...
May2015
Video The Game Theorists Plot Out Mario's Timeline and Family Bloodline
Yikes
We've shared some videos from popular YouTubers The Game Theorists in the past, yet the latest theory is easily the most ambitious yet; pretty entertaining, too. Using some logic the channel's team produces a timeline for every main-series Mario title, and then goes even further by plotting out bloodlines for Mario, Luigi and even Donkey...
News PDP Is Aiming to Sell the World's Shiniest Controller With Its Metal Mario 30th Anniversary Pad
But Metal Mario wasn't in the original Super Mario Bros...
In the pre-Super Smash Bros. for Wii U stage, before the Wii U GameCube Controller Adapter was revealed, third-party accessory company PDP turned the heads of Smash Bros. veterans by announcing a Fight Pad that'd mimic the iconic GameCube controller. Subsequent releases have brought plenty...
Feature What the Heck is Puzzle & Dragons? - A Brief History, and Why Mario Got Involved
Match three with a difference
YouTube recently released a presser in anticipation of its 10th anniversary. Listed in acknowledgement of the milestone were several "top 10's", including the top 10 most viewed video game videos, as ranked by watch time: Minecraft Grand Theft Auto (series) League of Legends Call of Duty (series) FIFA (series) Garry's...
Review New Super Mario Bros. (Wii U eShop / DS)
LittleBigKingdom
When New Super Mario Bros. released for the Nintendo DS back in 2006, it had been roughly 15 years since the portly plumber starred in a proper 2D platformer. Not only that, but side-scrollers in general had been largely ignored since 1996, when the Nintendo 64 hit the market and assured us that 3D gaming was the way of the future...
Next two waves also dated
Following the recent US news, Nintendo has today announced the gold and silver Super Mario edition amiibo figures will be arriving soon in Australia and New Zealand. The silver amiibo will be available exclusively from EB Games from the 30th of May and is able to be pre-ordered from the EB Games website right now. With...
News Silver Edition Mario amiibo Hits North American Stores on 29th May
Grab one for $12.99, if you are lucky
Following hot on the heels of the Super Mario Gold Edition amiibo is the slightly less precious Silver Edition. This isn't a massive revelation, as they were spotted only last month on a Chinese website, but regardless this will come as good news to those who missed out on the Gold Edition... or simply m
April2015
Video Reminisce and Watch the History of Super Mario Intro Scenes
From 8-bit to HD
The Super Mario franchise isn't renowned for its complex storytelling; in fact the old joke goes that when reviewing one of the plumber's platformers you can cover off the plot in one line - "it doesn't really matter". Be that as it may, the opening scene of a new Mario game can, nevertheless, set the tone for the platforming...
News Get Ready To Build With Mario Maker On Wii U This September
Celebrating Mario's 30th anniversary
Mario fans were given a special mention during today's Nintendo Direct, as the portly plumber will be celebrating his 30th anniversary this year. To help mark the occasion, it was announced that Mario Maker will be coming to Wii U in September, so fans can create their own version of the Mushroom Kingdom as they...
March2015
Breaking out of bundles
The Super Mario series of amiibo toys has, in some cases, been just as hard to find as the Super Smash Bros. run, though gamers in Europe have at least had options with the full range. While the Mario toy has been for sale individually and as part of a Mario Party 10 bundle in PAL territories, in North America this figure has...
News Puzzle & Dragons Super Mario Edition Bundle Launching May 22nd
Demo hitting the eShop earlier in the month
Western players won't have too much longer to wait before they can get their hands on some red hot, orb-matching action, as the Puzzle & Dragons Z and Puzzle & Dragons: Super Mario Bros Edition bundle has been confirmed for a May 22nd release date in North America. This handy double-pack features...
News Speedrunner Conquers Super Mario 64 in World Record Time, With No Stars
You don't need any stars to be a star
The rules of Super Mario 64 are well known. Jump, flip, and swim through treacherous levels to collect the shimmering power star at the end; speedrunners take this premise to the extreme. They collect all 120 power stars in as fast a time as possible, using precise jumps and taking advantage of various glitches...
News Nintendo's 1993 Style Guide Proves That Everything Revolves Around Princess Peach
Mario will also "accept anyone at face value", apparently
Style guides exist so that companies can ensure their treasured characters are used consistently through various forms of media - be it video games, TV shows, comic books or cheap lunch boxes produced in far-eastern sweatshops - and Nintendo is no stranger to this process. This...
February2015
News Speedrunner Unexpectedly Collects New Super Mario 64 World Record in Duel
Powered up
Super Mario 64 has long been a popular game for speedrunning, and the title has had many world records attached to its name. Another has just been added, and it was rather unexpected. On 26th February two speedrunners known as Nero and Puncayshun raced to see who could collect the game's 120 power stars first. Despite saving and quitting...
Preview Puzzling Our Way through Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Tipping Stars
Tips go in the jar, mate
Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Tipping Stars is just a few days away for North American fans, and those in Europe will only have to wait a little bit longer to get their hands on it. With the release date rapidly approaching, we've put together a short video to show you what you can expect to see in the game when it hits the 3DS and...
News Look On In Despair At The Hardest Super Mario World Level Ever Made
Three years in the making, and breaking
The ROM hack scene can be an endlessly entertaining place. Offering up creative, fan-made content, one can never really know what to expect from the community. More often than not, fans will create more challenging levels after completing a game in a quest for additional prestige and for a true test of skills...
Weirdness These Nifty 8-bit Super Mario Collectables May Make Canned Coffee Taste Better
Prepare to get wired
Japanese beverage company DyDo has teamed up with Nintendo to make canned coffee even more appealing. Starting on 17th February the drinks manufacturer will be putting a range of 8-bit Super Mario themed collectables on top of their cups. It appears that lucky Japanese customers will be able to collect 8-bit style Mario, Luigi,...
Weirdness Drunken Mario and Luigi Unleash Mini Crime Wave on Historic Cambridge City Centre
Stephen Hawking unavailable for comment
The historic English city of Cambridge is famous for many things - the beautiful architecture and majestic college buildings, punting down the river Cam and world famous theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking. This sterling reputation as a tourist hotspot for visitors to the UK was tarnished recently when rogue...
Weirdness There's an Awesome Super Mario Bros. World 1-1 Easter Egg in Dying Light
Stomping zombies
Dying Light, an open-world title in which you take on a lot of zombies, is a recent arrival on platforms such as the PS4 and Xbox One. The critical reception to Techland's game has been relatively mixed, but it's still one of 2015's first major releases; now, an awesome Easter Egg has been spotted to show that a current-day release...
January2015
News Unused Textures in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U Suggest Dr. Mario Themed Stage
The doctor is out
Through data mining and various other overtly complex methods, an avid fan of the Super Smash Bros. series has uncovered some unused texture files in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U that point towards plans for Dr. Mario to have his own stage at some point during development. The three viruses pictured look as though they could...
News This Is What Happened When A Kid Pitched Super Mario Bros. 4 To Nintendo 25 Years Ago
Even Nintendo's rejection letters are awesome
Back in 1990, Nintendo fan Jason Venter had an idea. He loved Super Mario Bros. 3 and the excellence of that game inspired him to create a planning document for a sequel. That document was packed with the kind of ideas that could only come from the active imagination of an 11-year-old gaming addict -...
Video YouTube's Gaming Historian Takes Offense At One Element Of Mario's Game Boy Past
"Come on Nintendo. You're better than this"
Mario is one of the most recognisable characters in entertainment media, and has starred in a staggering number of games over the past few decades. The portly Italian plumber has also enjoyed a number of cameo roles throughout the years, and it's this element of the character's history that the latest...
Weirdness According To McDonald's, Mario And Bowser Are Now Firm Friends
Really?
We all know that Mario and Bowser don't exactly get on. The latter is always attempting to steal the former's girlfriend, and over the past three decades the pair have clashed multiple times, with Mario usually emerging victorious. It would appear that fast food chain McDonald's feels that it's time to bury the hatchet and make up, as it...
Weirdness Researchers Working on Mario Artificial Intelligence - Who Needs Players?
May start to wonder why Princess Peach doesn't improve palace security
It's not uncommon for video games and academic research to mix - gaming is increasingly mainstream, and is a ripe source for study in a variety of areas. One such area is artificial intelligence, and German cognitive modelling researchers at the University of Tübingen have been...
December2014
Feature 12 Days of Nintendo Christmas - Day Eleven
On the eleventh day
In this completely silly run of bite-sized features, we're going to write a new version of '12 Days of Christmas' with a Nintendo twist that will, hopefully, be good enough to sing. Eleven Warp Pipes Warping: After our day ten entry was about as popular as a Falcon Punch to the face, we're going with a rather safe choice this...
News Fan Takes amiibo on Lighthearted Journey to their Homeland
A Christmas endeavour
Nintendo's got its audience over a barrel with its range of amiibo toys, and it seems that their charms have taken over certain fans' hearts, however most people don't take this appreciation to the lengths that one fan has. A Facebook page has recently appear that documents the adventures of Pikachu, Fox, and Mario in their...
News Koji Kondo Discusses Music Creation for Iconic Mario and Legend of Zelda Games
The man behind your musical childhood speaks
For those of you who don't know, Koji Kondo is the man behind some of the most iconic tracks in the Super Mario and The Legend of Zelda series soundtracks. The catchy and beautiful music he produced in these games during the late '80s and all throughout the '90s has remained with many throughout their...