Mario News

July2013

  • Review Super Mario Bros. 2 (3DS eShop / NES)

    Sweet dreams are made of these

    By now we all know the story of Super Mario Bros. 2: concerns about the Japanese sequel to the original Super Mario Bros. kept it from release in North America and Europe. Different reasons have been given over time, from the game being too difficult to it simply not demonstrating enough creativity to keep gamers...

  • Review Mario & Luigi: Dream Team (3DS)

    A never-ending dream

    If there was more justice in the world, Mario & Luigi: Dream Team — or Mario & Luigi: Dream Team Bros. as it's known in Europe — would enjoy the same level of hype and anticipation as some of its prestigious predecessors on the 3DS in 2013. And yet, rather like its snoozy subject matter, it drifts into view on a...

June2013

  • News Nintendo Defends Influx of New Mario Titles

    Too much of a good Mario?

    There’s no doubt Nintendo has been putting its world-famous plumber to work. Since New Super Mario Bros. Wii in 2009, there has been at least one new Mario platformer released each year. The pace has felt even faster recently, with the expected December arrival of Super Mario 3D World marking the third Mario platformer...

  • Review Wrecking Crew (Wii U eShop / NES)

    It's wrecking time!

    Mario's claim to fame has often been jumping; a simple skill, but unfailingly entertaining. It can be tough to remember a time when he traded high-flying acrobatics for a hammer and an insatiable appetite for destruction, but that's exactly the case in Wrecking Crew. Smashing things to bits is the straightforward goal, but...

  • Review Mario Bros. (Wii U eShop / NES)

    Definitely not super

    If you've ever been curious about Mario and Luigi's actual credibility as plumbers, you'll want to look all the way back to 1983's Mario Bros., the game which established pipe-cleaning as their true vocation and served as something of a bridge between arcade sensation Donkey Kong and early platforming masterpiece Super Mario...

  • Weirdness The Roots Perform an Awesome Mario Rap on Late Night With Jimmy Fallon

    Disses Luigi, rap battle should happen...

    For those that don't know, The Roots are a critically acclaimed, Grammy winning band, that also serves as the house band on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon. Some of you may also be aware that Fallon has been doing a lot of post-E3 coverage, so games have been a prominent part of his show in the past week. That...

  • First Impressions Mario Kart 8

    Turning things upside down

    Imagine the Mario Kart series as an enormous living being made out of adorable cars, happy drivers, delightful loops passing through volcanoes and haunted houses and vicious blue shells. Envision this being, this body of Kartdom, and now answer this simple question: where is its heart? What is the thumping engine within...

  • First Impressions Super Mario 3D World

    Stranger things have happened

    Sometimes it’s easy to forget how weird Mario games are. Think about it: A pudgy plumber in overalls who can jump ridiculously high, throw fireballs when he touches flowers, get huge when he eats mushrooms and make it with a princess provided he kicks the seven shades of crap out of a giant turtle dragon. That is the...

May2013

April2013

  • News "Suspicious" Box Poses Question for Arizona Police

    “Nothing of concern” found inside

    A gold box with a question mark is the universal symbol of goodies for any gamer, but finding one in the middle of an Arizona neighbourhood prompted a much more careful response from area police. News station KNXV-TV reported that about 50 people were evacuated on Friday as a precaution while bomb technicians...

March2013

February2013

  • News Nintendo - "Innovation is Important" for the 2D Mario Series

    "We need innovation that retains 2D Mario's play sensation"

    At E3 2012 Nintendo of America's Reggie Fils-Aime stated that Nintendo gamers want Mario at a system's launch, and that's what was given with New Super Mario Bros. U, the latest in the re-born 2D series. After a notably mixed reaction among Nintendo gamers to New Super Mario Bros. 2 on 3DS,...

  • Video Tesla Coil Shows Creative Spark To Play Mario Theme

    Science wins

    Occasionally we like to show the best of video game culture, snippets of creativity and ingenuity that show the love some have for our favourite hobby. Today the spotlight should focus on the engineers from student-run organization X-Labs from the University of Florida (USF). According to scientific explanations that we don't fully...

  • News Potential Wreck-It Ralph Sequel Should Have a Moment "Perfect for Mario"

    If it gets made, that is

    Wreck-it Ralph may have been released in North America way back in early November, but it's not long since it arrived in movie theatres in the UK, bringing its own brand of classic gaming cameos and animated hilarity. For retro gamers and Nintendo fans alike the movie has plenty of references to pick up, including an...

  • News Super Mario Busters Ain't Afraid of no Ghost

    Use the ekto-thingy-majig

    YouTube is a home for many lovingly-crafted fan creations, whether real-life dramatisations, animations or someone sounding off in front of a camera about the latest big thing. Some of its gaming content is rather neat, with production values often going beyond humble origins; one example of this is the animated cartoon...

  • News Super Mario 3D Land Sales Outpacing Super Mario Galaxy's In First Year

    Mix of 2D and 3D appealed greatly in Japan

    Nintendo President Satoru Iwata held a Corporate Management Policy Briefing recently in which he explained how the video game market had begun to contract in recent years, meaning hardware and software sales were flagging. There has been some cause for optimism this week, though, with the revelation that...

January2013

  • News Nintendo Rewarding Millionaire Coin Collectors In New Super Mario Bros. 2

    Global coin total hits a staggering 500 billion

    There's no denying that most of us have checked into therapy to overcome our coin collecting addiction in New Super Mario Bros. 2, and with the global coin total hitting an incredible 500 billion, Nintendo Australia has a reward for players who have become coin millionaires in the popular platformer...

  • News 3D Super Mario Title In Development For Wii U

    Mamma mia!

    Not only did we get spectacular news about a Wind Waker HD remake for the Wii U during the Wii U Direct broadcast today, we were also told that a new Super Mario title is currently in development for the console. The Nintendo EAD Tokyo Software Development team behind the incredible Super Mario Galaxy titles for Wii and popular

  • News Super Mario Bros. Theme Gets The Rock Treatment

    Metal rock, that is

    It's Monday, the Holiday season is well and truly over, and despair may be the feeling of the day. Still, fear not, because YouTube has the answer to brighten your mood! No, it's not a sneezing panda, or a puppy doing the cutest things, or even a rubbish Gangnam Style routine. Oh no, it's music from Super Mario Bros. with a metal...

  • Review Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels (3DS eShop / NES)

    Lost levels = lost sanity

    It's a story so well known now that we'll just summarise it for you: what is now known as Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels was actually released in Japan as the sequel to enduring classic Super Mario Bros. Western gamers instead received the subconscious vegetable buffet that we more traditionally think of as Super Mario...

December2012

November2012

October2012

  • News New Super Mario Bros. U Nabbit Chase Stages Revealed

    Dang nabbit!

    With launch less than three weeks away for lucky North American gamers, Nintendo has revealed some details for New Super Mario Bros. U. Some are well known and have previously come to light through magazine previews and other sources, such as the fact that the World Map will have a number of routes and secret exits — similar in...

  • News Mario Clone Super Maria Land Jumps Onto Android

    Great artists steal?

    Smartphone-based clones of popular games are everywhere these days, but this latest effort really is unashamedly blatant. Super Maria Land - which proudly proclaims itself as a 'Mario Clone' on its official Google Play store listing is a port of a web-based Flash title for Google's popular Android platform. It's clearly a...

  • News Brick-Based Mario Videos Prove Everything Looks Better In Lego

    Build it and they will come

    Following on from the awesome Lego Zelda shield we featured a while back, we've stumbled across some amazing Lego-themed Super Mario videos. Created using what appears to be a clever combination of computer editing and actual brick images, these videos replicate the look of Mario's early NES adventures via the medium of...

  • News Super Mario Gangnam Style Flash Mob's Got Some Moves

    It was inevitable

    If you haven't heard of Gangnam Style, maybe you're the lucky one. That might be harsh, but the quirky music video has gone so viral that there's no escape, meaning that lots of people are happily imitating it and looking rather silly. As most will know, meanwhile, the best place to find people dressed in silly outfits with time...

  • News Super Mario World Was The Perfect Escape For a Novelist in Hiding

    Salman Rushdie's inner gamer is revealed

    In literary circles Salman Rushdie is a much admired award-winning writer, and also one of the biggest names in the book industry. He's also courted great controversy during his career, notably when his novel The Satanic Verses outraged extremist groups and regimes to the point that there was a fatwa issued...

  • News We Really Wish This Super Mario Kung Fu Movie Actually Existed

    It's already better than the Hollywood effort

    If you're old enough to remember the terrible Hollywood live-action Super Mario Bros. movie then there's a good chance you still carry the mental scars. Even lead actor Bob Hoskins isn't a fan! It would appear that the world is still waiting for the definitive Mario movie, but in the meantime you can...

  • First Impressions Paper Mario Sticker Star

    Stuck on you

    Tucked away on the roof of the ZombiU building in the Nintendo booth at the EB Expo were a few hidden 3DS gems. Among them was Paper Mario: Sticker Star, and as you can imagine we eagerly wrestled the closest copy from the display unit and dove right in. The version available to us appeared to be very close to the final build, as we...

  • News The Best Damn Half Time Entertainment You'll Ever See

    Ohio State University Marching Band plays Zelda, Mario, Tetris and more

    The Ohio State University Marching Band is a pretty big deal. It's one of the largest groups of its type in the world, and is regularly referred to by admirers as "The Best Damn Band in the Land" (TBDBITL for short). Famed for its stunningly complex half time performances, the...

  • News This Real Life Tanooki Suit is a Bit Strange

    Do it like they do on the Discovery Channel

    If you're the type of person that has absolutely no shame in wearing the most ludicrous clothes, then we have found the perfect item of clothing for you. Say hello to the 'Racanooki' Costume Hoodie! This costume hoodie from 80sTees was inspired by Tanooki Mario in Super Mario Bros. 3, and bizarrely you can...

  • Ninterview Charles Martinet, The Voice of Mario

    We caught up with the man himself at the recent EB Expo in Australia

    He voices one of the most iconic characters in global culture yet he could probably walk down the street and not receive a second glance from passers-by. He is Charles Martinet, the man behind the voice of Nintendo's Mario, and has lent his vocal chords to the world-famous plumber...

  • News Paper Mario: Sticker Star Arrives in Europe 7th December

    Stuck on you

    Nintendo of Europe has finally announced a date for Paper Mario: Sticker Star: Europeans will be able to get sticky with the paper thin plumber from 7th December. The world is your personal Panini album in the adventure, which sees Mario and company slipping through the world slamming stickers onto anything that moves. You'll also be...

  • News New Super Mario Bros. U Trailer Shows Off Co-Op, Controlled by Mario Masters

    The music works on us

    New Super Mario Bros. U is potentially the biggest day one Wii U title, though it does have competition and has to fight against Mario fatigue. There seem to be two distinct camps of gamers at the moment: those that can't get too much of Mario's platforming antics, and those that feel they've played quite enough Mario for one...

  • Talking Point The Possibilities of New Super Mario Bros. 2 DLC

    More Mario per system

    We’re well aware that some of you may read the headline and tagline for this article and immediately think that we’re losing our minds, foolishly allowing ourselves to be suckered into paying more and more for our Mario fix. That’s a danger of course, which we’ll come to, but with this week’s first batch of New Super...

  • News Voice of Mario Was Inspired by a Shakespearean Character

    Yes, really

    Younger gamers may think that Mario's always had a voice, gleefully exclaiming phrases such as "Wahoo" and "Yippee" for all time, along with the occasional sentence. The voice fits the character, and it seems like Mario wouldn't be the same without his famous catch-phrases. It's easy to forget, then, that Super Mario 64 was the first...

  • News Check Out Some Mario Facts in This Video

    Cameo appearances, cancelled sequels and other mysteries

    Mario has so many video games that if there weren't peculiarities and quirks throughout them, something would be wrong. The sheer volume of games over a period in excess of 25 years is impressive, especially if you go beyond the scope of the main franchise and venture off into spin-offs and...

September2012

  • News Super Paper Mario Bros. - Level 1-1 Recreated in Mobius Strip

    Yours for $24

    With a franchise like Mario, it's safe to say that there are plenty of arts and crafts projects out there that have been created as a dedication to the moustachioed one. Pins, animations with nothing but post-it notes, and any wacky idea you can imagine have probably been done already. One that involved a fair bit of effort and skill...

  • News Shigeru Miyamoto: Mario and Luigi Don't Have Last Names

    So stop saying he's called Mario Mario

    When it comes to Mario, Nintendo's number one icon, there are plenty of myths and stories that can be debated by gamers until the moo moo cows come home. One of these, thanks to the Super Mario Bros. movie that wasn't particularly good, is that Mario and Luigi's last name is actually Mario, meaning that the...

  • News Super Mario 3D Land Clone Hits iPhone, and Looks Rubbish

    Making Mario mad

    While the iOS and Android platforms have some blockbuster downloads that have been downloaded millions of times, they also have quality control that's as effective as a Power Glove. We present to you 3D Cartoon Land: Safari, which is a rather blatant copy of Super Mario 3D Land, the same in everything except graphics, design, tight...

  • News Nintendo: There's No Such Thing As Too Much Mario

    Company will never risk killing "the golden goose that lays the golden egg"

    How much is too much? That's not a question Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime thinks we should worry about, at least not in relation to the company's iconic mascot Mario. In an interview with GI.biz, Reggie was asked if the constant flood of Mario games could...

  • News "Hungry Hungry Koopas" Devour The Hippos

    A well-loved game with a twist

    Many who read this will be familiar with Hungry Hungry Hippos, a children's game that's popular around the world. You won't necessarily have heard of Hungry Hungry Koopas, however, as it's a custom-made one off game from toy and video game enthusiast Donald Kennedy, or KodyKoala as he's known on his website. Kennedy...

  • News New Super Mario Bros. U Character Choices Explained

    Expect "more expression and emotion" on Mii faces

    New Super Mario Bros. U is one of the most anticipated launch window titles for Wii U, and like New Super Mario Bros. 2 on 3DS the Big N will be hoping that 2D Mario converts into big sales. Some of the information and footage suggests that a good deal of effort and design has gone into Mario's HD...

  • News New Super Mario Bros. Wii U Details And Screens Bounce Into View

    Worlds named and Boost Rush mode revealed

    There's been a flood of content relating to the forthcoming Wii U platformer New Super Mario Bros. U, with details about new levels, game modes and a selection of fresh screenshots. Nintendo has confirmed seven of the game's worlds. Acorn Plains, Sparkling Waters, Frosted Glacier, Layer Cake Desert have...

  • News New Super Mario Bros. 2 Smashes The One Million Barrier In Japan

    New 3DS title has sold faster than Mario 3D Land

    New Super Mario Bros. 2 has sold a staggering 1,068,878 units in Japan since it was released on July 28th - five weeks ago. The figure has been reported in the latest Enterbrain chart, which covers August 27th through September 2nd. The previous Mario title on the 3DS - Super Mario 3D Land - took...

August2012

  • News Mario Warfare Teaser Pokes Fun At Call Of Duty

    Tactical Mushroom Action

    The advent of YouTube and the emergence of affordable video creation and editing tools has given game fans the world over the opportunity to parody the living daylights out of pretty much anything they like. Beat Down Boogie are masters of this craft, having already scored a sizable satirical hit with Modern War Sear Solid...

  • News Nintendo Champ Puts Coveted Golden Mario Trophy Up For Auction

    Got a spare $300,000?

    Way back in 1990, Thor Aackerlund saw off all challengers to secure the Nintendo World Championships in the 12-17 category. Now, over twenty years later, he's selling his one of a kind trophy on eBay for an eye-watering $300,000. Just in case you're thinking that figure is a little high, it should also be noted that included...

  • News New Super Mario Bros. 2 Global Coin Total Surpasses 50 Billion

    That's a whole lot of coins collected!

    If you live in Europe or North America and have enabled SpotPass on New Super Mario Bros. 2 you should have recently received your first update to let you know how many coins have been collected by Mario fans globally. We reported on this a few days ago when Japanese players got their first update, at that...

  • Feature In Defence of Super Mario Sunshine

    Do or don't look back into the sun

    Ten years ago today, on 26th August 2002, GameCube title Super Mario Sunshine was released in North America to an abundance of critical acclaim, with relatively muted murmuring that it was an unworthy follow-up to Super Mario 64. Gradually over the past decade opinions have grown more divided and gamers have become...

  • News Intrepid Programmer Brings Super Mario Bros. to Atari 2600

    Harder than it sounds

    While many of us enjoy indulging in retro classics on a regular basis, whether experiencing them for the first time or starting a 20th playthrough, there are those with a passion for past generations of systems and games that take the hobby further. Case in point is user Sprybug from atariage.com, who has reproduced World 1-1...

  • Tips New Super Mario Bros. 2 Rainbow Courses

    A handy pot of gold

    It takes relatively little time to beat the main Worlds in New Super Mario Bros. 2, but it adds many, many hours with unlockable levels, collectibles and secrets to discover. Yesterday we shared two small tips that would allow you to play as Luigi in single player and to keep those hard earned profile stars sparkling. Due to...

  • Tips Two New Super Mario Bros. 2 Secrets

    Don't worry, fun but (relatively) spoiler free

    If you're anything like the members of the Nintendo Life team, you're probably well on your way through New Super Mario Bros. 2, perhaps even beaten it, and are currently scrabbling around levels looking for elusive star coins and secrets. This title may hand out extra lives like they've gone out of...

  • News New Super Mario Bros. 2 Worldwide Coin Total Surpasses 36 Billion

    May be used to buy 17% of Apple

    Those of you that have picked up New Super Mario Bros. 2 have probably also enabled SpotPass, which will be used to contribute your haul to the world coin total. We'd also assume that Nintendo will send regular updates so we can all see how ludicrously high that total gets. While there haven't been any updates as yet...

  • News New Super Mario Bros. 2 Typo Isn't So Golden

    More grammatical 'revelaitons'

    It can be a pastime of some gamers to chortle at spelling errors or sloppy typos in video games, with many recently enjoying a typo by Capcom in its now infamous Resident Evil Revelaitons packaging for, of course, Revelations. While that version of the packaging became, bizarrely, a collector's item of sorts, it seems...

  • Out Now 3DS XL Goes Big in North America

    And New Super Mario Bros. 2, of course

    It's Sunday, a day of rest and laziness for so many, but perhaps this one has a slightly different meaning for some keen 3DS gamers in North America: it's 3DS XL day. Oh, and New Super Mario Bros. 2 day, as well. 3DS XL graced Europe and Japan in late July, with the North American release seemingly being held...

  • News Nintendo Only Plans to Make One 2D Mario Per Platform

    Plumber deal

    The idea of Mario fatigue has been wafting through the air recently, thanks to New Super Mario Bros. 2 launching on 3DS this weekend as another 2D Mario, New Super Mario Bros. U, is being prepared for release in a few months at Wii U's launch. Nintendo president Satoru Iwata insists that this won't be a regular thing, however —...

  • News New Super Mario Bros. 2 Takes Over GAME Store In London

    Wahoo!

    If you happened to be around GAME Oxford Street in London today, you may have noticed the increased presence of a certain friendly — and recently gold-hungry — plumber. Don't worry if you missed out, though, as the madness is due to continue tomorrow. Nintendo UK has announced that an exclusive New Super Mario Bros. 2 gaming event will be...

  • Out Now New Super Mario Bros. 2 Hops Into Europe

    Only two more days for you, North America

    If you've been living in a cave and cut off from the outside world in recent weeks, then this may be news to you: New Super Mario Bros. 2 is now available in Europe, and graces North American stores in just two days, on 19th August. You all knew that, we hope, but if you didn't then we'd expect you to...

  • Competition New Super Mario Bros. 2 Sparks Coin Rush!

    There be gold in them hills!

    It's not long until New Super Mario Bros. 2 hits both the digital and retail stores, out on Friday (Aug 17th) Mario's latest adventure is set to be coin-crazy. To celebrate Mario's love for coins Nintendo UK has unveiled "Coin Rush", a competition where, just like in New Super Mario Bros. 2, it’s up to you to collect...

  • News Who's New Super Mario Bros. 2's Mystery Celebrity?

    Guess who

    Nintendo of Europe is having a little fun with the advertising campaign for New Super Mario Bros. 2 before the game is released on Friday. Can you guess which mystery celebrity is wearing Mario's famous moustache? The answers have been flowing in all day on Twitter, but apparently nobody's got it right yet. Frankie Sandford, Emma Watson...

  • Round Table Let's Talk About Super Mario

    Get a comfortable seat

    We've already unveiled our favourite Super Mario games, but it's a series with plenty of talking points. We're in the middle of the busiest spell of new Super Mario games in the history of the franchise, with two 'New Super Mario Bros.' titles arriving this year, which will mean that three new entries will have arrived within...

  • Feature Our Favourite Super Mario Games

    The impossible list

    With New Super Mario Bros. 2 about to hit stores, it's prompted a lot of debate about the Super Mario series as a whole. We decided that we'd take on the list that cannot win, and declare Nintendo Life's favourite Super Mario games. In total, 16 members of staff rated their top 10 Super Mario titles from a list of 14. Only games...