Super Mario, fully named Super Mario Bros., is a famous side-scrolling video game produced by Nintendo. It was originally released on the Famicom (NES), and has since spawned numerous sequels, with total sales of various versions exceeding 40 million copies to date. The main characters—Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach, and Toad—are now iconic figures for Nintendo. Sometimes, the protagonist Mario is also referred to as "Super Mario."
The 25th Anniversary of Super Mario Bros.
Before we know it, it has been almost 25 years since Nintendo Japan launched Super Mario Bros. (translated in some regions as Super Mario). On September 13, 1985, Super Mario officially hit the Famicom (NES), followed by releases on platforms like the N64, Game Boy, GBA, Wii, and DS, maintaining its popularity over the decades.
To commemorate the 25th anniversary of Super Mario Bros., Nintendo unveiled a new logo. Unfortunately, the image is in black and white, but there may be a color version available.
The 25th-anniversary logo for Super Mario Bros.
For now, we can only speculate that this logo will be used for the upcoming Super Mario Collection (Special Pack) scheduled for release on the Wii. This super-luxury collector's edition is expected to launch in Japan on October 21st at a price of 2,500 yen.
The core of this Super Mario Collection game is based on Super Mario All-Stars from the Super Famicom (SNES). However, what truly attracts collectors are the bonus items included in the collection pack. First, there will be a manual titled Mario History 1985-2010, which not only reviews Mario's 25-year journey but also reveals many previously undisclosed development secrets. Secondly, there will be an original soundtrack CD featuring music spanning from the original Super Mario Bros. to the latest Super Mario Galaxy 2.
Nintendo once released a commemorative version of the Game Boy Micro to celebrate Mario's 20th birthday, so it is likely that they will release corresponding hardware for this anniversary celebration.
Which Game Can Stand the Test of Time?
Today, the old Famicom console exists only in the memories of the post-80s generation. Nintendo’s products have evolved to the Wii and DS, yet the Mario brothers continue to jump through levels just as they do in the games, remaining relevant across all platforms with unwavering vitality.
In the 25 years since the release of Super Mario Bros., Nintendo has made countless versions of the game, reportedly using this logo for the 25th-anniversary Super Mario collection. Even now, Super Mario Bros. remains endlessly charming. In a recent poll conducted by British media to select the top ten most popular games, Super Mario ranked first!
Bone-Fide Fans of Uncle Mario
Similarly, many people have gone crazy for Mario. An 11-year-old child has collected thousands of Super Mario Bros. toys, leaving many self-proclaimed "fans" of Super Mario in awe.
Despite being only 11 years old, this boy has been collecting for six years. His collection includes Mario games, music albums, controllers, backpacks, figurines, stickers, cups, toys, clothing, hats, and more—all kinds of Mario merchandise imaginable.
A super bone-fide fan of Mario.
Here is another player's collection:
For Chinese netizens of the post-80s generation who have played games, most have had some exposure to Super Mario Bros. on the Famicom. Many still remember how to pass the first level, though unfortunately, I myself have never fully completed the game—a regrettable fact indeed.
Mario Basic Introduction:
Standing at the pinnacle of the gaming world, Mario is an ultra-popular multi-faceted character.
Original Name: マリオ\mario\марйё (Cyrillic spelling)
Voice Actor: Charles Martinet
Mario is a super star known worldwide for growing by eating mushrooms. His features include a big nose, a hat, overalls, and a mustache. Together with his twin brother Luigi, he has long served as Nintendo's flagship character.
First Appearance: Donkey Kong (1981)
Latest Work: Super Mario Galaxy 2 (2010)
Representative Games: Donkey Kong (1981/arcade), Super Mario Bros. (1985/Famicom), Super Mario Bros. 3 (1988/Famicom), Super Mario World (1990/Super Famicom), Yoshi's Island (1995/Super Famicom), Mario 64 (1996/N64), Mario Sunshine (2002/GameCube), Mario Galaxy (2007/Wii), Mario Galaxy 2 (2010/Wii).
Other notable games: Mario Bros. (1983/Famicom), Super Mario Bros. 2 (1987/Famicom), Mario Land Series (1989–1994/Game Boy), Mario Kart Series (1992–2008), Super Mario RPG (1996/Super Famicom), Paper Mario Series (2000–2007), Mario & Luigi RPG Series (2003–2009).
Two years after his debut in Donkey Kong, Mario appeared again in Donkey Kong Jr.. In this game, Mario played the role of the kidnapper who uses a whip to control monsters. He later appeared as a referee in Tennis and Punch Out!!. The name "Mario" first appeared in a game title with Mario Bros., where his younger brother Luigi also made his debut. Gradually, Mario's personality began to emerge, and he started to take center stage as the protagonist. In 1985, the game that would make Mario a star, Super Mario Bros., was released. Retaining basic actions such as jumping and stomping, it added colorful systems such as body growth and fireball launching. Especially the system where Mario grows after eating a mushroom left a strong impression. Soon, the game became a favorite among players, and Mario ascended to stardom. From then on, Mario's legend as an action hero continued, leading to successful sequels like Super Mario Bros. 2 and Super Mario Bros. 3. Afterward, Mario reached the peak of his career. Not limited to action games, he also starred in games like Dr. Mario and Mario Golf, solidifying his status in the Japanese gaming industry. With the international release of Super Mario USA, Mario's popularity exploded globally. A survey conducted in the U.S. in 1990 showed that Mario's recognition exceeded even Mickey Mouse. Many third-party software companies began creating Mario-related games, such as Namco's baseball game Super Mario Stadium and Konami's music game D.D.R. with Mario. Mario's success extended beyond gaming into movies, including the 1986 Japanese animated film Super Mario: Princess Peach Rescue Operation and the 1993 Hollywood live-action movie Super Mario: The Movie. Whenever Nintendo launches a new console, a game with "Mario" in the title is sure to follow, continuing this trend to this day. From his birth to now, Mario's appearance has remained largely unchanged, even transitioning to 3D. No matter what outfit he wears, his traditional look always shines through. In a sense, this "longevity" represents loyalty to fans.
Ten Interesting Secrets about FC Mario Bros.
As the world's best-selling FC game, Super Mario Bros. broke Guinness World Records and brought fame to Nintendo. Now, many people know the origin of the name "Mario," but there are more secrets about the game, such as why Mario wears work clothes, hidden levels, etc., which have gradually been revealed. Below are ten secrets about this classic FC game—how many do you know?
1. Grass and clouds use the same pattern:
Many players might have noticed that the grass on the ground and the clouds in the sky share the same pattern, just different colors. Perhaps this was done to save game memory. By the way, the data size of this game is 40kbytes.
2. The infamous negative level:
This should be considered a game bug, and quite a few people know about it. At the end of level 1-2, by using a wall-passing bug to enter the screen with three pipes, you can perform a level select before the Piranha Plant enters the pipe, resulting in the appearance of the negative level. This is real, though achieving it isn't easy.
3. The origin of Mario's name came when Nintendo America's office rent was due. To extend the lease period, they proposed naming the landlord, Mario Segale, as the game's protagonist. If the landlord could foresee how famous Mario would become, he might laugh in his dreams.
4. Eating mushrooms to grow was inspired by Alice in Wonderland.
According to Shigeru Miyamoto's interview in Europe and America, this game borrowed elements from the famous fairy tale, where Alice really ate mushrooms to change her size.
5. Actually, Mario uses his hands to bump blocks, not his head.
You can see this clearly in the picture. Mario's true strength lies in his limbs.
6. This is quite a famous explanation: when designing Mario, it was found that pixel art couldn't easily depict hair, so Mario was simply given a hat. His mustache was also designed for this reason.
7. Interestingly, the Japanese release date of this game, September 13, 1985, was a Friday the 13th. The number 13 is notoriously unlucky in Western culture—could there be any metaphorical meaning behind it?
8. The All Night Nippon version of Super Mario was specially issued to commemorate the famous Japanese TV program All Night Nippon.
9. Sometimes, if you look closely, the tail of the flame is reversed. Strangely, no one pointed this out—perhaps back then, no one had the time or inclination to notice such details.
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