Mario is one of the most beloved video game franchises that has been around for decades. In this blog, we will take a closer look at the history of Super Mario and how it became one of the most popular video game franchises.
The Origin of Super Mario
Before Mario, it is fair to say Nintendo was in a bad financial place. After the failed launch of the Cabinet arcade shooter, Nintendo was about to go bankrupt. The company then worked on Donkey Kong where Mario featured for the first time as “Jumpman”
The game proved to be a major hit. After that, Nintendo decided to launch a separate game for Jumpman whose name was changed to “Mario”. From there on, Mario started to become more popular as his mainline series progressed.
The Evolution Super Mario Game Series
Let’s take a look at how Super Mario became one of the most popular video game series:
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Super Mario Bros. (1985)
The first Mario game was Super Mario Bros. which was released back in 1985 on Nintendo Entertainment System (NES). The 2D game featured Mario and Luigi as brothers who are tasked to rescue the town’s princess after Bowser abducts her.
The game proved to be a massive success and is one of the best-selling games of all time with over 50 million copies sold worldwide.
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Super Mario Bros: The Lost Levels (1986)
The Lost Levels was intended as a sequel to Super Mario Bros. However, it was released as Super Mario Bros 2 in Japan. The game did some things differently such as weather, improved graphics, and higher difficulty.
The 1986 release frustrated the fans due to the high difficulty and complicated game mechanics. Due to the bad reviews in Japan, the company decided to delay its release to 1993 under a new name: The Lost Levels. This game is perfect for you if you like to take on challenges.
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Super Mario Bros. 2 (1988)
This game was released in 1988 and is also known as Super Mario USA. The best thing about Super Mario Bros. 2 was the new characters, villains, and storyline.
Every character, apart from Mario had different characteristics and features which made this game more special. For instance, Mario’s brother Luigi jumps higher than his brothers and Peach uses his skirt to slide.
It also introduced coins, which could be then used to play minigames.
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Super Mario Bros. 3 (1988)
The third installation of the game also proved to be a great success. The game was relatively bigger with 8 featured worlds and 6-10 levels each.
Nintendo introduced a new feature known as the Super Leaf which gave Mario the ability to fly. If you are a true Mario fan, you have played this game more than once.
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Super Mario World (1990)
Super Mario World was released in 1990 and featured a world map. It also had 72 different levels which had different exits rather than a single linear finish.
The game introduces Yoshi; who is a dinosaur that can eat enemies and gain energy from the shells. Yoshi remains one of the most popular Mario characters to this day.
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Super Mario 64 (1996)
In Super Mario 64, you get to experience the game for the first time in 3D. The game was released in 1996 and proved to be a big success worldwide.
The story follows Mario’s journey to rescue Power Stars that protect Princess Peach’s castle. The game offered plenty of thrilling action and entertainment to gamers all across the globe.
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Super Mario Sunshine (2002)
In 2002, Nintendo then released another 3D Mario edition with Super Mario Sunshine. One of the stand-out aspects of this game was the introduction of FLUUD mechanics which was a rechargeable water-based tool.
It can be used to spray enemies and dash through high speeds. Moreover, it also introduced some iconic characters such as Toadsworth, Shadow Mario, and Gooper Blooper.
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New Super Mario Bros. (2006)
This game was launched for Nintendo DS and started a new sub-series of Super Mario Bros. The overall gameplay was similar to the original Mario games which also contributed to its popularity.
While some viewers complained about the low difficulty and too much resemblance to Mario's previous versions, the game did pretty great worldwide.
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Super Mario Galaxy (2007)
In Super Mario Galaxy, the main antagonist is Bowser who is now threatening to take over the entire universe. You are tasked to save the universe and collect power stars along with rescuing the princess.
This was the third 3-D game for the franchise and proved to be a massive hit. It is a fun game which was loved and adored by gamers all over the world.
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New Super Mario Bros. Wii (2009)
The new Super Mario Bros. Wii was a perfect opportunity for Nintendo to explore multiplayer options in Super Mario. Before that, the game previously explored multiplayer in the Mario 64.
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Mario Super Galaxy 2 (2010)
In this game, Bowser kidnaps Princess Peach again, and this time in outer space. Mario is then tasked to retrieve the princess again from Bowser. Therefore, Mario must travel across galaxies to collect power stars to retrieve the princess.
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Super Mario 3D Land (2011)
This game was one of the unique installments in the Super Mario series as it introduced 2D and 3D aspects in one game. It also has fan-favorite power-ups from the previous games which was loved by many Mario fans.
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New Super Mario Bros. 2 (2012)
In their next Mario release, Nintendo decided to release a 2D side-scroller game. This allowed Mario to return to its roots without sacrificing any quality or game mechanics they introduced in their 3D games.
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Super Mario World 3D (2013)
This game served as a sequel to the Super Mario 3D Land. The game features 3D gameplay that we saw in Mario 3D Land and Mario Super Bell.
The game also allows players to transform into a cat where you can climb walls and scratch enemies. Overall, the game did pretty well with plenty of good ratings from across the world.
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Super Mario Maker (2015)
Super Mario Maker is a 2D side-scrolling game that was released for Wii U and Nintendo DS. The game also allowed players to create customized Mario levels.
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Super Mario Odyssey (2017)
Super Mario Odyssey helps bring Mario into our world with a new ally called Cappy. Cappy helps Mario take control over other creatures to use their powers to help him rescue Princess Peach.
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Super Mario Maker 2 (2019)
The game is a sequel to the 2015 Super Mario Maker and proved to be a successful launch. The video game sold over 7 million copies and became one of the best-selling Switch games of all time.
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Super Mario 3D World (2021)
The Mario 3D World is a re-release of the Mario 3D World with an addition of Bowser’s Fury. The game follows the protagonist Mario on his quest to save the world from black sludge infection.
The virus has also infected Bowser and has turned him into a demonic creature that is yearning to destroy the world of Lake Lapcat.
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Mario Golf: Super Rush (2021)
Super Rush is the 6th installment in the Mario Golf series which was released for Nintendo Direct. The game has multiple modes for gamers such as Speed and Battle Golf.
The game’s release received underwhelming reviews from across the world and only gathered 6/10 on IGN.
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Super Mario Bros. Wonder (2023)
The Super Mario Bros. Wonder is a side-scrolling video game that came out on the 20th of October 2023. Alongside Mario, other characters such as Princess Peach and Princess Daisy.
In this game, you are tasked to save the Wonder Kingdom from Bowser Jr.
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Super Mario RPG (2023)
The Super Mario RPG is the remake of the 1996 Mario game which was released on November 2023. It is a perfect game if you are looking for nostalgia and experience thrilling combat as we saw in the earlier installation.
It also has an immersive story along with a captivating environment to keep you hooked till the end.
Final Thoughts
The Super Mario series is one of the most beloved franchises with millions of fans across the world. There are plenty of other titles such as Mario vs. Donkey King and Paper Mario that will come out soon this year.
If you are looking to buy Super Mario games in Saudi, feel free to check out our collection. We offer you an amazing range of gaming products at the best possible price.
