Mario (franchise): Difference between revisions

{{italic title|''Mario'' (franchise)}}

{{construction}}

{{series-infobox

|title=Mario

|number=300+

''[[Super Mario (series)|Super Mario]]''; ''[[Super Mario Land (series)|Super Mario Land]]''; ''[[Paper Mario (series)|Paper Mario]]''; ''[[Mario & Luigi (series)|Mario & Luigi]]''; ''[[Mario vs. Donkey Kong (series)|Mario vs. Donkey Kong]]''; ''[[Dr. Mario (series)|Dr. Mario]]''; ''[[Super Mario Advance (series)|Super Mario Advance]]''; ''[[Mario Party (series)|Mario Party]]''; ''[[Mario Kart (series)|Mario Kart]]''; ''[[Mario Golf (series)|Mario Golf]]''; ''[[Mario Tennis (series)|Mario Tennis]]''; ''[[Mario Strikers (series)|Mario Strikers]]''; ''[[Mario Baseball (series)|Mario Baseball]]''; ''[[Mario Artist]]''; ''[[Mario's Early Years!]]''

}}

[[File:Mario-group.png|thumb|A poster showing several characters in the ''Mario'' series in a group photo.]]

 

 

The franchise began in 1981 with the arcade video game, ''[[Donkey Kong (game)|Donkey Kong]]'', and has since then taken off into its own franchise. Originally created by [[Shigeru Miyamoto]], [[Mario]], going under the name [[Jumpman]] when ''Donkey Kong'' was first released, is the main protagonist throughout most of the series; the main antagonist of the series is [[Bowser]], the King of all [[Koopa]]s. The ''Mario'' series has contained many different genres of games, from platformers to [[Genre#Role Playing|role-playing games]], and from puzzle games to party games. The most popular games in the series are a part of what is known as the main series, or the ''Super Mario'' series, which consists of 2D and 3D platformers; at least one is released per home console and one per handheld (bar the Game Boy Advance). Even though several games are released, not all of them are available in all countries or on all platforms. Some are only available on certain platforms in certain countries as well.

 

In late 2021, ''[[Mario Party Superstars]]'' was released, a new ''Mario Party'' game with some classic gameplay with a select few boards and minigames from previous ''Mario Party'' games.

 

===Common elements===

The whole series revolves around the adventures of an extensive cast of recurring characters. The main protagonist of the series, the titular [[Mario]], is a fictional Italian-American plumber who is portrayed as the hero of a realm called the [[Mushroom Kingdom]], which he endeavors to defend by traversing his way through stages filled with obstacles and enemies. His arch-nemesis is [[Bowser]], the king of the [[Koopa]]s, a race of evil-driven anthropomorphic turtles. Bowser is responsible for most, if not all, of the Mushroom Kingdom's invasions, and almost always appears as the final boss, who constantly and consistently attempts to put an end to Mario and his friends. Mario's younger but taller brother, [[Luigi]], often participates in his adventures alongside him; in early games, he was only playable in the two-player mode. The Mushroom Kingdom's ruler, [[Princess Peach]], is Mario's love interest and recurring damsel in distress; she repeatedly falls victim to Bowser's kidnappings and has to be rescued by Mario, but occasionally serves as a protagonist herself. Another prominent sidekick of Mario's is [[Yoshi]], a dinosaur-like creature who serves as a riding mount to Mario, and has a long tongue which he uses to eat food and enemies; this character became so popular after his debut that he was spun off into [[Yoshi (series)|his own franchise]]. Mario also has a greedy, hot-tempered doppelganger rival named [[Wario]], who has antagonized Mario on various occasions, and also serves as an anti-hero (and sometimes hero) with [[Wario (series)|his own adventures]] which generally involve money grubbing and treasure hunting. [[Donkey Kong]], a muscular and somewhat dim-witted ape, originally served as Mario's first rival in his arcade debut, but eventually became the main protagonist of [[Donkey Kong (series)|his own franchise]]. Other significant recurring characters in the franchise include the [[Toad (species)|Toads]], inhabitants of the Mushroom Kingdom and servants to Peach, who often support Mario during his adventures; [[Princess Daisy]], the tomboyish ruler of a kingdom called [[Sarasaland]]; Wario's brother and partner in crime [[Waluigi]]; [[Professor Elvin Gadd]], an aging scientist and inventor; and [[Rosalina]], a mysterious figure who watches over the cosmos.

 

 

====Locations====

 

==''Mario'' games==

=== 1980's (1981-1989)===

{| align=center width=100% border=1 style="border-collapse:collapse"

!width=85%|Synopsis and Ratings

|-

----

[[File:Donkey Kong NES Cover.PNG|145x145px]]

|(Ratings unavailable)

|-

----

[[File:Game and Donkey.jpg|145x145px]]

!''[[Golf]]''

----

|Before the release of ''Super Mario Bros.'', Mario appeared in his first ever sports game: ''Golf'' — it was released in 1984. The gameplay is relatively simple: the player must strike the ball with the correct amount of force in order to get a good shot. The more good shots and the player gets, the more points he or she is likely to earn. ''Golf'' Mario is stated to be the playable character (even he is not seen in his traditional clothing) but the original version instead claims the golfer name is ''Ossan''.

|- style=font-size:8pt align=center

!''[[Super Mario Bros.]]''

----

|On September 13, 1985, Mario starred in his very first game outside of the arcades, ''Super Mario Bros.'', which became extremely successful. Mario, and his brother Luigi, had to set out on a massive adventure across the [[Mushroom Kingdom]] to rescue [[Princess Peach|Princess Toadstool]] and the [[Mushroom Retainer]]s from the evil [[Bowser|King Bowser]]. After traversing through eight massive [[world]]s, filled with enemies, the brothers eventually reached [[Bowser's Castle]], finally rescuing Princess Toadstool. ''Super Mario Bros.'' was the best-selling video game for the NES in 1999,<ref>[http://web.archive.org/web/20060317005503/http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/content_pages/record.asp?recordid=52404 Best-selling NES game]</ref> and, until surpassed by ''Wii Sports'' in 2009, the best-selling video game of all time. ''Super Mario Bros.'' also had a major part in both the takeoff of the NES and the revival of the American video game industry after the crash in 1983.

|- style=font-size:8pt align=center

|(Ratings unavailable)

|-

----

[[File:Nipponbros.jpg|145x145px]]

|(Ratings unavailable)

|-

----

[[File:Mario sweater.jpg|145x145px]]

|(Ratings unavailable)

|-

----

[[File:Kaettekita Mario Bros Title.png|145x145px]]

|(Ratings unavailable)

|-

----

[[File:Fds famicomgolfjapancourse 2 jp.jpg|145x145px]]

|-style=font-size:8pt align=center

|{{released|Japan|1987}} Famicom Disk System

|(Ratings unavailable)

|-

----

[[File:Fds famicomgolfuscourse jp.jpg|145x145px]]

|-style=font-size:8pt align=center

|{{released|Japan|1987}} Famicom Disk System

|[http://www.gamespot.com/super-mario-world/ Gamespot - '''8.5: Great''']

|-

----

[[File:Marioroulette3.jpg|145x145px]]

|(Ratings unavailable)

|-

----

[[File:Mariotyping.jpg|145x145px]]

!''NES Open Tournament Golf

----

|''[[NES Open Tournament Golf]]'' was a golf-oriented game that featured ''Mario'' characters. The game doesn't take place in the Mushroom Kingdom, instead taking place in three real world locations: America, Japan, and the United Kingdom.

|-style=font-size:8pt align=center

|(Ratings unavailable)

|-

----

[[File:SMB and Friends Box Art.png|145x145px]]

|(Ratings unavailable)

|-

----

[[File:Box smbpw.jpg|145x145px]]

|(Ratings unavailable)

|-

----

[[File:MiM DOS Boxart.jpg|145x145px]]

|(Ratings unavailable)

|-

----

[[File:Mario's Time Machine Box Art.jpg|145x145px]]

|(Ratings unavailable)

|-

----

[[File:Mariopre2.jpg|145x145px]]

|(Ratings unavailable)

|-

----

[[File:Mariopre3.jpg|145x145px]]

|(Ratings unavailable)

|-

----

[[File:Mariopre1.jpg|145x145px]]

|(Ratings unavailable)

|-

----

[[File:Samegame.gif|145px]]

|(Ratings unavailable)

|-

----

[[File:USA MP Front.jpg|145x145px]]

|(Ratings unavailable)

|-

----

[[File:Mariopicross2.jpg|145x145px]]

|(Ratings unavailable)

|-

[[File:BS SMUSA Mario & Friends.png|145x145px]]

----

|(Ratings unavailable)

|-

----

[[File:Super Mario RPG Box.png|145x145px]]

|[http://ign64.ign.com/objects/000/000606.html IGN - '''9.8: Amazing''']• [http://www.gamespot.com/n64/action/supermario64/index.html?tag=result;title;1 Gamespot - '''9.4: Superb''']

|-

----

[[File:MarioPicross2.jpg|145x145px]]

|(ratings unavailable)

|-

----

[[File:MarioTeachesTyping2Boxart.jpg|145x145px]]

|(Ratings unavailable)

|-

----

[[File:BSMCScreen.jpg|145x145px]]

|(Ratings unavailable)

|-

----

[[File:Mariopictures.jpg|145x145px]]

|(ratings unavailable)

|-

----

[[File:Papermario.PNG|145x145px]]

|[http://gameboy.ign.com/objects/566/566895.html IGN - '''8.5: Great'''] • [http://www.gamespot.com/gba/action/marioanddonkeykong/index.html?tag=result;title;0 Gamespot - '''8.0: Great''']

|-

----

[[File:PMTTYD.jpg|145x145px]]

|[http://cube.ign.com/objects/748/748415.html IGN - '''7.6: Good'''] • [http://www.gamespot.com/gamecube/sports/supermariostrikers/index.html?tag=result%3Btitle%3B0 Gamespot - '''7.2: Great''']

|-

----

[[File:MarioLuigiPartnersTime.jpg|145x145px]]

|(ratings unavailable)

|-

----

[[File:SuperPaperMarioBoxart.jpg|145x145px]]

|(ratings unavailable)

|-

----

[[File:Bowsersinsidestorycover.jpg|145x145px]]

|[http://www.ign.com/articles/2013/05/14/mario-and-donkey-kong-minis-on-the-move-review IGN: &ndash; '''7.0: Good''']

|-

----

[[File:Box NA - Mario & Luigi Dream Team.png|145x145px]]

|{{released|USA|2015}} [[Wii U]]

|-

----

[[File:Mario & Luigi - Paper Jam - NOA Boxart.png|145x145px]]

|{{released|USA|2018}} [[Nintendo 3DS|3DS]]

|-

----

[[File:M&L BIS+BJJ Box art.jpg|145x145px]]

</small>

|-

----

[[File:MarioN1.png|145x145px]]

*''[[Super Mario Strikers]]'' (2005)

*''[[Mario Strikers Charged]]'' (2007)

</small>

|-

|}

 

{| align=center width=100% border=1

|- style="background-color: whitesmoke;"

|-

|<center>[[File:Yoshi Emblem.png|50px]]</center>

----

[[File:YIDS Babies.jpg|150px]]

|<small>

*''[[Yoshi (game)|Yoshi]]'' (1991)

|-

|<center>[[File:Wario Emblem.png|50px]]</center>

----

[[File:Wariolandbiggy.PNG|150px]]

|<small>

*''[[Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3]]'' (1994)

*''[[Wario Land: Shake It!]]'' (2008)

</small>

|-

|<center>[[File:DK Emblem.png|50px]]</center>

----

[[File:Dkcrpromo.png|150px]]

|<small>

*''[[Donkey Kong Country]]'' (1994)

*''[[Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest]]'' (1995)

</small>

|-

----

[[File:SceneGW2.png|150px]]

</small>

|-

----

[[File:GroupSSBB.jpg|150px]]

!Princess Peach

----

|[[Princess Peach]] — originally "Princess Toadstool" — is one of the main protagonists in the ''Mario'' series, and she usually plays the damsel-in-distress. Princess Peach is the ruler of the Mushroom Kingdom, and is protected by many [[Toad (species)|Toads]]. However, her protection commonly fails and eventually results in her being kidnapped, be it by Bowser, or by another villain. Princess Peach's original appearances would leave her without an initial design, however, she was later given a standard design in ''Super Mario Bros. 2''. ''Super Mario Bros. 2'' also marked the debut of Peach's first playable appearance, something not found often in mainstream ''Mario'' games. Princess Peach was repeatedly the victim of kidnapping for many years, until she finally took over the role of the main protagonist. In ''[[Super Princess Peach]]'', she had to rescue Mario, Luigi, and many of the Mushroom Kingdom's Toads from Bowser and his minions. For spinoff installments in the ''Mario'' series, Peach is almost always a playable character which the player can choose.

|<center>''[[Super Mario Bros.]]''</center>

!Toad

----

|[[Toad]] is a protagonist in the ''Mario'' series, and he is commonly found in the company of Princess Peach. Toad originally played the role of Princess Peach's assistant, as well as her guide and guardian throughout her travels; however, he has been reduced to lesser roles since his debut appearance, with his role in main games having been replaced by Toadsworth. His first playable appearance was in ''Super Mario Bros. 2''. He appeared a few years later as the main protagonist of ''[[Wario's Woods]]''; with the help of Birdo and [[Wanda]], Toad had to defeat the monsters Wario was sending out from his woods to attack the Mushroom Kingdom. Though he appears identical to many others in [[Toad (species)|his species]], Toad is actually an entirely different character; this causes much confusion as to whether or not certain Toads are the Toad discussed.

|<center>''[[Super Mario Bros.]]''</center>

!King Boo

----

|[[King Boo]] first appeared as a playable character in ''Mario Kart: Double Dash!!''. He was introduced as the king of the [[Boo]] species and is a minion of Bowser. Under the name of [[Big Boo]], King Boo appears again in ''Super Mario 64 DS'', kidnapping Luigi. After that, King Boo has been participating in a few spin off games, including ''[[Mario Superstar Baseball]]'', ''[[Mario Party 8]]'', ''[[Mario Kart: Double Dash!!]]'', and ''[[Mario Kart Wii]]''. [[King Boo (Luigi's Mansion)|Two]] [[King Boo (Super Mario Sunshine)|other]] King Boos appear in other Mario games.

|<center>''[[Luigi's Mansion]]'' ([[King Boo (Luigi's Mansion)|Overall]])<br>''[[Mario Kart: Double Dash!!]]''(Main King Boo)</center>

!Gooper Blooper

----

|[[Gooper Blooper]], is a recurring boss throughout the ''Mario'' series. Along with [[Petey Piranha]], Gooper Blooper first appeared in ''Super Mario Sunshine'', where he tried to take over the market area in [[Ricco Harbor]]. After that, Gooper Blooper appeared in many spin-offs, antagonizing the heroes more further. He also appears as an obstacle in ''[[Mario Hoops 3-on-3]]'' and in ''[[Mario Power Tennis (GameCube)|Mario Power Tennis]]''. He has appeared as a boss in ''[[Super Princess Peach]]'' and then has appeared in ''[[Mario Super Sluggers]]''. Three years later, he recently appeared in ''[[Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games]]'' as a boss, without Petey Piranha for the first time. He most recently reappeared in ''Paper Mario: Sticker Star'' as a giant boss who loves music, possess a crown and is the source of the forest's curse.

|<center>''[[Super Mario Sunshine]]''</center>

!Goomba

----

|[[Goomba]]s were the first enemy to appear in ''Super Mario Bros.'', and have since then generally been the first common enemy featured in mainstream ''Mario'' games. Goombas have been depicted to be "the underlings of underlings", though they are commonly found throughout the Mushroom Kingdom. Goombas are brown mushroom-like creatures that generally work under the orders of Bowser. There have been Goombas shown to have more benevolent personalities in such games as ''Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door'', though they are less common than the actual enemies. Goombas can be found both on their own, as well as with several other Goombas and other types of enemies. Goombas have had important roles in games in the ''Mario Party'' series, appearing as hosts, as well as obstacles in mini-games. Goombas have had very few appearance changes over the years, almost always appearing as brown, teardrop-shaped creatures with two feet. However, the Goombas of ''Super Mario World'' — [[Galoomba]]s — are round in design.

|<center>''[[Super Mario Bros.]]''</center>

----

[[File:MSSParagoomba.png|145x145px]]

|<center>''[[Super Mario Bros. 3]]''</center>

|-

!Paratroopa

----

|<center>''[[Super Mario Bros.]]''</center>

|-

!Lakitu

----

|[[Lakitu]]s are a variety of Koopas that ride on clouds, throwing [[Spiny Egg]]s at their prey. They first appear in [[World 4 (SMB)#World 4-1|World 4-1]] of ''Super Mario Bros.''. Lakitus will continue to chase their enemies as long as they can. Though they reside high in the sky, they are not invincible. Should the player reach a platform that is high enough, he or she can jump on top of the Lakitu, defeating it instantly; fireballs also can defeat Lakitus if they are shot from a high location. Lakitus appear in many games as enemies, constantly bombarding their enemies with Spiny Eggs. In ''Super Mario 64'' and [[Super Mario 64 DS|its DS counterpart]], a Lakitu played a somewhat large role as the cameraman; this Lakitu was always behind the player, in order to give a clear third-person view of the game. One of Lakitu's most well-known roles the owner of the Super Mario Kart Race Track in the ''Mario Kart'' series.<ref>As stated in the ''Super Mario Kart'' manual.</ref> This has caused Lakitu to play an important role in other spin-offs and crossovers (e.g. an assist trophy in ''Super Smash Bros. Brawl'' and a referee in ''Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games'').

|<center>''[[Super Mario Bros.]]''</center>

!Buzzy Beetle

----

|First appearing in [[World 4 (Super Mario Bros.)#World 4-2|World 4-2]] of ''Super Mario Bros.'', [[Buzzy Beetle]]s are extremely hard-shelled Koopas. They are small in size with a dark blue shell; this shell, though similar in appearance to a typical [[Koopa Shell]], protects them from being harmed by [[fireball]]s. However, Buzzy Beetles are still vulnerable to being flipped over onto their backs — or into their shells — and being kicked around to harm other enemies; Buzzy Beetle shells will ricochet off of any hard surface and come rocketing back to the player to inflict damage if he or she does not avoid it in time. Buzzy Beetles appear in many games as enemies that Mario must fight, along with the dark red shelled [[Spike Top]], which debuted in ''[[Super Mario World]]'', and has a large spike on the top of its shell, because of this protection, these red shelled variants must be defeated with a [[Super Star]] or another Koopa Shell. In the ''Paper Mario'' sub-series, Buzzy Beetles appear not only as enemies, but as notable characters such as [[Chan]], [[Torque]], and [[Spiky Joe]]. In these games, Buzzy Beetles are just as impervious to fire as ever, and they even have high defense that protects them from damage.

|<center>''[[Super Mario Bros.]]''</center>

!Piranha Plant

----

|[[Piranha Plant]]s are a type of flora that dwell within warp pipes. When they come out, they will bite anyone who steps on them. However, if someone is right beside their pipe, they will not come out, making the pipe safe to stand on. Piranha Plants can only be damaged by attacking them with fireballs, or other projectiles. Despite the fact that they live in pipes, they do not clog the pipes; as such, the pipes are still able to be used as a form of transportation. There are many types of Piranha Plant. Some, like the [[Venus Fire Trap]], can emit fireballs from its mouth as an additional way to attack. There are also [[Ptooie]]s, which blow on a heavy ball; should this ball be touched, the player will be damaged. Piranha Plants do not have eyes, so it is unknown how they see their prey, or if it is a heightened sense — such as smell — that allows them to locate their prey.

|<center>''[[Super Mario Bros.]]''</center>

!Bullet Bill

----

|[[Bullet Bill]]s are the last type of enemy to be introduced in ''Super Mario Bros.'', appearing in [[World 5 (SMB)|World 5]] of the game. Bullet Bills are a type of projectile that are shot out of [[Bill Blaster|blasters]] in order to attack the player. Once fired, Bullet Bills could only move in a perfectly horizontal line across the screen. They are impervious to fire, and can only be damaged by jumping on them. In ''Super Mario 64'', Bullet Bills were much larger in size, and were given the ability to make turns after being shot. Bullet Bills have many varieties, including the large [[Banzai Bill]] — which act identically to a Bullet Bill — the sea-bound [[Torpedo Ted]] — which are launched out underwater to attack — the [[Bombshell Bill]], an extremely hard and powerful version of a Bullet Bill, and the [[King Bill]], a variant even bigger than the Banzai Bill. Bullet Bills have never been playable in a game, (except ''[[Mario Party 8]]'') and no confirmation has been made as to whether or not they will be.

|<center>''[[Super Mario Bros.]]''</center>

!Monty Mole

----

|<center>''[[Super Mario World]]''</center>

|-

!Fuzzy

!Beanish

----

|[[Beanish]] people are the residents of the [[Beanbean Kingdom]]. Most of them reside in the [[Beanbean Castle Town]]. There are various different types of Beanishes. They are prominently featured in ''[[Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga]]'' and ''[[Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga + Bowser's Minions]]''. They have also been mentioned in several games too and are the counterparts of Toads in the Beanbean Kingdom.

|<center>''[[Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga]]''</center>

!Isle Delfino

----

|[[Isle Delfino]] is a large dolphin-shaped island located outside the Mushroom Kingdom. It is a popular holiday resort populated by [[Pianta]]s and [[Noki]]s. Some of its attractions include a [[Pinna Park|theme park]], a [[Hotel Delfino|luxury hotel]] and a [[Delfino Square|race track]]. In ''[[Super Mario Sunshine]]'', Mario, Peach and Toadsworth visit the island as part of a vacation but discover it has been mysteriously vandalized by [[Shadow Mario|someone who looks like Mario]]. Mario is then forced to clean up the Graffiti with the help of [[F.L.U.D.D.]], which gives time for Mario's imposter to kidnap Peach. This imposter is revealed to be [[Bowser Jr.]] disguised as Mario using a magic paintbrush. Mario then has to recover all the [[Shine Sprite]]s which have been stolen by Bowser Jr. to light up the island again.

|<center>''[[Super Mario Sunshine]]''</center>

!Fire Flower

----

|Debuting in ''Super Mario Bros.'', [[Fire Flower]]s are a type of plant that grant whoever touches one the ability to throw [[fireball]]s. When Mario or Luigi would touch a Fire Flower, they would turn into their [[Fire Mario|fire form]], with the traditional white shirt and hat, and red or green overalls respectively, being able to sling fireballs at incoming enemies. Fireballs are sometimes the most effective way to eliminate enemies, as very few are immune to them; [[Buzzy Beetle]]s are one of these exceptions. In ''[[Super Mario World]]'' Fire Flowers went through a design change, appearing to be more like orange [[wikipedia:Tulip|tulips]] with happy eyes. In the ''Paper Mario'' series, Fire Flowers can be used both as weapons against enemies, and as an ingredient into several different recipes, (including the [[Spicy Soup]]). In the 2000's and early 2010's, the Fire Flower was sometimes named "Kinga" by fans.

|<center>''[[Super Mario Bros.]]''</center>

!Coin

----

|First appearing in the arcade game, ''Mario Bros.'', [[Coin]]s are a form of currency in the Mushroom World. In the ''Super Mario Bros.'' series of platformers, when collected, they will award the player with a total of one-hundred points per coin; also, after collecting one-hundred coins, the player would earn an extra life. In ''Super Mario 64'', there were three different types of Coins: [[Yellow Coin]]s, [[Blue Coin]]s, and [[Red Coin]]s. Yellow Coins played a much more vital part in completion of the game. By collecting coins, the player's HP meter will refill by one notch; also, if the player collects one-hundred coins on a stage, he or she will be awarded with an secret [[Power Star]], which is vital to entirely completing the game. In ''Mario'' RPGs, Coins act as a form of currency to purchase items, weapons, badges, and other things that are useful along Mario's journey.

|<center>''[[Mario Bros. (game)|Mario Bros.]]''</center>