Super Mario News
April2017
News Super Mario Happy Meal Toys Are Headed To McDonald's In North America
Munch munch munch
Nintendo has enjoyed a long-lasting relationship with fast food giant McDonald's - those of you old enough will no doubt recall the iconic Super Mario Bros. 3 Happy Meal toy range from the early '90s. More recently the two companies have collaborated on a series of fresh toy ranges, and we've just heard that North American burger...
January2017
Rumour Nintendo Releasing New Super Mario Bros. On The Nvidia Shield In China
Cracking the big one?
It could be that Nintendo's relationship with Nvidia goes beyond simply working together on the Switch; if a report emanating from China is to be believed, Nvidia has been given permission to release some of Nintendo's older games on its Shield hardware. The report was brought to light by industry analyst Daniel Ahmad:
Video The Surprising Origins of the Wii Virtual Console Super Mario Bros. ROM
Claims and evidence that it was lifted from the internet
Here's an interesting topic to get debate going - what if Nintendo lifted a ROM of Super Mario Bros. from the internet and then repurposed it for the Wii Virtual Console a decade ago? It would certainly put Nintendo's policies against emulators in the spotlight. That's the claim made in a...
Video The Voice Of Mario Talks About His History With The Famous Mascot
"The character brings out the best in me"
Charles Martinet may well be the nicest man on the face of the planet - we can say that with some degree of confidence having been lucky enough to spend some time in his company in the past - so it's always a pleasure to hear the man behind Mario's voice talk about his career and association with the...
Soapbox The Switch Presentation Was Good, but Not Perfect
Generally good though
So by now we're assuming you've all seen the absolutely monstrous amount of Switch info we the public have been privy to, but it's just not complete without having someone's face tell you their own opinions about what happened. If that sounds like your sort of thing for whatever reason, make sure you check out the video above...
Video These Five Titles Would Be Perfect on the Switch
S'which ones do you want?
Everyone's got a games wish list for the Nintendo Switch, and this video boffin is no exception. Make sure you check out the video just up there so see just a few of what series should be coming to the Switch. If you're appropriately inclined, we'd also love to hear what you've got to say on the matter in the comments...
News Super Mario Maker for Nintendo 3DS Returns to Top Spot in Japan
Wahoo etc...
The most recent Media Create results from Japan have a quirky circumstance this week - the software top 20 doesn't have a single new entry. As a result it's established games duking it out, which has suited some 3DS titles rather nicely. Intriguingly, Super Mario Maker for Nintendo 3DS has reclaimed top spot, and seems to be all set...
News Tony Rosato Passes Away at Age 62
Luigi's voice actor from those early Super Mario cartoons
Many of you no doubt remember Mario's early forays into the world of Saturday morning cartoon entertainment. Twenty years ago, times were quite different for the popular mustachioed plumber, and the three series' of cartoons that occurred over the period of 1989-1994 took some notable...
Video Let's See These McDonald's Happy Meal Mario Toys in Action
Featuring you-know-who
Once again McDonald's and Nintendo have joined forces in the UK to bring Super Mario to the fast food giant's range of boxed meals for children. So we saddled up our green dinosaurs and rode over to our local establishment to see these things for ourselves. Make sure you check out the video above, which is sort of the whole...
Gallery A Close Look at the McDonald's UK Super Mario Happy Meal Toys, Including TV Commercial
It's a 'waving Mario', apparently
Just recently we shared some early images of the McDonald's Super Mario Happy Meal toys, which are rolling into the UK on 11th January. In a quirky turn, due to shortages of the current Furby toys, some were given out early - that was the source of our early images. Now a Nintendo Life regular with access to the...
News Super Mario McDonald's UK Happy Meal Toys Revealed, Evidently Much to Mario's Relief
What is he doing?
Late last year we reported on the rather pleasing news that Super Mario toys were coming back to McDonald's Happy Meals in the UK, all set to be the January campaign. Now we have some images of the toys, with one lucky reader even getting hold of one early. We were sent the following tweet showing the Mario toy from the range, in...
Video Super Mario Land Gets the Super Mario Maker Treatment
Koopa Troopas with bombs on their backs...
Super Mario Land is one of the quirkier Mario titles, developed for Game Boy by a team led by Gunpei Yokoi. The Mario 'style' was still taking shape at that time and the first portable entry went its own way, even including some shoot 'em up-style levels for good measure. It would have two equally diverse...
December2016
News Nickelodeon Allegedly Creating Animated Film For A Nintendo Series
Hey Paisonos! It's a Super Nickelodeon Super Show!
Back in May, Nintendo announced that they were looking to do theatrical animated films based on a variety of their IP. This came as a shock exciting many, as Nintendo was known for being very protective of their properties since most early productions received poor responses. While many are...
Video Watch Us Compare Super Mario Run's "Battery Saving" Graphics Options
Who ordered the choppy framerate?
Burrowed away in the options menu of Super Mario Run you can find a pair of options that claim they can save you battery power by lowering the graphical performance that the game attempts to pump out. Casual players may not notice an enormous difference at first but for any frame rate-savvy individual out there the...
Review Super Mario Run (Mobile)
Gives you a run for your money
The news that Nintendo's globally-renowned mascot Mario would be starring in his own smartphone title was, for some, as earth-shattering as learning that the Easter Bunny isn't real. Nintendo entering the mobile arena was hard enough to stomach, but offering up its most famous son as a blood sacrifice for the baying,...
News New Super Mario Bros. Discounts Hit My Nintendo for PAL Gamers
No doubt timed for the launch of Super Mario Run
Super Mario Run arrives on iOS on 15th December, and could prove to be an enormous success for Nintendo. We'll see whether that turns out to be the case, but My Nintendo in PAL territories (Europe / Australia / New Zealand) is offering a couple of appropriate discounts to celebrate the release. The...
News Pokémon Sun Beats the Cheeky Moon in UK Charts, as Super Mario Maker on 3DS Moves Up
Also, people are still buying Tomodachi Life
There aren't many UK chart updates left for the year, and the majority of big time releases are now out in the wild and scrapping over festive sales. This week's results bring some decent results for Nintendo, along with a development in the great Pokémon Sun and Moon battle. Starting with non-Nintendo...
Random Shigeru Miyamoto's Samurai Mario Shirt Gets Excitable Speculation Up and Running
Could be a delicious tease... or just a cool t-shirt
Most people have seen one or more of the Nintendo Switch / Reggie / Miyamoto videos from The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. The live debut of the system was a highlight, as was the sight of Miyamoto-san and Bill Trinen in the audience. The whole thing was a bit of a GIF gift, too: [tweet...
Video You Really Need To See Miyamoto Jamming The Super Mario Theme With The Roots
We demand a world tour
As you'll no doubt already know, Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime appeared on The Tonight Show last night to demo Super Mario Run and the forthcoming Nintendo Switch console to an understandably over-excited Jimmy Fallon. Mario creator Shigeru Miyamoto was also in attendance, and at one point joined the house...
Video It's Not Hard to Spot the Difference in This Super Mario Maker 3DS & Wii U Comparison
It really isn't...
Super Mario Maker is now available on the 3DS of all things, and if our review is anything to go by it's more than worth your time if you're currently in a state of Wii U-lessness. But can this shrunk-down version compete with its HD counterpart in the visual arena? Of course not, the whole idea that the two would be vaguely...
News Super Mario Maker for Nintendo 3DS Makes Modest UK Debut as Pokémon Stays in Top 10
The sun's not setting on the new generation yet
Major game releases will start to dry up in the final stretch towards the festive break, but some late-hitters have made an impact on the UK charts in the past week; Nintendo's big release didn't really join the party, however. FIFA 17 is still top (sigh) but Final Fantasy XV was the big new arrival...
News New Mario Happy Meal Toys Are Coming To Japanese McDonald’s Next Year
What is Mario doing on his chocolate throne?
Following news that the UK McDonald's outlets will be getting a fresh line of Super Mario Happy Meal toys next year, we've now hearing reports that Japanese restaurants will also be receiving new figures around the same time. The hook of this particular range is that each toy recreates famous actions...
November2016
News Composer Koji Kondo Talks Super Mario And Zelda In Freshly Translated 2001 Interview
"The jumping sound was even used on a TV quiz show"
Some of Nintendo's most iconic tunes were created by Koji Kondo, making the Japanese composer one of the most listened-to artists in the world - even if people don't necessarily know his name. A 2001 interview with Kondo - taken from Game Maestro Vol. 3 - has been freshly translated into English...
News Ubisoft 30th Anniversary Video Has Mario, Luigi And Toad In Rabbids Form
The rumours are true?
A short while ago we reported on the rumour that Ubisoft was working on a title which places the cast of the Super Mario series in the world of the Raving Rabbids, and that it was set to be a Nintendo Switch launch title. This rumour has been given additional weight by the fact that Mario, Luigi and Toad appear in Ubisoft's...
News Super Mario Happy Meals Heading Back to McDonald's in the UK in Early 2017
Including balloons and 'Find Yoshi' activities
The Super Mario franchise and McDonald's Happy Meals are regular buddies, with promotions through different territories over the past few years. Super Mario is now coming back to UK Happy Meals in early 2017, which will be good timing with Nintendo planning its big Nintendo Switch reveal around that...
Super Mario Run is also trying new things with the bankable franchise
When New Super Mario Bros. came out on DS, the excitement was palpable. After all, it was the first 2D Mario platformer in about 15 years, which seems amazing to consider nowadays. Some of you may raise your eyebrows at that statement, and may argue that it's incorrect, but let's...
Book Review Super Mario Adventures
A wonderfully bizarre tour of the Mushroom Kingdom
He's undoubtedly one of the most recognisable faces ever to grace the box art of a video game, but aside from his blue-collar occupation and a dislike for turtles, fans in the early '90s didn't know a whole lot about Super Mario himself. Beyond the pixels onscreen and information found buried within...
Rumour Super Mario And Rabbids Crossover In Development For Nintendo Switch
Could this be Ubisoft's "surprise" secret game?
Not so long ago Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot teased that the company had a "surprise" game in development, and a recent rumour seems to suggest that it's an RPG which combines the world of Rabbids with Super Mario. According to LetsPlayVideoGames - a prime source for Switch rum
Rumour Nintendo Switch Will Have Super Mario And Skyrim At Launch, Splatoon Coming As Pack-In
Loose lips
With Nintendo going into full-on lockdown mode as far as Switch details are concerned the rumour mill is operating at full capacity. The latest report to come out of LetsPlayVideoGames - the site which has already been proven correct on several key Switch details and purports to have several sources close to Nintendo - is that the...
News New 3DS Jikkyou Powerful Pro Baseball Title Will Include Super Mario Content
Super Mario Sluggers
Konami has revealed that the next entry in its Jikkyou Powerful Pro Baseball series will feature Super Mario-themed content. Jikkyou Powerful Pro Baseball Heroes - which hits the Nintendo 3DS in Japan on December 15th - will allow players to dress up the famous Power Pro Kun as Mario. As well as being a dead ringer for the...
Reminder Super Mario Series Wave 2 amiibo Hit North America This Week
Will you be getting any?
It's felt like an age since we've had some truly new amiibo, excluding Splatoon palette swaps. Now the time has finally arrived for the Super Mario Series Wave 2 amiibo. While a few of these came out in Europe in October, they will all be available in North America later this week, on 4th November. We've assembled these...
October2016
News Japan Is Getting A Yellow And White 2DS This December
With New Super Mario Bros. 2 pre-installed
Nintendo has confirmed that Japan is getting a new 2DS model this December. The rather fetching yellow and white model will come with New Super Mario Bros. 2 pre-loaded and will retail for 12,938 Yen. Also included in the bundle are a 4GB SD card, AC adapter and the traditional 6 AR cards. The bundle...
Random This Charming Advert for the Boo amiibo Shows That Mario's Emails Must Be Nonsensical
Take off the gloves Mario, you nutter
Fashionably late to the party as ever, Mario Party: Star Rush doesn't arrive in North America until 4th November, and with it will come the new entries in the Super Mario amiibo range. One of the most anticipated is the glow-in-the-dark Boo, which ideally would have been out this week in time for a certain...
Video Someone Has Solved Super Mario 64's Impossible Coin Mystery
Striking gold
You might think we know everything there is to know about Super Mario 64, but that's not the case. The game continues to give up its secrets, and the latest involves a coin which is impossible to collect. The N64 classic actually has a handful of coins that cannot be obtained by the player, but the one in question - found in the huge...
News You're Not Dreaming, Mario Pikachu Is Officially A Thing Now
There's Luigi Pikachu, too
Super Mario and Pikachu are two of the most recognisable characters on the planet, but you know what's better than both of these individuals? Mario Pikachu, that's what. No, you're not dreaming. All of these images are real. Mario Pikachu isn't a figment of your addled imagination, strained from hours of watching Nintendo...
Rumour NX's September Reveal Was Delayed Because Console's Mario Game "Wasn't Running Perfectly"
Mamma mia!
Today's the day we actually find out what NX is, but it's been a long wait. Not so long ago there were rumours that Nintendo was due to show off the console in September, but that month came and went without a sniff of a reveal. Eurogamer's Tom Phillips - the man who broke some significant NX news back in July - has taken to Twitter to...
Video Remember Super Mario Bros. 2 With a Look at the Japanese KC Mario Manga Series
The Lost Levels of Super Mario’s Adventures
Later this week, VIZ Media will be reissuing the "Super Mario Adventures" comics collected from Nintendo Power in the early '90s. It'll be exciting to have a complete collection without having to track down each issue. It wasn't the only Mario comic series out there, however. From 1989 to 1998,...
News Nintendo Selects Release Brings 999% Boost to Super Mario 3D World Sales in the UK
Wahoo!
We all know that Nintendo Selects releases are popular, as (mostly) first-party games get a healthy discount to boost their evergreen credentials. Last week brought six new Selects games to Europe, including two eShop Selects, and in one notable case the discount had the desired effect. The UK top 40 doesn't have many Nintendo games, but...
September2016
Random Mario Is Younger Than His Mighty Moustache Suggests
Miyamoto says he's in his mid 20s
Here's a fun fact for a Friday morning. Mario is apparently in his mid 20s, more precisely just "24 or 25" years old according to none other than Shigeru Miyamoto in a newly unearthed Japanese interview from 2005. According to the interview, although Mario has evolved in lots of ways over the years since his...
Weirdness Gummy Super Mario Maker Looks Like More Trouble Than It's Worth
Hey, at least it's in 3D
Nintendo's games tend to attract some pretty off-beat merchandise, especially in Japan. We've already seen Splatoon sweeties but now there's a Super Mario Maker Gummy kit - and as you would expect, it allows you to craft your own chewy sweets in the comfort of your own home. As you can see from the video above, the process...
News Sonic Developers Discuss How Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Came About
Two worlds colliding
The rivalry between Sega and Nintendo back in the day was the stuff of legends; there arguably has never been a more heated competition between two game companies since. After Nintendo's near monopoly on video games in the NES days, Sega's Genesis console represented a tectonic shift and proved that there was room for other...
Video Take a Look at Paper Mario: Color Splash in All its Polychromatic Splendour
Infinite coins and an upside down world
Paper Mario: Color Splash may already be available for a few lucky customers in North America, but that doesn't mean there's not plenty to indulge your senses in should you not fall into the aforementioned category. We've been playing through this and have been picking out some fun sections for videos. Below...
News Merchoid’s Official Nintendo Beanies Will Keep Your Bonce Warm This November
If you want to get ahead, get a hat
Merchandise retailer Merchoid has revealed its new range of official Nintendo beanie hats, due for launch this November. The series includes Yoshi, Goomba, Red Mushroom, Green Mushroom, Question Mark Block, Donkey Kong, Bullet Bill, Boo, Princess Peach, Fire Flower, Monty Mole (of Mario World / Kart fame), Shy...
Weirdness Fans Think They've Found Mario And Luigi's Father
Just who is "SR"?
They may be entirely fictional characters but it's fair to assume that in Super Mario canon, the famous Italian siblings must have a father - but Nintendo has never really acknowledged the fact. Or has it? Reddit user l33tredrocket appears to have found evidence that Mario and Luigi's papa does indeed exist in some form - the form...
Video Learn a Little More About Super Mario World
Did You Know Gaming digs up some neat information
It's likely that many reading these pages know an awful lot about Super Mario World; after all, it's one of the standout and iconic games of the 16-bit era, and is often in the conversation when considering the best Super Mario games. In any case, it's always interesting to learn a little more about...
News Mario Sports Superstars Is A Collection Of Five Games In One
Arrives Spring 2017
Mario sports titles have been a staple of Nintendo gaming since the days of the NES. From Mario Golf to Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games in more recent times, these titles are known to provide fun for the whole family. It appears the house of Mario is raising the bar for this specific genre in Spring 2017, with the...
August2016
News Hot Wheels Rolling Out Fresh Range Of Super Mario Toys
Move fast to get these
Hot Wheels and Nintendo have worked together in the past to create some cool Super Mario-themed cars, and the pair are teaming up once more for a fresh line of toys. Mario, Luigi, Toad, Bowser and Peach are all getting fresh cars, and they all look pretty neat, as you can see. They're exclusive to Walmart in North America...
Feature A Close Look at New Super Mario Bros. Wii Coin World
Taking a unique Mario game for a spin
Think you've played every Mario game out there? There may be just one that's off your radar and you may have missed, but now you can take a look at it in detail. New Super Mario Bros. Wii Coin World was a special arcade collaboration between Nintendo and Capcom from back in 2011. With a name like New Super Mario...
Video These Five Mario Games Were Never Really Mario Games
A Link to the Farce
Companies will often use a mascot to sell a mostly unrelated product, whether it be a tin of SpaghettiOs or otherwise, it's an expected move by big brands. Video games are no exception to the rule, and more times than we'd like we've been tantalised by the Mario name only for the portly plumber of Nintendo fame to not be the...
News Super Mario 64 DS Heading to the North American Wii U Virtual Console This Week
Wahoo!
As is now the norm, Nintendo has updated its official website with one of the games that's coming in the North American Download Update - this time around it's Super Mario 64 DS on the Wii U Virtual Console. Regular NL tipster Ryan Millar got in touch earlier today to highlight an ESRB rating for this title, and sure enough its game page now...
News Puns and Timing Pinpointed As Reasons for a Pokémon Absence in Rio Olympics Closing Ceremony
Mario won his place in the spotlight
Just recently Mario starred alongside iconic parts of Japanese culture (including Pac-Man, Doraemon and more) in a flashy presentation video at the Rio 2016 Olympics closing ceremony. It was part of the handover to Tokyo, which is hosting the 2020 games, and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe emerged from a pipe...
Talking Point Mario's Cameo in Rio Showcases Nintendo's Enduring Brand Power
A much needed reminder of the big N's ongoing popularity
Sports fans have no doubt spent decent chunks of the past two weeks tuning into various events from the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. For many observers sports like Synchronised Diving, Handball and Taekwondo are only particularly interesting once every four years, as dedicated athletes have their...
News Mario Makes an Appearance in the Rio Olympics Closing Ceremony
Mario & Shinzo Abe at the Olympic Games
This weekend, the Rio 2016 Olympic Games came to their conclusion, marking the end of another successful year for the international sporting event. Though the Winter Olympics will be taking place in South Korea next, the 2020 Summer Olympics will be taking place in Japan. To acknowledge this, the closing...
Video These Top Five Secret Mario Levels Were Worth Searching For
Is it-a me, Mario you're looking for?
The Super Mario series like so many others is brimming with secrets, some of them interesting, some of them not so much, but we're sure few would argue the best secrets take the form of complete levels for you to play. That's why we've thrown together what may well be the top five secret levels from the entire...
News Luxury Watchmaker Romain Jerome Shows Off Super Mario Watch At Mitsukoshi's Annual Watch Fair
Time to move
Nihombashi Mitsukoshi's Annual Watch Fair offers a platform for the world's best timepiece makers to show off their most outlandish or eye-catching creations, and this year is no exception. Now in its 19th year, the fair started yesterday and is host to seriously impressive examples of watchmaking, but for Nintendo fans Romain Jerome's...
Video Exploring The Funky Inspiration for the Super Mario Bros. Underground Theme
Time to dig out a record from 1979
The music in Super Mario Bros. is just about as iconic as it gets in gaming, with gamers of various ages and types familiar with the soundtrack. The underground theme is one of the most well-known, with a funky bass beat kicking it off. Our buddies from The Centre for Computing History in Cambridge (England)...
July2016
Random Speedrunner Sets New World Record For Blindfolded Run of Super Mario World
Of course that's a thing
Speedrunning is an impressive feat in and of itself. Gamers spend countless hours of their lives memorizing games' structure and design to the point that they understand nearly every bump, crack, and crevice, all in order to beat the game as fast as humanly possible. Very few are capable of competing with the very best in...
News SGDQ Speedrunner's 3DS Dies During Live Run of New Super Mario Bros 2.
"That is really not good... um… huh...."
Many of you have no doubt been tuning in to the Summer Games Done Quick event, a weeklong twitch stream featuring some of the fastest gamers in the world as they blast through popular games. All proceeds from the event are donated to a chosen cause -- Doctors Without Borders, this year -- and the runs are...
June2016
Review Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games (Wii U)
Taking home the bronze
Although carnivale looms neon bright on the horizon, the party may already be winding down for Sonic and Mario. From snowy peaks to sandy shores, these former rivals are back for another collection of sporting mini-games in celebration of the Rio 2016 Olympics, and while they won't have to deal with the political turmoil or...
News Cat Mario Figurine Coming To UK This Month, Costs A Lot Of Gold Coins
That's authentic polystone resin, that is
If you've got a spare £150 to burn and you fancy having a statue of portly Italian dressed in a catsuit sitting on your mantelpiece, then head over to the Official Nintendo UK Store and lay down some cash on the Cat Mario figurine, which arrives later this month. Based on the cat transformation seen in...
Nintendo Life Weekly Zelda Wins E3 2016, Pokémon GO! Plus Accessory Price Revealed, and More
A breath of fresh air
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild was just one of the standouts of this E3, and we can't blame you for not catching everything that happened. As always, we've crammed a whole week's worth of gubbins into a single video so you can catch up nice and easily. This week we naturally round up the cream of E3, but due to format...
E3 2016 New Kind Of Mario Game Is Coming, Says Shigeru Miyamoto
"Maybe next E3 we'll be able to share something"
Shigeru Miyamoto has hinted that a "new kind" of Super Mario title is on its way, and could even be shown off at next year's E3. Speaking to IGN, the legendary designer said: We're always challenging ourselves to create something new, so hopefully you'll see a new kind of Mario in about a year or...
E3 2016 Nintendo Unveils Seven New Super Mario Series amiibo, Including Waluigi
Daisy! Boo! More!
Nintendo has unveiled seven new amiibo figures in the Super Mario series, arriving on 4th November in North America - that's the same date as Mario Party Star Rush on 3DS. Of the seven new figures four are new poses for Wario, Rosalina, Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong (these are coming earlier in Europe on 7th October). New arrivals...
Review Mario Hoops 3 on 3 (Wii U eShop / DS)
Going for a slam dunk
From his first venture into Karting through to competing in the Olympics, Mario has been spending plenty of time taking part in activities other than Princess saving. In 2007 (European release) Mario and his mates tried their hands at shooting a few hoops on Nintendo DS in Mario Slam Basketball (aka Mario Hoops 3-on-3 in the...
News Super Mario Movie Director Talks Hopper Headaches And Wanting DeVito But Getting Hoskins
"We really thought we’d end up walking"
While the Super Mario Bros. movie has gone down as something of a cult classic with Nintendo fans, its production was troubled, reviews were uniformly terrible and it bombed at the box office. Director Rocky Morton had to deal with a shifting script, difficult actors and a studio which kept interfering, and...
News This Freshly Translated Interview Sheds New Light on the Development of Super Mario Land 2
Bring back the Magic Carrot!
The Super Mario Land games on the GameBoy were always something of black sheep among the rest if the Super Mario canon. The games experimented with different themes and felt very weird for lack of a better word, but nonetheless were solid games within their own right. While the first game was a decidedly simple affair,...
May2016
Random Football Fans Recreate Some Wario Magic
Well, Wario playing like Mario...
Nintendo may be in the process of attempting to up its game in order to keep its characters and franchises at the forefront of the public's consciousness, but its iconic mascots and classic games are never far away in popular culture. From extravagant half time shows at American Football matches to cosplay at every...
News Obscure Mario Bros. Famicom Disk System Game Gets Translated Into English
It's Kaettekita Mario Bros!
The Famicom Disk System (FDS for short) and its diskettes might have not set Japan ablaze as Nintendo had hoped they would but the system still managed to get a decent library of games, and was also responsible for the debut of both the Metroid and Zelda franchises. One unique title was Kaettekita Mario Bros.
News It Wasn't Nintendo's Idea To Mix Minecraft And Super Mario Together
"They actually came to us with what their vision was"
Some might claim that it's too little, too late, but Minecraft is available on Wii U and is getting some pretty amazing exclusive content, too. The Super Mario skin pack recently went live and is free to download for anyone who owns the game already. It's also going to be bundled with the...
Video Five Super Mario Secrets in Minecraft: Wii U Edition
Blocky brilliance
As you're likely well aware by now, Minecraft: Wii U Edition has some rather neat and exclusive content - The Super Mario Mash-Up Pack is up for grabs as a free update. It features all sorts of skins and features, along with an Adventure to take on, and certainly helps the Wii U version to stand out. It's not a phoned-in effort...
Reminder The Super Mario Mash-Up Pack is Live Now in Minecraft: Wii U Edition
It's-a-free, wahoo!
When Minecraft: Wii U Edition was revealed in late 2015 there was a promise of unique Nintendo content, so it's rather pleasing that it's arrived as a free update rather than paid DLC - The Super Mario Mash-Up Pack. Even better is the fact that it should be available right now, according to Nintendo, and owners of the game only...
Random We Take the Plunge with these Super Mario Swimming Shorts
Hard-wear review
Mario's been plastered over near enough everything in his time, and now the moustachioed mushroom menace can add swimming shorts to that ever-growing list. We decided it was worth slipping a pair on ourselves and taking to a marginally anticlimactic English waterfront to see how they fare. You can catch all the Baywatch-style...
Anniversary New Super Mario Bros. is Now a Decade Old
Forever 'New' thanks to clever (or not) branding
When you put 'New' in the name of something, it's inevitable that around a decade later someone will smarmily say "it's not new any more", and you just have to accept that putting an adjective like that in a name isn't a long term solution. Yet, when New Super Mario Bros. was released on DS it was...
Random Get Ready For The Summer With Nintendo-Themed Swimming Shorts
So hawt
Yes, it's a bit of a slow news day! So what better time to take a look at this range of newly launched, officially licensed swimming shorts from Merchoid? The three sets of Mario swimming shorts feature characters from the game, with one of them having a funky NES Remix style, while the Zelda swimming shorts feature the Hylian Crest and...
Video A Look at Five of the Worst Mario Boss Fights
Alex picks some rather unimpressive encounters
It's widely agreed that the Super Mario games - in their various forms - are among the very best in the industry. Yet some parts of them are somewhat 'meh', nevertheless, even if they are relatively brief sections among far better gaming moments. Our video man Alex Olney reckons boss fights can be a...
April2016
Video Feast Your Eyes on these Five Cancelled Super Mario Games
Obligatory CD-i appearance included
Mario's been around for donkey's years and has starred in so many games it's almost worrying. It's no surprise then that there were a few games surrounding the portly plumber that never made it to retail shelves, and thanks to the internet we can now display them for you for your amusement. Check out the video...
Video The Super Mario Bros. Speedrun World Record Has Been Broken Again
A whole 387 milliseconds faster than the last one
The world of speedrunning is one that is endlessly fascinating. People spend hours at a time practicing movements until they're pixel perfect, all in an effort to shave fragments of a second off of the currently standing best time. Super Mario Bros. is a popular game for speedrunners to challenge,...
Parent Trap Mario & Sonic At The Rio 2016 Olympic Games Scores With Download Play
Andy Robertson builds up a sweat on the 3DS
For families it is often the games you least expect to be a big hit that get played more than any other. While I liked the look of Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games I wasn't expecting it to turn into my family's go-to game this month. There are a few factors here that make it a great fit for...
News You'll Be Able To Dress Up As Mario And Peach In The Next Story Of Seasons Game
Crossing over
Famitsu has just revealed that Nintendo costumes will be included in the forthcoming Story of Seasons: Good Friends of Three Villages. The sequel - which hits Japan on June 23rd - is confirmed to contain Mario and Peach, and the preview in Famitsu suggests that Luigi and Toad outfits may also be available. The previous Story of...
March2016
Video See the Super Mario e-Reader Levels You Never Played in Super Mario Advance 4
33 'new' levels of delight
Super Mario Advance 4 was a common enough game back in the day, but one area of this game was elusive to all but a handful of individuals who were of the importing nature. Now with the release of the game on the Wii U Virtual Console these exclusive levels are now available for all to play. Check out our video below where...
Random Here's Every Level In Super Mario 3 Played Simultaneously
Because why not?
One of the biggest selling points of Super Mario Bros. 3 when it originally launched was its sheer size; compared to other platformers of the period, this was a seriously epic experience with a multitude of stages to discover - many of which required multiple playthroughs to find. YouTuber Viktor Bohush has decided to show off the...
Random Runner Injects Flappy Bird Code into Super Mario World
An interesting work of sacrilege
The ability to practically program code into Super Mario World through the use of glitches opens up all sorts of possibilities, some definitely more bizarre than others. Just look toward speedrunner and tinkerer Sethbling, who managed to turn Mario into a Flappy Bird clone. Sethbling injected the code using...
News Nintendo Seeks a Trademark for Mario Coin Sound
Going for gold
It's one of gaming's most iconic sounds, immediately recognisable to millions around the world. When Mario picks up a coin or bashes one out of a block there's a classic two-note jingle. You know the one. It's used very widely, but not just by Nintendo. It appears in pop culture in videos, podcasts and music, including our own...
Soapbox It's too Early to Judge Paper Mario: Color Splash
Is there a colour for disappointment?
Paper Mario: Color Splash has been grossly panned by many disappointed fans, and considering how mixed the response was to its predecessor Sticker Star, it's understandable that any hallmarks of that game would illicit this response. Nevertheless, this video maker feels it's far too early to be passing such...
Feature Nintendo Life's Favourite Mario Spin-Offs
The mascot's about more than platforming
This past week brought us Mario Day, or 'Mar10 Day' as Nintendo of America promotes it. Goofy campaign it may be, but it's nevertheless an excuse to celebrate the mascot and his many, many games. Having already extensively covered the series for its 30th Anniversary and having considered our favourites out...
Poll Which Is The Best Mario Spin-Off Series or Game?
There are so many...
Nintendo of America is keen for today to be 'Mar10 Day', a charming little spin on date conventions which doesn't have the same ring to it elsewhere - it's 10Mar day in the UK, for example, which isn't anywhere near as catchy. With a cute video to celebrate and some social media shenanigans afoot, it is at least an opportunity...
Video Today Is Officially Mar10 Day
Mario goes marching on
Today is Nintendo's equivalent to Star Wars' May 4th, in that March 10th marks the official day for its mascot, dubbed "Mar10 Day" (get it?!). Nintendo has acknowledged this by producing a video on its YouTube channel, so have a watch and let us know if you were charmed by it like this writer was. How will you spend Mar10...
Video Take a Tour of Super Mario Maker's Key Update and All its New Features
The pun train keeps rolling
Super Mario Maker version 1.6 has arrived on all our Wii U systems, and what a delightful update it is. We decided it was so lovely that it was worth showcasing everything that's new this time around and what better way to do it than an unscripted video where the host stumbles over his words every nine seconds? Check out...
News Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games Gets a Summer Release Date for Wii U
Nintendo shows off Sevens rugby, too
Mario and Sonic used to be arch enemies, but now they settle their differences in sporting competitions. Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games is the next in this sports-crossover series, and will be hitting the Wii U on 24th June, following the closer arrival of the 3DS version. Footage showed off two...
February2016
Video Learning How Mario Teaches Us the Basics
PBS Game/Show continues its series
Last week we shared the first episode of a neat mini-series from the PBS Game/Show YouTube channel, which aims to break down and explain the secrets to the great design in Super Mario games. Episode 1 looked at 'hidden language', while episode two looks at the manga-inspired structure in these games. Those that...
Video PBS Game/Show Aims to Break Down the Design Genius of Super Mario
Starting with its 'hidden language'
Most of us instinctively know when we're playing a game with fantastic design - it feels right and works to our instincts to teach us how to play. Unsurprisingly the Super Mario series is often cited as a key example of game design that's simple to understand but with complexity underneath the surface. It's held...
Video Check Out This Amazing Blindfolded Completion of Super Mario Bros.
Three months of practice, cleared in less than 15 minutes
We've seen some hugely impressive speedruns and game clearance feats in recent times, whether it's beating games with unconventional controllers, clearing multiple games at once or setting record times. Blindfolded runs are also fantastic to watch, and Japanese YouTuber...
January2016
News Did You Know Gaming Explores Mario & Religion
As you might expect, it gets a bit out there
Did You Know Gaming has provided us with insight into a wide variety of topics throughout the Nintendo universe. Did we ever expect them to be juxtaposing Super Paper Mario with artistic depictions of ancient demons? No, but we suppose there's a first time for everything. This latest installment of the...
Video Watch as New Super Mario Bros. Wii Gets Pitted Side-by-Side with its Wii U Successor
HD-licious
New Super Mario Bros. Wii has joined its younger sibling New Super Mario Bros. U on the Wii U eShop in Europe. Many people jump to compare the two and believe them to be achingly similar, so in order to put this to the test once and for all we've put both games side-by-side in the video below. We chose to showcase levels that bore a...
Random Oslo's City Hall Is Playing The Super Mario Bros. Theme
The bells! The bells!
The Super Mario Bros. theme has become quite famous since its inception back in 1985 - hum it to pretty much any person on the face of the planet and there's a good chance that they'll recognise it. If you needed any more confirmation of its fame, then check out the video below. The building is Oslo City Hall in Norway, and as...
Live Enjoy Nearly 12 Hours of Classic Mario and Legend of Zelda Gaming from Awesome Games Done Quick
Super Mario Bros.! Ocarina of Time! Super Mario Galaxy! More!
We're coming towards the end of Awesome Games Done Quick, which is a shame, but it's gearing up for a wonderful finale. The final 24 hours feature plenty of goodies, a number of which are Nintendo classics. This time around we have nearly 12 hours of classic Mario and Zelda gaming; this...
Video This Japanese McDonald's Super Mario Happy Meal Commercial Is Too Adorable For Words
So just watch it instead
We're not going to talk too much about the following video - produced to promote the new range of Super Mario Happy Meal toys now available at Japanese branches of McDonald's - because the normally bountiful English language doesn't provide the words required to describe how utterly adorable it is. So instead, we advise...
Live Jump Into the Donkey Kong and 2D Mario Block of Awesome Games Done Quick
Wahoo!
Awesome Games Done Quick is picking up momentum, with all of its participants, attendees and viewers now well into a solid week of gaming. We're been hosting some blocks from the broadcast that feature familiar and fondly regarded games on Nintendo hardware, just in case you're not on top of the schedule. This time around we have the Donkey...
News Fresh Serving Of Super Mario Happy Meal Toys Coming To McDonald's In Japan
Get in my belly
Nintendo's strong relationship with one of the world's most famous fast food brands continues with the news that McDonald's in Japan is getting a fresh batch of Super Mario Happy Meal toys. Mario, Luigi, Peach, Bowser, Yoshi, Toad and Boo all feature in this new wave of plastic things, with GoNintendo reporting the following...
December2015
Random Here's Where All the Koopalings Got Their Names
Another mystery solved
The Koopalings are a colorful and varied cast of characters that add a nice layer of personality to the Super Mario series. The seven characters are all wacky in their own way and, oddly enough, they technically aren't Bowser's children. Nonetheless, they have nothing but mischief on their minds and they offer up some pretty...
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