Books - The Super World of Mario: The Ultimate Unofficial Guide to Super Mario®

M ario has been around for years, starting out in the early 80s, everyone thought that this little character had real promise. The creators had him in a different game originally, but soon gave him his own game because everyone loved the little guy.

Mario is now one of the biggest characters of all time, but the game makers with Nintendo didnt know that when they put him in Donkey Kong. They just felt that this little tradesman had a role to play in the world taken over by the massive gorilla.

Having appeared in over 200 video games since he was created, he has gained a lot of fame throughout the Nintendo world and still continues to have not only games of his own, but also movies, shows and much more that feature him and his brother Luigi.

One of the biggest and best selling franchises of all time, Mario has gone to the top of the charts with many of his games and even some hes featured in as well. Super Mario set the scene for him, but then came his other signature games such as Mario Kart, Marios Time Machine, Mario Tennis and so many more.

With all the games out there, Mario continues to be a loved character for so many. Players looking for quality games with a character they know well instinctively turn toward Mario titles, and he continues to be a favorite for many.

Nintendos Beginnings

Nintendo wasnt always just a video and game console maker for players. The company started small as a trading card platform, helping players trade and play, and as a toy maker. They didnt dive into the game console business until many of the consoles became bigger and more well known.

With this new technology, the group that was working inside a tiny office space then developed not only a new game but a new system. This led to the evolution of Nintendo itself. It was something that would make them much bigger than Pac Man, as well as any of the other game makers out there.

To this day Nintendo continues to top the charts with their games and game consoles, many of which are currently handheld, making a big impact on the way that gaming is done today.

Theyre the gaming systems you know and use currently.

Marios Creation

Mario had a humble beginning as a side-story character for the hit game Donkey Kong. The makers had no idea Mario would go as far as he did. Donkey Kong was one of the first ambitious game projects by Nintendo that the creators hoped would become as big as Pac Man.

While Donkey Kong did make it quite big, he wasnt able to beat out that mega-successful dot eating character.

As the creators realized how popular Mario was, they decided to give him a name, give him a background and then present him in a new game, a game all his own, that people could really enjoy.

Naming the character also gave a face and a purpose to the little pixelated guy. After a bit of a debate the creators settled on Mario as his name, but head creator Shigeru Miyamoto almost went with Mr. Video instead. If the makers had given him a name like Mr. Video, he wouldnt have made it very far. He was supposed to be personable and someone that would provide hours of fun much like a friend. A name like Mr. Video just doesnt match his theme which is why its fortunate for Nintendo that they ended up going with Mario as the name, because theyve enjoyed great success from the little jumping guy.

Over time Mario has grown and evolved. He has become better-looking due to the evolution of game systems and the way the characters and items on the screen look.

Learn more about the history of Mario and how he became as big as he is today. It wont come as a shock to know that he has a much deeper history than most people realize.

You might not have even realized that Mario has been around as long as he has, or that hes evolved so much. Your parents might have even played the original Mario games when they were younger, so ask them about how he was then, as compared to how he is now.

Super Mario Bros. Take the Stage

Of course, youre very familiar with Mario, but what about his brother, Luigi? He didnt make his big entrance until some time later to provide a little more character diversification.

With Mario Bros. coming out big and in full force, many people thought that Marios full name was Mario Bros. Nintendo finally revealed to the audience that Marios name is actually Mario Mario, and that the Brothers was just the name of the game that also included Luigi in it.

Of course, Luigi is now featured in almost every game that comes out with Mario, but he never was in the beginning. He didnt come out until 1983, a few years after Mario had already been created and introduced to the world.

When you think of Super Mario Bros. games as they are today, youre allowed to choose which character youd like to play throughout the game, whether it is Mario, Luigi, Princess Toadstool or any of the others. That wasnt always the case though.

Its a bit shocking to find out you once were stuck just playing Mario. Read on to learn how the games have evolved over the years and become richer with features.

Whats your favorite thing about Mario? Do you have a favorite game that he is featured in? Have you played the newest Mario game thats recently been released for Nintendo Switch?

Nows the time to learn all about Mario and what the little lovable character has to offer, from the beginning of his creation onward. Hes been in countless games that we know and love, and is one of the biggest video game icons today.