Category: images

How Mario’s Mushroom Changes Everything

This is Part 3 of a trilogy of videos by PBS Game/Show on the Super Mario platform games:

This is where it all started, and for a lucky few, where it has yet to start:

Just think of how far both you and Mario have come, all the adventures you’ve been on since picking up that very first mushroom. . . .

Also check out Part 1 and Part 2 of the trilogy.

How Mario Makes You a Better Player

This is Part 2 of a trilogy of videos by PBS Game/Show on the Super Mario platform games: 

Right from the very get-go, basically the first screen of the game, everything in Super Mario Bros. level design has a reason and purpose for being the way it is, where it is, doing what it does, and why it does it (which you’ll learn a bit about by watching the video above):

See it now?

The tightly focused design continues throughout entire levels:

In fact, the quality of the level design is one of the [many] things that make the Mario platform games stand head and shoulders above so many other platform games:

Yes, even Super Mario Bros. 2, which was originally a different game called Doki Doki Panic (made by a whole other developer) that was updated with the Mario sprites and background tiles for the western market, because the real Super Mario Bros. 2 was deemed too difficult for the ‘mericans and ‘uropeans. And it kinda was. 😮

And that quality of level design continues to be a staple of the series, even in the most recent games:

Even when going 3D (be it full 3D or a sort of 3D/2.5D hybrid):

By playing Mario platformers, you are basically learning all the fundamentals of great platform game level design. And that’s a good enough reason for me to play them over and over and over—for research purposes, you see. 😉

Also check out Part 1 and Part 3 of the trilogy.

Before Mario, the book

I’d definitely love to own a copy of this book:

Nintendo has been around for a long time, and as it happens it actually made a lot of games and toys before it became famous for being “the house that built Mario”. It even ran a love hotel at one point too. 😮

Before Mario is a great little book that details many of the cool toys and gadgets Nintendo created during some of its earlier years, and its well worth checking out if you can get your hands on it.

Continue reading Before Mario, the book