It all started in 1983. Mario Bros. was released as a spin-off of Donkey Kong. From there came one of the most famous games of all time, Super Mario Bros. Currently, this game is the second best-selling video game of all time. Considering it was released in 1985, that’s pretty impressive. This game helped the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) dominate the video game market for many years. More importantly, it helped solidify the most influential and iconic video game star in history. He is better known as Mario.
Super Mario Bros. was released alongside the NES to help make it all work. It worked so well that two sequels were released on this same system. This game made side-scrolling platform games immensely popular. Many games would try to copy this format for years. Some of them made it, but most of them didn’t. It seemed that nobody could do it like Mario.
In 1990, players received one of the most anticipated releases in history, Super Mario Bros. 3. Many still consider this game to be the best in the series. It had sharp, colorful graphics, refined gameplay, and outstanding level design. Mario could now fly, turn into a frog, and walk behind walls. It was the paradise of the players. This game sold almost 20 million copies worldwide since its release.
With the release of the Super Nintendo Entertainment System a year later came Super Mario World. This game took what made Super Mario Bros. 3 great and made it even better. It received near perfect scores from all video game critics and sold over 20 million copies.
Mario became a 3D superstar with the release of Super Mario 64 for the Nintendo 64. This game helped sell millions of consoles and is still considered one of the most influential 3D games in history. It has sold over 11 million copies and was the best-selling game on the Nintendo 64.
The Nintendo GameCube was the next video game console to feature a 3D Mario adventure. It was titled Super Mario Sunshine and had Mario equipped with a water device used to take out villains. While this game was well received and sold millions of copies, it was considered a bit rushed and unpolished.
In 2007 Mario would regain his credibility with Super Mario Galaxy for the Nintendo Wii. Reviewers considered this game to be almost perfect in every aspect. It pushed the Wii to the limit with its amazing graphics. The game’s epic soundtrack was a perfect fit and the gameplay was truly innovative.
The Super Mario Bros. series has seen many games on many systems released. It is without a doubt the most popular video game franchise and helped establish video games as a viable entertainment medium. Some of the games have been good, others have been great. However, Mario has become an unbreakable part of our lives and so we look forward to almost any game named after this lovable Italian.