Super Mario Odyssey arrived on Nintendo Switch on October 27, 2017. Believe it or not, that date is almost five and a half years ago because time is an unchanging constant. Despite that half-year gap, we haven’t had a proper follow-up, and Mario is such a strong property that Nintendo didn’t need to rush out with a sequel or successor. Works like a steam boiler. The Mario reaches extremely hot operating temperatures and only needs a steady stream of fuel to maintain its tremendous efficiency. Mario is arguably Nintendo’s most important character, and I would argue that nothing can match it. Not even.
What’s interesting about Mario’s importance to Nintendo is that it was originally Mario was created because Nintendo failed to license Popeye. Just think about it. There are dimensions to the infinite possibilities of the universe that we’re all eagerly awaiting for the release of this year’s Super Popeye movie. Popeye’s Foil Brute has been replaced by an angry monkey called Donkey Kong. Replaced by Human… Jumpman. And he also appeared in a lot of Nintendo’s Famicom games. Or hitting the links in golf.
Mario’s design was the result of the hardware limitations of the time, but the mustache, red dungarees, and caps that came out of that limitation now define Nintendo as a whole. But if you show the interested person a modern equivalent, they can combine them. Only Mario’s hat became a supporting character in Odyssey (next game will focus on mustaches with sentience) Can you guess? We can only hope).
No Nintendo character has more collectibles than Mario. Yes, Pokémon is a massive brand with literally tons of merchandise, but not a single Pokémon has the reach of Super Mario. 2D or 3D, RPG or sports, his racing karts or his smashing brother, Mario fits everywhere Nintendo puts him. Part of this is unquestionable, even though his humble roots as an alternate sprite in a licensing deal have soured. opened. Although there is a “fiction” about Mario and his adventures in the Mushroom Kingdom, there was no real reason for Mario to jump over barrels or flames to reach his goal, so his only motivation in the game was to reach his goal. was to do
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In contrast to Link, another of Nintendo’s biggest characters. Of course, Super Smash and Mario Kart have Link, but in all Zelda games, Link remains a variation of Hero of Time. He’s an incredible character with a level of openness that allows players to use him as a proxy for themselves, but he’s bound by certain rules and tropes, making him open to experimental use. Not very suitable.
It also argues that for the Super Mario series as a whole, an easy-to-understand gameplay loop gives Mario an edge over Nintendo’s other stable characters. In his first ten seconds, you’ll know pretty much everything there is to know about the entire Super Mario Bros. game, but the first Legend of Zelda game on the NES puts the protagonist in a world where the goals aren’t so clear. Set. You don’t even have a weapon when you start, but by now it’s no surprise that exploring the world of Hyrule seems impossible to first-time players who aren’t familiar with the game’s vocabulary when they can’t. even protect yourself.
There’s a reason Universal Studios’ Super Nintendo World is now Mario-themed, and it’s the same reason we’re about to get a Super Mario movie. No other character can match Mario’s universal appeal and recognition. It’s an interesting quirkiness in the English language and date system that gives ‘MAR10’ Day, but now it’s become an annual event, with Nintendo offering discounts on many available Mario games, looking back at characters, and more. increase. “May 4th” for video gamers, but not very funny.
If you still don’t believe Mario is Nintendo’s most important character, here’s what I have to ask you. What other character in popular culture is compelling enough to end a direct by saying Nintendo made a replica of his boots? i don’t think so.
