The history of Super Mario

Released: Oct. 18, 1985

Platform: Nintendo Entertainment System

Once upon a time, the peaceful Mushroom Kingdom was invaded by the Koopa, a tribe of turtles renowned for their dark magic. The gentle and peace - loving Mushroom People were transformed into stones, bricks, and even common field horsehair plants. As a result, the Mushroom Kingdom was left in ruins.

The only one capable of breaking the magic spell on the Mushroom People and restoring them to their normal state is Princess Toadstool, the daughter of the Mushroom King. Sadly, she is currently in the clutches of Bowser, the King of the Koopa.

Mario learns of the Mushroom People's misfortune and embarks on a journey to rescue the Mushroom Princess from the wicked Koopa and revive the devastated Mushroom Kingdom.

You are Mario! It's your responsibility to rescue the Mushroom People from the Koopa's dark magic!

Released: Oct. 9, 1988

Platform: Nintendo Entertainment System

One night, Mario had an odd dream. In his dream, he saw an extremely long stairway that led to a door. The moment the door opened, an entirely new world that he had never witnessed before unfolded before his eyes as far as he could see. When he tried hard to listen, a weak voice murmured, "Welcome to Subcon, the land of dreams. We've been cursed by Wart and are completely under his evil spell. We've been waiting for you. Please defeat Wart and restore Subcon to its original state. The curse that Wart has cast on you in the real world won't affect you here. Remember, Wart hates vegetables. Please help us!"

Simultaneously, a bolt of lightning flashed right in front of Mario. Startled, Mario lost his balance and tumbled head over heels. He woke up with a jolt, only to find himself sitting upright in his bed. To clear his mind, Mario shared the strange dream with Luigi, Toad, and Princess Peach. They then made a decision to go on a picnic near a mountain.

After reaching the picnic spot and admiring the scenery, they noticed a small cave nearby. When they entered the cave, much to their astonishment, there was a stairway that ascended continuously. It was precisely the same as the one in Mario's dream. They all climbed the stairs together, and at the top, they found a door just like the one in his dream. When Mario and his friends opened the door nervously, to their surprise, the world he had seen in his dream stretched out before them.

Released: August 11, 1989

Platform: Game Boy

Once upon a time, in the idyllic world of Sarasaland, there existed four distinct kingdoms: Birabuto, Muda, Easton, and Chai.

One fateful day, a massive black cloud abruptly blanketed the skies of Sarasaland. From a fissure within this ominous cloud, the mysterious space monster Tatanga emerged, with the sinister intention of conquering the entire land.

Tatanga then proceeded to hypnotize the populace of all the kingdoms, thereby gaining the ability to manipulate them at will. Through this devious means, he successfully took over Sarasaland. Now, his 野心 extends to marrying Princess Daisy of Sarasaland and making her his queen.

Upon learning of these dire events, Mario has embarked on a perilous journey towards the Chai Kingdom, where Princess Daisy is being held captive. His noble aim is to restore peace to Sarasaland.

Will Mario be able to vanquish Tatanga, free the people from his otherworldly hypnosis, and rescue Princess Daisy? The outcome hinges entirely on your guidance and Mario's skills. So, go for it, Mario!

Released: Feb. 12, 1990

Platform: Nintendo Entertainment System

The Mushroom Kingdom has long enjoyed a state of peace, courtesy of the valiant efforts of Mario and Luigi. This kingdom serves as an entrance to the much larger Mushroom World, where, unfortunately, all is not harmonious. Bowser has dispatched his seven children to wreak havoc and engage in all sorts of mischief within the usually tranquil Mushroom World.

These seven Koopalings have pilfered the royal magic wands from each nation within the Mushroom World. With these wands in their possession, they have used their power to transform the respective kings of those countries into animals. Now, Mario and Luigi are faced with the crucial task of retrieving the royal magic wands from Bowser's seven offspring in order to restore the kings to their original forms.

As Mario and Luigi prepared to embark on their arduous journey deep into the Mushroom World, the Princess and Toad bid them farewell with the words, "Goodbye and good luck!"

Released: Aug. 13, 1991

Platform: Super Nintendo Entertainment System

But shortly after reaching the island, Princess Peach vanishes without a trace. As Mario and Luigi frantically scour the area in search of her, they happen upon a peculiar egg on the outskirts of the island. And then, right before their astonished eyes, an unusual little dragon emerges from the egg! The dragon introduces himself as Yoshi and explains, "Recently, some monstrous turtles showed up here in this Dinosaur Land. They've employed magic to trap my friends inside eggs. I attempted to assist them, but those turtles are extremely powerful and even put a spell on me as well... Would you please accompany me to rescue my friends?"

What could this possibly imply? Evidently, Bowser hasn't taken any heed from his past defeats, as it seems that his minions have once again abducted Princess Peach.

Mario and Luigi thus commence another exciting adventure, with the hopes of rescuing Yoshi's comrades and, of course, Princess Peach!

Released: Nov. 2, 1992

Platform: Game Boy

Danger! Danger!

While I was off on a crusade against that mysterious alien Tatanga in Sarasa Land, an evil scoundrel managed to take over my castle and subjugate the people of Mario Land under his control using a magic spell. This interloper is known as Wario. He imitates my appearance and has made numerous attempts to steal my castle in the past. And it appears he's finally achieved his goal this time.

Wario has strewn the 6 Golden Coins from my castle all across Mario Land. These Golden Coins are being guarded by those who are under Wario's spell. Without retrieving these coins, we won't be able to enter the castle to confront Wario. So, we must gather the 6 coins, launch an attack on Wario within the castle, and rescue everyone!

It's now time to embark on our mission!

Released: Sept. 29, 1996

Platform: Nintendo 64

“Mario, please come to the castle. I've baked a cake for you. Yours truly, Princess Toadstool.”

“Wow, an invitation from Peach! I'll head out right away. I hope she can wait for me!”

Mario is absolutely thrilled to get the invitation from the princess who resides in the Mushroom Castle. He promptly gets dressed in his finest attire and sets off immediately.

“Hmmm, something's not quite right here... It's so quiet...”

Shaking off the uneasy feeling that creeps over him, Mario steps into the eerily silent castle, only to be greeted by the gruff words, “No one's home! Now scram! Bwa, ha, ha.”

The sound seems to be coming from all directions.

“Who's there?! I've heard that voice somewhere before...”

Mario then begins to search every nook and cranny of the castle. Most of the doors are locked, but he manages to find one that's open. Peeking inside, he sees hanging on the wall the largest painting he has ever witnessed, and from behind that painting comes the strangest sound he has ever heard...

“I think I hear someone calling. What secrets does this painting hold?”

Without hesitation, Mario jumps at the painting. As he is drawn into it, an entirely new world unfolds right before his eyes.

Once inside the painting, Mario finds himself in the thick of battling Bob-ombs. According to the Bob-omb Buddies, someone...or something...has suddenly attacked the castle and stolen the “Power Stars.” These stars are what safeguard the castle. With the stars in his control, the beast intends to take over the Mushroom Castle.

To help him achieve this goal, he plans to transform the residents of the painting world into monsters as well. If nothing is done, all those monsters will soon start spilling out from inside the painting.

“A plan this maniacal, this cunning...this must be the work of Bowser!”

Princess Toadstool and Toad are also missing. Bowser must have taken them and sealed them inside the painting. Unless Mario recovers the Power Stars right away, the inhabitants of this world will become Bowser's army.

“Well, Bowser's not going to get away with it, not as long as I'm around!”

The stolen Power Stars are hidden throughout the painting world. Mario must use his wisdom and strength to retrieve the Power Stars and restore peace to the Mushroom Castle.

“Mario! You are the only one we can count on.”

Released: August 25, 2002

Platform: Nintendo GameCube

Close your eyes and let your imagination take flight... Picture the warm, soothing sunshine, with the gentle sound of waves lapping against the shore. Up above, seagulls are making lazy circles in the clear blue sky. This idyllic place is Isle Delfino.

Far removed from the busy and chaotic Mushroom Kingdom, this island resort sparkles like a precious gem in the waters of a southern sea.

Mario, Peach, and a group of Toads have journeyed to Isle Delfino with the intention of relaxing and unwinding. That was the plan, at least... but when they arrive, they discover that things have gone terribly awry...

According to the island's residents, the one responsible for the chaos has a round nose, a thick mustache, and a cap...

What? But... that description sounds exactly like Mario!!

The islanders are claiming that Mario's supposed mess has polluted the island and made their energy source, the Shine Sprites, disappear.

Now, the wrongly accused Mario has vowed to clean up the island, but... how on earth is he going to do that?

There's no need to worry! FLUDD, the newest invention from Gadd Science, Inc., can assist Mario in tidying up the island, taking on the bad guys, and coming to the rescue in all sorts of tricky situations.

Can Mario manage to clean the island, catch the real villain, and clear his own good name? It's time for another exciting Mario adventure to begin!

Released: May 15, 2006

Platform: Nintendo DS

Emergency News Flash!

Princess Peach has been abducted! She was enjoying a picnic with Mario when, out of the blue, the much-loved ruler of the Mushroom Kingdom was snatched away by an unidentified attacker. It's quite a shock that this could occur even with Mario present.

Mario recounts that the stroll was going splendidly until he and the princess noticed smoke pouring out of Peach's Castle. The heroic, mustachioed Mario promptly sprang into action and rushed towards the fire. But the instant he left her side, the princess disappeared without a trace!

Who could be responsible for Princess Peach's vanishing act? Who's behind the assault on Peach's Castle? Are these two events connected? After all, didn't Bowser Jr. once have the strange notion that Princess Peach might be his mother?

It seems Mario's going to have to scour for every Mega Mushroom he can lay his hands on to unravel this chaotic situation.

Released: Nov. 12, 2007

Platform: Wii

Every hundred years, a colossal comet streaks across the skies above the Mushroom Kingdom. On one particular year, that comet dominated the entire sky, and from it cascaded a stream of shooting stars. The Toads eagerly gathered up the Star Bits and transported them to the castle, where they were transformed into a magnificent Power Star. It was a joyous period in the Mushroom Kingdom.

Then, one night, Mario received a letter.

“Dear Mario,

I’ll be waiting for you at the castle on the night of the Star Festival. There’s something I’d like to give you.

from Peach”

With the invitation firmly in his grasp, Mario set out for the castle just as the Star Festival was reaching its peak. Amidst the Toads merrily attempting to capture the falling Star Bits, Mario was anticipating the evening’s celebrations. However, then, something unexpected occurred...

Released: Nov. 15, 2009

Platform: Wii

Today marks Princess Peach's birthday, and as a result, her castle is brimming with presents. Mario and Luigi are present, joining the Toads in celebrating this special occasion with Princess Peach. All of a sudden, a massive birthday cake arrives. Just who could it possibly be from?

Out of nowhere, Bowser Jr. and his minions burst forth from the cake. This unexpected turn of events shocks everyone, and chaos immediately breaks out. In the blink of an eye, the invaders seize Princess Peach and make their escape in a gigantic Airship.

The Toads are thrown into a panic! Mario and Luigi, along with Yellow Toad, Blue Toad, and Yoshi, waste no time in giving chase to the Airship with the aim of rescuing Princess Peach.

Together, these four brave adventurers set out on an exciting and perilous journey!

Released: May 23, 2010

Platform: Wii

Shining stardust descends upon the Mushroom Kingdom once every hundred years. And once again, that fateful time had arrived...

“Dear Mario,

Would you like to share some cake while we watch the shooting stars? Meet me at the castle!

Peach”

Mario sprinted through the field as stars rained down all around him. All of a sudden, he caught sight of a peculiar light within the grass. As he peeked warily through the reeds, he discovered a small, wayward Luma. With the baby Luma securely nestled beneath his cap, Mario hastened towards the castle. However, when he reached there, something entirely unforeseen was lying in wait for him...

Released: Nov. 13, 2011

Platform: Nintendo 3DS

In the Mushroom Kingdom, there looms a mysterious tree. It sports a branch that takes on the form of a tail, and it's called the Tail Tree. One night, a violent storm lashes out at the Mushroom Kingdom. Concerned about the well-being of the Tail Tree, Princess Peach heads out to inspect it. But when the morning breaks, she still hasn't come back.

Accompanied by a group of Toads, Mario hurries to the Tail Tree. To their dismay, they discover that its leaves have vanished. All that's left is the barren Tail Tree and an envelope.

When they open the envelope, they come across a photograph depicting Princess Peach in the clutches of Bowser! The Toads are frantic. Clearly, Bowser is up to his old tricks again. So, without hesitation, Mario dashes off to rescue Princess Peach!

Released: Aug. 19, 2012

Platform: Nintendo 3DS

Mario and Luigi pay a visit to Princess Peach's Castle. As is their custom, they relish chatting with the princess about their various adventures. After Princess Peach waves goodbye to them, Mario and Luigi utilize their tail transformations to grab a whole bunch of Coins that are floating in the sky.

However, scarcely have they landed to take a breather when a black shadow looms overhead. They then hear a deafening boom as Bowser's minions arrive in an aircraft and come crashing down right on top of them. In shock, they look on as Princess Peach suddenly appears and cries out for help. It turns out she's been abducted yet again!

With determination, the heroes immediately set out in pursuit, and thus, a brand-new adventure gets underway!

Released: Nov. 18, 2012

Platform: Wii U

Bowser's crew has seized control of Princess Peach's Castle! On this occasion, the destination of the journey is that very castle which is now under the occupation of Bowser's gang. Mario and his allies will surely have to muster all their courage and skills to take on the baddies and reclaim the castle, rescuing Princess Peach once again in the process.

Released: Nov. 22, 2013

Platform: Wii U

During an evening celebration that was filled with merriment, Mario and his companions happened upon a glistening Pipe located just outside Princess Peach's Castle. Filled with curiosity, they leaned in to take a peek inside... and to their astonishment, they uncovered a magical fairy kingdom!

It turns out that Bowser had managed to capture the Sprixie Princesses. With this discovery, Mario and his friends knew what they had to do. And so, they promptly embarked on a brand-new adventure, ready to face whatever challenges awaited them in order to rescue the Sprixie Princesses and restore peace to the fairy kingdom.

Released: Sept. 11, 2015 / Dec. 2, 2016

Platform: Wii U / Nintendo 3DS

Combine various elements such as Blocks, Goombas, Pipes and many others to craft your very own Super Mario Bros. courses! Once you've created them, you have the option to share these courses online. You can also play the courses that other people have designed, which will surely offer you a whole range of enjoyable experiences.

What's more, Super Mario Maker for Nintendo 3DS comes with lessons provided by Yamamura that focus on explaining the intricacies of course design. This way, you can learn valuable tips and tricks to make your courses even more exciting and engaging.

Released: Dec. 15, 2016

Platform: Mobile

Bowser has once again snatched Princess Peach away, so it's time to dash, jump, and surmount all obstacles as you hasten to her rescue! Mario has now broken free from the confines of game consoles and made his way onto your smartphone.

All you need to do is tap on the screen to take control of Mario as he sprints towards Bowser's Castle, ready to face whatever challenges lie in his path and bring Princess Peach back safely.

Released: Oct. 27, 2017

Platform: Nintendo Switch

Embark on an extraordinary journey as you venture into remarkable places that lie far beyond the familiar Mushroom Kingdom. Join Mario and his fresh ally, Cappy, on a colossal, around-the-world 3D adventure.

Harness some truly astonishing new capabilities, such as the remarkable power to seize and take command of objects, animals, and enemies. With these powers at your disposal, set out to gather Power Moons. These Power Moons are crucial as they'll enable you to boost the energy of the Odyssey airship.

Your ultimate mission is to thwart Bowser's wedding plans and rescue Princess Peach from his clutches. So, get ready to explore, capture, and collect in this exciting adventure!

Released: January 11, 2019

Platform: Nintendo Switch

Get ready to have a blast with Mario, Luigi, and all their friends either on your own or with others, whenever and wherever you like! Dive into two delightful, family-friendly side-scrolling adventures where your goal is to save the Mushroom Kingdom.

This package includes the exciting New Super Mario Bros. U game, as well as the even more challenging and faster-paced New Super Luigi U game. And here's the great part: both of these games feature Nabbit and Toadette as playable characters, adding even more variety and fun to your gaming experience! So, gather your friends or go it alone and start your adventure to protect the Mushroom Kingdom.

Released: June 28, 2019

Platform: Nintendo Switch

Plunge into the single-player Story Mode and take on the task of playing the built-in courses with the aim of rebuilding Princess Peach's castle. You have the option to create your very own courses, either by yourself or in collaboration with others.

Moreover, if you have a Nintendo Switch Online membership, a whole world of possibilities opens up. You can share the courses you've crafted, gain access to an almost never-ending collection of courses made by other players, relish the excitement of online multiplayer gameplay, and much more! It's a wonderful opportunity to fully immerse yourself in the creative and interactive aspects of the game.

Released: Sept. 18, 2020

Platform: Nintendo Switch

Get ready to experience the fun of three classic games, whether you're relaxing at home or on the move – all conveniently bundled together on the Nintendo Switch™ system!

In Super Mario 64™, you'll have the exciting opportunity to jump into paintings and explore the unique worlds that lie within them.

With Super Mario Sunshine™, it's time to roll up your sleeves and clean up that paint-like goop that's causing a mess.

And in Super Mario Galaxy™, prepare to embark on an intergalactic adventure as you fly from one planet to another, encountering all sorts of challenges and wonders along the way.

This package offers a diverse range of gameplay experiences from these beloved Mario games, ensuring hours of entertainment no matter where you are..

Released: Feb. 12, 2021

Platform: Nintendo Switch

In Super Mario 3D World, get ready to bound and scale your way through numerous vivid and exciting courses! Mario, along with his pals, has access to a diverse range of power-ups. For instance, the Super Bell bestows catlike skills such as climbing and scratching, adding a whole new dimension to the gameplay.

You can join forces with up to three other players either locally* or online**, working together to reach the goal. And of course, there's the added thrill of competing to see who can achieve the highest score.

In Bowser’s Fury, Mario finds himself on Lake Lapcat, only to be faced with a raging Bowser on the loose! Here, you'll need to team up with Bowser Jr. and embark on an adventure through an interconnected world that's entirely cat-themed. Everything from enemies to flowers and even birds takes on a feline appearance.

What's more, in the 2-player mode, you can simply pass a Joy-Con ™️ controller to a friend, allowing them to take control of Bowser Jr. and join in on the action. It's an immersive and engaging experience that combines teamwork and competition in the Mario universe.

Shigeru Miyamoto was born on November 16, 1952, in Sonobe, Kioto. As a child, he had a deep love for exploring the natural and beautiful landscapes of Sonobe. His personal interests included fishing in the lakes, exploring caves, and attending puppetry shows and festivals at night. He was a bit mischievous but was admired by his first-grade teacher for his excellent artistic skills. He would create drawings of hills, caves, and other real-world visuals, with aspirations of becoming a painter, artist, or puppeteer someday.

Little did anyone imagine that he would go on to fulfill all those dreams and become one of the most significant video game designers globally. In high school, he joined the Society of Comics Investigation, where they read mangas and stories, and at this stage, he aimed to be a Manga artist, spending countless hours in bed drawing mangas.

After leaving high school, he promptly joined the local County Institute of Kanazawa to study Industrial Design. Graduating in 1977 at the age of 24, he applied for a job at Nintendo, a toy and cards manufacturer. His journey at Nintendo began with designing posters and packaging and also working on different games like the 1979 arcade game Sheriff.

In 1980, a significant event took place. The president of Nintendo of America, Minoru Arakawa, miscalculated the sales of the game Radar Scope (which resembled a clone of Space Invaders and didn't sell as expected). With the surplus machines, they needed a new game. Initially, they considered creating a game based on Popeye but couldn't obtain the licenses. Then they thought of creating a game like Beauty and the Beast. This led to the creation of the first Mario game, where the main player climbed ladders to reach the top enemy and rescue the princess.

At first, the character was named Mr. Video, but Miyamoto later changed it to Jump Man. He designed the character to look like a plumber, similar to other characters of that time – not overly muscular, not overly smart, hardworking, and easy to get along with. He gave the character a moustache for better pixel differentiation on CRT Televisions, a big nose to stand out from other video game characters, and colorful work clothing for visibility. He also gave him a Red Hat since he didn't know how to draw fancy hair, making it easier to just draw a hat instead.

So, they had already developed the game and its visuals. However, just as they were about to ship the games to North America, an unexpected problem emerged. The offices that Nintendo of America was using at that time for product development were facing some financial difficulties.

One of the owners of the buildings that Nintendo was renting from was Mario Segale. He made an unannounced visit to the building and inquired about the late rental payments. Clearly, Mario Segale wasn't pleased with the tardiness in payments, and so Nintendo pleaded for more time to settle the debt.

Fortunately, Mario Segale agreed to grant them additional time to pay off what they owed. The employees at Nintendo were extremely grateful for this gesture. In their appreciation, they decided to rename the video game character from Jump Man to Super Mario.

Nintendo owed Mario Segale a significant amount of money. Mario Segale was kind enough to offer Nintendo of America more time to continue renting the space where they carried out their work on game development. As a token of gratitude for his leniency in postponing the payment of their debt, Nintendo renamed the character JumpMan to Super Mario. This simple act of renaming not only showed their appreciation but also led to the birth of a name that would become iconic in the world of video games.