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Jazz Jack Rabbit, Tomb Raider, Crash Bandicoot, Banjo Kazooie and Conker's Bad Fur Day. All these games have something in common. Neither of these games would exist if it wasn't for Mr. Shigeru Miyamoto and his creation of Donkey Kong, the first of one of the biggest genres in videogaming history.
In 1981, artist Shigeru Miyamoto was given the task of creating a totally new game. He decided to base his game on the movie 'King Kong', you know, the one where that giant ape climbs the Empire State Building. Anyway, he used gravity for the first time in Donkey Kong so that when the playable character jumps, or walks off the edge of a ledge, the character falls to the ground. The playable character in this case was Jumpman.
After being renamed as Mario (named after the American landlord of NOA) and after changing his career from a carpenter to a plumber, Mario starred in too many games to start listing. Starring as the main character in most games and making appearances in many others, it wasn't long until Mario became one of the worlds most recognised fictional characters.
Sonic the Hedgehog is the only videogames character to have ever directly competed against Mario for the videogames top spot. Although SEGA's creation seemed popular at first, Mario still came out on top. When the 16-bit console era was coming to an end, Sonic Team decided to create a whole new game to 'replace' Sonic on their new console, the Sega Saturn, whilst Shigeru Miyamoto had started to work on a brand new type of platformer, one in a fully 3D environment, Super Mario 64 for Nintendo's new N64.
That wasn't the only reason for Mario's comparatively better success. Mario was already known to the public as 'that short, fat plumber'. To the male adult gamers of the late 1980's, Mario was an idol. It gave them the message that even the short, moustached, fat men could still get a pretty girl if the chance came to rescue one. To kids, he was a funny cartoon hero that always saved the day against the almighty Bowser, King of the Koopas. The majority of girls however, weren't interested in gaming, but seeing as the industry catered mainly for men, they had to put up with the unattractive, fat plumber.
It was Mario who made Nintendo what they are today. The most respected videogames company in the world. Mario's successful games series' range from the Super Mario Bros series, the Mario Kart series and recently, the Super Smash Bros games. He has also starred in other more sporty titles such as Mario Tennis and Mario Golf, and even has games that are based on multiplayer fun, Mario Party. He's such a success as a games character and mascot for Nintendo that he's starred and appeared in more videogames than any other character to date!
So we know the past, but what of the future? Is there still room for short, fat plumbers in videogames? Can Shigeru Miyamoto create another new type of game starring our plumbing superhero? Will Mario always stay as mascot to Nintendo? Will Super Mario Sunshine be as popular in the western world as Super Mario World was on the Super Nintendo? Or will it be Mario's first major flop on a poular console? Well, I seriously doubt that'll happen, but you never know! Only time will tell.
In 1981, artist Shigeru Miyamoto was given the task of creating a totally new game. He decided to base his game on the movie 'King Kong', you know, the one where that giant ape climbs the Empire State Building. Anyway, he used gravity for the first time in Donkey Kong so that when the playable character jumps, or walks off the edge of a ledge, the character falls to the ground. The playable character in this case was Jumpman.
After being renamed as Mario (named after the American landlord of NOA) and after changing his career from a carpenter to a plumber, Mario starred in too many games to start listing. Starring as the main character in most games and making appearances in many others, it wasn't long until Mario became one of the worlds most recognised fictional characters.
Sonic the Hedgehog is the only videogames character to have ever directly competed against Mario for the videogames top spot. Although SEGA's creation seemed popular at first, Mario still came out on top. When the 16-bit console era was coming to an end, Sonic Team decided to create a whole new game to 'replace' Sonic on their new console, the Sega Saturn, whilst Shigeru Miyamoto had started to work on a brand new type of platformer, one in a fully 3D environment, Super Mario 64 for Nintendo's new N64.
That wasn't the only reason for Mario's comparatively better success. Mario was already known to the public as 'that short, fat plumber'. To the male adult gamers of the late 1980's, Mario was an idol. It gave them the message that even the short, moustached, fat men could still get a pretty girl if the chance came to rescue one. To kids, he was a funny cartoon hero that always saved the day against the almighty Bowser, King of the Koopas. The majority of girls however, weren't interested in gaming, but seeing as the industry catered mainly for men, they had to put up with the unattractive, fat plumber.
It was Mario who made Nintendo what they are today. The most respected videogames company in the world. Mario's successful games series' range from the Super Mario Bros series, the Mario Kart series and recently, the Super Smash Bros games. He has also starred in other more sporty titles such as Mario Tennis and Mario Golf, and even has games that are based on multiplayer fun, Mario Party. He's such a success as a games character and mascot for Nintendo that he's starred and appeared in more videogames than any other character to date!
So we know the past, but what of the future? Is there still room for short, fat plumbers in videogames? Can Shigeru Miyamoto create another new type of game starring our plumbing superhero? Will Mario always stay as mascot to Nintendo? Will Super Mario Sunshine be as popular in the western world as Super Mario World was on the Super Nintendo? Or will it be Mario's first major flop on a poular console? Well, I seriously doubt that'll happen, but you never know! Only time will tell.
I think that one thing that made Mario so popular is that he had no character.
In the Nes-Snes games (when his popularity was at its peak), he was simply a standard man with very little character. All his character came from the game "iconography" like the pipes and the mushrooms.
With the coming of the N64 and new technology, it was time to put some of his character in the games - the italien voice - with sort of put a lot of people off him, but it gave him some proper character.
PS. We all knew that he was Italien before that - through cartoons and general information found in magazines, but that was never really reflected in the games. Mario 64 was the first game to feature his Italien voice.
In the Nes-Snes games (when his popularity was at its peak), he was simply a standard man with very little character. All his character came from the game "iconography" like the pipes and the mushrooms.
With the coming of the N64 and new technology, it was time to put some of his character in the games - the italien voice - with sort of put a lot of people off him, but it gave him some proper character.
PS. We all knew that he was Italien before that - through cartoons and general information found in magazines, but that was never really reflected in the games. Mario 64 was the first game to feature his Italien voice.
SolidSnakeXXI wrote:
> Nice post Edgy, and a good run up to Mario's forthcoming game.
>
> Personally, Super Mario 64 never really impressed me much. I borrowed
> it off a friend and it didn't seem to have that quality I experienced
> in Super Mario Bros. 3 on my NES. However, Super Mario Sunshine looks
> like it's shaping up to be excellent and it's definately No. 1 on the
> most wanted list.
Ta :)
I know what you mean about Super Mario 64. It took me a while for the special Mushroom Kingdom something the NES, Super NES and even Game Boy titles had.
Sure, the game had mario as the star. But where were the magic mushrooms and where were the fire flowers? In the end, I treated it as a brand new game and it soon grew on me.
That's how I'll treat Super Mario Sunshine when I get that. I can't wait to see how Yoshi rides! (and no, I wont be selling the video ;) )
> Nice post Edgy, and a good run up to Mario's forthcoming game.
>
> Personally, Super Mario 64 never really impressed me much. I borrowed
> it off a friend and it didn't seem to have that quality I experienced
> in Super Mario Bros. 3 on my NES. However, Super Mario Sunshine looks
> like it's shaping up to be excellent and it's definately No. 1 on the
> most wanted list.
Ta :)
I know what you mean about Super Mario 64. It took me a while for the special Mushroom Kingdom something the NES, Super NES and even Game Boy titles had.
Sure, the game had mario as the star. But where were the magic mushrooms and where were the fire flowers? In the end, I treated it as a brand new game and it soon grew on me.
That's how I'll treat Super Mario Sunshine when I get that. I can't wait to see how Yoshi rides! (and no, I wont be selling the video ;) )
Nice post Edgy, and a good run up to Mario's forthcoming game.
Personally, Super Mario 64 never really impressed me much. I borrowed it off a friend and it didn't seem to have that quality I experienced in Super Mario Bros. 3 on my NES. However, Super Mario Sunshine looks like it's shaping up to be excellent and it's definately No. 1 on the most wanted list.
Personally, Super Mario 64 never really impressed me much. I borrowed it off a friend and it didn't seem to have that quality I experienced in Super Mario Bros. 3 on my NES. However, Super Mario Sunshine looks like it's shaping up to be excellent and it's definately No. 1 on the most wanted list.
Yoshi's Story you mean. That was good fun, it was just far too short and easy. Compare it to Yoshi's Island on the SNES which was a lot bigger and a lot more challenging, and they probably would have been better off re-releasing that on the N64 with nicer graphics...
Indeed...
Nice history, I actually think if anything people will like Sunshine more than Mazza 64, because of one simple factor.
Yoshi.
Yoshi ruled on Super Mario World on the SNES. He'd better rule in Sunshine too. Or I'll want my money back.
Nice history, I actually think if anything people will like Sunshine more than Mazza 64, because of one simple factor.
Yoshi.
Yoshi ruled on Super Mario World on the SNES. He'd better rule in Sunshine too. Or I'll want my money back.
Jazz Jack Rabbit, Tomb Raider, Crash Bandicoot, Banjo Kazooie and Conker's Bad Fur Day. All these games have something in common. Neither of these games would exist if it wasn't for Mr. Shigeru Miyamoto and his creation of Donkey Kong, the first of one of the biggest genres in videogaming history.
In 1981, artist Shigeru Miyamoto was given the task of creating a totally new game. He decided to base his game on the movie 'King Kong', you know, the one where that giant ape climbs the Empire State Building. Anyway, he used gravity for the first time in Donkey Kong so that when the playable character jumps, or walks off the edge of a ledge, the character falls to the ground. The playable character in this case was Jumpman.
After being renamed as Mario (named after the American landlord of NOA) and after changing his career from a carpenter to a plumber, Mario starred in too many games to start listing. Starring as the main character in most games and making appearances in many others, it wasn't long until Mario became one of the worlds most recognised fictional characters.
Sonic the Hedgehog is the only videogames character to have ever directly competed against Mario for the videogames top spot. Although SEGA's creation seemed popular at first, Mario still came out on top. When the 16-bit console era was coming to an end, Sonic Team decided to create a whole new game to 'replace' Sonic on their new console, the Sega Saturn, whilst Shigeru Miyamoto had started to work on a brand new type of platformer, one in a fully 3D environment, Super Mario 64 for Nintendo's new N64.
That wasn't the only reason for Mario's comparatively better success. Mario was already known to the public as 'that short, fat plumber'. To the male adult gamers of the late 1980's, Mario was an idol. It gave them the message that even the short, moustached, fat men could still get a pretty girl if the chance came to rescue one. To kids, he was a funny cartoon hero that always saved the day against the almighty Bowser, King of the Koopas. The majority of girls however, weren't interested in gaming, but seeing as the industry catered mainly for men, they had to put up with the unattractive, fat plumber.
It was Mario who made Nintendo what they are today. The most respected videogames company in the world. Mario's successful games series' range from the Super Mario Bros series, the Mario Kart series and recently, the Super Smash Bros games. He has also starred in other more sporty titles such as Mario Tennis and Mario Golf, and even has games that are based on multiplayer fun, Mario Party. He's such a success as a games character and mascot for Nintendo that he's starred and appeared in more videogames than any other character to date!
So we know the past, but what of the future? Is there still room for short, fat plumbers in videogames? Can Shigeru Miyamoto create another new type of game starring our plumbing superhero? Will Mario always stay as mascot to Nintendo? Will Super Mario Sunshine be as popular in the western world as Super Mario World was on the Super Nintendo? Or will it be Mario's first major flop on a poular console? Well, I seriously doubt that'll happen, but you never know! Only time will tell.
In 1981, artist Shigeru Miyamoto was given the task of creating a totally new game. He decided to base his game on the movie 'King Kong', you know, the one where that giant ape climbs the Empire State Building. Anyway, he used gravity for the first time in Donkey Kong so that when the playable character jumps, or walks off the edge of a ledge, the character falls to the ground. The playable character in this case was Jumpman.
After being renamed as Mario (named after the American landlord of NOA) and after changing his career from a carpenter to a plumber, Mario starred in too many games to start listing. Starring as the main character in most games and making appearances in many others, it wasn't long until Mario became one of the worlds most recognised fictional characters.
Sonic the Hedgehog is the only videogames character to have ever directly competed against Mario for the videogames top spot. Although SEGA's creation seemed popular at first, Mario still came out on top. When the 16-bit console era was coming to an end, Sonic Team decided to create a whole new game to 'replace' Sonic on their new console, the Sega Saturn, whilst Shigeru Miyamoto had started to work on a brand new type of platformer, one in a fully 3D environment, Super Mario 64 for Nintendo's new N64.
That wasn't the only reason for Mario's comparatively better success. Mario was already known to the public as 'that short, fat plumber'. To the male adult gamers of the late 1980's, Mario was an idol. It gave them the message that even the short, moustached, fat men could still get a pretty girl if the chance came to rescue one. To kids, he was a funny cartoon hero that always saved the day against the almighty Bowser, King of the Koopas. The majority of girls however, weren't interested in gaming, but seeing as the industry catered mainly for men, they had to put up with the unattractive, fat plumber.
It was Mario who made Nintendo what they are today. The most respected videogames company in the world. Mario's successful games series' range from the Super Mario Bros series, the Mario Kart series and recently, the Super Smash Bros games. He has also starred in other more sporty titles such as Mario Tennis and Mario Golf, and even has games that are based on multiplayer fun, Mario Party. He's such a success as a games character and mascot for Nintendo that he's starred and appeared in more videogames than any other character to date!
So we know the past, but what of the future? Is there still room for short, fat plumbers in videogames? Can Shigeru Miyamoto create another new type of game starring our plumbing superhero? Will Mario always stay as mascot to Nintendo? Will Super Mario Sunshine be as popular in the western world as Super Mario World was on the Super Nintendo? Or will it be Mario's first major flop on a poular console? Well, I seriously doubt that'll happen, but you never know! Only time will tell.