The Evolution of Mario: From the 1980s to 2024

 Introduction

Mario, the hero and most beloved plumber of the Mushroom Kingdom, has captured the hearts of many gamers, young and old, for over four decades. Since his debut in the early 1980s, he has transformed from a simple arcade video game character into a cultural icon phenomenon recognized worldwide. As we near the end of 2024, we will explore the small bits and pieces of Mario's incredible journey, from his beginnings in the arcade industry to his prominent role in modern gaming and entertainment. So, without further ado, let's get started with The Evolution of Mario: From the 1980s to 2024.

"Let's-a go!"

The Birth of Mario: 1981-1985
 
Mario debuted in Donkey Kong, an arcade game released by Nintendo in 1981. In this arcade classic, players took on the role of "Jumpman," a full-time self-employed carpenter from New York. Speaking of location, I don't live too far away from him. Where am I located, you ask? I will never tell you, silly! Now let's get back to the topic of our man Mario, shall we?
 
Mario's goal is to rescue his girlfriend, "Lady" (later renamed Pauline), from the antagonist ape and Mario's pet, Donkey Kong, a "stupid gorilla" that comes with a significant temper. The early 1980s arcade game introduced the storyline of Mario, a courageous man in his mid-20s who is always eager to confront any challenge that comes his way.

Donkey Kong - 1981: Mario's first video game appearance

Unfortunately, Nintendo experienced some hardships in its business shortly after the release of Donkey Kong. The video game crash of 1983 was to blame. Nintendo survived two years of hell from the dreaded video game crash. How did Nintendo get back up onto their feet? The release of the NES (Nintendo Entertainment System) and Super Mario Bros. The NES (Nintendo Entertainment System) and Super Mario Bros. were responsible for bringing back our favorite hobby. All I can say is that I am forever grateful, and you should be too.
 
What is the plot of the hit 1985 classic? Mario has stumbled across the beautiful world of the Mushroom Kingdom. Sadly, the Mushroom Kingdom was under attack by Koopa (currently known as Bowser) and his evil army. The princess of the Mushroom Kingdom, Princess Toadstool (Princess Peach as of the present), has been captured by the game's main villain and used his evil magic to turn all the Toads, the Mushroom Kingdom guards, into bricks. It was up to Mario to save Princess Toadstool and all the Toads and restore peace to the Mushroom Kingdom. With the aid of power-ups such as the Super Mushroom, Fire Flower, and Super Star, Mario will successfully put an end to the baddies of the Mushroom Kingdom. For now, anyway.

Super Mario Bros. - 1985: Mario begins his journey to rescue Princess Toadstool

The game's engaging mechanics and creative design paved the way for a franchise that would continue to evolve and innovate throughout time. It sold over 40 million copies worldwide, becoming one of the best-selling games in history.
 
The expansion of Mario's world: 1986-1995
 
After the success of Super Mario Bros., Nintendo has taken the Mario universe to a whole new level. Super Mario Bros. 2 came out in Japan in 1986.

Super Mario Bros. 2 (Japan) - 1986: Original box art

Due to the game's difficulties on Western audiences, North America received a different version of Super Mario Bros. 2 in 1988 (Super Mario USA in Japan), which includes the same graphics and similar gameplay as a Japan-only release, Yume Kōjō: Doki Doki Panic (Doki Doki Panic, for short).

Super Mario Bros. 2 cover photo (left) and Yume Kōjō: Doki Doki Panic cover photo (right)

As you can see in the two cover photo designs above, the one on the left showcases the cover photo of the North American version of Super Mario Bros. 2, while the cover photo to the right showcases Yume Kōjō: Doki Doki Panic. They may look alike, but their plots are far from alike—still, they are great games and are extremely fun to play. The good news is that North America would later get the chance to play the original Super Mario Bros. 2. In 1993, the Japanese version of Super Mario Bros. 2 was first introduced in North America on the SNES (Super Nintendo Entertainment System) release of Super Mario All-Stars under the name Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels.
 
Japan welcomed Super Mario Bros. 3 in 1988, along with North America's release in February of 1990 (the year of my birth), introducing new power-ups and a new world map feature. Super Mario Bros. 3 included new and memorable characters such as the Koopalings: Larry, Morton, Wendy, Iggy, Roy, Lemmy, and Ludwig. Here's a fun fact: The Koopalings got the previously mentioned names in the 1991 release of Super Mario World (1990 in Japan). However, they did receive different names in the early 90s cartoon The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3, which only aired for one season. I believe Super Mario Bros. 3 is a true gem in the Super Mario Bros. series and has grown in graphical sophistication, showcasing catchy music and appealing animation.

Super Mario Bros. 3 - 1988: Raccoon Mario ventures through World 1

Mario also branched out into other spin-off titles, including Dr. Mario, a puzzle game released for the NES (Nintendo Entertainment System) in October 1990, selling over 6 million copies worldwide. He also starred in the top-rated video game Mario Kart, where players raced in high-speed karts to claim first place and become the best racer in the Mushroom Kingdom. The Mario Kart series became a cornerstone of multiplayer gaming, appealing to Mario fans of all ages.

Super Mario Kart - 1992: Mario wields the finish flag

The 3D revolution: 1996-2002
 
The 1996 launch of Super Mario 64 forever changed the platform gaming world. In Super Mario 64, players can explore a new world in stunning 3D graphics. Players can navigate Mario through expansive environments, ranging from battlefields to being high up in the clouds surrounded by beautiful rainbows while collecting Power Stars, a valuable item used to defeat the powerful Bowser and rescue Princess Peach and the Toads trapped within the walls of Princess Peach's castle.

Super Mario 64 - 1996: Mario avoids a Chain Chomp

Critics praised Super Mario 64 for its intuitive controls and engaging design, making it a textbook example for future game developers. The speedrunning community also considers Super Mario 64 one of the best Mario games for speedrunning. The success of Super Mario 64 helped establish Mario as a leader in the gaming industry.
 
In 2002, Super Mario Sunshine launched on the Nintendo GameCube with improved graphics and fun (sometimes frustrating) gameplay enjoyed by many Mario fans. After being falsely accused of vandalism caused by Bowser and his son Bowser Jr., Mario came across a water-spouting device named F.L.U.D.D (stands for Flash Liquidizer Ultra Dousing Device), which gave him the assistance needed to clean up the island and stop the devilish father-son duo from claiming Princess Peach as Bowser Jr.'s mother.

Super Mario Sunshine - 2002: Mario battles Petey Piranha

The modern era and diverse genres: 2003-2010
 
The 2000s saw a whole new change in Mario's games. In 2004, Nintendo released Super Mario 64 DS, a sequel to the Nintendo DS with extra bonuses such as playing Luigi, Yoshi, and Wario. Super Mario 64 DS also introduced exciting new levels and even super fun mini-games.

Super Mario 64 DS - 2004: Yoshi confronts King Goomba

New Super Mario Bros. for the Nintendo DS, released in 2006, marked Mario's return to 2D gameplay in the 2000s. New Super Mario Bros. featured updated graphics and mechanics, attracting nostalgic players and newcomers. New Super Mario Bros. has proven to be a fantastic success, selling over 30 million copies worldwide.

New Super Mario Bros. - 2006: Mario explores the water worlds

Mario also starred in various sports and party games during this era. Popular titles like Mario Kart Wii, Mario Power Tennis, and Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour allowed players to experience Mario in competitive settings. These games introduced user-friendly controls, appealing to both casual and experienced gamers.
 
In 2007, Super Mario Galaxy launched on the Nintendo Wii with inventive gameplay and stunning graphics. It is one of the best video games released on the Nintendo Wii console. Three years later, its sequel, Super Mario Galaxy 2, introduced new power-ups and challenges that enhanced the gameplay experience.

Super Mario Galaxy - 2007: Mario acquires a Power Star

Super Mario Galaxy 2 - 2010: Mario and Yoshi flying in the air

A new generation: 2011-2024
 
In 2012, Nintendo first launched the Nintendo Wii U with games like Super Mario 3D World and Mario Party 10. We all can't forget about the highly accepted title, Super Mario Maker, a game that gave players the ability to create their own Mario-themed levels from classic games such as Super Mario Bros., Super Mario Bros. 3, Super Mario World, as well as the Nintendo Wii U's very own released New Super Mario Bros. U.

Super Mario Maker - 2015: Original cover photo

In 2017, Super Mario Odyssey launched on the Nintendo Switch as the console's debut Mario game. Super Mario Odyssey allowed Mario to travel worldwide while collecting Power Moons along with his partner, Cappy. Mario's goal was to collect Power Moons, a powerful item used to bring peace back into all the world's kingdoms, such as Cascade Kingdom, Sand Kingdom, and New Donk City, to name a few. Mario can also wear fabulous costumes like a wedding suit (and dress), a zombie suit, a skeleton suit, and even his underwear. Another job Mario had to do was crash the wedding of Bowser and Princess Peach, which sounds harsh, but that was what happened in simple terms. All in all, players praised Super Mario Odyssey for its creative mechanics and diverse environments. Super Mario Odyssey has won Game of the Year awards, illustrating the game's broad appeal to many gamers worldwide.

Super Mario Odyssey - 2017: Mario explores the Cascade Kingdom

The 2020s continue to celebrate Mario's legacy. Remastered classic titles like Super Mario 3D All-Stars and Super Mario RPG for the Nintendo Switch and the optional paid subscription, Nintendo Switch Online, allow fans new and old to enjoy the charm of past nostalgic games.
 
Mario's impact outside gaming
 
Mario's influence has proved to be more than just video games. He has become a cultural phenomenon, appearing in TV shows, movies, and merchandise. Despite its poor reception, the 1993 Super Mario Bros. film (the movie I try to avoid talking about) highlighted the potential for video games in Hollywood cinema. The newly released 2023 Super Mario Bros. Movie from the animation studio Illumination has generated much excitement and anticipation, promising to introduce Mario to a new generation of gamers and bring in new fans.

The Super Mario Bros. Movie - 1993: John Leguizamo as Luigi (left) and Bob Hoskins as Mario (right)

The Super Mario Bros. Movie - 2023: Mario meets Princess Peach

Moreover, Mario serves as Nintendo's primary mascot, symbolizing the growth and direction of the gaming industry. His impact is seen in numerous games, inspiring classic gameplay styles and storytelling.
 
The Future of Mario: Conclusion
 
Mario has become a cornerstone of gaming culture, from his arcade roots to his evolution in modern video game genres. His journey reflects technological advances and the enduring power of creativity in entertainment.
 
As Nintendo continues to improve, Mario's future is so bright that you gotta wear shades. Whether through new games, adaptations, or cultural endeavors, Mario will continue leaping toward new adventures. Mario is more than just a video game character; he also embodies true joy, nostalgia, and endless possibilities that video games can bring. As we look ahead, the excitement surrounding Mario's future is palpable.
 
I hope you enjoyed this article. Feel free to subscribe to my blog for more Nintendo and Super Mario-related posts. I will be posting more soon so stay tuned!

"We're the Mario Brothers, and plumbin's our game!" - Super Mario Bros. Super Show! (1989)

Note: Credit for the use of images and external links used belong to their original owners.

Super Mario 64's main courses, explained

 Introduction

Super Mario 64 is one of the most iconic 3D-based Super Mario games for the Nintendo 64, along with other popular Mario games such as Mario Kart 64 and the first 3 Mario Party games, just to name a few. When I acquired a copy of Super Mario 64 along with a Nintendo 64 game console way back in Christmas of 1997, I was instantly hooked on the game and have since been a huge fan. Super Mario 64 remains my all-time favorite video game up until the present, and I highly doubt that it'll change anytime soon. Of course, we can't forget how flexible and enjoyable the game is, allowing you to go from one world to another, and whether or not the player feels like beating the game in its entirety with a total of 120 stars or the minimally required 70 stars. Even with the game's unique personalization that many players experience with their copy of Super Mario 64, the game simply never gives you any dull moments. Many speedrunners choose Super Mario 64 as their number one choice for speedrunning a Mario game. Without further ado, let's get onto Super Mario 64's main courses, explained.

1. Bob-omb Battlefield

Bob-omb Battlefield is the land of battling Bob-ombs. It is the very first course to introduce the wonders of Super Mario 64. This course consists of enemies such as Goombas, Koopas, a Chain Chomp, and, of course, Bob-ombs. Mario will eventually meet Koopa the Quick, a friendly koopa who claims to be the fastest koopa alive and is always up for a challenge against anyone. Bomb-omb Battlefield was founded due to a disagreement of views between the black Bob-ombs of hate and the pink Bob-ombs of kindness. Although the pink Bob-ombs wish no harm and much rather praise love and peace throughout this world, they are sadly outnumbered by King Bob-omb and his fellow army of Bob-ombs, who want to spread their hate and evil in the name of Bowser, King of the Koopas. Mario enters Bob-omb Battlefield through the Bob-omb painting of Princess Peach's castle and sees the pure distress in the pink Bob-omb's eyes. He decides to team up with the pink Bob-ombs and put an end to the army of King Bob-omb. The pink Bob-ombs offer Mario the use of their cannons throughout his journey to rescue Princess Peach from Bowser's retched grip. This is a hard task for Mario to conquer, but with the power of the missing stars he'll be collecting, he defuses King Bob-omb and his evil army with ease.

2. Whomp's Fortress

Whomp's Fortress. The second course of the hit 1996 title. This world consists of land floating midair and is full of angry Whomps and Thwomps just waiting to squish anyone that comes along their path. Their main focus on who they want to squish would be our dear friend, Mario. Mario needs to do his best to avoid getting flattened like a squished tomato by these stone enemies. A few of Mario's goals for completing Whomp's Fortress would be to defeat King Thwomp, climb the giant tower, collect 8 red coins, etc. Another star of Whomp's Fortress Mario will need to snag requires him to wake up a drowsy owl that can manage to lift a 4-foot-tall plumber until he gets worn out and tells Mario to lay off the pasta, resulting in dropping our Italian cuisine-loving hero. Just make sure the owl doesn't manage to drop him off the course, or else it's one life lost for Mario.

3. Jolly Roger Bay

Jolly Roger Bay is the third course of Super Mario 64. It is a peaceful water world that holds a resident eel named Unagi and an old, weathered-out sunken ship. Ironically, Unagi means “eel” in Japanese. So, after all these years, we've been saying eel the eel the whole time. It's strange, isn't it? The first objective Mario needs to do is lure Unagi out of the opening of the sunken ship and swim into the ship, which contains four treasure chests. Mario will need to open them in the correct order to claim Jolly Roger Bay's first power star. If Mario chooses the wrong treasure chest, he'll be electrocuted. If Mario opens all four treasure chests in the correct order, he'll be given an air bubble from each treasure chest, which will prevent him from drowning quicker. After Mario brings life back into the old ship, he needs to do his best to avoid other nasty traps, such as getting nipped by clams and being fatally crushed by falling stone pillars in the ocean cave. Mario also needs to be extra cautious to avoid injury or death from the hungry eel and carefully grab the power star from its tail. Once Mario collects a total of 7 stars from Jolly Roger Bay, he will be going from a water-based world into a snow-covered world.

4. Cool, Cool Mountain

Cool, Cool Mountain. The 4th and 1st snow-themed courses of Super Mario 64. It's a frigid, snow-covered world located high in the sky with adorable penguins, not-so-friendly snowmen, and very mean Spindrifts. Mario's missions, such as racing the log cabin's resident penguin, searching for the mother penguin's missing child, and helping a giant snowman recreate his missing body, are some of the requirements for receiving Cool Cool Mountain's power stars. Cool, Cool Mountain is the first course in Super Mario 64 to fully introduce the wall kick, a new ability Mario learns throughout his journey. Now most of us who have played through Super Mario 64 over the years will feel the need to drop the baby penguin off the ledge of Cool, Cool Mountain. It seems that there has been some animal cruelty being committed by most of us, huh? But even I have to admit, I've dropped the baby penguin off the mountain numerous times over the years as well. Admit it, we've all done it.

5. Big Boo's Haunt

Big Boo's Haunt, the 5th main course. It is a spooky-themed course that serves as a home for some of Mario's enemies, such as Skuttlebugs, Bookends, flying chairs, Mr. I's, the Mad Piano, and, of course, Boos. Although every enemy in Big Boo's Haunt will go after and attack Mario on the spot, Boos prefer to attack him from behind. Boos are super shy ghosts and cannot stand anyone who looks them straight in the eyes. Some of Mario's objectives in Big Boo's Haunt include defeating three big Boos, one giant Mr. I, collecting coins, and riding the terrifying merry-go-round operated by the Boos of the haunted house's basement. Despite all these creepy crawlers, Mario doesn't break a sweat in sending all the baddies packing and leaving their haunted home. But a lot of us can strongly agree that the biggest and scariest jumpscare in Big Boo's Haunt is the Mad Piano. It sits all alone in a vacant room, just waiting for someone to come over and play a catchy tune on it. As much as I hate to admit it, I always found the vicious piano coming to life and going after Mario to be rather comical. Most people don't like the piano, but for some reason I thought it was funny. Terrible song it plays, but still funny. I guess we all have different views on Super Mario 64's enemies.

6. Hazy Maze Cave

Hazy Maze Cave is course number 6 out of 15. It is a dark, murky cave containing an underground maze filled with toxic fumes, as well as countless Skuttlebugs, Mr. I's, Snifits, Swoops, and moles waiting to inflict pain on Mario. Giant boulders rolling into a bottomless pit can also pose a huge threat to our mighty hero. The secret level to the Metal Cap lies in the depths of the cave, which is home to a friendly sea creature that is willing to give Mario a lift to the entrance of the Metal Cap secret room as well as one of the missing power stars. The Metal Cap will prove to be super useful to Mario in Hazy Maze Cave, as he does not take damage from enemies and prevents him from inhaling the poisonous gas of the treacherous maze-like cave. Without the power of the powerful metallic hat, Mario will easily perish in the gaseous fumes, enemies, and traps of this gruesome cave.

7. Lethal Lava Land

Lethal Lava Land is the land of lethal lava and also the 7th course of the game, just ready to burn Mario to a crisp. Lethal Lava Land serves as home to several Bullies, eager to bully Mario around and push him into the deadly lava. Mr. I's also lurking around in this firey world. There is a volcano that lies in the middle of this scorching-hot world that you'll need to go into to claim the last two stars of this hot and steamy course. Mario will need to build up enough courage and stand up for himself to fight back against the mean Bullies and collect more power stars. With the aid of a Koopa shell and the trustworthy Wing Cap, Mario will conquer Lethal Lava Land in no time and move on to the next world. Hopefully, Mario won't suffer any nasty third-degree burns from Lethal Lava Land's killer lava.

8. Shifting Sand Land

Shifting Sand Land. The land of shifting sand and the 8th course of Super Mario 64. It's a desert-themed course with several enemies such as Pokeys, Goombas, Bob-ombs, Fly Guys, Grindels, Eyeroks, and dangerous human-swallowing quicksand. The sandy world's main threat is Klepto the Condor, a prankster bird that enjoys taunting Mario by constantly stealing his most prized possession, a red-colored hat with the letter “M” on it. As Mario grows more irritated with Klepto's hat-stealing antics, he kicks Klepto right in the face, letting go of his hat, a hat so powerful (and special to him) that it prevents him from taking on more damage from his injuries than when he's not wearing his hat. Neat hat he has there, doesn't he? Some of Mario's objectives in collecting more power stars in this tedious wasteland include using a Wing Cap to collect a few unreachable red coins, punching Klepto in the face to get him to release the power star (we'll add that to his animal abuse rap sheet), and going in and out of the pyramid of Shifting Sand Land. As long as he avoids getting injured by various enemies and getting swallowed up by deadly quicksand, Mario should be just fine claiming victory over this complicated desert.

9. Dire, Dire Docks

Dire, Dire Docks, the 9th course and 2nd water course, is arguably the most favorite course by many players around the world solely because of the main song that's included in this water-themed course. Dire, Dire Docks holds several fish, a hungry shark, and a massive-sized manta ray. The biggest threat to Mario in the course is a deadly whirlpool that he cannot escape and will give Mario the unfortunate loss of Dire, Dire Docks. Mario is also at high risk of drowning in the waters of this world, so he'll need to do his best to swim up to the surface from time to time and collect coins to replenish his health back up to 100%. The first star Mario will be claiming in Dire, Dire Docks, will unlock the entrance to Bowser's second course, Bowser in the Fire Sea. Mario will need to snag the star from the roof of Bowser's submarine to reach and defeat Bowser and be given the key to unlock the upstairs rooms of Princess Peach's castle. Other tasks Mario will need to complete include swimming through the water loops of a giant manta ray, jumping from pole to pole for 8 red coins, and opening 4 treasure chests in the correct order.

10. Snowman's Land

Snowman's Land is the second snow-themed course (Cool Cool Mountain being the first snow-themed course) and the 10th course in Super Mario 64. Snowman's Land has several bullying snowmen, Spindrifts, Goombas, and Moneybags that hop away from Mario when he closely approaches them. There also lies a massive snowman-shaped mountain located right in the middle of Snowman's Land, with a large penguin (who is very helpful, I might add) located near the top of the snowman mountain. I guess that's why it's called Snowman's Land, right? There is a very mean Ice Bully that skates on a slippery ice floor floating above a freezing pond that will give Mario frostbite when he falls in it. A small lake resides in Snowman's Land that Mario can swim in but be very cautious not to let him swim in the chilly waters too long because he takes in damage quickly due to the extremely cold conditions of the water, eventually sucking the life out of Mario to a very frigid death. A small igloo is located within the snowman-shaped mountain that will contain one power star. The igloo in Super Mario 64 is, in my opinion, like the tardis from Dr. Who; it's small on the outside and big on the inside. It's a weird and funny thought I wanted to throw out there.

11. Wet-Dry World

Wet-Dry World. A lost city-themed world that has the unique ability to flood and drain the water. It would be course number 11 out of the 15 main courses. This part wet and part dry world has strange creatures such as Skeeters, Amps, Flame throwers, Heave-Hos, and a lone Chuck-ya. Skeeters are water-like bugs that skim across the water, while Amps, flame-spitting orbs, and Heave-Hos prefer to keep the world as dry as possible. The Chuck-ya of Wet-Dry World is a nuisance that likes to grab Mario and throw him wherever it wants to. Some of Mario's objectives in collecting more power stars would be catching the express elevator and walking on platforms with arrows printed on them. There are two power stars located in the downtown area of Wet-Dry World that you'll also need to collect to complete course number 11. Keep in mind that you'll need to make sure you have that Vanish Cap unlocked because there is a power star located behind a fenced-in corner of downtown Wet-Dry World. If you do not have the Vanish Cap unlocked, you'll need to trace your steps back to the secret location of the Vanish Cap to reach this specific power star.

12. Tall, Tall Mountain

Tall, Tall Mountain. A massive mountain that is located up in the sky of course number 12. Tall, Tall Mountain has Goombas, Bob-ombs, Chuck-yas, Fly Guys, devious monkeys, and a small cloud that will blow away anyone that comes along its path of the mountain. Mario must complete the tasks of Tall, Tall Mountain, such as finding a secret slide within the mountainside and shooting yourself at a giant mushroom that sets itself far away from the mountain, just to name a few. There are a total of two monkeys living in Tall, Tall Mountain. One that will give him a power star after its capture from Mario, while the second one will steal his hat, taunting our protagonist. Which monkey do you think will give you a star? Which monkey will take Mario's hat? I will never tell. It's up to you to figure that out. Mario will need to be extra cautious around Tall, Tall Mountain's resident Chuck-ya, as it may decide to throw him off of the floating mountain after his temporary capture, which will take one life out of Mario.

13. Tiny-Huge Island

Tiny-Huge Island is another unique course (just like Wet-Dry World) that can take you to the small side or the large side of its world simply by traveling through warp pipes. It is the 13th course out of 15 courses and contains countless enemies (big and small), such as Goombas, Koopas, Fly Guys, Flame throwers, Chuck-yas, and Piranha Plants. There is a massive Wiggler (who, in my opinion, has bipolar disorder) inside the island's cave. He gets extremely angry after Mario cracks a leak through the cave's ceiling, taking its frustration out on Mario when he enters its home. Mario has to stomp on the short-tempered Wiggler a total of three times to get it to calm down and give up the power star. Mario needs to collect seven stars from Tiny Huge Island, ranging from having a second race with Koopa the Quick (after his tremendous failure against Mario back in Bob-omb Battlefield), stomping the heck out of the Wiggler (as mentioned before), kicking the life out of five giant Piranha Plants in search of plumber blood, and so on. Once Mario completes the interesting world of Tiny-Huge Island, he will move on to yet another unique course.

14. Tick Tock Clock

Tick Tock Clock is the 14th course of Super Mario 64. It's a giant clock located at the top level of Princess Peach's castle. This clock may be attractive and fancy to look at, but it is no ordinary clock. This clock takes you to a whole new world inside itself. There are many obstacles and tricky mechanisms inside this clock that prove more difficult for our hero in comparison to the previous 13 courses. Slipping up to the clock's several traps and falling into its bottomless pit can easily cost Mario his life, so he'll need to watch his step when navigating the internal functions of this special clock. The clock holds Heave-Hos, Bob-ombs, Amps, and Thwomps. Mario must snag 7 power stars from levels such as navigating through the pit and the pendulums, stomping on the Thwomp at the tip top of the clock, and collecting 8 red coins on moving bars. One of the Toads being held captive within the castle walls will give you a hint about the secrets of Tick Tock Clock. Do you know what the secret is? I'll give you my hint; it has to do with controlling the clock movement.

15. Rainbow Ride

Rainbow Ride is what would be considered by many players as the most beautiful and yet difficult course of Super Mario 64. Rainbow Ride will be the very last course you'll have to complete to move you closer to defeating a much stronger Bowser and saving Princess Peach and the rest of the Toads being held captive from within the castle walls. This final course is located high up in the sky, surrounded by fluffy clouds, colorful rainbows, and even a flying airship and a giant vacant house floating in the sky. The chances of falling to your doom are very high, so Mario will need to take extra care when climbing up Rainbow Ride's vast traps and obstacles. Actions such as riding flying carpets, conquering tricky triangles, and shooting yourself over the rainbow with the help of the pink Bob-omb's cannon will need to be completed to achieve victory over Rainbow Ride.

Conclusion

These are all my views and explanations of the main courses in Super Mario 64. Many secret levels within the game will need to be completed to the best of your ability, but I wanted to give you a good idea of how the 15 main courses operate and give some valuable and interesting information about their secrets, tricks, and so on. If you beat Super Mario 64 successfully, Mario will be awarded a delicious cake, as promised in Princess Peach's invitation letter, as you'll see in the introduction cutscene. Someday I may make up a follow-up article about all the secret courses of Super Mario 64, but for the meantime, I'll just leave it here.

All in all, I hope you enjoyed my article. I will be writing more articles soon. But for now, this is your girl, guineapig64, signing out!

Note: credit for all images and GIFs used go to their original creators.

Top 10 mini-games in Mario Party

 Introduction

In the year of 1998, Nintendo published and released the original Mario Party for the Nintendo 64 in Japan. The game was later released outside of Japan in 1999. Hudson Soft helped with the development of the hit Nintendo 64 game. It was the very first game that introduced the Mario Party series. The game consists of a total of eight boards, and six of them are personalized for each main player in the game. You can play Mario, Luigi, Donkey Kong (DK), Yoshi, Wario, and Princess Peach. I always played as either Mario or Yoshi, who are my two most favorite Nintendo characters. The objective of Mario Party is to collect the most stars and become victorious as the Super Star. One of my favorite parts of playing Mario Party is the mini-games. There are a total of 50 mini-games included in Mario Party, but I will only be covering my top 10 picks of the mini-games featured in the first-ever released Mario Party game. Keep in mind, that there are no right or wrong choices in the selected mini-games as everyone's opinion is different. These are my personal favorites. Without further ado, let's get onto the top 10 mini-games (in no particular order) in Mario Party.

1. Bombsketball

Using a bob-omb instead of a basketball? Seems dangerous, but so much fun at the same time! This is a 2 VS 2 mini-game where your goal is to steal the "bombsketball" (or basketball, in our universe) from your opponent and shoot it into the Bowser head-shaped hoop. You gotta hurry though, because you only have 60 seconds to slam dunk the bomb-shaped basketball into the stone hoop. The winning team will earn a total of 10 coins.

2. Grab Bag

So, you have some coins and need to keep them in a bag. Just be careful and watch your back, because someone may be sneaking up on you and trying to rob you! You are all in it for yourself to protect your valuable gold coins. You have one minute to steal as many coins as possible from your opponents' bags. Just make sure no one tries to steal from you. If someone has a hold on your bag, to need to fight your way to freedom to protect your valuables. Once the timer runs out, you will either gain more, lose more, or not get any coins at all. Whatever coins you have gained or lost will be what you'll end up with at the end of the mini-game.

3. Hot Bob-omb

It's a hot potato with a twist! You use a bob-omb instead of a potato! I tell you what, Mario and his friends have a dangerous imagination when coming up with mini-game ideas! There is no time limit to this mini-game but you still need to act fast to avoid getting blown up by the angry bob-omb. The player who does not throw the bomb quickly enough before it explodes will be considered the loser of Hot Bob-omb. There are only 3 winners and one loser in this mini-game. The loser will need to fess up 15 coins (as well as getting treated for a singed face), distributing a total of 5 coins to each winning player.

4. Shy Guy Says

Now this game is a crazy take on the classic Simon Says game. You are sitting in a small barrel that is tied to a boat in the middle of the ocean, with a Shy Guy that is eager to cut you off and cast you in the endless ocean becoming lost forever. Yikes! This is a 4-player mini-game and the goal is to do what the Shy Guy tells you to do. When he lifts the red flag, you lift the red flag. If he lifts the white flag, you better lift that white flag. Be careful, the Shy Guy is known to be tricky and will change the flags on you very quickly. The last remaining player is declared the winner. As for the losers, let's hope you have good navigational skills and find yourself back to land! Waving your flags out of panic as you drift away into the sea will not help you any.

5. Bash 'n' Cash

This is a mini-game that's similar to Grab Bag except that you hit the solo player to receive coins. One player is in a Bowser suit while the other 3 players are armed with hammers making squeaking noises. Depending on how many coins the player in the Bowser suit has, chances are you'll be losing the majority of your coins unless you are quick enough to avoid being smashed into the ground. Whatever aggression you have towards Bowser, feel free to take it out on the player wearing the evil Koopa's suit because it'll be worth it, literally!

6. Crane Game

If you love playing crane games to win prizes in your local arcade, then you'll be sure to love this Mario-themed crane game! Crane Game is a 3 VS 1 mini-game that is only half a minute long. If you are the player operating the crane, you have your choice of grabbing one of the three players portraying as dolls, one giant coin, a bag of coins totaling 5 coins, and a treasure chest carrying 10 coins. If you are the player who is at risk of being captured by the crane operator, you will need to do your best to struggle to break free from the crane player's grip. Otherwise, it's down the drain you go, and you'll lose a portion of your coins!

7. Running of the Bulb

One player has a light bulb, and three players are there to protect you from the Boos who are trying to possess you and your light bulb. All four players have to work together to keep the hallway lit and eliminate all the Boos from reappearing again. Everyone will claim victory and be awarded coins when they reach the end of the hallway and insert the light bulb into the light socket. If everyone has been possessed and turned into zombies by the Boos, well, you lose, and you're doomed forever! Spooky, isn't it?

8. Bowl Over

When I was a kid, I loved to go bowling. I got good at it to the point I joined some bowling leagues way back in the day. Perhaps maybe this is why I love this mini-game so much. Hard to say. It could be out of pure coincidence. Of course, Mario Party takes the fun of bowling to a whole new level. They have bowling lanes that all of us are not very familiar with, nor have we ever seen bowling lanes designed like this in a bowling alley before. And instead of using the traditional bowling ball, Mario and friends use a Koopa shell. There are even bowling pins that either throw out coins or look just like your opponents. The player throwing the Koopa shell needs to knock down the other 3 players or hit some optional coin pins. The players hit will lose coins if they are knocked over.

9. Face Lift

Let's all gather around and make Bowser even more hideous than he ever was before! This is a 4 player mini-game that has a similar take on the intro screen of the iconic Super Mario 64 game. Notice how the background says, "Super Bowser 64"? If you've played Super Mario 64 in the past and enjoyed messing with Mario's handsome face, then I'm sure you won't have any issues playing Face Lift. You only have a total of 30 seconds to recreate Bowser's face to match the image in the middle of the screen. The player that gets the highest rank is declared the winner.

10. Ground Pound

This is a game that will determine whether or not you'll have yourself a sore rear-end afterward. Ground Pound is a one-player mini-game and your objective is to ground pound all the polls with a flat top. Be sure to avoid ground-pounding the polls with a pointy tip, or you'll get injured temporarily, costing you valuable time in completing the mini-game. If you manage to ground pound all of the flat top polls within 30 seconds, you will win some bonus coins.

Conclusion

Here you have it. These mini-games are my top picks that I feel deserve recognition. There is, however, one mini-game that I feel deserves an honorary shoutout for being the most painful mini-game in Mario Party. That mini-game would be:

Tug o' War

There's not much to explain about Tug o' War other than the fact it leaves a nasty blister on the palm of your hand for weeks and chances are you'll end up losing to the game anyway. At least that always happened to me. When this game is randomly selected, I simply take the intentional loss and get eaten by a hungry piranha plant. Why? Because I rather not have a sore hand over playing a mini-game. I much rather stick to our traditional tug of war instead of the Mario version of tug of war.

Thank you so much for taking the time to read my article. I hope you enjoyed it. More articles will be coming out soon. But in the meantime, this is your girl guineapig64, signing out!

Note: credit for all images and GIFs used go to their original creators.