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Mario Games: Past and Present

There is no character more widely known in video game history than Nintendo's flagship character Mario. While that statement could be argued, the fact remains that Mario games have outsold all other video game mascots or franchises in the world today.

Mario games have crossed decades, from the lovable red and blue plumber's first show in Donkey Kong when he was known as "Jumpman", to the hugely anticipated and critically acclaimed Super Mario Galaxy. Mario has had numerous games in which he was the main character, as well as numerous cameos and supportive roles.

Shigeru Miyamoto's adorable creation has sure enough made its indelible mark in pop culture across the continents. Mario has had his own cereal, cartoon, movie, live-action show, and his likeness has been used to sell virtually any type of product you could possibly think of. But it all leads back to Mario games.

Mario Bros. was published after Donkey Kong hit the arcades in 1981 to critical acclaim and a few years later an permanent niche was etched with the launching of the Nintendo Home Entertainment System. Most Nintendo Entertainment Systems were boxed with a game that would change the landscape of video play irrevocably. Of all Mario games, Super Mario Bros. released in North America in 1985, may be the most best known video game ever.

Many people have logged countless hours reaching to rescue the princess only to read the now famous text on their tv screens: "Thank you Mario! But our Princess is in another castle!" There is now a legion of gamers that celebrate the dwellers of the Mushroom Kingdom. From the frog and racoon outfits of Super Mario Bros. 3 to the wildly addictive New Super Mario Bros.

Mario games have even crossed over to take on competing mascots from other companies such as the game Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games, where finally, everyone's beloved plumber goes head to head with the feisty and spiky avatar Sonic the Hedgehog. Fans of both characters eventually get to duke it out for the gold ribbon.

Mario games have ventured into the sporting realm with entries that include everything from soccer to kart racing. And with the inception of the extremely popular Super Smash Bros. series, Mario can be found fighting hand- to-hand with many of Sony and Nintendo's most renowned characters.

To this day, the Mario franchise is still going strong. Mario is sure to carry an even larger legacy into the future. It will come as no surprise if grandparents partake in a Mario game with their young grandchildren and reminisce about their first memories of that garishly dressed plumber and his grand worlds.

About the Author

To have a true gaming experience, log on to - freemariogames.net, a company that provides free arcade games to its visitors. They have a huge collection of latest free mario games and one can visit the website and make huge scores, all free of cost. With this website one can enjoy playing free games anywhere, anytime.

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by: Andy Beckem Total views: 0 Word Count: 454 Date: Mon, 15 Feb 2010 Time: 12:22 PM

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