Mario (series) facts for kids
The Mario series is a super popular collection of video games made by Nintendo. It stars Nintendo's famous character, Mario, and often his brother Luigi. This series has been around for over 25 years and has more than 200 different games! It's even the best-selling video game series ever, with over 262 million games sold.
The Mario adventure began in 1981 with an arcade game called Donkey Kong. The series was created by Shigeru Miyamoto. Mario, who was first called Jumpman in Donkey Kong, is usually the hero. The main bad guy is Bowser, the King of the Koopas. Most Mario games involve lots of jumping and beating enemies. The stories are usually simple: Bowser, the main villain, often kidnaps Princess Peach, and the Mario brothers try to save her.
Contents
Video games
How it all started
Donkey Kong
After a game called Radar Scope didn't do well, Nintendo's president asked designer Shigeru Miyamoto to create a new arcade game to help the company. Miyamoto came up with a game where a character had to get through levels with sloped platforms, ladders, and rolling barrels. He named the game Donkey Kong and the hero "Jumpman".
Donkey Kong was one of the first platform games. Your goal was to save Pauline, and you earned points for finishing levels, jumping over things, and collecting items. The game was a huge hit! "Jumpman" later got the name "Mario". He was named after Mario Segale, who was the landlord of Nintendo of America's office.
Donkey Kong Jr.
Mario then showed up in Donkey Kong Jr., but this time he was the bad guy! Players controlled Donkey Kong Jr. as he climbed vines and collected keys to save his dad, Donkey Kong, from Mario. This game was also a platformer and was released on many different game systems.
Mario Bros.
Mario Bros. was the first game to have "Mario" in its title and to feature Luigi. In this game, your goal is to defeat all the enemies in each level. The levels have platforms, pipes, and a "POW" block in the middle. You can only run and jump. To defeat enemies, you have to jump under the platform they are on to flip them over, then jump on them. You can also use the "POW" block to flip many enemies at once. This game has appeared in many other Mario games as a mini-game.
Game & Watch
Nintendo also made several Mario and Donkey Kong games for their Game & Watch handheld devices. These were small LCD video games. Many newer versions of Game & Watch games changed the main character to Mario. In 2020, a special Game & Watch: Super Mario Bros. device was released to celebrate Super Mario Bros. 35th anniversary.
The Super Mario series
Mario became the star of his own big game in 1985, called Super Mario Bros.. This game came with the Nintendo Entertainment System console. In Japan, Super Mario Bros. 2 came out in 1986, but a different Super Mario Bros. 2 was released around the world in 1988. Then Super Mario Bros. 3 came out later that year.
The Super Mario series continued with games like Super Mario World on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. For handheld systems, there was Super Mario Land on the Game Boy. Later, Super Mario 64 was a huge hit as a launch game for the Nintendo 64, bringing Mario into 3D!
Other popular games in the series include Super Mario Sunshine for the GameCube, Super Mario Galaxy and its sequel for the Wii, Super Mario 3D Land for the Nintendo 3DS, and Super Mario 3D World for the Wii U. The newest main game in the series is Super Mario Odyssey, released for the Nintendo Switch in 2017.
In 2006, a new style of Mario game began with New Super Mario Bros. on the Nintendo DS. These games brought back the classic 2D side-scrolling style of the original Super Mario Bros. games. This sub-series continued with New Super Mario Bros. Wii, New Super Mario Bros. 2 (3DS), and New Super Mario Bros. U (Wii U).
Nintendo also released Super Mario Maker in 2015, which lets players create their own Super Mario levels. A sequel, Super Mario Maker 2, came out in 2019. In 2023, Super Mario Bros. Wonder was released, which was the first new 2D Mario game in a long time!
In 2016, Super Mario Run was released for smartphones. This was one of the first times a Mario game was made for phones that weren't Nintendo's own systems.
Puzzle games
Dr. Mario series
The Dr. Mario series is a set of action puzzle games where Mario becomes a doctor! Your job is to get rid of viruses by using falling colored capsules. It's a bit like Tetris. You line up capsules of the same color with viruses to make them disappear. The first Dr. Mario game came out in 1990 for the Nintendo Entertainment System and Game Boy.
Over the years, new Dr. Mario games have added cool new features. Dr. Mario 64 (2001) added a story mode and even let you play as Wario. Dr. Mario Online Rx (2008) for the Wii let you play with others online. In Dr. Luigi (2013), Luigi became the doctor, and some capsules were shaped like the letter "L"! A mobile game, Dr. Mario World, was released in 2019 but later stopped being available.
Mario's Picross series
This series is all about nonogram puzzles. You have a grid with numbers that tell you how many squares to fill in each row and column. When you fill them in correctly, you create a picture! Mario plays an archaeologist in these games, chiseling away to reveal images.
Mario vs. Donkey Kong series
The Mario vs. Donkey Kong series is a puzzle game spin-off that brings back Donkey Kong and Pauline, and shows the rivalry between Donkey Kong and Mario. This series introduced the Mini-Marios, which are like small toy versions of Mario. In later games, you mostly control these Mini-Marios instead of Mario himself.
Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker
Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker is an action puzzle video game released in 2014 for the Wii U. It's a spin-off from the Super Mario series, based on the mini-games starring Captain Toad in Super Mario 3D World. In this game, you guide Captain Toad through tricky levels to find treasure.
The game was also released for the Nintendo 3DS and Nintendo Switch in 2018. The Switch version even added special levels based on Super Mario Odyssey. It sold over 1 million copies on the Switch, making it a very popular game!
Role-playing games
The first role-playing game (RPG) in the Mario world was Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars. Since then, two main RPG series have emerged: Paper Mario and Mario & Luigi.
Paper Mario series
The Paper Mario series is a set of RPG video games where characters look like they are made of paper! You control Mario in a mix of 3D worlds and 2D paper characters. Mario can jump and use his hammer to get past obstacles. As you play, you meet partners who have special skills to help you.
Battles in Paper Mario are turn-based, meaning you take turns attacking enemies. You can make your attacks stronger by pressing buttons at the right time. Mario and his partners can use special moves, which use up "flower points." You can get stronger by earning "Star Points" from battles, which helps you level up. You also talk to many other characters who give you clues or help the story move forward. You can find or buy items to help you in battles and explore.
There have been many Paper Mario games. The Thousand-Year Door (2004) for the GameCube let Mario turn into a paper airplane or boat. Super Paper Mario (2007) changed things up by letting you "flip" between 2D and 3D views. Sticker Star (2012) for the Nintendo 3DS used stickers for both exploring and battling. The newest game is The Origami King (2020) for the Switch, which uses origami themes.
Mario and Luigi series
The Mario & Luigi series is another popular RPG series, made just for handheld game systems. It started with Superstar Saga for the Game Boy Advance in 2003. This game was later remade for the Nintendo 3DS with better graphics and a new mode.
Partners in Time (2005) for the Nintendo DS introduced Baby Mario and Baby Luigi! In Bowser's Inside Story (2009), Mario, Luigi, and others ended up inside Bowser's body! This game also got a remake for the 3DS. Dream Team (2013) for the 3DS celebrated the "Year of Luigi" and featured a special "Dream World." In 2015, Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam brought the Paper Mario world into the Mario & Luigi world, with Paper Mario joining the team. A new game, Brothership, was announced in 2024.
Party games
Mario Party series
The Mario Party series started in 1998 for the Nintendo 64. These are multiplayer party games where four players, either human or computer-controlled, compete on a board game mixed with fun minigames. There have been many games in this series, including Super Mario Party (2018) and Mario Party Superstars (2021) for the Nintendo Switch.
Sports games
Mario and his friends have played many different sports in their own games!
Mario Tennis series
Mario first appeared in tennis games as a referee. Then came Mario's Tennis for the Virtual Boy. Later, Camelot Software Planning started making the main Mario Tennis games, like Mario Tennis for the Nintendo 64. They continued with games like Mario Power Tennis for the GameCube and Wii, and Aces for the Nintendo Switch.
Mario Golf series
Mario's likeness was first used in the game Golf for NES. Then NES Open Tournament Golf featured Mario and Luigi as golfers. The Mario Golf series officially began in 1999 for the Nintendo 64. Other games include Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour for the GameCube and Mario Golf: Super Rush for the Nintendo Switch, released in 2021.
Mario Baseball series
Mario and Luigi were team captains in the Game Boy game Baseball. Later, Mario Superstar Baseball was released for the GameCube, and Mario Super Sluggers for the Wii.
Mario Strikers series
The Mario Strikers series is all about soccer (or football!). It started with Super Mario Strikers for the GameCube in 2005. Then came Mario Strikers Charged for the Wii. The newest game is Mario Strikers: Battle League for the Nintendo Switch, released in 2022.
Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games series
In 2008, Mario and his friends teamed up with characters from Sonic the Hedgehog in Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games. These games let you compete in various Olympic sports. They have released games for the Summer and Winter Olympics, including Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 for the Nintendo Switch.
Racing games
Mario Kart series
The Mario Kart series is a super popular go-kart racing video game series. The first game, Super Mario Kart, came out in 1992 for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. In Mario Kart, players race go-karts and control characters from the Mario world. A fun part of the game is using special items you pick up, like Super Mushrooms for speed boosts, Koopa Troopa Shells to throw at opponents, and banana peels to leave as traps.
There have been many Mario Kart games over the years, introducing new tracks, items, and characters. Mario Kart 64 (1996) brought 3D graphics and 4-player racing. Mario Kart DS (2005) added online multiplayer. Mario Kart Wii (2008) introduced motion controls and motorbikes. Mario Kart 7 (2011) for the 3DS let karts glide and go underwater.
Mario Kart 8 (2014) for the Wii U introduced anti-gravity racing and amazing HD graphics. An improved version, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, was released for the Nintendo Switch in 2017 and is one of the best-selling games on the system. In 2019, Mario Kart Tour was released for mobile phones. From 2022 to 2023, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe received lots of new tracks and characters through downloadable content.
The Mario Kart series is probably the most popular spin-off series in the Mario franchise, having sold over 150 million copies worldwide!
Educational games
In the early 1990s, some Mario games were made to help kids learn. These included games like Mario Teaches Typing, which helped with typing skills, or games that taught math or history. These games were officially allowed but were made by other companies, not Nintendo directly.
Games not published by Nintendo
Some Mario games were made by other companies without much help from Nintendo.
Hudson
Hudson Soft made two games based on Mario Bros. for Japanese computers in 1984: Mario Bros. Special and Punch Ball Mario Bros.. These games had new levels and ways to play compared to the original Mario Bros. Hudson Soft also made the Mario Party series for a long time, until another company took over in 2012.
Philips
Philips Interactive Media planned to make three Mario games for their CD-i system. Only one, Hotel Mario, was released in 1994. The other two, Super Mario's Wacky Worlds and Mario Takes America, were canceled. Nintendo allowed Philips to use their characters because they had worked together on an unreleased add-on for the Super Nintendo. Hotel Mario wasn't very successful and is often seen as one of the weaker Mario games.
Ubisoft
At E3 2017, Ubisoft announced they were making a game combining Mario with their Rabbids characters. Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle is a tactical RPG for the Nintendo Switch. In this game, Mario, his friends, and Rabbids dressed like them team up to fix chaos in the Mushroom Kingdom caused by the Rabbids. Even Shigeru Miyamoto was impressed by the game's idea! It was released in 2017 and was praised for its gameplay and graphics.
A sequel, Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope, was released in 2022.
Others
Other companies have also included Mario characters in their games. Electronic Arts (known for games like FIFA) included Mario, Luigi, and Peach as playable characters in the GameCube versions of NBA Street V3 and SSX on Tour in 2005. Square Enix also included many Mario characters in their Itadaki Street DS & Wii games.
Related pages
Images for kids
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A Mario-themed Nintendo DS Lite.
See also
In Spanish: Mario (franquicia) para niños
