Super Mario World
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Lego adds 'Luigi's Mansion' sets to its Super Mario World collection
Lego has unveiled a trio of 'Luigi's Mansion' sets in its Super Mario World line, giving the other plumber more of his due.
20 SNES games are coming to Nintendo Switch tomorrow
Nintendo Switch Online members have been able to play NES games on Switch for several months, and you won't have to wait much longer until you can finally play SNES games on the console. A whole bunch of them will drop September 5th, and they're included with a Switch Online subscription.
ICYMI: Amazon's Treasure Truck, mood-altering wearables and more
#fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-523847{display:none;} .cke_show_borders #fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-523847, #postcontentcontainer #fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-523847{width:570px;display:block;} try{document.getElementById("fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-523847").style.display="none";}catch(e){}Today on In Case You Missed It: Strap a neurosignaling device onto your forehead and control your mood from an app ; Amazon delivers deals on wheels via a new 'Treasure Truck;' and a new Super Mario World record has been set by a speedrunner who did it all blindfolded. But we need your help! Let the team at Engadget know about any interesting stories or videos you stumble across by using the #ICYMI hashtag @engadget or @mskerryd. We will be ever so thankful!
Artificial intelligence learns Mario level in just 34 attempts
Perhaps it's that all the levels have simple, left-to-right objectives, or maybe it's just that they're so iconic, but for some reason older Mario games have long been a target for those interested in AI and machine learning. The latest effort is called MarI/O (get it?), and it learned an entire level of Super Mario World in 34 tries.
Games of a Lifetime: Thomas' picks
After more than ten years devoted to video games and the people who make them, Joystiq is closing its doors. We won't be reporting on the best games of 2015, so join us for one last hurrah as the Joystiq family reveals their Games of a Lifetime. Super Mario World I'm not a marathon video game player – for me, binging on or tirelessly replaying masterpieces downplays the great moments within, tainting them with an undeserved state of blandness. And yet, there is something about Super Mario World's construct that is immune to my fickle play style. Though I've been hurling Luigi down pits since I was old enough to earn player 2 privileges, Super Mario World is a ceaseless joy to return to, even if an encore ensues moments after besting Bowser with a few well-aimed Mechakoopas. I'm inclined to most romps through the Mushroom Kingdom, but Super Mario World's memorable level design, subtle secrecy and introduction of the greatest power-up of all time elevate it above every other Mario Bros outing. Above all else, it's the king of fun within my gaming career – there is not a moment coded into that rackety cartridge that isn't bliss to play, even when a pack of Rip Van Fish inspire a spike of stress with their chase. Super Mario World was, is and probably always will be my hometown in the world of video games, and I look forward to reveling in nostalgia as I shove a pack of kids into their lava-filled demise during future homecomings.
Super Mario AI learns how to kill goombas, heralds Skynet
Who knew the end of the world would be prophesied by a weird mixture of Super Mario 3 and Super Mario World sprites? Researchers at Germany's University of Tuebingen are the naive harbingers of doom, and the Super Mario artificial intelligence they developed is their omen. As shown in the video below the break, the researchers' Mario AI can understand a wide array of voice commands, learn a similarly substantial amount of data from instructions, and autonomously adapt to his environment. Tell him you can kill goombas by jumping on them, and he'll respond, "If I jump on goomba, then it certainly dies," albeit in a robotic voice. Or you can tell him to kill a goomba, and he'll start learning how to on his own (Danger! Danger!).
Recall past stages, enemies with these Mario prints
If we tried to roll our Mario memories into a neatly-compacted ball, the result would look much more crude then artist Christopher Lee's efforts. Each 16x20" piece in Lee's Mario Madness set of prints recalls the environments and enemies from one game from the Mario Bros.' NES trilogy, Super Mario World or Super Mario Land 2: Six Golden Coins. The 190-piece sets were made using offset printing and come with an embossed, gold foil replica of Nintendo's Seal of Quality. Lee is also including his take on each game's box art with orders of the related pieces, but it's not just prints that are up for grabs here - Lee is including "a bunch of loose stickers and a single unopened pack" of Merlin brand stickers from 1989 in each order. He's also throwing vintage enamel pins into random orders, so make sure to practice whichever luck ritual you follow before clicking the order button. Both the stickers and pins are available while supplies last, so if you order late and don't recieve stickers, everyone else beat you to it. Grabbing your favorite piece from the Mario Madness series will cost $25, or you can cave and get one of each series for $100. Update: Lee has reached out to explain the relation of the Merlin brand to the stickers he's including in orders while supplies last. The post has been updated accordingly. [Image: Christopher Lee]
Speedrunners make Super Mario World reprogram itself to play Pong, Snake
A programming loophole in the Super NES platformer Super Mario World has given speedrunners the ability to build and execute arbitrary code during gameplay, leading to the creation of fully playable minigames built on top of existing cartridge assets. An in-game hack takes advantage of a convoluted glitch that was previously exploited in order to finish the game in an impossibly quick span of time using software emulators. Starting at the 1:40 mark in the video above, the hack is deployed, and new code is written using an array of eight emulated Super NES controllers -- no keyboard input or explicit programming language is used to create these new minigames. The discovery follows up on a similar hack for Pokemon Yellow that allows players to overwrite the game's code using only the Game Boy's controller input. Fans have since used tool-assisted speedrun tech in order to produce in-game art and other unexpected results. If the videos above left you confused and maybe even a little frightened, that's normal; the Super Mario World hack made its debut during last week's Awesome Games Done Quick charity marathon to a crowd of stunned onlookers. Have speedrunners gone too far this time? Is there anything we can do to stop them?
Wii U Virtual Console launch: Punch Out, Excitebike, F-Zero, 5 more
The Wii U Virtual Console launch list is slim and trim, largely mirroring the initial list of games we got earlier this month: Balloon Fight, Donkey Kong Jr., Excitebike, Ice Climbers, Kirby's Adventure, Punch Out, F-Zero and Super Mario World. A handful of these games were already available on the Wii U, via the Virtual Console's early preview.If you've forgotten what all of these games look like (it has been a long time, after all), check out some screens on the Wii U Facebook page. Virtual Console is scheduled to launch this week.
SupaBoy portable SNES, the most fun you can have without a soldering iron
We previewed Hyperkin's SupaBoy back in the summer and loved the idea of toting 'round original SNES games without resorting to Ben Heck-style crafting. The handheld takes full-size cartridges, packs a 3.5-inch screen and a battery that's disappointingly rated for just two point five hours (best keep a power cable handy). It'll also double as a home console: there's an AV-out port and slots for two classic controllers for when you wanna kick it old-school. It's reportedly compatible with titles like Mario World, A Link to the Past and Starwing Starfox, but who needs them when we've got a mint condition copy of Tetris Attack at home? It'll cost you $80 and is available from Amazon as of yesterday -- we suggest you get to practicing blowing the dirt from the connectors, since you'll be doing a lot of it soon.
Yes, of course Shigeru Miyamoto is involved in Super Mario 3D Land
Like with previous Mario titles, the little plumber's creator is once again involved in Nintendo's next project, Super Mario 3D Land. In a recent Famitsu interview (translated by 1UP), Shigeru Miyamoto explains his role as "general producer" on the title, saying that he was uninvolved until about halfway through the project. "I kept my distance from the project at first, but became more deeply involved midway -- I don't think it'd be satisfying as a Mario game to everyone unless I made myself known on the little details," he says. Miyamoto further details his work on the project, specifically citing his work as helping to "fine-tune the numbers" behind things like Mario's iconic jump or run speed. He also points out that Mario's upcoming 3DS game draws from the world of Super Mario Bros. 3, while the "New" Super Mario Bros. titles drew from Super Mario World's foundation. Neat! "The New Mario series was an effort to get back to the core of it," he adds. "And this game is kind of an in-between -- it's 3D, but it's a Mario that lots of people can play." To that end, Super Mario 3D Land will feature a hint system akin to other recent Nintendo first-party titles, which Miyamoto teases briefly. But you wouldn't need such a thing, right?
Super Mario World is Miyamoto's favorite Mario game
Speaking to Game Hunters during Mario's 25th-anniversary celebration at the Nintendo World Store, Mario maestro Shigeru Miyamoto revealed some interesting tidbits about everyone's favorite plumber. When asked what fans don't know about Mario, Miyamoto revealed that the development team on Super Mario Bros had considered using the NES D-pad to make Mario jump instead of the A button. We know, madness. Another revealing bit of trivia: Miyamoto admitted that his favorite Mario game is Super Mario World. Miyamoto liked that the game combined the traditional action of the series with new map features, making players "think about where they were going and what they were going to do next." He added that many of the Super Mario World staff went on to become producers and directors. Strangely, Miyamoto neglected to mention the SNES game's standout feature: namely, that the cape is awesome.
Mario World marriage proposal is clever (but kinda creepy)
Marriage proposals via video games aren't exactly new, but they're still clever -- and usually cute. Last Thursday, Brad Smith proposed to his girlfriend of five years using a hacked version of Super Mario World, placing coins in world 1-1 to spell out, "Will you marry me?" Cute, right? But we have to question Brad's filming of the occasion, because, if we didn't know better, we'd think the couple was being watched by a serial killer hiding behind their couch. You can see what we mean after the break.Seriously -- tell us that, when the camera pulls back to catch Brad on his knee, ring in hand, you don't want to yell out, "Look out! There's someone else in the room!" Or maybe it's just the close proximity to Halloween that's got us all on edge. Still ... Brad, if you're reading this, please drop us a line to let us know you're alright?
Computer script plays Super Mario World by itself
As you might have guessed, we're really busy guys. As such, we can't be expected to actually play the video games we write about. We dish out thousands of dollars every year to get local work release program participants to handle the grunt work for us -- but if a recent entry in the Mario AI Competition is any indication, we may soon be able to keep that cash in our wallets, opting for computer-assisted gaming instead.Posted after the break is a video demo of the entry in question -- designed by artificial intelligence programmer Robin Baumgarten, this computer script effortlessly pushes the plump plumber through the hazardous environments of Super Mario World. It handles the game's challenges much better than our prisoner assistants -- and best of all, it definitely won't try to stab us in our sleep.[Via Make: Online]
Architect's Journal ranks top 10 gaming worlds
Before you start furiously clicking through the source link to see where on the list of Architect's Journal's "Top 10" gaming worlds Second Life falls, we're just going to tell you upfront that it's number seven. That's three full spots ahead of the (apparently) FAT-inspired Super Mario World! Outrageous, we know, we know. The list is rounded out by some rather ... interesting choices -- from Jet Set Willy's house to Halo's ring world, and everything in between, which are all discussed in highfalutin terms that we simply can't wrap our heads around. "Gemutlich?" "Miminalism" (note: not "minimalism")? We're sticking with the video games, thank you very much. [Via Kotaku]
It's a Wonderful (Super Mario) World
With it being Friday and all, what better way to kick off your weekend than an awesome homage to both Mario and Louie Armstrong? The above video, expertly crafted by YouTube user BrentalFloss, is one of the best homages we've ever seen. Frankly, if it doesn't make your heart flutter, then you're a cold, hollow shell of a human being. Also, you probably aren't a big fan of good stuff.[Via Joystiq]
The Best Thing You'll See Today: Louis Armstrong vs. Super Mario World
If you're in the Cool Kids Club, you're already a fan of YouTube's "BrentalFloss," whether it's his Mega Man 2 lyrics, his Final Fantasy theme or his a cappella take on Super Mario Bros. 2. But he's really outdone himself with this glimpse of an alternate universe where Louie Armstrong sung about the Mushroom Kingdom. You can find it right after the break. What's next for BrentalFloss? Well, hopefully it's a hot new theme song for the Joystiq Podcast. But sadly, none of the cast is a classic video game character (as far as we know), so we might be out of luck.
Counting Rupees: The Importance of Innovation
Each week Jeff Engel and Geoff Brooks contribute Counting Rupees, a column on the business behind gaming: One of the most prominent words in game journalism and discussion today is "innovation" – how can companies innovate successfully, and how come there isn't more of it in the industry? Implicit in this conversation are three assumptions that don't generally get examined with the same thoroughness: that "innovation" is per se important for gaming, that all innovation is essentially the same in content and value, and that companies promote profitability over innovation. I'd like to talk about these unspoken assumptions in light of the banner few years that we've had as gamers. I think most people would concede that innovation is important, whether to gaming or to consumer packaged goods. But why? At least in gaming, it's largely because our interest tends to dissipate along with challenge; if you're not being shown something interesting, why pay attention to it? Familiarity may not breed contempt, but it definitely doesn't breed excitement (nor sales) either.
Promotional Consideration: Arino's Advertising Challenge
With XSEED recently revealing its intentions to localize Game Center CX: Arino's Challenge (U.S. name: Retro Game Challenge) for the North American market, we thought now would be an opportune time to feature an English-translated commercial for the Japanese game. Really, we'll make any excuse to post about this interesting title.A quick rundown of the Game Center CX show and DS game, for those of you who didn't read about the release the first dozen times we posted about it: Game Center CX is a Japanese television series in which comedian Shinya Arino plays popular "retro" games In the Indies Zero-developed DS title, players are sent back in time to the 80s by Arino Players have to complete challenges in eight Famicom-styled games, like Star Prince (Star Soldier clone) and Guadia Quest (Dragon Quest clone) There are a lot of great "meta" touches to the game, too -- a child version of Arino befriends and cheers you on against his older self, you'll have access to instruction manuals and Game Fan Magazine issues with tips and cheat codes, and Arino will even ask you if you're going to the bathroom sometimes when you pause the game.Anyway, jump past the post break for the commercial; we've also included photos from train advertisements and a segment from the show as bonuses!%Gallery-27519%
The eleven-minute Automatic Mario masterpiece
It's been months since the e-fad of creating automated levels in Super Mario World to the tune of popular Anime soundtracks surfaced -- normally, that's much longer than the lifespan of most internet memes. However, this post-mortem contribution to the Mario-on-rails movement caught our attention (as well as the collective attention of Digg-dwellers) largely due to the fact that "months" is the amount of time the architect of the above masterwork needed to really hone his craft.The above eleven-minute long video, set to a remixed hodge-podge of Anime songs (feel free to flaunt your knowledge of Anime theme music in the comments), is absolutely incredible. Not only do Mario's predetermined movements match up perfectly to the music, the sound effects are often pitch perfect to the background track. It's difficult to explain -- we suggest you watch it to fully comprehend, then spend the rest of the day wondering if all those Journey covers you made on Mario Paint are still as breathtaking as you once thought.
