super mario bros
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College Humor writes a complaint to Mario Bros. Plumbing
We've all seen Super Mario Bros. parodies before -- some that even make Mario a pretty sick and deranged dude. Been there, done that. But, what makes this College Humor video so special -- aside from its unusually grody depiction of the brothers Mario -- is its surprise ending. We won't spoil it for you, so you'll have to click on over if you want to check it out.
See Mario transformed into bacteria
We're always happy to see gaming encroaching on the rest of the world, a sign that it's becoming more culturally accepted and mainstream, but this example is so nerdy, it might actually be a step in the other direction. What you see on the right there is the classic NES Mario sprite, recreated in specifically-engineered bacteria by the nanobiology laboratories at the University of Osaka, Japan. We love the idea of gaming's leading man being transformed this way, we can't help but think how great it would have been if Team Osaka could have achieved the same effect with fungus. ... You know, because the Mushroom Kin --- oh, never mind. [Thanks, Modern Epicurian]
Iwata Asks: 25 years with Miyamoto's dev posse
In the most recent edition of Iwata Asks, Nintendo prez Satoru Iwata gathers up Takashi Tezuka and Toshihiko Nakago for a thorough discussion of their time with the company, the many projects they've worked on and their 25-year-long partnership with Shigeru Miyamoto. Let's break it down: Takashi Tezuka and Toshihiko Nakago both started at Nintendo around 1984, helping to shape everything from Balloon Fight to Super Mario Bros. These guys were part of the team that developed Super Mario Bros. and The Legend of Zelda -- at the same time. During the 10-page chat, a plethora of interesting tidbits are revealed about some of the game industry's most influential Nintendo titles. Did you know that Zelda was initially designed as a dungeon game without an overworld? Or, how about the revelation that World 1-1 was created last, after the rest of the levels in Super Mario Bros., and designed implicitly to teach the game to non-gamers? The chat even gets into the lurid sleeping arrangements of Miyamota-san and Nakago-san while on business trips for ExciteBike (spoiler: it's not that lurid).
Robotic man plays Mario theme with one hand
We're willing to abide a lot around Joystiq HQ, but from the start we've had one basic, simple rule. We don't cotton to robots. We know that society has come to depend on them for odd jobs like fruit juicing and child care, but that doesn't mean we have to accept them. It should be a great testament then to the skill of YouTube user RigorMortis999 that we're willing to break our own prime directive to bring you his one-handed version of the Super Mario Bros. theme, which you'll find right after the break. Sure, he's quite obviously a robot, but we think it's safe to assume he's a friendly one. [Via Kotaku]
Laser etcher plays the Mario theme for you
How To Ruin Your Moment of Internet Glory: Work for an unconscionable number of hours making a laser etcher improbably play a fine rendition of the World 1-1 music from Super Mario Bros. Let Cory Doctorow film it. Listen as he rewards your hard work with terrible internet cliches, and, in doing so, almost completely obscures the audio you crafted. Cry yourself to sleep. Video tutorial right after the break.
You are not likely as hardcore as these Mario fans
You might have noticed a less than offensive Nintendo tattoo donning the image space above this sentence you're reading, and could very well be wondering why this is the case. As it turns out, the Super Mario Bros.-themed images of Princess Peach and a Star are a bit too graphic for use on Joystiq. They are, however, quite unique – rather than the ol' ink-permanently-embedded-in-skin treatment of traditional tattoos, the aforementioned two employ a method of tattooing that involves skin removal. Check out the original shots over at BodyMod.org if you want to see 'em, but click through at your own discretion. [Thanks Adam!] [Image credit: Drew Olanoff]
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?
Former Super Mario Bros. Super Show star 'Captain' Lou Albano dies
For many gamers in their twenty-somethings, "Captain" Lou Albano is best remembered for his portrayal of Nintendo's titular mascot in The Super Mario Bros. Super Show. We regret to inform you that Albano has passed away at the age of 76.Acting on numerous tips, we were led to details on PopEater, which reports that Albano passed away at his home in Mount Vernon, NY. Family members confirmed on Monday that Albano was under hospice care for an undiscovered condition. Albano leaves behind a lasting legacy in the wrestling world and fond childhood memories of doin' the Mario for many Joystiq staff members.[Thanks to everyone who sent this in!]
Hands-on: New Super Mario Bros Wii
Like New Super Mario Bros. before it, New Super Mario Bros. Wii is instantly playable, addictive and fresh. It plays like every Mario game before it, embracing its NES legacy by requiring players to hold the Wii Remote on its side. Although the gameplay is immediately recognizable, the addition of four-player competitive multiplayer makes it feel, as the title reminds us, new. After even just one level, we had to question, "Why didn't Nintendo think of this sooner?"New Super Mario Bros. Wii makes the arbitrary distinction of offering a "cooperative" Story mode, and a competitive multiplayer mode, but after a level or two, it's clear that there really is no such thing as cooperation in the Mushroom Kingdom. There's no real reason to switch between either mode, as both feature the same levels and a finite number of lives for the players. The only real addition to the competitive mode is the scoreboard at the end of a level, which ranks players based on their score, coins collected and the number of enemies defeated.Why do we say there's no real cooperation in the Mushroom Kingdom? Simple: there are so many ways of being murdered in NSMBW. You can grab a fellow player and throw him down a cliff, into an enemy or into some molten lava. Grab a Yoshi and eat your friend ... and then spit him into a Piranha Plant. They won't be your friend anymore! You can even kill someone before they get to live a full life, by finding their spawn bubble and destroying it in an -- ahem -- inconvenient place (over a pit, perhaps?).%Gallery-75137%
Terrify your neighbors with a real piranha plant
You know those neighbors you have? The ones with fake deer, flamingos and gnomes all over their yard? This is for them. More specifically, it's to utterly petrify them with abject terror. Have no fear though, for the piranha plant you see above is not real, but rather a sculpture created by one Jaime Margary. We suggest you check out Margary's Flickr account for a closer look at the piece, which is also accompanied by a baby piranha plant (and a dog that is entirely too calm about he whole situation). And yes, the sculpture will be up for sale on eBay soon. Throw on a motion-activated flamethrower and you'll have the nerdiest home security system ever devised. Watch a step-by-step video of the sculpture's creation after the break.
Rumor: No Euro Wii price cut, new bundle to include both Wii Sports games, MotionPlus
Just like we saw earlier this year with the PlayStation 3 Slim, the rumor mill is churning at breakneck pace -- though this time around a possible Nintendo Wii price cut rather than a slimmer console. Aside from multiple retailer listings and today's alleged internal Best Buy memo, MCV reports that a "retail source" told it the UK won't be receiving the same price cut that North America and Japan are expected to receive. Instead, the current model will be given the bundle treatment.GamesIndustry.biz spotted the new bundle on ShopTo.net -- it has since been removed, though an image and a shell of the page still exist -- which includes both Wii Sports and Wii Sports Resort as well as a MotionPlus attachment, for the same £199.99 ($326.76) the system is priced at now. If it is true, at least UK Wii buyers will be getting a bit more for their pounds. It's not quite the Duck Hunt/Super Mario Bros. with a Zapper combo of yore, but it'll have to do.Source -- No Wii price cut for UK [GamesIndustry.biz]Source -- New UK Wii bundle leaked [MCV]
Conan O'Brien enters World 1-1
We were obviously far too busy at E3 last week to watch Conan O'Brien take over Jay Leno's post on The Tonight Show, and look what we missed: O'Brien's backdrop bears an uncanny resemblance to Super Mario Bros. Coincidence? Probably not, when one of your band members looks a lot like Mario in a Panama hat. Serious Lunch noticed this and did some nice work in Photoshop, and seeing it come to life in video only makes us wish it was his actual backdrop. Head beyond the break to see the video, which sadly does not feature Andy Richter as Bowser. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in!]
Insights on Nintendo's new games from the Miyamoto developer event
Shigeru Miyamoto didn't appear at Nintendo's big E3 conference, but he did appear at what Nintendo called a "developer event" later that evening, in a "very relaxed mood" from his morning off. This discussion/Q&A event was the location of last year's Pikmin 3 reveal, and this year Miyamoto came prepared to surprise everyone again at the end, with art from the next Zelda game. "To be honest with you, I really wanted, at this E3, to announce a Zelda game for Wii," he said. "But, we've already shown you a Zelda on Wii, and rather than try to think of something to bring here to show you, we really wanted to focus on actual game development."However, I didn't want to come empty-handed, so I did bring the main illustration for the next Zelda title."
New look at New Super Mario Bros. Wii
New Super Mario Bros. Wii seems like such a simple thing -- more Mario platforming, with some multiplayer this time, but the simple fact of more Mario platforming is almost intolerably wonderful. Maybe it's because we're super-tired from E3, but just look at the footage. Look at the adorable propeller suit. Look at that cloud enemy. The giant, friendly air manta rays. There's all kinds of crazy new Mario stuff happening, even without the multiplayer.The trailer shows the game's casual mix of coop and competitive gameplay -- sure, you can jump on each other's heads and stuff, but Luigi is also seen carrying Mario around on some moving platforms.%Gallery-64968%
Nintendo reveals new Super Mario Bros. for Wii
digg_url = 'http://digg.com/nintendo/New_Super_Mario_Bros_for_Wii_announced'; Nintendo surprised nobody at its press conference by announcing a new Super Mario Bros. for Wii, with Cammie Dunaway and Bill Trinen from Treehouse introducing the aptly titled New Super Mario Bros. Wii. The title will feature multiplayer-friendly gameplay, supporting up to 4 players for some local action.The multiplayer will have an emphasis on co-operative play, all while maintaining that classic Super Mario look and feel. Thus, you'll find warp pipes, hidden areas, and plenty of coins to collect. It's not all old hat, however, as the NIntendo presentation showed off a new Propeller suit, where Mario and company had a propeller attached to their heads. While playing (you hold the Wiimote sideways), players can jerk the Wiimote up to cause their in-game player to fly into the air. Nintendo says the game will be available during the holidays this year, and will be on the show floor all this week. You can bet we'll be stomping Goombas as soon as we can, and will be sure to get you our impressions as soon as possible.
Even Mexico loves Mario parody skits
Anywhere you go in the world, you'll find people who love Mario. On the national Mexican television show, Hazme reír! y serás millonario, a group of three friends performed a Mario skit parodying / reenacting the original Super Mario Bros. It's a cute little routine with some hilarious moments, though it's not entirely accurate (fanboys will likely point out that the actual Mario does not kick enemies, he stomps on them ... and since when did Mario start dressing in Peach's colors, hmm?). Still, it's an impressive thing to do, especially since it was broadcast across an entire country. Interestingly, the crowd was pretty into it, rooting on the overalls-clad hero as he took down Bowser and saved the princess. Oh, wait, or was she in another castle? You'll have to watch the video clip after the break to find out! [Via Go Nintendo]
Kanye West once tried to sex up Mario
The very best (read: easiest) posts are the ones that no amount of clever presentation could make any funnier -- in fact, any effort to do so could only fail miserably. Observe: "My game was very sexual," Kanye West told Details magazine, describing a hack he attempted to make on a home computer as a child. "The main character was, like, a giant penis. It was like Mario Brothers, but the ghosts were, like, vaginas. You'd have to draw in and program every little step. It literally took me all night to do a step, 'cause the penis, y'know, had little feet and eyes." ... What's that, it's quittin' time at the blogging factory already? Well, thank you, Mr. West.
Wii Sports best-selling game of all time?
Super Mario Bros. has been the best-selling game of all time for years now, but that throne may have been usurped by another Nintendo title: Wii Sports. According to VGChartz, Wii Sports has surpassed that coveted 40.24 million mark.We're keeping this a rumor because, uh, it's VGChartz. They're never too good about sourcing their stuff and, to tell the truth, we've only ever heard one person claim their data was correct (it was in our interview with 2D Boy here). It's not that we don't believe Wii Sports could top the original NES game, we're just skeptical of VGChartz.[Via Joystiq]
Wii Sports is best-selling game of all time, according to VGChartz
We're automatically skeptical of any reports coming out of an organization who uses the letter "Z" to pluralize, but we find it difficult not to believe in a recent finding from VGChartz (sigh), who claim that Wii Sports has surpassed Super Mario Bros. as the best-selling video game of all time. After compiling last week's software sales, they've concluded that Wii Sports has barely crept past the 40.24 million mark that kept SMB on top of the pile for a bajillion years.Of course, its worth noting that both games were bundled with their respective platforms (except in Japan and South Korea, whose Wiis were Sports-less), greatly boosting their sales. We wouldn't be surprised if the report proves to be accurate -- nor would we be shocked if Nintendo is currently looking for the highest, broadest rooftop from which they can proclaim their latest sales triumph.
It's-a Mario World: Classic Secrets
Along with the New Year's celebration comes a heap of (potentially unrealistic) personal resolutions for the future and an equal dose of nostalgic recollection of 2008. You have already seen our 10 Best Games of 2008 and the 10 you should have downloaded among dozens of other annual lists, so your sense of hindsight should be fairly well-attuned during this first weekend of 2009. So where, you might ask, does our Mario fit in?This week we are highlighting some classic Mario game secrets which did not necessarily occur in 2008, but which should nevertheless be recalled during all possible occasions if only to reaffirm our steadfast allegiance. These recollections are like wormholes to our early platforming pasts, histories in which the surprising discovery of a well-hidden 1-up or warp zone could redefine the realm of the possible in the Land of the Mushrooms. Yeah, and they are also reminders of what we were doing earlier today. Now, we are no soothsayers, but it's a good bet that 2009 will be full of more coin-hoarding, cape-rippling good times. For now, though, let's look back at some of the top secret areas of early Mario games. Warp to the gallery! It's-a Mario World is a recurring feature in which the ubiquity of Nintendo's flagship character is celebrated. Check back each week to find out what strange and wonderful thing has us seeing power stars. * * * Links of the week: The beat behind Mario 3! | Aren't the Olympic Games over? | Mario > 2008? | This is a Mario Thermos!
