Nintendo All-Stars: Mario
Profile
Mario is the happy-go-lucky hero of the Mushroom Kingdom. His humble appearance belies a courageous heart and nimble movements that help him beat the bad guys and save the princess time and time again.
Early Years
Mario's adventuring career started before he was born, when both he and his brother Luigi were being delivered to his parents by the Stork. A wicked Magikoopa named Kamek had forseen that their future would bring ruin to the Koopas, and snatched them from the stork midflight. By chance, Mario dropped from Kamek's grasp and landed on Yoshi's Island, home of the peaceful Yoshi dinosaurs. They agreed to help Mario, and carried him across the land to where Luigi was hidden - to the prince of the Koopas, Bowser, who was also just an infant. After a huge battle, Mario was finally reunited with Luigi and the stork, who promptly delivered the twins to their parents.
Mario's adventures on Yoshi's Island were not over yet. Yoshi's Island kindegarten was one of the finest in the world, and many babies were sent to the peaceful locale to learn life's basics. But one day, dastardly forces invaded and kidnapped all of the babies. Several were left behind, including Mario. The culprit turned out to be Bowser from the future, who had managed to send himself back in time. With the aid of the Yoshies once again, Mario and co. were able to defeat the future king of the Koopas and rescue all of the children.
It wasn't long before time travel holes appeared all over the land, and Baby Mario was teamed up with grown-up Mario, Baby Luigi and grown-up Luigi, in a fight against an alien race. No doubt the babies learned a lot from their adult selves, and together they saved the day. Baby Mario and Luigi have shown up occasionally in the future Mushroom Kingdom, suggesting they may still be able to pass through time.
Donkey Kong
Mario had grown up and taken a job as a carpenter on a building site. He had a girlfriend named Pauline, and had taken Donkey Kong, who he had known as a child, in as his pet. Unfortunately, Donkey Kong was a stubborn ape, and one day escaped from Mario, and kidnapped Pauline. Climbing to the very top of the building site, he goaded Mario into chasing him. And chase he did - to the top of the skyscraper, through the city, and across the entire land. Eventually cornered at the top of DK Tower, Mario did battle with the ape, and captured him once again.
Returning Donkey Kong to his hideout turned out to be difficult, as Donkey Kong Junior, son of DK, was right behind them. Mario tried to dissuade the little gorilla by throwing all kinds of creatures in his path, but Junior managed to steal all of Mario's keys and free his papa from his cage.
Mario returned to the city and performed some odd jobs for a while, including clearing out the sewers, working in a cement factory, joining the army, and working in demolition. In this last job, he clashed with Foreman Spike, a gruff man who took a temporary rivalry to Mario.
Super Mario
When Mario heard that the distant Mushroom Kingdom was in peril, and Princess Peach had been kidnapped by his childhood rival, Bowser, Mario and his brother Luigi dashed off to help. It was Mario's first time exploring the Mushroom Kingdom, and he discovered Super Mushrooms and Fire Flowers that gave him special abilities. He searched every castle along the way, but always found one of the Toads - Mushroom People who work for Peach. Eventually he found Bowser's real castle, and during the fight, Mario cut the rope bridge they were standing on. Bowser plummeted into the lake of lava, and Mario jumped to Peach's rescue. Eternally grateful, Peach was able to restore peace to her kingdom.
It wasn't the last time Bowser would cause trouble for Mario and the Mushroom Kingdom. He pulled the same tricks again and again, stealing the princess and trying to take over the Mushroom Kingdom, or even the Mushroom World, with the aid of his children. Mario would be called out to save the princess, which he did without complaint.
It wasn't just Bowser who caused him grief. He rescued Princess Daisy of Sarasaland from a terrible fate at the hands of an intergalactic invader named Tatanga, and upon his return to an island affectionately titled Mario Land, he found his old rival Wario had taken over. Mario and Wario did battle with power-ups, but sure enough, Mario won his castle back, and Wario left in search of new castles and new treasures.
Some even greater perils have befallen the land, and Mario has always been the first into action. Smithy, who desired to turn all of the Mushroom World into a factory, was defeated by Mario, Peach, Bowser, and two new friends, Mallow and Geno. When the evil Cackletta from the Beanbean Kingdom tried to conquer the world, Mario and Luigi battled her to the very end. And when the evil Count Bleck tried to destroy all existence, Mario teamed up with Peach, Bowser and Luigi once more in order to bring him down.
Of course, Bowser continues to be a thorn in Mario's side, constantly trying to conquer things, and sometimes he appears simply to goad Mario into a battle. The fight between them will go on long into the future, and Mario will always be the first to rush to the rescue.
Posted by Fryguy64 on 18 November 2007. Mario art © 2007 Fryguy64.
Notable Games
- Donkey Kong (Arcade)
- Donkey Kong Jr. (Arcade)
- Mario Bros. (Arcade)
- Wrecking Crew (NES)
- Super Mario Bros. (NES)
- Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels (NES)
- Super Mario Bros. 2 (NES)
- Super Mario Bros. 3 (NES)
- Super Mario Land (Game Boy)
- Super Mario World (Super NES)
- Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins (Game Boy)
- Donkey Kong (Game Boy)
- Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island (Super NES)
- Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars (Super NES)
- Super Mario 64 (Nintendo 64)
- Paper Mario (Nintendo 64)
- Super Mario Sunshine (Gamecube)
- Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga (Game Boy Advance)
- Mario vs. Donkey Kong (Game Boy Advance)
- Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door (Gamecube)
- Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time (Nintendo DS)
- New Super Mario Bros. (Nintendo DS)
- Yoshi's Island DS (Nintendo DS)
- Super Paper Mario (Wii)
- Super Mario Galaxy (Wii)
