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games: 20 years of mario

Mario and friends.

Despite all the attention lavished on the PSP recently, and the buzz about the upcoming 360, Nintendo have been busy, busy, busy with a bonanza Christmas slate, including six titles featuring their mascot, Mario, who was 20 a few weeks ago.

Although he appeared in Donkey Kong in the early 80s, it wasn't until the middle of the decade that the then named Jumpman was redubbed "Mario" (apocryphally, after the landlord of Nintendo’s American offices), transformed from a carpenter into a plumber and given his own title. He's done pretty well for Nintendo with 190m Mario games sold to date.

Mario Kart DS and Dancing Stage: Mario Mix.

And he remains a strong focal point for the company’s current batch of releases, starring in, among other things, the totally top-notch Mario Kart DS, a game that even sees Nintendo going online, thanks to its wi-fi capabilities. Yep, use your own router or go to a hotspot and take the racing hijinks online to enjoy the classic tracks, new tracks, new weapons, power-ups and overhauled modes. The game itself is solid, but with the added bonus of what seems to be pretty straightforward online access, it's bonza. ‘Bout time Nintendo got online too.

Elsewhere, the Mario line-up includes Dancing Stage: Mario Mix, Mario Baseball and Mario Smash Football (aka Super Mario Strikers) on GC. Fans of Pro Evo and Fifa, and the sundry EA sports franchises, may not relish Nintendo’s approach to the “beautiful game”, but those of us nonplussed by concerns with complicated leagues and sporting authenticity, have something to enjoy here. The basic business of football has been enlivened by power-up mayhem, fouling as a fine art and a distinctively Nintendo light-hearted approach that’s been compared to SEGA Soccer Slam.

Mario Power Tennis and Mario Baseball.

Meanwhile, the GBA gets two Mario titles – Dr Mario/Puzzle League and Mario Power Tennis. The important thing to remember here is that they can be played on Nintendo's nifty new Micro. Finally acknowledging that punters like gadgets that don't just do the job ably but which look good at the same time, Nintendo seem to have found some savvy designers and produced a highly desirable object that’s ideal for the Christmas stocking, and subsequently the pocket, without unsightly bulges. The screen could have done with a few more millimetres all round, but it's so bright and sharp, playing the almighty Advance Wars 1 and 2 again is a revitalised experience. Yum.

Daniel Etherington 24 November 05

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Read members' comments related to this game.

I can't believe it!

post 174

comment by Dazzard Feb 3, 2006

Whats that got to do with Mario?

I can't believe it!

post 173

comment by torch of shadow Feb 3, 2006

if any one cares

ps2
lotr: 2 towers and return of the king
chaos legion
need for speed most wanted
tony hawks american wasteland
matrix path of neo
x-box
fable (the coolest game ever!!!!!!)
sid miers pirates
star wars knights of the old republic 1and 2
jedi acdamey

and thats all i can be bothered to list