Those who were around at the time will know just how much of a big deal Super Mario 64 was when it released in 1996. It represented not only the first 3D Mario game, but also t?he next step forward in video game technology. It was quite something, I can? assure you.

Fast-forward nearly two decades, and someone is taking the classic N64 game and essentially "demaking" it to run on the Game Boy Advance. Yes, that's right, it's being rebuilt from scratch to run on hardware that's not been on the market since?? 2008/2009 (depending on the region).

In the video above, we get a glimpse of the project in its current state, which is being done by coder Joshua Barretto. A cursory glance shows that we do, indeed, have a recognizable version of Super Mario 64 that's being recreated to run on the GBA.

Super Mario 64: Now with pixels!

According to a report from DSO Gaming, Barretto's demake is utilizing meshes from the Nintend??o DS port of the original game. While it's still very much in de?velopment, keep in mind that this is meant to be running on defunct hardware that was originally released in 2001.

You can check the trajectory of the fan project by going back across some of their older videos. In this one �uploaded just a few weeks ago �we can compar??e and cont??rast. In the footage, we see that Mario himself is just a red triangle; a red triangle with a shadow, mind.

The castle from Mario 64 is still very much prese?nt, but loo??king at the latest video, we can see that Barretto has made quite a lot of progress. In less than two months, they've added in the actual character model, new movement mechanics, a pause menu, better textures, and some bug fixes.

There's even a settings menu, something that wasn't pre??sent on the Nintendo 64 OG. We get to see options for reducing the r??esolution and view distance, plus the ability to disable detailed textures to make the game run smoother.

At the moment, there's no release date for this Game Boy Advance rebuild of Super Mario 64. And, as far as I can tell, it's just coming to the console itself, so you'd need to actually have a GBA to play it. If I had one concern, it's how Nintendo will react if it sees its IP being demade for ancient hardware. I hope they go easy on Barret?to. I'm getting tired of big legal teams bringing their litigation hammers down on regular folk.

The post Check out this demake of Super Mario 64 for the Game Boy ??Advance appeared first on Destructoid.

The Super Mario Bros. Movie sequel’s release date for Japan has been announced. Shigeru Miyamoto, the creator of Mario, announced?? ahead of the Nintendo Direct that the movie will be released on April 26, 2026 in Japan.

The announcement came via a Twitter/X post where Miyamoto added, “We are working with the Illumination team to make it a fun movie, so please continue to look forward to it.�/p>

This confirms that the Mario sequel will actually be released in Japan after its release in the US and other regions. Illumination founder and CEO Chris Meledandri revealed back in March that the sequel to The Super Mario Bros. Movie will be released on April 3, 2026, in the US and other select regions.

It may not come as a surprise, given that The Super Mario Bros. Movie was released firs??t in ?the US on April 5, 2023, before releasing in Japan on April 28, 2024.

While plot details are still anyone’s guess, Miyamoto had said back in March that the team is “thinking about broadening Mario's world further, and it'll have a bright and fun story.�/p>

The Super Mario Bros. Movie sequel wil?l be directed by Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic, and the script wi??ll be written by Matthew Fogel. The movie will be co-produced by Melendandri and Miyamoto. Universal Pictures will be distributing the movie globally.

Nintendo and Illumination’s Mario mo?vie was a blockbuster hit as it grossed $1.36 billion at the global box office, made a $559 million profit, and became the most successful video game movie adaptation of all time.

The post The Super Mario Bros. Movie 2 gets a releas??e da?te in Japan appeared first on Destructoid.

Over the decades, fans have asked numerous questions about Mario's origins as a character, actual plumbing abilities, and even about his last name, which we've previously answered just to get your brain high on very important knowledge. Sometimes, however, we get answers f??or questions nobody would ever think to ask, such as "Does Mario happen to have around 254 more brothers who are not fit to be in the game?". Th?e answer is "Yes, and what a good guess!" Mario has exactly 254 more brothers.

Because of a recent tweet by Supper Mario Broth that revives a 2022 thread from BWGLite, many people are learning a strange little detail in Super Mario Bros: The Lost Levels. The first Super Mario sequel has Luigi (who's just Mario with a different coat of paint that you can play as) and then 254 other iterations of Mario whose fashion sense ?they apparently ?did not vibe with.

This happened because there were only meant to be two playable character sprites: Mario, the one whose value started with "0", and Luigi, who started with "1". The game uses a "brother byte" to determi??ne the brother we're playing as, but a byte holds 256 values in t??otal, which resulted in over two hundred unwanted Mario clones.

To me, if they were just different-colored sprites in a game, I'd? see them as nothing more than cosmetics. But the game's code actually gave them names. Granted, most of those names are wacky number and letter mix-ups, but a rare few seem like they could've been picked by Mario's parents, such as Iolui and Uigiy. This detail makes this example of family erasure so much more heartbreaking.

If you'd like to see what these brothers would look like in classic '80s Mario art style, then you'll probably be happy to ??learn that BWGLite went through the trouble of illustrating them all:

Sadly, there's no mention of any datamining effort discovering similar sprites in any of the other Mario games. I'll just choose to believe that every single one of Mario's brothers that Nintendo didn't see as fit for?? plumbing have since moved to a mushroom farm where they are all very happy and alive.

Join us next time to learn if Bowser has a leaner and mea?ner brother called Wows??er.

The post Did you?? know M?ario and Luigi have 254 cursed doppelganger brothers? appeared first on Destructoid.

When it comes to video games, there are a lot of memorable characters. Outside of their design or role within a game, what makes these characters memorable is their voice, and every one of these comes as a result of a?ctors spending hours in a recording booth. 

There are a lot of voice actors out there, but some are more prolific or memorable than others. Their voices resonate in our heads as part of the characters we come to love whi?le playing, but who’s behind these voices and where else have they appeared?

Joel Miller (The Last of Us) - Troy Baker

Troy Baker might be one of the most well-known voices in video games. He’s not only the voice of Joel in The Last of Us but also Higgs Monaghan in Death Stranding, John Jones in Fortnite, The Joker in Batman: Arkham Origins, and the voice of Snow in multiple Final Fantasy titles, including Final Fantasy XIII.

Harley Quinn (Arkham City) - Tara Strong 

Tara Strong is a voice that’s iconic for multiple generations. To me, she’s Timmy from Fairly Odd Parents. To my daughter, she’s Princess Twilight Sparkle from the My Little Pony franchise. In video games, Tara has played not only Harley Quinn in multiple titles, but you can also hear her voice in Rage, and she’s the voice of Rikku in Kingdom Hearts II.

Snake (Metal Gear Solid) - David Hayter

While David Hayter is perhaps most well known for his role as Snake in the Metal Gear Solid franchise and outside of it in other titles, he’s also appeared as the Winter Soldier in Marvel Heroes, a Jedi Knight in Star Wars: The Old Republic, and has multiple voice roles in the Ghost in the Shell game, released in 1997.

Mario (Multiple) - Charles Martinet

I can’t in all good conscience write this list without including Charles Martinet. His voice simply is Mario to anyone who has ever played a single game of the franchise. However, Mario isn’t Charlesâ€?only voice role in the world of video games. He’s appeared as Orvus in Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time, Vigoro in Skies of Arcadia, and, perhaps surprisingly, The Cat in the Hat in a few titles aimed at kids, such as Dr. Seuss Toddler. 

Asterion (Baldur’s Gate III) - Neil Newbon

If TikTok is to be believed, Neil Newbon is the voice of everybody’s favorite Dom. However, before he was the voice of Asterion, Neil appeared in the Resident Evil games as Karl Heisenberg in Resident Evil Village and Nicholai in Resident Evil Resistance. He also played two roles in Detroit: Become Human, Elijah Kamski and Gavin Reed.

Ezio Auditore (Assassin's Creed II Trilogy) - Roger Craig Smith

Roger Crag Smith, I’m not ashamed to say, played a pivotal role in the formation of my love for gaming. I was, and remain to this day, obsessed with Assassin’s Creed II and will always consider it the best of the Assassin’s Creed titles. However, Roger Craig Smith has appeared in many more video games. He’s played Kale Vandelay and SEB-AAA in Hi-Fi RUSH, Sonic the Hedgehog in multiple titles and Mirage in Apex Legends. Most recently, you might recognize his voice as Mission Control in Helldivers 2.

Tiny Tina (Borderlands) - Ashly Burch

Although most recognizable for her voice as Tiny Tina in the Borderlands games, Ashley Burch has played a lot of memorable characters in other titles. She’s the voice of Aloy in Horizon Zero Dawn, Nebula in Guardians of the Galaxy: The Telltale Series, Mel in The Last of Us Part II, and also provided the voice of Chloe Price in both Life is Strange games. 

Urianger (Final Fantasy XIV) - Timothy Watson

Aside from gracing the world with the purely Shakespearean presence that is Urianger Augurelt in Final Fantasy XIV, Timothy Watson has also appeared in Assassin’s Creed Valhalla as King Burgred, has multiple voice roles in Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age, and played Mumkhar in Xenoblade Chronicles. 

GLaDOS (Portal) - Ellen McClain

The voice of everybody’s favorite psychopathic robot from the Portal games was provided by Ellen McClain, but it wasn’t the first time she provided an iconic robotic female voice in the world of video games. Ellen is also the voice behind the Combine Overwatch AI in Half-Life 2. She also appears in Cyberpunk 2077 as one of Delamain’s split personalities, ??though this one was modeled after ?GlaDOS.

Geralt of Rivia (The Witcher) - Doug Cockle

Doug Cockle is the voice of Geralt in The Witcher game series as well as when Geralt appears in other titles like Soul Caliber VI. He’s also appeared as Bhaal in Baldur’s Gate III, Robert Nightingale in Alan Wake II, and provides multiple additional voices in Horizon Zero Dawn. Outside of gaming, Doug also played the role of Father John Maloney in 2001's Band of Brothers.

The post 10 most iconic video game characte?rs and who voiced them appeared first on Destructoid.

Many video game characters are present in our minds every day, due to our beloved memories of playing their games or their iconic personalit?ies. From Vault Boy's memorab?le smile to Mario's bright overalls, here are the most iconic video game characters, ranked.

10. Vault Boy

This could be recency bias, but Vault Boy is much more iconic than he used to be, partially thanks to the Amazon Fallout TV show. This figure is seen in the fictional propaganda from the United St??ates government, before the universe's nuclear fallout occurred. He adorns all the tutorials for players in the game and has a s??mile that you can't forget.

He's on shirts, mugs, and there are many toys based on the character, including an odd rubber duck figure. Overall, his design works so well because he perfectly enc?apsulates the cheesy advertising we'd expect from the mid-20th century to an almost creepy extent.

9. Crash Bandicoot

WOAH! Crash Bandicoot is the first PlayStation mascot who truly took a stand to Nintendo's might. Calling out Nintendo o?utside their HQ wi?th a speakerphone in an infamous ad campaign, this marsupial is an iconic character from the '90s.

The difficult, yet well-crafted level design in his PS1 trilogy of games made him stand out even more. His tongue-in-cheek attitude was more appealing to older fans who have moved on from Nintendo, and while he's less in the limelight nowadays, Crash Bandicoot's remake N'Sane Trilogy sold over 10 million copies worldwide.

8. Cloud Strife

He's dreamy. He's strong. But most of all, Final Fantasy 7's Cloud is iconic to many, especially those who grew up during the original PlayStation era. With his impressive Buster Sword, he is a mighty hero facing a devastating villain known as Sephiroth. He may be tough and quiet in the beginning, but as the story unveils itself, he becomes a relatable hero as he learns to open up more. The spiky yellow hair and green eyes also make him stand out among the rest, especially with his updated appearance in Final Fantasy 7 Remake and Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth.

7. Link

The Hero o?f Time is an iconic character within the gaming landscape. His green tunic, Hylian Shield, and ?of course the Master Sword are all distinct visual signifiers in their own right.

Link acts as our view into the world of The Legend of Zelda. And yes, he might not speak a single word, but Nintend??o captures his personality through his yells and physical communication. The blonde hero solves tough puzzles with cool items, gadgets, masks, and more, and triumphs over evil in ?the end.

6. Lara Croft

While many scoff at BAFTA's list of most iconic video game characters for having Lara Croft in first place, she is still an important figure in the industry's history. She's arguably the most popular female protagonist in video games. The Tomb Raider games were critically acclaimed and sold millions. She was featured in many advertisements for Pepsi, Lucozade, and other brands; I vividly remember seeing them as a kid. She even had her own movies starring the popul??ar? Angelina Jolie, in a time video game adaptations weren't common.

Lara Croft proved to many that a strong female protagonist can lead a successful video game franchise. It has sold over 95 million copies since her debut in?? the '90s. She and her dual pistols are iconic.

5. Pac-Man

Before there was Mario or Sonic, Pac-Man ruled through conquering arcades. His high-score-focused game took over the world. "Pac-Man sold 400,000 gaming cabinets to arcades around the world and made $3.5 billion in lifetime sales by 1990," according to Statista.

In a world before consoles, that's a huge number. While his presence isn't as well-known nowadays, you can still buy plenty of merchandise from stores like a Lego version of the cabinet, watch his Disney TV show, and of course, play the exciting World's Largest Pac-Man in modern arcades today. He even got a cameo spot as a Super Smash Bros. Ultimate character.

4. Master Chief

Locked and loaded, Master Chief took over the gaming zeitgeist when Halo: Combat Evolved was released in 2001. This armored hero has been Xbox's figurehead for over two decades, leading one of the most popular sci-fi storylines in gaming?. The green suit and viso??r is iconic, as millions of players stepped into his boots for the campaign and took part in online multiplayer. He is a figurehead for the Xbox era of gaming, as we shifted more towards multiplayer.

The Super Bowl Halo 3 trai?ler still stands as some of the best marketing a game has received with impressive visuals??, and Master Chief right in the center of the action. He's a badass.

3. Sonic the Hedgehog

Going "faster, faster, faster" has always been riveting in the Sonic the Hedgehog games. Sonic's depicted as the "cool" mascot next to Nintendo's cheerful Italian plumber. He spins on the floor, can dash through the air at breakneck speeds, and runs aroun??d the Green Hill Zone with no problem. He even wags his tail at the title screen and taps his foot if you leave the game idle.

Most of his games, especially the original tetralogy, have memorable stages, music, and boss battles that remain in our memories. He's even a popular movie character, making over $700 million at the box office with two films. A third Sonic film is on the way, with Keanu Reeves voicing Shadow. Sonic is ?likely to spindash on our c?onsoles and mobile systems for many more decades to come.

2. Pikachu

The most adorable creature ever created, Pikachu, takes the second spot. Characterized heavily by the anime in popular culture, this Pokémon is beloved?? for its bright red cheeks, lightning (or heart)-shaped tail, and cute voice by the talented Ikue Ōtani. Y??ou just want to reach out to this electrical mouse and pet its fur, hence why so much merchandise like plush has been released.

This particular creature is so popular that it has five of its own games: Pokémon Yellow, Pokémon Let's Go: Pikachu, Detective Pikachu, Detective Pikachu Returns, and the infamous Hey You, Pikachu! The last game has you ??speak to the Pokémon th?rough a microphone and interact with it on the Nintendo 64.

The electric mouse even starred in a movie, Detective Pikachu, with Ryan Reynolds lending his voice to the Pokémon. According to The Numbers, the?? film's? box office growth is over $425 million. It certainly caught us all.

1. Mario

Wahoo! Mario is the most iconic video game character, without a doubt. He helped bring back a love for video games after the crash in the '80s with thrilling platforming and ingenious marketing. He took the world by storm with one stellar game after another. When a new mainline Mario game is announced, it's a huge deal to the gaming?? community.

Nintendo was "playing with power," as the Italian plumber warmed everyone's hearts with his plucky attitude and smile. He has remained a cultural icon, from his style to his voice, performed by C??harles Martinet. The whimsical tone and funny Italian accent Martinet provided added so much to the role.

When Chris Pratt was announced as the voice of Mario for The Super Mario Bros. movie, almost everyone scoffed at the idea. However, the Illumination film was beloved by a wide audience around the world, breaking over $1.35 billion at the box office, according to The Numbers. Mario is simply iconic.

The post 10 most iconic video game characters, ranked appeared first on Destructoid.

All true gamers know that Cloud's last name is Strife, Lara's last name is Croft, and Sonic's last name is Hedgehog. So, it's wild that few seem to know the last name of Mario, the second most famous video game character of all time.

The answer isn't a simple one t??o give �because Mario somehow only got a last name many years into his life, but we do have the definite answer �and the hilarious story behind it.

What is Mario's last name?

Mario and Luigi's last name is Mario, meaning that Mario's full name is Mario Mario, an?d Luigi's is Luigi Mario. It might sound like I got hacked while writing this, so please allow me to give you the full bonkers story to back it up.

Mario began his life as Mr. Video, which then evolved to Jumpman, a sprite that Mr. Miyamoto said existed to have guest appearances in other games, as he does in Donkey Kong. Then, with Miyamoto's smart de??cision to turn the sprites whose shoes we filled into actual characters we could identify with, he turned ??Jumpman into Mario, the pretty unorthodox plumber we all know and love.

Miyamoto named Mario after the landlord of Nintendo of America's warehouse from back in t??he day. His name? Mario Segale. So, if you want to be?? annoyingly technical about it, you can believe that Mario's first unmentioned last name was Segale.

It was only in 1993 that Mario got his last name. What's funny is that this important piece of canon didn't come from a beloved game, but rather from the undeservingly loathed and totally non-canon Super Mario Bros. movie.

And, like, it just makes sense. If they're the Mario brothers, that's because Mario is their last name. We don't immediately get it just because when we hear Super Mario, our brains instantly trick us into picturing one super guy who??se first name is ??Mario.

For the longest time, it was a great joke in a movie. One that even Miyamoto admitted in 2012 made him laugh out loud, but it was only that. Both Miyamoto and even the late great Satoru Iwata publicly assured fans that neither Mario nor Luigi had a last name.

Then, in 2015, something changed. Miyamoto appeared at a celebration of Mario's 30th anniversary and announced that, after all, Mario and Luigi do have a last name, and it's Mario. Did Miyamoto change his mind because both he and Iwata just found it too funny to not just make it true? We ??may never learn the answer to that question, but that would make for a g?reat page in the book of game development canon.

Don't believe me?? Here's the real Charles Martinet-voiced Mario Mario himself proving me right.

Tune in next time to learn if Sonic's first name really is Maurice, and whether Link's last name is Link or Zelda!

The post Do we know Mario and Luigi’s last name? appeared first on Destructoid.

It's not time to barrel roll; instead, you should be celebrating by eating a Swiss roll as Nintendo Swit??ch Online has added a bunch of adorable Holiday profile icons. You can use your silver coins on the service's dedicated a?pp to get them.

The Happy Holidays section of the Missions & Rewards tab has a bunch of festive Mario icons, as well as characters like Link, Isabelle, a Splatoon Inkling, and Pikmin for 10 Platinum?? Points each. Icons aren't the only gifts ava??ilable on this tab. You can get some lovely holiday backgrounds with festive colors and patterns.

You'll want to be quick, however. These seasonal rewards will only last until December 25 at 4:59 p.m. Pacific. Make sure you get on the Nintendo Switch? Online app and redeem them before it's too late.

Take advantage of the Switch eShop holiday sale, too

Beyond these holiday profile icons, there's also a winter sale going on in the Nintendo eShop. Until December 3, you can get a 33% discount on games like Luigi's Mansion 3 and Super Mario Odyssey. Bayonetta 3's 30% off too. One of my favorite Nintendo games of the year Fire Emblem Engage (yes, it did com??e out in 2023!) has a 30% discount?? as well.

The post Nintendo ??Switch Online adds cute holiday-themed profile icons appeared first on Destructoid.

Do you ever wonder what it would be like if someone commented on every decision you made in Mario? Well, according to a recent Super Mario Bros. Wonder developer interview, the idea of live commentary was teste?d?? for the game.

Takashi Tezuka, a producer on Wonder, asked the game's programming director, Shiro Mouri, about the concept during the game's development. From there, the team "actually spent about six months seriously d??eveloping live commentary," according to Nintendo's Koichi Hayashida, in hopes of adding voices that matched the player's actions.

During development, a generic "newscaster" voice and a "Tsundere" option were entertained. A Japanese adjective, Tsundere is usually attributed towards a person or personality that's cold and harsh with glimpses of affection. Popular examples include Asuka from Neon Genesis Evangelion and Rukia from Bleach.

"In fact, ?according to ou??r play test records, quite a few people were switching to the Tsundere commentary," said Mouri, which prompted laughs from the team.

A Pipe Dream

Unfortunately, Tezuka—one of the supporters of the idea—realized that "if we were to do this commentary featu??re seriously, just the process of creating voice variations alone would've involved a tremendous amount of work." The idea was dropped but the concept led to the creation of the Talking Flowers, which give the player comments when roaming the Flower Kingdom.

"We thought the ??gameplay might be more enjoyable if the Talking Flowers speak to you and you can resonat?e with what they're saying," said Tezuka.

"They've got some funny lines like, 'Make sure you're getting your veggies!' as a parent might say," added Masanobu Sato, Super Mario Bros. Wonder's a??rt director. "I think it's a fun experience for tho??se watching the player too."

The idea of live commentary in-game isn't a far-fetched idea. In fact, 2023's Street Fighter VI had one for their fighting gameplay, even going as far as having different languages. Farther than that, 2019's Rage 2 collaborated with different YouTubers to be commentators for its FPS shooter. Regardless, it's fun to think that Wonder might have been more in line with a sports match. Maybe they can be the Delfino Dolphins. Or maybe the Kansas City Koopalings? One can only wond?er.

Just recently, Kevin Afghani was announced as the new voice for Mario and Luigi in Super Mario Bros. Wonder, so we did technically get some new commentary. Our very own Timothy Monbleau gave the game a 9 in his glowing review, citing the game's ambition and fun gameplay. Super Mario Bros. Wonder launches on October 20 on Nintendo Switch.

The post Super Mario Bros. Wonder team once experimented with live comm?entary appeared first on Destructoid.

I’ve waited 30 years for Nintendo to release a game like Super Mario Bros. Wonder.

In the early days of the plumber’s signature franchise, each game was branded with a sequential number. Most of us are familiar with the original NES trilogy (squabbles about the “realâ€?Super Mario Bros. 2 notwithstanding), but slightly less known is that Super Mario World was actually labeled as â€?em>Super Mario Bros. 4â€?in Japan. However, after this fourth mainline entry, the series took a sharp turn away from that classic side-scrolling style. Super Mario World 2: Yoshi’s Island is a stellar game, but it's not one that I nor Nintendo consider a mainline Mario game. And with Super Mario 64, it appeared that the moustached he??ro’s future was now firmly in the third dimension.

We, of course, got a return to classic side-scrolling with the New Super Mario Bros. series. Yet, while I enjoyed these games, they felt like filler content after the first Nintendo DS installment. Super Mario Bros. 3 and World weren’t legendary games because you could stomp on Koopas and go down pipes. Rather, they were special because they were filled to the brim with inventive level design and creative challenges. They contained secrets within secrets that encouraged you to explore. Each game offered tight, impeccably crafted platforming overflowing with imagination. For the longest time, I truly believed we’d never see another 2D Mario game like these.

But now, I’m beyond happy to tell you all that this hiatus of fantastic side-scrolling Mario titles is finally over. Not only is Super Mario Bros. Wonder a spectacular game, but it's also the first title I would happily call Super Mario Bros. 5.

Super Mario Bros. Wonder (Switch)
Developer: Nintendo
Publisher: Nintendo
Released: October 20, 2023
MSRP: $59.99

You can feel it all over

Super Mario Bros. Wonder kicks things off by throwing Mario and the gang right into the Flowe??r Kingdom. Where the Flower Kingdom exists in relation to the Mushroom Kingdom, I can’t tell you. But they might as well be one and the same because Bowser's here regardless, and this time he's used the elusive power of the kingdom's Wonder Flower to merge with a castle. Yes, that's literally our story this time around. Faced with psychedelic powers that they presumably will never understand, Mario and his gang of friends/princesses/pets/Nabbit rush off to rid Bowser of his immense power and restore peace to this place we were introduced to five minutes ago.

I’m going to go out on a limb and assume you know that story generally isn’t the selling point of mainline Mario games. The emphasis is instead on the overarching landscape and the places you’ll explore. Relative to past Mario games, I’d say the Flower Kingdom is basically good. The overworld sits somewhere between Mario 3 and World, featuring a healthy amount of secret paths while retaining a mostly linear structure. Each individual world has its own identity this time around, which often makes the act of simply finding levels a game on its own. That sense of discovery from the classic Mario titles is alive and well here.

I will say that Super Mario Bros. Wonder doesn’t quite capture the scale and spectacle that most mainline Mario games boast. It doesn’t have that moment of, say, discovering New Donk City or flying through space as a stirring orchestra plays. Don’t get me wrong, the Flower Kingdom is way superior to anything in the New Super Mario Bros. series. But as visually clean as the game is, the overarching identity isn’t quite as strong as, say, the stage play aesthetic of Super Mario Bros. 3. Fortunately, that’s one of the harshest criticisms I've ?got.

Living in a pastime paradise

The real meat and potatoes of a Mario game is its level design and holy stromboli does Super Mario Bros. Wonder deliver absolute quality.

In other side-scrollers, including some Mario games, you might see entire worlds based around a central gimmick. For example, if a world has quicksand you slowly sink into, you might expect several levels exploring all the possibilities of this mechanic. Super Mario Bros. Wonder looks at that tradition, smacks it across the face, and makes any game following the old convention look like a joke by comparison. Almost every level in Wonder introduces at least one fresh idea that’s specific to that stage. Wh??ether it’s a new enemy type, a new obstacle, or even something that bends the genre of the game itself, you are constantly seeing new things.

It's not just the quantity of ideas, either, but the quality as well. Even something as simple as a single new enemy type completely changes the way you interact with a level. Yet because the game constantly introduces new gimmicks and mechanics, I always felt like I was on my toes, even in the most banal situations. By the time I finished the first world in Super Mario Bros. Wonder, I'd seen the type of variety that easily sustains?? a lesser game. That’s the scale of what we’re talking a?bout here.

And that’s before you even get into the central Wonder Flower mechanic, which amplifies the element of surprise even further. For those just tuning in, Wonder Flowers are best described as complete surprise boxes hidden in most stages. Getting one changes its respective stage in unpredictable ways, usually increasing the difficulty in some small way. The Wonder Flower effects run an absolute gauntlet of ideas, often completely mixing up the way you interact or look at the space around you. I legitimately can’t think of a single Wonder Flower gimmick that I didn’t at least like.

Due to spoiler considerations, I have to keep it to vague terms around the levels and Wonder Flower effects. But even if I wanted to reveal everything, I’d need to spend another 5,000 words describing all the ideas Super Mario Bros. Wonder packs in its design. It is just hit after hit after hit, with maybe only a couple of levels I could have ??done without. I legitimately don’t ??know how anyone could be bored playing this.

As now can’t reveal the mystery of tomorrow

Fortunately, rock-solid core mechanics back up Wonder's stellar level design. I’ve seen some speculate that Super Mario Bros. Wonder has the same physics as the New series games, which I can safely refute. I actually popped in New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe after finishing Wonder, and I was shocked by the difference. While things like jump arcs might be similar, Mario and friends have much tighter controls here. I’d say movement is closer to Super Mario World while retaining modern staples like wall jumping and the like. Wonder is an absolute joy to control, even if you aren’t engaged i?n any wildly inventive mechanics.

The new power-ups add quite a bit of flavor to the experience as well. The standout here is the Elephant for?m, which gives you a melee attack at the cost of a wider hitbox. It’s a fun tradeoff between positive and negative effects, but fortunately, Elephant form never felt cumbersome to play either. Meanwhile, the Bubble power-up seems to exist to help both the most ca??sual and hardcore players. The bubble attacks are powerful but kind of slow, so I’d only use it offensively in very specific situations. However, since you can bounce off bubbles you launch, I imagine speedrunners will find fun ways to use this form.

Finally, the Drill power-up is more of a “use this to find secrets�kind of pickup. By digging into the ground or the roof, you'll typically uncover nooks and crannies you'd be completely locked out of otherwise. You could compare it to the Mini Mushroom from the New Super Mario Bros. series in that respect, though the Drill is at least a bit more useful in standard play. Honestly, this one might be better than I give credit for, it just feels wrong to try to take out enemies by jumping up into them.

I really appreciate that the new toys in Wonder aren’t particularly redundant. For example, Bubble initially looks similar to the Fire Flower, but the downward arc and rapid fire of the fireballs still make it pre??ferable in many situations. Each power-up adds new ways to look at each stage, even if the level design only occasionally tests the limits of what they can do.

Don't you worry 'bout a thing

Super Mario Bros. Wonder also adds a few new supplemental systems to the mix. The Badge system is the most obvious addition, taking some influence from the recently reinvigorated Paper Mario series. These add bonus perks to Mario’s moveset, rang??ing from a parachute that lets you slow your fall speed to more passive effects like a coin magnet. Badges ride a fine line, as they? expand your movement capabilities while working hand-in-hand with the aforementioned power-ups.

The game doesn’t typically demand using certain Badges to find secrets or anything, but? they do help on o??ccasion. I spent most of my time with a go-to Badge equipped, but I enjoyed experimenting with other picks to make specific optional objectives easier.

The addition of a passive online mode also makes an appearance here. You’ll occasionally see the ghosts of other players floating around, as well as standees you can strategically place to help revive other players or point out secrets. I didn’t get to test this much during the pre-release period, but the small interactions I had with others were pretty fun. I got the sense that the online features in Wonder are more to alleviate the difficulty than to add new dynamic gameplay, though. This isn’t a hard game by any means, but I could see someone totally new to side-scrollers having trouble here. The online features should make the game beatable by even absolute beginners, with the hunt to 100% Wonder reserved for those more serious about Mario games.

I do feel like more could be done with the online infrastructure. Obviously, the inclusion of real online co-op would be welcome. Yet even that aside, it’s a shame that the game allows for things like racing friends in courses online, but treats it as more of a sideshow feature. The level design and variety is just so good in Wonder that I’d love more reasons to revisit it. Even something as simple as leaderboards for each level would go a long way and potentially establish more communit??y. This isn’t really a detriment, just wishful thinking, honestly.

Keep me in a daydream, keep me goin' strong

Typically, when I’m collecting my thoughts for a review, I tend to lean towards criticisms and nitpicks. My philosophy is that I’d rather put all my apprehensions on the table so that you, the reader, can decide if a game is going to entertain you or grate on you. I’ve tried to do that a bit here, and I’ll also note that the boss encounters in Super Mario Bros. Wonder may not be the best, either. They get the job done, don’t get me wrong. But even the final boss encounter felt relatively restrained with how wacky the game gets with the Wonder Flower effects. Wonder never really feel?s bad, but? some parts are maybe just okay.

But when I think about how I felt actually playing Super Mario Bros. Wonder, all those criticisms just float away from my mind. Of all the smash hit video games released this year, Super Mario Bros. Wonder is the only title that I legitimately had a hard time putting down. The levels are just so consistently fantastic that I wan??ted to always see what was waiting for me ahead. By the time I had hunted down every secret and saw all that ??there was to see, I actually felt sad the experience was over.

I do think, in some small ways, Wonder could be more than what it is. But what's already there is so good that I’m not sure if many people will really mind. I honestly went into this one with tepid expectations. But within about an hour of playing, I realized Ni?ntendo has truly crafted something special here.

Super Mario Bros. Wonder is the first Mario game in literal decades to live up to the plumber’s legendary 2D platforming legacy. It is a return to levels overflowing with creativity, a world rich with secrets to uncover, and controls that make the mere act of movement fun. Whether Wonder exceeds or meets the quality of Super Mario Bros. 3 or World is for the fans to deb?ate. But that aside, I’m confident in saying that Mario’s latest adventure is one of the best side-scrollers you’ll find on the Switch. Long live 2D Mario!

_{[This review is based on a retail build of the game provided by the publisher.]}

The post Review: Super Mario Bros. Wonder appeared first on Destructoid.

Super Mario Bros. Wonder is set to debut on the Switch on October 20, and it's looking incredibly colorful and sleek. But if you're looking for some?thing a little…older, this fan-made commercial should do the trick.

Straight from the mind of the YouTube channel Luiz do Comercial, this video is a blast from the past. Aimed at recreating the somber yet powerful aesthetic of 1988, the clip reimagines the modern Super Mario Wonder as a classic NES game. In case you're wonde??ring, yes, they do the "Now You're Playing with Power" slogan at the end.

In a fascinating turn, the creator notes that the inspiration came from an unlikely place: a retro remake concept of Mario Wonder by Nimaginendo Games. It also draws upon elements of Mario 2, including the in-game visuals. As Luiz notes: ?"This was a very audacious project, because in addition to the 3D and 2D, I had to do all the pixel art fo??r the supposed NES game!"

These bits of nostalgia really work on me

Given that I was around for the height of the NES' success in America, these types of fan-made projects speak to me in a big way. This ?one, in particular, is really spot on, from the hazy '80s/'90s viewing experience to the booming horror-like voiceover effect.

It brings me back to a time when we were constantly advertised to by a faceless void-like entity; before the attitude-ridden '90s ca??me along and changed things considerably. By then, people were on-screen screaming in our faces. Game marketing is a fascinat?ing microcosm of weirdness!

[Thanks Rob!]

The post Thi??s fan-made retro-fied Mari?o Wonder commercial is lovely appeared first on Destructoid.

I didn't need to play much of Mario Kart Tour to find out it's not for me: but even if you're still enjoying it, the race is coming to an end in the near future. According to a new in-game notification straight from Nintendo (via OatmealDome), new content for Mario Kart Tour will cease to come out from October 4, 2023 onward.

Here's the full wording from Nintendo:

"From 10/04/2023 (Wed) on, tours will consist of content from tours that have appeared before. Note: No new courses, drivers, karts, or gliders will be ??added following the Battle Tour starting 10/04/2023 (Wed). We hope you continue to enjoy playing Mario Kart Tour."

Well, that's pretty definitive! I love how Nintendo clarified "co?urses, drivers, karts, or gliders" just to let folks know that there is no hope of new content co?ming to the game post-October. This is just a few weeks following the fourth anniversary of the game's release on September 25, 2019.

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe will carry on the legacy of Mario Kart Tour's few bright spots

Funnily enough, a good chunk of the game's courses have already been ported over to Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, so even when the microtransaction-filled game goes offline entirely, its legacy will still live on in some form. Even though it kicked off years ago, it's still so weird to see Nintendo getting into the mobile game with gacha fodder and loot boxes.

The post Mario Kar??t Tour is ending new content drops after October appeared first on Destructoid.

Given the sheer length of time Mario has been around, it's not surprising that people are able to beat the original Super Mario Bros. in record time. Speedrunning is a huge part of the gam??ing community, and the iconic Nintendo game is close ??to having the perfect run.

Over on YouTube, runner Niftski has set a new world record, beating Super Mario Bros. in just 4:54.631. Watching the challenge itself is quite spectacular, but if you're curious as?? to why they're so el??ated when they finish the game, it's due to how near-perfect the run was.

//youtu.be/Khu9BB2g4Ks

You see, according to Niftski, someone just needs to shave off 0.366 seconds ??(or 22 frames) for it to be the absolute fastest �the literal limit �anyone can beat the classic platformer. Until now, this time was deemed?? impossible for human hands. But now a "new era" has begun for the speedrunning community.

Heart-pumping stuff

According to GamesRadar,? this particular run is impressive because of something called "framerule." This is, as the report says, the "hidden in-game timer that checks every 21 frames to see if you've completed a level."

There's a 45-minute breakdown of how this works from YouTuber Summoning Salt, if you're interested in learning more. Suffice it to say, Niftski's rec?ord sets a new bar for others who want that perfect speedrun.

Speedrun.com has validated this latest run, which puts it just 0.233 seconds ahead of second place. Things are only going to get tighter, and it's going to be interesting to see who can come along and essentially do a frame-perfect run of Mario.

The post Super Mario speedruns are cl?ose to perfection, as a new world record is achieved appeared first on Destructoid.

After stepping down as the voice of Mario and preparing for his new role as Mario Ambassador, Charles Martinet has a message for fans. With help from creator Shigeru Miyam??oto, the longtime voice of Mario took a moment to introduce h??is new role and gush about how much he loves all the people who have supported him as Mario over the years.

The video starts with a hearty, "It's a-me, Charles!," as Martinet effortlessly lea??ps into the iconic voices of multiple characters. It's a bittersweet reminder that we'll no longer hear him as Mario, Luigi??, Wario, and Waluigi. While he won't be doing those voices in games, his new role will allow him to continue meeting with fans. Martinet calls this a "great, great honor" and says he's looking forward to seeing folks at events around the world.

Miyamoto follows that intro with some reminiscing about the first time he met Martinet, who has been voicing Mario since Super Mario 64 in 1996. He fondly recalls filming videos with Martinet and how he prioritized pu??tting smiles on faces. Check out the full message from Martinet and Miyamoto below.

//twitter.com/NintendoAmeri?ca/status/1699784766932029753

Leaping into a new era

During a recent appearance at Galaxy Con Austin, it seemed Martinet knew about as much about his new role as the rest of us. Miyamoto offered additional details, adding that the actor will meet with fans, perform familiar voices at events, sign autographs, and have a blast interacting with everyone. Martinet responded with a loving "Thank you so much, Papa!" emphasizing his unwavering enthusiasm for meeting Mario fans. 

"All that I'm here to do is to touch your hearts, to make you smile and to make you laugh, and bring a little bit of that magic of happiness," Martinet exclaimed. I think it's safe to say he's accomplished that mission. 

[caption id="attachment_402620" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot via Nintendo[/caption]

As for what's next, Nintendo remains tight-lipped about the new era of Mario voices. Miyamoto simply stated that, starting in October with Super Mario Bros. Wonder, "the voices of some Mario characters have become new." Hopefully, we'll find out more about who's stepping into those timeless overalls soon. In the meantime, it sounds like Martinet is going to have plenty of opportunities to remind everyone that it's still a-him who gave Mario his unforgettable voice. 

The post Charles Martinet clarifies Mario Ambassador role with help fro??m Shigeru Miyamoto appeared first on Destructoid.

He's still a-him

Years ago I met Charles Martinet at E3. We shot a quick video where I said "It's a-you?" and he shrieked "It's a-me!" in the voice. I was so taken aback that I said "Holy Sh*t!" - He immediately took me aside and asked me not to post the video, as it would be inappropriate for children. We ended up posting it anyway, with my swear bleeped out, and it was a cute, hopefully inoffensive bit of fun. But what I really took away from that moment is how much Charles Martinet cares about his fans. He wants to fill their hearts with hope and joy, and not whatever the opposite of those two things is. That may be why we still haven't heard exactly why he's no longer the voice of Mario in the games.

This video posted yesterday from Galaxy Con Austin is the closest we've come to getting an idea of what's actually going on here. The first thing to note is Charles Martinet can still do the voice. He effortlessly, and maybe even unconsciously, goes in and out of it throughout the interview. Also early on, he makes a point about how when acting, it's best not to think about if you're doing it "right" or not, or if the people you are auditioning for like what you're doing. It's better, he says, to just be in the moment an??d ful?ly embody the character that you're playing, which for Mario, means being "silly and fantastic and having fun". You can see why he loves what he does (or did, depending on where things go from here.)

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=H5ZticrdoMA

What does a Mario Ambassador actually do?

Then at around 11:30 the topic of being a Mario Ambassador comes up. Martinet says:

"So I'm now, you may have seen the news, I'm a Mario Ambassador. I don't know what that is yet [laughs]. I'm not retired as it were, as I don't know how... but I'm an ambassador, and as we step into the future, we'll learn, we'll all learn, what exactly that is. But in the meantime, I'll be ambassiding as I always am. I'm always an ambassador of Nintendo and Mario at all these events because I just cherish every moment of ??it. And I hope your love of the games continues and grows the way ??mine does, so [Mario Voice] Thank you so much![/Mario Voice]. Now lets ask a couple questions, go ahead, but don't ask me about the ambassadorship. I don't know anything about it! And don't ask me about the movie because I haven't seen it yet. Don't tell me what happens!"

To me, this does not sound like a guy who decided to stop playing the role of Mario. But knowing Charles, he wouldn't ?want to cast a shadow of negativity over Nintendo, Mario, or anything else by saying he was "forcibly retired" or outright fired from the role. And it's possible an NDA is holding him back from saying more as well. To be frank, I'm not expecting to hear a lot more from Martinet or Nintendo on this. The time to explain what happened has come and gone. ?At this point, both Martinet and Nintendo are focused on "stepping into the future".

So all we can do is speculate. My guess is that Nintendo saw the Mario movie make over a billion dollars without Martinet in th??e lead role, and took that as a sign that it's safe to move on to someone new. When Chris Pratt was cast as Mar?io in the film adaptation, many scoffed. But his tap water, everyman style turned out to be exactly what a lot of people wanted. At times in the film when he imitated Martinet's voice; those moments elicited cheers from the crowd in my theater. For me, these moments drove home how the guy I saw on screen was not Mario. He was just another fan of Mario who loved imitating him,  just like everyone i?n the audience had at one point or another. In a meta sort of way, that made the movie Mario t?he most relatable version of the guy yet.

[caption id="attachment_402296" align="alignnone" width="640"] Phot Credit: Nintendo[/caption]

Some critics also said that Martinet's voice also wouldn't work for a movie with a lot of dialogue, and that the cartoonish-ly thick Italian accent and moments of extreme falsetto would become grating. I don't agree with that at all (and he could just tone it down if that were the case), but it could be that these critics are thinking what Nintendo's thinking too. In Super Mario Bros. Wonder, the yet-to-be-named new voice of Mario sounds a lot like? he's doing a Martinet imp?ression, not unlike the one Pratt did here and there in the movie. But it could be that in the future, Nintendo will want to make a game where Mario has a lot more dialogue. In that case, I'd expect this new actor will do more of a Chris Pratt impression than a Charles Martinet impression for the job.

Unless the role in the games has gone to Pratt himself. That would be quite the last-minute marketing bombshell to drop on fans before Wonder goes on sale in October.

The post Charles Martinet still loves doing the Mario voice, doesn’t know what a Mario Ambassador is yet appeared first on Destructoid.

With the launch of today’s Super Mario Bros. Wonder-focused direct, Nintendo showed off 15 minutes of footage for the upcoming title. Some of the reveals covered details we already knew. For example, four player local co-op was a given. However, we also got to see some pretty wild features, too. Having strangers revive you online? A Badge system that lets you equip new abilities? Yoshis riding Yoshis!?

You can check out an archive of the streamed video below. However, for th?ose on a schedule who just want the details, here’s the most notable news we saw.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=G0m_uNaSres

The Super Mario Bros. Wonder Direct recap

• Bowser is back to harass the Flower Kingdom, this time he’s literally a castle.
• Game will feature “seven areas.â€?Each world features open areas that let you play levels in any order.
• Flowers will talk to you. I don’t know why. Sometimes they’ll give you coins.
• You can play as Mario, Luigi, Peach, Daisy, Yellow Toad, Blue Toad, and Toadette. They all play identically.
• Meanwhile, you can also select four different-colored Yoshis or Nabbit. They won’t take damage, but they also can’t transform with power-ups. Yoshis also have their trademark ability to eat enemies and spit them out.
• Other players can ride Yoshi players. Including other Yoshis.
• A variety of new enemies with unique properties will return alongside familiar creatures.
• Touching Wonder Flowers makes the world go trippy. This will feature unpredictable effects, like turning you into a Goomba or making you walk on the background. Collecting Wonder Seeds will return stages to normal, and you can use these to unlock new stages.

[caption id="attachment_400671" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot via Nintendo Twitch[/caption]

New powers

• The game features three distinct new power-ups.
  • Elephant form gives you a melee attack with your trunk. Water can be stored in your trunk to spit out at flowers and foes. You can also run across gaps that are two tiles wide without falling into them.
  • Bubble lets you shoot bubbles in what I can only hope is a Bubble Bobble reference. Bubbles can float through walls and strike normally impervious foes (like Dry Bones), turning them into coins. You can also bounce off bubbles.
  • Drill fulfills my lifelong dream of watching Mario pierce the heavens. It lets you jump up and hit enemies that would normally hurt you. It also lets you drill downward and burrow into the ground. Ceiling burrowing also works.
• You can hold a spare power-up a la Super Mario World.

[caption id="attachment_400673" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot via Nintendo Twitch[/caption]

The Badge system

• As you progress through the game, you’ll unlock equippable Badges. Powers include a parachute to slow falls, crouching high jumps (Super Mario Bros. 2 style), and a vine that works like a grappling hook.
• Only one Badge can be equipped per course, though you can swap out your Badge upon losing a life.
• The Badge screen showed 24 slots, so at least that many Badges exist in the game.
• Badges can be obtained through special Badge Courses. You can also buy them from shops.

[caption id="attachment_400674" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot via Nintendo Twitch[/caption]

Multiplayer madness

• Four player co-op returns.
• Defeated players won’t result in a lost life right away. Instead they’ll turn into a ghost, which another player can save by jumping to them within a time limit. No lives will be lost if a player is saved.
• You can connect online, where you’ll see other players in real time. The direct calls them “Live Player Shadows.â€?This includes both on the overworld and in levels.
• Live Player Shadows can save each other in stages if they spot someone as a ghost.
• You can also emote to other players and share items.
• Players can also place “Standeesâ€?in certain courses. These cardboard cutouts work as free revive points for other players to float to if they're in ghost form. Standees can be purchased with in-game currency, though the Direct implies which one you’ll get will be random.
• Helping other players increases your “Heart Points,â€?which will appear above Standees.
• You can create rooms with friends so you can play together as Live Player Shadows. This unlocks the option to play “Friend Races,â€?which involves your group competing to clear stages the fastest or accomplish set objectives.

[caption id="attachment_400675" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot via Nintendo Twitch[/caption]

I Wonder what they’ll think of next

Overall, Super Mario Bros. Wonder looks to be much its own thing according to the Direct. On the surface, there are certainly similarities to the New Super Mario Bros. games. But there’s enough new systems and mechanics here that should hopefully keep this one feeling fresh. That said, seeing the Badge system just made me want a traditional Paper Mario game again.

Regardless of how it shakes out, we’ll see how Super Mario Bros. Wonder ranks among the best Mario games ever when ??it launches on October 20 for the Nintendo Switch.

The post Everything we lea?rned f??rom today’s brief Super Mario Bros. Wonder Direct appeared first on Destructoid.

A new Mario adventure is on the way, and a special conso?le is arriving just a few weeks prior. A Mario Red Edition of the Nintendo Switch OLED is set to debut on October 6, 2023.

Shown off during today's Super Mario Wonder Direct, the special edition Nintendo Switch OLED is decked out in solid Mario red. While the outside may seem simple enough, it's the accents that give this Sw??itch a bit more of a Mario touch.

In the corner of the dock, you can spy a little Mario log?o. The silhouetted form of Nintendo's plumber-p??latformer sits right on the edge where the back panel separates out.

[caption id="attachment_400635" align="alignnone" width="640"] Image via Nintendo[/caption]

And behind that, the internals have some coins hidden away. Kind of a fun little surprise detail. Usu??ally I'd say this is a bit too understated, but I think I like t?he overall simplicity, at least for the dock.

The Joy-Cons, on the other hand, are a little less intriguing. They're red, uniform with the dock, and don't have any noticeable accentuations or details. Compared to other special editions, like the excellent Animal Crossing one, it's a little lacking.

Full of Wonder

Today's showcase also showed off all the wonder coming in Super Mario Wonder a few weeks after this Switch debuts, on October 20. While buying the special Mario Red Edition of the Nintendo Switch OLED won't net you a copy of Super Mario Wonder, it does at least set the mood well.

But Wonder looked pretty fun, in my own view. I was only a little interested going into today's Direct, but strangely enough, what sold me was the multiplayer. The race mode and sheer chaos made it all seem like a good way to play Mario with pals. Sadly, we didn't get any news about other peripherals or goodies, so my dreams of an Elephant Mario amiibo are st?ill just dreams.

The post A special Nintendo Switch OLED Mario Red Edition a??rrives in October appeared first on Destructoid.

Nintendo has announced that the longtime voice actor of many iconic Mario characters is stepping back from the role. In a Tweet today, they made the announcement that Charles Martinet is instead moving into the role of “Mario Ambassador.�/p>

Charles Martinet has been in the role of Mario since 1994’s CD-ROM version of Mario Teaches Typing. Beyond the red-shirted plumber, he also went on to voice just about every other male character in the Mushroom Kingdom, including Luigi, Wario, and Waluigi. However, the recent Super Mario Bros. Movie cast Chris Pratt in the role, and trailers for Super Mario Wonder had many ??people questioning if Martinet had been replaced. That’s still kind of up in the air.

//twitter.com/NintendoAmerica/??status/1693624002982314108?s=20

The post made by Nintendo doesn’t address the reasons for Martinet stepping back. However, it says that he will continue to travel to promote the? character. They plan to follow up with a video featuring ??Charles Martinet and Shigeru Miyamoto, which will hopefully provide more information.

It’s a bit of a curious thing. Mario hasn’t been the most vocal character, so it shouldn't be that jarring to have another actor in the role. However, Martinet has been almost inseparable from the character for a long while now and had previously stated in 2021, “I want to v??oice Mario until I drop dead.�Really, I’m just hoping that agreeable circumstances led to him leaving the role.

I also hope Nintendo isn’t planning on taking Mario gam??es into a more dialogue-reliant direction, but that’s a personal preference.

Nintendo did not state if Martinet will still be playing his roles in upcoming games, such as the Super Mario RPG remake or Super Mario Bros. Wonder. More information is forthcoming.

The post Charles Martinet is stepping d?own as voice of?? Mario appeared first on Destructoid.

People can't get enough of Yoshi. He's happy, he's an incredibly useful power-up from time to time, and he's cute. What more could you want out of a companion? Well, more official artwork would be a start! New art of the adorable dino popped up on t?he Nintendo UK Twitter account this week, showing off a straw-hat-donning Mario with a yellow Yoshi pal. Nintendo is calling it an "Original Mario w?allpaper" work, celebrating this very-hot summer of 2023.

We're big Yoshi fans in my household. Not only do we constantly relive games where Yoshi is playable, but we also can't help but smile every time he turns up. I also spent an inordinate amount of time in Yo'ster Isle in Super Mario RPG and will do so yet again when the remake arrives later this year. I'm really feeling the vibe of this artwork, ??though my summer experience doesn't look anything like th??is!

Where to download the Mario and Yoshi Summer 2023 wallpaper

You can find the original source here on Nintendo of Japan's site, which includes the following resol??ution options:

• 1080 x 1920
• 1200 x 1920
• 1242 x 2688
• 1536 x 2048
• 1920 x 1080

Not?e that you will need a Nintendo account to download the wallpaper directly, though there isn't a Platinum Point/My Ninte??ndo requirement/cost associated with it.

The post Nintendo just shared super cute Mario and Yoshi wal??lpaper art appeared first on Destructoid.

Yes, she is

As part of the Nintendo Direct, Nintendo has announced that Princess Peach will be getting her own game again. The first time since 2005's Super Princess Peach, which feels lik?e it was yesterday but is actually creeping up on two decades ago. Damn.

Aaaandâ€?That’s about it. Uh. It kind of looked like it will be theatre themed. That’s all I g?ot. Here’s a screenshot.

[caption id="attachment_387795" align="alignnone" width="640"] Image via Nintendo[/caption]

This ?Princess Peach thing will be available sometime next year for Nintendo Switch. Nintendo will tell us more later.

The post Prin??cess Peach will have the lead role in another title next year appeared first on Destructoid.

Yahoooooo?

So, how about those May 2023 Switch Online offerings? With Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom taking the world by storm, it would make sense if Nintendo completely forgot about them, but late last night we did indeed get an update: and we're getting not one, not two, but three Mario GBA games for the Switch Online + Expansion Pack catalog.

This isn't much of a surprise, as Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3 was released in February for Expansion Pack subscribers, so this is just completing the set. According to Nintendo, all three games are du??e out on May 26, and it seems like this is what we're getting for the month??.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=nRyFVwRqUKI

Are these Mario GBA games worth playing?

As? someone who owned all?? three on the GBA when they came out: kinda!

Mario Advance 1 is likely going to be one of the more popular picks, as it transforms Super Mario Bros. 2 quite a bit: remixing the game's layout?s in clever ways while adding challenges. But the art and audio styles are polarizing, and ultimately, as the game goes on, you notice less and less of those stark changes: to the point where some people just prefer to play the original (which is on Switch via the NES app).

That sentiment also applies to Super Mario World and Yoshi's Island, whic??h are both on the SNES Sw??itch app, but there are plenty of GBA-version fans out there who might sway you on those.

Yeah but can we get any version of Four Swords on Switch though?

This is a perfect opportunity for Nintendo to re-release Four Swords on the Switch: which arrived back in 2002 thanks to the "The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past and Four Swords" GBA release. We'll also settle for the Four Swords Anniversary edition that came to the DS in 2011 (and the 3DS in 2013), and if they can spare the time; a remaster/remake of Four Swords Adventures from the Gam??eCube, which would play nice with the multi-system local play nature of the Switch.

The post A trio of Mario GBA games are coming to Switc??h in May appeared first on Destructoid.

The pins are back

Right ahead of the weekend, Nintendo notified My Nintendo users that there was a Mario celebration going on, which has a few different initiatives in tow. In addition to ?highlighting the Gold ??????????????????????????Point bonus promo, there's also a digital Mario and Luigi wallpaper set, as well as a restock of some Mario My Nintendo physical rewards.

Here's a full list of what's available now, at the end of April 2023:

• Mario & Me Journal - 800 Platinum Points
• My Nintendo Platinum and Gold Pin set - 800 Platinum Points
• Mario Strikers: Battle League drawstring bag - 600 Platinum Points
• Mario Golf: Super Rush ID Tag - 600 Platinum Points

Out of all of these, I picked up the journal a??s well as the pin set: the rest was kind o??f take it or leave it. I don't play golf and I have way too many bags as it is!

There are a few "print them yourself" bonuses too:

• Printable Mario Bingo cards - 100 Platinum Points
• Printable eShop gift card envelopes - 30 Platinum Points

Need Platinum Points?

As a reminder, if you want physical rewards, you can find our full Platinum Point guide here, which has been updated with details on weekly missions: bookmark it for when you need quick points for a reward. A handful of points is incredibly easy to get, as that’s basically just 15 minutes with Super Mario Run, or a quick sign-on to the 3DS or Wii U 3Shop. Also remember that any shipments are bundled together, so you can pay a flat rate for multiple items instead of paying it each time. Just know that?? items go out of stock on My Nintendo frequen??tly, and some are never restocked.

The post Nintendo restocks My Nintendo physical Mario rewards to celebrate the mov??ie appeared first on Destructoid.

If you somehow don't have these yet, now might be an OK time

Nintendo notoriously doesn't hold sales that often for their first party games, nor do they actively engage in price-dropping their products on a regular basis. To get around that, you need to jump in on some of these releases during big sale periods: or find some other w??ay to get a discount. Well, you can do that with a select few games

In honor of the Mario movie, Nintendo is running a promotion that deals with Mario (and tangentially Mario)-related games, through April 30 at 11:59PM PT. You'll get 4x the Gold Points for buying these specific games, which range from Super Mario Odyssey to Toad's Treasure Tracker. We have a full breakdown on how Gol?d Points work here.

As for our recommendations, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is one of the few "current" games, as it has DLC gradually dropping throughout the year. Mario Odyssey is fantastic if you've somehow missed it, as is Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury: which is suited for four player couch co-op.

A full list of all of the 4x Gold Point Mario games:

The post Nintendo is running an extra Gold Poin??t promo for Ma?rio Switch games appeared first on Destructoid.

Buda-bep-bud-du-bep... Boop!

The National Recording Preservation Board (NRPB) has announced that Koji Kondo's iconic Super Mario Bros. theme is to be inducted ??for preservation in the U.S. Library of C??ongress. The instantly recognizable ditty will be the first piece of video game music ever to join the NRPB's catalog of significant compositions.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=NTa6Xbz??fq1U&ab_channel=ultragamemusic

Each year, the NRPB selects 25 pieces of music that it deems "culturally, historically or aesthetically significant, and/or informs or reflects life in the United States". I like to think that the Super Mario Bros. Theme falls into the latter category. Kondo's simple but endlessly entering tune �officially known upon conception as simply "Ground Theme" made its debut in World 1-1 of 1985 NES release Super Mario Bros. It has since?? been remixed an??????????????????????????d used endless times for various Nintendo titles, TV shows, and commercials.

Joining Mario in the library this year will also be guitar shop nightmare "Stairway to Heaven" by Led Zeppelin, Madonna's censor bothering "?Like a Virgin", Eurythmics "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)", John Lennon's "Imagine" and, from the goddess of winter herself, Mari??ah Carey's "All I Want for Christmas is You". For all you midwestern dads, Jimmy Buffet is getting representation via his 1977 hit "Margaritaville".

Sadly, there is no sign of my personal favorite Super Mario Bros. tune, "Take on Me" by a-ha.

The post Super Mario Bros. theme?? to be the first game music inducted to Library of Congress appeared first on Destructoid.

Cblogs of 3/25 to 04/08/2023

-CaiusRV wonders how chill games like Stardew Valley can still be stressful.

-MinhazFahme explores the dark arts in Hogwarts Legacy.

-GoofierBrute is back to highlighting Games that Time Forgot, with this blog featuring Super Mario Land.

-TheCooperators reviews the indie game, Cult of the Lamb.

-UncannyKyle defends Square Enix's Marvel's Avengers.

-Virtua Kazama writes abou??t the return of EVO tournament to Japan.

-PhilsPhindings discusses the similarities between the soundtrack of Super Mario World and Blues music.

-PhilsPhindings discusses the similarities between the soundtrack of Mickey Mania and Ragtime music.

-Xeo writes ??a very personal blog about the star in his life.

-TheBlondeBass thinks deeply about t??he na??ture of "content creation".

-ChronoLynxx opens?? this week's TGIF community thread for random d??iscussion.

Thanks for the blogs this week, folks, and thanks as always to Lord Spencer for the recap. If you wanna join in on the HOT TAKE party, then head on over to the Cblogs section right now. Spill your thoughts on all matters gaming, and you will find yourself recapped on this here front pag??e next week.

The post Have you ever bailed o??n a game simply because it was too stressful? appeared first on Destructoid.

Everyone say "Thank you, Chris Pratt"

Super Mario Run, Nintendo's middlingly successful attempt to bring a full Mario experience to mobile devices, has always followed a freemium mo??del. As of a recent update, the app appears to be leaning a little closer to the "free" side of that portmanteau than before.

The 3.0.27 update, released as part of an advertising push for The Super Mario Bros. Movie, allows players to play one stage every day for free. You can play that one stage as many times as you'd like during that one-day window, but once that window is over, the sta???ge will be locked again.

[embed]//ww??w.youtube.com/w??atch?v=8BPTrwu8pn4[/embed]

Still not fully free

You still can't play all of Super Mario Run unless you fork over a few dollars. Only one level will be available per day, and not every level will become available during the event. The event also only runs until May 31, so this isn't a permanent change to the Super Mario Run model. Still, it's the biggest chunk of content that's ever been available for non-?paying players.

Normally, only the first world, the Toad Rally mode, and the Remix 10 mode are available for free in Super Mario Run. All of those offerings are, of course, still available for free in addition to the daily free stages. For the duration of the event, you'll also be able to unlock the rest of the worlds without time-gated restrictions at a discounted rate. Whi??le the full game ?normally costs $9.99, during the event you can snag it for $4.99.

The post You can now (kin?d of) play Super Mario Run for free appeared first on Destructoid.

Happy MAR10 Day!

Good morning, folks, and happy MAR10 Day! And in order to get your celebration for the beloved plumber and his amazing adventures off to a grand start, Illumination has received the "final" trailer for its upcoming release The Super Mario Bros. Movie, which launches i???n a little under a month from now.

The trailer, (which honestly perhaps shows a little too much for my liking), see??s Mario's brother Luigi imprisoned within Bowser's Castle (complete with a great remix of the area's classic theme). Mario teams up with notable heroes such as Princess Peach and Toad in order to rescue Luigi, defeat the mighty monarch's army, and restore peace to the Mushroom Kingdom. The ?trailer ends with a battle sequence on the Rainbow Road, with Mario bustin' out his finest karting abilities.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=DdD9geN6erk&ab_ch??annel=UniversalPicturesUK

Look, I get it. Illumination only has one form of comedy �the collar-tugging, record-scratching, "oh no he did'n" deal. Yeah, it's trite, overdone, and cynical. But, despite all that, I can't help but think that this film looks pretty marvelous. From a visual perspective, it's a delight, with authentic sounds and music. I also think some of the jokes over the past few trailers have been pretty funny, and some of the casting, (like Jack Black's Bowser), is paying off. O?f course, whether this fun and energy can be maintained over 92 minutes remains to be seen, but from what we've seen so far, I'm feeling very positive.

The Super Mario Bros. Movie launches in North American and European theaters on April 5. Don't forget to check out this ace line of posters released to promote the mov??ie. Oh, and Happy MAR1O ??Day!

The post Here is the final tra??iler for The Super Mario Bros. Movie appeared first on Destructoid.

Building a bridge to your heart

What day is it this Friday? I'll tell you what it is, it's MAR10 Day, dagnabbit, and The LEGO Company is preparing to show off something new and special in order to celebrate Nintendo's most famous and perhaps most beloved character (after? Luigi).

On Friday, the toymaker will be holding a special "Lego Super Mario YouTube Premiere" live stream, offering updates on its lovely LEGO Super Mario range and teasing "exclusive content and a big reveal". The action kicks off on the official LEGO YouTube channel at 00:80 PT / 11:00 ET / 17:00 GMT and will be hosted by Jack Gardner �who ??I am assuming is not the former 1950 British Empire boxing champion.

//?twitter.com/LEGO_Group/s?tatus/1632758034895077376?s=20

The LEGO Super Mario range, which launched in the summer of 2020, has consisted of multiple sets and showpieces featuring the characters and worlds of Nintendo's best-selling series. For younger players, there are sets that allow for the building of "courses" to be played by smart interactive Maxifigures of Mario, Luigi, and Princess Peach. For the more dedicated collector, LEGO has released prestige (and pricey) kits of the Super Mario 64 Question Block, Bowser's Airship, and The Mighty Bowser himself.

We'll be sure to pick you abreast, and abrick, of all the news from the LEGO stream once it is r??ev?ealed.

The post LEGO has a big reveal in store for?? Mario Day this week appeared first on Destructoid.

Every day (this month) can be Mario Day

Nintendo has announced that in celebration of March 10th, also known as Mar10 day, they will be holding a month-long extravaganza of events to celebrate the stalwart plumber. This was all announced at a p??arty at Nintendo’s New York store, that I was someho?w not invited to. I’m guessing my invitation was lost in the mail.

“With a wide variety of activities all month long, we want all of Mario’s fans to know that every day can be a Mario Day,�said Devon Pritchard, Nintendo of America’s Executive Vice President of Sales, Marketing and Communications. What does that even mean? Do people forget Mario exists every day and not ju??st on March 10th?

Before you get too excited, they’re not going to be announcing Super Mario Galaxy 3 through to 34 this mo??nth. I??n fact, some of the days they have bookmarked are just for, like, contests, sales, and reasons for you to walk into a Gamespot. Take a look:

• Nintendo Switch Mario Choose One Bundle: Make every day a MAR10 Day with a Nintendo Switch system with Red Joy-Con controllers, your choice of a free Mario full game download (a $59.99 value) and stickers from the upcoming Super Mario Bros Movie. Anyone that purchases the bundle can select one of the following games: Super Mario Odyssey, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe or New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe. The bundle is available starting on March 10 at a suggested retail price of $299.99 at the My Nintendo Store and select retailers.
• Mario Kart 8 Deluxe â€?Booster Course Pass Wave 4: The next eight courses that are part of Wave 4 of the Booster Course Pass DLC are coming to the Mario Kart 8 Deluxe game on March 9. The newly added Fruit Cup and Boomerang Cups are composed of Tour Amsterdam Drift, GBA Riverside Park, Wii DK Summit, Yoshi’s Island (which is making its Mario Kart debut!), Tour Bangkok Rush, DS Mario Circuit, GCN Waluigi Stadium and Tour Singapore Speedway. A new playable character, Birdo, will also be added to the game in this wave of the DLC.
• GameStop In-Store Mario Events: Celebrate at select GameStop locations on March 11 from noon to 4 p.m. local time to continue making every day a MAR10 Day! Play games featuring Mario and friends, like Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe and more, and receive free Mario themed-items, while supplies last.
• Save on Select Mario Games!: Celebrate the hero of the Mushroom Kingdom with two waves of savings on select Nintendo Switch games. The first half of the sale starts on March 10 (MAR10 Day!) at 12 a.m. PT and lasts until March 23 at 11:59 p.m. PT. It features deals on digital games and DLC featuring Mario and friends, including Mario Party Superstars, Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze, Yoshi’s Crafted World and Luigi’s Mansion 3. The second wave of the sale runs from March 24 at 12 a.m. PT until April 7 at 11:59 p.m. PT. This sale includes savings on Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Super Mario Odyssey, New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe, Super Mario Maker 2 and Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury.
• Mario & Friends Retail Sale: From March 5 to March 11, fans will also be able to head to select retailers to save up to $20*** on select games featuring Mario and friends, including Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Super Mario Odyssey, Super Mario Maker 2, Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury, Mario Party Superstars and many more. Additionally, fans can save $40 on the high-octane Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit!
• SUPER NINTENDO WORLD Opening: The day all Mario fans have been waiting for is finally here! SUPER NINTENDO WORLD at Universal Studios Hollywood is officially open to the public. At SUPER NINTENDO WORLD, guests can battle Team Bowser on the Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge ride, dine at Toadstool CafĂ©, level up with Nintendo-themed merch from the 1-UP Factory store and wear an interactive Power-Up Band (sold separately) to participate in activities throughout the Mushroom Kingdom.
• Win a Trip to SUPER NINTENDO WORLD!: My Nintendo wants to send you to SUPER NINTENDO WORLD at Universal Studios Hollywood! Starting on March 10 until April 25, head to //my.nintendo.com/ to enter the SUPER NINTENDO WORLD Family Fun Sweepstakes. One lucky winner with up to three guests will win a trip to Universal Studios Hollywood to visit SUPER NINTENDO WORLD and see the Mushroom Kingdom in real life!
• Play Nintendo Fun: Kids can also join in on the Mario fun, today and every day, with activities and videos at Play Nintendo. Visit the Play Nintendo website and Play Nintendo YouTube channel for DIY crafts, quizzes, gameplay and more featuring Mario and friends!

Wait. DK Summit in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe? That’s actually pretty awesome. There’s also a sta??tue, some new Lego sets, and some gear from PDP. You can se?e everything at the site over here.

[caption id="attachment_366679" align="alignnone" width="640"] Image via Nintendo[/caption]

There’s nothing too landmark aside from the next wave of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe DLC; however, there’s still a month for Nintendo to slip in a remaster of Hotel Mario.

Listen. Come over here where they can’t hear us. We need to figure out how we can have a Luigi day. Nintendo has shown that they don’t respect our annual traditions of The Year of Luigi, so we need to get the?ir attention. I suggest we change February to Luibruary and harness the powers of the days of adjacent months until we have a super-month that is over 91 days. Then we’d have Lui91 day. Wait, hold on, that would probably mess up my pay schedule. Scratch that. Le??t’s hear some of your ideas.

We’ll keep you posted if anything cooler than DK Summit comes around?, but since I can’t fathom anything cooler, I wouldn’t hold your breath.

The post Mar10 “day” will instead be a month of Mario festivities appeared first on Destructoid.

Let's-a-go slightly earlier than expected

Universal and Illumination are moving up the premiere date of The Super Mario Bros. Movie. The? animated film is now hitting theaters on April 5 in several markets including the U.S., up from April 7.

While it hits two day earlier in the U.S., other regions will still have to wait a bit longer into April and May; Japan, specifically, will see The Super Mario Bros. Movie debut on April 28.

//twitter.com/supermariomovie/status/16305990??58564976641

Nothing's been indicated as to why the date shifted. But hey, that's a little bit of Mario sligh??tly earlier than expected.

Warp pipe to the future

Before April arrives, we're due for at least one more blast of information about the upcoming film. Nintendo has confirmed that the final trailer for The Super Mario Bros. Movie will air on March 9 in a special movie-focused Direct. The company also says no game information will be included in this Direct, so bad news for anyon?e hoping for a Mario game to pop up out of the warp p??ipe.

And honestly, I'm not sure how much more I need to see about the film before I walk into a theater. While I'm still a little iffy on some aspects, I was already in for a viewing when I heard Jack Black's Bowser for the first time. Anything else, all th??e fu??n jokes and references, that's just bonus.

The Super Mario Bros. Movie hits theaters in the U.S. on April 5, 2023.

The post The S??uper Mario Bros. Movie is p?remiering two days earlier now appeared first on Destructoid.

Just shy of Mar. 10

Nintendo has announced a new Super Mario Bros. Movie Direct, which will host the final trailer for the animated film. This Di??rect will air on March 9 at 5 p.m. ET / 2 p.m. PT.

The stream is being hosted on Nintendo's channels, and will?? specifically focus on the final trailer. Nintendo notes in the description:

"Join us at 2:00 p.m??. PT on 3/9 for the world premiere of The Super Mario Bros. Movie's final trailer! No game information will be includ??ed in this #NintendoDirect."

Bad news for any Mario game hopefuls out there, I suppose. But hey, it looks like we'll get a good glimpse of what's in store for this animated Mario adaptation.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=66j31wFLB_s

The trailer image does tease many of the central characters, including Mario, Peach, Toad, and Donkey Kong, racing along the Rainbow Road. And I'd pump the brakes if I were M??ario, because ??that Blue Shell is coming in hot.

Drifting along the rainbow highway

The Super Mario Bros. Movie is pretty well lined-up for its April premiere, which isn't all that far off. This animated version of the Mushroom Kingdom looks to put its own spin on the story, with Mario as an isekai'd plumber transported into the wild, wild world of the Mario games.

And honestly, it's looked pretty alright through most of the trailers. Chris Pratt's Mario voice is one thing, but I'd spend the movie theater ticket price just to see more of Jack Black's Bowser. It really does seem like produciton studio Illumination is having fun digging back through the years of the Mario franchise, too.

At the very least, I'm hopeful for an entertaining romp that's light-hearted, got some good gags, and isn't over three hours long. Seriously, that's become my least-favorite trend in blockbuster movies lately. The Super Mario Bros. Movie premieres on April 7.

The post The final Super Mario Bros. Movi?e trailer airs on March ?9 appeared first on Destructoid.