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 the next step forward i??n 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 s??ince 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 Nintendo DS port of the original game. While it's still ?very much in development, keep in mind that this is meant to be running on defunct hardware that was o??riginally 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 compare and contrast. 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 present, but looking 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 s?ome bug fixes.

There's even a settings menu, someth?ing that wasn't present on the Nintendo 64 OG. We get to see options for reducing the resolution and view distance, plus the ability to disable detailed textures to make the game run sm?oother.

At the moment, there's no release date for this Game Boy Advance rebuild of Super Mario 64. A??nd, 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 Barretto. I'm getting tired of big legal teams bringing their litigation hammers down on regular folk.

The post Check out this demake of S??uper Mario 64 for the Game Boy Advance 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 for questions nobody would ever think to ask, such as "Does Mario happen to have around 254 more brothers who are not fit to be i??n the game?". The 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 wh?ose fashi??on 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 determine the brother we're playing as, but a byte holds 256 values in total, 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 era?sure so much more heartbreaking.

If y??ou'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 brother??s 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 meaner brother ??called Wowser.

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When you buy the Nintendo Switch Online subscription, you get a slew of retro games through the platform's online library of older titles. Of course, there is a step above jus?t the regular ole service with the higher tier, the Expansion Pack. However, you don't have to pony up for more just to play some treasured classics.

For those of you looking to sample some of Nintendo's retro library, I've got some suggestions on where to start with the now 100-tile collection of classics?. These are the best games for t?he base Nintendo Switch Online subscription.

The 10 best games to play on Nintendo Switch Online

Since we're excluding Expansion Pack titles, the following games are from either the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES), Game Boy, or Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES). ?If a game you like from these catalogs and they aren't on the?? list, fret not �these are just the best of the best in a massive library beloved by many of us.

10. Tecmo Bowl (NES)

Sports games and Nintendo don’t go hand-in-hand now unless Mario is involved, but Tecmo Bowl is an exception. Despite being a game from the late �0s, this one still holds up a lot better than most m??odern American football games. It’s simple enough to break into even for the folks not quite so sports savvy and there's no overly convoluted set of controls just to get your players moving.

9. Metroid (NES)

The Nintendo Switch was made for sidescrolling games, namely Metroidvanias. So, why not take a trip back to the late '80s and see the game that started it all? The original NES Metroid definitely shows how dated it is, but it doesn’t mean it’s a bad game. It’s loads of fun and will have you hooked from the moment you discover the out-of-the-way or less obvious path forward. The movement ta?kes some time to get?? familiar with, but if you stick around, it’s well worth putting that effort in.

8. Donkey Kong Country (SNES)

After being the fellow who would hold Pauline captive in the 1980s, Donkey Kong would eventually get his own 2D sidescrolling adventure where he’s the good guy. He’s also accompanied by Diddy Kong, who you can swap to on the fly if the?? situation requires it. 

Its gameplay is akin to the Super Mario games in that you can jump on enemies�heads to defeat them. You can also throw things or use a close attack to deal damage. Still, it provides its own kind of fun that shows the quality of the 16-bit era. What a glow-up, good guy story for the Ko??ng.

7. EarthBound (SNES)

It’s wild to look back on this game and see the Mother series only started to take off in western regions after Ness and Lucas became a staple in the Smash Bros. franchise. Still, now that the '90s RPG has become popular and made available for NSO subscribers, EarthBound still holds up. So, to all of you hungry for more Mother releases, the oldest western release is at least far more available now than it was back then??????????????????????????.

6. The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past (SNES)

Fans of top-down games, especially the Zelda games, have to have played this at some point. A Link to the Past is one of the better, if not the best of the games in this style. The first Legend of Zelda game was exceptional in so many ways, but A Link to the Past is just more memora??ble, more fluid, and overall more fun.

5. Tetris (Game Boy)

If you want to break away from the highly competitive nature of Tetris 99, you can always fire the OG Tetris up on the Game Boy app. It plays a lot differently than modern Tetris because pieces automatically snap th?e mo?ment they make contact on the surface. 

You’ll also be unable to see an outline of where your pieces will drop, so there’s a challenge within itself right there. Tetris on the Game Boy is based on classic rules, b?ut? it’s still such a fun time regardless.

4. Super Metroid (SNES)

If you want even more Metroid that’s faster-paced and has more fluid gameplay, then the third game of the series will provide just that. It’s just an overall better time th?an the original game, with just the right amount of difficulty that won’t have you pulling your hair out.

3. Kirby Super Star (SNES)

There’s something about the older Kirby games that just have more charm and character to them. They’re simple enough and follow the whole “pink blob eats enemies and takes their powers�aspect of the game. Then there are the ?minigames on the side to take a break between the main story that just feels like a good kind of padding.

Even though Kirby games are doing just fine and are still prevalent in today’s market, it’s a fu??n trip down memory lane to see the early days of his adventures.

2. Killer Instinct (SNES)

Killer Instinct is an awesome fighting game that acted as healthy competition against Mortal Kombat in the '90s. While not as g??ory, it still had great, over-the-top action, sporting a roster of ten wildly different and memorable characters. For the time, it wa??s impressive, and so fun to play, even for those who aren’t into fighting games. 

This is the game that introduced the?? “c-c?-c-combo breaker!�and the echoed “ultra!�sound effects that we all still use from time to time. Novelties aside, it’s such a great addition to the lineup of current games on the Switch’s SNES library.

1. Super Mario World (SNES)

Super Mario World is touted as one of the best 2D Mario games of all time because of the mechanics, the music, and just how much exploration it has. This is the game that introduced the Cape Feather, which is iconic for all the wild verticality that you can perform. It also has the hilarious P Balloon that inflates Mario ?or Luigi and lets them fly in all eight directions for a short time. You can’t forget the different Yoshis with their own respective abilities, either.

Most people will play this game from start to f??inish, but there is more than meets the eye once you clear the Switch Palaces or revisit previous levels with proper power-ups. If you never played this game in any way, you have to.

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The video game movie adaptations from the early '00s didn't exactly rule, but they sure weren't formulaic, e??ither. These things were wild, and therefore much more interesting than a lot of the content we get on streaming these days. I invite you to try to reappraise video game movies that got unfairly maligned back when we didn't know how?? bad things would get.

7. Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within (2001)

First off, I have to say that I don't entirely agree with the opinion that Max Caufield from Life Is Strange expresses abov??e. Hell, I don't even bite that she cares about the movie all that much, considering how she gets the nam??e wrong. Still, I remember watching that in theaters when it first came out. The experience was mind-blowing. Why don't more people agree with me? Well, I assume it's because most people didn't see it in theatres.

Square tried hard to make something new and beautiful that would resonate with FF fans and outsiders alike. They sure did make something new and beautiful. It just didn't resonate with anyone. I get that it lacks pacing and that the plot isn't particularly memorable, but experiencing this in theatres felt like what I assume many would only feel ten years later when watching Avatar.

The Spirits Within came out close to the release of Shrek, whose box office success made Square's film feel like a straight-to-DVD release. Still, if you're to watch the two back-to-back nowadays, Shrek isn't nearly as funny, and The Spirits Within remains beautiful, albeit a bit dull �so basically as fun as watching Shrek as an adult.

6. Tomb Raider (2018)

If you like HBO's The Last Of Us, then you probably should check this one out. Not because they're similar, but because Tomb Raider is also a very safe adaptation. The only big change we get from the game is the third act, which feels a lot like the third act from the original Uncharted game, so that still counts as a safe adaptation.

Also, th??ere's Alicia Vikander, who actually breathes ?way more life into the character than nu-Lara from the games.

This film never reaches the highs of Angelina Jolie's first movie, but it never reaches its lowest lows, either. It's the perfect simulation of a dangerous tomb-raiding escapad??e.

5. Super Mario Bros. (yes, the original one from 1993)

1993's Super Mario Bros. failed to reach the hearts and pockets of fans, but it had the same idea that the best video game TV show adaptations of today all had: doing something original with the source ma??terial.

Too bad they strayed too far from what people felt? comfortable with and we en??ded up with something that didn't resonate with anyone.

Even though it didn't work out, probably due to a really messed-up production cycle that got worsened by studio meddling, Super Mario Bros. still gave us a bunch of hilarious memes.

4. Silent Hill (2006)

The original Silent Hill film �definitely not the second one �is way more beautiful than it needed to be. Christophe Gans, the director whose style feels like it inspired Bloodborne, went all out in terms of eye candy.

Silent Hill could've featured one hundred ch??eap jump-scares and audiences would have liked it, but Gans said no, and confidently crafted a moody film that mostly captures the feel of the game. Though it exists because someone saw its money-making ??potential, I love seeing a "product" that feels so untainted by studio meddling.

I believe that the biggest problem of this film is that it sometimes sticks too close to the formula of the original game, and sometimes gets too far away from it. I wish Silent Hill could've to??ld a new tale set in that town. Still, I'm still quite ha??ppy with what we ended up getting.

Also, even though his presence in the film makes no sense, that Pyramid Head kill �you know whic??h one�is one of the best that I've ever seen in any horror film.

3. Tomb Raider (2001)

I saw this in theaters back when it came out and never thought much of it. It was only twenty years later that I caught Tomb Raider on TV and naively thought that I'd just watch one scene and change the chan??nel. I s??tayed until the very end of the credits, because even the soundtrack owns.

I don't think I need to talk about Angelina Jolie i??n th?e role. Everyone understands that she absolutely nailed it.

The rest of the people making Tomb Raider also knew how to make this thing fun. The only problem here, I'd say, is that it was seemingly made through the lens of people who think video games never evolved past the "just blow stuff up" mentality of the '80s. Nearly all of the action scenes here are good, up until the moment when they go too over the top.

Lara doesn't ne??ed a training robot just that's ju??st there for a bloated opening action sequence. Even Lara herself states that it feels like an unnecessarily dangerous thing to have around.

Cut some of the over-the-top action, some of the unnecessarily expensive C??GI, all of the ?dodgy CGI, the sappy scene with Jon Voight, and this is a legitimately awesome action romp.

2. House Of The Dead (2003)

If you are r????eading this, it means I have succeeded in reaching you through a secret channel the editors don't know of. Yeah, I'm ranking an objectively bad movie really high, but please hear me out.

Don't watch this one alone. You're gonna have a bad time. I don't mean that because House Of The Dead is too scary. It's because, just like the original game, this is meant to be a multipla??yer affair. This is the kind of experience yo??u want to share with your friends. Otherwise, good luck explaining to anyone just how bad it is.

The House Of The Dead movie is an accidentally great adaptation of the source material. The incredibly messy action scenes? They play out just like the levels of an arcade game hellbent on killing you to get more of yo??ur money. The bad acting? Well, that's actually just a perfect recreation of the series' hil??ariously bad-acted cutscenes.

It's also, I'd imagine, even more bafflingly hilarious to the people who don't know it's based on a video game. Just imagine how bonkers it'll feel when these unwitting fans-to-be get hit by those action scenes tha??t are in?tercut with footage from the game?

House Of The Dead never stops upping the ante in terms of stupidity, so it never really gets boring. If your group ends up enjoying this one as much as my group did, then I recommend you get your friends to watch Alone In The Dark next. It's just as "good".

1. Resident Evil (2002)

Paul W. S. Anderson doesn't get the respect he deserves when it ??comes to horror. None of his movies are straight-up great. Still, his most inspired moments are more than enough to?? make up for the bad ones.

The original Resident Evil is a surprisingly fun film. I'd say there's even a great movie there if you ju??st remove some of the over-the-top action. It had the right idea of doing something original rather than copying the games. In fact, it could even do away with all the zombie-related stuff. Th?ey could've made it just about people trapped in an underground facility that's haunted by the ghost of the Red Queen. You know, that evil AI behind the awesome corridor laser scene? I'd pay to watch that movie right now.

Too bad they didn't learn their own lesson and just copy-pasted Resident Evil 3 to make the sequel.

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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 par?t of the gami??ng 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 elated 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 commun??ity.

Heart-pumping stuff

According to GamesRadar, this pa??rticular 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 record ?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 close to p??erfection, as a new world record is achieved appeared first on Destructoid.

I am losing my mind

It was a rumor that I was certain couldn't possibly be true. In fact, even as I write this, I still can't fully believe it. But Super Mario RPG is indeed getting a full?? fledged remake, cementing 2023 as one of the most wild years in recent gaming history.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=0r5PJx7rlds

The footage we saw during the June 21 Nintendo Direct showed us many famili??ar locations faithfully recreated in 3D. While the graphical revamp takes center stage, the gameplay does appear to have some extra flourishes. For example, battles show chain bonuses and a mysterious percentage meter on the left side of the screen. What do they mean? I don't know! And I'm dying to find out!

While potential new details about this upcoming remake remain scarce, just seeing Geno and Mallow in full 3D is enough for my hype. Super Mario RPG is one of the best SNES games of all time, and now is a great time for both old and new fans to experien??ce th??is classic once again.

The Super Mario RPG remake will land this year on November 17 for the Nintendo Switch. Preorders are available now.

The post Super Mario R??PG remake is real, coming November 17 appeared first on Destructoid.

Pocket Plumbing

As previously announced, Nintendo has brought three classics of the Game Boy Advance era to the Nintendo Switch Online archives. As of today, Expansion Pack subscribers can revisit the Super Mario Advance trilogy, consisting of Super Mario Advance (2001), Super Mario World: Super Mario Advance 2 (2001) and Yoshi’s Island: Super Mario Advance 3 (2002).

For those yet to experience these pint-sized classics, they are essentially revamped editions of some classic Super Mario Bros. titles, namely Super Mario Bros. 2, Super Mario World, and Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island. They feature all of the worlds, stages, and shenanigans o??f their original releases, complete with additional features, characters, and secrets. Upon launch, they were the first-ever official portable option for thes??e classic adventures, and as such were incredibly popular GBA releases.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=nRyFVwRqUKI&embeds_referring_euri=htt?ps%3A%2F%2Fwww.videogameschronicle.com%2Fnews%2Fthe-whole-super-mario-advance-series-is-now-available-on-switch-online%2F&feature=emb_title

The fourth title in the series, Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3, is already available as part of the Nintendo Switch Online archives, having arrived alongside the service's debut back in ?the fall of 2018. All four titles are most assuredly worth a revisit, and it's cool to have the quartet of classics available to hand as some of the most timeless releases in platform gam??ing history.

The Super Mario Advance series is now available to play for all Nint???endo Switch Online + Expansion Pack subscribers.

The post Super Mario Advance serie??s joins Nintendo Switch On??line appeared first on Destructoid.

Songs we remember

The Super Mario series is known for some of the best songs in the video game industry. From the sweeping orchestra of Super Mario Galaxy to the nostalgic 8-bit NES original, there are some themes that will stick in our memories for the rest of our lives. Below, we've listed the best Mario songs ever written by Koji Kondo and other talented composers in the industry. But, because Nintendo is prone to removing YouTube v??ideos featuring music pulled straight from its games, we've decided to include incredible covers from the wonderful VGM community. Let's-a-go!

Super Mario Bros. - "Overworld Theme"

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=BkluiXUDy6o

Arguably the most iconic video game theme of all time, you have the classic "Overworld Theme" from the original Super Mario Bros. It's upbeat, has a charming melody, and a backbeat that keeps the action forward. Even thoug?h the 8-bit sound font can be limiting, Koji Kondo found a way to make a catchy song that still sticks in our heads today. The talented Qumu made a lovely remix of the track, modernizing the piece but still ke?eping the original charm of the composition.

Super Mario Bros. 3 - "Airship Theme"

//youtu.be/fq2ruq62dhM

Not every track in the Super Mario Bros series is upbeat. There can be some tense moments as well within the soundtrack. Super Mario Bros. 3's "Airship Theme" perfectly illustrates the tension between Mario and the danger he faces to save Peach. In the third game on the NES, you're on a flying ship, avoiding cannon fire and trying to stay alive. I remember feeling so scared because of this terrifying music. The ?tune sets the stage perfectly with deeper notes and a marching drum beat that lets you know Mario is in trouble. ToxicxEternity published a great metal cover of this track, which reflects the darker tone of the "Airship Theme" in a mesmerising way.

Super Mario World - "Athletic Theme"

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=o-bN2lnE1Lc

The Mushroom Kingdom is quite a whacky place. Green warp pipes that take you from place to place, ridable dinosaurs with large tongues, goombas that can be squished like marshmallows by jumping on them. It's pretty wild. The "Athletic Theme" keeps up that wild energy with an upbeat piano melody that's fast and goofy. The higher-pitched drumbeats and erratic sound design of how the instruments play in? your ears do a great job of elevating the nuttiness of the world in the best way possible. It's one of the best Mario songs due to how many people have nostalgia for the track and how well it reflects the action in-game.

Cover artist PPF brought all kinds of instruments to?? the party for their interpretation of the "Athletic Theme." Banjos, spoons, and even a plastic box were used as musical objects for the piece. It's just as wi?ld as the original piece.

Super Mario RPG - "Beware the Forest's Mushrooms"

//youtu.be/j4CbazPjL20

It's not from a mainline game, but Super Mario RPG's "Beware the Forest's Mushrooms" by Kingdom Hearts composer Yoko Shimomura should get a mention. The track is upbeat but has layers of intrigue within it. It's mostly a higher-pitch melody, but every minute or so, it dwells into a creepy-sounding tone that adds so much atmosphere to the level that Mario and Geno are exploring. It sounds like some of the best dramatic Final Fantasy music mixed with the upbeat tone that the Super Mario Bros. series is known for. Perhaps, this is why Shimomura was hired later on for Kingdom Hearts as she is known for blending two musical styles ?pe?rfectly.

The Noble Demon do?es a wonderful job covering this piece with some grand strings samples and sound effects inspired by the forest like the thud of wood.

Super Mario 64 - "Bob-Omb Battlefield"

//youtu.be/LPq8_HB8QBA

"Bob-Omb Battlefield" was my first introduction to the world of Super Mario, and man, the stage's theme is still bangin' today. It's jazzy and cheerful and will have you bob-ombing your head up and down to the beat. And then when you think it doesn't get any better, the main section of the song escalates the track. The brass goes hard and the d?rum beat becomes more apparent.  Also, don't forget about the tasty bassline to "Bob-Omb Battlefield."  This track made my experience with the stage Bob-Omb Battlefield even m??ore memorable.

The Grammy-winning 8-Bit Big Band does?? a fantastic job bringing "Bob-Omb Battlefield" to the 21st century. The brass instruments sound epic, and t??he jazzy spin from the saxophone on the track is a great hook to the overall composition.

Super Mario 64 - "Dire, Dire Docks"

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

"Dire, Dire Docks" from Super Mario 64 is arguably one of the best Mario songs.?? I??t has a gorgeous orchestration with a calming xylophone melody at first. You're at ease as you swim around the water of the stage. However, the song steps it up a notch once Mario is facing an enemy by including a rocking drum beat and snares. It somehow blends the two perfectly as the game switches between each mode. "Dire, Dire Docks" has been listened to millions of times and has been covered by the VGM community often.

One of the best versions comes from Insaneintherainmusic. The piano is beautifully played, and the soprano sax on the cover works so well with the melody. The jazzy solos are also inventive, adding a neat spin to the original track. "Dire, Dire Docks is such a beautiful melody," said Insaneintherainmusic in the video's description. "It's one of my go-to melodies when I sit down at a new piano I haven't played before, just ?because the melod??y is so great."

Super Mario Galaxy - "Gusty Garden Galaxy"

//youtu.be/EAWk1D67PKM

When Super Mario Galaxy introduced an orchestra to the series, it was a game-changer. The compositions flourished, adding so much more levity, personality, and grandeur to each track. The best instance of this is "Gusty Garden Galaxy." It's an absolute spectacle with the phenomenal strings work, imaginative use of the? harp, and wonderful brass section that brings the piece altogether. Once you hear this track in-game, you know you're off on another memorable adventure with your favorite Italian plumber. This song swooped me off my feet.

DSC brought the original ch??arm of this track with the acoustic guitar and then adds a rocky element to the overall piece. Give it a listen above; it's pretty awes??ome.

Super Mario Odyssey - "Fossil Falls/Cascade Kingdom"

//youtu.be/VxKuA0is0UU

Just like "Bob-Omb Battlefield," the "Fossil Falls" theme is a great introduction to the game you're about to play. The sweeping strings and grand brass section blends into an epic theme that takes your breath away. The composition also takes on an adventurous spirit with the rocking percussion in the background. You can't help but be excited to play Super Mario Odyssey, and that's thanks in part to this wonderful Mario song.

gabocarina96 does a swell job of bringing the energy of "Fossil Falls" ??into the cover. The rocking guitar plays the melody wonderfull?y, and the ocarina delivers bringing in the beautiful introduction of the piece.

Super Mario Odyssey - "Jump Up, Superstar!"

//youtu.be/kxcVvaKDv1o

The best Mario music finds a way to lift your spirits, and "Jump Up Superstar" from Super Mario Odyssey certainly does that. The vocals of this track are marvelous as the song takes you through a magical odyssey of jazz. It fits the vibe of nightlife in New Donk City as "we jump up in the air" and "our cares will soar away." You can't help but sing or dance as the music lifts you up. Hearing this song in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is also a delight.

The piece sounds awesome without vocals as well, as Sam Griffin proves with the acoustic guitar. He does a stellar job of bringing the energy ??of the piece to YouTube with just one instrument.

Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle - "Peach's Castle"

//youtu.be/BKFdGd0nn_c?t=277

The original "Peach's Castle" music in Super Mario 64 is iconic, but Banjo-Kazooie composer Grant Kirkhope did a wonderful job of bringing the song to Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle. He injects personality into the track with playful takes on the original song and is guaranteed to give you a smile as a flute section and triangle-like percussion play the original melody. You can hear a bit of it within the mini-doc Ubisoft uploaded for the game above. Can we please get Grant Kirkhope to orchestrate a mainline Super Mario Bros. game please?

As you've heard from the last 10 Mario songs, this series contains so many magical soundtracks that both kids and adults will remember for years to come. It's no wonder why the soundtrack to the Super Mario Bros. movie is well-regarded as it's heavily influenced by the games that came before it. What are your favorite Mario songs because we've certainly missed many?

The post The 10 best songs from the Mario series, ranked appeared first on Destructoid.

DK gets his very own brick build

Lego hosted a special Super Mario presentation today for MAR10 (March 10) Day. Alongside a detailed look at an upcoming Bowser-centric set, Lego also teased that Donkey Kong will be making his Lego Super Mario debu??t this summer.

At the close of the stream, we get a good look at the Lego Donkey Kong build, which has a little spot for the Lego Super Mario figure to sit in. It's an interesting configuration, considering I don't remember Mario ever riding on Donkey Kong's back? Maybe I'm forgetting some weird outtake of the 1986 animation or something.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=1L8qJUwZ94A

We didn't get any more indication of what Lego Donkey Kong's set may entail. I'm personal?ly hoping for some sort of chaotic mine cart course, and tons of little Lego bananas to scatte??r around.

Bowser's new brick castle

Today's spotlight also fe??atured a good look ??at the Dry Bowser castle set, which is currently aimed for release on August 1 with a $109.99 price tag. I do like the Dry version of Bowser, but I love all the little details here. A bony Piranha Plant, the chain links and giant Bowser visage, and yes, even the Toad trapped in a cage.

[caption id="attachment_368255" align="alignnone" width="640"] Image via Lego[/caption]

The Lego Super Mario crossover has really taken off in the past few years, with tons of sets coming out of the partnership between Nintendo and Lego. Ranging from these playsets designed like game levels to the enormous, gorgeous Question Block set, it's pretty cool seeing the notorious plumber reimagined in brick? form.

And if that doesn't satisfy your Mario craving, there's at least a feature film arriving soon to handle that too. The latest and final trailer for The Super Mario Bros. Movie premiered yesterday, strangely one day prior to March 10.

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