One can rightly say that Super Mario is one of the oldest games in the video game category. But one can also observe that Super Mario is one of the most played games, even online. This is because through the ages, Super Mario has been improving to accommodate new features. It has also given rise to various variants that are also doing well. The graphics are also great; and being on 3D format, playing Super Mario is nothing but fun.
The story revolves around the chief protagonist, Mario, and his younger brother, Luigi. The two brothers join forces to rescue a princess from captivity, after word reached him that Bowser had ravaged the Mushroom Kingdom, captured the Mushroom Princess Toadstool, and turned everyone around into rocks. The fate of the Princess and the kingdom’s revival will depend on Mario and his brother Luigi. It’s only possible for one to play Luigi on multiplayer mode, but other variants of the game, such as classic and flash, would allow Mario as the only protagonist.
In the game, Mario has to protect himself from the character Bowser’s deadly black magic while at the same time looking for ways to save the Mushroom Kingdom’s Princess Toadstool. Points are gained after Mario performs certain tasks, such as hitting the bricks marked with a question mark to uncover the coins underneath. The more coins and items, he gains along the way, the more points and abilities also acquires. The same applies to strategically placed items on unmarked bricks that contain extremely valuable items. The items add value to Mario because they help him acquire some abilities, depending on the item collected.
A yellow or red coin will make Mario double his size and guarantee him a double life. With a double life, Mario can get back to his initial form whenever hit by the enemy. However, on his second attack, Mario dies and the game starts all over again. The items are well spread throughout the game; and as the game progresses, Mario can throw fire, fly, and break bricks, among other special abilities.
Mario also has his share of challenges that he needs to overcome in order to graduate to the next stage of the game. These challenges are divided into eight worlds; each world has another four rounds of challenges referred to as the four stages. Each of the last stage in every world accumulates into a climax where Mario takes on one of Bowser’s stooges or even Bowser himself. It is because of the unique challenges of each world that Mario has to adapt. For example, Mario has to acquire a special swimming suit and grow web feet in order for him to swim swiftly under water.
Playing Super Mario never disappoints its players. It has proven to give great entertainment before and still continues to amuse its players today. If you haven’t tried it yet, it’s never too late to check it out. So, grab the joystick and help rescue the Mushroom Kingdom!