The enduring charm of gaming’s greatest character

Super Mario

April 07, 2023

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The Super Mario Bros. Movie is finally here! Prompting, well… some pretty mixed reviews actually. But it’s created a hell of a buzz, and thrust Mario squarely into the Hollywood spotlight. Movie Mario is the talk of the town.

But we’ve heard enough about Movie Mario this week, right? So instead, I want to talk about old Mario. Video game Mario. Who doesn’t actually get talked about all that much anymore.

Most video game characters these days feature (or at least try to feature) fully developed and rounded personalities with human vulnerabilities and frailties - real, relatable traits. Thoughts and opinions, worries and dreams. Mario doesn’t really have any of these things. Indeed, a search for famous Mario quotes brings up little more than a list of single-word exclamations about as sophisticated as shouting his own name.

His narrative arc is non-existent, his origin story as thin as they come, and his plumbing career doesn't exactly hint at a life of world-saving. So what is it about Nintendo’s unassuming plumber that makes him so enduring and so popular? What is it that makes him a character once said to be more recognisable worldwide than Mickey Mouse?

The sheer quality of his games is certainly a factor - Mario has featured in some of the greatest and most influential games ever made, after all - and he always controls impeccably thanks to Nintendo’s best-in-the-business designers - but his appeal is about more than that. The moment you switch on one of his games, there he is, smiling, at your service, relentlessly enthusiastic about slotting into any situation or any genre Nintendo see fit to plonk him into.

Mario not only dedicates his life to saving and helping those around him, but he does so with a smile and a care-free enthusiasm that’s infectious. He's utterly unflappable. The fate of his world may be constantly hanging in the balance, but Mario’s having the time of his life; bounding through deadly lands and across perilous obstacles with nothing but a "Wahoo!".

And more than 40 years after his first appearance his appeal is still as strong as ever. As videogames get more and more mature and sophisticated in their storytelling and characterisations, Mario's unwavering enthusiasm and dedication to the cause only gets more and more appealing. More and more unique.

Mario’s only clear motive is to do right by his friends. A bit one-note perhaps, but that's the point. Video games, more often than not, are about saving the day, and Mario is the cleanest embodiment of that ideal video games have.

Mario isn’t really a character at all, he’s an avatar. An avatar for gameplay itself, an avatar for gaming in its purest form. And he loves it just as much as we do.

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As always, thank you so much for reading. I hope you enjoy the rest of the issue.

Have a great weekend everyone!

Jeff

THE WEEK IN GAMES

The best news, deals and gaming content of the week

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  • This Week Last Year

The Week in Games has been running for over a year now, and as most people reading this will know, an awful lot can happen in this industry in that time. As such, I thought it would be fun to introduce a new feature to the newsletter...

If you scroll down a little bit further you'll find the new 'This Week Last Year' section, where you can look back on what was happening in gaming 12 months ago. I hope you like it. And as always, feedback is welcome!

  • Insomnia: The Gaming Festival

If you're lucky enough to be near Birmingham UK this weekend, Insomnia is in town. The organisers promise "A world of non-stop gaming, with everything from the latest video games to retro classics." Alongside "...live performances, cosplay competitions, and the latest gaming gear."

Insomnia runs from the 7th - 10th of April. You can find out more here.

  • Camper Van: Make it Home Kickstarter

This cosier than cosy indie game from Spanish devs Malapata Studio promises to let you "Camperize your own van" and "embark on a journey of personal discovery, while you decorate and create a space for all your belongings".

It looks utterly delightful, and you can check it out here. The campaign ends on May 5th.

NEW RELEASES

All the major releases arriving this week and next

OUT NOW:

OUT NEXT WEEK:

Next-gen PGA Tour - Out now!

THIS WEEK LAST YEAR

A quick look at what was happening 12 months ago

This week last year E3 2022 was cancelled, with the ESA promising it would return in 2023 with "a reinvigorated showcase..." (something we now know isn't going to happen). I took the opportunity to write about what E3 meant to me. And why I'll always be a fan of it.

We also saw Epic Games, Humble and others raise big money for Ukraine, Sony reveal its revamped PS+ service, Halo set a Paramount+ viewer record, Sonic 2 arrive in cinemas, and the then-unnamed sequel to Breath of the Wild hit with a delay...

E3, or not E3, that is the question

Show's over folks

https://theweekingames.beehiiv.com/p/e3-not-e3-question

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…and that’s it for this week!

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Thanks again, and see you next week!

Jeff