Mario (universe)

The Marioverse refers to Nintendo's expansive and hugely successful Mario videogame franchise. The Mario universe, hereafter the Marioverse, is Nintendo's most lucrative franchise, and it is flat-out the most successful game franchise in global sales and in history. Mario himself is Nintendo's mascot and is considered the most well-known video game character in the world, and he and his many friends and nemeses have appeared in dozens-upon-dozens of Nintendo video games, many of them best-sellers and several of which are considered some of the greatest games ever released. Directly as a result from this, there are more Mario-themed characters, items, and properties to be found in the Smash Bros. series than any other Nintendo franchise, not the least of which are eight distinctive playable characters in Melee and Brawl: Mario, Luigi, Dr. Mario, Bowser, Peach (who has Daisy as an alternate costume), Yoshi, Donkey Kong, and Wario. The Marioverse is so expansive, in fact, that the latter two characters are considered stars of their own sub-universes: The Donkey Kong universe and the Wario universe.

Franchise description

Nintendo had an arcade game called Radar Scope that was successful in Japan but not very much so in the United States. The then Nintendo president Hiroshi Yamauchi turned to the young game developer Shigeru Miyamoto and entrusted him with the development of a new game, which would be built from units of the Radar Scope game. Miyamoto came up with the game Donkey Kong, the game that would be the debut for the characters Mario (then referred to as "Jumpman" but later named Mario by Yamauchi due to Mario's comical resemblance to Nintendo of America's landlord, Mario Segale) as the hero and the ape Donkey Kong as the enemy. Mario reappeared in Donkey Kong Junior under his proper name, and he appeared again along with his newly introduced brother Luigi in the 1983 arcade game Mario Bros, battling the turtle-like Koopa Troopas as also-introduced enemies.

It was not until the 1985 release of Super Mario Bros. for the Famicom/NES that the Mario franchise exploded into international renown. A side-scrolling platformer developed by Shigeru Miyamoto to feature far more attractive gameplay, graphical, and audio elements than any game beforehand, Super Mario Bros became a worldwide hit, holding the Guiness World Record for best-selling game of all time (40 million units), cementing Nintendo as a world-renowned corporation by 1986, and single-handedly beginning a new era of video gaming that would evolve over many years to become what gaming is today. Super Mario Bros. introduced the Mushroom Kingdom as the fictional world that Mario and Luigi live in, and it introduced Princess "Peach" Toadstool as a main damsel-in-distress and Mario love interest, as well as the turtle-like Koopa King, Bowser, as the consistent series nemesis, along with many other Mario-related elements such as Super Mushrooms and Starmen as power-up items, Goombas and Pihrana Plants as enemies, Princess Peach's Castle as a location, and Toad as another character introduced.

The 8-bit NES-era that took place as a result of Super Mario Bros. featured several Mario follow-up games. 1998's Super Mario Bros. 2 was modeled off a Japan-only side-scroller called Doki-Doki Panic and released in the U.S., thereby introducing Shy Guys as mainstay Mario enemies. Then Super Mario Bros. 3 was released in 1990 and introduced more elements to the Mario franchise, such as suit upgrades like Raccoon Mario and minor characters such as Bowser's seven children. Both games were massive successes as well. Then when it came time to release the SNES for the 16-bit era, Yamanouchi assigned Miyamoto to develop Super Mario World, once again a massively successful side-scrolling platformer. The game introduced Yoshi, a dinosaur that would serve forever afterwards as Mario's mount and pet-like companion in subsequent Mario games, as well as a star of some of its own games, including the 1995 SNES sequel Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island, which further introduced characters such as Baby Mario.

By this time, in addition, a Mario spin-off game for Game Boy, Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins, had introduced an "evil counterpart" to Mario, the series anti-hero Wario. Also by this time, Donkey Kong had successfully been integrated into his own series of games, starting with Donkey Kong Country. Nintendo's next system was the Nintendo 64. The primary launch game was the seminal Super Mario 64, the game to define the term "3D platformer" and therefore become one of the most influential games ever, contributing to the system's success and helping to permanently usher in an era of 3D gaming. Every Mario game released afterward, for pretty much whatever genre and system involved, would continue to conform to a generally high quality of design and would usually garner high-scoring reviews from the press, and the Mario franchise's appearances in 1999's Super Smash Bros. and 2001's Super Smash Bros. Melee would not be any different.

As a whole, the Mario franchise is essentially Nintendo's primary thematic tileset with which to create games of various genres that adhere to a colorful aesthetic. There have been a lot of games featuring Mario and his many cohorts and nemeses released regularly for the past two decades, and more recent games include side-scrolling platformers like New Super Mario Bros. and Super Princess Peach for the DS; 3D platforming adventures such as Super Mario Sunshine for GameCube and the upcoming Super Mario Galaxy for Wii; a series of popular kart-racing games under the banner of Mario Kart; a long-running series of multiplayer-based party games under the Mario Party name; sub-series of Mario sports games such as Golf and Tennis, among other sports; Role-Playing games like Mario and Luigi: Partners in Time for DS; and of course, the Super Smash Bros. series of fighting games. Aside from the RPGs, however, Mario games rarely feature long, emotionally involved storylines to facilitate character development; the various characters and properties of the Marioverse are generally meant to represent personalities in a game-like atmosphere rather than storybook characterization and plot progression such as that seen in a Fire Emblem game.

In Super Smash Bros

The Marioverse easily outnumbers every other universe represented in the first Smash Bros. game in playable characters, stages, and items.

Characters

With four of the twelve fighters hailing directly from the Marioverse, Mario was hands-down the most extensively represented franchise in the Smash Bros. series from the start. HAL Laboratory originally planned to include Peach and Bowser as part of the Smash roster, but technical limitations forced their removal. This list counts the Donkey Kong Universe:

Mario: Himself a somewhat short, pudgy, and mustachioed man with a big nose and simplistic attire somewhat reminiscent of a plumber, with blue overalls, red cap, and white gloves as iconic features, Mario is the undisputed mascot of Nintendo and is the most well-known video game character in the world. He has appeared in many, many Nintendo games spanning a large variety of genres, such as platforming, kart racing, sports, and puzzle games, and in almost every appearance he is playable as the most balanced character of that game. He is made to be the most balanced character of the Super Smash Bros. roster, of which this is his first appearance in a fighting game, and new Smash players are encouraged to try out the game as him because of that. While he does not have glaring weaknesses, the fact that he is designed to have no especially powerful strengths either makes him rather low-tier as a fighter.

Donkey Kong: An ape that originally was set as Mario's nemesis, "DK" was soon made to be more of a friendly rival to Mario in subsequent games. He appeared in his own game series afterwards, starting with Donkey Kong Country, a side-scrolling platformer, and his own series introduces many relatives from his "Kong family tree." He has also made many co-starring appearances in many Mario games, such as Mario Kart and Mario Party. In several of these sorts of games, DK is a selectable character who conforms to the "big, strong, and slow" archetype, and this tradition is carried over into his role as a Smash Bros. fighter. He has strong attacks which also have rather large reach, and this is meant to offset his general lack of swiftness and his easy-to-strike-as-a-target size.

Yoshi: A bright, optimistic dinosaur first seen as a mount for Mario in Super Mario World, Yoshi is often a costar in many Mario games, and it has also been made as the star of many of its own games, often platformers and puzzle games. Yoshi is actually a full species of asexual dinosaur in which many colors of Yoshi exist, but the name Yoshi is often used to refer to one particular green-skinned individual of the Yoshi series that is constantly seen in Mario games. Yoshi has demonstrated the ability to swallow up enemies with its strechable tongue and eject them as Yoshi eggs, which Yoshi can find various uses for such as throwing them as projectiles. Yoshi is also able to hover in air momentarily. These abilities are directly reflected in Yoshi's appearance as a Smash Bros. fighter; however, it is the only fighter not to have a third jump in its B-Up move, which is considered a major disadvantage.

Luigi: Mario's younger, lankier brother in green rather than red has always been relegated to the role of Mario series co-star. In many Mario games where Luigi appears, he is a selectable alternative character to Mario, such as in the Mario Kart and Mario Party game series, while in some games like Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga for GBA, the brothers are on equal terms in importance. There have even been instances where Luigi was the main star in Mario's place, the most notable of which is the GameCube puzzle-adventure game Luigi's Mansion where Luigi must use a vaccuum-cleaner to suck up many ghosts in a haunted mansion to rescue Mario. In Super Smash Bros., Luigi appears as an unlockable, alternative fighter to Mario, with his own unique quirks in his fighting style.

Stages

The Marioverse is the only franchise to feature in more than one stage in this game. Super Smash Bros. features the following:

Peach's Castle: An elevated stage representing Princess Peach's castle from the Mario games, but many feel that it does not resemble Super Mario 64 enough. It has a decidedly non-traditional layout of platforms and an aerial bumper.
Yoshi's Island: This stage is designed to resemble Yoshi's Story for the N64 thematically, with the main stage itself consisting of a giant storybook with several clouds appearing and disappearing at the sides of the stage.
Kongo Jungle: This stage features visuals, audio, and layout designed in direct homage to Donkey Kong Country for the SNES. It has a pair of rotating platforms in the center and a Barrel Cannon hovering below the stage which can be used by fighters to save themselves from falling.
Mushroom Kingdom: The game's one unlockable stage, Mushroom Kingdom is an audiovisual throwback to the original Super Mario Bros. It features pipes to travel through and suspended platforms like in the old game.

Items

Likewise, there are more items based on the Marioverse than any other franchise.

Bob-omb: A walking bomb that usually patrols around and explodes when it feels like in the Mario games, making it very dangerous to Mario to run into in his games. In some games Bob-omb can be picked up and thrown at an opponent as a volatile projectile; this is the style of Bob-omb usage featured in its appearance as an item in Smash.
Fire Flower: A semi-sentient flower imbued with the power of fire. In many Mario platformers, Mario and Luigi can pick this up and gain the ability to launch fireballs from their hands. In Smash Bros., however, it is used more as a weapon that can be wielded to project a continuous stream of fire into the area in front of the wielder.
Green Shell: Bowser's army of turtle underlings, called Koopa Troopas, come in two colors of these protective shells: Green and Red. Green-shelled Koopas often walk off the edges of platforms, and if jumped on by Mario, the Koopa will be ejected from its shell. The now-empty Green Shell can then be used as a weapon, either kicked at enemies or thrown at them. As a Smash item, it can be picked-up and thrown at enemies to do damage and often cause them to be sent flying a far distance.
Hammer: The giant mallet from the original Donkey Kong could be picked up by Mario and he would swing it uncontrollably for the next period of time to the tune of a "super" melody, pulverizing any obstacles in his way. The Hammer is featured in Smash just as that sort of item; the character becomes a pulverizing swinging force for the next ten seconds as the classic melody plays, and any character unlucky enough to be bludgeoned by it will probably be KO'ed. The wielder is unable to throw away the hammer, use any other moves, or do any double jump during that time.
Red Shell: Bowser's army of turtle underlings, called Koopa Troopas, come in two colors of these protective shells: Green and Red. Red-shelled Koopas often patrol platforms from either end and do not fall off the edges, and if jumped on by Mario, the Koopa will be ejected from its shell. The now-empty Red Shell can then be used as a weapon, either kicked at enemies or thrown at them. As a Smash item, when set in motion, the red shell will spin by itself on the ground and head towards the X-position of the nearest character on the stage for a short period of time, and characters hit by it will receive some damage and be bounced.
Starman: This coveted power-up found in many Mario platformers is a five-sided semi-sentient glowing yellow star that bounces around, and if Mario can touch it, he will be made invincible for a short period of time, during which any enemy that touches him will be defeated. It functions much like that in Smash, though opponents won't be damaged for touching you, but while under the influence of a Starman, you will not take damage nor will you be knocked back by anything.

In Super Smash Bros. Melee

Melee is far more substantial than Smash, and the amount of properties from the Marioverse are increased proportionally.

Characters

Seven of the 25+ fighters are Mario characters. Again, this list counts the Donkey Kong sub-universe:

Mario: By tradition, Mario returns as the most balanced character of the Melee roster, and new Melee players are encouraged to try out the game as him because of that. His new B-Forward move is his cape from Super Mario World. He is is designed to have no real weak points but no especially powerful strengths either, so he is not made to be all that high-tier a fighter.

Yoshi: Returns from Smash with turning himself into an egg that bowls through opponents as his new B-Forward move. The fact that Yoshi has no true third jump makes him a rather low-tier fighter, but players who main Yoshi use his R-Dodge in midair and a directional button to make for a fair substitution.

Donkey Kong: Reprises his role as a powerful but somewhat sluggish fighter like before, with an immobilizing headbutt as his new B-Forward Move.

Bowser: A new and original fighter, Mario's arch-enemy is heftier and slower than any other fighter thus far. Bowser is often made to be a final boss in many Mario games, while in several other cases is made to be a selectable character in games like Mario Kart. Bowser is constantly trying to kidnap Princess Peach and take over the Mushroom Kingdom with his army of Koopa Troopas, Goombas, and others. A brutish, oafish, and sarcastically witty character with the ability to breathe fire in all his appearances in games, Bowser is one of the most recognizable videogame villains, though there have been cases where he shows a limited capacity for good. As a fighter in Melee, Bowser wields great power and bulk but lacks enough agility that he is considered very hard to use effectively in the competitive metagame.

Peach: A new and original fighter, Peach is a damsel-in-distress for Mario to rescue from Bowser's clutches in many Mario games. She is the princess who assumes lordship over the Mushroom Kingdom with her half-sized mushroom-headed servants named Toad. She is oftentimes playable in Mario Tennis, Golf, and Kart games, however, and in many cases she will play in matches against Bowser himself. While she has always been a leading character in Mario games, in 2006 she got her first starring role in Super Princess Peach for the DS, and had also shown fighting abilities in 'Super Mario Bros. 2 and Super Mario RPG prior to her appearance as a fighter in Melee. In Melee, Peach is able to spend a long time in the air with her ability to float.

Luigi: Returning as an unlockable character and alternative to Mario, Luigi gains his Green Missile as his new B-Forward move.

Dr. Mario: A new fighter that functions as a direct and unlockable clone to Mario. Dr. Mario is a puzzle-game spin-off of the Mario franchise that was released for the NES and Game Boy in 1990 in which Mario dons the garb of a medicine man and throws Megavitamins into a bottle to destroy three species of Viruses trapped within. It was rereleased in several compilations and remakes for several different systems in the years afterwards, with only one true sequel in Dr. Mario 64 in 2001. Dr. Mario himself as a fighter is a nearly identical copy of Mario but with slightly altered specifications all around. In general, "Doc" is a little heavier and stronger than Mario but with a shorter reach, and he shoots out Megavitamins instead of fire balls. Some consider Doc higher-tier than Mario.

Stages

Super Smash Bros. Melee features no less than ten stages representative of the Marioverse:

Mushroom Kingdom: Princess Peach's Castle: Taking place on the rooftops of Peach's castle, this stage is far more representative of the castle in its Super Mario 64-onward incarnation. Giant Bullet Bills routinely dive into the stage and let off huge spherical explosions.
Mushroom Kingdom: Rainbow Cruise: In homage to the final stage of Super Mario 64, itself an aerial obstacle course, this stage has a scrolling camera and players must battle along with it amongst the many moving and collapsing platforms.
DK Island: Kongo Jungle: This stage is a general depiction of Donkey Kong's jungle environment at the edge of a waterfall. The music for this stage is the "DK Rap" made infamous by Donkey Kong 64 for the Nintendo 64.
DK Island: Jungle Japes: This stage more closely resembles the Jungle tileset of Donkey Kong Country for the Super NES. It is named for the first stage of DKC and features the same music. It is very similar thematically to the SSB Kongo Jungle stage. It takes place around a jungle cabin at sunset, with the silhouette of Cranky Kong visibly passing by a window.
Yoshi's Island: Yoshi's Island: A stage based on Super Mario World, with blocks that swivel when they are attacked and characters can fall through them while swiveling.
Yoshi's Island: Yoshi's Story: A somewhat simplistic stage based on Yoshi's Story, featuring Shy Guys carrying Food flying through the stage and Pak E. Derm in the background.
Mushroom: Kingdom: The spiritual successor to the Mushroom Kingdom stage of the original Smash Bros., Kingdom is a similar throwback to the old Super Mario Bros., with appropriate graphics and audio.
Mushroom: Kingdom II: This stage functions as a throwback to Super Mario Bros. 2 much like the previous Kingdom. Pidgit and Birdo make appearances as stage obstacles.
Past Stages: Yoshi's Island: The original Yoshi's Island stage makes a return appearance in Melee completely intact.
Past Stages: Kongo Jungle: The original Kongo Jungle stage also returns in Melee totally unaltered.

Items

Likewise, there are more items based on the Marioverse than any other franchise.

Barrel Cannon: A new item. In the Donkey Kong series, there are many empty barrels that function more like cannons, and characters that enter them can be shot out to somewhere else, either automatically or by the player's command. As an item in Melee, a player can pick up a barrel cannon and throw it at another to trap him, and the victim must wait until the barrel rolls into a proper direction before shooting himself out of it. Use the Barrel Cannon as a disruption tactic against opponents.
Bob-omb: Returns from SSB essentially unaltered as a very potent throwable projectile.
Fire Flower: Returns from SSB essentially unaltered in function and purpose.
Green Shell: Returns from SSB essentially unaltered in function and purpose.
Hammer: Returns from SSB with one important change: there is a chance that the hammer's head will fall off its stick as soon as you pick it up, and you will be left swinging helplessly for the full duration as the discarded head remains on the battlefield for someone else to pick it up and hurl it at you as a projectile. This is meant to downgrade what would otherwise be considered an overpowered item.
Metal Box: A new item based on the Metal power-up box introduced in Super Mario 64, which would change Mario into Metal Mario and give him much greater power but weight as well. It does just that as an item in Melee, turning the character temporarily into a living metal model of himself and increasing his resiliency but also his dropping weight.
Poison Mushroom: A new item. After the release of Super Mario Bros., a direct sequel was released in Japan afterwards that would later be released stateside as "The Lost Levels", part of the package for Super Mario All-Stars for the Super NES, and it featured mushrooms that looked similar to Super Mushrooms but would actually hurt Mario instead of make him bigger if he grabbed it. The Poison Mushroom is a Melee item that looks like the Super Mushroom but will cause the character it touches to temporarily become tiny, and therefore much weaker.
Red Shell: Returns from SSB essentially unaltered in function and purpose.
Starman: Returns from SSB essentially unaltered in function and purpose.
Super Mushroom: A new item based on the classic Super Mushroom powerup of many Mario games, starting from Super Mario Bros. onward. In many of its appearances, the Super Mushroom increases whoever grabs it in size and extends his life meter by 1. In Melee, touching it enlarges the character to make it bulkier and stronger for a duration of time. It looks nearly identical to its polar opposite, the Poison Mushroom, so if both items can appear in a match, it is hard for the player to tell what kind of mushroom it is when one of these two mushrooms appear, so grabbing it may be a risk.

Full Trophy List

In Super Smash Bros. Brawl

In a maneuver both traditional and expected, Mario-based content has been revealed by trailers to be featured in Brawl. Mario himself was the first fighter showcased, and demonstrated a "Super Smash attack" that was a gigantic fireball to engulf the whole stage. More interestingly, however, was the reveal of his anti-hero counterpart Wario as a playable character as well. Wario, appearing in his biker-jacket that was first seen in the Wario-series game Warioware,inc: Mega Microgame$! for GBA, is said to possess a degree of atomic flatulence that he can use as an offensive measure in combat. One of the stages revealed takes place at an intersection of a figure-8 Mario Kart track, with Shy Guys racing through it on karts.