Super Mario Bros. Games/Shows/Toys

[Drtooth]

The problem is that the days of the adult collectible action figure with cool pack ins and accessories is gone. Sure, you can find some stuff here and there, but it's usually a 1 shot, one series deal. Collectors have moved onto vynals, and especially large ones that are silk screened with designs on it. or smaller ones that are similar, but come blind boxed.

I really like the PVC assortment, though. I wish I could grab more of them.

The one Mario toy I'd REALLY want is a cartoon specific version of King Koopa. I never quite liked him with hair and a different colored muzzle.

 

[Xerus]

Though, I wonder why a lot of the SMB 2 characters didn't make the same comeback that Birdo and the Shyguys did. Even Pokey the cactus and Ninji appeared in Super Mario World.

In Japan, Super Mario 2 was called Doki Doki Panic. It had all the same villains from SM2, but there were no Mario and his friends, instead the hero was a little boy with a turban. When they decided to bring Doki Doki Panic to America, they redesigned it so that Mario was the hero and called it Super Mario Bros. 2. Japan already had an original Super Mario 2, but it was the same as Super Mario 1, only it had stuff like poison mushrooms in it.

 

[Drtooth]

I personally HATE Japanese Super Mario Bros 2, and I really prefer the American version. In fact, American SMB 2 is one of my favorite video games period, right up there with Mega Man 3 and Darkwing Duck. It's funny that so much of SMB's mythology comes from a game that wasn't even a Super Mario game to begin with, and the characters were just adopted by SMB games in the future... even as early as SMB 3, they had those Bob-ombs.

For some great articles about SMB 2, here's a couple from the Mushroom Kingdom website:

Prototype edition of SmB2... note the underground stage music would be changed and used later in SMB 3

Nice breakdown of Doki Doki Panic's conversion to SMB2

 

[ryhoyarbie]

Two words: Nintendo Power.

If you have a subscription you got all sorts of cheat codes from all the Nintendo games including the Super Mario Bros games. They even had a Super Mario World comic.

Remember the 1989 movie "The Wizard"? Everyone found out how to get the screte whistle.

The Super Marios Bros Super Show in 1989 after school at 3:00 weekday afternoons?

Speaking of which, last week I was just playing Super Mario World on the Super Nintendo.

I also have the 8 bit Nintendo in working order with all three Super Mario Bros games, Castlevania, Rad Racer, and others.

 

[Yorick]

I assume this is the first time a person played Luigi:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tSte8m4Da6A
And that this is the first animated Mario:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HffzM9vGYpU

 

[Kiki]

Ah, Super Mario Bros. were part of my childhood, too (okay, okay, I'm still a kid, I mean my more early childhood). Super Smash Bros. is still such a fun game to play on the Nintendo 64 (I *still* always play as Juggly Puff for some reason. ). I'm lucky enough to still have my SNES, which my brother and I got when I was about 8 or 9 and yes, I have a number of Super Mario Bros. games. In the way of merch, I only have a Wario figurine, the toys from Red Rooster kids meals *ages* back and my brother has a Mario plush from '85 with the tag still on. =3 Oh- and I have the movie. By the way, what did you guys think of the movie?

 

[Drtooth]

And that this is the first animated Mario:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HffzM9vGYpU

I have to say I actually enjoy what I've seen of that series... but I HATE how Pauline is portrayed as such a Mary Sue. Other than the fact that she's useful when Donkey Kong is in trouble, she rarely does anything but smile to the camera and say, "Whaddayah expect? He's [Donkey Kong]" and "What has Donkey Kong gotten us into NOW?"

Plus, I really wish Peter Cullen didn't give Mario such a young sounding voice. I was expecting something a little more Heroic... sort of like Monterrey Jack (in the episodes of Rescue Rangers where he played him) but with a Brooklyn or Italian accent instead of an Australian one. But I really do like how DK gets into different wacky situations.

Now, I HATE what I saw of Donkey Kong Jr. It was so... so bad. Donkey Kong Jr. is EXACTLY like Scrappy-Doo... even saying "Monkey Muscle" the same exact way Scrap says "Puppy Power!" You know, I really wasn't all that impressed by any of the Supercade when I saw it, except Donkey Kong. Q-bert was pretty generic from what I saw... and it takes place in the 1950's for some reason... Didn't see a full Frogger, but why need to make a cartoon about it... Need to see Pitfall and Space Ace to really get a real perspective on it.

For that matter, I'm not all that crazy for Pac-Man's cartoon either. I like Super Pac, though.

 

[Yorick]

I think that was a fair review, Drtooth - I agree I like the situations DK gets in, like in "New Wave Ape" and "Greenhouse Gorilla". The latter being my fave so far of the youtube uploads I've seen!

And Kiki, I liked the Super Mario Bros movie!
By the way, is there a pic of that 1985 plush Mario anywhere online?

 

[Drtooth]

I think that was a fair review, Drtooth - I agree I like the situations DK gets in, like in "New Wave Ape" and "Greenhouse Gorilla". The latter being my fave so far of the youtube uploads I've seen!

Greenhouse Gorilla was BRILLAINT... if for nothing else, they actually used Stanley the Bugman from the little known Donkey Kong 3 game in that episode.

I still don't like the fact Pauline is portrayed as his niece. I guess it was too provocative to make it his girlfriend.

 

[Xerus]

Greenhouse Gorilla was BRILLAINT... if for nothing else, they actually used Stanley the Bugman from the little known Donkey Kong 3 game in that episode.

I still don't like the fact Pauline is portrayed as his niece. I guess it was too provocative to make it his girlfriend.

I liked how in the show, Donkey Kong wasn't the fierce villain you saw in the video game. He was just a kind hearted ape who didn't want to go back to the circus. And he was only throwing barrels at Mario for he was going to take him back to the circus, plus Donkey Kong had an affection for Pauline because she was his loving trainer during the circus days.