Over the years, Nintendo has allowed Mario to evolve with the times yet still allow him to retain his original demeanor. From his 8 bit humble beginnings, to his career in the racing circuit, Mario has transitioned nicely to the new age of gaming. For the fans, he taught us to never give up, even if the Princess is in another Castle. Rarely are we let down by the release of a new installment in the Mario Bros. franchise, and even the less popular games have a great nostalgic feel to them.
With the impending release of Super Mario Bros. U, I am sure that we can expect another instant hit. What I am looking forward to most about the game is the classic side scroller game play. Nintendo producer Takashi Tezuka has stated that he believes that this game is exactly what the gamers want. He explained that Nintendo did not want to make changes to an already perfected gaming experience.
“We know that there are all types of Mario games. So for us, with the New Super Mario Bros series, we don’t really need to mess with it. This is what people want. Peach will be kidnapped by Bowser, and Mario will move from left to right. This is what people want.”
The formula is flawless, and Nintendo fans are sure to get that tickly feeling inside as they press the power button and breathe in the title screen. But I this really what the fans want, or are they playing it safe with their winning formula? I have seen many pleas from fans that they want to see Mario back in his roots with a classic side scroller. I have also seen many fans say that they want to see something new, one (far fetched?) example is a space themed Mario kart using vehicles such as Pod Racers, Land Speeders, etc… While I am not sure that a Star Wars crossover is the right thing to do, I am ecstatic to see that after all of these years just the mere thought of a new Mario game fosters creativity and excitement!
In my opinion, I would live to see a return to Subcon, and more focus on Wart, his back story and what he can bring to the series.
Sure, he was first introduced in Yume K?j?: Doki Doki Panic, but did any of you actually play the game? Then we saw a brief NPC appearance in The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening (using his Japanese name “Mamu”), and then again in Super Mario All-Stars, and a few more including Comic books and a few other games. The problem is that he just wasn’t an integral part of any other story. I Loved Super Mario Bros. 2, but felt that Wart’s character was sort of forgotten afterwards. Sure, Boweser will always be the main antagonist, but what about a game where Wart and Bowser are battling each other over control, and Mario has to step in to stop the feud?
Well, that is what I would want to see in the Mario series, what would you like to see? Is the Original Formula (referring to Super Mario Bros. 1, not Mario Bros.), or is there something new and exciting that you would like to see happen in an upcoming storyline?
