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There’s something special about a game of Mario Kart. Even with 30-plus years of iteration, the basic conceit hasn’t changed much, and doesn’t need to. Whether it’s piled up on the bedroom floor in front of an old tube TV or, now, live chatting via an in-game Zoom, the joy of go-cart racing with friends remains timeless.

But when it comes to Nintendo, there’s a distinct knack for changing things just enough to twist well-worn territory into new. And while their newest console, Switch 2, isn’t exactly their most ambitious,...

One of the most exciting things about Dragon Ball DAIMAis how the anime feels like a throwback to the 1980s, revisiting several elements, themes, and ideas from the original Dragon Ball while putting a modern twist on them. That said, it seems like Dragon Ball Daima isn't just revisiting 1980s anime tropes, as the latest episode gives Goku and his friends a mission that is clearly inspired by vintage Nintendo video games. Dragon Ball Daima Episode 19, "Betrayal," sees the continuation of the fight between Goku's party and Gomah, the Supreme Demon King.

While Gomah has spent most of Dragon Ball Daima as a pushover, his power level has dramatically increased since he acquired and applied the Evil Third Eye. This relic has allowed him to totally transform his body, take on a new kaiju-like form, and hold off a combined assault from Goku, Vegeta, Piccolo, Glorio, Tamagami Number One, Majin Duu,...

Dan Hennessey, the voice actor known for his roles in children’s shows like Little Bear, The Care Bears, and more, has died. He was 82 years old.

News of Hennessey’s death broke on Tuesday, November 19th, with his family confirming to TMZ that he passed in his sleep while at home, due to complications stemming from Parkinson’s disease.

Born in 1941 in Toronto, Canada, Hennessey became involved in children’s entertainment in the 1970s, eventually establishing himself as a staple of children’s animated television programs.. Among his best-known roles are Father Bear on Little Bear, Braveheart the Lion on The Care Bears, and Chief Quimby on Inspector Gadget.

Hennessey did voice work for a number of other notable animated series in the ‘80s and ‘90s, including Jayce and the Wheeled Warriors, Dinosaucers, RoboCop, Police Academy: The Animated Series, C.O.P.S., Beetlejuice, The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3, The Raccoons,...

Since 1992, Mario Kart players have debated about the best characters in the game, and Mario Kart 8 fans are more passionate than ever about which character deserves first place. Many players pick their racer based on design or personality, but the factors that make the best Mario characters memorable aren't the same as those that make them the greatest on the racetrack. Speed, acceleration rate, handling, and character weight are all components that factor into the science behind which Mario Kart 8 character is the best to play.

All Mario Kart 8 characters are placed on a weight spectrum indicative of their size: Light, Medium, and Heavy. The heavier characters are favored due to their ability to maintain top speeds, but are slower to accelerate. Lighter characters accelerate more quickly, but have lower top speeds. All of these characters are accessible to pretty much everyone, but they all have their subtle tweaks that...

The 1990s seemed to have a strange affinity for cartoons based off of video games, with a number of examples of such being prevalent throughout the decade. In the modern age, video game movies have been more popular than ever, with the upcoming live-action Minecraft adaptation poised to be the next major blockbuster to be based on a popular game series. However, in past decades, TV has been more the realm of video game adaptations, with many Saturday morning cartoons in particular using them as a foundation.

These early interpretations of famous video game characters for the small screen often deviated from the source material dramatically. Today, many of these cartoons are most well-known for being meme fodder, with many humorous edits of their episodes proliferating the feeds of late 2000s YouTube users. From cartoons based on Nintendo properties to other animated adaptations of Capcom or Sega's games, 90s...

In the modern era, video game trailers get criticized for the overuse of CGI cutscenes instead of using actual game footage. They are selling you an idea of what the game is, rather than the reality. It’s something that’s not all that necessary, as gaming and graphics have become so advanced over the decades that simple footage should be enough to get people interested.

Back in the ‘80s, we didn’t have that option. Yes, there were good games out there, but advertising was more of a challenge. Everything around the gameplay was going to have to do the heavy lifting and really get you to think that 2600 Pacman was going to be something special. The commercials that really put in the work at least stayed with children and helped paint a reality that the limited graphics were trying to push.

Here are some that truly stand out from our most fool-pitying decade.

As expansive and varied as the genre has become over the years, Mario is still widely regarded as the king of side-scrollers, with classic titles like Super Mario Bros. 3, Super Mario World, New Super Mario Bros U, and even the recently released Super Mario Bros Wonder vying for the title of Goat.

In my mind, the Goat is a dinosaur. In the 2D side-scrolling realm, no game is more immaculate than Super Mario World 2: Yoshi’s Island. The perfect game may not exist, but this thing comes pretty damn close. It’s great at everything: The gameplay is tight, the levels are brilliantly designed, the soundtrack is brimming with bops, and the visuals are as stunning as anything else you’ll find on the Snes. Above all else, in the simplest terms, this game is still endlessly fun almost thirty years after its initial release.

Yoshi’s Island...

As Nintendo prepares for its future with the eventual successor to the Nintendo Switch, it also has taken the time to celebrate its past, releasing the compilation title Nintendo World Championships: Nes Edition on the Switch. This release not only revisits the classic games from Nintendo’s inaugural home console but nearly coincides with the 35th anniversary of the cult classic 1989 movie The Wizard, which revolved around a similar competition involving Nintendo Entertainment System games. More than offering a trip down an Nes-tinged memory lane, both the movie and Switch compilation highlight the early, halcyon days of the proto-esports scene.

The earliest days of esports in the United States were a magical, untested period for the industry and Nintendo played a huge role in shaping it. The Wizard distills the innocent magic and cynicism-free spirit of the scene that modern esports unfortunately lacks and it explores this open gaming frontier.

In an industry rife with remakes, remasters, and re-releases, few companies have mastered the art of repacking leftovers for a nostalgia-driven appetite than Nintendo. With games like 1985’s Nes classic Super Mario Bros. reissued dozens of times over four decades, even the youngest players are familiar with the look, feel, and basic gameplay of Nintendo’s classics.

With a legacy like that, Nintendo doesn’t really need to try hard to sell its back catalog, and with its latest collection, Nintendo World Championships: Nes Edition, it most certainly isn’t.

34 years after the legendary Nintendo World Championships in 1990, Nintendo is bringing a simulacrum of the excitement home in Nintendo World Championships: Nes Edition . This collection of speedrun challenges lets players try to best their times in everything from collecting coins in Super Mario Bros. to finding the sword at the beginning of The Legend of Zelda and beyond. 13 classic Nes titles are represented in the game, which hits Nintendo Switch on July 18, 2024. Nintendo World Championships: Nes Edition will be available digitally for $29.99 and in a physical Deluxe Set for $59.99. Nintendo World Championships: Nes Edition Announcement Trailer Related: Mario Wrecks It in Latest Nintendo Switch Online Update There are over 150 challenges in total, and in addition to trying to beat your own times, up to eight players can compete locally in Party Mode. There's also a global leaderboard for Nintendo Switch Online members to challenge. Here's a look at the Deluxe...

The Super Mario Bros. Movie was a big success, surpassing $1 billion at the box office and connecting with long-time fans of the games. The film includes seven classic power-ups from the Nintendo video games, ranked from weakest to most powerful as seen in the movie. These power-ups, like the Super Mushroom and Super Star, provide various abilities such as increased size, speed, strength, and temporary invincibility.

The Super Mario Bros. Movie uses seven classic power-ups from the Nintendo video games, which can be ranked from weakest to most powerful. The film became one of the big success stories of 2023, surpassing the $1 billion gross box office benchmark by a wide margin. By the end of The Super Mario Bros. Movie, audiences have been treated to dozens of Easter eggs and references to the classic Super Mario video games, helping the film connect with long-time fans of the games.

The seven classic...

Adding new characters like Wario could bring fresh threats and lighthearted humor to the Super Mario Bros. Movie sequel, satisfying fans and expanding the cinematic universe. Introducing Bowser's minions like Spike, Paragoombas, Podoboos, and Pokeys would create inventive, visually dynamic scenes and challenging obstacles for Mario and his companions. Including enemies like Hammer Bros., Wiggler, Thwomps, Boos, Lakitu, and Bowser Jr. would provide new attack dynamics, comedic moments, and personal stakes in the Mushroom Kingdom.

The Super Mario Bros. Movie introduced familiar foes like Shy Guys, Koopas, and Bullet Bill. However, a potential sequel could explore a broader array of Bowser's minions, offering an opportunity to enrich the film and introduce additional challenges for Mario and his companions. While the first film included some of Mario's most iconic antagonists, Bowser has a vast roster of quirky and creative minions that have yet to appear on the big screen. These...

This month sees the launch of Super Mario Bros. Wonder: the first new Super Mario game on the Nintendo Switch since 2017’s Super Mario Odyssey and the first side-scrolling Super Mario game since 2012’s New Super Mario Bros. U on the Wii U.

While there’s plenty of buzz about Wonder being the first Super Mario game to feature a different voice actor for Mario (instead of franchise veteran Charles Martinet) in over 25 years, the game also marks the return of prolific Nintendo developer Takashi Tezuka, who serves as Super Mario Bros. Wonder’s producer.

A presence with the Super Mario series since the beginning, Tezuka is the unsung figure behind making the video game hero a global icon and figurehead of the entire video game industry.

Takashi Tezuka’s Extensive History at Nintendo

Tezuka joined Super Mario creator Shigeru Miyamoto as the assistant director and co-designer of 1985’s Super Mario Bros....

Super Mario Bros. Wonder seeks to refresh the classic boss battles that have become tiresome in recent games, offering a much-needed fresh take on the series. The game might introduce new world bosses, replacing the overused Koopalings that have been around since New Super Mario Bros. The trailer hints at a new direction for boss battles, featuring a unique boss with a different design and battle mechanics, suggesting a departure from the standard Koopaling fights.

Super Mario Bros. Wonder is set to be something of a triumphant return for the iconic platforming series, and it's poised to resolve an unfortunate trend regarding boss battles from the most recent games. The Super Mario Bros. games specifically – those that follow the classic 2D, side-scrolling formula – have been out of the limelight for over a decade, with New Super Mario Bros. U being the last dedicated release back in 2012. Super Mario Maker and its sequel have been wonderful,...

The Super Mario Bros. games have featured a wide variety of power-ups over the years, but some of these enhancements have proven to be more powerful or iconic than others. Starting with the very first Super Mushroom that players pick up in World 1-1 of the original Nes game, the power-up lineage includes abilities inspired by animals, elements, enemies, and more. Although each one offers a unique improvement over Mario's default state, players will tend to gravitate toward certain favorites over time.

Some Super Mario Bros. games have had a bigger impact on the power-up canon than others. Super Mario Bros. 3, one of the best Mario games to play before Wonder, has a legacy of pickups that lasts to this day, and the first couple of New Super Mario Bros. titles freshened things up with some exciting new additions. Certain entries power-ups also appear in 3D Mario titles,...

Super Mario Bros. Wonder is scheduled to be released this fall with its fun new Elephant Mario and other unique powers and abilities, but that has left many excited fans wondering what they can play in the meantime. The Super Mario franchise has so many great games, and many have special gimmicks to make them stand out from each other. If someone is looking for a game to scratch that same itch that the trailer for Super Mario Bros. Wonder gave them, looking at a few games that are along the same lines is the best way to go.

Mario Wonder will have new power-ups that give hilariously unique abilities, similar to how Tanooki Mario was introduced in Super Mario Bros. 3 and Cat Mario from Super Mario 3D World. Players might just want more of a classic traditional 2D Mario feel as well, or the chance to experiment with a little more creativity.

Nintendo in the mid-to-late 80s sure was something to behold. It’s probably the closest thing the video game industry had to a monopoly. Sure, the Sega Master System was around and Atari was still on life support, but the Nintendo Entertainment System was absolutely dominant in society. We didn’t even call it “the Nes.” It was just “Nintendo.” For many, “playing video games” was “playing Nintendo.”

Nintendo’s major market share led to some interesting marketing experiments. Captain N: The Game Master was an animated series that not only advertised different games as part of its lore, but even included third-party game heroes like Simon Belmont and Mega Man as supporting characters. Then there’s The Wizard: an attempt to promote the upcoming Super Mario Bros. 3 via a bizarre family film version of Rain Man that included the questionable choice of casting Christian Slater and doing nothing with him.

Successful video game franchises can have numerous games in their series, but sometimes companies make some odd choices in the naming conventions for sequels. The upcoming Mortal Kombat is a good example of this, as are other games such as Kingdom Hearts. For many of these, the game developers are clearly trying to do something innovative and make each new game stand out, but it can cause players a headache later on when trying to see what order the games came in and how to play them chronologically.

Consoles share this same problem of confusing naming conventions, and it will be interesting to see what the yet-unknown-name of the Switch 2 console could end up being. Historically, Xbox and Nintendo have both left many scratching their heads at naming systems and been the result of many jokes, but the games themselves don't do much better. Though it would seem simple to...

Although Bowser was a great villain in The Super Mario Bros. Movie, there are 12 other villains who could replace him in The Super Mario Bros. Movie 2. Bowser is easily the most iconic villain of Nintendo's most iconic franchise, with him appearing in many of the mainline Mario games as well as nearly every spin-off. While Bowser will surely still be around in The Super Mario Bros. Movie 2, the sequel has a large pool of video game villains that it can pull from, meaning that one of these 12 baddies needs to replace Bowser in Illumination's upcoming sequel.

The Super Mario Bros. Movie is the long-awaited adaptation of Nintendo's beloved platforming franchise, with it finally bringing Mario to the big screen in animated form. Unsurprisingly, The Super Mario Bros. Movie's box office has been huge, with the film already making over $1 billion worldwide. Because of this, a litany of Mario...

N​intendo brought Mario to the big screen back in 1993 with Super Mario Bros. This film starred Bob Hoskins as the titular Mario and John Leguizamo as Luigi. The film did not do too well. It became the go-to reference for a bad adaptation of video games to live-action films.

F​ans hoped for a new adaptation for decades, but Nintendo was hesitant to pull the trigger. They finally teamed up with the animation studio Illumination Entertainment who brought us such films as Despicable Me, Minions, and the latest version of The Grinch. The company packed this new film full of Super Mario Easter Eggs and references. What did you end up missing?

P​unch Out Pizza

W​hen we meet Mario and Luigi, they are at their local pizzeria Punch Out Pizza. This is a reference to the Nintendo classic video game Punch-Out. Pictures of boxers from the video...

Luigi is the man. The green-capped, younger brother of Mario—as well as the one with the far more luxuriant mustache—jumps higher, runs faster, and looks plain cooler while doing it. This is a truth that’s universally acknowledged by gamers of a certain age. For if you were a younger sibling growing up sometime in the ‘90s or late ‘80s, you were always Player 2. You were always Luigi.

I was one such player, the kid brother of a sister who adored Super Mario Bros. and Super Mario Bros. 3 on the Nes. There were thus many an afternoon spent waiting for my turn to play as the Italian plumber who’s dressed like it’s always St. Patrick’s Day. However, beginning with the Japanese version of Super Mario Bros. 2 in 1986, Luigi has low-key been designed as the better character with higher and further leaps, albeit less balance and traction in his landings.

Video game power-ups are a familiar enough concept to a mass media-consuming public that Aaron Horvath's and Michael Jelenic's new film "The Super Mario Bros. Movie" doesn't bother to explain it for a second. If you consume a power-up, you're granted temporary superpowers. In terms of real-world physics, power-ups make about as much sense as, say, trapping a monster inside of a spit bubble, slamming them against the wall, and watching them magically transform into fruit (the premise of Taito's 1986 video game "Bubble Bobble"). But video games have been dictating their own surreal inner logic for decades, and audiences will readily accept any scenario.

In "The Super Mario Bros. Movie," the only primer that audiences are given regarding power-ups is when Princess Peach (Anya Taylor-Joy) explains to Mario (Chris Pratt) that floating metal boxes, festooned with question marks, contain power-ups that can be freed by punching them.

Nintendo Switch Online's early list of Game Boy Advance titles features some excellent options, but the lineup may already have one big mistake. The service's small list of announced titles was expected, since it is a brand-new addition to the service. Even so, that does not explain one prominent anomaly in the announced lineup that could potentially raise a problem for players.

The first announcements for the Gba add-on to Nintendo Switch Online features a small but strong selection of games. It includes the Gba remake of Super Mario Bros. 3, the first WarioWare game, and The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap, among others. Even with the service having just been announced, players have a number of classics readily available as long as they have Nso's Expansion Pack tier. Further Game Boy games have been confirmed for Nso and will be rolled out in the coming months, including a few other big names,...

In February 2023's Nintendo Direct, it was announced that Nintendo Switch Online will be adding Game Boy, Game Boy Color, and Game Boy Advance games to their ever-expanding library, with many of the games already available to play right now. These classic handheld titles are designed to support local and online (friends only) gaming with screen filter options to customize how it will look on the Switch. The Game Boy and Game Boy Color games are available through the standard Nintendo Switch Online service while Game Boy Advance titles are only on the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack tier of subscriber services.

There have been rumors for years regarding when Nintendo Switch Online would add Gba games to their online service, especially since the addition of N64 and Genesis games in 2021. Fans don't have to wait any longer, however, as many of the Game Boy, Game Boy Color, and Gba...

Along with being the primary antagonist of the Super Mario franchise, Bowser is one of the most recognizable names in gaming history. Honestly, you could easily argue that he’s probably the most globally recognizable villain in video game history.

Bower certainly boasts the resume needed to be worthy of that title. For over 35 years, he has played various roles in some of the most successfully, acclaimed, and beloved Nintendo games ever made. Of course, his status as a video game icon has as much to do with his distinct look and, of course, that wonderful name.

However, you should know that Bower’s real name isn’t actually Bowser. Well…at least not entirely. Actually, the origins of Bowser’s real name may leave you wondering why we ever started calling that character Bowser in the first place.

Kuppa and Koopa

See, in Japan, the character that I know...

The Strange Brew Cult Movie night returns at their new home, the Arkadin Cinema & Bar, with a nostalgic screening of Fred Savage in The Wizard on Wednesday, July 7 at 8:30 pm (movie starts at sundown on the backlot Patio). The Arkadin is located at 5228 Gravois Ave, St Louis, Mo 63116. If you’ve never seen “The Wizard” starring Fred Savage & Jenny Lewis, it’s a strange flick where three kids travel across the country alone to play in a Nintendo contest and visit a dinosaur theme park. It might just be a 2-hour long advertisement for Nintendo, but it’s definitely a late 80s/ early 90s idealized vision of a childhood adventure.

Jon Scorfina will be hosting a Super Mario Bros. 3 tournament (two-minute tries for the high score) before the flick with prizes and we’ll have a Rilo Kiley/ Jenny Lewis soundtrack playing in the background. Tickets are $9 and available here: https://arkadin.

Super Mario 3D World’s upcoming debut on Nintendo Switch is a major moment for many Mario fans who didn’t get the chance to play one of the best games in franchise history when it was released for Wii U. In some ways, it’s actually seen as a “lost” Mario game by those who never found a reason to purchase what is arguably Nintendo’s worst console ever.

What you may not know, though, is that there have actually been many Super Mario games over the years that were never released for one reason or another. Why many of these projects are nothing more than pieces of obscure trivia (such as the Mario Kart game that Elon Musk wanted to install in Tesla vehicles), some of these canceled, rejected, and unreleased titles shine a light on what could have been.

From volleyball wrestling games to a port of...

Despite not taking place in front of the live crowd that typically gives these speedrunning events their energy, Agdq 2021 managed to raise $2,758,847 for the Prevent Cancer Foundation. It was yet another tremendous success for an event that is quickly becoming a must-watch showcase for a formerly niche section of gaming culture.

While we’re all waiting for better days when fans will be able to safely attend these events once more, it must be said that Agdq 2021’s set-up did allow a greater variety of people to participate in the show remotely. As a result, this year’s event featured some of the absolute wildest runs you’ll ever see.

If you’re looking for the best of the best, though, then these are the Agdq 2021 VODs that you need to watch.

Super Mario 64 (Blindfolded Run)

We’ve seen Super Mario 64 runs at these events countless times, but runner Bubzia...

Nintendo Switch Online is the subscription service for owners of, you guessed it, the Nintendo Switch. The portable games console’s snazzy membership club launched properly in September 2018, and, although membership isn’t essential to enjoying the Switch, it does connect you to some pretty cool stuff.

In terms of pricing, single-user membership to Nintendo Switch Online is priced on the official Nintendo website at $3.99 for one month, $7.99 for three months or $19.99 for a year. There is also an option to spend $34.99 for a family of up to eight members to have access to the service for a year. Alternatively, you can buy a membership through Amazon, which can be a bit cheaper depending on the retail giant’s current pricing fluctuations.

As for perks, members of Nintendo Switch Online can use online multiplayer features on a vast selection of games. They can also make the most of cloud saves and exclusive offers,...

When I was young, my brother used to insist he was better than me at Super Mario Bros. I remember challenging him by noting that Super Mario Bros. was not a competitive game and that neither of us had even been able to finish it. He then asserted he was bigger than me and could beat me up. It wasn’t exactly the Lincoln-Douglas debates, but it was the format that defined disagreements in our early years.

So while younger siblings everywhere may be looking forward to the recently revealed Super Mario Bros. 35 simply for the chance to settle these arguments once and for all, others are understandably hesitant. Do we need a Super Mario battle royale title in the style of Tetris 99? Tetris is at least a game with a rich history of competitive modes. Even children of the ’80s knew that Super Mario Bros. was not a competitive game.

An original, sealed copy of Super Mario Bros. was just purchased at auction for over $100k. The classic Nintendo Entertainment System game now holds the record for highest-selling video game ever at an auction. The 1985 cartridge is still in the original shrink wrap and went to an anonymous bidder for $114,000 this past Friday. This purchase beats out the previous record holder, which was also a sealed copy of Super Mario Bros. That particular cartridge sold for $100,000 back in February 2019.

The Nintendo cartridge was graded in A+ condition and featured "hang tabs," which are a rare and short-lived variant on Nes games from the 1980s. Heritage Auctions says that the, "title soared to record heights in part because it was part of one of the short production runs of the game packaged in boxes with a cardboard hang tab underneath the plastic." They continued by noting the hang tab is, "an...

A sealed copy of the Super Mario Bros. became the highest-selling video game ever at auction Friday with a winning bid of $114,000.

The 1985 cartridge, still in its original plastic sealing, sold to an anonymous bidder at Heritage Auctions’ event. The $114,000 winning bid bested the previous auction record of $100,000 for a single video game; that mark, set in February 2019, was also established by a sealed copy of Super Mario Bros.

“The demand for this game was extremely high, and if any lot in the sale could hit a number like that,...

Video game translations to film and television have been a mixed bag, to say the least. Yet, amidst countless cases of tepid efforts and downright blunders exists a few memorable examples of these crossovers. One example remembered fondly by 80s and 90s kids, in particular, is a show based on the imaginative Super Mario Bros. franchise. It was certainly unique, not just for its colorful settings and creative premises, but also for its use of both cartoon and live-action segments.

Related: The 10 Best Saturday Morning Cartoons On Disney +

Most episodes had their own theme referencing a particular book, film, TV show, or historical event. To further mix things up, the show hosted weekly cartoons based on the equally-majestic The Legend of Zelda. Though The Super Show had its share of cheesy moments and questionable animation, it was an entertaining watch on the whole.

The show lasted less than a year...

In addition to new content and multiplayer on modern Nintendo Switch games, one of the perks of having a Nintendo Switch Online membership is access to incredible, classic Snes and Nes video games. Games like The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, Super Metroid, Super Mario Bros. 3, etc. are all at your fingertips […]

The post ‘Donkey Kong Country’ & More Classic Games Coming to Nintendo Switch Online Next Week appeared first on Cinelinx | Movies. Games. Geek Culture..

Rob Leane John Saavedra Feb 12, 2020

Smash Tennis and Shadow of the Ninja are among the free games for Nintendo Switch Online members this month!

Nintendo Switch Online is the subscription service for owners of, you guessed it, the Nintendo Switch. The portable games console's snazzy membership club launched properly in September 2018, and, although membership isn't essential to enjoying the Switch, it does connect you to some pretty cool stuff.

In terms of pricing, single-user membership to Nintendo Switch Online is priced on the official Nintendo website at $3.99 for one month, $7.99 for three months or $19.99 for a year. There is also an option to spend $34.99 for a family of up to eight members to have access to the service for a year. Alternatively, you can buy a membership through Amazon, which can be a bit cheaper depending on the retail giant's current pricing fluctuations.

As for perks, members of Nintendo Switch...