Tag: Mario

The best Super Mario power ups ranked from weak to wowie zowie

Our Super Mario power ups ranked list holds the Nintendo mascot’s abilities to the light to see which ones are worth their salt

[anyclip-media thumbnail=”undefined” playlistId=”undefined” content=”PHNjcmlwdCBzcmM9Imh0dHBzOi8vcGxheWVyLnBvcHRvay5jb20vYW55Y2xpcC13aWRnZXQvbHJlLXdpZGdldC9wcm9kL3YxL3NyYy9scmUuanMiIGRhdGEtYXI9IjE2OjkiIHB1Ym5hbWU9IjE5OTgiIHdpZGdldG5hbWU9IjAwMTZNMDAwMDJVMEIxa1FBRl9NODMzNSI+Cjwvc2NyaXB0Pg==”][/anyclip-media]

Putting the best Super Mario power ups in ranked order is a trip through the long-running franchise’s history, a tale of failed experiments and surprisingly creative endeavors. Any series that’s been knocking around for over 30 years inevitably puts out some duds, and Mario is no different. Tempting as it may be to lay the blame on the (rightly) maligned New Super series, some of the classic Super Mario games have their fair share of stinkers. 

We put our favorite Mario power ups in order here, though since Super Mario Wonder wasn’t available at the time of publication, we didn’t include those yet.

If you’re after more Mario fun, check out our 2D Mario cover art ranking and the best Charles Martinet voice lines.

Ranking the best 2D Super Mario Bros. box art from mid to inspired

The 2D Super Mario Bros. box art quality has had its fair share of ups and downs over the decades, and we’ve sorted out the best of the best

[anyclip-media thumbnail=”undefined” playlistId=”undefined” content=”PHNjcmlwdCBzcmM9Imh0dHBzOi8vcGxheWVyLnBvcHRvay5jb20vYW55Y2xpcC13aWRnZXQvbHJlLXdpZGdldC9wcm9kL3YxL3NyYy9scmUuanMiIGRhdGEtYXI9IjE2OjkiIHB1Ym5hbWU9IjE5OTgiIHdpZGdldG5hbWU9IjAwMTZNMDAwMDJVMEIxa1FBRl9NODMzNSI+Cjwvc2NyaXB0Pg==”][/anyclip-media]

The 2D Super Mario Bros. box art quality has had its fair share of ups and downs over the decades since the first NES game launched, much like the games themselves. The olden days of pared down, brutally minimalistic art for international releases thankfully gave way to something more colorful and fun, though even some of the more recent Mario art leaves something to be desired. There’s only so many times you can create something cover art for Super Mario Bros. U before it gets a little stale, after all.

We’ve sifted through and put them all in order in our 2D Super Mario Bros. box art list, but if you’re looking for something more game-flavored, check out our Super Mario game rankings as well.

9 candidates who would voice Mario for Nintendo so much better than Chris Pratt ever could

As a legend hangs up his famous red cap, we simply have to do better than Chris Pratt.

It’s the end of an era. Charles Martinet, the acclaimed voice of Nintendo’s mascot Mario for roughly three decades, is finally hanging up his red cap for the Super Mario video game franchise. He has definitively bopped the head of his last Koopa Troopa.

For now, Nintendo does not have a planned replacement for the legendary video game character. Yes, we are not talking about someone reciting a monologue from King Lear, but there is still a massive chasm of “yahoo!” and “here we go!” that someone with genuine temerity has to fill. The show must go on, and it must be delightful.

If you’re an esteemed internet purveyor, you might have seen a lot of joking suggestions that Chris Pratt — a human being with surface-level charm who would never dare turn down an easy check — should, once again, voice Mario. After all, he already has the experience of bringing nothing unique or entertaining to the table during this spring’s The Super Mario Bros. Movie. Why not harness that low-effort, milquetoast energy for the most popular game franchise in existence?

I’ll tell you why: We have standards here at For The Win. And we intend to uphold them. There are many better options to consider for the Mushroom Kingdom’s next lead adventurer. Take notes, Nintendo.

Ubisoft announces Mario+Rabbids Rayman DLC release date

The Mario+Rabbids Rayman DLC finally has a release date, and Ubisoft is bringing a fan-favorite villain back to the Nintendo game as well

The Mario+Rabbids Rayman DLC finally has a release date, and Ubisoft is bringing a fan-favorite villain back to the Nintendo game’s sequel as well. The Mario+Rabbids Rayman DLC, officially called Rayman in the Phantom Show, will launch on Aug. 30, 2023, as a standalone expansion or as part of the strategy game’s season pass.

Ubisoft and Nintendo made the announcement in a new trailer that highlights some of the DLC’s action and teases a starring role for the Phantom, a boss from the first Mario+Rabbid game with a penchant for drama and vocal projection. In a fitting turn of events, the Phantom owns an intergalactic TV production company now, and it’s your job to help improve his network’s ratings.

While most of the trailer spotlights the Mario game expansion’s cinematics, we do get a glimpse of some actual gameplay and Rayman-specific additions. Lum Rings, the purple hoops that Rayman could grapple with, add a new layer of strategy and a way to get around stages, and Rayman uses plunger guns and his own rocket-powered fists to take enemies down from afar.

The stage this time is a set, or multiple sets, to be more accurate. Your battles against new and familiar foes unfold across TV sets for Wild West productions, pirate shows, what looks like a ghost story set, and probably more. Nintendo and Ubisoft didn’t mention anything about new skills or Sparks, though it looks like at least some of the Sparks from the base game tag along for the ride.

Written by Josh Broadwell on behalf of GLHF

[mm-video type=video id=01fvcjnp6fsbvxksdqgj playlist_id=none player_id=none image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01fvcjnp6fsbvxksdqgj/01fvcjnp6fsbvxksdqgj-63f0de0fb272e8e5052147565eaa6662.jpg]

We need Jack Black to perform ‘Peaches’ from ‘The Super Mario Bros. Movie’ at the 2024 Oscars

Peaches, peaches, peaches, peaches, peaches.

The 2024 Academy Awards is already shaping up to be a lot of fun.

Air debuted in theaters earlier this month and garnered a lot of good marks from critics, signaling potential nominations for bros Matt Damon and Ben Affleck. We’re also getting films later this year from Martin Scorsese, Christopher Nolan, Greta Gerwig, Wes Anderson, David Fincher, Bradley Cooper, Michael Mann and Ridley Scott.

But there’s one thing we really need at next year’s Academy Awards to put the show over the top.

That’s right.

We need Jack Black.

We need a nomination for The Super Mario Bros. Movie.

We need “Peaches.”

For those unfamiliar with the song whose music video has been viewed more than 7.8 million times on YouTube in the past five days, “Peaches” is an original song co-written and performed by Jack Black and is about, yes, the fictional video game character Princess Peach from the Super Mario Bros. franchise.

Black plays Mario’s arch-nemesis Bowser in the recently released The Super Mario Bros. Movie, which had a $146 million debut at the domestic box office.

And Black’s original power ballad in the film – an ode to Princess Peach – is eligible for Best Original Song at the 2024 Oscars, according to Variety.

“Mario, Luigi, and a Donkey Kong, too. A thousand troops of Koopas couldn’t keep me from you.”

It’s worth noting that the Oscars have not always embraced comedic songs in the past. “Stu’s Song” from The Hangover was omitted from the show in 2010. But in 2000, “Blame Canada” from South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut was nominated and sang by the late Robin Williams in an all-time memorable performance.

If the Oscars wants to boost its ratings for next year, there’s only one thing to do: Nominate Jack Black, dress him up like Bowser, put him in front of a piano and let him rock.

Besides, the Academy owes him an Oscar from the 2004 show for School of Rock.

Jack Black wants a Red Dead Redemption movie or TV series next

Mario movie star Jack Black hoped someone makes a Red Dead Redemption movie, as video game adaptations prove more popular than ever

Mario movie star Jack Black hoped someone makes a Red Dead Redemption movie, as video game adaptations prove more popular than ever. Black, who voices Bowser in Nintendo and Illumination’s Super Mario Bros. Movie, made the comments during an interview with the BBC, where he said he expects more video game storytelling in TV and cinema in the coming years.

“I’m a fan of adaptations, when done right,” Black said. “The Last of Us [HBO] was fantastic. It’s going to win all the awards.They used the video game almost like a storyboard and I was like, ‘Whoa, this looks just the same.’ And there are some great games that have yet to be explored in television or film. Maybe there’s going to be a Red Dead Redemption movie? There should be, because I think that [has] just as good or [an] even better story than The Last of Us.”

Red Dead Redemption and its prequel-sequel Red Dead Redemption 2 follow an outlaw gang of cowboys, misfits, and criminals at the turn of the 20th century as they try carving a place for themselves in a society where greed and modernization at all costs take priority over human lives. Red Dead 2 won nearly two dozen awards when it released in 2018 and even earned a BAFTA nomination for best game.

Rockstar turned down the chance to make a Grand Theft Auto movie in the early 2000s, but that was a different era for film and certainly for television. Now, Black thinks games with strong stories or recognizable characters have a much stronger chance of successfully making the jump.

“The TV and film industries seem to be seeing a little bit of shrinkage,” Black said. “It will be interesting to see what happens to the entertainment industry over the next 20 to 30 years but I think we will be seeing more storytelling from the gaming universe.”

Written by Josh Broadwell on behalf of GLHF

[mm-video type=video id=01fm7bsdg4e7hwk3yb3b playlist_id=none player_id=01gp1x90emjt3n6txc image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01fm7bsdg4e7hwk3yb3b/01fm7bsdg4e7hwk3yb3b-a249c3e5a3471a0187b8d432924aeae0.jpg]

Ranking Mario’s 8 best suits by fashion and function

Number one in the rankings might surprise you.

The career of a video game icon demands constant reinvention. Even the most established characters in the world of gaming have to constantly evolve when it comes to their abilities, their backstory and even their fashion if they want to keep up in the ever-changing video gaming landscape. Like the greatest icons in other fields like music and movies, Mario has had plenty of looks over the years and seems to double his wardrobe with every new game.

It started with a handful of suits that came with special abilities, but as the years have gone on, Mario has amassed more suits than a lawyer’s funeral. Some of these suits are useful, but some of these don’t even give him special powers (other than slaying). We’ve taken on the monumental task of ranking Mario’s most iconic suits and the suit at the top may come as a shock to traditionalists.

The Super Mario Movie post-credit scene may hint at a sequel

More Mario movies are reportedly in the works, Mario voice actor Chris Pratt teased in an interview, and you might see one of them soon

More Mario movies are apparently in the works, Mario voice actor Chris Pratt teased in a recent interview, and you might get a glimpse at one of them soon (thanks, IGN). 

“It mines this vein of sentiment and meaning from our childhood,” Pratt said. “You have all of this feeling that you almost don’t even realize, going into the movie, how much you care about these characters until you see the outfits, and you hear the music, and you hear the score. So get ready for a lot of these movies.”

While that may just be speculation based on how the cast and crew think the Super Mario Bros. movie will perform, Pratt suggested the film’s post-credit sequence hints at a new movie that may or may not be based on Luigi’s Mansion. He had nothing more definitive to say on the matter, aside from saying he heard there had “been talk” about the project.

Luigi’s Mansion was a launch game for the Nintendo Gamecube in 2001, a spinoff where Mario’s cowardly brother – the “damsel in distress” in the upcoming movie, with Peach empowered as a proper ruler – searches a haunted house for traces of the Big M after he goes missing. Mario is famously absent in the game, so if Pratt has only heard talk about it and not actually worked on the film, that would make sense.

Whatever the case, we won’t have much longer to wait for the tease. The Super Mario Bros. movie releases April 5, 2023, in theaters.

Written by Josh Broadwell on behalf of GLHF

[mm-video type=video id=01fvcjnp6fsbvxksdqgj playlist_id=none player_id=01gp1x90emjt3n6txc image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01fvcjnp6fsbvxksdqgj/01fvcjnp6fsbvxksdqgj-63f0de0fb272e8e5052147565eaa6662.jpg]

Anya Taylor-Joy said she makes Princess Peach “an empowered woman”

Anya Taylor-Joy, the voice actor for Princess Peach in the Super Mario Bros. movie, said she sees Peach as an empowering role model

Anya Taylor-Joy, the voice actor for Princess Peach in the Super Mario Bros. Movie, said she made the Mushroom Kingdom monarch an empowering role model – and was pleased to find she wasn’t the only one. Taylor-Joy, speaking on the Total Film podcast, said she was “impressed and excited” to discover that the film’s creators also envisioned Peach as a strong, capable leader.

“I’m really proud to be a part of this, and I’m proud to be a part of… Peach is an empowered woman,” she said. “And if you think about it – and this is when I get really nerdy – if you think about the storyline, it makes more sense that she’s strong and in control, because she is the ruler of the Mushroom Kingdom. And that’s not an easy job. So if she was constantly being plucked out of her castle, she wouldn’t be very good at ruling, would she?”

The only other time Nintendo’s fungal aristocrat held a leading role was in 2005’s Super Princess Peach for the Nintendo DS. The game drew some criticism for doing away with traditional Mario powers and replacing them with Peach’s extreme emotions.

Taylor-Joy said that Nintendo and Illumination struck what she believes is a strong balance between the fresh and familiar for every character that longtime series fans and newcomers alike will enjoy. The idea echoes what the film’s directors previously said, when they called Luigi the film’s “damsel in distress” who Mario would do anything to rescue.

The Super Mario Bros. Movie releases on April 5, 2023, in theaters.

Written by Josh Broadwell on behalf of GLHF

[mm-video type=video id=01fvcjnp6fsbvxksdqgj playlist_id=none player_id=01gp1x90emjt3n6txc image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01fvcjnp6fsbvxksdqgj/01fvcjnp6fsbvxksdqgj-63f0de0fb272e8e5052147565eaa6662.jpg]

A March Nintendo Direct will debut the final Mario movie trailer

A new Nintendo Direct is on the way, but this one is all about the Super Mario Bros. Movie ahead of the film’s April release date

A new Nintendo Direct is on the way on March 9, 2023, but this one is all about the Super Mario Bros. Movie ahead of the film’s April release date. Nintendo announced the new Direct on Twitter just weeks after the February Direct and its reveal of a new Tears of the Kingdom trailer.

If you’re hoping for some new Mario game news ahead of Mar10 Day, you’ll be disappointed. Nintendo said the March Direct is only to showcase the Super Mario Bros. Movie’s final trailer.

While we’ve seen a fair bit of the film so far, including Donkey Kong and a fun skit Nintendo ran during the February Direct where you could call Mario and Luigi for plumbing advice, there’s still quite a few unknowns about the upcoming adaptation – including the basic plot.

Sure, Bowser wants to rule the world, but why does Mario seem so un-Mario-like, and how come Bowser hasn’t captured Princess Peach?

Nintendo has a track record of keeping secrets and surprising everyone with a product that turns out to be completely different from what they expected, so holding back plot details is very much in character for the Big N.

Whatever they have in store, we don’t have to wait much longer to find out. The Super Mario Bros. Movie releases April 7, 2023, in theaters.

Written by Josh Broadwell on behalf of GLHF

[mm-video type=video id=01fvcjnp6fsbvxksdqgj playlist_id=none player_id=01gp1x90emjt3n6txc image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01fvcjnp6fsbvxksdqgj/01fvcjnp6fsbvxksdqgj-63f0de0fb272e8e5052147565eaa6662.jpg]