PixlBit

Matt takes an extensive look at Mario’s first console outing, Super Mario Bros.

The Heroes and Bad Guys!

All the characters listed here have been in future Mario game henceforth, except for a couple of games here and there. And being the (not-so) witty person that I am, I am going to share my personal opinions about them, including high and low moments in their career.

Mario

Occupation: All-around Plumber/Platforming Hero/(insert job here)
Career High Point: Every main line game.
Career Low Point: Super Mario All-Star Wii disc ROM dump. And that CD-I game.

Everyone knows who Mario is, and with good reason. Like Mickey Mouse, he is a lovable character that anyone can recognize. Unlike Disney’s mouse, however, Mario stars in high quality games that are worth your spending money. While rumor has it that Shigeru Miyamoto named Mario after a landlord Nintendo of America had in the early '80s, as prior to him becoming Mario he was known as “Jumpman,” there is one thing for certain: Mario is awesome. And the fact he can do just about anything that relates to go-kart racing, sports, and of course, princess rescuing, it will make you feel like a worthless chump. Not that I don’t mind.

Luigi

Occupation: Mario’s brother and sidekick.
Career High Point: Good Mario games that give Luigi unique abilities.
Career Low Point: Mama Luigi, Weegee and his introduction cutscene in Smash Bros. Brawl. YouTube them, you can hate me later.

The Mario series’ Donald Duck; but unlike Donald Duck, Luigi didn’t star in hilarious animated shorts. Luigi is the stalwart under-rated Mario character, usually stuck in the sidekick role except for the exception here and there. Games like Super Mario Bros. 2, Luigi’s Mansion, the Mario Galaxy games and the Mario & Luigi series give Luigi the chance to shine when he isn’t stuck at home writing journal entries or going on an adventure with disgruntled allies.

Princess Peach (“Toadstool”)

Occupation: Damsel in Distress
Career High Point: Her aforementioned floating ability, and she is a capable fighter in Smash Bros. Melee and Brawl.
Career Low Point: Her appearance in the Mario Ice Capades from the late 80s.

Yes, I remember a time when Peach was still called Princess Toadstool. Despite being in my twenties, it makes me feel old. However, Peach is probably the prime example of annoying love interest that the Mario series has, because Peach is always getting kidnapped by Bowser or, in the case of the RPG side-series, other villains that are not Bowser. On the plus side, Nintendo even knows her constant kidnapping is annoying and makes fun of it at any given occasion, and her floating ability in Super Mario Bros. 2 USA is extremely useful. In 2013 she finally made her 3-D platforming debut in Mario 3D Land with her Mario 2 USA abilities in tow.

Toad

Occupation: Mushroom Retainer
Career High Point: Can dig through deserts like nobody’s business.
Career Low Point: His current voice is like having sand paper grinding your ears.

Technically, Toad isn’t just one character, but a race of Mushroom Kingdom inhabitants. Toad and his fellow Toads first appearance in the Mario series basically consisted of them saying “THANK YOU MARIO. BUT OUR PRINCESS IS IN ANOTHER CASTLE.” Toad’s playable appearances are limited to side games in the Mario franchise, though his strength in SMB2 USA makes him very useful in the desert stages. He is also the only Nintendo character whose voice is worse than his cartoon appearances. FUN FACT: You know all those blocks you are hitting in Super Mario Bros? According to the instruction manual, those are apparently Toads. Think about it, you are now a mass murderer. (And thank you The Mushroom Kingdom for the lovely fan art and exact manual wording.)

Bowser

Occupation: Big Bad of the Mushroom Kingdom
Career High Point: Admit it, lifting up Peach’s castle in the opening cinematic of Super Mario Galaxy was pretty badass...
Career Low Point: ...And almost causing the universe to implode onto itself in the same game was not badass.

Mario’s main nemesis and frequent kidnapper of Peach; the fire breathing king of the Koopas can never seem to catch a break. Even with awesome plans that involve Power Stars, Mario will always one-up him. Don’t even expect Bowser to be a main villain in the side RPG series, however; the only time he has ever remained the game’s main villain is in the first Paper Mario. After being made an anti-hero in Bowser’s Inside Story, Bowser’s reputation is that of a hilarious loud-mouth lovable loser.

Goombas

Basically the first enemy you face in the game, and in fact has been for every Mario game (sans Sunshine). Goombas are considered “mooks,” meaning that they are numerous baddies that are easily beatable. Expect a lot of in-jokes made about these poor bad-mushroom men in the Mario RPG series.

Koopa Troopas

Now here is an enemy that also makes its debut in the first level of Super Mario Bros, and unlike Goomba, Koopas actually pose more of a threat to Mario's safety since jumping on them doesn’t kill them. One jump stuns them, but jumping or walking into them ‘kicks’ them (Mario didn’t technically have a kick animation sans a few moments in Mario 3) and causes them to slide uncontrollably until it hits a solid wall.

And it comes in two color variants. At first, they only come in red and green. Red-shelled Koopas won’t walk off ledges like most of the enemies in the game, whereas the green-shelled Koopas will have no problem walking to their doom. They can also fly up and down and left to right, and bounce. Basically, these are my favorite enemies in the game because they are actually useful in getting points.

Lakitu and Spinies

Now meet my least favorite enemy in the game: Lakitu and the Spinies appear in only three levels, but inexperienced Mario players might lose a life or two thanks to the infinite amount of Spinies he throws from that cloud of his. While Lakitu can be killed if Mario is high enough to reach him, Spinies can only be killed by either hitting them from underneath a block or with a fire flower. Too bad he respawns MOMENTS AFTER you kill him. Only until Super Mario World does Lakitu actually becomes bearable since that cloud can be used to hover in certain stages.

Buzzy Beetles

The Spinies’ spikeless cousin is basically a Koopa Troopa, but without color variation or any real special quirks. They gain the ability to walk on ceilings in Mario 3 and get wings in Paper Mario.

Piranha Plants

Another enemy that makes a grand first stage debut, but unlike Goombas and Koopas, Piranha Plants are not that dangerous. They only pop out of pipes and that’s about it. They pose a challenge when they spit fire balls in Mario 3.

Cheep-Cheep

Most Mario fans have come up with a clever saying: “They are right, they are cheap.” Cheep-Cheeps are a lot like Spinies and Lakitu in that they are annoying as hell. Honestly, these fishies don’t pose a huge threat, even when they jump from the bottom of the screen in only two levels. Hilariously enough, they jump out of lava in one of the trap levels in Mario 3’s Dark Land.

Blooper

Miyamoto’s white squid creation is usually the bane of underwater Mario levels. These things move somewhat fast, and their movements are not always predictable. Having a Fire Flower to dispose of them is highly recommended.

Bullet Bill

Showing up in the later levels, Bullet Bills are shot by cannons and only travel in one direction. While they are very easy to dodge, these guys can sometimes crowd a screen and make certain platforming situations hellish.

Hammer Bro.

While these hammer throwing Koopas are considered the most annoying enemy in the game, they aren't that bad to deal with sans one level near the end of the game (hello World 8-3). A lot of the times you encounter Hammer Bros. are when they are on breakable platforms, and they make an easy 1,000 point kill.

Lava Bubble/Podoboo

Lava bubbles that jump out of lava. They don’t have eyes yet.

Yup.

Fire Bars

Spinning bars of fire. Didn't have a screenshot.

Uh-huh.