Is Mario a modern, marketable character?
Tuesday, November 13th, 2007 at 10:44am by Jack
Here’s an interesting and timely question posed by the Escapist today: How would Mario fare if he were introduced in 2007?
As everyone and their dog knows, today is the official launch of Super Mario Galaxy. It is the latest Mario adventure; the most far flung (literally, the dude is in SPACE); and it is perhaps one of the most important titles to grace any video game console in recent memory.
Even so, the Escapist gets all hypothetical on us: “Let’s assume Super Mario Galaxy would be the first Mario game on the market. There’d be questions, and lots of ‘em, from the media and the public alike; the sort of questions you expect to be asked when a new property is in development. What’s with the overalls? Why the fascination with stars, coins? Where does he come from, and what is his reason for hopping around planets and kicking the crap out of this league of ne’er-do-wells? What’s with the exaggerated, cartoonish and stereotypical Italian accent? You got something against Italians? Wake thy lawyers, it’s on!”
It’s a fresh, interesting read on a timeless gaming icon. If you manage to put down the Wiimote today, even for a few minutes — perhaps on your way to relieve yourself in between Galaxy sessions — I suggest you use those few minutes to read up on Mario Mario.
November 13th, 2007 at 11:03 am
I think it would be like Katamari Demacy. “Don’t ask questions, just enjoy the damn game!”
November 13th, 2007 at 12:16 pm
Yeah, the King’s mannerisms (and package) didn’t seem to do much more than bemuse people. I think Mario would be treated as “teh kiddie” in ways that so-called “hardcore gamers” aren’t able to do now because of his legacy, and probably the project would never be greenlit.
But then again, would Pac-Man? Sonic? Any cartoon-character-like protagonist who originated before the rise of brown? I’m guessing not.
Incidentally, I got the very first Mario Galaxy off the UPS truck at my local Gamestop at 20 past 10 this morning. They got about 200 of them, along with a bunch of Rock Band boxes they giggled about and told everyone “You didn’t see these.” (A Guitar Hero fanboy was there, and said, “Like anyone’s going to buy it.”)
While I was waiting around looking at used PS2 titles to occupy me while Nintendo is fixing my Wii, I watched a random mom come into the store and ask what the hot game system was this year because her kids needed one, specifically asking about the PS3. They told her she needed a Wii, but good luck finding one. She asked which one had the best graphics. They asked whether she had an HDTV. She didn’t. They said all three would be about the same in that case. She asked about the Xbox 360. They said it was about the same as the PS3 and a hundred dollars cheaper. She thanked them and left. Makes me wonder if she was a Sony secret shopper or something.
I dunno whether it’s just my local store or the morning shift or what, but it’s not an exchange I ever thought I’d hear at a Gamestop.
November 13th, 2007 at 1:37 pm
Super Mario is a breath of fresh air compared to the dark and dreary shooter fare we’re inundated with today.
November 13th, 2007 at 3:03 pm
If he was introduced today as it has been designed for the last years, it would not probably fair as well..
However, if he was introduced today, we would have to think that a lot of plataformer conventions would not be there today (God bless Super Mario 64), thus, the game would probably fair well enough, asuming that nobody had came up with Miyamoto Sensei’s already used ideas in this hypotetical…
Yet, it probably won’t get any “Mario” numbers, since the brand does not exist. Also, as many of us agree, would be dismissed by the “core” gamers as a kid’s game.(I use the term loosely since I ask myself if would it be there any of these “core gamers” if Mario did not showed up almost 3 deacades ago?)
However, for what has been published, I don’t think Mario would be conceived as it is today given that the some of the reasoning behind his design were the limitations of technology…. Makes you wonder if Miyamoto Sensei would even be designing now since he is a design artist and then by chance a game developer…
Now, It’s time to Do the Mario…
November 13th, 2007 at 3:56 pm
The classic Mario’s set so many foundations for the gaming world, that it would be hard to imagine where other games would be without it…
I think those foundations have also set modern Mario games up for success. It would be very difficult jumping right into Mario Galaxy without some understanding of the history of Mario (likewise, it would be difficult jumping into “The Matrix: Revolutions” without seeing the first two installments). Granted, I think the game would be enjoyable regardless having played through it already, there just would not be all the hype behind it.
November 13th, 2007 at 7:34 pm
I’m having a hard time thinking about Mario coming onto the gaming scene in a vacuum, so to speak. Assuming that some other platforming game came along and served to fix the conventions we’re used to, I think it might do okay. Not great, but okay. There is a definite amount of recognition/nostalgia that goes into evaluations.
But Mario Galaxy does have a lot going for it, with the pretty unique Little Prince-type stages. There might be a outcry about how thinly developed the plot is. It would probably get compared a lot to the aforementioned “other platforming” franchise, mirroring how platformers in our world get compared to Mario.
As a character? I think people would point out his simple design in comparison to current trends toward more detail/complication.
and then it all goes to hell in Mario Galaxy 2: Apocalypse of Destruction
November 13th, 2007 at 9:24 pm
[...] write-up from earlier today was some great food for thought. So, let’s put the question out there for you to decide: Is [...]
November 14th, 2007 at 5:08 pm
Yes, and I give you a simple reason (as told by Matt Groening)… Super Mario is simple character that you even recognized when you only see the shadow.
Basically all Simpsons characters are base on this simple rule … as is Super Mario.
November 16th, 2007 at 3:44 am
mario’s success is equal parts genius game design and Nostalgia, so I would definitely be in the camp of “it’d be a great game that wouldn’t sell as well”.
Think of Pikmin for example. Critically acclaimed, but it just wasn’t the kind of game that the kids were playing then.
>>The classic Mario’s set so many foundations for the gaming world, that it would be hard to imagine where other games would be without it…
I agreed with this at first, but upon further thought I honestly don’t think it would have made a difference. I’ll make an analogy to comics, which followed a similar path from being treated as kidstuff, and then when the “kids” who loved the comics matured and became comic creators themselves, they were looking for something more “mature” or “adult”, hence the overly sexed comics of the the late 90s. This was also an effect of the comic book readership maturing and deciding that superheros in tights wasn’t their thing anymore.
The gaming industry has experienced a similar evolution, jumping from “kiddie” games like Mario and Treasure Island, hitting the “mature” theme with the sharply boobed Lara Croft, and settling in to become a medium that has room for all genres.
Mario released today would probably reach the status of a cult classic, would have a devoted following (hello Infendo readers), but overall would not do as well as it has (and apparently it isn’t even doing very well despite rave reviews).