The astonishing success of Mario

[ImmortalA1000]

https://screenrant.com/best-selling-...-18-35-million

This has got to be the biggest franchise of all time, apart from Minecraft I guess, and the figures really astonished me.

Even Mario 64 on the N64 sold 10+ million copies.

[Retro1234]

Mario looks quite basic but there is so many little details and quirks it really is excellently designed - not surprising really since it's made by Nintendo.

[BigD]

Originally Posted by ImmortalA1000

https://screenrant.com/best-selling-...-18-35-million

This has got to be the biggest franchise of all time, apart from Minecraft I guess, and the figures really astonished me.

Even Mario 64 on the N64 sold 10+ million copies.

I prefer The Great Giana Sisters to be honest! Also, I prefer Sonic on actual consoles! Nintendo are irrelevant and are nothing but a footnote in the history of computer/video games in the UK IMHO. They've cast Chris Pratt doing a Chris Pratt impression for the Mario movie! Nintendo take us Brits for fools they really do with their late consoles, shoddy support and all their suing of the homebrew scene!

[TCD]

Don't know what's astonishing about the success. Mario is the best known character even for people that don't play video games. If you get a Nintendo console there's a very high chance you'll buy one of the Mario games for it. Nintendo knows how to market the guy (even if they at this point don't really have to anymore).

[Anubis]

Most of those titles in the list I own and have played with kids.

What I find far more astonishing is that people hate character 'just because', no good grounds. For example, While I've played most of Sonic games, some of them are my favorite games, Sonic can't even compare to Mario. Sure, a lot of people know about character, if not from the games, then from the movie, but Mario is more recognizable and sells far better then Sonic.

Failure of Sega to make better console that are easier to program and similar failure that it shares with Commodore - without clear path for future - releasing console 'additions' that in turn were not as supported as they hopped led to them exiting console market, just as Commodore sunk decade earlier.

One thing that I don't like with Nintendo - their constant war on even images of their games, not to mention music, videos , etc. Bit f'up company, if you ask me. I understand that suits are trying to protect their IP, but I am not sure they are doing it best way they could...

[TCD]

Originally Posted by Anubis

One thing that I don't like with Nintendo - their constant war on even images of their games, not to mention music, videos , etc. Bit f'up company, if you ask me. I understand that suits are trying to protect their IP, but I am not sure they are doing it best way they could...

I agree with that I don't like it, but I get it. Other than Microsoft and Sony Nintendo pretty much relies solely on their consoles and games. It's overreaching what they do, but in their heads it's protecting their only means of income. When they tried to monetise all content on YouTube that showed even a tiny bit of their games I was also sure that it would backfire, but it seems like people got to terms with how Nintendo handles it now.

[Locutus]

Originally Posted by BigD

Nintendo are irrelevant and are nothing but a footnote in the history of computer/video games in the UK IMHO.

Wait what? Nintendo has the best selling console in the UK, what are you talking about.


https://www.videogameschronicle.com/...sales-in-2022/

[kriz]

Mario is just an epic game, one of the best plattformers ever!

[Mixel]

Originally Posted by BigD

I prefer The Great Giana Sisters to be honest! Also, I prefer Sonic on actual consoles! Nintendo are irrelevant and are nothing but a footnote in the history of computer/video games in the UK IMHO. They've cast Chris Pratt doing a Chris Pratt impression for the Mario movie! Nintendo take us Brits for fools they really do with their late consoles, shoddy support and all their suing of the homebrew scene!

This makes no sense. The NES wasn’t as big here as it was in the US but it was still huge and mario has been a big deal here since then, across every single generation. And they support their consoles fine here in the uk, particularly since pal/ntsc stopped being an issue.

And nobody prefers giana sisters unless they’re just weirdly biased. Even the people who made it would admit it’s an inferior clone of the first SMB, because it is.. it’s missing loads of nuance in SMB. It’s a great game, but come onnnn.. The Amiga never got a single similar style platformer of the type/level of quality of super Mario land or yoshis island had. Not one. (And SNES is the hardware the Amiga was most directly competing against for most of its OG lifespan, not the 8bit NES, haha)

[ImmortalA1000]

I didn't say I liked any of the Mario games, I don't, but the number of copies of each game sold is truly humbling. I don't know what sales of a blockbuster PS5 or Xbox whateveritscallednow is but they sure have a loyal following.

Compare sales of Mario 64 vs sales of Tomb Raider on PS1, it's quite eye opening considering PS1 consoles sold 300% vs N64 console sales. They are equally good games, just depends on your personal taste/age etc.

[Megalomaniac]

The earlier Mario games offer a lot more pure gameplay than Tomb Raider in my mind. The designs always gently introduce new features before they become crucial, there are always fresh surprises to come, and loads of hidden bits to find. Despite being pubescent at the time the first Tomb Raider was released, it feels to me like they were simultaneously trying to present an independent courageous successful female figure for the growing female market, but also exploiting the wider market by underdressing her and giving her out-of-proportion you-know-whats.

[ImmortalA1000]

Originally Posted by Megalomaniac

The earlier Mario games offer a lot more pure gameplay than Tomb Raider in my mind. The designs always gently introduce new features before they become crucial, there are always fresh surprises to come, and loads of hidden bits to find. Despite being pubescent at the time the first Tomb Raider was released, it feels to me like they were simultaneously trying to present an independent courageous successful female figure for the growing female market, but also exploiting the wider market by underdressing her and giving her out-of-proportion you-know-whats.

Nah, I had Mario 64 back then, just as easy to get stuck on as Tomb Raider on PS1 so it is no better. They are both something pushing the boundaries of 3D gaming, they both have their flaws non fanboys will discover. I am not nuts about either but they are released around the same time and they are both proper 3D platform game engines done well. The games are not remotely similar beyond that and age/personal taste will dictate which you prefer. I didn't go out of my way to buy either game and I always had 'all the consoles' pretty much up until Wii/360/PS3 era when I decided not to go further to PS4 etc generation. I didn't see the point in limiting myself to one console per generation due to all the restrictive contracts for third parties.

I couldn't care less for the character or the lore of either mascot, I am talking about the game design, the gameplay sophistication, the game engine technically, management of the camera viewpoint etc etc.

I think Zelda OoT however is a bit of a game changer, I don't think any 3D RPGs were like that at the time. No expert on PS1/Saturn RPGs but that is the real 'exclusive' you might want to buy an N64 to play even if you have a PS1 already and you are a regular young adult not a child/fanboy. Nobody was selling their PS1 to get an N64 for Mario, that's a fact

I got fed up with Mario 64 at one point, it was sort of like a Pyramid building project construction scaffolding type layout going round and round. If Mario is so awesome I wouldn't have stopped playing it just like any other game I get fed up with

I am allergic to Mario Kool-aid.

[BigD]

@Mixel

Sorry, I prefer The Great Giana Sisters to the NES Super Mario games. I admit I have a soft spot for Super Mario Land on the GameBoy and much prefer the feel and aesthetics of that game than 'normal' console Mario. I like Mario Kart but Mario himself is overrated and Nintendo are a horribly litigious company and I have no allegiance to them. I much prefer SEGA, Sony, Sinclair and Commodore Amiga for their legacy on the UK gaming landscape.

P.S. I also like the CD32 version of Kid Chaos more than Super Mario Bros. 3. It has a fun vibe and great soundtrack. SMB 3 is far too slow and the racoon suit does not make up for it!

[Minuous]

I agree with BigD; Mario has always been vastly overrated and GGS and Sonic are better games.

[Cobe]

I prefer Giana too. But I know its cause of nostalgia hit. I played it a lot on c64. I doubt I ever played mario in past millenium... and no more than for a few minutes in this..

[Anubis]

Sonic is more a demo / showcase of console than game. There is no weapons, not much of upgrade and its fun for a bit, but not true replay value.

And I've beaten several Sonic games and still have all Genesis Sonic titles and have all Sega consoles except Master System.

Sure, you all are allowed to your won opinions... no matter how wrong you are.

[Mixel]

Originally Posted by Cobe

I prefer Giana too. But I know its cause of nostalgia hit. I played it a lot on c64. I doubt I ever played mario in past millenium... and no more than for a few minutes in this..

Agreed, I have the same nostalgia, and like GS for that, but nobody who had NES and an Amiga at the time would prefer Giana.

SMB is a significantly more advanced game with more tight controls and mechanics. And WAY more variety even in the first game. It just shows weird tribalism .. I know we’re on an Amiga forum but jeeeeez.

Originally Posted by BigD

@Mixel

Sorry, I prefer The Great Giana Sisters to the NES Super Mario games. I admit I have a soft spot for Super Mario Land on the GameBoy and much prefer the feel and aesthetics of that game than 'normal' console Mario. I like Mario Kart but Mario himself is overrated and Nintendo are a horribly litigious company and I have no allegiance to them. I much prefer SEGA, Sony, Sinclair and Commodore Amiga for their legacy on the UK gaming landscape.

Allegiance? Why? Totally bizarre concept when comparing games. Mario is still around with theme parks, movies, multiple franchises and recognition across all generations. Even here in the uk. Selectively ignoring history when mario is still one of the biggest sellers decades later. Kids - largely the target audience, like the games and the characters. The idea of a characters being overrated perplexes me. The idea of the games even moreso; Even Mario Sunshine on the least successful Nintendo console (on which a big mario game was released) was a phenomenal game and hugely successful. You don’t have to like anything, but can’t we just appreciate things that aren’t to our personal taste?

P.S. I also like the CD32 version of Kid Chaos more than Super Mario Bros. 3. It has a fun vibe and great soundtrack. SMB 3 is far too slow and the racoon suit does not make up for it!

Any euro platformer with “collect all the x to open the door” is so wildly different to the Japanese platformers. Saying something like I prefer kid chaos to smb3 is like saying I prefer soup to cake.. like. Ok? I prefer Turrican to sonic but they’re not comparable games. Sonic v mario is similar, they have totally different gameplay styles. KC was released three years after SNES super Mario world (in uk terms.. 4 years after the Japan release).. We didn’t have a competitive library, but that’s fine!

[saimon69]

No figures for Donkey Kong/Crazy Kong, Donkey Kong Jr and Mario Bros? All started from there, now 42 years ago, and Mario established its presence in cartoons and cereals too at that time

[Bruce Abbott]

Originally Posted by ImmortalA1000

I didn't say I liked any of the Mario games, I don't, but the number of copies of each game sold is truly humbling.

In what way is it 'humbling'?

In the UK ~4 billion Lotto tickets are sold per year. That number is hardly humbling though. One can only shake their head at the monumental stupidity of it.

Compare sales of Mario 64 vs sales of Tomb Raider on PS1, it's quite eye opening considering PS1 consoles sold 300% vs N64 console sales. They are equally good games, just depends on your personal taste/age etc.

Well that explains a lot.

[TCD]

Originally Posted by Anubis

Sure, you all are allowed to your won opinions... no matter how wrong you are.

There's a Freudian slip if I have ever seen one

Comparing Tomb Raider with Mario 64... interesting.