The Unofficial History of Mario Games

The Unofficial History of Mario Games

A complete history of the Super Mario franchise, covering over 200 games, spin-offs, and Mario’s global adventures. For over 40 years the Super Mario franchise has been putting smiles on the faces of kids and adults alike all around the world. More than just the plucky mascot of Japanese video game publisher Nintendo though, Mario has and continues to lead the way when it comes to innovation and most of all fun times. This book will take you on an exciting trip back through the series long-running history, exploring each game to feature the famed plumber (or one of his co-stars) kicking off with his 1985 debut in the arcade hit Donkey Kong. Along the way you’ll read about his unforgettable platforming adventures, countless exploits in the likes of go-karting, tennis, golf, baseball, partying and paper (to name a few) and even his breakout onto both the Hollywood and theme park scenes. Mama Mia! Mario certainly has been busy, hasn’t he? In this comprehensive book, you’ll find well over 200 video games covering everything from the biggest and most famed hits to forgotten or surprising spin-offs. With each accompanied by eye-catching screenshots and fascinating facts, whether you’re a long-term Super Mario fan keen to take a nostalgic, block-smashing trip down memory lane or a newer visitor to the Mushroom Kingdom, eager to see what exciting adventures await, this book is for you. Born in Reading, England, Ryan Janes has been a lover of video games ever since he picked up his first SNES controller as a young kid. Currently living in Camberley, he has since turned that passion into an exciting career in the industry as both a journalist writing for Nintendo-Insider and guesting on other sites like GamesIndustry.biz, as well as a data analyst working with some of the biggest publishers and developers in gaming.