Nintendo has had a plumber in their corner since their first console, the NES, was devised. Video games have come a long way, and many years have gone by since then. We have seen new companies, Sony and Microsoft, emerge into the console wars, another, Sega, drop out. We have seen shifts in the balance of power, and we have seen new innovations over the years. No matter what, though, every Nintendo console has seen Mario coming down the pipes.
The current generation of video game systems has seen the re-emergence of the perennial power, Nintendo, with their innovative Wii. We are now two years post-launch and you still struggle to find one on a store shelf for more than a day. The one knock on the system, though, is that it doesn’t appeal to "core fans" as much as the opposition does. Though we have seen that plumber again in a highly praised game, Super Mario Galaxy, one has to wonder if the Wii ever struggled, could Mario save the day? What could Nintendo throw Mario into for a successful game that would appeal to core fans in a crumbling Wii fan base?
Well we have a few ideas–10 to be exact–for great games that Mario would fit into like a glove. These mash-up games would hopefully appeal to those core fans who Nintendo so desperately needs to renew the hope of.
10. M.A.R.I.O. – Project Origin
F.E.A.R. has been a very popular game this generation, so why not plug Mario into it? Mario has seen some weird stuff but nothing could prepare him for the paranormal that he experiences in M.A.R.I.O – Project Origin. The Koopas have been running the underground and it’s up to Mario to stop them, but weird things are going on–something more than the Mushroom Kingdom has seen before. How about some blood, guts, and gore, Mario style? Every time the spooky music starts, this girl named Peach shows up and everything starts going haywire. Weird stuff starts happening, from spectres to explosions. Mushroom Kingdom is going down the drain.
9. Cooking Mario
No, we are not suggesting that you cook your plumber. The game that has become a hit for the Wii and the DS is Cooking Mama, but this is Mario style. Instead of making those great Truffles, how about Flying Turtle a la mode? You could cut up those pesky little Koopas for Koopa soup, or get back at those darn man-eating pirhana plants by slow-cooking them for a nice fireball flower stew. Yummy. To top it off, watching dinner guests Luigi and Peach savor the sweet taste of that Bowser parmesan with spaghetti, the Mushroom Kingdom couldn’t be any safer or tastier.
8. Uncharted: Mario’s Fortune
Mario, Luigi, and Peach are in search of the buried treasure that once was owned by Captain Bowser. The problem is that those darn Koopas are racing the trio to get it. As Mario is cruising through the jungle, blasting some Koopas away en route to the treasure, he’d better not open that coffin–King Boos are in there!
7. 00Mario: Quantum of MK
There is nothing like Mario in a nice tux playing everyone’s favorite super agent. 00Mario could take the place of James Bond and avenge the loss of his beloved Peach. The best part would be seeing the Wild Wing from Mario Kart Wii flip out some guns to mow down those who took the love of his life. Revenge is Mario’s middle name.
6. Mario 4 Dead
Everyone loves zombies in video games and we know the upcoming Left 4 Dead is highly regarded, but what about Mario as a zombie? That’d be epic! Instead of controlling Mario, Luigi would be the main character, stranded on a Mario-zombie-infested island known as Mushroom Kingdom. Brains, brains, Mario wants to eat brains!
5. Resistance: Fall of Mario
Mario travels to the US to fight the Chimera, but being a simple tradesman, untrained in the art of war, he is at a huge disadvantage. How about bringing back that Water pack from Mario Sunshine as a weapon? Ha, Chimera, nothing like a little water in those bright, glowing eyes. Our plumber had better just hope he doesn’t get eaten.
4. Grand Theft Yoshi
We all know the success of Grand Theft Auto, but what about Grand Theft Yoshi? The Mushroom Kingdom is full of drugs, money, prostitution, and more. Mario travels from overseas to come to the Mushroom Kingdom and live with his brother Luigi. What he finds, thought, is that he’ll have to blaze his guns and hijack Yoshis to make his way through and fulfill the Mushroom Kingdom Dream.
3. Guitar Hero: Mushroom Tour
Mario secretly can’t get enough of that funky stuff and some oldies rock, too. Mario, Luigi, Peach, and Yoshi have joined forces to tour the Mushroom Kingdom, rocking out to those favorites. including the Mario Theme song. How much fun would it be to take control of the guitar or drums and see Mario and company jamming to Jimi Hendrix’s Purple Haze–or the Mario theme song? Nobody rocks like Mario rocks.
2. Gears of Mario
The Gears of War series is a two-time exclusive to the Xbox 360, but how great would it be to see Mario with a Lancer? Those Koopas never looked as ugly as in the struggle between human and koopa over Mushroom Island. The darkness of the game and possibility of Koopa juice spilled all over world would definitely be something to excite core gamers and give them something to play. The kicker would be seeing a giant Bowser as the final boss…20 times bigger than anything we have ever seen in any Mario game to date. Mario as Marcus Fenix = priceless
1. World of Mushroom Kingdom
There is nothing like the massive multiplayer forum and with World of Mushroom Kingdom you get just that. Choose your character from a list of every species in the Mushroom Kingdom. Build your character, collect golden coins, fight, or do whatever else you want to do. Mario conjuring up some magic and spells? Nothing beats it. Could you imagine selling your built-up Mario character on ebay for a few hundred dollars? This would definitely satisfy the hardcore gamers.
Mario has been plugged into so many things over the years; Mario Kart, Mario Tennis, and Mario Golf are all examples of ways Nintendo has used that mustachioed plumber, so why not plug him into some of the most highly-regarded franchises of recent years? The fans have spoken and want to see Mario as Marcus Fenix, as a zombie, or any of the other ideas listed above. These would be the games that would take Nintendo to the next level. The Wii needs a spark–something to ignite the core fans. They are calling for new Mario games. You’ve plugged him into everything else, Nintendo, why not these?
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