It’s 2017, a 年 that will see the gaming industry change like never before, and our 最喜爱的 plumber is moving towards new horizons. Whether it is saving the princess, driving karts 或者 taking part in fighting games, Mario has done it all; but most importantly, Mario is a character who was meant to last. 更多 than just a video game character, Mario is a cultural 图标 and a symbol of what the gaming industry means to the world community.
One lingering 问题 in the minds of casual and diehard 粉丝 is whether Mario should change 或者 not; and if so, why. Mario and his colorful supporting cast have adapted and changed to whatever circumstances the games place them in, but somehow they manage to stay recognizable to those who have followed them from the beginning. The main platformers are merely one way to see Mario and co., for there are RPGs, racing games, fighting games, 你 name it. Each of them has their own interpretation of what the 超能英雄 and villains of the 蘑菇 Kingdom are and represent.
For instance, the platformers see Mario as a cartoonish, whimsical protagonist who only serves as the player’s 阿凡达 to the game world, while Super Smash Bros. changes his personality to that of a cold, disinterested fighter, similar to what 你 would see in an Old West movie. Even the sports games exaggerated his competitive side to shonen levels. On the other side of the morality spectrum, Bowser has been reinterpreted as a genuinely menacing villain, similar to Darth Vader; 或者 a comedic Saturday morning cartoon villain who is not so bad once 你 get to know him, 或者 somewhere in-between.
If 你 wanna get meta, Shigeru Miyamoto 说 that he keeps the narrative of the Mario games to a minimum as to not get in the way of fun, but the RPGs have deep, emotional storylines that showcase aspects of the series that remain untouched 由 the core games. Koji Kondo once 说 that he doesn’t see Mario as a kiddie character, and that his games are always cool adventures at heart.
One of the big advantages Mario has over his competitors is that he’s accessible. He’s not a stoic, emotionally conflicted soldier like the Master Chief 或者 a teenager with attitude like Sonic; he’s whatever players want him to be. He’s an everyman, a character that represents the audience as a whole. When he wins, not only are we happy for him, we also get to keep some of that triumph for ourselves.
But that strength might also be a weakness. The fact that several developers have their own versions of the characters, instead of giving the series a single, unifying voice is something that has divided the 粉丝 for years now. Paper Mario: Sticker Star was criticized for being a typical Mario game, with only the paper aesthetic to distinguish it from the rest; even when the other Paper Mario have been opportunities to explore the Mario universe in ways the core games do not allow. Its sequel, Paper Mario: Color Splash, divided 粉丝 the same way, albeit to a lesser extent.
There will always be a challenge to make the Mario characters relatable to modern audiences, while keeping the consistent to their original concept. With each game, the Mario universe grows 更多 varied and colorful and attracts 更多 players to enjoy it. Mario and his 老友记 are not in danger of losing their iconic status anytime soon, we honestly pray it never comes, but the people of 任天堂 must remain vigilant and keep their characters fresh and relatable to ensure that such a famous series remains a viable interest for future gamers.
With all 说 and done, the Mario series continues to this very 日 and we, as gamers, wouldn’t have it any other way!
One lingering 问题 in the minds of casual and diehard 粉丝 is whether Mario should change 或者 not; and if so, why. Mario and his colorful supporting cast have adapted and changed to whatever circumstances the games place them in, but somehow they manage to stay recognizable to those who have followed them from the beginning. The main platformers are merely one way to see Mario and co., for there are RPGs, racing games, fighting games, 你 name it. Each of them has their own interpretation of what the 超能英雄 and villains of the 蘑菇 Kingdom are and represent.
For instance, the platformers see Mario as a cartoonish, whimsical protagonist who only serves as the player’s 阿凡达 to the game world, while Super Smash Bros. changes his personality to that of a cold, disinterested fighter, similar to what 你 would see in an Old West movie. Even the sports games exaggerated his competitive side to shonen levels. On the other side of the morality spectrum, Bowser has been reinterpreted as a genuinely menacing villain, similar to Darth Vader; 或者 a comedic Saturday morning cartoon villain who is not so bad once 你 get to know him, 或者 somewhere in-between.
If 你 wanna get meta, Shigeru Miyamoto 说 that he keeps the narrative of the Mario games to a minimum as to not get in the way of fun, but the RPGs have deep, emotional storylines that showcase aspects of the series that remain untouched 由 the core games. Koji Kondo once 说 that he doesn’t see Mario as a kiddie character, and that his games are always cool adventures at heart.
One of the big advantages Mario has over his competitors is that he’s accessible. He’s not a stoic, emotionally conflicted soldier like the Master Chief 或者 a teenager with attitude like Sonic; he’s whatever players want him to be. He’s an everyman, a character that represents the audience as a whole. When he wins, not only are we happy for him, we also get to keep some of that triumph for ourselves.
But that strength might also be a weakness. The fact that several developers have their own versions of the characters, instead of giving the series a single, unifying voice is something that has divided the 粉丝 for years now. Paper Mario: Sticker Star was criticized for being a typical Mario game, with only the paper aesthetic to distinguish it from the rest; even when the other Paper Mario have been opportunities to explore the Mario universe in ways the core games do not allow. Its sequel, Paper Mario: Color Splash, divided 粉丝 the same way, albeit to a lesser extent.
There will always be a challenge to make the Mario characters relatable to modern audiences, while keeping the consistent to their original concept. With each game, the Mario universe grows 更多 varied and colorful and attracts 更多 players to enjoy it. Mario and his 老友记 are not in danger of losing their iconic status anytime soon, we honestly pray it never comes, but the people of 任天堂 must remain vigilant and keep their characters fresh and relatable to ensure that such a famous series remains a viable interest for future gamers.
With all 说 and done, the Mario series continues to this very 日 and we, as gamers, wouldn’t have it any other way!