Mario 101: Part Eight
I gave a 1-up to my Super Mario history series to talk Foreman Spike, Madame Broode, the Mushroom King and field horsehair plants.
Is There a Disney Reference Hiding in Golden Axe?
Chronos “Evil” Lait is a character in the upcoming animated adaptation.
Waluigi’s Wikipedia Weirdness
Is Maple from Mario Golf Peach’s secret cousin or does the internet just need to invest in critical reading skills?
Why Do Video Games Associate Mice With Bombs?
From Mouser to Mappy Land, Japan seems to think mice should go kaboom.
Ganon’s Mysterious Origins (Revisited)
Kamen Rider might help explain where the Zelda big bad gets his name.
The Mysterious Connection Between Lufia and Lunar
Two RPGs focus on mysterious girls with blue hair and a divine connection.
The Dream Machine Hiding in Super Mario Bros. 2
It’s alluded to in the game’s manual, but you have to look to Doki Doki Panic to understand what it is.
Why Does Art of Fighting 3 Take Place in Mexico?
And while we’re at it, why doesn’t the roster include any Mexican fighters?
Since When Is There a Telephone in Donkey Kong?
And why was Pauline carrying a landline receiver when Donkey Kong kidnapped her?
Sonic’s First Girlfriend Was Madonna
A pop culture mystery involving sexy singers, red dresses and mismatched love interests.
Super Mario RPG and the Mystery of the Fifth Card Suit
Yes, there’s a reason Hudson’s Adventure Island uses the same symbol.
How Samurai Shodown Turned a Catholic Radical Into a Gay Warlock
Here’s the story of how Shirō Amakusa went from real-life martyr to queer boogeyman.
Bill in Street Fighter vs. Bill in Final Fight
Could both honor the same behind-the-scenes Capcom exec?
The Pop Culture Relevance of Mudman from World Heroes
The masked shaman may live on, even if his fighting game series doesn’t.
Why Can Pokémon Only Say Their Names?
Pikachu and friends can teach us a lot about how humans relate to the natural world.
Mario 101: For Super Players
The weird history of Super Mario, told in one hundred and one stories.
The Logic to Mega Man’s Robot Master Weakness System
It’s more heavily inspired by Rock Paper Scissors than you might realize.
Is There a Vibrator Joke in Super Princess Peach?
It wouldn’t be the only instance of Nintendo letting Mario get risque.