A Complete History of Birdo’s Gender
In English and Japanese, from Doki Doki Panic to present, Nintendo’s stance on the pink egg-spitter has evolved.
Foreman Spike Was the Original Wario
If you saw the Super Mario Bros. movie and wondered who Spike guy was, this is the post for you.
A History of Toad’s Gender… One Way or Another
The most famous mushroom in video games wasn't supposed to be male or female.
Yoshi vs. the Loch Ness Monster
The legacy of Nessie looms weirdly large in the Super Mario games.
A Short History of the Goomba
The lowliest member of the Koopa Troop asks you to decide whether he’s a mushroom or a chestnut.
Is Princess Lana Based on Palutena from Kid Icarus?
At least design-wise, the Captain N: The Game Master character was inspired by an existing Nintendo character.
Is Samurai Shodown II Referencing a Real-Life 16th-Century Cyborg?
There may be a real-life, historical inspiration behind all this iron-fisting.
The Real-Life Revolutionaries Behind Charlotte from Samurai Shodown
Like many iconic fighting game characters, Charlotte represents a fusion of history and pop culture into something new.
If His Name Is Blanka, Why Is He Green?
How the weirdest character in Street Fighter II came to be — and how he got that name.
Is Terry Bogard in Street Fighter I?
The man who would become Mr. Fatal Fury shows up in the attract mode for the original Street Fighter.
A Short History of Street Fighter II Character Names
Everyone character Street Fighter II — their looks, their movesets, even their names — exists for a reason.
Birdo Was Yoshi Before Yoshi Was Yoshi
The story of two bipedal dinosaurs who fight using eggs and who challenge gender norms.