There are very few things in life that live on for generations or that has an immense cultural impact as our favorite Italian plumber, Super Mario.
35 years ago on September 13th, 1985 Mario made his appearance in the now-iconic Super Mario Bros game for the Nintendo Entertainment System, since then he, along with his sidekick Luigi and the rest of the characters in the Super Mario Universe have appeared in over 600 different games across several different consoles such as the Nintendo 64, GameCube or the Nintendo Switch to name a few.
For 35 years millions have been running, jumping, or racing their way through countless levels to save Princess Peach from the evil Bowser time and time again, each time just as enjoyable as the first and that’s what makes Mario so iconic, the games and the experiences that he brings are just so much fun!
That, I think is what Mario is best known for. He is a symbol of happiness that has touched millions of lives in some form or fashion and has helped create countless memories. Many have been with Mario every step of the way since 1985 and others, like myself, have been picked up along the way but I find that we all have one thing in common, we are a part of something great, something special.
I was born 12 years after Mario was created and it’s unfortunate that I missed out on being a part of what I consider the “Golden Age” of the Super Mario Saga with the release of Super Mario Bros 1, 2, and 3, but I can also say that I lived through my own slice of greatness and so has everyone after me.
Personally, I have very special feelings with the Nintendo 64 that was released in September of 1996. I got one for Christmas when I was 6 years old and I can remember that day like it was yesterday. The Nintendo 64 was my very first console and it helped jumpstart my gaming career into bigger and better things but still, I hold it very close to my heart. Of the few games that I owned or borrowed, Starfox 64 and Super Mario 64 formed a part of my childhood and brought me hours of happiness.
Super Mario 64 is not only significant to me but to the history of Mario as well since it is was the first time Mario was taken into a 3D realm and has gone down in history as one of the most popular games for Nintendo.
Unfortunately for me, because I borrowed the game from a friend, I never got to play the game all the way through. Today however all of that changes. For Nintendo and gamers alike the anniversary of Super Mario is always a special occasion. This year, for the 35th anniversary they released a collection of 3 games, Super Mario Galaxy, Super Mario Sunshine, and…Super Mario 64 for the Nintendo Switch!
Now, while some may argue that these are old games and that they have been previously released for older consoles, yes, they are right, but the nostalgia value is priceless especially for me and many others that can now have an opportunity to revisit some old memories, it’s pretty hard to beat that and what’s more, is that you can play on the go wherever you are in a remastered fashion from the original across all three games!
The game was released today both physically and digitally on the Nintendo E-shop. I word of caution though, I would strongly recommend that you get this game if you are a huge nostalgia nerd like me but, this game is only going to be in stores for a limited time until March 21, 2021. After this, there is no telling when and if it is going to be in stores again.
I Pre-Ordered my copy last week and I can’t wait to dive into my childhood once again. So, if you will excuse me, it’s Mario Time!
