The adventure continues with New Super Mario Bros. 2

Illustrated rainbow pride flag on a pink background.

The adventure continues with New Super Mario Bros. 2


He’s been in our lives for almost three decades – and this year everyone’s favourite hero is back. Nintendo 3DS and Nintendo 3DS XL users have an all new adventure to enjoy now that New Super Mario Bros 2 is in stores, but how did our hero and his friends get to be such an important part of the gaming world?

 

Getting a foot on the ladder

 

Mario originally found fame dodging barrels, climbing ladders and rescuing his girlfriend from the clutches of an ape in 1981’s Donkey Kong. Though he was originally known as ‘Jumpman’, this would be the first glimpse gamers would get of a pixelated character that would become a household name in years to come.

 

Mario makes his first home visit

 

While many are now too young to remember it, the first Mario game arrived in arcades back in 1983 and was simply titled Mario Bros. This platform adventure challenged gamers to help Mario and his brother Luigi defeat a plague of creatures that had taken over the New York sewers and was later made available on the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) – where it was a huge hit in living rooms all over the world.

 

Mario hits his stride

 

Since those early days, Mario and his friends have gone from strength to strength, starring in a string of platform adventures like Super Mario Bros, Super Mario Galaxy and Super Paper Mario on home systems like the NES, SNES, Nintendo 64 and Nintendo GameCube, as well as handheld systems like the Nintendo 3DS and Nintendo 3DS XL. In fact, a number of these classic Mario games can also be played on the Wii thanks to the Wii Virtual Console.

 

All new adventure in New Super Mario Bros. 2

 

Of course, Mario has also found success elsewhere with titles like Mario Kart and Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games among his other gaming triumphs. However, those looking for the latest Mario platform adventure will find it on the Nintendo 3DS and Nintendo 3DS XL in New Super Mario Bros. 2, where there are a whole host of fresh and exciting challenges to take on – including the chance to collect a total of one million coins for the first time.

 

All things considered, it looks like Mario and his band of friends and foes will be with us for many years to come, with new generations of gamers helping him to discover the Mushroom Kingdom’s secrets. With all this in mind, maybe every summer should be the summer of Mario!