Unlicensed developers and fans have created unofficial media relating to the Mario franchise. Such media have included video games, ROM hacks, and animations.
Due in-part to the franchise's popularity, some of these unlicensed works have received critical attention. In September 2016, Nintendo issued over 500 DMCA takedown requests for various fan games based on their intellectual properties. These requests have resulted in the end of development for many of the infringing games.[failed verification][1]
Kaizo Mario World, also known as Asshole Mario, is a series of three ROM hacks of the 1990 Super Nintendo Entertainment System video game Super Mario World, notable for deliberately breaking normal rules of "accepted" level design and featuring extreme difficulty.[2][3] It became the namesake for Kaizo, a genre of Mario games modified for intense difficulty.[4]
Super Dram World is series of two Super Mario World ROM hacks created by PangaeaPanga and named after speedrunner Dram55, designed for high difficulty.[3]
Super Panga World is a ROM hack of Super Mario World created by Linkdeadx2 and dedicated to PangaeaPanga.[5]
Dian Shi Ma Li (Chinese: 電視瑪琍; pinyin: Diànshì Mǎlì), translated to English as Big TV Mary Bar and also known as Mario Lottery, TV Mario, Li Ma Shin Dian on newer releases is an unlicensed video game for the Family Computer made by Bit Corporation and released by Fiver Firm (五合企業有限公司) and Fortran, under their first name "Namco Corporation".[6][7] It is based on the Taiwanese slot machine game Xiǎo Mǎ Lì,[8] where features a character resembling Mario with an F on his cap, which has become known as "Fortran" based on hidden text discovered in the ROM. The game is a roulette wheel/slot machine – different buttons control the betting, and each button produces a musical note. Landing on the coin produces a message in Chinglish: "PUSH START TO RICH". It became an internet meme when users created fad videos on YouTube.[9][10]
Somari is a port of Sega's flagship video gameSonic the Hedgehog, produced for the Nintendo Entertainment System and sold primarily in Asia, Russia, and other regions where pirate Famicom cartridges were distributed, in 1994. The game features a character named "Somari" – Mario wearing Tails's shoes.
Newer Super Mario Bros. Wii is a modification of New Super Mario Bros. Wii, which adds new, custom elements to the original game. It later received a follow-up on the Nintendo DS, a modification of New Super Mario Bros., Newer Super Mario Bros. DS, and a follow-up mod for New Super Mario Bros. U called Newer Super Mario Bros. U was started but later cancelled.[11][12] There is an updated version of Newer Super Mario Bros. Wii in the works, titled Newer Super Mario Bros. Wii Plus.
Kaze Emanuar[13] is a particularly prolific modder of Super Mario 64, having made many significant ROM hacks including:
Super Mario 64 Odyssey, featuring levels based on Super Mario Odyssey while also adding its mechanic of possessing enemies by throwing Mario's hat;[22]
Super Mario 64: Last Impact, an original game with new levels made using Super Mario 64's engine;[23][24][25][26]
Smash Remix is a ROM hack of the 1999 Nintendo 64 fighting game Super Smash Bros. It retains the gameplay style of the original release while adding new gameplay modes, stages, and characters; these include characters from later Super Smash Bros. games such as Ganondorf[30]Bowser,[31] and Sonic the Hedgehog,[32] and new characters such as Conker the Squirrel[33] and the Mad Piano from Super Mario 64.[34]
Level editors
There exist several unofficial level editors created to allow users with no programming skills to easily make their own levels or ROM hacks.
Super Mario Bros. X is a fangame blending elements from Super Mario Bros., Bros. 2, Bros. 3 and World, and includes both a level editor, as well simultaneous split-screen multiplayer.[35][36][37]
Toad's Tool 64 is a level editor for Super Mario 64 developed by Qubed Studios.[43]
Computer games
Unofficial Mario games playable on computers have consisted mostly of browser-based games. Such games either can be parodies or fangames that feature the franchise's characters or settings reimagined within the style of other media, or vice-versa.
Syobon Action, also referred to as Cat Mario, a Mario parody known for its difficulty and troll levels.
Ennuigi is a browser game designed by Josh Millard that centers on Luigi's inability to come to terms with the lack of narrative in Super Mario Bros.[44][45][46]
Tuper Tario Tros. is a sidescrollingplatformer mashup of Super Mario Bros. and Tetris. As the visible screen automatically scrolls to the right, the player moves to the right while avoiding obstacles. The player can switch between moving the player-character Mario and dropping tetrominos that Mario can use as platforms. The game has traditional Mario enemies. The Flash game is freely available via Newgrounds.[51] Chris Donlan of Edge wrote that the game showed signs of hasty development. Its gameplay was occasionally inelegant as a result.[52] Jenni Lada of TechnologyTell particularly appreciated how she could build a staircase to the flagpole at the end of the level.[52]
Super Mario War is fan-made battle-based Mario platformer. The game has been ported to a number of platforms, including an unofficial port to the Nintendo Wii.[53]
Mario Royale, a 2019 browser game in which dozens of players simultaneously attempt to outrun each other in battle royale-style gameplay.[54][55] After receiving a takedown notice, its creator InfernoPlus edited the game to use non-Nintendo assets as DMCA Royale.[56] Later on, after a second takedown, there have been several instances of the game being rehosted by different people, as there currently are two available versions of the game: MRoyale and Mario Royale Deluxe, which are independent of each other.
Mari0 is a fan game that combines elements of Portal and Super Mario Bros.
Trumptendo is a website created by artist Jeff Hong, featuring hacked versions of various Nintendo Entertainment System games (including Super Mario Bros.) that replace characters with Donald Trump and other United States political figures.
Super Mario Flash is an unofficial 2-dimensional Adobe Flash-based game based on Super Mario Bros. of Super Mario All-Stars that was developed by Pouetpu and was originally released in 2007. In this single-player platform game, one can play as either Mario or Luigi, and in the game one must embark on a journey to save Princess Peach from Bowser. The game also has a built-in level editor.[68][69] Gameranx praised Super Mario Flash as #4 in its "Top Five Retro Arcade Games Freely Available" article, stating that "the creator of this game has put a lot of effort into making this game as close to the original as possible."[70] MegaLab, an Italian review website, however, gave a more negative response to Super Mario Flash, criticizing the game's controls and visual quality.[71] In 2011, Pouetpu released a sequel called Super Mario Flash 2, which is based on Super Mario World.[68]
Super Mario Bros. Z (2006–2012; 2016–present) – A spriteanimated series created by Mark Haynes that originally used Adobe Flash. It is a crossover between the Mario and Sonic the Hedgehog franchises known for dynamic, fast-paced movement and story elements inspired by Dragon Ball Z.[80][81] Eight episodes would be completed and released on Newgrounds between 2006 and 2012, before its cancellation was announced. A reboot of the series was launched in 2016 on Haynes' YouTube channel. The first episode of the rebooted series would be removed after Nintendo filed a DMCA notice and took down the series' Patreon account; the episode would be re-uploaded in 2020.[82][83] The series is referenced in the official comic miniseries Sonic the Hedgehog: Scrapnik Island, in which Mecha Sonic says a same line by the same character within the series.[84]
Mario: Game Over (2007) – A short-film created by POYKPAC. The video depicts Mario's life after breaking up with Princess Peach. The video was nominated for "Best Comedy Video" in the 2008 YouTube Awards, but lost to Potter Puppet Pals.[85]
Mario Kart (2008) – A viral video by prankster Rémi Gaillard, which depicts him driving a go-cart through public streets while dressed as Mario. He later did a similar prank in 2011.[86]
Mario Kart: The Movie (2009) – A fan-made trailer created by DrCoolSex that was loosely based on the Mario Kart series.[87][88]
Real Life Mario Kart (2011) – A viral video by filmmaker Freddie Wong.[89]
Mario Warfare (2012–2015) – Created by Micah Moore, the project parodies both Super Mario and Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare as Mario must rescue Princess Peach from the dictator Bowser in the midst of a hostile revolution.[90]
SMG4 (2011–present) – A machinima web series created by Australian YouTuber and animator Luke Lerdwichagul. Named after the initials for Lerdwichagul's YouTube channel and username, Supermarioglitchy4, the series consists mainly of pop-culture parodies.[91] Lerdwichagul's channel was created in 2009, while he was 9 years old. He would begin uploading content in 2011, primarily creating comedic videos using recorded game footage from Super Mario 64 edited in Windows Movie Maker.[92] The series originally focused on characters from the Mario franchise, as well as other Nintendo-owned IP, before gradually introducing original characters.
Racist Mario (2014) – A flash-animated short on YouTube that was created by Flashgitz. The video depicts Mario violently eliminating his opponents in Mario Kart.[93][94][95] There are also characters from non-Nintendo-and-Sega games such as God of War's Kratos and LittleBigPlanet's Sackboy.
The Mama Luigi Project (2017) – A project where over 227 animators reanimated the internet-famous Super Mario World episode "Mama Luigi", where over 255 split scenes were recreated in unique animation styles. The video was dedicated to the memories of both Canadian actor Tony Rosato, who voiced Luigi, and Canadian actor Harvey Atkin, who voiced King Koopa, both passing away before the project's completion.[96]
Wario (2021) – Created by SNL, "Wario", detailing the premise of Wario (played by Elon Musk) being held in trial for the death of Mario in a racing accident, had been ridiculed and received backlash for its poor quality alongside the fact that Elon Musk had made an appearance in the show.[97][98]
After the release of Mario Kart 8 in 2014, a short clip featuring "Luigi's Death Stare" went viral; the original clip featured Luigi passing other drivers with an uncharacteristically angry facial pose set to the music of Chamillionaire's 2006 hit song Ridin'.[101][102][103] The meme was referenced by Nintendo itself during their E3 2014 presentation.[104]
Several Mario characters have become prominent memes, such as Waluigi, who's garnered a online fanbase as a meme to the point of outcry to be added to the fighting game series Super Smash Bros. as well as backlash for his lack of inclusion in the series.[105]
The discontinuation of many Mario-related products was never officially explained by Nintendo,[111][112] although Nintendo of America president Doug Bowser explained that the decision was made to keep them unique to the anniversary celebration itself.[113][114] In the lack of an official explanation, many fans ironically interpreted that it was because the character Mario was to die on that day,[111][112] or the day after.[115] Instances of the meme began months before the date.[116] It evolved over time, originally warning fans that Mario's death was approaching and counting down the days until March 31. On the day of the discontinuation itself, Mario's death was mourned by fans.[117] March 31 was declared "Mario Death Day".[118]
On March 31, "Mario" was trending on Twitter,"[118] receiving 150,000 tweets relating to the meme within 24 hours.[110] Select video game news websites satirically presented the death of Mario as fact, including VentureBeat and iMore.[119][120] Notable participation included American TV network G4 and YouTube personality Nathaniel Bandy, which led to a wave of memorials from users.[110]
