When I say those words, what kind of videogames come to mind? Five Nights at Freddy's? The Legend of Zelda? Splatoon? All of these games have the benefit of being full of lore, with special features built into these games that give a clear demonstration of worldbuilding, character backstory, and storytelling: ultimately, this is lore. Lore is frequently delivered through cutscenes, easter eggs, collectibles, and lots of dialogue. Games that have these features of lore delivery that longtime fans often crave and rave over.
Thus we arrive at the Mario franchise. One of Nintendo's biggest and oldest franchises, this much-beloved colossal collection of videogames starring an Italian plumber(?) and his friends has captured the hearts and minds of millions of players, defining the childhoods of many and keeping fans for many years.
One thing it is typically not known for is its story. So many times, I will hear people online and offline both saying that the story is straightforward, that it is simple, a beginning cutscene and an end cutscene (and maybe some overworld shenanigans if you're playing one of the Mario Platformers from 2005 and beyond), or even worse... that there is no story at all.
This library serves to demonstrate that this is simply not the case. Mario's world is much more vast than just Mushroom Kingdom and Koopa Kingdom, and the characters run a little deeper than their archetypes if one is willing to slow down and look a little deeper.
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| Well, maybe not in this old reservoir, necessarily. Don't fall in, Luigi! Screenshot from Luigi's Mansion 3, provided by Joey M. Smith. |
Mario's games are much more than jumping on (or vacuuming) enemies (or ghosts). For sure, a lot of the Mario games that are easily accessible to a mass audience are the games without much space or time for story: 2D platformers generally have a time limit, Mario Kart is a race to the finish line, Mario Party has everyone's friendships supposedly breaking up because of stolen coins or power stars. The popular Mario leaves no space for story.
What does that leave, then, of the other games? And is there space to explore that?
And what of the popular games? Perhaps there is stories and lore to be found there, as well. As a fan particularly of these story-rich games (with my first favorite being Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon), I've come to love the aspect of wandering around, exploring every nook and cranny, and discovering all the secrets that these games have to offer (exactly what a Luigi's Mansion player is encouraged to do).
As patrons of the (Unofficial) Library, I encourage you all to come exploring these games with me. If there is a detail that I don't cover, open the doors to discussion! Mario's world is vast, with games that have been released as far back as over 40 years ago.
Okie-dokie! Enjoy the (Unofficial) Library!
Hello, Joey! I will say, I am not an avid player of the Mario franchise myself, but as a storyteller I am always fascinated in finding the lore of video games. As you mentioned, the franchise isn't exactly known for its storytelling, but I have always wondered if there was something in the background that maybe wasn't being explicitly told. It'll be interesting to follow your posts and see everything develop!
ReplyDeleteAs someone that also enjoys video games from time to time, I also appreciate a good story within those games. Something about the interactivity the game provides just adds so much more investment into these stories in my opinion. I very much agree with the sentiment that often times these games take advantage of its resources be it hidden areas or secret events in order to enhance the story. I look forward to seeing how else video games can tell a rich story and what experiences you've had with the medium
ReplyDeleteI think this is a super creative idea. It is a super fun and creative take on the Mario Lore. The name “Treacherous Tuesdays” is great and so is the way that it is paired with the Mario Lore. I think it is interesting the amount of lore that Mario has. As you stated, it’s not a game that you’d think right off the bat is filled with a deep storyline, but it is!
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