Super Mario (franchise): Difference between revisions

{{italic title|''Super Mario'' (franchise)}}

The '''''Super Mario'' franchise''' is [[Nintendo]]'s flagship franchise. It stars [[Mario]], an Italian plumber who first appeared in the arcade game ''[[mh:mario:Donkey Kong (game)|Donkey Kong]]'', named after its antagonist, the gorilla [[Donkey Kong]] (though he's gone through a little [[Cranky Kong|identity confusion]]). The sequel ''[[mh:donkeykong:Donkey Kong Jr. (game)|Donkey Kong Jr.]]'' recast Mario as the bad guy, and the threequel ''[[mh:donkeykong:Donkey Kong 3|Donkey Kong 3]]'' did away with him altogether, replacing him with the up-and-coming hero [[Stanley the Bugman]] who was then promptly forgotten about. Meanwhile, Mario (and his younger brother [[Luigi]]) found success independently of big gorillas in ''[[mh:mario:Mario Bros. (Game & Watch)|Mario Bros.]]'', the first game with Mario's name in the title. Though Donkey Kong's own franchise is sometimes regarded as separate, the two continue to be intertwined (it may be arguable which is a spin-off of the other).