The Creative Genius Behind the Launch of 'Super Mario'
Background on the First Super Mario Game The initial version of the popular Super Mario was released in 1985. It was developed and designed by Shigeru Miyamoto and was released in Japan for the NES (Nintendo Entertainment System). This was the first game to feature the character Mario, who was originally coined to be named “Jumpman.”The Creative Genius Behind the Launch of Super Mario Miyamoto was a graduate of the Kanazawa Municipal College of Industrial Arts and Crafts. When he first joined the Nintendo Company, he had no experience in video game production. Early on, he was tasked with creating a game with a smaller team that would set the stage for video game development. After the immense success of Donkey Kone, Miyamoto was appointed as the chief game designer, and this is the story of the rise of Mario.The Story of Mario's First Adventure The first Super Mario was centred around rescuing Princess Peach from the villainous (first) King Bowser. The entire plot of the game involves Mario travelling through various levels in the Mushroom Kingdom on his journey to save the princess.The Influence of Film and Pop Culture on the Development of MarioMiyamoto takes inspiration from various sources and had several influences when creating this game. He takes cues from popular film and television shows of the time. For example, Mario’s slightly spiky hairstyle was taken from the 1978 musical, Grease. The game also uses classic characters and settings from the fairy tales and other stories that Miyamoto grew up with.Innovations of Super Mario Brothers One-player mode: Replacing the lackluster two-player feature found in Donky Kong, the one-player mode of Super Mario Brothers revolutionized the gaming experience. Hidden levels: Levels that were not reachable through the game’s main path came as a surprise and reward to gamers, inspiring a new type of challenge and game-play that would go on to shape the evolution of the game. Power-ups: An assortment of power-ups in the game allowed for the player to have more control, and often defeat the enemy in an easier fashion.Final Thoughts on the Inspiration Behind Super MarioMiyamoto’s creative genius was a major factor in the development of the Super Mario Brothers. His unique design for the game, and the incorporation of different elements of pop culture, essentially revolutionized the gaming industry. Even today, gamers feel the influence of this game whenever they pick up a controller.