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Daily Mirror
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Fans only just finding out how Super Mario got his name and are stunned
The iconic video game character Super Mario has been a household name for decades - but he could have been known as something very different if it wasn't for a landlord Over four decades ago, Nintendo's Super Mario video game took the world by storm, outshining rivals to become the most recognised and widely played game of its era. The Super Mario Bros. game was launched in September 1985, initially captivating Japan before making waves in North America a month later. With around 40 million copies sold through the original Nintendo Entertainment System (NES), it quickly became one of the most beloved video games ever. The game features Mario, a moustachioed plumber sporting a red cap - an image that has become synonymous with Nintendo, regardless of whether you were a gamer back then or not. Mario's character has made appearances in over 200 different video game titles, including Mario Kart and Mario Party. This popularity has propelled Mario-themed games to become the highest-selling video game franchise of all time, reports the Mirror US. But how did Mario get his name? The Nintendo video game designer who conceived Mario drew inspiration from an unlikely namesake, leading to the swift abandonment of his initial moniker, Jumpman. Employees at Nintendo's Washington warehouse started referring to the Jumpman character as Mario, owing to his uncanny resemblance to their landlord - and the new name stuck. The landlord, Mario Segale, unwittingly became the muse for Super Mario, according to the book, Game Over, Press Start to Continue. Had it not been for this unexpected name change and subsequent rebranding, Mario's character might have taken a very different path after the Jumpman title was discarded. An earlier incarnation of the Mario character was actually crafted for Donkey Kong, The Legend of Zelda, where he took on the role of a carpenter trying to save a damsel from a colossal ape. It wasn't until four years later that Mario swapped his tool belt for a plunger, becoming a plumber to better fit the game's underworld of pipes and sewers. Initially dubbed Jumpman, the character made his mark by vaulting over hurdles in the hit game Donkey Kong. However, Nintendo's American bosses were keen on a catchier moniker, and when Shigeru Miyamoto, the mastermind behind the original video game, caught wind of the suggestion to rename him Mario, he was all for it. In a 2015 interview with National Public Radio, Miyamoto reminisced: "They started calling the character Mario, and when I heard that I said, Oh, Mario's a great name, let's use that." After the success of Donkey Kong, Nintendo commissioned several follow-ups before tasking Miyamoto with fleshing out Mario's backstory and giving him a starring role in his own title. Miyamoto didn't stop there; he went on to introduce Luigi in the 1983 arcade hit Mario Bros as Mario's sibling, although the game saw limited release outside Japan. Then, in 1985, Mario truly leapt into the international gaming limelight with the launch of Super Mario Bros, which revolutionised home gaming for an entire generation.
Time of India
02-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Could a single uncomfortable call have changed gaming forever? How Nintendo's silent betrayal turned Sony into a rival
In the early 1980s, America's video game industry had collapsed, thanks in no small part to the catastrophic failure of the E.T. video game, a rushed tie-in that became an infamous symbol of overhyped flops. Amidst this turmoil, Japan's Nintendo saw opportunity. With the 1983 release of the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES), they didn't just find success—they became synonymous with gaming itself. If you said 'video game,' you meant Nintendo. By the end of the decade, the NES had conquered living rooms around the globe. With the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) planned for launch in the early '90s, Nintendo was riding high. But as technology raced ahead, a new format loomed large on the horizon: the CD-ROM. Cartridges, Nintendo's weapon of choice, were fast becoming relics. Rather than risk irrelevance, Nintendo made a fateful decision. Enter Sony: A Perfect Match That Never Was In 1988, Nintendo partnered with Sony—then an electronics powerhouse best known for its Walkman and stereo systems—to develop a CD-ROM add-on for the SNES. The project was dubbed the 'Nintendo Play Station.' It was to be the future of gaming: cartridges for now, CD-ROMs for tomorrow. Ken Kutaragi, a Sony engineer with a keen eye for gaming, spearheaded the design. But behind the scenes, tensions brewed. Nintendo, famously protective of its ecosystem, was uneasy about giving Sony too much control over software. And so, as the world waited for the next great innovation, Nintendo made a move that stunned even its partner. You Might Also Like: College lecturer's gaming obsession with 'Call of Duty' and 'Fortnite' lands him in hospital emergency iStock Super Nintendo console with cartridge based system. The Cold Shoulder Heard Round the World Instead of renegotiating terms or even giving Sony a courtesy call, Nintendo ghosted them—completely. In a dramatic twist, the company announced, during the 1991 Consumer Electronics Show (CES), that it would be partnering with Sony's rival, Philips, on the CD-ROM project. Sony executives, along with the rest of the world, learned the news live from the press release. It was a corporate betrayal of Shakespearean proportions. Sony had poured years of R&D and millions of yen into a joint project, only to be cast aside. But rather than walk away in defeat, Sony made a bold pivot—one that would reshape entertainment forever. — Genki_JPN (@Genki_JPN) From Scorned Partner to Market Leader What followed was perhaps the greatest revenge arc in tech history. Ken Kutaragi convinced Sony brass not to shelve their console dreams but to turn the prototype into a fully standalone system. And so, the PlayStation was born—not as a collaboration, but as a challenge. You Might Also Like: Google wanted to hire this Indian founder who hacked games and built his AI startup. Why he rejected them multiple times? Released in Japan on December 3, 1994, the original Sony PlayStation had a rocky start. It lacked a robust game library and suffered from limited visibility in traditional gaming retail spaces. Yet, with a built-in CD-ROM drive, a more powerful processor, and room for more immersive worlds, it had something Nintendo didn't: potential. — VideoGameHstry (@VideoGameHstry) Sony's aggressive pricing, focus on cutting-edge graphics, and savvy marketing soon paid off. Within months, millions of PlayStations were sold. By 1997, Sony had surpassed both Sega and Nintendo in market share. iStock Original Sony Play Station launched in 1994. The Irony of Obsolescence Meanwhile, Nintendo doubled down on cartridges with the Nintendo 64, released in 1996—a year after the PlayStation. While nostalgic millennials fondly remember Super Mario 64 and The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time , the N64 was commercially underwhelming, selling only 40 million units. The PlayStation? Over 102 million units. And when the PlayStation 2 launched in 2000—with a DVD player included—it became not just a gaming device, but a living room staple. To date, it remains the best-selling console of all time, with nearly 159 million units sold. It was more than a console; it was a coronation. A Legacy of Silence Looking back, it's hard to overstate the impact of that silent snub. Had Nintendo handled the disagreement with Sony more diplomatically, the PlayStation may never have been born. And yet, that very act of corporate caution—of dodging a difficult conversation—unleashed a competitor that has outpaced Nintendo in nearly every hardware generation since. In an industry defined by innovation, risk-taking, and technological brinkmanship, it wasn't a brilliant design or daring gamble that changed history. It was a missed call. Nintendo didn't just lose a deal. They created their greatest rival. And decades later, the ghost of that phone call still haunts the industry.
Scottish Sun
24-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
Most valuable retro computer games worth £1.5million – do you have one of these in your attic?
DUST off those old boxes gathering dust in the loft, as the retro gaming market is thriving - and some long-forgotten treasures could fetch a tidy sum. Games once dismissed as outdated are now highly sought-after collectables, fetching eye-watering prices at auction. 4 We've compared the prices of games recently sold directly by owners on eBay with the record-breaking figures achieved through formal auctions A sealed, first-print Super Mario Bros. for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) achieved a £1.5million sale in 2021, setting a record as the most expensive video game ever sold. While a gold Nintendo World Championships 1990 cartridge sold for over £160,000 last year as fewer than 20 confirmed copies exist. However, some of the rarest and most valuable games out there aren't necessarily the ones you'd expect. Karlo Čičko, tech expert and software developer at GameBoost, said: "One thing I've learned from working at GameBoost and spending time around serious collectors is that it's not always about Mario or Zelda. "Some of the real unicorns are tied to obscure competitions, tiny production runs, or even developer mistakes." With this in mind, we delve into some of the most valuable retro games you might unknowingly have tucked away in storage on consoles you once played on. To give you a clearer picture, we've compared the prices of games recently sold directly by owners on eBay against the record-breaking figures achieved through formal auctions at Heritage Auctions, the world's largest auctioneer of collectables. Games at auction tend to sell for far more overall as these items are typically sealed and in pristine condition. If you find you have an unopened retro game, it's worth getting advice on how much it could be worth through a specialist auctioneer group. Copies not in tip top condition are still in high demand, however, and fetch thousands of pounds through eBay. You never know, that forgotten box in your loft could be hiding a small fortune. Original '90s TV ad for N64 game Super Mario 64 now worth thousands NINTENDO ENTERTAINMENT SYSTEM 4 The Nintendo Entertainment System (NES), known as the Famicom in Japan, is an 8-bit home video game console developed and released by Nintendo in 1983 Max Wilson, storage expert and co-founder of Pocket Storage, said: "NES consoles and games are some of the most valuable gaming items you can find in storage. "A 1988 NES console, for instance, can sell for over £5,000 on eBay—a staggering increase of more than 3,000% from its original price of around £157." When it comes to retro console games, Super Mario Bros. reigns supreme in terms of value. A sealed, first-print copy of the game for the NES, identifiable by its rare horizontal sticker seal, sold for an eye-watering £1.5 million in 2021. Karlo says that if you're lucky enough to own one, be sure to inspect the sticker seal carefully - any ripples or lifts, no matter how minor, can significantly affect its value. Even outside of formal auctions, private sellers on eBay have recently achieved up to £7,395.74 for their copies, proving the enduring appeal of this gaming classic. And it's not just Super Mario Bros. commanding top prices. A sealed, first-production run copy of The Legend of Zelda smashed records in 2024, selling for over £220,000 - further evidence that retro gaming remains a lucrative market. Private sellers can also expect to fetch up to £2,154.50 when selling the same game on eBay. Karlo added: "Focus on the box code NES-ZL-USA without any Rev-A mark and check that the inner flap carries a printed five digit lot code rather than handwriting. "Foil front boxes oxidise faster than paper stock, so store them in a climate vault at 18°C and monitor temperature swings with a data logger." SUPER NINTENDO ENTERTAINMENT SYSTEM 4 Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) consoles can sell for nearly £2,000 Max said: "SNES was the newer version of the NES console, featuring a 16-bit console and as a result better graphics and sound capabilities. "When it was released, the SNES cost just £157 and was a huge breakthrough for gaming. "As a result, the console and its compatible games are worth a pretty penny on the resale market — SNES consoles can go for nearly £2,000 on eBay." When it comes to retro games for this console, The Legend of Zelda stands out as a true heavyweight in terms of value. The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past has fetched as much as £72,141.94 at auction. However, more common titles like Super Mario Kart typically sell for a few thousand pounds, with recent eBay sales averaging around £5,588.06. ATARI 2600 4 The original model Atari 2600 Video Computer System can fetch £20,000 on eBay Max said: "The Atari 2600 was released in 1977 at around £157. "Today, it's one of the most nostalgia-igniting consoles ever made, and can resale on eBay for nearly £20,000. "If you have any of its games lying around in storage, you'll be in for a happy surprise, because they can be just as lucrative as their compatible console." While prices for Atari 2600 games vary significantly, some titles command surprisingly high prices. For instance, Pac-Man has sold for an impressive £23,448.60, while Mario Bros. has commanded as much as £14,869.67 at auction. That said, the majority of Atari 2600 games tend to sell for considerably less. Recent eBay sales often average a few hundred pounds or less—still a significant increase compared to their original retail price.
The Sun
24-04-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Most valuable retro computer games worth £1.5million – do you have one of these in your attic?
DUST off those old boxes gathering dust in the loft, as the retro gaming market is thriving - and some long-forgotten treasures could fetch a tidy sum. Games once dismissed as outdated are now highly sought-after collectables, fetching eye-watering prices at auction. A sealed, first-print Super Mario Bros. for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) achieved a £1.5million sale in 2021, setting a record as the most expensive video game ever sold. While a gold Nintendo World Championships 1990 cartridge sold for over £160,000 last year as fewer than 20 confirmed copies exist. However, some of the rarest and most valuable games out there aren't necessarily the ones you'd expect. Karlo Čičko, tech expert and software developer at GameBoost, said: "One thing I've learned from working at GameBoost and spending time around serious collectors is that it's not always about Mario or Zelda. "Some of the real unicorns are tied to obscure competitions, tiny production runs, or even developer mistakes." With this in mind, we delve into some of the most valuable retro games you might unknowingly have tucked away in storage on consoles you once played on. To give you a clearer picture, we've compared the prices of games recently sold directly by owners on eBay against the record-breaking figures achieved through formal auctions at Heritage Auctions, the world's largest auctioneer of collectables. Games at auction tend to sell for far more overall as these items are typically sealed and in pristine condition. If you find you have an unopened retro game, it's worth getting advice on how much it could be worth through a specialist auctioneer group. Copies not in tip top condition are still in high demand, however, and fetch thousands of pounds through eBay. You never know, that forgotten box in your loft could be hiding a small fortune. Original '90s TV ad for N64 game Super Mario 64 now worth thousands NINTENDO ENTERTAINMENT SYSTEM 4 Max Wilson, storage expert and co-founder of Pocket Storage, said: "NES consoles and games are some of the most valuable gaming items you can find in storage. "A 1988 NES console, for instance, can sell for over £5,000 on eBay—a staggering increase of more than 3,000% from its original price of around £157." When it comes to retro console games, Super Mario Bros. reigns supreme in terms of value. A sealed, first-print copy of the game for the NES, identifiable by its rare horizontal sticker seal, sold for an eye-watering £1.5 million in 2021. Karlo says that if you're lucky enough to own one, be sure to inspect the sticker seal carefully - any ripples or lifts, no matter how minor, can significantly affect its value. Even outside of formal auctions, private sellers on eBay have recently achieved up to £7,395.74 for their copies, proving the enduring appeal of this gaming classic. And it's not just Super Mario Bros. commanding top prices. A sealed, first-production run copy of The Legend of Zelda smashed records in 2024, selling for over £220,000 - further evidence that retro gaming remains a lucrative market. Private sellers can also expect to fetch up to £2,154.50 when selling the same game on eBay. Karlo added: "Focus on the box code NES-ZL-USA without any Rev-A mark and check that the inner flap carries a printed five digit lot code rather than handwriting. "Foil front boxes oxidise faster than paper stock, so store them in a climate vault at 18°C and monitor temperature swings with a data logger." SUPER NINTENDO ENTERTAINMENT SYSTEM 4 Max said: "SNES was the newer version of the NES console, featuring a 16-bit console and as a result better graphics and sound capabilities. "When it was released, the SNES cost just £157 and was a huge breakthrough for gaming. "As a result, the console and its compatible games are worth a pretty penny on the resale market — SNES consoles can go for nearly £2,000 on eBay." When it comes to retro games for this console, The Legend of Zelda stands out as a true heavyweight in terms of value. The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past has fetched as much as £72,141.94 at auction. However, more common titles like Super Mario Kart typically sell for a few thousand pounds, with recent eBay sales averaging around £5,588.06. ATARI 2600 Max said: "The Atari 2600 was released in 1977 at around £157. "Today, it's one of the most nostalgia-igniting consoles ever made, and can resale on eBay for nearly £20,000. "If you have any of its games lying around in storage, you'll be in for a happy surprise, because they can be just as lucrative as their compatible console." While prices for Atari 2600 games vary significantly, some titles command surprisingly high prices. For instance, Pac-Man has sold for an impressive £23,448.60, while Mario Bros. has commanded as much as £14,869.67 at auction. That said, the majority of Atari 2600 games tend to sell for considerably less. Recent eBay sales often average a few hundred pounds or less—still a significant increase compared to their original retail price. How to store your retro video games IF you are keeping hold of old consoles and video games hoping they could one day be worth a small fortune, following these five tips can make sure they stay in top condition to maximise their value... Clean everything thoroughly before storing it. Use appropriate, non-abrasive cleaning solutions and tools tailored to the specific materials (plastic, metal, labels, etc.). Dust, grime, and even fingerprints can degrade surfaces over time — proactive cleaning minimises long-term damage. Keep an eye on the temperature and humidity in your storage space. Avoid storing them in attics, basements, and garages where these variables are often extreme. The ideal conditions should mimic a living space — stable temperatures and moderate humidity. This prevents warping, corrosion, and label damage. Use proper packaging to protect your items from bumps and scratches. The original packaging is ideal (and also adds value to the game), but sturdy boxes with ample will also work. Organise and label everything so you can easily find what you're looking for. A spreadsheet or database can be helpful for cataloguing your collection.
The Guardian
16-04-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
‘It's allowed me to see through his eyes': Super Mario, my dad and me
One of my earliest memories is watching my mum and dad play the opening level of Super Mario Bros in cooperative mode on the Nintendo Entertainment System. This was the early 1990s, and they were joined at the hip on the sofa, laughing at the idea of two portly plumbers becoming gigantic after consuming copious amounts of magic mushrooms. In this moment I sensed their natural chemistry, while the intoxicating mix of 8-bit visuals and perky, synth-heavy music blew my toddler mind. Although it was irritating seeing them constantly fail to jump high enough to hit the top of the flagpole at the end of the level, I remember being transfixed by the TV screen, and I'm pretty sure this was the first time I connected properly with a video game. I was only four years old when my dad died. It happened suddenly, a heart attack when he was just 37, and I witnessed it on a bike ride ... It left my family for ever broken. But the formative image of dad at his most carefree and in love, clutching a rectangular controller hooked up to a grey slab of Japanese joy, remained. It was something I could utilise whenever my grief became too much. Most importantly, the memory allowed me to visualise my dad as an ordinary human being rather than the tragic myth he later became. Ours was a working-class household with limited space, so eventually the NES disappeared: no one could work out whether it was gathering dust in an old plastic bag in a relative's loft, or if it had been accidentally thrown out. So I was shocked recently when my mum unexpectedly handed me the console after finding it during a spring clean. She asked me if I could try to fix it, so that we could keep it in the family. It had no leads, games, or controllers. It was also filthy with sticky clumps of dirt, particularly around the AV slots, and judging by the rust collecting at the cartridge slot, had serious water damage. After giving it a deep clean, hoovering all the damp dust out of the inside and buying a pricey device that converted the games into HD, I switched it on. Somehow, it still worked. Clearly, like most consumer devices produced in the 1980s, the NES had been built to withstand a nuclear winter should the cold war heat up. The last few weeks of rebuying games and getting lost in their fuzzy charms have been genuinely restorative for my mental health; a chance to reconnect with my roots. It took me about 15 minutes to figure out how to make a jump on the Fortress level of World 1 in Super Mario Bros 3, with spikes descending from the ceiling just as my squirrel suit was on the verge of flying to the other side. But by working out I simply had to be patient and duck inside a small space to avoid looming peril, rather than blindly rushing forward, I knew I was experiencing the same glorious lightbulb moment my dad would have enjoyed. I've been particularly obsessed with Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!! Despite the clunky 2D crowd and square-ish dimensions, there's a genuine dynamism to the boxer's movement and a feeling that David can defeat Goliath simply by bobbing and weaving and flipping the momentum with a well-aimed jab to the chin. While later boxing games might have been dripping with life-like bodily fluids, I have yet to find one that better replicates the magic of a boxer tasting blood and moving in for the kill than this 1987 NES game. Double Dragon has also been a revelation. This co-op fighting game gives you a big open space to navigate and – despite the graphical limitations – makes you feel like Bruce Lee: surrounded by foes, but with enough battlefield intelligence to use the environment to your advantage and kick knife-wielding enemies into the dust. With race-against-the-clock tension, one early sequence where you fight a couple of heavies on a moving conveyor belt made me feel like I was in a John Woo action movie. In these games the lack of a save mode forces you to continuously invest in improving, so the next time you hit the dreaded 'Game Over' screen you're more confident of avoiding the same mistakes. This grift is strangely addictive, and it's easy to picture my dad taking a quick break after putting baby me to sleep, his mind on the allure of the hard-won achievements at the core of this more patient era of Nintendo gaming. Knowing he would have once had the same smile on his face while playing the NES has made him more tangible in my mind; it's allowed me to see through his eyes. And, as my two-year-old son experiences his own dad going crazy over firing Flower Power-ups or defeating Dracula Duck during the final boss battle of the family melodrama that is DuckTales, I feel like I'm keeping my father's energy alive. Retro gaming is very much on the rise in the UK and US, with many players rediscovering the delights of analogue-era consoles. Playing these old cartridges on the original machines provides a deeper appreciation of the evolution of gaming and it's an escape from a world that feels far less carefree than the time in which these machines were thriving. Perhaps they also hope to re-ignite the memories of those who've passed, to remain connected to the loved ones who once invested their time into these devices. Rather than letting that old console become a house for spiders in your loft, dust it off, get playing. It might just help you to grieve, or relive a special memory that otherwise could easily have been lost. When I hear the opening chords of the Super Mario Bros theme song, I'm instantly back on that sofa with my mum and dad, smiling, assured that everything is going to be OK.
