For King Koopa!

I know this isn't really much of a post, but it is Mario related! Just look at this comic I found at www.mrlovenstein.com -

Please post a link in the comment box if anyone has found any other cool Mario comics.

75% of voters looking forward to Super Mario 3D Land

The votes are in and it seems that 75% of people who read this blog are excited about Super Mario 3D Land! And, to the 25% who aren't, let me quote Reggie Fils-Aime (Nintendo America President) and say "what's wrong with you". Lol, to see where I got that from click here.

Reggie in full arrogance = a force to be reckoned with!

Why You Should Pre-Order Super Mario 3D Land

It's only a matter of days until Super Mario 3D Land is released in Japan, and it is shaping up to be a must-have game. Here's the top 5 reasons to pre-order it-

1. It's got Luigi in it! Which means more fun for your buck, and another character with different abilities to master!
2. Special Stages! Means more challenges, more fun! The game's development team has said it has almost as many special stages as normal ones!
3. Tanooki Suit! Mario can flutter jump, spin and even turn into stone in that suit!
4. It's in 3D! Just another gimmick to help you to finally make the decision to buy it!
5. It's Mario! How else can you explain it? Mario games = awesome. No Exceptions!

So, what do you think? Rushing off to pre-order it already? Because if you aren't then... well... WHY WOULDN'T YOU?

Top Mario Side Characters #1- Yoshi!

If you know me then this really shouldn't come as a surprise, as I have a strange obsession with Yoshi. That's right, without Yoshi, I just wouldn't like Mario as much. It was like Mario was destined to ride on a dinosaur that could perform a cool flutter jump, and throw eggs, and just look so awesome!!! It's just  confusing that Nintendo took until Super Mario World was released on the SNES to introduce Yoshi to us all.

Yoshi was created in the midst of the development of Super Mario World by Shigeru Miyamoto, although he had been thinking of giving Mario a dinosaur companion ever since the original Super Mario Bros was released. Since Super Mario World, Yoshi has appeared incountless Mario games, including Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island, praised for it's great gameplay and cute artstyle. He is often said to be one of Mario's best sidekicks, although I would go far enough to say he IS Mario's best sidekick and, without him, Mario just wouldn't be as great as he is today!

Happy with my choices? Think Luigi is better? Comment below to share YOUR top Mario side characters!

Top Mario Side Characters #2- Toads!

Where would Mario be without all those uselessly cool toads that say obvious things! Probably in the discount bins of your local game store. Because, without toads, Mario just wouldn't be the same, and the mushroom kingdom wouldn't be much of a kingdom.

Toad first appeared in Super Mario Bros. on the NES a LONG time ago, and has since appeared in so many countless Mario games. Toads count as the majority of the mushroom kingdom's population, and are at the pinnacle of awesome!

But really, the reason I put these toads above Luigi, Princess Peach and even Donkey Kong is because I just love seeing their reactions when I jump on their heads during the Super Mario Galaxy games, which is next to nothing, yet I still do it.

So, who do you think will be number one? Have you already guessed? See who it is tomorrow!

Top Mario Side Characters #3- Donkey Kong

Well, it was obvious that I was going to put Donkey Kong in this list as, just think of all he has done for gaming. Without him there would be no Mario, after all.

Donkey Kong tied with Mario as the first Mario characters, first appearing in Donkey Kong way back in 1981. Originally, Donkey Kong was going to be a similar game, but with Popeye characters instead. Unfortunately, the licensing with that game didn't work out. But, we should be thankful for that, because Nintendo then had to make up their own characters. They ended up with Mario (then called Jumpman) and Donkey Kong, now two of the most recognisable figures in gaming.

Since that wonderful day, Donkey Kong has featured in many well-loved game series, including Donkey Kong Country, DK Jungle Beat, Donkey Kong 64, Mario VS Donkey Kong, Donkey Kong Barrel Blast, all the Mario sports games and Super Smash Bros. If you haven't played any of Donkey kong's platformers before, I would recommend starting off with Donkey Kong Country Returns for the Wii, as it is a great game with a nostalgic feel to it.

Buy it, for their sake!

Top Mario Side Characters #4- Luigi

Surprised? Luigi is a character in which some people hate, a lot of people love, and some just prefer other characters. I'm one of the later, as, as fun as Luigi is, I can think of three Mario characters that are cooler than him.

Luigi is one of Mario's oldest pals, which makes sense because they're brothers. Anyway, he made his first appearance in Mario Bros for the NES back in 1983, making him 28 as of today. Over the years Luigi has had many jobs, including plumber, wrecking crew captain, sportsman, captive, professional moustache grower and even ghostbuster, which I reckon trumps Mario's "wide" repertoire.

The only problem with Luigi is that we never see enough of him, which makes me very proud to know that next year Luigi will be returning to his favourite job (a ghostbuster), in Luigi's Mansion 2, which is shaping up to be a must have game of 2012.

So, happy with the choices so far? Tune in sometime in the next two days to see who's number 3!

Top Mario Side Characters #5- Princess Peach

For the next week or so I will be announcing my ultimate 5 Mario side characters, and Princess Peach is number 5. Sure, some may disagree and protest that she deserved to be at least in the top 3, but I was tempted to say Birdo was better than her, because she never learns that what she really needs is a team of buff toads to be her bodyguard team!

Anyway, Princess Peach is one of the first Mario characters. Although in Donkey Kong, Mario's first game, he had to save Pauline, Nintendo decided they needed a character with more depth to appear in Super Mario Bros. So, Shigeru Miyamoto went hard at work making a new character for Mario to save, and came up with Princess Peach, probably the most generic Princess in gaming history.

Since then Peach has appeared in many Mario themed games, including Mario Kart, every Mario themed platformer and all the Mario sports games, making her one of the most recognisable figures in gaming. She even has her own game on the DS, called Super Princess Peach, but I wouldn't recommend it unless your a die hard fan.

Tune in tomorrow for number 4- Who will it be?

Ratchet and Clank

If there is one videogame series not made by Nintendo that I love, it would be Ratchet and Clank. That is why, when I was looking through all the latest game releases, I was overcome with joy to see Ratchet and Clank: All 4 One there! I wanted that game so much when I saw it at E3, and now it's releases I just have to get it! If anyone reading this blog has a PS3, I would recommend trying a Ratchet and Clank game as they are just so awesome to play!

Also, this week I will be listing the all time best Mario side characters, so stay tuned!

Random Nintendo News

Well, I don't have anything special to write about today, but here's a list of random Nintendo news-

• WWE All-Stars is now coming to the 3DS.
• Potion crafting in Zelda: Skyward Sword, new pictures also available at IGN- http://au.media.wii.ign.com/media/872/872155/imgs_1.html.
• Just Dance 3 out on Wii, and with varied reviews.
• Go Vacation the new king of Wii party/sports mixture games, with massive amounts of minigames and areas to explore.

DS is Still Selling

Nintendo has recently announced that DS sales have passed 50 million in the USA alone! That is approximately on DS for every 7 and a bit people! Although, those sales aren't nearly as impressive as the one in every four Japenese people that now own one. Surely, this would be affecting 3DS sales? Well, it seems not as Nintendo has happily reported that the 3DS is now selling very well thanks to the price cut, with a 260% boost in sales in September compared to July! So, it's all good news for Nintendo at the moment, although if you really want to show your love Nintendo, pick up one of these-

 

(Only someone who really loves Nintendo will pick up one of these clunky machines when there are DSi and 3DS consoles around!)

Super Mario 3D Land Is Coming Soon

That's right, it's now less than a month until Mario finally appears in a new platforming game in the USA and Japan, and Super Mario 3D Land is shaping up to be awesome! I haven't been able to play a demo of the game yet except I've seen enough videos to say that it looks pretty awesome. Seriously, I just can't wait to see Mario and Koopas in a Tanuki suit again. Sure, this time it won't let mario fly, but it's still cool enough. I'm also enjoying the return of flagpoles, because there's no better way to end a Mario level than jumping high and getting a 1-Up. Plus, there are also a multitude of old mario references, such as a level where old 8-bit pictures of Mario characters form the floor, or the new take on the haunted houses, which are crawling with Boo's.

Well, I can say one thing, and that's if there's one game you could ask to get for christmas, let it be Super Mario 3D Land!

A Different Name

Call me stupid if you want, but as I was just posting something a sudden thought popped into my head, why do I call this blog Super Mario Fan Club when I could call it the Ultimate Mario Blog? So, I changed it to the cooler name, and also altered the address. I hope this doesn't cause to much confusion.

The Mini Metroid Review

Yes, that's right, for once I actually played a game with a Nintendo character other than Mario! Surprised? So am I, although I can definitely say that Metroid: Other M was worth it. I did think the voice acting was a bit bland, but the graphics and action in the cutscenes were amazing, and I loved the way there were power-ups everywhere, just waiting for Samus to pick them up. Some of the bosses were really fun to battle too, although others may be a bit repetitive. I think i would give it a-

9 out of 10

(Maybe a 10 if it had Mario in it)

Same Blog, New Look!

That's right, I decided it was time to add some much needed revising to my blog's look, and so I took out the template editor and started messing around with it. I hope you guys like the new look!

Also, if you think any changes need to be made, inform me and I might help you in your quest of making the internet a better place!

The Right Time to Buy a 3DS!

Well, Nintendo might be having financial issues, but don't put you off, the 3DS is actually a decent console at a very decent price cut! And, with games such as Super Mario 3D Land and Mario Kart 7 coming soon to the console, now is the right time to buy it!

Come on, just get one, for Mario's sake!

I'm in France

Hey guys, I'm currently in France and am looking at all the Raving Rabbids memorabilia they have here! Seriously, there are shirts, calendars, plushies, figurines and even underpants with those wacky bunnies on them. Anyway, I looked at my stats today and found that people are actually viewing my blog, contrary to what I thought, so I would like to ask any people who have visited to comment or something, cause I like that sort of stuff!