When we watch an 80s movie based in Vegas, we just reminisce at the thought of the classical slot machine, the arcade ones.  Back in the days, the graphics were not out of this world, but why is it that nowadays we look back and miss the traditional slot game?  The days of the Commodore 64, the Amiga computer console are way over, or are they?  In a day and age where slot machines at casino sites are full of bonus rounds, scatters, wilds and multipliers, some game providers are going back to the primitive, to the days where the Super Mario franchise issues classical slots for us to binge on, and the rest is just history.

The Mario Series has established a solid brand through the years. From 1988 to date, the brand has been giving us game after game, one topping the other. Let’s face it though, some marriages do not last that long nowadays. With the brand being so diverse and providing us with entertainment year on year, it is somehow difficult to establish what is the best game, why, and to sell the idea to the player, the audience if you will.

It is a known notion that Super Mario has dominated the gaming scene since the early 80s. We loved him then, we love him now, and dare we say we will love the Mario Franchise forever? There are so many variants of the game to chose from, that it is somehow difficult to put a ranking on the game. However, let’s try to lay all the cards on the table and bring you some info in what we feel are the top 5 games from the Mario Series.

Today we take you back to the 80s, where the hair was big, the hairspray was overboard and the jeans were not low waisted. The days where Commodore 64 reigned, followed by Amiga then Nintendo and we could only dream of something close to a Playstation.

To say Mario is no stranger to spinoffs is like saying there’s something a little off about Luigi – it’s not only obvious but also incredibly understated. From teaching typing to playing doctor, kart racing, and even beating up his friends and family in Smash, the little plumber’s reach knows few bounds.

The most popular gaming franchises always have iconic characters that are instantly recognisable, even to those with only a passing interest in gaming. Lara Croft, Pikachu, Sonic the Hedgehog, Zelda: these characters are synonymous with their gaming worlds, have appeared in different genres of game, and serve as inspiration for cosplayers on every continent.

From the dawn of digital gaming to the modern day, platforms are very much defined by one or two iconic characters. They become talismans and primary selling points of gaming systems, with fans clamoring for the next game in the franchise.

We all recognise him straight away – red hat, red t-shirt with blue dungarees with a moustache – yes, he’s Mario. He is potentially one of the most iconic game characters of all time. He was initially created by video game designer Shigeru Miyamoto, who worked for Nintendo. For a period, he also acted as the company’s unofficial mascot, and we would make his first video game appearance in 1981 in the game ‘Donkey Kong’. And although nearly everyone might recognise just who Mario is, that’s not what we’re going to be looking at today. Instead, we’re going to be looking at the influence he’s had both with the success of Nintendo and with video games in general. 

Have you heard anything about Grate Guy’s Casino? No wonder, as this is the secret of Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars. The casino itself is open only to owners of Bright Card.

The eagerly anticipated Nintendo Switch Lite announcement earlier in July 2019 has many Nintendo die-hards scratching their heads. Many fans were left feeling shortchanged by the lack of newer features on the Lite, while others saw it as a step in the right direction for the company attracting a new class of gamer. The name Lite itself does denote that something has been shaved off the original. Could the new announcement be seen as Nintendo attempting to cater to a wider market – after all Pokémon Let’s Go changed the premise of the games to appeal to a new target audience. Or, will the missing features of the new handheld device render it less successful than the hero product in Nintendo’s wheelhouse?