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?

As a much-loved character that has been around for the best part of four decades, it’s no surprise that businesses of all sizes have attempted to cash in on the popularity of Mario, his brother Luigi and the rest of the characters that make up the Mushroom Kingdom.

From official Nintendo merchandise to products that are so not official but yet intriguing anyway, the Super Mario franchise continues to deliver some of the best and most bizarre items of merch of any video gamer series.

So let’s take a look at some of the finest Mario merchandise ever produced, as well as those which just leave you scratching your head in sheer bewilderment.

Most people who follow the online casino industry are acutely aware that modern video slots are beginning to look more and more like video games. Indeed, it’s a world away from the classic single line slot machines, with modern games having incredible graphics and gameplay features.

Games are the best free time activity to engage in. They stimulate your mind and help to build better relationships. This is true whether you are playing board games at home or video games and slot machine games online.