Mailbag
14 Mar 2003

Deezer Webmaster supreme

Got something you want us to answer next time? Send it in!

Yea, Wario World's been delayed again. Bummer huh? Well I would beg to differ!!!

Seriously I think game delays show a sign of a healthy game in development and high chances of a superb release. I hate it when people constantly complain about games being released. Gaming companies feel rushed to release their game to please the whiny population and thus causing some things to be left out of a great game. Take Smash Bros Melee for example. Word is, there would have been at least a few things more in the game hadn't Nintendo felt rushed to release it.

It takes time to release a good game, whereas a crappy game takes no time at all. We should seroiusly begin to see delays in a different way, for our own good. Nintendo is never going to re-release Smash Bros. Melee or any other of their rushed games all over again just to put in the stuff they didnt have time for...we missed out.
-Stealth Yoshi

Deezer: I totally agree with you, but because F-Zero was delayed as well, I think the reason this time was that Nintendo wanted to space out the releases a little. So now we're looking at Wind Waker and GBA-SP in March, 1080°: Avalanche in April, Wario World in June, and F-Zero in August.

David Dayton: Actually, the release dates for those two games seem to have bounced back and forth a bit recently. While a longer development time can be good, it can also point towards problems with the game design. Personally, I just wonder what Nintendo plans to sell us in April and May at this point.

To Deezer/David Daton/ETC:

I own a copy of Super Mario Sunshine, and I have gotten to all 10 areas:

Delfino Airstrip
Delfino Delfino
Bianco Hills
Gelato Beach
Ricco Harbor
Pinna Park
Noki Bay
Sirena Beach
Pianta Village
Corona Mountain

But something confuses me. In the beginning of the game, during the trial, the Piantas show you a map on the screen where Shadow Mario attacked, and there are clearly many more areas marked! Do I unlock these once I have 120 Shine Sprites, are they just there for no reason, or were they planned, but deleted? Thank you for your answer.
-Thomas

Deezer: I don't remember that part, but I do know that there are no more areas that can be unlocked.

David Dayton: We'll have to get a screen shot sometime.

I found a cool glitch in the allstars version of super mario bros. 3. The glitch is if you go to bowser with the hammer bros. suit and throw a hammer at him he dies.
-Bunkerboy6

Deezer: Isn't that what's supposed to happen?

David Dayton: I found a glitch in Super Mario World. If you are riding Yoshi and press Y, he sticks out his tongue and eats things.

Hey there TMK. I've been visitin' the site for a while now, and ,after getting extremely cross at you all having Animal Crossing (I live in da UK, and it's probably never going to get released here as the game will also need to be translated into German and French, woe is me). Anyways, I got a few things to point out. Or ask. Whatever.

1. I heard a REALLY mad rumour about a Capcom VS SNK style Mario game, a 2D action platformer with very detailed 3D Backgrounds. Hmmmm....
2.Shigsy's working on a 'Sunshine 2', he just said. I hope.
3. Are Nintendo and Square working on another Mario RPG? Paper Mario and the SNES one were both brilliant.
4.How come you don't have MP3's from Smash Bros or Sunshine?
5.Do you guys have an N64 Emulator? Try Fastemul.com. This is French, however.
6. Ages ago, Shigsy mentioned a game called 'Marionette'. Is it based on Mario? Perhaps his sister? Or that weird anime thing, Marionette J?
7. I disagree that Mario is better off freeroaming (all the UK mags say it's better off if you can explore). He needs a linear game, action-packed, 2-player, like Sonic. But not as fast.
-Michelle C.

Deezer:

1. My guess is we won't see another original 2-D Mario Bros. platformer anytime soon.
2.Mm-hmm. Right now it's being called "Mario 128." I think he also said that it would be more of a true sequel to Mario 64 instead of another "Mario 64 with a water pump."
3. Probably not.
4.Oh, we have them, just not on the site.
5.Oui oui.
6. Or maybe marionettes?
7. See 1.

David Dayton: 1) Sounds lovely. I don't think we'll see it after the lackluster response to Yoshi's Story. 2) Do the Mario! 3) If a new Mario RPG game is being made, don't expect Square to have any part in it. I'm hoping Intelligent Systems does it. 4) See Deezer's #4. 5) It would make my computer blow up. 6) No idea, yet. 7) SMB3 was the greatest Mario game.

I don't know what the point of this is. From April's Discover Magazine.

-LuigiHann

Deezer: Referring to enemies, I'd guess.

David Dayton: I wonder how Gauntlet and Space Invaders would rank there. Actually, most older 2D shooters would have really high "kills per minute" ratings when compared to most new 3D shooting games, as the older games were faster paced.

I don't think they didn't release SMB2 because of it being too challenging. The reason probably was because... You said it was only officially on the Nintendo Disk Drive and that wasn't released in America.
-Nintendo JJW

Deezer: I don't think it would be incredibly hard to port over to cartridge...

David Dayton: It's been ported to a cartridge twice so far (SMAS and SMB:DX). There were also several NES disk games that were released in the USA on cartridges (The Legend of Zelda, Metroid, etc.)

I've noticed some pictures not showing in the Mariopedia, Hyper Cleft and Iced Potato and I also noticed that Jammin' Jelly said "Restores 50 HP" when it should say... "Restores 50 FP".
-Nintendo JJW

Deezer: Hyper Cleft was working when I checked. I fixed the others though, thanks.

Lady Bow's an average boo buddy as she lives in  Boo's Mansion. That is my favorite character as I like she's cool and beautiful. And now I design to create a character for lady bow, she's had her daughter her name is "Ribbon". She a sweet younger child of   boo buddy. She looks pink, niceful, and brave like kirby. She can actually wear a big ribbon and look very adorable! Her favorite mother is "Mommy"  she wants to grow up to be her mommy as a princess. And is also between mother and daughter, As I created of my idea for "Lady Bow's Daughter"!
-Shawne Vinson

Deezer: Why not Ribboon? Get it? RibBOOn? Ahahah. Hah. Ahem. Moving on...

David Dayton: Boo! ... get it?

Hey TMK! I am a long time fan of your website but this is my first e-mail...anyway here's what I have to say:

1)In one of Peach's end-of-world letters in SMB3 Peach advises you to look for the magic whistle "at the end of the third world" or something like that. I have always assumed this to be a reference to the first whistle in the game, at the end of 1-3, but I have always been confused by the wording because almost any English-speaking mario fan in the universerse refers to individual stages as "levels" and the large collections of stages as "worlds." Am I making a big deal over nothing, or is there a fourth warp-whistle in the game, at the end of the water world?

2) Think back to the early N64 era. Does anyone remember those store-displays that had buttons which, when pressed, would bring up advertisements on a TV screen for different videogames? When OOT came out, there was an ad for it on these displays of particular interest. I do not recall if it was the random-running ad on the screen or the ad that ran when you actually pressed the OOT button. Anyway, the ad shows Link riding Epona, and the background music is playing the 6-note jingle that plays in SMB3 when you use the warp whistle! I think this jingle was also used in the original LOZ game but I'm not sure...

3) I am seriously concerned that NOA will not release Nintendo Puzzle Collection in the US. Any way we could start a web petition to get them to change their minds?

4) This has nothing to do with Mario but it is important. In your previous mailbag, a fan mailed in with a bunch of suggestions for characters in another sequel to SSB. Blantantly absent from this list was Michael Jones, star of the incredible yet misunderstood Star Tropics series for the NES. He would make a great SSB character, even if he was just a clone of Ness. I was offended that SSMB did not even make any reference to the Star Tropics series in the trophy collection.
-picmaas

Deezer:

1) The letter refers to the third level of the first world. You're right, the letter is confusing, and the fact that you receive the letter after you've already passed the level she's referring to only adds to the confusion. I would place some of the blame on the translators, because from what I've noticed from the Japanese SMB3 is that the English version received a very direct, "no-frills" translation.

2) Oh, that was in Ocarina of Time too? I have a little something about the whistle connection on the SMB3 page.

3) I think e-mails to Nintendo politely requesting an American release would be more effective. It seemed to work for the Wind Waker/Ocarina of Time bonus disc pre-order deal.

4) I don't remember anything from Star Tropics. Oh wait, I never played it.

David Dayton: Yes, the whistle tune is played on the title screen of Ocarina of Time. I remember playing Star Tropics once... it feels like a Zelda clone.

March 21st marks my 15th birthday, and I'm looking back on what inspired me throughout my life and how I affected others.  One of the things that were really intriguing is the Mario Bros.  One of the things that mark them intriguing is Mario 64, the slides in some of the levels really kicked ass to me.  Also, did any of the mailbag letters I sent you really capture your attention, like my first one where I asked about the Ice Capades?  Well, it's happy tributive birthday to me anyway, and Mario's one of the tributes.
-Robert Poole

Deezer: I can't say I specifically remember your letters, but the same can be said for 95% of what we get. Happy (early) birthday!

Dear David Dayton,
Hello.

-KirbytheKitby

Deezer: ...

David Dayton: Boy, I bet Deezer wished he got letters like this.

I was flipping through the channels, and came across an episode of The Man Show on Comedy Central. Apparently the show was being broadcast from the Playboy mansion, and in one scene one of the hosts(I forget who, I'm guessing it was Adam), with two Playboy bunnies by his side, was playing the original arcade version of Donkey Kong. I could distinctly hear Mario's beepy running, and I'm sure I heard Mario die in the background while the other host was linking to the next segment.
-Kyle G.

Deezer: That reminds me, I think Adam Carolla is one of the funniest men alive.

David Dayton: Who?

Here are some questions to answer:
1. How did you get introduced to Mario? (I was introduced to Mario in 1986 when I got my NES.)
2. True or False: Deezer hates Final Fantasy.
3. Have you ever played Tales of Phantasia through emulation in English?
4. Have you ever played a Fire Emblem game through emulation?
5. What is your favorite Nintendo series other than Mario?
6. What is your favorite non-Mario SSBM character? (Mine is Marth.)
7. Will Nintendo Puzzle Collection come to North America, and will Paneru de Pon be infused as Tetris Attack or Pokmon Puzzle League again? (I do not approve of Paneru de Pon coming to North America uninfused, for I hate the original Paneru de Pon, especially the GameCube version.)
8. Will there be a GameCube Mario Kart?
9. Will Fire Emblem ever come to North America or Europe? (Marth and Roy have been proven to be popular outside Japan.)
10. Have you played Final Fantasy X? (Final Fantasy X is my favorite video game.)
11. In Mario Tennis, how do you beat Yoshi using Luigi?
12. Is the successor to GameCube going to be called Super GameCube or GameCube 2?
13. True or False: Everyone at TMK has a high school diploma.
14. Can Shigeru Miyamoto speak English?
15. Will there be a third SSB game?
16. True or False: Luigi is David Dayton's favorite SSBM character.
17. True or False: Luigi is better than Yoshi in Mario Kart games and SSBM.
18. What is the first Mario game you ever played?
19. What is the last Mario game you ever played?
20. What is the last game you ever played for the first time? (Mine is SimCity 4.)
-David Hill

Deezer:

1. I'm not sure, but I remember the first Mario game I ever owned was the original SMB.
2. True.
3. No.
4. No.
5. Hmm... series? I'd have to say Kirby then.
6. It would be easier to pick the ones I don't like to use: Mewtwo, Ness, Ganondorf.
7. Currently, the question is will Nintendo Puzzle Collection come to America.
8. It's been under development for a while. We might see it this year.
9. I don't know for sure. There was one released for the GBA in Japan recently, that might have a shot.
10. Yes. It was the best movie I've seen in a while. ;-)
11. Get more points.
12. Only Nintendo knows for sure. But right now they probably only have a code name for it, if that.
13. True.
14. A little.
15. It's inevitable, don'tcha think?
16. That's what I would guess.
17. I'd say that's a matter of opinion.
18. SMB
19. Umm... Donkey Kong (in Animal Crossing).
20. Skies of Arcadia Legends.

David Dayton: 1) Donkey Kong in the arcades when I was a wee lad. 2) I like the old ones, but Deezer... 3) Nope. 4) Nope. 5) Probably Zelda, if you say series. 6) At this point, Samus. However, Kirby was my favorite on the N64 version. 7) No clue, although I'm thinking they'll actually retain the Panel de Pon theme this time. 8) Yes. 9) Maybe. 10) Nope. 11) Be very, very sneaky. 12) I'm pondering the GameCube Advance. 13) Well, I'm not sure about Mushroom Boy. 14) Better than I can speak Japanese. 15) Eventually. 16) At this point, Samus or Peach are my favorites. Luigi seems a bit off in Melee. 17) Luigi performs better than Yoshi in MK64, but he's slower. 18) Donkey Kong. 19) Umm... not sure. 20) Doshin the Giant.

I'm sure you've gotten this before but one of the characters (some pirate named Mako I believe) in Zelda: The Wind Waker actually looks like E. Gadd. I ain't lying either. Here's a scan from a Nintendo Power issue to prove it.

-Ness554

Deezer: Hey, neat.

David Dayton: I'd be more concerned about the bearded guy in the top left.

TMK and company,
howdy. i was wondering if any of you know where i can find animal crossing guitar tabs, if such things even exist. i've searched the internet without any luck. i've also tried figuring some of them out myself but i'm just not talented enough. any help would be appreciated!

regards,
-m. meow

Deezer: Howdy! It just so happens I run another website that deals with guitar tabs for video game music. The name is Video Game Jam, and several Animal Crossing tabs can be found there. Oh, I think I forgot to mention you can check it out with this link.

I've neglected to mention this particular Mario cameo in the Simpsons for so long, so I wonder if anyone has sent it in already, but since I haven't seen it, I'll mention it anyway just in case: at one point in the episode where Bart becomes a test subject for the drug Focusyn (later causing him to hijack a military tank and shoot down a Major League Baseball satellite :P), he is playing a snowboarding video game while Homer attempts to slingshot a few of the tablets into his mouth. The game spouts a variety of phrases during the scene, and if I'm not mistaken, one of the last to be heard is "Mushroom Bonus Zone!" Sounds like a Mario reference to me!
-KirbyManiac

Deezer: Hmm...

hey deezer & Dayton if those are your real names.  it's kish way again . i was just talking to bug & chewbacca in the rpg chat room on chat.yahoo.com & they were talking about a new mario movie but they didn't say if it was really being made...well is it??? and thank you for answering my last q&a
-kish way

Deezer: Deezer is not my real name. Right now there are just rumors of a new Mario movie. Slim chance of that happening, I'd say, especially another live-action one.

David Dayton: Actually, Deezer and I are really the same person. At least, that's what everyone keeps telling me. I still can't figure out how it is that he lives in a different state than I do.

dear deezer this is the best thing that has ever happened if its true(so tell me is it true ) chewbacca told me that they are making mario number 2 the live version. if they are i would have to scream thet its great b/c they left it wide open at the end of the 1st one oh did i tell you that i've seen it like 12 time.
oh & my name is bertha u. grubby (nickname: b.u.g.)
-b.u.g.

Deezer: Heheh, this chewbacca fellow is responsible for two letters in this mailbag.

I haven't been e-mailing lately I've been trying to get on http://www.smbhq.com and find a free website hosting website so I can show it to http://www.classicgaming.com, anyway...
On the left table, why do some of the links go beyond the lines?
-Nintendo JJW

Deezer: I test the site on IE, Netscape, and Opera with default text settings and 800×600 resolution, and all the links fit in the left table for me.

David Dayton: Works fine for me with Opera 6 and Opera 7.

Two things, David:
1. It is awesome that the Super Mario Brothers movie is coming out on DVD. I seriously love that movie.
2. If I DIE OF OLD AGE before Deezer posts my The Mushroom Kingdom winamp skin, please upload it for him and dedicate it to me. Do you need me to e-mail the file again? I can.
-Your site is still awesome,
-LuigiHann

Deezer: Note to self: Update Winamp skins page.

David Dayton: Why are most of these directed to me?

Hello deezer and/or David I just wanted to know if you were interested in games and/or like to play games from other systems such as PlayStation2?
-JCA1657

Deezer: Of course! Some other systems I like are Super NES, Nintendo 64, NES, Game Boy...

David Dayton: What is this "Playstation 2" of which you speak? Is it similar to the "Ecks-Bocks"?

Hi, I had just downloaded the SMW commercial and I was astonished! Commercials usually air quite a bit before the game is released, and many have beta footage in them. I saw two instances of this in the commercial:
The title screen. The most vividly noticable is that it says Super Mario Brothers and pushes Super to the left. But take another look and you'll see there's no copyright. There is no flashing Push Start (you can see this in the video). Also, I think the wooden border is a bit darker (this may be the bad quality of the video). Does this mean there is a beta in existence? Hmm...
The very first level. Much less is wrong here. Absolutely no text onscreen (but this could be only a part of the screen that is shown). I was going to say that there is no Yoshi in this level (or cape either), but seeing that the hole in the ground has been covered by ! blocks, this means that Yoshi and the cape have been brought in from a later level, because you need to clear at least the first two stages to get to the ! switch. Like I said, there is likely a beta floating around somewhere.

Thank you for taking the time to read this and I hope I can get some answers somewhere!
-MegaKoopa

Deezer: Yes, very interesting, eh? If it exists, the beta version is probably floating around Nintendo HQ.

To David,
You should submit your browser to your local museum! My webpage takes 3 seconds for it to load! Although... I do have the most up to date browser on the market...

P.S. I need help! how do you advertise webpages? other than covering it with links to TMK.

P.S.S I want to link to you, but where can I get the image to link to you?
-Superdinoyoshi

Deezer: Oooh, dis. :D

P.S. You can advertise by submitting your site to search engines, etc.

P.P.S. On this page towards the bottom.

David Dayton: Well, I always figured it was the webmasters job to make a site that wasn't flooded with useless Flash animations and such so that it ran easily. The content is more important than little cartoons.

OK. I am one of the ONLY girl Nintendo fans out there and I wanna tell U some stuff. Well SM64 is my fave game. So I was readin' the GCN instruction book and I saw SM64 on the memory card screen! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!! I WANT SM64 ON GCN!!!!! Anyway, how did it get there?
-Erin aka Super Mario Girl

Deezer: It's just an example (notice the "World 8-1" and other nonsense). Maybe we'll see SM64 on the GC eventually, like as another pre-order deal or part of a "Super Mario Collection?"

David Dayton: She's not the only female Nintendo fan out there. She's at least the 6th one to write in to this mailbag.

Hey,  

I love that sheetmusic that`s on the site...I hope there`ll be more...  
-A mariofreak

Deezer: Me too!

To Deezer/David Dayton/ETC:

The other day I was playing Yoshi's Island on my old SNES, and I realized something neat- In the THROWING BALLONS mini game and on the control functions screen, you can see that the X, Y, B, and A buttons look exactly on those of the Super Famicom! I'm pretty sure that some players have already noticed this, but I just wanted to let you know.
-Thomas

Deezer: Hey, neat.

David Dayton: Nifty keen.

Hey, Mario must have suddenly became "in" again behind my back: I was at Gadzook's the other day, and saw three, brand-new Mario shirts. There was a prevalent theme of mushrooms with them... I just thought you guys would be interested.
-Grady

Deezer: Ah yes, I saw those during my Christmas shopping and forgot to mention it. I didn't get any because they had nothing in XL. :(

David Dayton: I have 2 Mario shirts around here somewhere that I was given for Christmas.

Hmm, a skeleton monkey that throws barrels? I've seen this on Classicgaming's Castlevania-site, did you know this?
http://www.classicgaming.com/castlevania/myth/skeletonape.gif

Cheers,
-Markus

Deezer: Hmm...

Scans you want?  I got scans.
Skirtless Peach
Skirtless Zelda and Peach
"Arlo"
A recap (in case this is used in the mailbag): Pokemario asked in the last mailbag who Arlo was, since his name appeared in the SSBM strategy guide but there was no Arlo trophy.  Well, Arlo was originally meant to be Totakeke (K.K.Slider)'s US name.  The SSBM guides (the official Nintendo one and the PRIMA one) was made with material from different "versions" of SSBM, some of which were beta ones.  Arlo's name was pretty much changed last minute to Totakeke, but the change didn't make it to the guides in time.  The Nintendo guide also features some screens of Peach and Zelda without their skirts (so they're walking around in their underwear, though the front part of Zelda's dress remained).  This issue was dealt with on the GameFAQs boards a long time ago, in which someone contacted Nintendo with this question.  Their response?  Peach and Zelda's dresses were removed in a version of SSBM so they could test to make sure their legs were functioning properly.  But if it's proof ya need, let these four scans of the guides speak for themselves.  Note that the first three are scans from the Nintendo guide and the last one is a scan from the PRIMA guide.  These scans prove my Arlo point and show skirtless Peach and Zelda.
I hope I could prove helpful!

-Paper Ace Chase

Deezer: You da man. Oh, these were the scans I was too lazy to add last mailbag.

David Dayton: Great. We are now the only site on the net with pictures of the ladies of Melee in their undergarments.

Yeah, yeah. These are very useful. They might not ALWAYS work, but you must try again and again, eventually, you'll get them

Mario Trophy - Tell: Villager
vPNH#CJW5yevsZ
DDQOhQdeKxHydS

Big Bro's Shirt - Tell: Tom Nook
aMiBAraLaM1mWb
6waTgDLx0jJZBf

Block Flooring - Tell: Tom Nook
666abcdn66efgH
DyGabcd6B6efgH

Green Pipe - Tell: Tom Nook
ArariaAnfSarah
SpurlOagereo&2

Anyway, question: What goes with Block Flooring?
-The Flat Footed Boy

Deezer: Whee! Answer: the Mario wallpaper, of course. I don't think there's a code for that yet.

David Dayton: I just picked up some Animal Crossing Series 3 eReader cards. I should see what I got.

In the November 25 mailbag, some guy (who wrote a freakin' long submission) said something about a sequel to Doki Doki Panic called Doki Doki Amusement Park.  I believe I know of and have played the game he is refering to, although I find it hard to believe that it could be a sequel to DDP.

In the game, you play some kid  who basically has to run around an amusement park in an attempt to save a girl from... something.  The game features some weird bosses, including an Indian head, a monkey, and a large pirate ghost (see: the Flying Dutchman).  It's actually a pretty fun game, I like the two roller coster levels.

Anyway, there is no way this game can be a sequel to Doki Doki Panic.  Aside from having absolutely nothing to do with the original, it also boasts none of the characters from DDP, nor does it have gameplay that could even be considered close to that of DDP (or SMB2US, as I've never played the actual DDP).  Just thought I'd clear some things up for you (and ruin the hopes of those who believed there could be a "Doki Doki Panic 2"... because I'm an evil person like that).  Oh yeah, enclosed are some screenshots of the game.  You'll be able to see why I draw the conclusion that the two games are unrelated.
-Sir Jeff Silvers

Deezer: Thanks for explaining, because I didn't want to.

David Dayton: As it just so happens, neither did I.