Mario's always been the basic example of a video game hero, and that's because he was one of the first. He runs through worlds, saves Princess Peach, beats Bowser, and saves the day every time. He also has lots of spinoffs; golf, tennis, baseball, soccer, basketball, parties, racing games, you name it. And that's because he's popular. People around the globe love playing Mario, and they'll pay for just about anything that contains everyone's favorite hero plumber.
Focus a bit on the Mario's always been the basic example of a video game hero part, emphasis on "basic". Since Mario's that basic model, Nintendo can throw him into pretty much anything, and people will buy it. And because he's that basic model, Nintendo can use the same storyline over and over, and get away with it, because it's Mario, right?
And since Mario's that basic model, he has to be accessible to everyone. That means no overly dark or complicated plots, except maybe in the RPGs, and an easy gameplay style with not-too-difficult levels, right?
And since Mario has to be accessible, the plot of the games can't be too confusing, so each Mario game should be, for the most part, self-contained. Since he's just about fun and not about complex plots, there should be no real continuity linking the games. Right?
I disagree.
The fact that Mario's everyone's basic game hero is why Nintendo tends to keep Mario in a relatively simple, lighthearted environment. He's very "general"-the guy that saves the Princess and all that and can do pretty much anything Nintendo throws him into. Should he be more "specific"-should Mario games have more advanced plots? Should there be a stronger canon? I say yes. Mario's been in the same over-accessible environment for years now. I say it's time we get something of a darker atmosphere and more difficult games.
Of course, doing these things would make Mario less accessible-but not all of the games have to be like this. Some of the RPGs are considerably darker in tone than most of the other games, making them less accessible, but they're perfect for hardcore gamers like myself. And, there's always a brink-Mario shouldn't be too dark or too complicated, but a fair amount so. Super Paper Mario is a prime example of what I'd like to see in more Mario games nowadays, albeit being way too easy for my tastes; it had more in-depth plot, and, me being a big plot enthusiast, I enjoyed it every step of the way.
What are all of your opinions on the subject? Is Mario fine how he is, or should he develop in a more mature direction without going over the brink? Should the games have a stronger canon?
Feel free to disagree with me. Heck, feel free to take apart my argument and point out flaws. I'll gladly accept any agreement/suggestions/criticism/bashing I get (that is, as long as it's polite) so I can improve my argument and better define my position.
