Don’t miss these 12 game references in the movie!
3 min readEarlier this month, “Super Mario Bros. – The Movie” was produced by Universal and Illumination.
Since its release, the movie has won over many fans of the Nintendo game franchise for its ability to incorporate game elements into the adaptation.
Strong references to titles in the “Super Mario” series made the movie a love letter to fans. In this context, we present twelve references to the games in the film, offering fans a nostalgic journey through the world of “Super Mario”.
So, below you will find some of the many references to the games in the new Universal movie. paying off!
Photo: Nintendo/Universal
12 reference games are found in the movie
1. power ups
One of the twelve references to games that we find in “Super Mario Bros. – The Movie” is Presence power upswhich are items that grant the player special abilities, such as increased invulnerability or speed.
In the film, the two protagonists Mario and Luigi appear in an advertisement wearing a yellow cloak while lying down. For those who have played “Super Mario World” on the Super Nintendo, this scene is an obvious reference to power ups gifts in the game.
2- The wrecking crew
Secondly, another reference to the games in the movie is the name of the former head of plumbers, Spike. This name is directly related to the game that was released in the 80s, called “Wrecking Crew”. Choosing this name for the character in the movie can be seen as an homage to the classic Nintendo game.
3. Pizza and car wash
Within the movie, we can see the two brothers passing on a street where there is a pizzeria called Punch Out, a reference to the game that was released in 1984. In addition, the movie shows, on the same street, a sign that reminds players of “Duck Hunt” (1984) ).
But, as if that weren’t enough, a lava car was also found in town, heavily hinting at “Balloon Fight” (1984).
4. “Kid Icarus
Fourth, we find a reference to “Kid Icarus” (1987). The scene happens when Mario’s call turns out to be a failure, and he gets upset, so he starts playing the game.
5. Pauline
First appearing in “Donkey Kong”, Pauline is now the mayor of the town where Mario is. Thus, they appear when you need to report a leak in the neighborhood.
6- Masion Luigi
Sixth, we have the moment when Mario and Luigi end up falling through a magic pipe. However, Luigi stops in a mysterious forest, a classic reference to “Luigi’s Mansion” (2001).
7. Koopa Clown Cars
During a scene in the movie, Luigi and other characters are taken captive to a dark and gloomy place, and are watched by a fleet of vehicles known as the Koopa Clown Cars.
This is a reference to the “Super Mario” game world, where the villain Bowser and his henchmen use these cars to chase Mario and his friends.
8. Frogs
Another great reference is when Mario arrives in the Mushroom Kingdom. There, we see the plumber walking with Toad.
But suddenly we can see other frogs appear by collecting coins and placing them in three squares, which is a related reference to additional minigames found in many Mario games.
9. Cell phone ringtone
In one of the moments when Luigi’s cell phone rings, it is possible to notice that his ringing is the opening of the Nintendo GameCube.
10. Arwing the ship
In the scene where we see the character’s room, there is an Arwing ship placed on top of the TV. For those who had the chance to play Star Fox, it was something of nostalgia.
11. Todt
A subtle reference to the games in the Mario series is a poster that shows a band of frogs in the background of a scene in the movie.
But even though Toadette didn’t actually appear in the movie, her presence can be seen in the poster image, which may have delighted fans of the character.
12. Transparent tunnel
Finally, when someone is taken to Princess Peach’s castle, they pass through a transparent tube. Thus, it clearly refers to “Super Mario 3D World” (2013).
“Musicaholic. Thinker. Extreme travel trailblazer. Communicator. Total creator. Twitter enthusiast.”