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10) Mario the NES Super Guest Star
NES (Various)
During the NES era, Mario’s name might not have popped up on as many titles as it does now, but that didn’t mean the plumber was any less ubiquitous. From Punch-Out!! to Tennis to Tetris, Mario was seen playing a number of different roles. Referee, golfer, platter holder, if Nintendo needed a placeholder, Mario was usually the man for it. What started as a wink and a nod to those who spotted him eventually gave way to the spin-off empire that Mario now resides over, but these early days of plumber cameos were generally more subtle and charming. Here’s hoping Yoshi’s Cookie gets a sequel if for no other reason than to see Mario in a chef’s uniform again!
Hmmm.. This list has me pondering the differences between “crossovers” and “cameo appearances” due to number 5.
That being said, thanks for the great read Robert!
Depending on what we’re talking about here, my own personal list might include NES Remix, as well as those bizarre Mario appearances on the Gamecube EA Sports games (“SSX On Tour” and “NBA Street V3”) Having Mario, Luigi and Princess play hoops against Carmelo Anthony and other NBA stars on an urban basketball court is just strange. Very unique and surreal.
In my defense, I will say that I did note that “key cameos” would be on the list, lolol. Glad you liked it! I thought about those appearances, too. I also weighed Mario and Sonic Olympics, but Smash felt like the better one to represent that intermingling.
My bad for not noticing your “key cameos” comment on your intro. That’s just sloppy on my part. Apologies! Again, Loved the list! Not sure how you manage to consistently churn out so many great features. Nintendojo is better for it.
Thanks OG! I’m just lucky I work with such great people here, I think we all feed off of each other’s energy and it makes us write better. Keep reading, and we’ll keep trying to do a great job for all of you.