Super Mario Rehab

Gather around children, for I have a cautionary tale to share with you. Woohoo!

By Adam Sorice. Posted 08/05/2010 20:00 8 Comments     ShareThis

Mario and Toad doing an "exchange"

Best of Nintendojo 2010 Award Badge

This piece is a satire. The opinions expressed herein do not necessarily state those of Nintendojo or its affiliates– well, except the don’t do drugs part.

It was just one mushroom. That’s how it started.

But that’s how it always starts, doesn’t it? Just as things are going well, you let your guard down and begin to make errors in judgement. We’re all too aware of how recreational drugs can consume the lives of some of the world’s biggest stars but who really thought it would happen to the world’s favourite videogame hero?

Super Mushroom artwork

Tonight, children, I share with you the cautionary tale that is the life of Mario, Nintendo’s superstar mascot and biggest semi-functioning drug addict. For while this notable Italian plumber maintains a clean persona, something Mary Kate Olsen may want to take notes on, Nintendojo can exclusively reveal the bleak and harrowing truth behind society’s most-loved moustached man.

Mario began his career in humble beginnings, first taking to the stage as the ape-hating carpenter Jumpman in the arcade game, Donkey Kong. Subsequent games cast this innocent, fledgling star in a variety of roles that bear little resemblance to the icon we know today and included the original Mario Bros. Startlingly different to its dynamic sequel, the first appearance of the fraternal plumbing team that was Mario and Luigi saw the brothers heading into the sewers of New York to tackle a variety of disturbing monsters.

The game’s sequel, Super Mario Bros., was not only the game that changed video games forever but was also Mario’s first taste of the alien, ghoulish underbelly of fame. Compared to Mario’s past adventures, this title featured a terrifying and altogether far more magical world called the Mushroom Kingdom, an entire imagination away from the streets and sewers of New York that had been the backdrop of Mario’s previous adventures.

Here, Mario had access to all the latest legal highs available and even used them to help rescue Princess Toadstool. Using the Fire Flower, Power Star and Super Mushroom to tackle Bowser and his many minions, the protagonist plumber drew strength from the “medical power-ups”, as Nintendo described them in his contract, and saved the Princess and her Toad subjects.

Super Mario Bros. 3 artwork Tanuki Suit

But sadly these power-ups began to dominate Mario, becoming an integral part of the plumber’s daily life. Soon Mario didn’t need the Super Mushrooms to make himself appear bigger, he needed them to make himself feel bigger. Without them, how could he cope against the legions of enemies out to get him?

After the final night of programming for Super Mario Bros. ended, Mario trudged back to his trailer and fell off the wagon. Even when Luigi rushed to him and cradled his limp body on the floor, the disturbed plumber still writhed and shook in horror as he wailed through his utter agony, wanting for the simpler days when he felt pure.

Nintendo realised that they had gone too far and sent Mario off to a rehabilitation clinic until he had got clean. The rest of the cast and crew from Super Mario Bros. walked out on pre-production of the sequel when word spread of the star’s breakdown and progress on the sequel ground to a halt.

Desperate to maintain public excitement but lacking the cast or production staff required, Nintendo hurriedly sought out a game that could be branded as Super Mario Bros. 2. Dressing up alternative actors as Mario and his friends, Nintendo turned the Japan-only game Doki Doki Panic into the much-loved sequel to Super Mario Bros. as the company patiently waited for Mario to sort himself out.

Following his first stint in rehab, Mario returned to acclaim with the incredibly successful Super Mario Bros. 3. Traversing across seven foreign lands, Mario had the chance to experiment with a bounty of new stimulants, depressants and hallucinogens from across the globe, including the Super Leaf, Goomba’s Shoe and Tanooki Suit.

Dr. Mario artwork

Desperate to return to the satisfying world of drug culture, Mario learned from his previous mistakes and developed the ability to juggle both a hectic work schedule and his drug dependency, snorting a few grams of Koopa Shell or Carrot in between rehearsals or going out some weekends with his Metal Cap, looking for a good time.

In between his main adventures Mario also dabbled in various hobbies, looking for a productive pastime that would spare him from the drug-addled emptiness of his down time. Despite trying to heal the sick, creating a work of art and even having a bash at every sport known to man, Mario always managed to run into his old master, the desire to get high.

His short-lived career in medicine as his more respectable persona, Dr. Mario, ended when allegations of an addiction to prescription painkillers hit the newsstands whereas a sequel to Mario Paint always proved challenging due to his taste for Absinthe. A promising career in either golf or tennis was also shelved after Mario was banned from competitive play due to a positive result in numerous drugs tests. And that, children, is why we never saw another sequel to either Toadstool Tour or Power Tennis.

However, Mario couldn’t maintain this destructive lifestyle and soon he slumped into the deepest low of his career, signing autographs in the shady backstreets of Pipe Alley and making back to back Mario Parties in exchange for the ‘shrooms. Mario needed reminding of the glory days and Nintendo had just the plan: Super Mario Sunshine.

Super Mario Sunshine artwork of Shadow Mario

It was time for Mario to have a comeback that would rival any of Whitney Houston’s (except the last one) and Nintendo needed both Mario and this latest game to be a success for the sake of the company. Nervous at the thought of putting a washed-up junkie at the helm of Nintendo, executives decided to send a handler along with Mario, just in case. This one-man support system would care, nurture and protect Mario from his past troubles, allowing him a chance to recharge his batteries and get clean on his island getaway.

Shortly after arriving on Isle Delfino Mario was introduced to F.L.U.D.D., the Formerly Luigi Usurping Drug Dispossession unit, before embarking on his mission to save Princess Peach and find himself again. Sadly, the trip didn’t go to plan and Sunshine proved to be Mario’s most warped and drug-addled adventure to date.

Trapped on an island inhabited by colourful, deformed monsters, the pudgy plumber was overwhelmed by visions of impossible, kaleidoscopic floating realms, hallucinations of gruesome doppelgangers of himself and flashbacks to the much-loved pet dog he had shot dead on his roof six years before, Yoshi.

Super Mario Bros. sprite artwork upside down Mario

And despite the recent success of Super Mario Galaxy and its sequel, Mario is still as dependent on his supplements as ever. After the final shoot was completed for Galaxy 2, Mario returned once again to his permanent support complex in the rolling hills of the Mushroom Kingdom. Here medical staff look after the troubled and shaken star, preventing him from putting his life into further jeopardy in-between games.

Until the time comes for his daily medical examination, when the straitjacket restraints are tightened and the doors are locked. Mario shakes and struggles to escape as a nurse that looks suspiciously like Waluigi in a dress approaches him while brandishing a giant needle. Only a howling, exaggerated faux-Italiano scream can be heard from the patient’s room until the shrieking dies down into a low, murmuring sob of loneliness and desperation.

So remember, kids — don’t do drugs!

8 Responses to “Super Mario Rehab”

  • 15 points
    Carter Fagan says...

    Hilarious article…makes Super Mario. Bros sound like some sort of reality show.

    • 1332 points
      Andrew Hsieh says...

      But Carter–it is! D: Haven’t you heard? It’s all a plot! That’s the real reason people are so addicted to reality shows–the original Super Mario Bros. subliminally told them it was okay to be addicted. Addicted to drugs, addicted to reality shows … anything, really.

  • 183 points
    Williaint says...

    I hate to say it, but It wasn’t that great.
    I’ve seen a lot of bad flash satires on this subject.

    The series is based more on Alice in Wonder land, just as Donkey Kong is based on King Kong.

    Since people don’t read anymore, though… drugs are the closest thing they can relate to it.

    • 697 points
      Adam Sorice says...

      With respect, Alice in Wonderland deals with many themes and concepts that don’t even come close to relating the Mario universe. Alice is isolated, alienated and alone in a bizarre, disturbing world that is overwhelming to her. The story is all about the innocence of youth and searching for your identity. Mario never feels out of place in the Mushroom Kingdom and he’s never searching for anything more substantial than a method to rescue Princess Peach.

      The piece wasn’t supposed to provide a plausible explanation to the Mario series. It was a satire on the idea that mushrooms, a notable item from the Mario series, can also have hallucinogenic properties and the potential consequences that could entail for the protagonistic plumber.

      • 183 points
        Williaint says...

        “…alienated and alone in a bizarre, disturbing world that is overwhelming to her.”
        That sounds a lot like Mario, in The Mushroom Kingdom, actually.
        Not based, necessarily on the themes, but more on the visual devices, the characters. King Koopa Could just as easily be the Queen of hearts (since this is a simple debate, it’s not necessary to go on about relative characters).

        In every game, Mario returns to a slightly different world. It’s the same with The wonderland books.
        I suppose I should have said that I think it’s more based on Alice’s Wonderland, than a drug induced trip.

        Also, satires should be plausible, in relative to what they satirize.

        Sure, Mario gets larger, puts on weird suits. He’s invincible until his trip wears off. Maybe Mario is the villain.
        “Hey, man, it’s your friend, Goomba, We were all talking and think you need to take it easy on those drugs”
        “Shut-a the hell up!” Mario says, as he jumps on top of his friend. “Now which one-a these blocks did I put-a my ‘shroom in?” “Mammamia..that’s-a good! Hey Toadstool, wanna get together sometime?” “Mario, I’ve had a restraining order on you for years. I even changed my name!” “Oh, come on!–” “No, Mario. I’m with Mr. Koopa, now. We’ve had an [ugh] adorable baby!” Peach glances at their baby, Bowser Jr., with disgust. “BWAAHAHA, Get lost, druggie!” “I’m-a NOT A DRUG ADDICT!” Mario runs, and starts jumping down the road. “Hey,” A young man with a white afro grabs Mario’s attention. “Sounds like you could use my help. I’ve Got just the thing…”

      • 360 points
        M. Noah Ward says...

        You’ve definitely got a talent for creativity and writing, Williaint– you should apply to join the staff! :)

  • 225 points
    wombatguy880 says...

    I think both ideas are just as plausible as most people feel that Alice is just as much about drugs as Mario. I think the idea that Alice feels lost is definitely not carried over to any movie I’ve ever seen. She sees it as strange but that part was left to the player. “I’m jumping on walking mushrooms (enemies, platforms, and the ones that make me larger) and turtles in caves?” was the initial reaction from many gamers. I think this actually shows something important to “story” in videogames. We build alot of it ourself and should. I want the game to challenge my imagination, good dialogue, and a goal but beyond that I don’t want to be forced into a strict role and path so I don’t destroy the storytellers world. When I play this is my world and while you can throw things at me just as life does I don’t want to be restricted more then necessary to make the game make sense. It’s also common in much more then Alice in Wonderland. Almost every great fantasy plays with this formula. It’s criticized alot nowadays but honestly how much different is this then most the movies and books of prior years. Alice, Oz, Paycheck, The Crow, and The neverending story.

Leave a Reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Log In 0 points Log in or register to grow your Ninja Score while interacting with our site.
Nintendojo's RSS Feeds

All Updates Podcast
News Comments
Like and follow usFacebookTwitter Friend Code Exchange + Game with Us Join the Team!