Super Mario Video Game Series

The common denominator of the games in the series Super Mario is the character of the main protagonist. The mustachioed plumber in a cap and red jumpsuit is one of pop culture's most famous characters. He also often appears in tandem with his brother Luigi and other characters (such as Yoshi). The story is set in the Mushroom Kingdom, inhabited by the friendly Toad people. The plot is usually characterized by great simplicity. In most cases, the protagonist and his companions set out to help Princess Peach, and their main enemy is Bowser and his army of turtle-like monsters known as Koopa.

The gameplay is characterized by the simplicity of the control mechanisms. Traditionally, the task of the player controlling the Mario character is to reach the end of the level within the allotted time limit, jumping between platforms, avoiding or eliminating enemies and collecting gold coins. The game boards are usually of considerable size, and completing them requires considerable reflexes. Facilitating them are various power-ups that can be activated during the game.

Games from the series Super Mario are characterized by simple, but aesthetically made and maintained in intense colors visuals. Most of them are kept in the style of classic 2D platformers with a side camera shot and a scrolling screen (Mario always goes to the right).

Figures released by the Nintendo conglomerate show that by May 2011, games in the series Super Mario were sold in a total print run of more than 262 million copies, putting the brand at the top of the all-time bestseller list.