Growing up in the 80’s, I had the privilege of experiencing the video game revolution. Whether it was a tiny eight-bit swordsman saving a princess or a hedgehog collecting coins a few years later in the 90’s, video games provided a wonderful escape. Fast forward twenty years and the video games of today are far superior. The level of detail, game play, and interactivity is astonishing. However, you just can’t beat the charm of the 80’s revolution. With that being said, my favorite video game character has to be none other than the little Italian plumber himself, Mario, of Mario Bros. fame. While it may seem like the obvious choice, there is good reason.
So why is Mario my favorite? It’s part sentimental and part adaptability. He is first and foremost my sentimental favorite because he was part of the first major game I played on my first big console. It was Super Mario Bros. for the NES. It was the first modern blockbuster of videogame consoles. I will never forget the competitions with friends to see who could beat it the fastest or who could get the most lives. We even had parties during after school care based around playing Super Mario Bros. That was when Mario went from game character to icon. But what do I mean about adaptability?
Mario’s greatest strength came from how well he was able to be reinvented and adapted to new genres and systems. Not only do you have the classic platform style games like the Super Mario Bros. series, but you have racing games like Mario Kart, party games like Mario Party, and fighting games like Super Smash Bros. You also have all the systems he appeared on. Even before the big breakout on the NES, he was on the classic Atari 2600. Not only that, but he has been on every Nintendo portable device and console even now with the Wii and 3DS.
As you can see, Mario is my favorite video game character for a good reason. He represents the classic fun I had as a child, but he also grew and changed with me as the years went by. Mario games are also a lighthearted escape from the more aggressive shooting and fighting games that permeate the current market. In a way, Mario represents the free spirited fun that makes life great, and hopefully that never changes.