Nintendo Archives | Otaku No Culture

How Many Super Mario Bros. Movie Home Video Varients Are There?

Now on #homevideo is Illumination Entertainment and #Nintendo’s Super Mario Bros. Movie! And we got the deets on the extras.

Available to stream on Amazon Prime
For a detailed movie review, please check out our review here.

The best way to power-up with the home video release of The Super Mario Bros. Movie is to check online for which outer package looks best on the shelf. There are steelbook editions (featuring Toad on the case; Best Buy), lenticular packaging (Target) and even a star-shaped tin (Walmart, online only). Unfortunately, it doesn’t light up otherwise I would’ve had it on preorder once I knew about it.

There might also be regional variants, but for me, when all I want is the motion picture and the bonus features, the standard 4K and Blu-ray issue holds.

I’m sure that when the planned series is over with, there’ll be a mega set in the shape of the golden power up box or Zelda’s chest. Nintendo is now developing the latter with Illumination Entertainment. That’ll be exciting, and it’s safe to say these properties won’t cross over! After these two flagship titles are out, along with the much anticipated Yoshi and perhaps also Starfox, an ultimate release is what I’m patiently waiting for. Fans of long running IPs never grow tired of playing or watching their favourite heroes embark on new adventures.

Alternatively, had all the Super Mario Bros. releases included a coupon code for Nintendo owners to redeem, I’d be tempted to collect them all. Whether what’s offered by doing so is enough for a discount for a videogame or a digital wallpaper is ultimately up to Nintendo to decide.

Continue reading “How Many Super Mario Bros. Movie Home Video Varients Are There?”

The Super Mario Bros. Movie Zooms Into Streaming Tomorrow!

The Super Mario Bros. Movie takes what millions of gamers worldwide have loved for thirty-five years and levels it up to a new and breathtaking cinematic experience.

Streaming Release Date
May 16, 2023

Faster than winning Super Mario Kart with the title character is the home streaming release of Nintendo and Illumination Entertainment’s The Super Mario Bros. Movie! We reviewed the theatrical release (link), and it’s fun enough to revisit sooner than later with the kids, and this animated thrill ride blasts into homes tomorrow on digital platforms nationwide courtesy of Universal Pictures!

From the Press Release:

Showcasing an all-star lineup to voice the iconic pop culture characters, THE SUPER MARIO BROS. MOVIE stars Chris Pratt (Jurassic World franchise), Charlie Day (It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, The Lego Movie), Anya Taylor-Joy (Last Night in Soho, The Queen’s Gambit), Keegan-Michael Key (Key & Peele), Seth Rogan (Neighbors, An American Pickle), Jack Black (Kung Fu Panda franchise) and Fred Armisen (“Wednesday,” Portlandia).

The movie tells the story of two Brooklyn plumbers who are brothers and best friends: Mario, the brave one with the “let’s-a go” attitude, and the perpetually anxious Luigi, who would prefer to go nowhere. We open with the Super Mario Brothers reckoning with their struggling plumbing business, and wind up in a whirlwind adventure through Mushroom Kingdom. Through their journey, we meet a cast of familiar, lovable characters, ultimately uniting together to defeat the power-hungry villain, Bowser. The Super Mario Bros. Movie takes what millions of gamers worldwide have loved for thirty-five years and levels it up to a new and breathtaking cinematic experience.

The Super Mario Bros. Movie Final Trailer

Breaking Down The Super Mario Bros. Movie – Not Quite the Smash It Should Be.

The only good part of The Super Mario Bros. Movie is in how Mario Kart gets reimagined.

Spoiler Alert

Before The Super Mario Bros. Movie came to the fore as the better motion picture, Super Mario Bros existed. It’s almost confusing to know which film is being talked about, since there’s two missing words to distinguish between the two. But for those in the know about the older work, perhaps it’s best not to. That live-action take reimagined the game as a gangster flick, and not everyone enjoyed it.

After Wreck It Ralph, fans were wondering when we’d get a motion picture that’s truly a love letter to Nintendo’s product line. The nods in this latest showed what’s possible with the cameo. The game is about a plumber saving the princess from Bowser, an evil turtle who is holding her hostage. In this take, the changes to the story are different.

The movie version (voiced by Jack Black) puts the citizens of each world into a prison, and Mario (Chris Pratt)’s brother is the latest victim. Um, what happened to honouring the game? This movie directed by Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic for Illumination Entertainment and Nintendo set out to build a cinematic universe rather than respect the original premise. Although they stick in plenty of references to this company’s past games and Easter eggs to distract, only the hard core will know.

Continue reading “Breaking Down The Super Mario Bros. Movie – Not Quite the Smash It Should Be.”

Patience is Required to Advance in Castle Morihisa

Available for PC (Steam) and Nintendo Switch

Coming from the world of collectible card games, Smokingbear Studio’s Castle Morihisa is a familiar product. The artwork reminds me of the early days of Magic the Gathering and not only is this game a deckbuilder type product but also include rogue-like battle elements. There’s more than a few cards that resembles popular ones from the Revised set, and here, players have to finessee their deck so that your character can take down foes with ease. Finding those rares are tough, and it requires dedicated weeks of play to find them.

Instead of button smashing, you are card slashing your way through various yokai and natural predators while headed to the tower. The goal is to banish evil from the land. There’s a rebellion brewing somewhere, and it’s up to players to stop that from happening.

Continue reading “Patience is Required to Advance in Castle Morihisa”

On Nintendo’s Switch, You’re a PopSlinger than a Breakout Singer

Life can’t be any cooler than PopSlinger, but just how far this arcade style musical shooter by Funky Can Creative goes depends on how good you are with a gun powered by soda.

Released January 26, 2022
Nintendo Switch

Life can’t be any cooler than PopSlinger, but just how far this arcade style musical shooter by Funky Can Creative goes depends on how good you are with a gun powered by soda. Part of the design is wickedly inspired by 90s anime and its design celebrates this era with amusing nods to Blockbuster, Tower Records and K.B. Toys. The soundtrack is funky enough to enjoy, and it reacts to your in-game performance. This concept helps players stay invested.

Here, you play Ria Carbon who is out to save the world. The intruders from another dimension turn their victims into Corazones and it’s up to you to wash them down. They look like sludge creatures rather than space invaders, and perhaps the idea is in line with how they can be defeated, with soda! The weapons powered by carbon are a strange piece of tech to deploy, and in-game, the theory is that you’re melting your enemy down so they can wash down the sewer. When you have shot down enough of them, your spirit guide(s) are able to manifest to help! One of them is a former pop slinger who goes by the name of Gin and she’s perhaps the most helpful.

In another aspect, the 2D landscape is not as easy to travel around in. You can’t go backwards (which is a problem) or easily point the joystick in the direction you want to dodge enemy fire. They come at you straight or angled. Nailing the aliens isn’t easy as your weapon’s range is very short. You have to get close to nail the one or two nasties; after that, if there’s more, you better be quick to shoot, dodge and roll to one side. The latter isn’t available, but I wish I could!

Popslinger is better with an arcade fight stick rather than the Nintendo Switch’s joy con. Both are similar where neither offers an advantage. The goal is to nail targets in a specific coloured order for those heals, power-ups and conjuring of help. Both are required for the boss battles and advancing to the tougher levels. As I battled one, I saw no power bar to know how weakened it was. It felt like forever to defeat it.

Once you’re hurt, you lose one of three bars of health. Without a manual or in-game information about where to find first-aid kits, I was at a loss. This game is like Mario where tons of practice is required. I wanted to unlock the ‘Dream Time’ but to kill enough enemies in a specific order in a one-way world wasn’t achievable during my runs. Here, mastering dodging is required to progress in this game. Or, for casuals like me, perhaps having a level of difficulty switch is better.

Hopefully a patch is coming, so I can keep trying rather than give up.