A nod to the Super Mario Brothers Movie and the Super Nintendo World

Do-Do-Do-Do-Do-Do (Super Mario ground theme…)

This isn’t a typical post just about travel, but a nod to the new Super Mario Brothers Movie (released April 5, 2023). The movie is  a collaboration between Nintendo, Universal Pictures and Illumination.   As of this post, the movie has already garnered $678 million, to become the biggest film of 2023 in just two weekends.

Let me start with a disclaimer.  I am not the biggest video gamer.  I can’t claim to know everything about the Super Mario game or storyline.  Heck, I’ve not even owned a Nintendo game console until years later (with a Nintendo Wii).  However, I distinctly remembered that whenever my siblings and I visited our cousins when we were kids, we would always play one of two games there.  It was either the Super Mario Brothers game or The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

Let’s just put it this way — this was back in the day where if the game didn’t boot up, we’d pull out the cartridge from the console and blow on it.  In truth, I am not sure why we did that (blow out dust?) but it always worked.  If it didn’t work the first time, we take it out and blow …on it again.  That’s the way we rolled.  Good times.

When I saw in a movie preview while watching Avatar at the theater that a Super Mario Brothers movie was coming out, it quickly made it on my must-see movie list.

For nostalgia’s sake.

The Movie

But, how can it ever be a bad movie when there are cuuuuuuute mushrooms and toads?  (The scariest character in the game play for me are the dry bones — the skeletal koopa troopa).  Don’t worry, they make an appearance in the movie too.

Well, given that I’m not in the business of spoiling movies for anyone, these are my top 5 takeaways:

1. I have no idea of the dynamics between Mario and Luigi.  They are sweet.
2. The backstory of Bowser. All I know from the game is that he’s the villain and he’s always busy kidnapping Princess Peach.
3. I love the musical talents of Bowser in the movie – especially the 80s ballad on the piano and his raw emotions he put into his music. Mama Mia!  For those who haven’t seen the movie, stay until the end credits – there are two bonus scenes through the end credits.
4. Princess Peach isn’t just a helpless Princess (as I thought, since she’s always the kidnapped one in the games). She’s actually pretty ….cool.
5. Oh my.  I have a  new favorite breakout character.   Lumalee — star shaped like character with just the sweetest child-like voice.  Of course, its personality always veer on the morbid side (for very good reasons, which I won’t reveal), but what a loveable little character.  I don’t think I’ve played with this character in any of the video games.

Is this movie on the same caliber as say Frozen or Frozen 2 (another set of animated movies I love)?  Not quite, in my humble opinion.  Still, you can’t go wrong with this movie.  It’s a fun movie to enjoy with friends and family, for kids and adults alike.

Nintendo World (Hollywood in 2023, and Orlando in 2025)

For those who can’t get enough of Super Mario, the Universal Studios Hollywood had the grand opening of the Super Nintendo World just two months ago (February 2023).  This is the the first Nintendo World outside of Japan.  If all goes as planned, there will also be another Super Nintendo World making its way to Orlando, Florida in 2025.

While I won’t be flying transcontinental just to visit Nintendo World at Universal Hollywood, I have a feeling that I will be making my way there sooner or later if I have to make a trip towards the West Coast.

Full report when that happens, of course.  Do do do do do do do….

Instead, I will be seeing a very famous mouse soon.  For those who had visited the new Nintendo World, how would you compare it say, universal studios park or a disney park?