THE SUPER MARIO BROS. MOVIE is right around the corner, and we couldn’t be more excited to see the legendary Jumpman take a hop, blip, and a jump out of the video game console and onto the big screen with his first animated adventure. Longtime fans of the popular Nintendo franchise, ourselves included, have a long list of wishes for the upcoming feature film from Illumination Entertainment, like characters, Easter eggs and some of the classic Super. Mario Bros. levels.
Below are seven classic Mario stages and boss battles we hope to see when THE SUPER MARIO BROS. MOVIE opens in AMC Theatres nationwide this April.
The Opening Stage (Super Mario Bros.)
Is there a more iconic opening stage than “World 1-1” in Super Mario Bros.? We think not. The music, the momentum, the mechanics, and that unforgettable burst of fireworks after Mario jumps off the staircase to grab the flag all live rent-free in the minds of video game fans young and old, and make this a must for THE SUPER MARIO BROS. MOVIE. Whether it’s featured in the opening minutes of the movie, or when Chris Pratt’s version of everyone’s favorite pixelated plumber sets off for his adventure in the Mushroom Kingdom, we just have to experience the beloved level like it’s 1985 all over again!
Forest Of Illusion 1 (Super Mario World)
Now, there are levels from Super Mario World that probably come to mind ahead of Forest of Illusion 1, but the opening stage from the 1991 SNES game’s fifth world is one of the most interesting, and dynamic, in the entire 16-bit adventure. There’s the hidden exit, which is key to escaping the labyrinthian set of levels; there’s the extra life trick that can grant you near-infinite lives if timed right; and there’s the dark and mysterious aesthetic on top of all of that. This level, and others from the Forest of Illusion, could be used as a nice puzzle for the heroes to solve in THE SUPER MARIO BROS. MOVIE, while also serving as a fun and somewhat obscure reference.
Bob-omb Battlefield (Super Mario 64)
Bob-omb Battlefield, the first proper level in the Nintendo 64 launch title, Super Mario 64, served as the introduction to the red-hatted plumber for a lot of gamers in the mid 1990s, and is more than deserving of at least a quick mention in THE SUPER MARIO BROS. MOVIE. The legendary stage, with its catchy and admittedly silly music, put all those revolutionary 3D platformer mechanics to use and showed all the new ways to defeat the classic villains, who had received quite a facelift jumping from the 16-bit to the 32-bit era.
Rainbow Road (Mario Kart)
Unlike a lot of levels on this list, we already know Rainbow Road, the iconic track featured in various releases in the Mario Kart franchise, will play some kind of role in THE SUPER MARIO BROS. MOVIE. However, the question remains as to how much we will see the track, with its technicolor pavement, thrilling visuals and deadly turns in Mario’s first big-screen adventure in 30 years. We also don’t know which version of the classic track will be on display, unless there’s some kind of combination of the various incarnations to create a diabolical structure the likes of which have never been seen.
