There’s Super Mario DNA in Doki Doki Panic
And becoming Super Mario Bros. 2 was just a return to its roots.
How Kolchak: The Night Stalker Influenced Final Fantasy
The cult TV series lives on in many ways, including a certain monster character.
Wait, Super Mario Galaxy’s Lubba Is Female?
And if she is, this “change” may not actually be Nintendo retconning itself.
How Nonexistence Connects Chrono Trigger to Super Mario Bros. 2
Belthasar was off by one letter; all life actually begins with mu and and ends with mu!
The Secret Origin of the Darkstalkers
Designer Alex Jimenez explains how the Universal monsters live on in Capcom’s ghoulish fighter.
The Origin of Mario’s Trademark Death Animation
Super Mario Bros. taught side-scrolling heroes how to kick the bucket… even if Mario stole those moves.
Why Is the Big Bad of Bubble Bobble Named ‘Super Drunk’?
Unpacking the rather surreal ending to the ‘pop-n-bop’ platformer classic.
How Chrono Trigger Taught Me the Word ‘Epoch’
Sill Bird? Sylbird? The mystery of the time machine’s Japanese name continues…
Is Final Fantasy IV’s Barbariccia Named After… a Certain Organ?
There may be a deeper meaning to the Elemental Fiends’ Dante connection.
The Strange Urban Legend About Golden Axe and Death Row Inmates
And the 80s movie scavenger hunt to find the real sources of the game’s grunts and groans.
How I Perpetuated an Internet Rumor About the Duck Hunt Dog
No, despite what you may read online, his name is not actually Mr. Peepers.
Hylian 101: The Secrets Hiding in the Language of Zelda
Is Hyrule lore so rich that it created its own linguistic traditions?
The Action Movie Obviousness of Mortal Kombat Character Names
Why Johnny Cage, Sonya Blade and Jax Briggs sound like they belong in this franchise.
Somehow, King from Art of Fighting Is Not a Gay Character
But Street Fighter’s Eagle isn’t the only queer-coded bouncer in a fighting game.
A Speculative Origin for Final Fantasy’s Tonberry
King Arthur, kappa and champagne figure into this weird combo of monastic and monstrous.
Searching for Signs of Super Mario Bros. 2 in Mario Kart World
Nostalgia aside, sometimes a green snake in a jar is just a green snake in a jar.
Streets of Rage’s Ash Never Got His Moment in the Spotlight
But thirty years later, the west is ready for a flouncy gay villain in fetish gear, I swear.
Pauline: A History of Nintendo’s First Leading Lady
And how she waited more nearly forty years to become a playable character.
How Eagle Became Street Fighter’s First Gay Character
And in Japan especially, he’s more than just a walking Freddie Mercury reference.
Was the Zelda Fairy Fountain Music Inspired by a Track From Super Mario Bros. 3?
You too can learn about cultural inspiration, homage and imitation through the history of a Koji Kondo composition.