What is it that makes Mario so brilliant?

[Khuutra]

RolStoppable said:

Khuutra said:

Mmm, I still don't agree. Mario isn't a story, it's a game. Adhering to old, powerful tropes doesn't matter, because no one will see them that way.

I disagree. Back then people actually read instruction booklets, because most of the games' stories were only in there. Then add the quite popular cartoon show and it's probable that most people actually knew about Super Mario's story. And with how deeply Mario is ingrained in our culture today, it's not unreasonable to suggest that Super Mario Bros. is given down from parents to children like Alice in Wonderland (children want to learn all sorts of information on characters they like).

The main difference between a video games and books/movies is the interactivity, but that doesn't mean that the underlying "magic" isn't perceived anymore.

Yes, it is, because we have nothing to suggest that this happens.

We have nothing that really even suggests that people read the instruction manual that often. Super Mario Bros. was designed so that such readings were unnecessary. Reading the manuals requires an existing investment in the property, which it's not safe to assume that everyone had.

I do not see any compelling reason to think that Mario's use of the "traveling to the underworld" trope is part of its appeal. You could make a better argument for Zelda for several reasons, but I don't think youv'e made a decent one for Mario.