by Matthew Franks (6th)

Nintendo’s iconic plumber, Mario, didn’t just dominate video games—he also made his way to television. The first Mario TV show, The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!, premiered in 1989, bringing Mario and Luigi to life in both live-action and animated adventures. This series introduced viewers to Princess Toadstool, Toad, Bowser (known as King Koopa), his army, and even bosses from Super Mario Bros. 2 (USA edition). With 65 episodes and impressive animation for its time, this show was a hit. Honest rating: 10/10.

In 1990, Nintendo followed up with The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3, inspired by the beloved NES game. This series introduced the Koopalings—Bowser’s mischievous children—who constantly set traps and cause chaos for Mario and his friends. Though it had fewer episodes (around 25-30), it was still an exciting watch. Honest rating: 9/10.

Nintendo later released another Mario show, but it felt more childish, so I won’t go into detail.

Thanks for reading my thoughts on the Mario TV shows!

SMBSS Music - SMB2 Overworld Theme (Variation 2)