With Super Mario Odyssey 2 set to be released for the Nintendo Switch sometime in 2023, fans are excited to see more from the Super Mario franchise. After all, the venerable video game series in closing in on 40 years of history, so die-hard fans feel like they've figured out everything that there is to find in the games.
Despite that, there is a surprising amount of depth to the crowd-pleasing games series, so some fans still find themselves discovering new elements in both the classic and modern Super Mario installments. With each discovery, players get one step closer to knowing everything they need to know about the Super Mario universe.
Baby Penguin Mimic
There are few things in a video game that excites fans more than surprising moves by adorable animals. Whether it be a dog allowing a player to pet them, a cow being tippable, or a cat stalking a player across a scene. Super Mario 64 was no stranger to that concept and decided to add some adorable actions to the game, as one Reddit user noticed.
"If you go onto your stomach near the baby penguin in Cool Cool Mountain the baby penguin will imitate you," says Reddit user rsandio. It's a really fun touch that adds some life to the game, especially since it makes NPCs feel more realistic.
Secret Rewards
In many games, there are additional rewards for players who manage to find all the collectibles. It's one of the most common tropes in Mario games, and Super Mario 64 is no exception.
"When you get all 120 stars in Super Mario 64, you unlock the cannon outside of the castle, can fire to the top of the roof, and speak with Yoshi - who gives you 100 lives AND a modified triple jump that gives you a trail of stars and causes you to somersault and bounce off the ground when you land, without fall damage!" says Redditor _Auron_. It's a nice touch that absolutely gives players a reason to hunt down all the stars in the game. After all, who doesn't want a special jump?
Super Mario Sunshine Secret Levels
One of the best Mario games of all time, Super Mario Sunshine is a game that often leaves fans wanting for more. After all, when the game is finished and the islands are finally cleaned, fans just want the chance to check out some new levels with fresh objectives.
Thankfully, Super Mario Sunshine has some secret levels that fans generally adore. "The secret areas have always been one of my favorite parts of the game," says Redditor 2brostudio, and for good reason. The levels offer some great platforming opportunities in entirely new settings.
A Trick For Finding Secret Paths
While sometimes finding secret levels can be difficult, some fans have figured out how to find them. "If you play a level multiple times and always miss the third star coin, there's probably a secret path that it's on. Also, the map layout gives it away a little bit," says Reddit user webbie04123. "For the map to "flow," the game designers put each secret path reasonably close to the world it would lead to, usually with visual cues like unexplained vacant space on the map."
While there aren't always ways to notice the exact places a secret area might be, by adding tips and tricks to help players find their way, the developers ensured that fans will always be able to find their way. Eventually, at least. That understanding is part of what keeps fans coming back.
MIPS Won't Drown
A golden rabbit that fans can find in the Mushroom Castle of Super Mario 64, MIPS is a creature that offers Mario a Power Star if captured, and then another after Mario has found 50 in all. But fans have noticed another little developmental tick with MIPS that amused some players.
"If you put Mips underwater little air bubbles come up from him but he doesn’t drown," says camelCaseSensitive on Reddit. While it isn't exactly the strangest detail, as most Mario characters tend not to drown, it is a cool detail that he shoots out little air bubbles, and it does add some sense of immersion.
Avoid Fall Damage
While games often try to show players every detail of how their equipment works, some items slip through the cracks and fans have to work to figure it out themselves. That's how some players happen to notice added details about much-loved tools that add a layer of strategy and utility to the game.
Lobstershaft on Reddit noticed that, "With the wing cap, you can hold A to prevent falling damage." Though many players don't notice that the wing cap allows more than basic flight, that additional benefit grants players a much easier path through the game, which is essential for many fans.
Luigi Kart 8
For Luigi lovers, frustrated by Mario's prominence on the cover of every game of the franchise, Mario Kart 8 does provide some relief. "On the title screen, it may sometimes say Luigi Kart 8 in Luigi's voice instead of Mario Kart 8," says Scumbag_Jeaves on Reddit.
It isn't just Luigi, either. Once players win a Gold in every cup in the game, other characters may appear on the title screen to announce their ownership of the game. It's a very fun little detail that makes the Gold feel like a real accomplishment, and like the player is really working towards something.
Make The Others Jump
Sometimes, players can get a little carried away in a race, and Mario Kart 8 takes advantage of that fact by encouraging players to torment their fellow racers. In addition to using weapons in Mario Kart 8, players can also use intimidation to scare their opposition.
On Reddit, user neoslith says, "When you are near other racers and honk your horn, L/ZL if you have no items, they'll jump in their seats." While there's no active benefit players get with the horn, it is a nice detail that adds a fun competitive aspect to the game.
Plants vs. Squid
Given that Mario Kart is an incredibly addicting franchise, most fans tend to assume that they've played Mario Kart 8 enough to know everything about it. Still, there are always some smaller details that slip through the cracks of most players' consciousness.
For one, "If you have the Piranha plant and someone activates the Blooper, the plant will gobble up the squid when it hovers in front of you," says Reddit user MikeMania. "And of course, you won't get inked." It's an incredibly cool detail that adds an additional layer of strategy for players planning to use a Blooper. After all, it wouldn't be all that fun to not time it right, getting it eaten, would it?
All Levels Intertwine
While many of the levels in Mario Kart 8 appear to be entirely disconnected, some fans have discovered that they aren't as distinct as they appear. "All of the levels are intertwined with one another," says Reddit user legoturtle92. "If you go to the airport you can see the other track names and you can sometimes see other tracks in the distance."
It's a really cool element that rewards fans for checking out the backgrounds on each track. It's also just a fun detail that helps make some sense of the world of the Mario Kart universe and shows some of how the characters get from course to course.