User:DatOneWeeb/Mario's Weird Timeline

Introduction

This blog will explain the placement of each Mario game/media in an order that comes in a timeline sense. Note that there will be inconsistencies within this timeline, as well as things that generally make no sense. This is because Mario as a franchise is over 40 years old with many different people working on this game, so this will be expected. Placements are decided primarily off of release dates, but certain games will not fall under this. Also note that as several games are released in-between others, they will be ranked generally similar with no primary order. Let's begin.

Yoshi Era

Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island/Yoshi Touch & Go

This game marks itself as a prequel to the mainline game, Super Mario World, and retcons any side media of establishing Mario's origin of being a plumber from Brooklyn. We start with Mario and Luigi being delivered by a stork to their parents, until Kamek decides to nab them. He grabs Luigi while Mario falls and lands on Yoshi. This marks their first meeting, which will be referenced many times. This is the first meeting between Mario and Bowser, and the game ends with the Bros being delivered to their parents. Yoshi Touch & Go is a simple mini-game collection. As it was released before Yoshi's Island DS and lacks a story, it's safe to say this happens during Yoshi's Island, as the game itself is just Yoshi running with Baby Mario on familiar levels.

Yoshi's New Island

That was until this game decided to retcon the ending for Yoshi's Island. as we can see flashbacks of the game before, Baby Bowser even recalls Yoshi from before. What really happened was that the stork delivered the Bros to the wrong house. This sort of starts the adventure over, only now we have both future Mario and future Bowser, and the stork delivers them to the correct parents.

Yoshi's Story

Yoshi's Story starts off with Baby Bowser stealing the Super Happy Tree and turning the world into a pop-up book. Baby Bowser seems to recall their previous encounter, and with it being the second game in the series, this makes sense to place it here.

Yoshi's Island DS

Yoshi's Island DS starts off with Yoshi again having to help Baby Mario and now Baby Peach, yet again bringing up the previous game. The game notes how this was familiar to Yoshi, ranking this as the next game. Not only that, but this marks where Mario, Peach, Luigi, Bowser, Wario, and DK all meet each other. Future Kamek was stealing every baby to look for the star children that Bowser again from the future wants. Yoshi saves every baby and they return home, currently being the last time Yoshi needs to save the babies.

Yoshi's Woolly World

This game lacks any Baby Mario, but still ranks Baby Bowser as the final boss. While Baby Bowser seems to forget who Yoshi is, this minor inconsistency still ranks it here due to this official history of Yoshi noting this continues Yoshi's adventures.

Yoshi's Crafted World

Nothing much is different other than Baby Bowser wanting the Sundream Stone. Yet again, Baby Bowser is the main villain. This currently marks the end of the Yoshi's Island series until further notice.

Early Years

Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time (Babies)

After the Yoshi series would come in Partners in Time, as it gives us a minor glimpse of what goes on for the babies. We know this takes place after the Yoshi series due to Baby Mario and Baby Luigi being somewhat older as they have their clothing know, innately stand up rather than crawl, and fight against Baby Bowser to save Baby Peach after meeting each other in Yoshi's Island DS. It appears that Baby Bowser already knows of the Bros, Baby Bowser takes action on his own to lead his army, and Kamek from the past recalls their events.

Mario vs. Wario (Flashback)

It's established in the comic for Mario vs. Wario that Mario and Wario as younger kids used to spend time "playing" with each other decades ago. Wario also recalls this, albeit with hatred.

Donkey Kong's Era

Donkey Kong Circus

Here we have a sort of prequel to Donkey Kong. What happens is that Mario works at a circus with Donkey Kong, who hates it there. It's clear that DK hates it, and eventually escapes.

Saturday Supercade/Donkey Kong Hockey

This is an old animated cartoon that adapts Donkey Kong. While many claim it shouldn't be canon, it actually utilizes what we had and fits into the timeline. The cartoon's story is about both Mario and Pauline trying to catch Donkey Kong after escaping from the circus. This fits in with Donkey Kong Circus and ties it all together, with even Mario Mania supporting this. Donkey Kong Hockey has no official placements, but given it's just Mario and DK going at it at a random instance, it's safe to place it here.

Donkey Kong

Finally, we start with the actual first game released. Donkey Kong is going to start a few confusing things, which we will address later. For now, Donkey Kong happens when the ape tries to take Pauline again in battling with Mario. As we can see from the cartoon, Donkey Kong would commonly run around cities to cause trouble, so this event isn't anything too major nor new.

Donkey Kong Jr./Donkey Kong II

This is the sequel to the original DK, very simply due to Mario finally capturing DK and having his son, DK. Jr, coming to save him. He succeeds, and the two eventually escape. Donkey Kong II is very similar in that Mario captures DK and DK. Jr comes over to save him. We can simply say this game happens during DK Jr.

Donkey Kong 3

This game now features Stanley has DK invading his greenhouse, in which Stanley wants him to go away. Stanley wins, forcing DK to run away yet again.

Donkey Kong (1994)

Donkey Kong again tries to take away Pauline from Mario. The manual of this game notes that DK is at it again in trying to take away Pauline. The first few levels starts off in the original levels of the first arcade game, but ends with Donkey Kong taking Pauline to and runs away to another city. This leads into a long chase, with DK. Jr even making a return to help his father. The game ends in a final battle, with Mario winning yet again. It appears that Donkey Kong and DK. Jr has given up, as shown in the ending. As seen in the background, this game establishes that Donkey Kong has always taken place within the same world as where the Mushroom Kingdom resides in, which means the original arcade games do not conflict with other games. This would also mean that it's before Super Mario Bros. due to Mario and Pauline still being together.

Oddball Jobs

Mario the Juggler/Mario's Cement Factory/Mario's Bombs Away/Pinball

Various games such as Mario the Juggler, Mario's Cement Factory, Mario's Bombs Away, and Pinball, don't have exact placements due to a lack of an overall story. These would however rank after Donkey Kong, as it's commonly noted that Mario's first job is being a carpenter. Pinball also includes Pauline, meaning she's most likely safe from the events of Donkey Kong.

Wrecking Crew/Wrecking Crew '98

In this game, it introduces Mario and Luigi as a construction worker. What's notable about this game that sets it after the previous games is that the description including for this game on the Nintendo Switch Online pack is stating that this happens before Mario was an expert at sports or before he was saving Peach.

Mario Bros.

This game then proceeds to happen after Wrecking Crew due to Mario and Luigi fighting off against enemies we will see after this game, such as Koopas. We can also see enemies such as Fighterfly and Spinies appear in later games such as Superstar Saga in a similar event with pipes needing some fixing. This would mean Mario is at the very least nearby the Mushroom Kingdom for the events of the next game.

Super Mario Time

Super Mario Bros.

We finally start off into the events of Super Mario Bros., with the standard story that Bowser comes to invade the kingdom to use his black magic, turning everyone into bricks while capturing Princess Peach. Mario and Luigi are likely nearby due to the previous game establishing this and DK '94 establishing they were always in the same world. With this, Mario and Luigi stop Bowser, saves the princess, and she reverts all of Bowser's magic.

Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels

Otherwise simply known as Super Mario Bros. 2 in Japan, this game recycles the story of the first game, so nothing notable exactly happens that would warrant this happening after.

Tennis/Golf/Mario Open Golf/F1 Race/Famicom Grand Prix: F-1 Race/Famicom Grand Prix II: 3D Hot Rally

As noted back in Wrecking Crew, the description notes Mario and Luigi were experts in sports when they had free time from saving Peach. Due to some of these games releasing after Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels, the placements is fine as Bowser won't actually come back until Super Mario Bros. 3.

Super Mario Bros. 2

There is a common misconception that this game simply just happens as a dream, but never happens. This is actually false. The game's intro notes how Mario, Luigi, Peach, and Toad were cursed by Wart until sleeping, which causes all four inside a dream world to fall under Subcon. The four defeat Wart and save Subcon, for now.

BS Super Mario USA Power Challenge

This game is a direct follow up to the events of Super Mario Bros. 2. After the four defeat Wart, he comes back and attempts to invade other Subcons, to which the four fight back and once again defeats Wart.

Super Mario Bros. 3

After defeating Wart, Bowser eventually makes his return with the Koopalings taking over several kingdoms across the world. After hearing of this, Peach sends off Mario and Luigi to save each king, until they find out it was simply a distraction for Bowser to kidnap Peach. The Bros then defeat Bowser and save Peach again.

Baseball

No real story for this game, but is released after Super Mario Bros. 3.

Dr. Mario

This game while releasing after Super Mario Land, but before 2, should be placed before Super Mario Land as its sequel establishes that it happens directly after the first game. Otherwise, Dr. Mario is used in release date.

Super Mario Land

Mario arrives to Sarasaland only to find out that an alien named Tatanga has controlled the minds of everyone. Mario comes in to defeat Tatanga and save Princess Daisy.

Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins

As noted in the game's manual, after Mario defeats Tatanga and heads to Mario Land, he finds that his rival Wario has hypnotized everyone and taken over his castle. Mario finds all 6 Golden Coins, even fighting Tatanga again, to stop Wario and claim back his castle.

Super Mario World

An unknown time after the events of Super Mario Bros. 3, Mario, Luigi, and Peach arrive to Dinosaur Land for a vacation. As Mario and Luigi explore the area, they come back to find out Peach has been kidnapped by Bowser, and the Yoshis have been sealed inside of an egg. They all defeat Bowser, save the Yoshis, and go back to relaxing. Due to the games nor any manual giving us any timeframe of this happening after Super Mario Bros 3., it is safe to say that this game can happen after the Super Mario Land series.