It's a-Mario Time

Even with all the things that I do now involving Pokémon, I still occasionally make the time to "take note of my roots" and enjoy them a bit, and that's something that has happened recently, also in part thanks to YouTube. Pokémon is a major thing that Nintendo has a stake in, but Nintendo's major thing is the one and only (Super) Mario franchise, with or without the descriptor. Likewise, it's a series or franchise that I got into before I got into Pokémon, and it provided me a sense of appreciation, adventure, and amusement that carried over to Pokémon.

I've actually already alluded the Mario franchise in another post, specifically the one that discusses the media power of Pokémon and other media franchises. Yes, that means Pokémon has a greater valuation than Mario, but given that Nintendo holds sway over the latter and has a stake in the former, it has a highly valuable and therefore pretty good thing going with both, with highly successful things scattered between the two. They're both powerful media franchises, and I'm happy to appreciate one and really enjoy the other.

With both of them "under one roof", so to speak, crossovers are naturally bound to happen, and they do. The most well-known one is Super Smash Bros., an example I cited in my post about crossovers such a long time ago. It's a "fighting" game with more than just Mario and Pokémon, but it's expected to appeal to fans of both nonetheless. I rarely play any of its installments, but I maintain a cursory interest, particularly to play as characters from both. As for crossovers solely involving both, there is but one which occurred four years ago as a selection of merchandise, including plush dolls and TCG cards featuring Pikachu dressed up as Mario as well as Luigi. Though this happened only then and only in Japan, it is still quite unique to boot. 

Since the two continue to be popular together and have their legions of fans, more crossovers could be expected, and I personally would love that to happen again. The previous Japan-exclusive merchandise could be brought over globally and then expanded, for example, and more games could be created involving the two. While the Mario franchise tends to have platform games (one reason I rarely play and moved to Pokémon - my skills are only average), it can go and has gone into RPG territory, so a crossover RPG might be totally conceivable, as well as party games, another popular segment of the Mario franchise that I also play, sometimes with friends. The possibilities are tantalizing and demand to be explored. 

The linkages between the two are not common, but they may be more present in the mind. Recently, I've heard the arrangement of "Gusty Garden" as "Champion's Road" for Super Mario 3D World, and I can't help but think that the arrangement's instrumentation resembles some of the music pieces heard in the Pokémon anime, and I wouldn't notice if someone dropped it in; a fellow fan seems to think the same way. The association is all in the mind, but it may be considered a powerful one as far as musical pieces are concerned.

These days, Mario for me might take a backseat to Pokémon affairs, but it remains as something I had initially known and appreciated before fully taking on the latter. But with both being under the banner of Nintendo, it's possible to appreciate them together, especially if crossovers can occur. I suppose that there will always be room for me to enjoy and appreciate things from the Mario franchise alongside those from Pokémon. With that being the case, certain times might allow for a bit of "Mario Time" for this Pokémon fan.

One year ago: Going Big in Galar

Two years ago: Pokémon Archetypes

Three years ago: New Paradigms