Mailbag
01/12/2001

It's a rare appearance by MEGAߥTE, as he tackles this week's questions. Got something you want us to answer next week? Send it to tmk_mailbag@usa.net.

Some notes regarding past mailbags.
I'm sorry that David didn't ask me about the statue before inviting the world to e-mail us about it. We received numerous e-mails about that issue, thanks anyway. The statue in the sculptor's place is actually Mallow's father at a younger age. The statue's positions are a random occurrence, much like the stone formation you get in Kirby Super Star. They are only there for a brief moment of comic relief. As for the chests, there are plenty of good FAQs available, or you can purchase Nintendo Power's strategy guide, which does list all of the chests.

In a mailbag on TMK, PINECONESRPRETTY wanted to know why you don't get the third Bowser picture on SMBDX's photo album. The answer is it's not for the Bowsers in the Original Game. That's for the SMB For Super Players (a.k.a. Jap SMB2, Lost Levels). The other one is for the Bowsers in the second quest thingy (with the little stars near the level name). Hope this helps.
-Andrevan

MEGAߥTE: Thanks for the info!

hey great job on the site! ive been hearing news about nintendo buying sega, and if so, that would be great! im a former sega player, but turned over to "the mario side" when the n64 came out. and let me tell you, i dont regret it one bit! but if the two companies DO become one, then that brings up the possibility of sonic the hedgehog being in mario games, like maybe Smash 2 (my own name for super smash bros 2). that would be really cool! and one more thing, to all you sonic haters, just TRY playing sonic the hedgehog 3 locked onto sonic and knuckles, its the best game ever. (aside from Mario64)
from the non-biased gamer,

-Ca11isto E1vis

MEGAߥTE: Contrary to the large number of rumors, Nintendo will not be buying Sega out. However, Sega will begin to develop games for the Game Boy Advance, and perhaps the Nintendo Game Cube. While it would be highly unlikely for Sonic to be in Super Smash Bros. 2, it is likely that there will be Sonic games on the new Nintendo systems.

Hey I don't know if this is on the sit in the SMB3 section, so I'll just say this. Did Yoshi appear before Super Mario World? The king of World 7 in SMB3 was transformed.... into Yoshi ?! Strange... But the one I saw it from was in the Super Mario All-Stars+Super Mario World version. Another thing I saw about Mario. I was watching DBZ a few weeks ago, and this guy named Hercule (Mr.Satan in Japan) comes up. He looks just like Mario ! Mustache, blue eyes, heck he even showed the peace sign like Mario ! And one last Mario cameo I saw. When I was little, I saw this episode of Tiny Toons. On the show they were showing a commercial for a game. I think it was either called Super Blario or Super Bario Bros. Anybody else see this before?
-HELICEisNice

MEGAߥTE: The kings in the Super Nintendo version of Super Mario Bros. 3 were replaced with different characters. That is the reason you saw Yoshi. The NES version had a Piranha Plant as the king. Mario is the devil? Well you know what that would make this site then... The Evil One's temple this is NOT! I can't say that I've seen that Tiny Toons episode, though in reference to the Home Improvement "video game" mentioned in an earlier mailbag, one version of the introduction to the show includes scenes from the "game."

In response to someone wanting a picture of Koji Kondo, I know where one is, but I don't have a scanner, so I can't send it, unfortunately. However, if you're a subscriber to Nintendo Power, there is at least one issue that I can think of that has his picture. Since I don't feel like going downstairs to check which issue it is, I'll just guess. I think it was either one of the last 2 or so issues of 1997, or one of the first ones in 1998. I think it was in a Space World article, if I'm not mistaken. Of course, maybe I'm thinking of the entirely wrong period of time, but I think I'm right. Either way, I do remember a picture of Koji Kondo in an older issue.
-Try4ce

MEGAߥTE: I checked that issue, and could only find a picture of Shigeru Miyamoto. So, if anybody else can help, feel free to mail us.

Hi Yah I have a question are Hidden Worlds or Levels in Super Mario Bros 3. I sorta remember some secret either I was dreaming or was playing another Super Mario game. If there are tell me how to get to them.
-Super Mario All-Star

MEGAߥTE: The only level not apparently on the map is the Hammer Bros. with the third Warp Whistle in World 2. If you have a Hammer, you can take it to the top right corner of the map and break the stone to reveal a secret area with the Hammer Bros. and a lake in the shape of III. If it's not that, then you were dreaming.

Well, it's not really a misprint, but Mario Lemieux a.k.a. Super Mario (in the "Did you Know?" section http://www.classicgaming.com/tmk/dyk.shtml) is playing hockey again. He came back last month. I'm sorry for bugging you if you already knew this. Thanks for your time and thanks for the great site!
-ManaSmack

MEGAߥTE: Actually we are well aware of this, and have been working to find photos and newspaper scans of articles of Lemieux's return. I know in my area paper, a headline read "Finally, Super Mario 2." We may even create a new subsection for Lemieux under the DYK section in the future. Look for it!

Hi, great site. I have a couple of questions for you. First, why isn't Donkey Kong Country on your game list? It stars a mario character.
Second, do you know anything about the game Konami Wai Wai World? It is a Japanese game made by Konami that Donkey Kong is a playable character. Do you know how Konami got the rights to use D.K.? Thanks for your time.
-BOB REX

MEGAߥTE: I argued with Deezer over adding DKC to the cameo game list since Cranky Kong is supposed to be Donkey Kong from the old series. The big problem is that there have been games such as Diddy Kong Racing which include characters from DKC. These games really are their own series and not part of the Mario family. However, I'll see if Deezer will reconsider at least adding DKC, because the intro screen does include both music and a modern rendition of a level from the original Donkey Kong. As for Konami Wai Wai World, though many people have said that Donkey Kong is in it, I think that it may actually be King Kong since Konami did make that series of games early on. They probably did not have rights to Donkey Kong since companies have rarely had rights to use Nintendo characters. Only the systems in the early 80's and the Panasonic CDi have had legal Nintendo character games not made by Nintendo.

Hi, I know this isn't so Mario related but i'll ask anyway. How do you take screenshots from the games on nes, snes and n64? I mean you'r not using a camera so...
BTW the best Mario page on the net! (Sorry about my bad english).
-Anosh Ullenius

MEGAߥTE: We use emulators, or programs that "behave" as other systems and are able to run their programs (or games). This results in an exact shot of the game. In the cases where this is not possible, video capture cards can be utilized with the system plugged into it. Mario emulation resources are available on this site.

I was wondering, what is your favorite Mario "look." I like the one from Mario Bros. Arcade, were Mario has the blue hat. Second I would like to ask, last year I think on your old mail bag, this kid said that there is a game with a skate boarder is in SMB, is this a hoax, a lie, or a ROM hack? Also I would like to tell you I have a game coming out soon "Surge Zero"! plOP!
-Alex84871

MEGAߥTE: My favorite Mario "look" was the one in Super Mario World. The Super Mario Bros. 2 look is interesting however, if you'll notice, it appears that Mario uses more colors than is normally allowed in the NES palette. However, the programmers actually added a sprite behind where his eyes are to make them white. They flicker every once in a while to simulate blinking. Pretty advanced for the time. Unfortunately they didn't replicate this effect in Super Mario Bros. 3. There have been several Super Mario Bros. arcade hacks in which sprites have been changed. The skate boarder was one of these. After the NES was emulated on the PC, many people began hacking on the sprites in the SMB ROM to make their own hacks in a similar fashion to the ones in the arcades.

One kid I know said Nintendo released a system before N64 called Ultra 64 and it had better graphics and other stuff could you clear this up thanx.
-Gregorama

MEGAߥTE: Ultra 64 was the original name for the Nintendo 64. It was called "Ultra" because that is the apparent next step after "Super." I think the Killer Instinct Arcade actually says Ultra 64 on it, but for the console, Nintendo decided to change the name to Nintendo 64. The original project name was Project Reality. The same thing happened with the Game Cube. It was first called Project Dolphin, Nintendo 2001, StarCube, then Game Cube.

Is it possible to get a copy of Super Mario Bros. 2 Japan for the NES?
-Michael Lane

MEGAߥTE: It is possible, but extremely unlikely. You could do one of two things, get a Nintendo Disk System, and a converter for your NES. Then you'd have to obtain the SMB2J disk, which are even more scarce because disks get corrupted. The other alternative is to find a copy of the pirated cartridge. Nintendo never released the game on cartridge themselves, but somebody did. This is even more rare. Even if you could find these items, they may run you several hundreds of dollars. You are better off running the game through an emulator.

Recently I got out a whole bunch of "old school" games for NES. I've been playing The Original Mario Bros. and have gotten up to Phase 47. I was wondering if you know how many phases there are. I'm guessing 99? Who knows? Do you? Thanks! I hope you haven't already answered this question, I did scan your FAQ!
-~christin~

MEGAߥTE: You can actually go past level 99, but the level counter resets back to 0. The game continues indefinitely... care to prove me wrong? ;^)

Who is the koopa kids mother, and don't you think Peach would have some guards protecting from Bowser in at least one game?
-Tim

MEGAߥTE: I'm not really sure who their mother is, but if you can get a copy of The Best of the Super Mario Bros. comic book, there is a picture of Bowser's apparent high school sweetheart. The Princess did sort of have guards.. remember those seven weirdos that would piss you off at the end of ever world? Too bad they all got captured too... Realistically, we don't know if there were guards or not, but obviously the Koopa army was stronger than they might have been... besides if the guards were successful, what good would Mario and Luigi be for?

Is the Professor in Tetris Plus Mario?
He does the Peace sign, has a big nose, and a Mustache.
I hope to hear from ya soon:
-Chris Godbey

MEGAߥTE: I don't think that the professor is Mario himself, but possibly he was intended to resemble him just enough for recognition and just not enough so they wouldn't be sued. Or maybe you're being too stereotypical of big-nosed-mustachioed-peace-signing men. Or is the professor really the antichrist?

If we didn't get to your mailbag this week, somebody may still yet post an answer. If not, either the answer is available somewhere else on this site, or maybe you just irritated us with your incoherent language.