This year marks Super Mario's 35th anniversary, and Christian Missonak, T Scott Ross, Dan Schiffmacher, and myself do a deep dive into the OG gaming mascot that saved an industry and forged a path ahead. We take a look back at the original Super Mario Bros, and discuss whether the plucky plumber mascot was truly needed. We discuss his most influential games, his hardest levels, and his best power ups. We examine his jaunts into other types of gaming, from kart racing to tactical shooters. And eventually, we discuss his future.  It's a massive episode, covering a lot of ground between Super Mario Brothers and the most recent Odyssey, so sit back and enjoy!

Music Selections from Super Mario Odyssey, Super Mario 64, Super Mario Brothers 2, and Super Mario 3D World composed by Koji Kondo, owned by Nintendo and are included under fair use protection.