March 10 is a date that gets our hearts racing here at the library – it's Mario Day! For those who might not know, this fun-filled day celebrates everyone's favorite mustachioed plumber, Mario, from Nintendo's legendary video game series.
Why March 10? You might wonder why we celebrate Mario Day on March 10th. Well, it's a clever little wordplay: when you write out the date, Mar. 10, it looks like "MARIO"! This day is a perfect excuse to dive back into the world of Mushroom Kingdom, whether you are a veteran gamer or a new fan.
A Little Bit About Mario: Since his debut in 1981's Donkey Kong, Mario has become a pop culture icon. Created by Shigeru Miyamoto, Mario has starred in numerous games, ranging from the classic Super Mario Bros. series to racing in Mario Kart, competing in sports in Mario Tennis, and even exploring galaxies in Super Mario Galaxy. His adventures have brought joy to millions around the globe.
Fun Facts and Trivia: Did you know that Mario was originally known as Jumpman? Or that he’s appeared in over 200 games?
Book Recommendations: Interested in learning more about game design or video game history? Check out our curated selection of books and resources that delve into the fascinating world of video games.
- Stories About Mario
- Image
Super Mario Adventures by Kentaro Takekuma
Super Mario Adventures, inspired by the best-selling Super Mario video game franchise, is a collection of comics that originally rain in Nintendo Power magazine. The peril-plagued Princess Toadstool is kidnapped by the diabolical deadbeat Bowser, but super plumbers Mario and Luigi hatch a plan with their new friend Yoshi to rescue her. Are the Super Mario Bros.' plans a pipe dream? Can they stop the Koopa King?
Image
Off to the Races! by Steve Foxe
Nintendo and Mario Kart fans ages 5-8 will love to meet Mario, Luigi, and all their friends and foes in this Step 3 Step into Reading level reader as they compete and race to win.
Image
Mario's Big Adventure by Mary Man-Kong
Meet Mario, Luigi, and all their friends as they battle Bowser and the bad guys.
Image
The Super Mario Bros. Movie: Official Storybook by Michael Moccio
When Mario and his brother, Luigi, find their way into the strange and wonderful Mushroom Kingdom, they discover a world in need of unlikely heroes. Soon enough, they are teamed up with a brave, can-do princess, a friendly toad, and an angry ape--against a very big bad named Bowser and his forces. Luckily for the Mushroom Kingdom, Bowser may have just met his match.
Image
Nintendo and Super Mario fans ages 5-8 will meet Mario, Luigi, and all their friends and foes in this Step 3 Step into Reading level reader. Mario first appeared in 1981 with the arcade classic Donkey Kong, and has since gone on to star in many adventures, allowing him to evolve into the beloved icon he is today
- Video Game Coding and Design
- Image
Inside Video Games by Meg Marquardt
Introduces video game technology, describing the very first games with poor graphics, the types of platforms and hardware used for different games, and how improvements in hardware and software have made games more realistic.
Image
The Basics of Game Design by Heather Schwartz
Skyrim with its in-depth world building and talented design didn't just happen overnight. It took years of planning and hard work. But every game designer started where you are now. Find out how you can get started to make successful game design.
Image
Making Videogames by Duncan Harris
An in-depth visual guide presenting the captivating creative journeys behind the world's leading videogames. Across eleven chapters, each focusing on a specific game from AAA blockbusters such as Tom Clancey's The Division, Control and Gran Turismo to cult breakthrough games including No Man's Sky and Fortnite, the book documents the incredible craft of videogame world building and visual storytelling via the world's most popular, but seldom fully understood, entertainment medium.
Image
Becoming a Video Game Designer by Daniel Noah Halpern
A revealing guide to a career as a video game designer written by acclaimed journalist Daniel Noah Halpern and based on the real-life experiences of legendary designer Tom Cadwell of Riot Games--required reading for anyone considering a path to this profession.
- Video Game History and Trivia
- Image
Jerry Changed the Game! How Engineer Jerry Lawson Revolutionized Video Games Forever by Don Tate
This picture book biography explores how Jerry Lawson, a Black engineer, revolutionized the video game industry. In the 1970s, Jerry decided to tinker with video games. Back then, if players wanted a new video game, they had to buy an entire new console. This made gaming very expensive. Jerry was determined to fix this problem. After working hard to find a solution, he built a brand new kind of video game console-one that allowed players to switch out video game cartridges! Today, gamers have access to hundreds of video games at the push of a button, all thanks to him.
Image
Ultimate Nintendo Fanbook (Independent & Unofficial): The Best Nintendo Games, Characters, and More by Kevin Pettman
A complete guide to Nintendo's most iconic characters, including Mario, Luigi, Link, Zelda, Donkey Kong, Samus, Toad, Bowser, Kirby and many more. Go back in time over 100 years to uncover the origins of the company that began by making playing cards, and glimpse the future of Nintendo with even more amazing games and tech on the horizon. There's also a countdown of Nintendo's best ever games, ranging from stone-cold classics to today's trailblazing blockbusters.
Image
Video Game of the Year: A Year-by-Year Guide to the Best, Boldest, and Most Bizarre Games from Every Year Since 1977 by Jordan Minor
For each of the 40 years of video game history, there is a defining game, a game that captured the zeitgeist and left a legacy for all games that followed. Author and tech journalist Jordan Minor investigates, in chronological order, the innovative, genre-bending, and earth-shattering games from 1977 through 2022. Minor explores development stories, critical reception, and legacy, and also looks at how gaming intersects with and eventually influences society at large while reveling in how uniquely and delightfully bizarre even the most famous games tend to be.
Image
Console Wars: Sega, Nintendo, and the Battle that Defined a Generation by Blake Harris
A behind-the-scenes business thriller about how the small, scrappy Sega, led by one unlikely visionary, took on the juggernaut Nintendo and changed the face of entertainment.
Image
The NES Encyclopedia: Every Game Released for the Nintendo Entertainment System by Chris Scullion
The NES Encyclopedia is a complete reference guide to every game released on the Nintendo Entertainment System, Nintendo's first industry-defining video game system. As well as covering all 714 officially licensed NES games, the book also includes more than 160 unlicensed games released during the system's lifespan, giving for the first time a definitive history of this important console's full library.
Image
Gamer Girls: 25 Women Who Built the Video Game Industry by Mary Kenney
Discover the women behind the video games we love--from the iconic games they created, the genres they invented, the studios and companies they built--and how they changed the industry forever. From classic games like Centipede and Solitaire to popular modern games like Final Fantasy, Uncharted, and Halo, this book explores the work and history of 25 influential women in the video game industry and how their contributions ultimately built and transformed the medium that we know today.
Teens and tweens are invited to participate in our Mario Kart Tournament on Thursday, March 20 at 4 p.m. at the Tower Road Branch Library. Bring your friends and compete in our Mario Kart 8 tournament on the Nintendo Switch. Who will take home the trophy?
Can't make it to the tournament? Check out the other video game programs offered at some of our library branches.