(Image credit: Nintendo)
A keen-eyed Nintendo enthusiast has uncovered screenshots of a previously unreleased Mario adventure, intriguingly titled Mario Smash. These were extracted from a vintage AOL file library.
The Virtual Boy is often remembered as a significant failure for Nintendo, discontinued merely five months after its release in Japan, and lasting only a year in the US. Europe, intriguingly, never saw its release. Such was the neglect that iconic franchises like Zelda, Metroid, and Donkey Kong were nowhere to be found on this platform; even Mario barely made a splash, showing up only in spinoff titles such as Mario’s Tennis and Mario Clash.
Despite this, there were plans for Mario to feature in a classic platformer on the notorious eye-straining device. This elusive game was even showcased at the 1995 CES and got a nod in Nintendo Power magazine, a discovery made by Time Extension. Until recently, however, details about the enigmatic VB Mario Land remained scarce.
Remarkably, part of this lost game languished in an online vault, waiting to be discovered. An intrepid Bluesky user by the name Rabidrodent has unearthed an array of forgotten AOL multimedia treasures. Among the old wallpapers, promotional game screenshots (like an early version of Mario 64‘s HUD), and even some obscure Cartoon Network staff photos, were the high-res images of the fabled VB Mario Land.
These peculiar images depict Mario traversing the eerie landscapes of the Virtual Boy world, featuring giant Wario heads reminiscent of a 2D Silent Hill. There’s also a top-down section, evoking Zelda, where Mario explores dungeon-like settings in a strange 3D style. While some of these visuals have appeared before in 90s magazines, they were of notably low quality.
Intriguingly, these images were filed under the name “Mario Smash” by Nintendo, suggesting it could have been the official title for the ill-fated VB Mario Land. Unfortunately, we’ll likely never experience the game’s dynamics. Given that VB Wario Land is acclaimed as the top game on the ill-starred system, Mario Smash might have been its runner-up, had it not been notorious for causing migraines.
For a glimpse into the vibrant Mario universe, explore everything announced at the latest Mario Kart World Direct.