Mario Discovery Series

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Mario Discovery Series
MarioDiscoverylogo.jpg
First installment Mario is Missing! (MS-DOS) (1993)
Latest installment Mario's Early Years! Preschool Fun (SNES) (1994)
Number of installments 6 (5 main, 1 compilation)
Franchise Super Mario

The Mario Discovery Series, also known as the Mario's Early Years! series, is a spin-off series in the Super Mario franchise consisting of five games published and developed by The Software Toolworks (Mindscape), licensed by Nintendo. They are all educational games.

Gameplay[edit]

In the Mario Discovery Series, each game is focused on a specific topic to educate the player on.

Mario is Missing![edit]

In Mario is Missing!, Luigi must return artifacts stolen by Bowser to their correct locations. To properly return the items, the player must correctly answer questions relating to the area. The answers are given by residents.

Mario's Time Machine[edit]

Mario's Time Machine follows a very similar structure and system to that of Mario is Missing!, though it stars Mario as the protagonist rather than Luigi. In the game, Mario must travel through time in order to return items stolen by Bowser to their original time periods.

Mario's Early Years! games[edit]

In the Mario's Early Years! games, there are several worlds that cover a different aspect of each topic. Voice lines are present to give instructions and feedback to the player.

Games[edit]

Title
Cover, original release, and system Synopsis
Mario is Missing!
Mario is Missing! (DOS) box artMario is Missing! (MS-DOS)
USA January 1993, July 1993 (re-release)[?]
MS-DOS
USA October 1993[?]
Mac
Mario is Missing! is a game that centers on Luigi as he tries to rescue Mario from Bowser by interacting with people and returning artifacts to their proper locations. It was released for the MS-DOS in January 1993. A CD-ROM Deluxe edition was also released in the following year.
Mario is Missing!
Mism1.jpg
USA June 1993[?]
Super Nintendo Entertainment System
Mario is Missing! is a port of the DOS game of the same name released for the SNES in June 1993.
Mario is Missing!
The box-art for Mario is Missing! (NES)
USA June 1993[?]
Nintendo Entertainment System
Mario is Missing! is a port of the DOS game of the same name released for the NES in June 1993.
Mario's Early Years! Fun with Letters
PC Box - Mario's Early Years! Fun with Letters.jpgMariopre3.jpg
USA 1993[?]
MS-DOS
USA October 1994[?]
Super Nintendo Entertainment System
A game in the Mario's Early Years! collection about English. The game is centered around an early English curriculum, with lessons about simple English topics like constructing sentences, learning about the first and last letters of words, and both the alphabet and its sounds. It was released for the MS-DOS in 1993 and the SNES in October 1994.
Mario's Early Years! Fun with Numbers
Mario's Early Years! Fun with Numbers - Front Cover (DOS)Mariopre2.jpg
USA 1993[?]
MS-DOS
USA September 1994[?]
Super Nintendo Entertainment System
A game in the Mario's Early Years! collection about numbers. The game teaches basic skills about numbers like numbers itself, counting, comparing, sorting, and identifying shapes and numbers. It was released for the MS-DOS in 1993 and the SNES in September 1994.
Mario's Early Years! Preschool Fun
Mario's Early Years! Preschool Fun (DOS)Box art for Mario's Early Years! Preschool Fun
USA 1993[?]
MS-DOS
USA November 1994[?]
Super Nintendo Entertainment System
A game in the Mario's Early Years! collection about basic learning. It contains other worlds that were not present in the first two games: like one about the human body, listening, opposites, colors, and time. It was released for the MS-DOS in 1993 and the SNES in November 1994.
Mario's Time Machine
MTMCoverDos.jpgMario's Time Machine (MS-DOS)
USA 1993, 1994 (re-release)[?]
MS-DOS
Mario's Time Machine is a game that centers on Mario as he tries to return various artifacts that were stolen by Bowser by interacting with people and answering various history-related questions. It was released for the MS-DOS in 1993. A CD-ROM Deluxe edition was also released in the following year.
Mario's Time Machine
Mario's Time Machine Box Art.jpg
USA December 1993[?]
Super Nintendo Entertainment System
Mario's Time Machine is a port of the DOS game of the same name released for the SNES in December 1993.
Mario's Time Machine
Box art of Mario's Time Machine (NES)
USA June 1994[?]
Nintendo Entertainment System
Mario's Time Machine is a port of the DOS game of the same name released for the NES in June 1994.
Mario's Early Years! CD-ROM Collection
Mario compilations.jpg
USA 1994[?]
MS-DOS
Mario's Early Years! CD-ROM Collection is a compilation of the three Mario's Early Years! games. It was released for the MS-DOS in 1994.