MarioWiki:Chronology

MarioWiki:Chronology is an editor guideline that aims to help contributors place the events of video games, television shows, comics, etc. in the same order throughout the Wiki. Nintendo has not published an official chronology for the Super Mario series. Thus, the Super Mario Wiki is forced to speculate as to the order in which the sources take place for the purpose of articles about in-universe topics, such as characters or places. The list is unofficial and should not be taken as fact.

How the System Works

The chronology below is based off of several concepts and assumptions. Below is an explanation of what they are and how they are applied.

Release Dates

The first is the release date concept: when no indication of when the events of a title took place in relation to other titles, the Super Mario Wiki assumes that titles that were released first occurred first, and those that were released later occurred later. For titles released in multiple regions, such as Japan, North America, Europe, and Australia, the earliest release date is used. For example, there is no specific indication that Super Princess Peach occurred after Super Mario Sunshine. However, because Super Mario Sunshine was first released on July 19, 2002 (in Japan) while Super Princess Peach was first released on October 5, 2005 (also in Japan), we ASSUME that Super Mario Sunshine occurred first. The reason for this assumption is that many other titles reference earlier released titles. For example, in Super Mario Sunshine, Mario is shocked when a Pianta janitor suggests that they suck up the Boos with a vacuum cleaner, a reference to the events of Luigi's Mansion, originally released September 14, 2001 (in Japan).

This concept is only applied when the other concepts do not apply to a title. Such titles that do allow for the other concepts to be used are called exceptions to the release date order.

Age of Characters

The second concept used is the age of characters. We ASSUME that any title featuring Baby Mario without his older self occurred in the past because of the precedents set by Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island and Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time. Since then, this concept has expanded: if a character appears to have obviously aged between two appearances, that aging is used to justify placing the appearance in which the character is older at a later point in the chronology than the appearance in which the character is younger. For example, we assume that “Family Album "The Early Years",” a Nintendo Comics System comic featuring Baby Mario and Baby Luigi, occurred earlier in the chronology than the previous comic in the Nintendo Comic System because they featured the adult Mario and Luigi. With the exception of the baby forms of central Super Mario characters, this concept usually goes hand-in-hand with the release date concept. For example, Mario Golf for the Game Boy Color released on September 10, 1999, featured Kid as a boy. Mario Golf: Advance Tour released on April 22, 2004, featured Kid as a young man.

Direct Sequels

The Super Mario Wiki chronology policy also accounts for direct sequels. Titles such as Super Mario Land and Super Mario Land 2: Six Golden Coins may be released years apart, but the storyline of the second title makes it clear that the second story happened soon or immediately after the first. In the above example, Super Mario Land 2: Six Golden Coins revealed that when Mario came home from saving Sarasaland, which he did in Super Mario Land, he found that Wario had taken over his castle. Therefore, the Super Mario Wiki places Super Mario Land 2: Six Golden Coins immediately after Super Mario Land.

Remakes

Unfortunately, the relation between originals and remakes is one area where Nintendo has left no known precedents. Because of this, the Super Mario Wiki makes an un-backed assumption that remakes occur at the same time. If a remake makes significant additions, it should be mentioned alongside the original in the articles. For example, such as Donkey Kong for the Game Boy, expand upon and/or continue the events of the original, and thus both titles are considered to chronologically happen at the same time. Other examples include Super Mario 64 DS and the Super Mario Advance series. However, straight ports or rereleases, such as the Classic NES Series or Virtual Console, need not be mentioned.

If there is information that proves the remake assumption false, the Super Mario Wiki would appreciate it if a user would present said information.

Alternate Timelines

Also of note are the two confirmed alternate timelines: the "What If..." timeline that only includes the Super Mario Bros. film, and the Super Smash Bros. timeline.

"What If..." Timeline

The Super Mario Wiki knows the conjecturally named "What If..." timeline exists because of the introduction to the Super Mario Bros. film. In the introduction, the narrator recounts the destruction of Earth's dinosaurs by a giant meteorite. He asks, "But what if the dinosaurs weren't all destroyed? What if the impact of that meteorite created a parallel dimension, where the dinosaurs continued to thrive, and developed into intelligent, vicious, aggressive beings?! Just like us. And, hey, what if they found a way back?"

Super Smash Bros. Timeline

The separation of the central timeline from the Super Smash Bros. timeline is assumed simply because their connection has not been confirmed. One would not write that the Star Wars fictional universe is connected to the Super Mario fictional universe even though there are references to Star Wars within Super Mario. In the same way, one would not assume that the universes of Super Smash Bros. and Super Mario Bros. are certain elements from either series appear in the other. As explained by Masahiro Sakurai, creator of Super Smash Bros., the fighters are sentient trophies that awaken for fights. This contrasts with the Super Mario series, in which Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach, Bowser, and others are flesh and blood: when defeated they do not freeze into trophies.

"Why is this in the Central Timeline?"

The "Central Timeline" is the timeline established by the Super Mario, Donkey Kong, Wario, and Yoshi series of video games and their spin-offs. For the purpose of the articles, one should assume that unless distinct, explicit proof exists that a source is not in the central timeline, the source is in the central timeline. However, this does not mean one should include speculation in an attempt to rectify the discontinuity between two sources. Editors should explain any discontinuity or plot hole, then continue with the article.

The Super Mario Wiki tendency to sort certain spin-off titles (such as the Mario Kart series) and alternate media sources (such as The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!) is technically not required by any policy. It is simply done for the purpose of organization - not to imply that such sources are in an alternate timeline.

Current Chronology

This article is under construction. Therefore, please excuse its informal appearance while it is being worked on. We hope to have it completed soon. We need to add the Nintendo Comics System, Super Mario Adventures, etc. Anything you can't find should be here with the exception of remakes.

Note: ports and most remakes are not included on this list, with the exception of titles such as Super Mario 64 DS in which certain elements, such as characters or stories, were significantly altered. One should look up the original title to find where information from the remake belongs. Titles with a "*" by them violate the rules of release dates because they fall into one of the exceptions listed above. If one wishes to contest their placement, please leave concerns on the talk page.

Central Timeline

1. Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island*
2. Yoshi Touch & Go*
3. Yoshi's Island DS*
4. Yoshi's Story*
5. Mario & Luigi Partners in Time* (past storyline)
6. Donkey Kong Circus*
7. Saturday Supercade* (alternate media)
8. Donkey Kong (arcade version) / Donkey Kong (Game Boy version)
9. Donkey Kong Jr. / Donkey Kong II
10. Mario Bros.
11. Donkey Kong 3
12. Mario's Bombs Away
13. Mario's Cement Factory
14. Donkey Kong Jr. Math
15. Donkey Kong Hockey
16. Golf
17. Wrecking Crew
18. The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!* (live-action segments) (alternate media)
19. Super Mario Bros.
20. The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!* (animated segments) (alternate media)
21. Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels
22. Super Mario Bros. (Game & Watch)
23. Famicom Grand Prix: F-1 Race
24. Famicom Grand Prix II: 3D Hot Rally
25. I Am A Teacher: Super Mario Sweater
26. Super Mario Bros. 2
27. Super Mario Land
28. Super Mario Land 2: Six Golden Coins*
29. Dr. Mario
30. Super Mario Bros. 3
31. The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3 (alternate media)
32. Super Mario Bros. & Friends: When I Grow Up
33. Mario the Juggler
34. Yoshi
35. Super Mario World (video game)
36. Super Mario World (television series) (alternate media)
37. Mario Paint
38. Super Mario Kart
39. Yoshi's Cookie
40. Mario is Missing!
41. Mario's Early Years! Fun with Letters
42. Mario's Early Years! Preschool Fun
43. Mario's Early Years! Fun with Numbers
44. Yoshi's Safari
45. Mario & Wario
46. Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3
47. Wario's Woods
48. Mario's Time Machine
49. Hotel Mario
50. Wario Blast: Featuring Bomberman!
51. Donkey Kong Country
52. Donkey Kong Land*
53. Mario's FUNdamentals
54. Mario's Picross
55. Mario Teaches Typing
56. Mario's Tennis
57. Mario's Super Picross
58. Mario Clash
59. Virtual Boy Wario Land
60. Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest
61. Donkey Kong Land 2*
62. Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars
63. Super Mario 64 / Super Mario 64 DS*
64. Tetris Attack
65. Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble!
66. Donkey Kong Land III*
67. Game & Watch Gallery
68. Mario Teaches Typing 2
69. Excitebike: Bun Bun Mario Battle Stadium
70. Game & Watch Gallery 2
71. Diddy Kong Racing / Diddy Kong Racing DS*
72. Mario Kart 64
73. Wrecking Crew '98
74. Wario Land II
75. Donkey Kong Country (television series) (alternate media)
76. Game & Watch Gallery 3
77. Mario Golf* (Game Boy Color version)
78. Mario Golf (Nintendo 64 version)
79. Donkey Kong 64
80. Mario Artist: Paint Studio
81. Mario Party
82. Mario Artist: Talent Studio
83. Wario Land 3
84. Mario Artist: Communication Kit
85. Mario Tennis* (Game Boy Color version)
86. Mario Tennis (Nintendo 64 version)
87. Paper Mario
88. Mario Artist: Polygon Studio
89. Mario Party 2
90. Dr. Mario 64
91. Mario Kart: Super Circuit
92. Warioland 4
93. Luigi's Mansion
94. Mario Party 3
95. Super Mario Sunshine
96. Mario Party 4
97. Game & Watch Gallery 4
98. WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Microgame$!
99. Wario World
100. WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Party Game$!
101. Mario Golf: Advance Tour*
102. Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour
103. Mario Kart: Double Dash!!
104. Mario Party 5
105. Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga
106. Donkey Konga
107. Mario vs. Donkey Kong
108. Donkey Konga 2
109. Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door
110. Mario Pinball Land
111. WarioWare: Twisted!
112. Mario Power Tennis
113. Mario Party 6
114. WarioWare: Touched!
115. Yoshi Topsy-Turvy
116. Donkey Kong Jungle Beat
117. Mario Party Advance
118. DK: King of Swing
119. Donkey Konga 3
120. Dance Dance Revolution: Mario Mix
121. Mario Superstar Baseball
122. Mario Kart Arcade GP / Mario Kart Arcade GP 2*
123. Super Princess Peach
124. Mario Party 7
125. Mario Kart DS
126. Super Mario Strikers
127. Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time (present storyline)
128. New Super Mario Bros.
129. Mario Hoops 3 on 3
130. Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis
131. WarioWare: Smooth Moves
132. Wario: Master of Disguise
133. Super Paper Mario
134. Mario Strikers Charged
135. Mario Party 8
136. Itadaki Street DS
137. Donkey Kong Barrel Blast
138. DK Jungle Climber
139. Super Mario Galaxy
140. Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games
141. Mario Party DS
142. Mario Kart Wii
143. Mario Super Sluggers
144. Wario Land: Shake It!
145. Captain Rainbow

"What If..." Timeline

1. Super Mario Bros. (film)

Super Smash Bros. Timeline

1. Super Smash Bros.
2. Super Smash Bros. Melee
3. Super Smash Bros. Brawl