Super Mario Bros. & Friends: When I Grow Up

Super Mario Bros. & Friends: When I Grow Up
Developer	Brian A. Rice, Inc.
Publisher	Merit Software
Platform(s)	MS-DOS
Release date	Template:Release
Genre	Edutainment
Mode(s)	Single-player
Format	Home computer system: Optical disc
Input	Home computer system: Mouse

Super Mario Bros. & Friends: When I Grow Up is an MS-DOS game featuring Mario and friends released in 1992. It is an Electric Crayon game and was published by Merit Software. The game is essentially a digital coloring book, containing illustrations by Rick Incrocci. A few pages have animated sequences. The pages are themed after common careers. Characters in the game include Mario, Luigi, Princess Toadstool, Toads, and Bowser. Super Mario Bros. & Friends: When I Grow Up features Bowser both as he appears in video games and as he does in the Super Mario cartoons.

Gameplay

The player cannot alter any aspect of the illustrations offered except for the colors. Pictures can be colored from the sixteen-color CGA palette, which is the default palette used in many DOS games. However, clicking on the mix button will "mix" the current color selected with one of the 15 other colors, amounting to a total of 256 possible colors (86, not counting duplicates). Choosing a color and clicking on a picture will fill it with the selected color. The finished, or in progress, coloring is automatically saved to disk. The player can click the "oops" button to remove all colors applied previously and start coloring from the very beginning. Players can also select the name box for information on the occupation, as well as the picture. After the page is completed, the player can either print it or move on to the next page. Clicking the running man in the bottom right will animate the drawing.

Link also makes cameo appearances on the Chef/Waiter and Travel guide pages. A few other pictures have cameos from Moblin, Daira, and Bot, which are enemies from the Legend of Zelda series, primarily Zelda II: The Adventure of Link. Mechanic/Racecar Driver also has a cameo of the Monster.

Career pages

Image	Name	Description
	Chef / Waitress	Chef Mario is cooking one of his tasty pasta dishes. Waitress Princess Toadstool is taking Link's order at a table. "Your order is coming right up!" says Chef Mario. "Yeah, and now it's coming right down on my head!" says Link. Chefs study food preparation at special cooking schools. Their work can be very creative because chefs are often called upon to make up new recipes for their restaurants. A waitress or waiter takes restaurant customers' orders, and then serves the customers when the food is ready. If the server gives good service, the customer will pay the server extra money called a "tip."
	Attorney / Judge	Mario the attorney is in a courtroom questioning Bowser, who seems to be a bit nervous for some reason. "Is Bowser telling the whole truth and nothing but the truth?" Mario thinks to himself. The honorable judge Princess Toadstool is listening very carefully to what Mario and Bowser have to say. Attorneys are sometimes called lawyers. It is an attorney or lawyer's job to represent members of the public in a court of law to give them advice about the law. A judge is in charge of a court-of-law. He or she makes sure that the attorneys for both sides in a court case follow the rules of the court when presenting their case. The judge also decides what rules of the law apply to each court case.
	Race Car Driver / Mechanic	Race car drivers Mario and Luigi had better make a pit stop right away. Their tires are almost worn out from the first leg of the road rally. Rocky Wrench is ready to change two tires. Race car drivers are well-paid, but they lead dangerous lives. They must have excellent coordination and must be very brave. Auto mechanics are handy with tools and have very ordered minds. And like race car drivers, auto mechanics must have excellent coordination.
	Scientist	Mario the scientist is conducting an experiment in his laboratory. But what is he mixing up in that test tube? "I think I have discovered a cure for the common cold," shouts Mario. "Now if only I could find a way to get people to try it. This stuff smells awful!" Scientists are people who explore the workings of the world by observing things and by collecting facts. By exploring the world in the way, scientists have made many important discoveries and inventions that have made our lives better.
	Travel Guide	Link the travel guide is ready to take tourists to exciting faraway places, even to fantasy lands like SuperMarioLand.[sic] Better stick close to Link, though, because he knows how to deal with make-believe bad guys. Travel guides have interesting jobs because they travel to exciting places that most of us have only dreamed about. Travel guides are usually specially trained in the culture, language and customs of the faraway places that they are guiding you through.
	Medical Doctor / Nurse	Dr. Mario and Nurse Princess Toadstool are using the X-Ray machine to find out what is wrong with their patient. "Aha! This patient's bones aren't connected," says Dr. Mario. "No wonder he looks so sick." Medical doctors take charge of treating the sick to save lives and relieve suffering. Doctors know almost everything about the human body and specially trained in preventing and treating disease. Nurses help doctors in clinics, hospitals and doctor's offices. Some nurses have special training which allows them to examine patients and prescribe treatment.
	Astronomer	Mario the astronomer is looking through an instrument called a telescope. The telescope helps him see far-away stars and planets, also known as heavenly bodies. Behind Mario is a building known as an observatory. The observatory houses a giant telescope, which gives Mario an even better view of the heavenly bodies in the sky. An astronomer is a person who watches the locations and motions of the stars, planets and other natural objects that are in the universe. Many astronomers also study what stars and the planets are made of; these astronomers are called astrophysicist. Astronomy is one of the oldest sciences, dating back to 200 B.C. when the Babylonians studied the positions of stars and planets.
	Carpenter	Mario the carpenter isn't having one of his better days. He just accidentally drove a nail into his foot. From the looks of the playhouse he just built and all of the bent nails on his new project, Mario doesn't yet have the skills to be a master carpenter. Maybe he had better stick to being a plumber. Carpenters build and repair buildings or parts of buildings. They also design, build and repair cabinets and furniture. Carpenters usually build things with wood. They must be able to follow a building plan, or blueprint, and they must be able to use a variety of hand and power tools such as hammers, hand saws, planers, drills and power saws.
	Ballet Dancer	Ballerina Princess Toadstool and all the other dancers are performing a beautiful ballet. As they perform the graceful movements of the ballet, they seem to float through the air. Ballet is a kind of dancing that is known for its unusual but beautiful movements. The performance of these beautiful dance movements is usually set to music and often tells a story. The ballet dancers often wear costumes and they perform the ballet on a stage decorated with special decorations. Ballets dancers must practice for many hours in order to develop the strength and balance required to perform the graceful ballet movements.
	Disc Jocky[sic]	Mouser is one cool disc jockey! His morning show is a big hit on the radio. Everyone loves "The Mouser in the Morning Show." Everyone except for Mario the sound engineer. "I think I'll go get a job at a library!" says Mario. "I need some peace and quiet. That Mouser plays his music too loud in the studio." Disc jockeys, or radio on-air personalities, as they are sometimes called - announce the music that they are playing, deliver commercial messages, and sometimes tell jokes. Disc jockeys are often hired for their unusual voices, their ability to read messages without making mistakes, and for their wacky personalities.
	Firefighter	Firefighters Mario and Luigi are battling a raging fire that was started by that bad guy called Fryguy. "We gotta get this fire out before it hurts somebody!" says Mario. "If we could just squirt that Fryguy, our troubles would be over!" yells Luigi. Firefighters have an important but dangerous job. They risk their lives to save us and our property from fires. Firefighters also rescue people in other emergencies such as car accidents or bad storms. Firefighters also help prevent fires by teaching us about fire safety and by making sure that we follow fire safety laws.
	Professional Athlete	Three pro athletes are warming up for the competition. But having the three of them in the same room could be dangerous! Many people participate in athletic activities as amateurs for personal enjoyment, the love of competition or as a healthful form of exercise. Very few people are good enough at sports to become professional athletes, however. Professional athletes provide entertainment for people throughout the world, and they are well-paid for their jobs.
	Computer Programmer	Mario the computer programmer is having a hard time battling Goombas and other bothersome bugs. He knew that programmers talk about having "bugs" in their programs from time to time, but this is ridiculous! Computer programmers plan and write instructions for computer known as programs. Programs enable us to use computers to do a variety of tasks from playing games to understanding scientific information. After a computer programmer writes a program, he or she tests it to make sure there are no mistakes. Computer programmers call these mistakes "bugs."
	Armed Forces Pilot	Mario the armed forces pilot is in a "dogfight" with the Koopas' flying ship. Members of the armed forces serve their country to protect its people from attack, or to defend them in times of war. Mario is a well- trained member of a branch of the armed forces called the Air Force. The Air Force patrols the air and outer space to discourage surprise air or missile attacks. The Air Force also protects other branches of the armed forces - such as the Army - when they are fighting battles on the ground. Members of the Air Force also help find and rescue people who are lost at sea or in hard-to-find places on land. And in some countries, the Air Force helps its scientists learn more about forecasting the weather.
	Forest Ranger	Mario the forest ranger is on the lookout for fire bugs. He has just spotted Fire Brother who is setting a fire in the forest. Fire Brother is going to be in big trouble because damaging forest land is a serious crime. A forest ranger is responsible for taking care of national forest land by keeping the forests safe from insects, disease and fire. Forest rangers also protect any wildlife living in forests and supervise campers and other forest visitors. Forest rangers are often called upon to rescue forest visitors who are lost or injured.
	Farmer	It looks like Farmer Mario is harvesting another big crop of mushrooms, turnips and cherries. "People always say I've got a green thumb," says Farmer Mario. "Actually, my thumb looks kinda brown most of the time." Farmers have one of the most important jobs in the world. If we didn't have farms we'd all go hungry because most of the food we eat comes from farms. Today, farmers must not only know about how to grow better crops or raise better livestock, they must also know about business matters such as bookkeeping and management. Knowing about business helps farmers survive during the years when bad weather ruins their crops, or endangers their livestock.
	Marine Biologist	Mario the marine biologist has just discovered some new life forms living at the bottom of the sea: Cheep-Cheeps, Jelectros, Bloobers, and Trouters, to name a few. A marine biologist is a scientist who studies plants and animals that live in the sea. Some marine biologists do their work in laboratories, while others go down into the ocean to see how the plants and animals live in their natural environment.
	Musical Conductor / Musician	Musical conductor Ludwig Von Koopa is directing the world famous Koopa Symphony Orchestra. The Koopas may be mean and rotten sometimes, but they sure make beautiful music together, especially on loud pieces. A musical conductor is a person who directs a symphony orchestra. Before an orchestra performs a musical work, the musical conductor first decides how the orchestra should play the music. The musical conductor then shows the orchestra how they should play the music in rehearsals. Finally, the orchestra is ready to perform for an audience. The classical musicians who are in the orchestra spend years learning musical theory and practicing their instruments.
	Plumber	Two plumbers, Mario and his brother Luigi, have just arrived to fix a stuck valve. Plumbers are persons who build or repair water supply systems which bring water to bathtubs, sinks, toilets, and hot water heaters. They also build or repair drainage systems which carry away water and waste materials. Mario and Luigi both enjoy being plumbers, but for some reason, Mario can't keep his mind on his work today. Instead, he has begun to daydream about what it would be like to have a different job. Mario begins to daydream about being an astronaut when suddenly he hears a cry for help coming from a pipe. "I'll have to continue this daydream some other time," he thinks too himself. "I've got important work to do!"
	Fashion Designer	That glamorous fashion designer Princess Toadstool is at it again. She's designing another one of her creations, a fabulous high fashion evening gown. The Toadstool label is a true sign of high fashion, as everyone knows. Fashion designers must know how to sketch new garment designs, draw and cut garment patterns, and sew garments. In doing their work, fashion designers often rely on help from fashion artists, fashion show coordinators and clothing manufactures. Many fashion designers own their own fashion designer companies.
	Zoo Keeper	Mario the zoo keeper thinks he's one lucky fellow. After all, not many zoos in the world have such unusual creatures as Birdo, Tryclyde and Pidgit. Zoo keepers take care of the zoo animals' needs. Not only do they feed the animals, but they also see that they get regular medical care.
	Construction Worker / Police	Bot's jelly-like body is perfect for operating a pneumatic drill. Officer Mario is moving the traffic away from the dangerous construction area. His feet and his arms ache, but Mario doesn't care. He just wants to do his job so people can be safe. Construction workers who run heavy machinery like pneumatic drills, bulldozers and cranes are called heavy machine operators. The work is often hard and sometimes dangerous, but it is rewarding. Police officers are law enforcement officers who make sure that people obey the law. Policemen and policewomen patrol streets to guard against crime, and some officers direct traffic to keep it moving smoothly and safely.
	Journalist	Princess Toadstool is a T.V. journalist reporting live from the scene of the plane crash. The pilot crashed his plane into a large tree, narrowly avoiding a row of houses on Elm Street. Princess Toadstool is interviewing Mario the pilot to find out how this accident happened, and how he was able to escape from the accident unharmed. Journalists report the events that happen every day in the community, the nation, and the world. Journalists can communicate their stories through newspapers, news services, magazines, radio and television. Television journalists can often report stories as they are happening or, in this case, right after they happen.
	Teacher	Luigi the teacher seems a bit nervous standing in front of a classroom of big, almost overgrown students. No need to fear, however, these students are former drop-outs who have returned to night school. They have learned the hard way that staying in school is important. They'll listen to Luigi very carefully because they understand the value of education. Teachers have the most difficult, yet rewarding careers. Teaching requires a great deal of patience, but teachers receive gratification in shaping the minds of students who will be our future leaders.
	Homemaker	Mario the happy homemaker isn't so happy today. "These kids are driving me crazy," sighs Mario. "When these kids don't get their naps, they act like little monsters. They even look like little monsters." A Homemaker or home manager is responsible for all of the things that keep a family's household running smoothly. Homemakers do many jobs such as caring for children, cleaning and decorating the home, cooking meals, purchasing supplies, and handling family finances.
	Barber / Postal Worker	Mario the barber is expecting an important letter. As Princess Toadstool the postal worker arrives with the mail, Mario takes his mind off his work for just a second. Whoops! Poor Luigi just got a new hair style. A barber cuts people's hair and shaves men's beards. A barber must learn about caring for the hair and scalp, as well as learn about cutting and styling hair. Postal workers called mail carriers deliver mail along the same route to homes and businesses six days a week. Mail carries first pick up the mail for their route and sort it into bundles. They drive to the part of town where the route is located and deliver the mail on foot.
	Business Executive	Chairman Bowser is not very happy right now. His plumbing service is losing lots of money. "We've got to bring in more new customers or this company will go down the drain," Bowser shouts at poor Mario and Luigi. Business executives are usually company officers who are in charge of running a company. These officers include a chairman of the board or chief executive officer, a president, and a number of other officers. Executive officers are usually paid well for their services, but they have very difficult jobs because they are held responsible for the success or failure of the company that they run.
	Astronaut	Commander Mario, the Astronaut is supposed to be carrying out a secret mission in space, but it looks like he's got company. "Oh well," thinks Mario, "I don't mind letting a few people in on my secret. Besides, it's lonely out here in outer space." An astronaut is a person who pilots a spacecraft or works in space. Astronauts risk their lives seeking information about the earth, moon, planets and stars. They also conduct important medical and scientific experiments, and launch new satellites and repair old ones. There are two kinds of Astronauts - pilot astronauts and mission specialists.
	Pharmacist / Store Clerk	Mario the pharmacist and Luigi the store clerk make a great team. Mario handles the medicine, and Luigi handles the money. Pharmacists have a license to prepare and sell medicines that your doctor prescribes to make you well. Today companies make most prescription medicines. However, pharmacists must sometimes compound some medicines or prepare ointments and other common remedies. They also advise people on the selection of medicines such as cold tablets. A store clerk helps the store's customers find the products that the store sells and answers any questions that the customers might have about the products.
	Veterinarian	Luigi the veterinarian looks a bit confused. The raccoon that he is examining looks very familiar. In fact, he looks a great deal like his brother, Mario. "Come to think of it, where is Mario anyway?" Luigi thinks to himself. Veterinarians or "vets" are animal doctors who care for sick animals. Perhaps the most important job that a veterinarian does is caring for sick farm animals. Veterinarians help farmers keep farm animals in good health to prevent the spread of animal diseases to other animals and to humans as well.

Staff

Main article: List of Super Mario Bros. & Friends: When I Grow Up staff

Gallery

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