A playthrough of The Software Toolworks' 1993 edutainment game for the Super NES, Mario is Missing! Mario is Missing! was one of several officially licensed Mario games from the early 90s that were produced by companies other than Nintendo, and it was one of the best ones. Created by The Software Toolworks, a development and publishing house known for things like Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing and the Miracle Piano Teaching System, Mario is Missing! is an educational game that has been superficially disguised as a Super Mario World-style platformer. Mario is Missing! starts with Mario being captured at Bowser's fortress in Antarctica. Bowser has his koopalings out stealing priceless relics as part of some convoluted plot to melt the polar ice caps, and with Mario out of commission, Luigi steps in to save his brother and the Earth in his first ever starring role! Luigi has to explore fifteen major cities, all accessible through doors in Bowser's castle. Each of the cities has had three items of cultural significance stolen, and these items are all being held by the Koopa Troopas wandering about. You have to stomp them, steal back the goods, and then gather information on those items by questioning the local people. Once you have your facts straight, you can return the items to their proper places after answering questions to prove their authenticity. Finally, once you've figured out where you are in the world, you can summon Yoshi and warp back to Boswer's castle to continue the quest. It all feels a lot like Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego? with its heavy emphasis on geography and history. The biggest difference is that Mario is Missing! trades the menu-centered interactions of Carmen Sandiego with a system that better resembles an action game that kids on their own might choose to play. If you want your dog to take his medicine, you just stick the pill in peanut butter and mission accomplished, right? Well, if you'd like a disinclined child to learn something, disguise it as a video game and you'll see the same magic at work. Psychology is a wonder like that. I was about ten when we rented Mario is Missing! as a new release, and I found it pretty easy. I tore through it in a single weekend, but I distinctly remember having a lot of fun with it. The graphics and sound were neat (I loved the parade of Mario theme remixes!) and there are a number of random facts that it taught me that I can still remember to this day. (But why do half the buildings in Tokyo feature giant signs that read "Toyota" in katakana? Hahaha!) It's not a traditional Mario game, but it is a neat and effective teaching tool that doesn't pander to nor patronize the children it was made for, well presented in a surprisingly palatable Mario theme. If you happen to have an elementary schooler in your house that likes old video games, give them a copy of Mario is Missing! There's a good chance that they'll enjoy it, and that they'll learn something in the process. _____________ No cheats were used during the recording of this video. NintendoComplete ( punches you in the face with in-depth reviews, screenshot archives, and music from classic 8-bit NES games!
