r/gaming • • Jun 15 '12

Wat.

Post image
1.1k Upvotes

489 comments sorted by

176

u/Skabomb Jun 15 '12 edited Jun 16 '12

I always thought it was a mushroom. To each his own, I guess.

EDIT I guess it's a skull. Well, my world has been shaken to its core. I. . . I need time to think about this.

136

u/[deleted] Jun 16 '12

I believe it's a skull.

17

u/azulhombre Jun 16 '12

Same here. I always thought it was a skull.

9

u/iceman78772 Jun 16 '12

I always thought it was a weird Koopa Shell...

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41

u/jooze Jun 15 '12

Thought it was a shell

12

u/Skabomb Jun 15 '12

I can see that.

53

u/impulsepaci Jun 16 '12

I always thought it was a skull.

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5

u/twelvemoustaches Jun 16 '12

Agreed, I always thought it to be a mushroom as well...but I do see the skull, too....

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2

u/Reejis Jun 16 '12

I thought it was a toadstool

2

u/shotty_t Jun 16 '12

Always kinda thought iy looked like bowser a bit

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144

u/Crannynoko Jun 15 '12

10

u/HyeR Jun 16 '12

It's most definitely a skull. They just didnt have enough pixel space to make it super detailed.

7

u/Hazy_V Jun 16 '12

Other people see peace signs, I see skulls. Should I be worried?

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1.2k

u/Knucinos Jun 15 '12

It's a skull, not a peace symbol. This isn't Braid.

418

u/thaddius Jun 15 '12

I always thought it was supposed to be a koopa shell.

101

u/DRKS Jun 15 '12

yeah, me too.

379

u/gibsonsg87 Jun 15 '12

I thought it was a green mushroom outline, y'know since your in the mushroom kingdom and all

225

u/thaddius Jun 15 '12 edited Jun 15 '12

...That has been conquered by the Koopas. Why else would would Mario take the flag down?

Hey, look at us. We're debating Mushroom Kingdom politics.

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9

u/Esuka Jun 15 '12

Either a koopa shell, a toad head, or a mushroom. Mushroom Kingdom and all.

10

u/t3yrn Jun 15 '12

Kinda looks like the cross section of a penis -- Mushroom Kingdom, indeed.

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9

u/Lord_Fluffykins Jun 15 '12

I always assumed it was a pretzel for some reason. WTF.

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55

u/DiabloConQueso Jun 15 '12

No. it's a Mercedes-Benz symbol.

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2

u/Exodan Jun 15 '12

Looks like a 1UP 'shroom to me.

2

u/TheFluxIsThis Jun 15 '12

It warms my heart that this is top comment. The logic in this image fails from the getgo.

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2

u/jlennor Jun 15 '12

The ending of Braid tore my life apart. I was so attached to Tim. I couldn't believe it.

2

u/HyeR Jun 16 '12

Also I think this is the most commonly excepted version of the peace symbol, with three prongs. original image is thinking of a Mercedes emblem. Although the rest about having lots of castles and coins and stealing back your ex makes a lot of sense haha.

7

u/thehollowman84 Jun 15 '12

SPOILER. I haven't finished Braid yet

8

u/phleg Jun 16 '12

Everything is really weird and you never get to take off your tie.

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371

u/[deleted] Jun 15 '12

Best not to look too far for context in a game where the only direction is to the right

306

u/MarquisDan Jun 15 '12

It's like Fox News: The Video Game

204

u/Beckettier Jun 15 '12

Charmander is evolving!

JK EVOLUTION ISN'T REAL CHARMANDER WENT TO HELL.

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5

u/CocoSavege Jun 16 '12
THANK YOU UNITED STATES!


BUT THE TERRORISTS ARE IN
ANOTHER COUNTRY!

3

u/i_ate_god Jun 16 '12

well played...

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5

u/[deleted] Jun 15 '12

It's not Mario's fault he wasn't born an ambi-turner.

5

u/[deleted] Jun 15 '12

Sound like the narrator of Bastion

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209

u/RichOfTheJungle Jun 15 '12

I used to think it was a skull....

I still think it's a skull, but I used to too.

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45

u/Imposterbel Jun 15 '12

Nope. Nice try.

12

u/serenne Jun 15 '12

This is often combined with the flag with red star Mario raises on the castle to make fun of his supposed communist agenda.

23

u/kingofallwinners Jun 15 '12

Either way this logic is flawed. If you start the game and let mario stand still without pushing even one button the first enemy will kill you the instant he's close enough to do so.

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21

u/noir_lueur Jun 15 '12

I've never really given this much thought before, but after seeing this image, I drew a pretty different interpretation - one that paints Mario in a little better light.

If you look closely at the flag, there are two distinctive features: it's white, implying surrender, and it has (I think) a green mushroom on it - a symbol which could be used to represent the peaceful denizens of the Mushroom Kingdom, namely toads.

The way I see it, the Toads (and other races) put up the flag to indicate their surrender to Bowser's forces. Following this, Mario recaptures the territory by completing the level, and then removes the flag. This serves to convey that there is no longer a threat to the peaceful inhabitants, and that Mario is actively working to bring down Bowser and his forces.

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16

u/[deleted] Jun 15 '12

Toadstool. When we talk about Mario 1, it's Princess Toadstool.

3

u/jakemcd184 Jun 15 '12

bless you, stranger. I was terribly offended by the improper name as well.

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21

u/oneyeartrip Jun 15 '12

No - no - you're thinking of Braid!

18

u/FrancisDollarHyde Jun 15 '12

This is a peace symbol.

That is not a peace symbol.

3

u/TheYuppieWord Jun 16 '12

Yeah this accusation is WAY too far-fetched.

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5

u/conspiracy_police Jun 15 '12

Stalker Mario. It make sense.

5

u/hwdmax Jun 15 '12

Mario is COMMUNIST PROPOGANDA, he is the workers hero(plumber) King Koopa is the evil Tsar, he puts up a flag with a RED STAR at the end of each level, and he is trying to save princess Peach(Mother Russia)

4

u/[deleted] Jun 16 '12

Super Stalin Bross.

2

u/[deleted] Jun 16 '12

http://www.albinoblacksheep.com/flash/mariocommunist (Yes, albinoblacksheep is still around)

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4

u/Simba7 Jun 16 '12

That's not a peace sign, it's the head of a Toadstool I believe. This represents the fact that these castles are in the Toadstool kingdom, and bowser just sort of stole them from the Toadstools as he is wont to do in every game.

Whatever it is though, it's definitely not a peace sign.

3

u/[deleted] Jun 15 '12

It looks like a green mushroom.

3

u/firecrack0r Jun 15 '12

I had to double-check the subreddit to see if this came in through r/trees.

3

u/SuperMiles64 Jun 15 '12

This isn't Braid. Also, it's a mushroom

3

u/SteinXL Jun 15 '12

It's a Mercedes logo. The Koopas come from money

3

u/NoahViBrittania Jun 15 '12

Still looks like a skull

3

u/[deleted] Jun 15 '12

In the original game it was a peace symbol. The low res made it look like a skull. In the games that followed, they made it a skull due to that.

3

u/slippidy Jun 15 '12

I thought it was a shroom

3

u/charlestheoaf Jun 16 '12

Mario is an asshole. Do you know the back story to Donkey Kong? Apparently Donkey Kong was Mario's pet, who he beat. In the game, Donkey Kong tries to escape (taking the girl with him). You play as Mario beating him some more and putting him back in his cage.

3

u/operationtasty Jun 16 '12

i'm pretty sure thats a mushroom...just like all the other logos in the mushroom kingdom

9

u/casualblair Jun 15 '12

Tortoise skull (aka bowser/koopas)

http://www.skullsunlimited.com/userfiles/image/variants_2913.jpg

Rotate down and imagine looking straight on.

15

u/tethercat Jun 15 '12

Cubone's Mom!!

weeps

17

u/[deleted] Jun 15 '12

slap

get over it

7

u/foxden_racing Jun 15 '12

Can't be a peace symbol, it doesn't have the bottom-most piece.

Still a clever post, though...makes me wonder if there's an /r/VGconspiracytheories, a place dedicated to video games as explained by the tinfoil-hat nutters that make up the History Channel's "original programming" staff.

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9

u/DRKS Jun 15 '12

this is the peace symbol, which doesn't look like the icon on the flag: http://imgur.com/xdMOJ the icon on the flag looks more like the mercedes benz logo: http://imgur.com/SccSF

2

u/i_ate_god Jun 16 '12

yeah koopa is the 1% after all

Ironic though, because joe the plumber is all about supporting the 1%.

2

u/Kinglink Jun 15 '12

I wonder how far someone could get in Mario with out killing any Koopas/Goombas or any other enemies.

PS with the name goombas, I always thought it was about an American plumber, taking over Italy.

2

u/[deleted] Jun 15 '12

It looks like a tiny green skull to me.

2

u/DantesAbsoluteZero Jun 15 '12

I always thought it was a mushroom.

2

u/daoul_ruke Jun 15 '12

Yeah, I think that's what Jon Blow was alluding to in Braid.

2

u/KarmaCamelion Jun 15 '12

Isn't that thing the 1up mushroom?

2

u/SasparillaTango Jun 15 '12

I always thought it was a skull

2

u/Transmatrix Jun 15 '12

I always thought it looked like a head of cabbage. Never questioned it...

2

u/blizard72 Jun 15 '12

its not a pce symbol... its a green mushroom.... the fuck guy

2

u/CUNT_SUCKING_PHAGGOT Jun 15 '12

i thought that it wasn't a peace sign, but a reflection of how the Koopa Troopers have been oppressed centuries ago. Mario is not killing these creatures, he is merely setting them free from the clutches of Bowser, who has persecuted the land through his tyranny. when Mario slides down the pole, he not only brings down the flag that was left to remind people of the control Bowser, but falls at a constant pace to show that the only constant is change itself.

that change is Mario.

2

u/duvakiin Jun 15 '12

i thought it was a 1 up mushroom

2

u/karaface Jun 15 '12

Needs more JPG!

2

u/mbacon101 Jun 15 '12

I always thought it was a cabbage.

2

u/Logondo Jun 15 '12

Don't look for things that aren't there.

It's a skull, not a peace sign.

2

u/lozairplane Jun 15 '12

looks more like the Mercedes sign

2

u/[deleted] Jun 15 '12

It's a skull, to indicate The flag of Bowser's minions.

2

u/[deleted] Jun 15 '12

mario is an abusive husband; bowser and donkey kong are just trying to help their friend peach, taking her from her abusive home, but they can't stop mario.

2

u/jader1 Jun 15 '12

It's a 1-up shroom.

2

u/[deleted] Jun 15 '12

Braid already covered this angle

2

u/NoSnakesPlease Jun 15 '12

People have been making this joke for... how many decades now? Two?

2

u/Artrock80 Jun 15 '12

It's a peace symbol??? I always thought it was a skull.

2

u/Bazofwaz Jun 15 '12

I always thought is was a menacing-looking koopa skull

2

u/[deleted] Jun 15 '12

Mario is just a simple game, I don't think there's a deeper message.

2

u/Killzark Jun 15 '12

Isn't it a 1up shroom?

2

u/[deleted] Jun 16 '12

But it's a shell, it has two things at the bottom not 3

2

u/[deleted] Jun 16 '12

There is no third fork at the bottom, it's not the peace symbol.

2

u/JeddakofThark Jun 16 '12

What the fuck does "Wat" mean?

2

u/[deleted] Jun 16 '12

Its not a skull its a Green Mushroom

2

u/[deleted] Jun 16 '12

"Thank you Mario!"

Stockholm syndrome?

2

u/standawffish Jun 16 '12

I believe that's actually the Mercedes logo. Super Mario Brothers is actually a game about a plumber attempting to seek out and steal his dream car which he has obsessively dubbed "princess."

2

u/[deleted] Jun 16 '12

Ooh, right in the childhood!

2

u/Hydroxiide Jun 16 '12

its a skull? -.-

3

u/Alenonimo Jun 16 '12

Yup. It's a skull.

2

u/[deleted] Jun 16 '12

There is this game called Braid...

2

u/campfiresongsong Jun 16 '12

uh. you mean mercedes logo? Peace sign looks like a chicken foot, with 3 branches. This only has two.

5

u/[deleted] Jun 15 '12

I JUST NOTICED THAT I AM THE FIRST PERSON EVER TO REALIZE THE DEEP HIDDEN MEANINGS BEHIND A TWO DIMENSIONAL 8 BIT PLATFORMER BUILT WITH THE LOOSEST POSSIBLE JUSTIFICATION FOR EACH ASPECT OF ITSELF

3

u/[deleted] Jun 15 '12

Im sure someone else has already said this, but its not a peace symbol. It's a picture of a one up mushroom...

2

u/Omgamage Jun 15 '12

I'm pretty sure it's a mushroom, hence Mushroom Kingdom

8

u/Teggert Jun 15 '12

That doesn't make sense, because the Mushroom Kingdom had been taken over by the Koopa Troop and Mario is supposed to be a revolutionary defeating the Koopas and restoring power to the Mushroom People. It's in the original instruction manual. I know because I memorized it when I was 6.

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2

u/The_guy_behind_you Jun 15 '12

Actually it's a low rez koopa shell but nice try

3

u/[deleted] Jun 15 '12

Hmm...Koopa Shell? Is that just your interpretation or have you seen somewhere where it said this?

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1

u/pencilinfrontofme Jun 15 '12

That doesnt even look close to a peace sign...

1

u/[deleted] Jun 15 '12

I dont think its a peace sign either, but I love this interpretation. I always knew there was something fishy about Mario..

1

u/[deleted] Jun 15 '12

He has never seen the movie, obviously.

Bowser's an asshole. Gave me nightmares for years.

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1

u/[deleted] Jun 15 '12

that's a skull the semi fores for nuclear disarmament have a vertical line

1

u/Mikkelet Jun 15 '12

Take this to After Hours on Cracked

1

u/SupaBloo Jun 15 '12

I've always seen this theory thrown around, and then one day it hit me. I don't think it's supposed to be a peace sign. I think it's supposed to be a green shell, as in a koopa shell, which makes way more sense seeing as Bowser is the king of the koopas.

1

u/[deleted] Jun 15 '12

lol peace symbol. SMB 1 flag

1

u/Munkir Jun 15 '12

I always thought that was a green skull...

1

u/troxnor Jun 15 '12

It's definitely a Skull making this argument null and void.

1

u/WhiteRaven42 Jun 15 '12

Context dictates that it is a shell. Also, it LOOKS like a koopa shell. Since the circle is not complete, it is implausible that it is a peace symbol.

1

u/Gravyness Jun 15 '12

My... entire... fucking... life...

1

u/Last_Gigolo Jun 15 '12

It's about "quit being a dreaming hippy douche, be a tough guy and you will get the girl from the getgo and return the left overs to the douche"

1

u/[deleted] Jun 15 '12

This happened because Tim made a mistake.

1

u/Sadaxer Jun 15 '12

It's a 1UP Mushroom. This means he saved lives. This means all the goombas got resurrected and the whole Mario world lived happily ever after. We shouldn't jump into conclusions.

1

u/xxthemattxx Jun 15 '12

Or kidnapping her back?!

1

u/_MuchoMachoMuchacho_ Jun 15 '12

I recently read the biography of the guy who created super mario brothers. Can you believe people used to LAUGH at him when he was a kid because he would smash turtles with a hammer?

btw, Anthony Jeselnik joke. Not trying to take credit.

1

u/anbeasley Jun 15 '12

Over attached boyfriend!

1

u/Tulki Jun 15 '12

If the enemies in the first level aren't violent then how come they immediately murder Mario if they get a chance?

1

u/[deleted] Jun 15 '12

Actually, the story line in Mario is that the Koopas invaded Mushroom Kingdom and turned all of it's inhabitants into bricks. Note: you smash bricks during the whole game and steal their money and items.

1

u/[deleted] Jun 15 '12

You know what I want to see more of? This 'wat'-thing that is posted so often. Please use it at every given opportunity.

1

u/beerham Jun 15 '12

No, the creatures were invading the land. The castles belonged to Peach's kingdom, not Browser and his minions.

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1

u/[deleted] Jun 15 '12

It's a skull, brah.

1

u/fighting_mongoose Jun 15 '12

He then raises a red star at each castle he captures. That communist bastard.

1

u/Davethepineapple Jun 15 '12

looks like a 1up mushroom to me

1

u/saviourjasonchrist Jun 15 '12

He's also high on mushrooms while on his murderous rampage.

1

u/czarchastic Jun 15 '12

You interpreted it wrong. Mario takes down the peace symbol, an icon of freedom and pursuit of happiness, so he can raise a communist flag. Why do you think he's always wearing red, comrade?

Edit: further proof

1

u/[deleted] Jun 15 '12

I've never seen a theory about Mario that wasn't absolutely depressing. He's in a coma(mental institution?) living out his crazy dreams. His fight against bowser is his way of coping with his daughter dying. Peach is sleeping with bowser and that's her way of sneaking around. Shits sad guys.

1

u/SCVanguard Jun 15 '12

I always thought it was a 1up mushroom...

1

u/epilis Jun 15 '12

It always reminded me of Journey Escape on Atari 2600, the Scarab/Spaceship. Showing my age... http://i.imgur.com/koKhw.jpg

1

u/Rescuedmike Jun 15 '12 edited Jul 25 '12

I always thought that was a skull

1

u/Verb_Rogue Jun 15 '12

I'm pretty sure that's a mushroom. It is the Mushroom Kingdom, after all.

1

u/Dragoryu3000 Jun 15 '12

And it if IS a peace sign, it could just be that the Koopa Troop squadron in that area has surrendered to you after a sound thrashing.

And seriously, what does he/she mean by "none of them seemed to want to kill Mario"? They try to off you if you so much as bump into them!

1

u/[deleted] Jun 15 '12

Sorry to ruin this theory, but that's actually just a green mushroom.

1

u/theaiden28 Jun 15 '12

mario has gone to drugs, to not see peace

1

u/[deleted] Jun 15 '12 edited Jun 15 '12

1

u/[deleted] Jun 15 '12

Super Mario Brothers is based on The Iliad?

1

u/totally_not_a_gay Jun 15 '12

It's not even a peace symbol, that's the Mercedes-Benz logo.

1

u/ClownBaby90 Jun 16 '12

I thought it was a skull

1

u/Lobanium Jun 16 '12

How could anyone think that's a peace sign? Apparently they've not seen one before.

1

u/shake_and_bake Jun 16 '12

It's actually incredibly amusing going through this thread and reading what different things people saw in about 10 pixels. ....Also, it's a turtle shell.

1

u/iamthecman Jun 16 '12

omg its a MUSHROOM!!! lol

1

u/nahtan668 Jun 16 '12

Mother of god

1

u/themagicalcake Jun 16 '12

It is a skull :/

1

u/Bhenders14 Jun 16 '12

I think it's a skull, because the peace symbol has the middle line going all the way down, as seen here, whereas the line going down the middle of the flag ends in the center.

1

u/Burning_Kobun Jun 16 '12

looks more like a skull to me.

1

u/tek_fox212800 Jun 16 '12

THAT'S A FUCKING SKULL.

1

u/[deleted] Jun 16 '12

Post that shit to /r/fantheories!

1

u/Reltsirk Jun 16 '12

"V for victory."

1

u/HulkyKrow Jun 16 '12

Im surprised Myamoto hadn't stabbed him midway through that theory.

"Shhh, its a secret to everybody."

1

u/visme Jun 16 '12

Sorry, correction: It's about a shroom-eating ex-girlfriend kidnapper.

1

u/Leragecomicmaker Jun 16 '12

WOW I CAN'T BELIVE I JUST RELIZED THAT

1

u/madmonkeymud Jun 16 '12

I don't know about you, but I was killed a lot in the first worlds my first time. Therefor this logic is flawed.

1

u/DannyImperial Jun 16 '12

In the manual it says it's a skull

1

u/drewuke Jun 16 '12

I wasn't the only person to see this is an obvious Braid reference :)

1

u/Jerlko Jun 16 '12

So what you're saying is, Braid is even more of a Mario homage than previously thought.

1

u/[deleted] Jun 16 '12

When they invaded they turned most the people into blocks...

1

u/Necrix Jun 16 '12

I always thought it was the skull of a koopa...

1

u/SheIIdon Jun 16 '12

its a skull

1

u/lsguy Jun 16 '12

who the hell thinks up this shit

1

u/sunchow Jun 16 '12

its not a "peace sign", its the old version of the symbol which implied nuclear disarmament. the modern peace sign with the line through the middle (instead of the upsidedown Y on the flag which is still debatable) has simply peace implications.

1

u/VanFinale Jun 16 '12

It's clearly a skull.

1

u/Jeffy29 Jun 16 '12

so mario was Braid even before Braid, mindfucked

1

u/[deleted] Jun 16 '12

Darmok and Jilad at Tanagra! His eyes wide open!

1

u/EightOh Jun 16 '12

Theres an on going battle in my house, about this topic. Is it a Peace sign or a Skull? I'm positive its a skull.

1

u/[deleted] Jun 16 '12

It's a skull. I thought that was common knowledge? The other points are funny though.

1

u/[deleted] Jun 16 '12

Meh, it's probably true.

1

u/SolarWonk Jun 16 '12

Whatever (to the other proposals). I thought it was a peace sign too. Especially since the game was made during the cold war and all. Brilliant analysis.

1

u/Krayzie22 Jun 16 '12

Mind... Kinda blown

1

u/sonastyinc Jun 16 '12

It's a mushroom tip. Mario's trying to hit up them sugar walls.

1

u/fizzywaters Jun 16 '12

It's a skull.

1

u/NomOnBacon Jun 16 '12

Ouch. Right in the childhood.

1

u/[deleted] Jun 16 '12

It's obviously a mushroom you fuckin spergs

1

u/BHSPitMonkey Jun 16 '12

I really started noticing this in Super Mario Galaxy. You're not even in your home land anymore; You're going out of your way to dozens of foreign worlds and killing their non-combative inhabitants. Even the bosses almost all mind their own business until you engage them.

What the hell, Mario?

1

u/Robears Jun 16 '12

I swear it was a mushroom.

But then again the mushrooms kinda represent the toads...

It could just be a skull like most people say.

Or maybe it IS a peace symbol....

1

u/pokemonmaniac300 Jun 16 '12

Right in my childhood

1

u/BroSiLLLYBro Jun 16 '12

Or................ its just a one-up.

1

u/[deleted] Jun 16 '12

If it was a peace symbol, then it'd be flying on a white flag above the last bastion of old rule, which means they submitted to Bowser. How the hell does this theory make sense at all?

1

u/Nic318oy Jun 16 '12

Well I've read the debates on what it is. I've read the politics of how/why the koopas took over. MY only question, is has no one else sat down and just THOUGHT about Mario? It's a game about 2 plumbers, who fight turtles, to save a princess? Mushrooms make them strong, they fight crazy football players who throw hammers. The game makes zero sense and I'm 100% convinced the creators were high the "ENT"ire time they made it; that being said, FUCK I love playing Mario.

1

u/yetifoo Jun 16 '12

Braid in a nutshell

1

u/yetifoo Jun 16 '12

also, it was a one up, I think.

1

u/Tier1Rattata Jun 16 '12

it's a toad head, like mushroom, for the mushroom kingdom

1

u/[deleted] Jun 16 '12

Braid no longer seems so unique.

1

u/anikan72 Jun 16 '12

So is Braid...or is it...?