Mario Brothers still kicking at 25

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Mario Brothers still kicking at 25
By Alex
September 16, 2010 - 01:53

nintendo

Twenty-five years after jumping out of the videogame arcade and into the living room, the home videogame series Super Mario Brothers is as popular as ever, with over 240 million copies sold, according to its creator Nintendo Co.

The game, first released for "famicon" TV game consoles in 1985, celebrated its 25th anniversary Monday, with Nintendo announcing it will release in October a commemorative set featuring four popular game titles for Wii game consoles.

The set features the original Super Mario Brothers and three sequels, including a reimported game designed exclusively for the U.S. market. Fans will also get a book outlining the history of the game and a soundtrack CD containing whimsical themes from the game. The set will sell for a suggested retail price of 2,500 yen ($30), including tax.

Nintendo is also preparing to market its latest addition to the series geared for the Nintendo 3DS three-dimensional portable game console by the end of this year.

The original 1985 version of the game is listed in the Guinness World Records as the "Best-Selling Video Game" of all time with sales of more than 40 million copies worldwide.

While 24 titles have been released over the years, the basic game plot remains the same, with Mario, the mustached plumber, and his equally acrobatic brother Luigi attempting to defeat creatures and goblins and clear stages.