A simple movement made Super Mario a legend

It seems incredible to think about it now, but The fontanero jump It was a real revolution in the arcades when he made his debut Donkey Kong In 1981. That simple gesture, which we take today in any game on the platform, was born with him and redefined the way we understand the interaction in a video game. As Chris Sutherland, programmer recalls Donkey Kong CountryHe wasn’t just jumping: there was Risk and rewardUnexpectedly precise control that made each leap skip in an essential part of the strategy.

Nintendo’s suits and ingenuity

Over time, that same movement has been perfected. In Super Mario BrosFor example, not only served to dodge or move, but also a face the enemies directly. The pressure on the button defined the height and each leap could save you or condemn if you have calculated it badly. That tension, added to the variety of results – how to bounce a koopa instead of eliminating it – made the mechanics shine like never before.

The evolution did not stop there. With Super Mario Bros 3 The iconic costumes arrived: that of Mapche, the hammer … elements designed for It improves Mario’s movements and from freshness to gameplay. As Sutherland points out, Nintendo could have directly introduced the skills, but the costumes added that point of fun and visual clarity that made every transformation at an unforgettable moment. Something that is still in force today, as in Super Mario Bros Wonder And his surprising Mario Elephant.

From the laptop to the third dimension

When Land Super Mario He landed in Game Boy, many feared that the small screen would ruin the experience. However, the simplicity of the funds and the loyalty in control have maintained intact the essence: Mario was still as agile as in the NESBut now it adapts to your pocket. Later, with Super Mario WorldThe plumber has reached new levels of freedom: flying with the cloak, floating like a ball or travel levels accompanied by Yoshi were innovations that opened the doors to infinite possibilities.

The arrival of Super Mario 64 At Nintendo 64 it was another turning point. The mechanics of the jump have moved to a three -dimensional environment, something never seen before. Sutherland remembers him Fun that was exploring freely, running in a circle or jumping backAlthough this meant renouncing the precision of 2D. Nintendo compensated for that difficulty with new movements, such as punches and kicks, creating a new experience that has redefined as a 3D game should feel.

Fontanero’s imprint in other heroes of the platform

Over the years, Mario’s jump style has marked the reason for other emblematic characters. Titles like Sonic the Hedgehog They tried to differentiate themselves with a higher speed, but even there the jump was still the key to defeating the enemies or advanced at the levels. RaymanOn the other hand, he opted for floating control and more creative movements, while modern games such as Celestial They took the idea of ​​the precision leap to the extreme, making it the center of all their narrative and gameplay.

The fun thing is that, although each franchise has found their own seal, Everyone took as a reference to the base established by Mario. The concept of risk and reward, the importance of the times and the satisfaction of the domain of intuitive control have caused the legacy of the hydraulic to remain alive. Without its influence, probably the genre of the platforms would never have reached the place it occupies today in the history of the video game.

The power of water and beyond

Then came Super Mario SunshineWith a Mario equipped with backpack in Flud water. This addition not only contributed with new ways of moving – plans to push clean scenarios, but has also strengthened the idea that Each generation of consoles was to bring a reinvented Mario. A jump is never just a jump when we talk about the most famous plan in the world.

The mechanics that began as a simple idea in the eighties managed to remain fresh for more than forty years. Mario’s jump is not just an iconic movement: it is the basis of an entire genreAnd proof that the most lasting innovation sometimes was born as simple.