Ceave Gaming has done some amazing things in Mario games, like beating New Super Luigi. U without collecting or touching a single gold coin. But in his latest video, Ceave dives into the overall history of Mario. He looks back at the first levels in every 2D Mario game to figure out what makes this series so special and loved by fans decades after its first game.
The original Mario level, World 1-1, is well known for being an amazing level that teaches the player how to play the game. Though it is really more impressive than that.
As Ceave points out, the 2D Mario platformers haven’t really changed all that much, meaning that the first level of that classic game essentially teaches you everything you need to know to play most Mario games. From Goombas, to Stars to invisible blocks, that first level efficiently teaches the player the core elements of the entire Mario franchise.
Other Mario games would continue having great first levels. Super Mario Bros 3, for example, includes more enemies and many new features. You can find a Super Leaf and then explore a totally optional part of the level located in the skies above the stage.
Looking at each first stage is also a wonderful way to see the evolution of the franchise, though it never changed too much. Just a new enemy or a new theme, maybe a new move or two. But these simple changes helped make each entry feel unique and memorable.
The entire video is worth watching as Ceave goes into more detail about each game, including the portable 2D games and talks about the different physics, rules and more.