The Mario Franchise is one of the most well known video game franchises of all time, the face of the Nintendo brand, and has been going strong for around 35 years. What are levels and worlds? Who are the characters appearing as the face of the franchise? What are enemies, and how has the Mario franchise diversified over time? Listen to part two of this episode to learn about these details and a whole lot more!

Timestamps:

00:54 - Gameplay + Mario Basics

> 04:59 - What can Mario do?

> 07:03 - Items

> 12:09 - Question Blocks

> 13:08 - Obstacles

> 17:37 - Basic Objective(s)

19:53 - Worlds + Levels

> 20:10 - Worlds

> 20:42 - Levels

> 24:34 - The Broader Function of Worlds + Levels

28:02 - Characters & Enemies

> 29:08 - Main Characters

> 41:55 - Enemies

50:03 - Spin-Offs

Resources/Links:

- Official Mario Website (History)

- Waluigi 

- Donkey Kong (character)

- Charles Martinet (voice actor)

- Really Freakin’ Clever - 192 Things WRONG with Super Mario Galaxy (COMPLETE SERIES) 

- Nintendo Switch - Bowser & Bowser Jr. - Parental Controls Trailer

Games (mentioned in this episode):

- Super Mario Odyssey

- Super Mario Sunshine

- Super Mario Bros.

- Super Mario Galaxy

(NOTE: Except for Super Mario Odyssey, these games are described in the encyclopedia cited below.)

Spin-Off Series (mentioned in this episode):

- Mario Strikers Charged

- Mario Power Tennis

- Mario Hoops 3-on-3

- Mario Golf

- Donkey Kong Country

- Mario Kart

- Mario Party

- Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga

- Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis

- Luigi's Mansion

Super Mario Bros. Encyclopedia - The Official Guide. Translated by William Flanagan and Zack Davisson. Milwaukie: Dark Horse Books, 2015.

(I do not claim ownership over the products, sources, and images that come from this game; images have been taken from my own game and are solely being used for entertainment purposes. Enjoy this photo of Cat Mario and Luigi.)

Pokémon Sword and Shield, released in 2019, were the latest Pokémon code series games introduced until the recent announcement of remakes and a premake releasing in late 2021 and early 2022 respectively. A game already reviewed here at The Lab, there has been a thought which considers a ‘what if’ scenario that explores the possibility of these games having a more engaging storyline. Would it improve the quality of gameplay and pacing, or would it reveal the true nature of these games? Does storytelling have this ability, or is it merely a component rather than a determining factor? The Lore Research Lab aims at answering these questions in an ambitious attempt to reconstruct the storyline of Pokémon Sword and Shield; this third and final part includes a revised version of the Pokémon Sword and Shield storyline, other comments, digressions, and suggestions, concluding with thoughts on this project and what this can tell us about video games in respect to storytelling.

Timestamps:

00:02 - The Reorganized/Revised Plot

13:29 - Commentary Retrospect

> 13:42 - The Role of the Legendary Pokémon

> 20:18 - Other Suggestions

53:21 - Conclusions

Resources/Links:

- Pokémon Sword and Shield Main Game Storyline

- Galar Region

- Galar Gym Challenge

Characters:

- Galar Champion: Leon

- Gym Leader: Opal

- Gym Leader: Piers 

- Main Rival: Hop

- Marnie

- Bede

- Sonia

- Peony & Peonia

Lore:

- Wishing Pieces and Stars

- Eternatus

- Zacian & Zamazenta

Battle Mechanics:

- Mega Evolution

- Z-Moves

- Dynamax

(I do not claim ownership over the products, sources, and images that come from this game; images have been taken from my own game and are solely being used for entertainment purposes.)

Pokémon Sword and Shield, released in 2019, were the latest Pokémon code series games introduced until the recent announcement of remakes and a premake releasing in late 2021 and early 2022 respectively. A game already reviewed here at The Lab, there has been a thought which considers a ‘what if’ scenario that explores the possibility of these games having a more engaging storyline. Does storytelling have this ability, or is it merely a component rather than a determining factor? The Lore Research Lab aims at answering these questions in an ambitious attempt to reconstruct the storyline of Pokémon Sword and Shield; this second part describes commentary and observations that reflect what can be shifted around and what would stay based on The Lab's rules required to conduct this experiment.

Timestamps:

00:01 - Recap

08:06 - Commentary

> 11:09 - Starting in Postwick + Meeting Hop

> 14:30 - Starter Pokémon

> 16:24 - Slumbering Weald

> 17:09 - Wedgehurst + Meeting Sonia

> 19:09 - Arrival in Motostoke

> 30:05 - To Turrfield, Hulbury + Back to Motostoke

> 33:02 - Onward to Hammerlocke + Stow-On-Side

> 41:13 - Circhester

> 42:59 - Spikemuth

> 44:10 - Back to Hammerlocke

> 51:29 - Heading to Wyndon + Rose Tower Episode

> 54:19 - Plot Twist + Digressions 

> 1:07:33 - Back to the Slumbering Weald + Eternatus

> 1:15:41 - Facing Leon(?)

> 1:18:50 - Post-Game Scenario 

Resources/Links:

- Pokémon Sword and Shield Main Game Storyline

- Galar Region

- Galar Gym Challenge

Characters:

- Galar Champion: Leon

- Main Rival: Hop

- Marnie

- Bede

- Sonia

Lore:

- Wishing Pieces and Stars

- Eternatus

- Zacian & Zamazenta

Locations:

- Hammerlocke

- Hammerlocke Gym

(NOTE: This experiment required a lot of references, so I had to distribute the links across parts.)

(I apologize for background noises. I do not claim ownership over the products, sources, and images that come from this game; images have been taken from my own game and are solely being used for entertainment purposes.)

Pokémon Sword and Shield, released in 2019, were the latest Pokémon core series games introduced until the recent announcement of remakes and a premake releasing in late 2021 and early 2022 respectively. A game already reviewed here at The Lab, there has been a thought which considers a ‘what if’ scenario that explores the possibility of these games having a more engaging storyline. Would it improve the quality of gameplay and pacing, or would it reveal the true nature of these games? Does storytelling have this ability, or is it merely a component rather than a determining factor? The Lore Research Lab aims at answering these questions in an ambitious attempt to reconstruct the storyline of Pokémon Sword and Shield; this first part presents the goals of the project, criteria determining what can be shifted around, and a description of the original storyline.

Timestamps:

00:21 - Goals + Context

> 02:10 - What is this experiment about?

> 07:07 - Guiding Principle(s)

09:17 - Methodology + Rules

> 09:38 - Focus #1

> 11:28 - Focus #2

> 12:20 - Focus #3

> 13:42 - The Lab's Rules

24:42 - Quick Disclaimer

25:37 - The Original Storyline

Resources/Links:

- Pokémon Sword and Shield Main Game Storyline

- Galar Region 

- Galar Gym Challenge

(NOTE: This experiment required a lot of references, so I have distributed the references across each part, since I cannot fit them all into a single description box.)

(Creator's Note: I apologize for the terrible sounding audio at the beginning. I do not claim ownership over the products, sources, and images that come from this game; images have been taken from my own game and are solely being used for entertainment purposes.)

In this special episode, The Lore Research Lab celebrates a benchmark anniversary; one year since The Lore Research Lab began! The two researchers best known for their inability to string together a coherent sentence present this unfiltered episode of banter and conversations about video games while playing video games to honour this occasion.

(Creator's Note: Thank you to everyone that has listened thus far, it is greatly appreciated! We use strong language (for dramatic + comedic emphasis) and discuss various things that involve cartoon violence (which might come across as graphic) - listen with caution. All unfiltered banter was done in good fun, and we may bring up things discussed in this episode in future ones, who knows! A big thank you again!)   

The Mario Franchise is one of the most well known video game franchises of all time, the face of the Nintendo brand, and has been going strong for around 35 years. But what is there to know about this franchise? What were its origins, and what is the franchise’s relationship to video game consoles? Listen to part one of this episode to learn about a summary of the franchise's origins and the consoles Mario games were and are playable on.

Resources/Links:

- Official Mario Website (History) 

- Chris Crawford on Game Design 

- The History of Super Mario Bros. 

- Gaming’s Most important evolutions 

- Donkey Kong (1981) 

- Arcade Game 

- Video Game Console 

(NOTE: Check the hyperlinks within the page to find the video game consoles that are discussed in this episode, or search it up individually.)

Electronic Games (1983) Vol. 1 (11) Accessible at: https://archive.org/stream/Electronic_Games_Volume_01_Number_11_1983-01_Reese_Communications_US#page/n49/mode/2up

Kent, Steven L. 2010. “The Ultimate History of Video Games.” Vol. 1: Crown. Accessible at: https://books.google.ca/books?id=PTrcTeAqeaEC&redir_esc=y

Kohler, Chris. 2005. Power-Up: How Japanese Video Games Gave the World an Extra Life. Indiana: BradyGames.

Super Mario Bros. Encyclopedia - The Official Guide. Translated by William Flanagan and Zack Davisson. Milwaukie: Dark Horse Books. 2015.

(Creator's Note: Sorry for any random cuts, had some editing issues. I do not claim ownership over the products, sources, and images that come from this game; images have been taken from my own game and are solely being used for entertainment purposes. Enjoy this photo of Cat Mario and Luigi.)

In response to the latest news from the Pokémon franchise, we have learned of a core series game that will be introduced in 2022: Pokémon Legends: Arceus. For new fans, this may come across as perplexing, and considering the latest remakes are based in the same region within this universe, what does this all mean? What could this game be about as one situated in a distant past, what are some interesting connections, and how does this closely relate to Japanese culture, aesthetics, and folklore? The researcher best known for rambling and struggling to form coherent sentences breaks down their initial thoughts upon seeing the released footage, their observations, and what this could mean for the franchise itself in this content-heavy episode discussing Pokémon.

Timestamps:

00:23 - Preliminary Info

04:53 - Reveal + Explanation

> 06:45 - Reveal

> 14:39 - Explanation

> 20:53 - Observations

34:55 - Theory

> 35:13 - Starters 

> 43:09 - Geography Comparisons

> 56:00 - What about the Legendary Pokémon?

> 59:02 - Team Galactic Connections?

Resources/Links:

- Pokémon Direct Video 

(NOTE: At roughly 12:36, the Pokémon Legends: Arceus reveal happens. Everything preceding this discusses Pokémon Snap and the upcoming remakes titled Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl.)

- Sinnoh Region 

- Team Galactic 

- Pokémon Sword & Shield: Isle of Armour 

Pokémon Examples:

- Sinnoh Pokedex 

- Rowlet, Cyndaquil, Oshawott

- Sinnoh Legendary Pokémon 

Sekien, Toriyama. 2017. Japandemonium Illustrated: The Yōkai Encyclopedias of Toriyama Sekien, translated by Yoda, Hiroko and Matt Alt. Dover Publications.

(Creator's Note: Please refer to Episode 2 discussing Pokémon if further background is needed. I apologize for any random background noise; I must mention that this isn't exactly a spoiler-free episode in regards to earlier games, nor is this a definitive theory as the game has yet to be released. Some content in this episode deals with myths and folklore in the real world; all research discussing such information is explained and described solely from a scholarly perspective. I do not claim ownership over the products, sources, and images that come from this game; images have been taken from the "Pokémon Direct Video (26.2.21)"  and are solely being used for entertainment purposes.)

Just today, the Pokémon franchise has some big news for us about the upcoming games we shall see come out this year, later this year, and next year. Listen to an unfiltered rambling from one of the researchers here at The Lore Research Lab as they struggle to contain their excitement and discuss near immediate thoughts, ideas, and what this means for the franchise (and The Lab) after watching the video.

> Pokémon Direct Video 

(I apologize for any background noise, and as stated, this was a genuine, unedited reaction of my thoughts upon hearing the news. I may add some edits and additional narration if necessary in the near future. Sorry for the rambling! Edit: been filtering through some of what's being said online about this news, and I think there is still ambivalence towards/possible disappointment in what we got (Sinnoh remakes/Pokémon Legends: Arceus). I don't believe I address this very well in my rambling, but this topic may still be divisive for some, so bear in mind that this episode is entirely my opinion and an overall positive reaction to the news. I would suggest looking elsewhere for a more balanced critique.)

Immortals Fenyx Rising is a fairly new addition to the video game library; its open-world environment demands exploration, and its action-packed game style has won it acclaim. But is it worth playing? How has it adapted and reimagined the Greek pantheon of gods as part of the gaming experience? One half of the Lore Research Lab’s verbally inconsistent duo is back for their second ever solo episode to tell you what they thought of the game, because there are reasons for everything!

Timestamps:

00:24 - Overview of Premise + Plot

03:00 - Gameplay

08:40 - Ancient Source Material

12:22 - Conclusions & More

Resources:

- Immortals Fenyx Rising Information 

(Creator's Note: Some content in this episode deals with religions and myths in the real world; all research discussing such information is explained and described solely from a scholarly perspective. I do not claim ownership over the products, sources, and images that come from this game; images have been taken from my own game and are solely being used for entertainment purposes.)

One of the Nintendo Switch titles that propelled its meteoric rise in the gaming scene, Super Mario Odyssey is a fun adventure that sees Mario exploring many worlds and eclectic locations that are nothing short of dazzling and spectacular! Behind that spectacle is an interesting background, myth, and history that (potentially) underpins the framework of the game; first of all, what is an Odyssey? The Odyssey?? The Lore Research Lab’s verbally incoherent duo returns to theorize about this game, to explain how Mario’s journey in this game is closely rooted in a ‘mythical homecoming’, and a whole lot more.

Timestamps:

00:26 - The Basic Story of Super Mario Odyssey

07:42 - Gameplay Overview

21:06 - Exploring the Kingdoms

31:11 - Theorizing about The Odyssey

46:46 - Conclusions & More

Resources/Helpful Links:

- Super Mario Odyssey 

- Super Mario Odyssey Kingdoms 

- Pauline 

- Donkey Kong (1981) 

- Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind 

Homer, 2018. The Odyssey. Translated by Emily Wilson. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, Inc.

Super Mario Bros. Encyclopedia - The Official Guide. Translated by William Flanagan and Zack Davisson. Milwaukie: Dark Horse Books. 2015.

(Creator's Note: Some content in this episode deals with religions and myths in the real world; all research discussing such information is explained and described solely from a scholarly perspective. We do not claim ownership over the products, sources, and images that come from this game; images have been taken from our own copies of the game and are solely being used for entertainment purposes.)