The first-ever live-action adaptation of a video game for TV came out in 1989 and was based on the enormously popularSuper Mario Bros.game, but with a twist. While video game-inspired live-action movies have always been somewhat popular, it took a long time for the industry to see the potential in live-action video game shows.
We are now inthe golden age of video game adaptations, with shows likeFalloutandThe Last of Uspleasing not only fans of the source material but general audiences. WithGod of Waralso set to get the TV treatment, it doesn’t look like this trend of high-budget adaptations will stop anytime soon. However, the first live-action video game adaptation for TV had a very different look and style.
The Super Mario Bros. Super Show! Included Live-Action Segments
The Super Mario Bros. Super Show! Was Actually About Plumbing
The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!was mostly animated, but it had some live-actionsegmentsin each episode. These starred WWF wrestler “Captain” Lou Albano as Mario, and featured different special guests, who would either play themselves or aSuper Mariocharacter. The series introduced its own lore, and funnily enough, it is still one ofthe best cartoons based on Nintendo characters.
The brothers would warp into the Mushroom Kingdom, which would be familiar to fans of theSuper Mariogames.
Whilemost of theSuper Mario Bros.franchise games involved fun quests and missions,The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!was hilariously different. The TV show was actually about plumbing, and featured Mario and Luigi’s professions as a major plot point. The episodes would generally start as live action, as the brothers tried to work on their day jobs while Mario recited entries in his Plumbers' Log.
The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!episodes usually began with Mario and Luigi working as plumbers, before the brothers would warp into the Mushroom Kingdom, which would be familiar to fans of theSuper Mariogames. This hilarious detail set the show apart from otherTV shows based on video gamesand was a creative choice that was far ahead of its time.
It Took Decades For Live-Action Video Game Adaptations To Be Taken Seriously
Video Game Adaptations Have Come A Long Way Since The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!
The late 1990s and early 2000s were a major breakthrough for live-action video game adaptations, with theLara Croftmovie arguably being the most successful. That said, these were not always taken seriously. The success ofGame of Thronesrevealed the potential for epic high-budget TV shows based on IPs, launching a new era of television where series likeFalloutcould exist.
Although we’ve seen some incredible live-action video game shows these last couple of years, animation continues to be a great medium for video game adaptations.Super Mario Brosrecently got a billion-dollar animated movie, and shows such asArcane,Castlevania, andCyberpunk: Edgerunnershave all been successful.
The Last Of Us
Cast
The Last of Us is a post-apocalyptic drama series set two decades after a global catastrophe. It follows Joel, a seasoned survivor, who is tasked with escorting Ellie, a teenage girl, across a desolated United States, transforming into a harrowing journey of survival and companionship.
Fallout
Set 200 years after an apocalypse, Fallout follows residents of luxury shelters as they re-enter a post-nuclear world. Confronted with a bizarre and violent landscape, the series explores the stark contrasts between their sheltered existence and the harsh realities of the outside universe.
The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!
The Super Mario Bros. Super Show! is a 1989 television series that brought the popular Nintendo characters Mario, Luigi, Princess Toadstool, and King Koopa to life with animated adventures. The show also included live-action segments featuring Mario and Luigi in their Brooklyn plumbing shop before their adventures in the Mushroom World.
