Hotel Mario is a puzzle video game developed by Fantasy Factory and published by Philips Interactive Media for the Philips CD-i in 1994. Players control Mario, who must find Princess Toadstool by going through seven hotels in the Mushroom Kingdom; each hotel is divided into stages, and the objective is to close all doors on each stage. Each hotel ends in a boss fight with one of Bowser's Koopalings, culminating in a battle with Bowser.
Hotel Mario was one of four games featuring Nintendo characters published for the CD-i; the others were three Legend of Zelda games. Another Mario game, Super Mario's Wacky Worlds, was never released. Nintendo licensed the characters after reneging on a deal for Philips to create the Super NES's CD-ROM add-on.
Hotel Mario initially received mixed reviews; critics felt it was fun but had no lasting appeal. It has been retrospectively described as one of the worst video games, receiving criticism for its door-closing game mechanic, unresponsive controls, voice acting, and full-motion video cutscenes.
Release Date
- April 5th, 1994
Summary
Hotel Mario is a single-screen puzzle video game. Controlling Mario, or his brother Luigi in two-player mode, the player must search the Klub Koopa Resort for Princess Toadstool, who has been kidnapped by Bowser.
The game comprises seven hotels, which each feature several stages. The player must shut every door in the stage by moving up and down elevators and avoiding enemies. Mario can step on most enemies, as in previous games, but some must be avoided by changing floors or entering an open door. At the end of each hotel, the player engages in a boss fight with a Koopaling; in the final hotel, the player battles Bowser. The game features various power-ups: the Super Mushroom allows Mario to take multiple hits, the Star Man makes him temporarily invincible, and the Fire Flower allows him to throw fireballs.
Sound Effects Used
- Hollywoodedge, Body Falls Various TE027605
- Hollywoodedge, Body Falls Various TE027610
- Hollywoodedge, Wood Door 3 Open SlamM PE180301 (Close sound.)
- Sound Ideas, CARTOON, POP - LARGE CORK POP 02
- Sound Ideas, COMEDY, ACCENT - SLIDE WHISTLE UP
- Sound Ideas, COMEDY, ACCENT - WARBLY SLIDE WHISTLE UP
- Sound Ideas, CARTOON, WHISTLE - SIREN WHISTLE (Heard once in a cutscene when Wendy's Hotel vanishes. This is the first Mario game to use this sound effect.)
- Sound Ideas, ELECTRONIC - MAGICAL ZIP 01 (Heard once in the third cutscene when Mario is sucked into a pipe.)
- Sound Ideas, ELECTRONIC - MAGICAL ZAP 06
- Sound Ideas, ORCHESTRA BELLS - GLISS, UP, MUSIC, PERCUSSION
- Sound Ideas, THUNDER - THUNDER CLAP, LOTS OF CRACKLE, WEATHER
- Sound Ideas, THUNDER - THUNDER CLAP, WEATHER
- Sound Ideas, TREE FALLING - TREE FALLING IN FOREST, LOGGING
