httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tz8qsmLmgI4
[ Or, to those with trouble seeing the video, here’s a direct link! ]
Super Mario Bros. Z was a massive fan undertaking by one Mark Haynes, also known as Alvin Earthworm, that began way back on Newgrounds in 2006, acting as a crossover between the Mario and Sonic the Hedgehog games with gorgeous Dragon Ball Z-inspired fighting sequences layered on top.
With the seven Chaos Emeralds warped away from a Mobius reduced to ashes, it was up to Mario, Luigi, Yoshi, Sonic, and Shadow to gather the mystical gems and keep them from the tyrannical Mecha Sonic’s clutches, all while dealing with Bowser’s latest attempt at conquering the Mushroom Kingdom.
The animated webseries earned a phenomenal following in its heyday, until production ultimately ceased following the eighth episode, “The Great Doomship Defensive”, in 2009. Due to a busier life offline and waning investment (which is, all in all, completely understandable), Mark withdrew from the Super Mario Bros. Z scene and laid the series to rest, as SMBZ then became an object of nostalgia for many of the web’s denizens while time marched on.
The inaugural battle between Mario and Metal Bowser, the brawls between Team Mario, the Koopa Bros, and the revived Axem Rangers X, the destruction of Yoshi’s Island, the 8bit battles that rocked the fabled Minus World, the introduction of Fire Sonic, that Mecha Mario tease… Needless to say, SMBZ had a lot of memorable high points.
The last that was heard from the series was a rather bizarre 2010 April Fools’ short and an upload of what would’ve been the intro from Episode 9…
…until Mark spontaneously released an animation test back in October 2013 – a remake of SMBZ’s very first scene. He advised fans not to get too excited, or to take it as confirmation that he would be working on the series again, but spoke of a number of alterations he would perform to the story, some of the fight scenes, and dialogue if he went ahead with rebuilding the series from the ground up.
Well folks, get ready to party like it’s 2006, because it is happening. Attributing the introduction of Flash-to-HD Video software Swivel as a major plus, the returned Alvin Earthworm has formally announced that Super Mario Bros. Z is being revived, and that the first episode is indeed on the way!
And, to build up hype for fans old and new, Mark has even gone and redone the opening sequence for the series to kick things off. Compare with the old opening on Newgrounds! Revisit and marathon the old series (NG / YT)! Get in touch with your old Internet friends from way back when and spread the word! Don a banana suit and shout “I LOVE CEREAL!” to the heavens before spontaneously com–––okay, okay, don’t do that, but hey, you get the idea! GET EXCITED!
Super Mario Bros. Z is BACK!
Mark Haynes, Alvin Earthworm, all the best to you, and glad to have you back!
Were you around during the first run of SMBZ? What were some of your favourite moments, or your most favourite battles from the show? Is this the first time you’ve heard of the series as it is? Let us know below!
And if I may add anything else… might I just say that this really takes me back to the old VGLan days.
…wow, I feel old.
IT HAS RETURNED! THE DAY HAS COME!
The Sprite animation gods have come back to bring us this… WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Tikel is now playable is Sonic Runners as a Roulette prize to give the heads up.
O_O …
WIIIIIIIIII!!!! 😀
I can’t believe this series is coming back! I watched every episode of the original, and I hope this reboot lives up to that reputation.
YUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
WUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUT???????????????????????
Wow, talk about nostalgic.
I think sprite animations are making a comeback now too!~
I feel like I’m back in high school again! =D
Good gravy, has it REALLY been gone long enough for people to be nostalgic toward it? I never realized how old the series is at this point.
Glad to see it back. Honestly, I’m perfectly happy with how the episodes were the first time around, so wading through remakes of the first 8 episodes before we get to new content is gonna be TORRRRTUUUURRREEEEE.
Bring on Super Mario Bros. Z Kai, lol! X)
Can’t wait. The series went from strength to strength as the episodes came out so if a reboot can improve on the originals I’m game. We’ll also get to see the full story.
I never really got into it, myself, but this is certainly welcome news for those of you that love it. I might take this opportunity to give it another shot myself, even.
im glad that he is back for making the series its awsome and i guess he took a little break from all of this maybe because he has been paying bills or something so its really been a blast to see the series but i dont know when will it start.
YESSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! FINALLY!!!!!!!!!!
Dis gonna be good!
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This was one of my fondness memories. Certainly gave my high school buds and me something to talk about. This was the animation that inspired so many people, if this haven’t been created I would have never grow my pixel artist talent and be a fully independent game dev.