Animated LED Super Mario Bros. Clock: The Time is 1-Up

Crafted by software engineer and Instructables user jnthas, this Super Mario Bros. animated LED clock features Mario jumping up to hit a question block to change the displayed time. How clever is that? Very clever – the answer is very clever. Far more clever than any clock I could ever come up with. Stupid raindial, what was I thinking?!

The clock consists of an ESP32 Dev Board, 64×64 RGB LED Matrix, some firmware, and a 5V power supply, all of which were purchased off AliExpress. You just slap all the parts together, and presto… nothing’s happening. Maybe you don’t just slap them all together as I had anticipated. There might be more steps.

If you want to build your own, you can follow jnthas’s Instructable, which is apparently well written and descriptive enough that multiple people have already replicated the project. Me not being one of them, just so we’re clear. Can somebody make one for me?

Super Mario Bros. Warp Pipe Can Koozie: Don’t Drink the Piranha Plants

Keeping your drink cold: it’s a necessity. Unless you’re drinking coffee or hot chocolate, then it’s the exact opposite of what I said. Besides, there’s already a coffee mug warp pipe for your hot beverage needs. But this is about beverages of the canned variety. And what better way to sip an insulated cold one and pledge your allegiance to old-school gaming than with this Super Mario Bros.-inspired warp pipe can koozie? Luigi would be so proud.

Made by Toynk and available on Amazon (affiliate link), the officially-licensed koozie looks just like an 8-bit warp pipe from the original Super Mario Bros. game for the NES. It will undoubtedly keep my Monster Energy nice and cold while I spent countless, infuriating hours trying to set a new speedrun record for the game, smashing controller after controller and unsettling the neighbors with my screaming.

I can never think of Super Mario Bros. and not think about how when I was a kid I’d convince my brother that the pits on the water levels were actually warp zones, so he’d swim down them and die and it would be my turn again. He still doesn’t trust me to this day.

[via The Awesomer]

Super Mario Bros. Build-A-Light Level Is a Definite 1-Up

The original Super Mario Bros. changed the course of video games as we know it, and arguably the most influential game of all time. And what better way to celebrate that than with a Super Mario Bros light with stackable, interchangeable, light blocks? Okay, I’m sure there actually are better ways to celebrate that, but this article isn’t about those. This is about the light.

The Build-A-Light level, available from FireBox, includes a lighted base and 16 double-sided light blocks to stack as you see fit, constructing the perfect level and lighting ambiance for your gaming room. Or your bedroom. Granted my wife said there will be no Mario light in our bedroom, but she also said the same thing about food, and I keep a stash of OREOs in my bedside table.

But do you think they’ll also release a Super Mario Bros. 3 version if this one is a financial success? Because I’d buy one of those too. And a Metroid one! And The Legend of Zelda! Actually just take my wallet already, Nintendo, you win.

[via The Awesomer]

Animal Crossing’s Mario update lets you recreate the Mushroom Kingdom

If you've been itching to add Super Mario Bros. themed items to your island in Animal Crossing: New Horizons ever since they were teased last month, the wait is almost over. Nintendo is adding a trove of goodies based on the adventures of its plu...

‘Animal Crossing’ updates send Mario and Hello Kitty to Carnival

You can’t attend Carnival in Rio de Janeiro (or anywhere, really) due to the pandemic, but Nintendo thinks it can bring the celebration to you. It’s releasing an Animal Crossing: New Horizons Festivale update on January 28th that delivers that Brazil...

A copy of ‘Super Mario Bros. 3’ sold for $156,000

It seems that one Mario fan/collector found something to do with all of those coins they’ve picked up. Someone bought a rare copy of Super Mario Bros. 3 for $156,000 at auction.  The sealed copy of the NES classic is now the most expensive game ever...

Guy Loops and Remixes Super Mario Bros. Underwater Theme Into Musical Madness

Digital music artist GLASYS looped and remixed the underwater theme from the original Super Mario Bros. using Blooper, a looping pedal recently released from Chase Audio. GLASYS came up with the idea after realizing Blooper is also the name of the squid-like creatures found in underwater Mario levels. No word if an actual lightbulb went off above his head when that happened, but at least in my mind, one did.

Things start off pretty tame in the video; then he begins adding some Beethoven piano into the mix, then things quickly spiral into madness. Obviously, I loved every second of it, even the parts that made my heart race and wonder if I should call my doctor or just risk it and save myself the copay.

So, what’s your fondest Super Mario Bros. memory? Mine was the time I convinced my older brother that a pit in the first underwater level led to warp zone, then watching him immediately die so it would be my turn again. Incidentally, that was also the first time I ever saw a video game controller wielded as a weapon.

[via Digg]

‘Super Mario Bros. 35’: Iconic platformer, so-so battle royale

There are plenty of Mario games that let you compete with other people. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Super Mario Party and Mario Tennis Aces are just a few that you can pick up today for the Nintendo Switch. The original Super Mario Bros., though? Until now,...

‘Super Mario Bros. 35’ turns the classic platformer into a battle royale

In a surprise Nintendo Direct presentation this morning, Nintendo announced a slew of games celebrating Mario’s 35th birthday. One of the most intriguing things on the menu is Super Mario Bros. 35, a battle royale-style reimagining of the original Su...

Super Mario Piranha Plant Light Flexes Its Stalk

One of the most pesky and persistent enemies in the Super Mario universe is the Piranha Plant. These little buggers like top pop up and chomp down on your butt just when you think you can get across a jump. Sure, they look pleasant enough, but as soon as they open their mouths, they go all Audrey 2 on you. Now, you can keep a Piranha Plant on your desk, and you don’t need to feed it a thing.

Paladone’s Piranha Plant lamp comes with its mouth wide open, and looks intimidating as it pokes its head out of a drain pipe. Its green stalk is poseable, so you can bend it to your whim, and aim its light where you want it. Rather than living organic matter, this Piranha Plant is made from plastic, and it’s teeth aren’t sharp enough to break skin. The plant can go anywhere too, since it runs on battery or USB power.

Whether you’ve already got a Super Mario theme going on, or it’s the first thing you add to your decor, people will know immediately that you’re a Nintendo fan – or that you’ve got a really weird green thumb.

You can pick up one of these lamps over on Target for $34.99.