Super Mario (franchise)/Fanfic Recs

Proof that the remaining 10% is worth getting a game over for here:

These are recommendations made by Tropers for the Super Mario Bros., all of which have been signed. After a few samples, you will be able to judge whether you might be interested in the 'fic, based on who recommended it. No-name recommendations will be Zapped (wiki). Nobody would back up the rec. Discussion of the recommendation is welcome on the discussion page. As such discussion is important, do remember to add the discussion page to the watchlist, if need be.

Do warn when a fanfic may head into Not Safe for Work or non-canon territory. Some people just don't like it, and as we all know, Shipping is Serious Business.

Authors, and Websites
The Second Reality Project series by FPI.
 * Recommended by NESBoy
 * A fantastic series of Super Mario World ROM hacks, where Mario explores the eponymous dimension. The first game is admitingly the weakest in the series, with a serious case of Platform Hell towards the end of the game. Its only strong point is the excellent level design. FPI later released an SNES version that tones down the Platform Hell, but it wasn't until a few years later when FPI released The Second Reality Project Reloaded, which drops the Princess Peach kidnapping plot thread in order to flesh out the overlying storyline of Bowser's discovery of the Second Reality. It also updates the graphics to a much higher standard and adds a new soundtrack, a new secret world known as Thirdspace, and a new ending, complete with a Sequel Hook if you have Hundred-Percent Completion. Then there's the sequel, Zycloboo's Challenge which was developed between the original and the remake and thus doesn't have the same level of graphical excellence as Reloaded, but it's still a good game. The upcoming third hack, The Fellowship of the Switch, appears to be turning up the Sequel Escalation with all parties of the TSRP series getting involved, although the storyline isn't properly revealed yet. For something supplementary, try Chaos CompleXX, which is basically Thirdspace from TSRPR infused with Stylistic Suck.

General Fics
''Stories focused on the family and the friendly relationships of the cast. Plot-focused stories or light day-in-the-life stories. Pretty much anything that isn't focused on romance.''

Princess Power! by Boo Destroyer
 * Recommended by Shadow Man 2
 * Synopsis: A game idea that revolves around Peach, Daisy, and Rosalina coming together in their own adventure. And this time, with the help of E. Gadd, they've got a new kind of power to strike back.
 * Comments: An interesting take on Peach Daisy and Rosalina as transforming superheroines in their own adventure, and very well thought out of a game idea (Better than Super Princess Peach, at that). Give it a good read through and you'll find yourself wanting it to be an actual game!

Mario Bros by Alexander Leon
 * Recommended by Nexus, jaimeastorga2000
 * Synopsis: This flash movie series, using sprites from the original NES games, takes the typical plot of Peach getting kidnapped by Bowser, but deconstructs it. Much, MUCH Better Than It Sounds.
 * Comments: Words simply cannot do these flash movies justice, but I'll try. If you ever wanted to see a well-done Darker and Edgier and cynical Mario, complete with a truly dramatic and tear jerking story, along with battles as epic in scope as the ones in the The Lord of the Rings movies, this is a must-see. My favorite flash movie series, along with Power Star (see below) and Super Mario Bros. Z.

Rise of the Mushroom Kingdom Part 2, Part 3, Part 4 by Randy Solem
 * Recommended by Nexus
 * Synopsis: Inspired by the above series, the citizens of the Mushroom Kingdom decide to finish off the koopas once and for all after tragedy strikes. This series has more humor in it, as well as ridiculously over-the-top violence.
 * Comments: Be warned that this series contains a lot of bathroom humor.

Super Mario Bros Z
 * Recommended by Known Unknown
 * Synopsis: A sprite animation crossover between Mario and Sonic the Hedgehog in a homage to Dragonball Z. Sonic and Shadow arrive in Mario's universe in search of Chaos Emeralds, which have been sent there to keep them away from a villain who has already destroyed their home universe. Now everyone wants their hands on the power, and the race is on.
 * Comments: Very well animated, and gets better as the series goes on. The plot ain't too shabby either, mixing a DBZ style plot with MarioAndLuigi/PaperMario style shenanigans. The entire series can be found here. Beware of imitations.

Power Star by Daniel Sun
 * Recommended by Nexus
 * Synopsis: In this (now complete) series of flash movies, Mario gets possessed by Boos, prompting him to become Brainwashed and Crazy AND Taking A Level In Badass! Only Luigi can stop him before he can acquire all of the Power Stars (from Super Mario 64.)
 * Comments: One of the best Mario flash movies ever. Beautifully animated fight scenes along with a very well-thought out story. It must be seen to be believed.

Power Star 4.5 by Jon Bro
 * Recommended by Nexus (Yes, I really like flash movies)
 * Synopsis: A parody of the above flash series.
 * Comments: A bit of a warning: If you watch this right after the above series, prepare for some SERIOUS Mood Whiplash.

Bowser's Kingdom by Andrew Raskin and pthouse
 * Recommended by Hanz
 * Synopsis: Follows the exploits of Punch Clock Villains Jeff the Goomba and Hal the Koopa as they survive mimimum wage and Bowser as their boss.
 * Comments: Entertaining series with some incredible Epic Fail moments from the main characters (such as amongst others).
 * Now with its own page.

Super Mario Reloaded by Toonimated
 * Recommended by Nexus
 * Synopsis: The entire Burly Brawl fight in The Matrix Reloaded completely re-animated with Mario as Neo and Luigi as Agent Smith.
 * Comments:

''[http://mfgg.net/index.php?act=resdb¶m=02&c=2&id=5278 Let's Go! Thingio!]'' by Tech Wing
 * Recommended by Edrobot
 * Synopsis: Basicly a visual Crack Fic, Thingio is a short video game about Mario, Geno, and the leader of the Rub Rabbits trying to save the world in the name of Truth Pasta, Justiace Pasta and the american way Gunpei Yokoi. The gameplay and story itself is So Bad It's Good on purpose, but the more annoying sections can be skipped thanks to a password system. Sadly, it's a dead fic, "Side B" has been stuck in Development Hell for a few years now, and has probably been abandoned. Oh, yes, and you have to download a couple DLL's off the MFGG site to play, so just go to the MISC menu, and look under "System Files". Trust me, it's worth it.
 * Comments:

Mario Goes to Disney World by Super Hyper Mario 128 III
 * Recommended by Steel Komodo
 * Synopsis: Exactly What It Says on the Tin. Mario, Luigi, Peach, Daisy, Wario and Waluigi go on a vacation to Walt Disney World to celebrate Peach's birthday. Bowser and son, as usual, try to spoil everything. Hilarity Ensues.
 * Comments: An incredibly funny and inspired fan fiction. Despite the blatant Product Placement (and the subsequent comments from Wario), and the fact that no-one seems to care Nintendo characters are running around, the whole thing is pulled off very well. Everyone stays remarkably in character in their new surroundings, the awkward romance between Luigi and Daisy is well played-out, the fic itself is very descriptive, and Wario and Waluigi's capers are funny to the last. All in all, a very good read.

Super Mario 63 (game. There only exist two sites that have the full version, this is one of them) (Possible AU)
 * Recommended by Great Pikmin Fan
 * Synopsis: This starts out with the typical "Bowser kidnaps Peach" plot, but it's more deep than that. It turns out that Bowser has this "orb of power" that lets him summon a meteor to destroy the world (this is because the orb of power took over Bowser's mind).
 * Comments: Hands down, no contest, the best mario fan game. the only game that even comes close is Super Mario Flash.

Three Little Princesses by "The Bourgyman" Yves Bourgelas
 * Recommended by Burstkiller
 * Synopsis: Peach and Daisy hear loud noises from the outside of the castle. Upon realizing it is nothing but a bulky, exploding spaccraft that makes such noise, they decide to go sneak a peek. It is only then that they get to meet Rosalina, the watcher of the stars, whose comet observatory crashed on Peach's garden not too long ago after encountering a meteor from a little too close. Rosalina's only way to get back on track isn't available until the day after, so the two princesses decide that the best way they can entertain their guest (as well as themselves) for the night, is to organize a sleepover. Hilarity Ensues.
 * Comments: A very twisted and hilarious take on Peach, Daisy and Rosalina that will put a smile on your face. The artwork is cute, fun and energetic with a great range of emotions. Bonus points for the use of . Also posted on DeviantArt.

Paper Mario: The Temple of the Sun, by that one little guy
 * Recommended by Spiri Tsunami, The Otaku Ninja
 * Synopsis:A brand new Paper Mario game, along the vein of Thousand-Year Door. Mario and Luigi accompany Peach to the land of Chronoside, but when a thieving Goomba steals Mario's hammer, the heroic plumber chases him into the Temple of the Sun. While the two of them are in there, something happens to split Chronoside in two--one world where it's always daytime, and one where it's always night...
 * Comments: A very ambitious undertaking, as it is essentially creating a new game from scratch. Currently in Chapter 4 (as of 9/10/10). There are only a total of six Sun Souls, not the usual seven, so it will be interesting to see if there are still eight stages.
 * Seconded, the characters are interesting, the settings are nicely described, and the whole thing comes together in a very well-crafted story. Hell, this fic deserves its own page.
 * Will do.

King of the Koopas by Lemony Shephard
 * Recommended by: User:The Otaku Ninja
 * Synopsis: Prequel to Super Mario 64. We all know Bowser as The Villain but what is his story? Is he evil at all? SO much happened before Mario popped up, and you'll never look at Toads, Koopas, or Peach the same ever again! COMPLETE!
 * Comments: Mainly inspired by Wicked this story give us a different look at the Mario-verse, one that shows that things are not as clear-cut as you think they are.

A Heart of Stone by General Luigi
 * Recommended by: User:The Otaku Ninja
 * Synopsis: What happened to Bowser that made him the villain so many gamers know and love? This story tells of his life before Peach and anyone else. Please note that every now and then, a chapter will be in the time after Paper Mario 2.
 * Comments: Another take on Bowser's past, this one based off Russian history. Nicely done and well-thought out, it ties together some of the games into its story.

Appositus Obscurum by Ms Devin 92
 * Recommended by Marioman 19
 * Synopsis: Something wicked this way comes...A foreboding premonition, a series of nightmares, an encroaching darkness...The stage has been set. The pieces are coming together. The strings are in place. Can our heroes stand and face their greatest challenge yet?
 * Comments: Ms Devin manages to capture the personalities of all of the characters perfectly. It manages to make itself known at the start and manages to combine every single great thing about the Paper Mario games and the Mario and Luigi games and turn them into an extremely epic fanfic.
 * Status: Sadly, this fic has been deleted.

Cassie by Dr. Adrian Crimony (AU)
 * Recommended by Iggy Koopa
 * Synopsis: A Shy Guy and a Birdo embark on a journey to enslave all the Yoshi in the world.
 * Comments: A twisted and darkly comedic work. It's particularly admirable in how it takes obscure details from the video game series (particularly Super Mario World) and strings them together.
 * Seconded by The Otaku Ninja, this fic has a very Fight Club-ish vibe to it, describing a world very much like ours... with some exceptions.

More Than You Know by Pedestrians
 * Recommended by Happyman
 * Synopsis: Princess Peach is kidnapped on the night of the Mushroom Ball. She is devastated until she meets Bowser's children and learns that they are much different than the spoiled brats everyone thinks they are.
 * Comments: The most striking trait of this story is its interesting and unique depiction of the koopalings, in which they're portrayed as something more than "Bowser's minions who also happen to be his children", as well as the awesome characterization of Peach and Bowser.
 * It has its own page

''The Brothers Mario
 * Recommended by Jack Mackerel
 * Synopsis - You want a REAL grim n' gritty Mario? Turn it into a Mafia crime story. A damn fine Machinima with great animation and angles. See if you can spot all the Shout Outs.

Waluigi's Adventure by Yoshizilla-Rhedosaurus
 * Recommended by Patrobotnik
 * Synopsis: Waluigi basically goes on an adventure to save Princess Daisy from a strange mechanical menace, with the help of Toadette, Petey Piranha, and Gooper Blooper.
 * Comments: An incredibly simple but well executed adventure fanfic that stars Waluigi and places him in the starring role, with Petey and Gooper coming along for the ride. Also has an intriguing rivalry in a Porygon-Z.

Fibra by Usami
 * Recommended by Blazichu
 * Synopsis: After making off with one of E. Gadd's latest inventions, Bowser's acting out his latest plan to take over the Mushroom Kingdom, but this time, he's got an unprecedented ally-- Luigi. It's mostly a genfic, but there are some undeniable hints of a Luigi/Daisy romance.
 * Comments: I cannot recommend this fic heartily enough-- it's a real treat for fans of 'the man in green'.

Super Smash by Ferguson Winston
 * Recommended by Thecommander236
 * Synopsis: It's time for Mario, Luigi, and Toad to put Bowser in his place. They are greeted by the tyrant king at the entrance of his castle and no one's in the mood for words.
 * Comments: An outlandish animated short, whose preview scored a decent 4.28 on Newgrounds and won an award, that finally hit the scene over a year later and scored a 4.43 and bagged two awards. It displays the plumbers and the little shroom as ganstas, but in a good way. The action is great and (YMMV) the changes are too weird hate. It humorously depicts Mario as a fat gansta who doesn't wear a shirt and has a cap that covers his eyes, Luigi is a lanky junky who takes fire flowers as joints, and Toad, despite being a foot tall, is actually displayed as a Badass and he borders on Butler status. You'll either love it or hate it, but, surprising, a lot of people love it.

Luigi: Two Lights' Hero by Meinos Kaen
 * Recommended by Thecommander236
 * Synopsis: Luigi and Mario are traveling through the forest one day when Luigi sees a orb of lightning appear that streaks to hit Mario. Mario had been distracted and, without thinking about his own concern, Luigi jumps into the path of the projectile. It transports him to a strange yet familiar world where he meets a dark king and he looks exactly like Luigi! It seems something in this world has gone wrong and he's trapped in the middle of a bloody revolution to overthrow the so-called King Maluigi. In order to get home, he must become stronger and he has to fight without his brother's help.
 * Comments: The story is a deconstruction of the Overshadowed, Woobie, and The Unfavorite younger brother. It paints an interesting picture of how a overshadowed character would react to the fanbase of the series. Mario came first and Luigi was painted as a coward, so no one in the Mushroom Kingdom respected him or treated him like the hero he was. After all, Mario was the older and the more daring twin. The sci-fi and magical elements add a unique flavor to the series. In this universe Luigi was so angered by his Aloof Big Brother and the lack of respect he received that he trained to earn it, but then he disappeared and he returned evil. It has an interesting subversion of Cain and Abel and The Evil Prince in that Luigi is the younger brother and that he became an evil king when he started off as a good commoner respectively. Unfortunately, the series has been on a two year+ hiatus.

Luigi's Wonderland by Flannelson
 * Recommended by Gilgameshkun
 * Synopsis: Mario and Luigi are in the house the brothers share together. While Luigi is watching television, Mario steps out of the house. Convinced he is alone in the house, Luigi gets out a cassette player and an audio tape. It starts playing "Boogie Wonderland" by Earth Wind and Fire, and Luigi starts disco dancing very skillfully.
 * Comments: An Adobe Flash-animated video hosted on Newgrounds, with another copy on YouTube. Other than the lyrics of the song, this is a completely No Dialogue BLAM Episode about the secret dance life of Mario's ever-Ambiguously Gay twin brother. And even more precious than Luigi doing Earth Wind and Fire, is how it all ends.

Roommates: These Are My Reflections by TreIII
 * Recommended by Gilgameshkun
 * Synopsis: Bowser Koopa, Jr. is a 17-year-old high school senior in the wealthy Koopa family, living under the same roof with his father Bowser Koopa, Sr. and his seven Koopaling siblings. Junior's also been hiding a huge secret, that he's gay. This is his Coming Out Story.
 * Comments: This is not an independent Fanfic, but part of the larger Not Safe for Work Roommates canon. That story is a Porn with Plot Web Comic about Junior and his new flamedramon boyfriend Giancarlo Rosato who are dormitory roommates at fictional Aubrey State University in California. TAMR, on the other hand, is much longer, and much more detailed than the main story it's attached to. While TAMR does have some explicit adult content (and chronicles how Junior lost his virginity and entered a relationship with his first boyfriend) and mature dialogue, it is primarily an African American Fantasy Counterpart Culture Family Disunion dramedy about Junior's domestic family relationship with his father and his adult siblings, especially his brother Roy, his sister Wendy, and Roy's Heterosexual Life Partner Hanbei. It is full of Mythology Gags relating to the Super Mario Bros. franchise (while lacking an in-universe Real Life Mario bros. or Mushroom Kingdom), as well as a veritable tidal wave of Shoutouts and Product Placements. Most of the supporting characters are other species from the Super Mario Bros. series, Pokémon and Digimon. Special note goes to Lemmy Koopa, who Breaks the Fourth Wall every chance he gets.

Clash of the Elements by mewmaster93
 * Recommended by The Mageof Fire
 * Synopsis: Mario has found himself wrapped up in a quest to bring about the rebirth of the Elemental Overlord. With many allies both new and old, Mario will soon see himself being wrapped up in the mysteries of his planets that he never once knew existed.
 * Comments: A surprisingly well-written adventure Fan Fiction that merges together the many elements of the various Super Mario Bros. games via Call Back, Mythology Gag, and a couple surprise appearances by a certain pair of characters from a certain RPG, all of it wrapped up into a coherent tale while at the same time showing the beginnings of a bigger universe of the author's own design. Though the prospect of the Original Character Alex Whiter's existence may lead many to scream Mary Sue! at first, it is interesting to see his Character Development throughout the tale, though these details won't be revealed in the comments. And if it is not the prospect of being a Mary Sue that worries you, but that the OC may be a Spotlight-Stealing Squad, then toss those worries away, for Mario and friends have plenty of time to shine throughout the entire story! The action is pretty coherent at times, and it can easily be seen later on how much effort the writer puts into his work. This is a finished work, and he already completed a "movie" and has gotten a good way into the second part. And as an added bonus, the author has a good track record with his updates, warning readers ahead of time about any potential Schedule Slip but keeping his updates consistent all the same. Though I will admit I was almost turned off by some of the writing errors in the first couple chapters, I'm glad I persisted because it really did end up Growing the Beard after those chapters had passed. So I say to you fellow Tropers to give this fic a try, for I believe you won't be disappointed.

Shipping Fics
Stories focused on the romantic relationships between the cast.

Better Off Alone by The Great Chicken Miasma
 * Recommended by Skeppio
 * Pairings: Vivian/Koops
 * Synopsis: (Summary from the author) "Vivian can only wonder if she'll ever fit in anywhere. Often abused and put down by the world, she quietly laments in the darkness of her own fate... This is a moving tale about how everyone deserves love, friendship... and a second chance."
 * Comments: A gripping tale that follows the events of Paper Mario 2 - The Thousand Year Door. It gives greater depth to the characters and their relationships to each other, as well as establishing an immense backstory for the Shadow Sirens and the Palace of Shadow. New elements and characters are introduced, but thanks to good writing, none of it kicks canon to the sideline. A finely woven plot leaves no loose threads and truly shows off the author's skill as a writer. Possibly the first fanfic to introduce Vivian/Koops (dubbed ShadowShellShipping) as a viable pairing. 10/10 from Skeppio. Now has its own page.

Change of Heart by ebtwisty9
 * Recommended by Sayacha
 * Pairings: Bowser/Peach, Luigi/Daisy, Kamek/Kammy
 * Synopsis: With their dad's birthday less than a week away, the Koopalings decide to give him the thing he wants the most: the chance to spend it with Princess Peach. To Peach's immense surprise, instead of being the usual kidnapping deal, it ends up making her question everything she's ever thought of Bowser and the Darklands in general.
 * Comments: Set right after Thousand-Year Door, and certainly one of the best Super Mario Bros. fanfics out there. Not only does Razzi keep Bowser in character as the hilarious yet still tyrannical king we all know and love, she also manages to introduce a whole new side of him and a perfectly believable way for Peach to start returning his affections. There's also a huge amount of detail paid to...well, just about everything. The Koopalings, for example, are wonderfully fleshed out, as are Kamek and Kammy - and it even manages to introduce a "side-quest" where Mario and Luigi once again save the day from a minor villain. However, one of the highest points in this fic comes from the analysis of the Peach/Mario pairing, one that manages to shed good light on Bowser/Peach without turning Mario into The Paolo. Truly a wonderful fic, and kind of surprising that it wasn't already on this list.

A Completely Believable Crossover by Ayato
 * Recommended by Gilgameshkun
 * Pairings: Bowser/Fox, Bowser/Peach
 * Synopsis: Fox McCloud randomly meets Bowser, they introduce themselves, and quickly discover mutual attraction, shortly followed by a one-night stand in Bowser's Clown Car. After parting, Fox returns to the Great Fox, but he is lovesick for Bowser. Fox wants to meet Bowser again, but Bowser keeps turning him down, wanting their one-night stand to be in the past. Peach makes a Cameo as Bowser's date in the background as he's on the phone with Fox. Later on an Arwing mission (that just happens to be over the same planet Bowser lives), Fox accidentally crashes his Arwing, which is now in ruins. Bowser meets Fox congenially as an old friend. But Bowser quickly breaks down, apologizes to Fox, and promises to make things up to him. They cruise off happily together in Bowser's Clown Car.
 * Comments: A three-page Ho Yay comic, mildly Not Safe for Work. Published on Fur Affinity -- because of the slightly mature nature of the comic, account registration is required. (Sex is implied, but never seen.) The story runs on a few contrived coincidences that require the MST3K Mantra, but it is still Rule of Cute and can still successfully warm a reader's heart.

Super Mario Bros, I'd Like You To Meet..., and Meet zah Marios by Nintendodrawer
 * Recommended by sadsadclown
 * Pairings: Luigi/Daisy, Mario/Peach
 * Synopsis: Three ongoing comics showcasing some of the Mario Brothers' adventures, as well as comical character interactions. The first comic, Super Mario Bros, shows us how Mario and Luigi stumbled into the Mushroom Kingdom and their first journey to rescue Princess Peach from Bowser. The second comic, I'd Like You To Meet..., shows us Luigi and Daisy's awkward first date, which only gets worse when the Koopalings kidnap her. And finally, in Meet zah Marios, we meet Mario and Luigi's parents, and their kindly mother ends up being the victim of Bowser's kidnapping this time around.
 * Comments: Extremely cute, light hearted comics filled with silly humor. The personalities given to all of the characters are the biggest draw, all of them being charming or amusing in some way. A few curse words here and there, but otherwise very innocent, cartoony and cute.