10 Awesome Gaming Franchises It Became Cool To Hate

9. Mario

There was a time when Mario was a mascot not just for Nintendo but video games in general. Throughout the nineties the Mario franchise was one of most popular video game series in the world. The fun and intuitive platforming appealed to both casual and hardcore gamers. A mother was just as like to recognize Mario as her young child. The franchise was a system seller for the NES, SNES, and N64 systems. But those times are over, the video game industry has changed in many substantial ways, and as a result the Mario series doesn't receive the respect and admiration it once did. The industry is more obsessed with being "dark" and "gritty" in an effort to appear more mature and potentially attract attention from non-gamers. "Mario is for kids" is what you've might have heard from one mouth or another, and this assumption is based purely on the cartoony and colorful nature of the franchise. It isn't violent, doesn't involve shooting, and doesn't attempt to drown itself in self-seriousness. These characteristics turn many modern gamers off, but in an industry saturated with serious shooters painted in browns and blacks, they are in fact positives. You shouldn't hate this series; you should love it for at the very least providing something different from the competition. Where once Mario stood tall above all the rest, he is now lost amidst his competitors, which means his style is more unique than ever despite its age. Even if you don't particularly like the Mario franchise, be thankful that it exists as an alternative. At the very least it's a fun time to be had with the younger gamers in your life. So if someone ever illogically bashes Mario, remind them that video games wouldn't be where they are at today if it wasn't for the impact the Italian plumber had on the industry.