10 Crazy Video Game Spin-Offs You Won't Believe Exist
1. Mario Teaches Typing
Just when you thought the Mario spin-offs couldn't get any crazier, allow us to introduce you to Mario Teaches Typing, an early '90s education game in which Mario attempts to sharpen up your grammar.
In the title, players are tasked with spelling out words in order to control the onscreen action, across a handful minigames. Mario's Smash & Dash (it's not as dirty as it sounds) looks like a normal Mario level, Mario's Wet World Challenge (it's also not as dirty as it sounds) features underwater obstacles, and Mario's Tunnel Of Doom... is set in a tunnel. Hit the correct letter or type out the correct word or sentence, and Mario will survive each minigame.
It's nowhere near as fun as The Typing Of The Dead is, because the gameplay is nothing like you'd expect from a traditional Mario title. In fact, there's no gameplay whatsoever. You're just pushing keys on a keyboard. It's fine to try something new, of course, but with Mario Teaches Typing, Nintendo took a franchise known for its energy and fun (and gameplay!), and made it boring.
The most baffling thing about this game is that it actually got a sequel. How the hell did Mario - who can barely speak English - end up teaching us how to spell, not once, but twice! The world's gone mad.
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Know of any other crazy video game spin-offs? Leave your picks in the comments section!