Hotel Mario
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| Hotel Mario |
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Developer: Philips Fantasy Factory[1]
 This game has a prototype article |
Hotel Mario sees Mario and Luigi go through several Koopa Hotels to rescue Princess Toadstool, who gets kidnapped seven times, and along the way shut all the doors in the Hotels. It's mostly notorious for its cutscenes of questionable quality, which are frequently used in YouTube Poops.
While this wasn't the only Mario game developed for the commercially-foiled CD-i (the others being Super Mario's Wacky Worlds and Mario Takes America), it was the only one that got released. Whether or not that's a good thing depends on who you ask.
Contents
Sub-Pages
| Prototype Info |
Missing Level
The game is missing files for Level 6, as can be seen through the file list:
L0_av.rtf (Demo File) L0_dat.rtf (Demo File) L1_am.rtf (Hotel 1 Music file) L1_av.rtf (Hotel 1 Graphics file) L1_dat.rtf (Hotel 1 Enemy Data) L2_am.rtf (Hotel 2 Music file) L2_av.rtf (Hotel 2 Graphics file) L2_dat.rtf (Hotel 2 Enemy Data) L3_am.rtf (Hotel 3 Music file) L3_av.rtf (Hotel 3 Graphics file) L3_dat.rtf (Hotel 3 Enemy Data) L4_am.rtf (Hotel 4 Music file) L4_av.rtf (Hotel 4 Graphics file) L4_dat.rtf (Hotel 4 Enemy Data) L5_am.rtf (Hotel 5 Music file) L5_av.rtf (Hotel 5 Graphics file) L5_dat.rtf (Hotel 5 Enemy Data) L7_am.rtf (Hotel 7 Music file) L7_av.rtf (Hotel 7 Graphics file) L7_dat.rtf (Hotel 7 Enemy Data) L8_am.rtf (Hotel 8 Music file) L8_av.rtf (Hotel 8 Graphics file) L8_dat.rtf (Hotel 8 Enemy Data)
The L6_ files are missing, which suggests that Hotel Mario was originally going to follow the Super Mario Bros. 3 and Super Mario World formula by having a Hotel for each of the Koopalings and one for Bowser. As a result, Iggy lacks a unique Hotel and is instead fought on the final floor of the game, right before the fight with Bowser. Eight hotels are also mentioned in an early version of the game's opening cutscene, with the final game correctly stating seven instead.
Unused Graphics
| Early | Final |
|---|---|
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An early version of the Stage 1 title card that is more simplistic than the final one, stored in L0_av.rtf. One exists for each stage in the file. Whether the prompt is to press a button or to press the A button, which doesn't exist on the Philips CD-i but may possibly be a remnant of an earlier hardware design or a mistake by whoever was making the graphic, it's different from the final game's prompt for Button 1 either way.
Unused Audio
Help
An earlier version of the help dialogue, spoken by someone who sounds nothing at all like Mario's voice actor from the final, suggesting that this was a placeholder. This audio was previously used in the v0.09 prototype. Unlike the early intro cutscene from that same prototype, this dialogue correctly mentions seven hotels as opposed to eight, implying that it was recorded after Iggy's hotel was scrapped.
A transcription is as follows:
"The object of the game is to close all the doors. You have to help me explore each hotel stage, by opening and closing doors, looking for hidden treasures and clues to solve the puzzles. Be sure to explore, you'll find all sorts of hidden surprises. Use the thumbstick to move me left or right. Push up on the thumbstick to move me into a door or elevator. When I'm in a door or elevator, I can hide from most of the bad guys. If you move me into an elevator, it'll automatically move to the next floor. If you want me to go back, just hit button 1. Pull down on the thumbstick to move me out of a door or elevator. You can make me jump by pressing button 1 down. Wee. The longer you hold button 1 down, the higher and farther I'll jump. Look at that, I should've gone in the Olympics. Use button 2 to make me open and close the doors. When I've closed all the doors, we'll move on to the next stage. Complete all the stages of a hotel, and you'll see a cartoon of me and my handsome brother Luigi telling you what to expect at the next hotel. That's the basics. If you need more help, check out the enclosed Hotel Mario booklet. You ready to make your way through all 7 Koopaling hotels? Then let's go."
Roy Cutscene
An early version of the cutscene audio that plays when you beat Roy. It also does not use the voice actors from the final, although they seem to be heavily based on Walker Boone and Tony Rosato's takes on the brothers from The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3 and Super Mario World cartoon series.
Unlike all of the cutscenes that are used in-game (with the exception of the cutscene between Ludwig's Thump Castle Hotel and Wendy's Blitz Snarlton Hotel), the music heard in the background is not used anywhere else in the game.
Oddly enough, this is stored in the data for the final level, not Roy's. There is no known animation data to go along with the audio.
Unused Music
Stages 2, 3, 4, and 5 have an alternative, longer "stage clear" theme that goes unused.
Stage 2
| Used | Unused |
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Stage 3
| Used | Unused |
|---|---|
This music was eventually used at the end of the "Toasters" cutscene accessible in Stage 2.
Stage 4
| Used | Unused |
|---|---|
For some reason, this stage's alternate clear music is the same as the one used in Stage 7, but with an added echo.
Stage 5
| Used | Unused |
|---|---|
Special Days
If the CD-i's clock is set to specific days, the "HERE WE GO" screen will be replaced by a special message.
English
Special events in an American year.
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Displays from January 1 to January 5. New Year's Day occurs on January 1.
HAPPY VALENTINES DAY!
Displays from February 12 to February 14. Valentine's Day occurs on February 14.
ITS HOLLIES BIRTHDAY!
Displays on February 17. Likely refers to Hollie S. Lohff, daughter of one of the game's engineers, Thomas Lohff. She was brought in to playtest the game and commented that Mario should be able to jump, something which wasn't originally planned for the game, as she felt it was weird to play a Mario game without that mechanic. The developers took her advice, retooling the game to feature jumping and adding her to the game's credits as "Play Consultant."
DO NOT FORGET MOTHERS DAY!
Displays from May 7 to May 9. Mother's Day occurs on the second Sunday of May, which can occur after the 9th.
SCHOOLS ALMOST OUT!
Displays from May 10 to May 30. Most schools begin summer vacation in either late May or early June.
HAPPY FATHERS DAY!
Displays from June 17 to June 20. Father's Day occurs on the third Sunday of June, which can occur before the 17th or after the 20th.
HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY!
Displays from July 1 to July 4. July 4 is America's Independence Day (often referred to as the "Fourth of July").
READY TO GO BACK TO SCHOOL?
Displays from August 15 to August 31. Most schools return to session in either late August or early September.
BOOOOOOOOO!!!
Displays from October 29 to October 31. Halloween occurs on October 31.
HAPPY TURKEY DAY! GOBBLE GOBBLE!
Displays from November 17 to November 25. Thanksgiving occurs on the fourth Sunday of November, and is often referred to as "Turkey Day" since turkey is commonly served at Thanksgiving dinners.
HAPPY HOLIDAYS!
Displays from December 11 to December 26. Various winter holidays occur within this timespan, including Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
A duplicate of the first message that displays from December 27 to December 31. New Year's Eve occurs on December 31.
French
A little different from the English one, with events special to France.
BONNE ANNEE !
"Happy New Year!" Displays from January 1 to January 5, with the same context as the English equivalent.
ALLONS CHERCHER LA FEVE !
"Let's look for the charm!" Displays on January 8. This coincides with Epiphany (January 6), a time of year where people in France eat "Galette des Rois" (King's Cake), which has a charm hidden inside it.
C' EST LA SAINT VALENTIN !
"It's Valentine's Day!" Displays from February 12 to February 14.
ON SE DEGUISERA POUR LE MARDI-GRAS !
"We'll be dressing up for Mardi-Gras!" Displays from February 25 to February 28, and refers to the famous carnival celebration.
The day of Mardi Gras ranges from mid-February to early March. It's likely that the localization team based this range off the 1995 date, which was February 28th.
OU SONT CACHES LES OEUFS ?
"Where are the eggs hidden?" An Easter Sunday-themed message that displays from April 14 to April 17. In 1995, Easter was on April 16th.
L' ECOLE EST BIENTOT FINIE !
"School is almost over!" Displays from May 1 to May 19 and May 29 to May 31, with the same context as the English equivalent.
BONNE FETE MAMAN !
"Happy Mother's Day, Mom!" Displays from May 20 to May 28. In France, Mother's Day occurs on the last Sunday of May, which would've been May 28th in 1995.
BONNE FETE PAPA !
"Happy Father's Day, Dad!" Displays from June 17 to June 20, with the same context and date range as the English equivalent.
ALLONS ENFANT DE LA PATRIIIIEEE !!
"Arise, children of the Fatherland!!" (Taken from the French national anthem "La Marseillaise", although "ENFANT" should be "ENFANTS" due to the plural grammar rule.)
Displays on July 14, which is Bastille Day, France's national day.
PREPAREZ VOS CARTABLES !
"Prepare your schoolbags!" Displays from August 15 to August 31, with the same context as the English equivalent.
JOYEUX NOEL !
"Merry Christmas!" Displays from December 1 to December 26 to celebrate Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Kind of odd how the English version didn't have a dedicated Christmas message, but at least they added one here.
BONNE ANNEE !
"Happy New Year!" Displays from December 27 to December 31 with the same context as the English equivalent.
Biblio
FPD on December 6, 1993
Stored in the file "biblio", "FPD" likely means "Finished Project Date," so this file probably just exists to mark the date the game was finished.
The French version has completely different text:
The PHILIPS Interactive Media Centre Development Team in Hasselt - Belgium, made a FRENCH conversion of " HOTEL MARIO ". Engineering Bob Deblier Eddy Paulissen Production Coordinator Annet Daems Hugo Paulissen **************************************
Oddities
Unique Cutscene Theme
The cutscene that takes place between Ludwig's Thump Castle Hotel and Wendy's Blitz Snarlton Hotel is the only cutscene in the game (other than the unused one) which uses music that cannot be heard elsewhere in the game. While the first few seconds of the cutscene use music from Ludwig's Thump Castle, the remainder of the cutscene uses a unique theme. Since the scrapped eighth hotel would have taken place inbetween Ludwig's Thump Castle Hotel and Wendy's Blitz Snarlton Hotel, it has been theorised that this may be a remnant of a scrapped level theme for the scrapped hotel.
Peace Symbol
The stomp effect sprite has what appears to be a peace symbol inside. Since this sprite is shown for only a split second in-game, it is not easily seen.
Regional Differences
The cutscenes in the French version are poorly dubbed and has many errors, such as Bowser being called "Boswor". However, this page will only cover the differences relating to the audio changes between region.
The French cutscenes seem to be based off the ones from v0.09.
Bowser's Laugh
| French | International |
|---|---|
In the French version of the intro cutscene, Bowser's laugh has no reverb. This audio is also heard in the v0.09 prototype.
Hotel 2 Intro
| French | International |
|---|---|
Both Mario and Luigi are heard saying, "Hey, Princess!" in the French version. Only Mario says this line in the English version.
Hotel 3 Intro
| French | International |
|---|---|
The hammer sound only plays three times in the French version. In the very same cutscene, when Mario and Luigi are about to enter the cave, it lacks reverb, as with the intro cutscene. An English version of this was used in the v0.09 prototype.
Hotel 4 Intro
| French | International |
|---|---|
Princess Toadstool crying out Mario's name doesn't have reverb in the French version, much like Bowser's laugh. The original English version of this was used in the v0.09 prototype.
Ghost Cologne
| French | International |
|---|---|
The reverb is not present in the French version. No English version of this cutscene was used in the v0.09 prototype, as it instead uses a placeholder audio of a woman saying, "Left. Right."
Wendy's Piggy Bank
| French | International |
|---|---|
Although somewhat hard to hear due to being drowned out by the voice clip, the music's reverb cuts off too early as it fades after Mario speaks in the French version.
References
- Games developed by Philips Fantasy Factory
- Games published by Philips Media
- CD-i games
- Games released in 1994
- Games released in July
- Games with hidden developer messages
- Games with hidden developer credits
- Games with hidden development-related text
- Games with unused graphics
- Games with unused music
- Games with unused sounds
- Games with regional differences
- Mario series
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