Old School Nintendo Cartoons

[Web Head]

So I was watching the G4 videogame channel the other day, and I saw a giveaway of *gasp* the 1980's Legend of Zelda cartoon on DVD!

For you youngins out there, back in the day there was a little something called the Super Mario Bros. Super Show. It was a cartoon that came out in the glory days of Nintendo (think SMB 1). It was pretty good, but once a week, on Friday's, they showed a sweet Zelda toon. I recommend all Nintendo fanboys giving these a look.

But my question to you, my fellow Toonzoners, is whether Nintendo is going to release its other shows on DVD? I didn't know Zelda was out until I saw it on TV last night, so I don't know when it came out or what the story is. Particularly, I'm hoping for a release of Captain N: The Game Master.

[Nin-Nin69]

There is a Super Mario Brothers collection in the works, but the rest is up to DIC and any other company affiliated with any old school video game cartoons. Then again it would be intresting to see Video Power on DVD.

[Zyzzybalubah]

Wait, G4 is giving it away too? Cool, I entered the contest on this site and hope maybe I'll have a chance. :)

Anyway, I think there is going to be a release of the whole Super Mario Super Show (is that correct anyone, I remember hearing that a long while ago.) As for the other two Marios, maybe if the Super Show does alright...

As for Captain N, I'd love for that to happen (as corny as it is, it was one of my favorite childhood shows that I still like today for nostalgia) but I kind of doubt it will for two reasons:

1.) It went throught so many other games, Nintendo and NON NINTENDO based games, so I'm thinking some company complain about royalties. In the last episode they went to the world of Final Fantasy, there's one for Square Enix right there, Capcom had Megaman and other characters, Konami had Simon Belmont and Bayou Billy, California Games (not sure who exactly licenses that now), etc. In other words, I don't know if they could afford that.

2.) Even if they could pay off all of the companies that want royalties, there is the issue of all the rockin' 80s tunes :cool:. Seriously, there were a lot of them. Almost one song per episode (let's see: Born on a Bayou, Danger Zone, yes the Danger Zone song from Top Gun, etc.) I know that a great deal of TV shows that hit DVD have no problems of keeping all the original music, but as much as we love it, I don't think a distributor will want pay extra for famous music to stay or programming new generic music into some parts.

If I'm wrong on either thing, go ahead and correct me, that's just my current mindset. If they do release it, I'll buy it A.S.A.P. (as long as it isn't too much :).)

[Zyzzybalubah]

There is a Super Mario Brothers collection in the works, but the rest is up to DIC and any other company affiliated with any old school video game cartoons. Then again it would be intresting to see Video Power on DVD.
That one might be easier, since most if not all those characters were owned by Acclaim and well, Acclaim is no more. :eek:

[Lord Dalek]

The Zelda cartoon is crap but fun for notalgia.

[Speedy Boris]

Anyway, I think there is going to be a release of the whole Super Mario Super Show (is that correct anyone, I remember hearing that a long while ago.) You're correct. It's being released by Shout! Factory on March 28, 2006. As for the other two Marios, maybe if the Super Show does alright... Actually, there's a best-of DVD of Super Mario 3, but it's under the Animation Station banner so it's near impossible to find. I got one, but it was sheer luck, and I had to ask the clerk at Gamestop to look in the back for it (in other words, it wasn't on the store shelves).

[straw_hat]

I have two Zelda episodes on an old SMBSS DVD and I really can't see myself forking over money for the whole series. Two episodes from that cornball show is enough for me.

[Tak Mazé]

Personally I can't see what all the fuss is about. I've never liked a DIC show personally... Are they like, THAT good?

[straw_hat]

Well I did enjoy Inspector Gadget, Heathcliff, and Sonic SatAM a lot but pretty much a majority of their video game shows are pure cheese remembered fondly because of nostalgia and I should know I loved everything Mario related.

[Nin-Nin69]

That one might be easier, since most if not all those characters were owned by Acclaim and well, Acclaim is no more. :eek:
Midway has rights for Arch Rivals and NARC.

[g_UnIt_GaNsTa]

The Zelda cartoon is crap but fun for notalgia.
Well excuse me, princess.

[Skyknight]

Personally I can't see what all the fuss is about. I've never liked a DIC show personally... Are they like, THAT good?1980s' DIC are unfairly slammed, by the early 1990s' they had it coming arguably, I think their last great series was C.O.P.S

But Inspector Gadget, Sonic SATAM, and M.A.S.K, and the Nintendo licensing represented their greatest achievments.

As for Captain N, I recently rewatched a particular favourate of mine "The Deadliest Gamesmaster", which is one of the darker episodes, and expands on Kevins' character, revealing that he had an antagonist in his world, prompoting Mother Brain to create a duplicate of him.

It has quite a depressing ending also, Kevin makes peace with his demons by forming a bond with the replica, but he is eventually shot and killed. Naturally, I despised what they did to Simon Belmont and Megaman, especially since both were A-List characters, but loved that they got Dr. Willy right and gave Mother Brain a personality.

Zelda may very well be the most embarrasing Nintendo cartoons of all time, but thats' what draws people like us to it over and over again. It actually has two or three very solid episodes, I'd recommend giving "Sing For The Unicron" a definate glancing if you want a good story, it has FREAKING NINJAS.

[Squall]

On a corollary note, here's what I've always wanted -- a "Metroid" and "Legend of Zelda" cartoon, both of which done in anime style! A "Metroid" anime done in the style of Cowboy Bebop/Samurai Champloo would be awesome, and I always envisioned a "Legend of Zelda" anime looking being Dragonball Z-style... :D

[Dirtbag]

On a corollary note, here's what I've always wanted -- a "Metroid" and "Legend of Zelda" cartoon, both of which done in anime style! A "Metroid" anime done in the style of Cowboy Bebop/Samurai Champloo would be awesome, and I always envisioned a "Legend of Zelda" anime looking being Dragonball Z-style... :DHow great could a Metroid cartoon really be though? Samus doesn't exactly have a lot of dialogue. :p

The Zelda DVDs finally came in today at work so I'll be watching that within the hour. The Super Mario Bros. Super Show comes out (I think) Tuesday, if not some time next month. I hope the other Mario shows get sets too.

[Squall]

How great could a Metroid cartoon really be though? Samus doesn't exactly have a lot of dialogue. :p
Well, there's no rule that says that all animated shows have to be 100+ episodes with tons of dialogue. I'd make the Metroid anime a mini-series, say 13 episodes, and have dialouge dispersed throughout (like when Samus leaves Federation Headquarters, contacts them, or has a discussion with Mother Brain before their big throw-down. Heck, I could see Ridley being intelligent enough to speak as well, as he's very dragon-like in appearance.)

Now, a Legend of Zelda anime, though... that has the potential to be 100+ episodes with tons of dialogue! :sweat:

[Sigma]

I doubt we will see anything outside of the old Mario and Zelda cartoons released on DVD. Like someone else said Captain 'N: The Gamemaster, just has way too many characters and worlds owned by other companies and it would cost a small fortune for someone to get the rights to release a DVD and considering it would more than likely sell like crap I don't see anyone taking that risk. Which sucks because I would kill for a Captain 'N' DVD.

[Sketch]

Maybe so or... DiC could just release it because they made it and pre-tain most if not all the rights to it. It's possible that the other companies have a piece of the pie but maybe it was a one time deal and now DiC has control. Then again... Sonic is still shelfed thanks to Disney so I suppose someone might have strings to pull here as well.

[Dark Fact]

I really really want to see Captain N get a DVD release since I miss that show so much but like everyone mentioned, rights issues and all. :shrug:

By the way, didn't the Super Mario Bros. Super Show also have famous songs in their toons? Wouldn't rights issues also be a factor there?

[Tak Mazé]

The Star Fox series would make a great TV show methinks :) It seems the possibilities for episode ideas are rather numerous.

[sdp]

there are already two volumes of the mario show, and i think it was announced that it would come out as a box set like zelda.

captain N might not be as difficult to release because of licenses as it would for other reasons.