10 Reasons to Watch this Obscure ’80s Super Mario Movie After Galaxy

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is finally here, and its divisive critical reception hasn't stopped it smashing box office records within its first days in theatres. Nintendo's biggest gaming icon may be more popular now than ever, making this the perfect time to spotlight an animated feature that even diehard fans have overlooked.

The Japan-only Super Mario Bros.: The Great Mission To Rescue Princess Peach! was released in 1986 as a tie-in to the Japanese version of Super Mario Bros. 2 (known internationally as The Lost Levels). Its extremely limited distribution and decades as lost media have made it one of the rarest pieces of Mario history. Thankfully, preservation efforts have since brought it back into circulation online, meaning this once-forgotten oddity is now freely accessible — and it’s far more than a curiosity.

10 It Has a Surprisingly Good Soundtrack

These Songs Make Me Want to Doki-Doki Do It

Alongside nostalgic rearrangements of Super Mario Bros. music, the film features some genuinely great original songs. Mirai Dohji’s “Doki-Doki Do It” is used in multiple variations, including the upbeat "Snap Smack Rock'n Roll School Version" in the opening and the irresistibly catchy "Dizzy in Love Romance Version" during the Mushroom Kingdom journey.

The soundtrack itself is something of a collector’s item, with its vinyl release limited to just fifty copies — making it nearly as rare and expensive today as the film itself. The use of sound effects lifted directly from Super Mario Bros. completes the delightful audio experience, adding an extra layer of authenticity and charm to the film.

9 It Has Tons of Enemies, and Some are Massive

All Creatures Great and Small

Koopas, Hammer Bros, Spinies, Bloopers, Lakitus, Bullet Bills, Piranha Plants, Buzzy Beetles — the 8-bit baddies from the original game are here in droves. They're packed with personality, too, with Bowser's two Goomba henchmen sneakily misleading the Mario brothers throughout their journey and a particularly sassy Lakitu making their lives difficult.

It also introduces giant enemies years before they became standard. A giant Paratroopa carries the brothers away to feed its nesting babies, while an oversized Cheep-cheep and Blooper are the stars of a fun underwater sequence. Even Mario himself becomes a giant after using a Super Mushroom, 18 years before Super Mario 64 DS!

8 Luigi Looks and Acts like Wario

"LuigiWare" Doesn't Quite Have the Same Ring to It

With this film debuting so early in Mario's history, Luigi hadn't yet settled into his now-iconic look and timid personality. That's why there's no green to be seen on his outfit, with the younger brother instead clad in a yellow shirt and blue overalls. This, combined with his obsession with money, gold, and food, brings to mind Mario's later arch-rival, Wario.

Luigi's greed repeatedly gets the group into trouble, from falling for obvious traps to eating strange mushrooms that send him into emotional extremes. Wario himself wouldn't debut for another six years, and while likely a coincidence rather than a deliberate prototype, it’s compelling to view this version of Luigi in hindsight.

7 It Predicted the Mario Series' Flying Ships

Before Super Mario Bros. 3 Made It Cool

When Mario and his canine companion Kibidango hide in an old sunken ship at the bottom of the ocean, it begins to move to the surface on its own. As a giant Blooper attacks, the duo blow hard on its sails, launching it into the air with Luigi hopping on board. Flying majestically through the sky, the brothers use it to head towards Bowser's castle for the final showdown.

This scene introduced flying ships two years before Super Mario Bros. 3 made Airships a mainstay in the games. They are mainly captained by Bowser, Bowser Jr., and the Koopalings, and are equipped with all manner of cannons, Bullet Bills, and Bob-ombs, so it's certainly a novelty to see the Mario brothers control one instead.

6 It's the First Time Bowser Speaks

He's One Talkative Turtle

Bowser is definitely a highlight in this film. Surprisingly for such an early animated adaptation, Bowser actually looks like Bowser, rather than the crown-bearing green lizard he appears as in the Mario cartoons that would follow. More importantly, this is the first time the villain's ever been voiced.

Bowser's debut voice comes from a woman, with singer and actress Akiko Wada cast in the role. Wada voiced Marge Simpson in The Simpsons Movie's Japanese dub, and most recently appeared as a fictionalised version of herself in Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties.

5 Mario Defeats Bowser 64-Style

Like a Record, Baby, Right 'Round, 'Round, 'Round

After Mario consumes the three magical power-ups, the super-powered plumber gives the turtle tyrant a serious beatdown in the climactic final battle, unleashing a series of punches, uppercuts, and slams. The finishing move, however, is what really stands out.

Mario ends the fight by grabbing Bowser by the tail, swinging him in a circular motion, and launching him into the horizon. It’s a moment that will feel instantly familiar to anyone who’s played Super Mario 64, where the same technique became a defining mechanic of the Bowser boss fights. The film did it a full decade before Mario’s first 3D outing, making it a notable precursor to one of his most iconic moves.

4 It Has Some Hilarious Product Placement

Am I 40 Years Too Late to Get Some of that Ramen?

Product placement is rarely something to celebrate, but The Great Mission leans into it so heavily that it becomes part of the film’s charm. When the brothers come across some floating blocks, Mario hits one expecting coins or power-ups, only to be showered with Myojo Foods' delicious Super Mario ramen — available while stocks last! Luigi even breaks the fourth wall to tell the audience how good it tastes while Mario winks at the camera.

Later, during the final battle with Bowser, Nagatanien's Super Mario-brand furikake (a Japanese condiment for cooked rice) appears out of nowhere, distracting Mario with its apparently irresistible taste. It’s ridiculous but also strangely endearing, recalling a time when movies could easily get away with this type of thing.

3 It's Similar to The Super Mario Bros. Movie

Warp Pipes and Wedding Bells

If you’re interested in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, you’ve likely seen its 2023 predecessor — in which case, you'll find some familiar plot beats in this hidden '80s gem. The Great Mission opens with Mario playing a game on his Famicom late at night, with a pyjama-clad Luigi bidding his brother goodnight. Near the start of The Super Mario Bros. Movie, Luigi finds Mario playing on his NES in his darkened bedroom.

Both films also share the idea of the Mario brothers originating on Earth before they’re transported to another dimension — and the Mushroom Kingdom — via a Warp Pipe. The most striking similarity, however, is Bowser's grand plan to force Princess Peach to marry him, with Mario and Luigi ultimately derailing the wedding before the ceremony is complete.

2 Two Films, One Day: The Birth of Video Game Movies

A Piece of Gaming and Film History

It would almost be accurate to call this the first ever video game movie — but the truth is arguably more interesting. The Great Mission shares that milestone with Running Boy: Star Soldier's Secret, with both films releasing on the same day: July 20, 1986.

What makes this even more intriguing is that the two projects were produced independently by different companies, with no clear coordination between them. The overlap seems to be a simple historical fluke, but it’s hard not to see it as a symbolic starting point for the genre.

1 We're Extremely Lucky It Still Exists

One of the Rarest Pieces of Super Mario Merchandise Ever

Part of what makes this film so fascinating is just how close it came to disappearing entirely. Super Mario Bros.: The Great Mission To Rescue Princess Peach! received a very limited theatrical run, followed by an equally limited home release, with no reprints or international distribution. It was considered lost media for over 30 years, until a VHS copy was found and uploaded to YouTube in 2007.

It's a miracle that the film has been preserved and is now freely accessible, but it gets better: We can now watch it in glorious 4K, thanks to the work of preservation groups like Kineko Video. From dust removal and colour correction to audio and translation, a huge amount of effort has gone into restoring the film to the best possible quality.

With 2026 packed full of major gaming anniversaries, it’s easy for lesser-known milestones to slip through the cracks. As The Great Mission approaches its 40th anniversary, now is the perfect time to rediscover it — not just as a piece of history, but as a genuinely charming, inventive, and delightful take on Nintendo’s most iconic hero.