We all know that Mario and Luigi, the famous plumbers, are taken to another world where they must fight various enemies and rescue princesses. But what probably few people know is that in this adventure, players can have fun playing casino games through the characters of this duo.
These are very interesting gambling mini-games and are also beneficial for the game results. Maybe some of you will wonder how such mini-games were found in this family-friendly adventure, but believe us, there is an excellent answer to that question.
First, these side missions were added at a different time when this activity was not regulated well. Second, even though these are gambling activities, they use game points, and no real cash is involved.
For this reason, we can say that these games mimic gambling. While most online casino platforms allow real money wagering, they also provide a Practice Play mode, allowing gamblers to optimize their gameplay, advance their skills, and familiarize themselves with the platform before playing with real cash. Therefore, the gambling mini-games from the Super Mario series perfectly imitate casino offerings, as they are at your disposal for free practice or risk-free entertainment.
Given that, let's explore the mini-games that contain gambling elements:
Picture Poker
Picture Poker is probably the best-known mini-game in New Super Mario Bros and Super Mario 64 DS. It's a casino-style card game in which you must beat Luigi's hand in a standard five-card poker version. Players are free to wager more coins once they receive their cards. The lowest hand is a pair, while the highest is a five-of-a-kind combination.
You receive stars for each win, or you lose them. In the multiplayer mode, you can activate 3, 5, or 7 rounds. It's a fun gambling mini-game with a twist because the cards have funny images from the Super Mario series (mushrooms, Luigi, Mario, Cloud, etc.) instead of numbers and suits.
Mario Slot
Slots fans will be glad to read that one of the Super Mario games has a slot mini-game. Namely, Super Mario 64 DS (released in 2004 and designed for the Nintendo DS) features a Mario Slot mini-game. This time, players are given a chance to play a slot game with three wheels. So, it resembles classic slot machines.
To finish a round, you must click on each reel. Of course, you can expect wins when all three positions display the same symbol. Once again, we have a collection of symbols inspired by the Super Mario series. More precisely, we have six symbols, with Yoshi eggs being the lowest-paying and Superstars being the highest-paying ones. The latter provides 20 times the player's stake.
Unlike modern slot games, Mario Slot doesn't offer any symbols with special properties and doesn't feature bonus games. Still, it's a fun option that can help you boost your coins.
Luigi's Thrilling Cards
For the fans of card games, New Super Mario Bros, one of the most popular titles in the Super Mario series, offers Luigi's Thrilling Cards. This is a table mini-game inspired by Texas hold'em. The main difference between these card game variants is that Luigi's Thrilling Cards doesn't include community cards.
Another thing we should note is that it takes two or more players to start this game in the Vs. Battle mode. Interestingly, players cannot see the first card they are dealt, but they can see other players' cards. So, you should wager money, hoping your card will be better than the rest.
Like in Texas hold'em poker, you can raise, call or fold. As expected, 2 is the lowest-valued symbol, while Ace is the top-valued one. This is an excellent way for poker fans to test their skills and knowledge, even though luck plays a significant role in Luigi's Thrilling Cards.
Mushroom Roulette
Our list of best gambling mini-games in Super Mario titles continues with Mushroom Roulette, which is available in Super Mario 64 DS. You'll find a fast-paced, exciting roulette variant with simple rules. As some of you may have guessed, you get positions with tables with different pictures to bet on.
The objective is to guess where the roulette ball will end up. If you wagered money on the correct outcome, you'll receive coins. Let's not forget that you have twelve betting options with 12:1 payouts as main bets. You can also wager coins on two/four pictures or red/black.
Grate Guy's Casino Games
Finally, you can try multiple gambling mini-games in a secret part of the map in Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars, known as Grate Guy's Casino. You can use a secret passage in Bean Valley to enter this place.
Once you are in, you can try several games, including a slot machine. Landing three matching symbols (Super Star, Flowe, or Mushroom) on the payline to receive a thrilling reward – a Frog Coin. Furthermore, this place offers blackjack. All the standard rules associated with this popular casino game are applied. Still, you should expect numbers in the place of regular visible cards.
In the end, we should mention the "Look the other way" game, which is not a classic casino game. It's a mini-game where you must predict how Grate Guy will look next. It comes with a fifty-fifty chance.
