This is a great game. I definitely agree that you should add fireballs. Also consider adding hidden 1-up blocks. Now, about Mario86 in relation to SQRXZ: This game does not make sqrxz suck, nor does it make Sqrxz look like a TI-basic game (Someone actually said that!). All of us as programmers and players should hope that each new TIx program will improve upon the last one. Sqrxz was a great game (programming wise, and fun wise) and it will always be a great game in my mind. I bet Bill got a lot of ideas from looking at Sqrxz. When something else comes out better than Mario86, I hope we would look at Mario as a stepping stone to the better game and not a game that all of the sudden is denoted to "a program that sucks."

Question blocks with 1ups are already supported. I definitly agree with you on the fact that Mario has just improved upon Sqrxz, as did Sqrxz improve upon Penguins. I have a lot of respect for Jimmy Mardell, and I believe that he's still a better z80 coder than I am. There's no reason for anyone to say that Sqrxz sucks. I just happened to spend a little more time coding Mario.

True, question blocks with 1-ups are included. But what I'm suggesting is HIDDEN 1-up blocks; 1-up blocks that are invisible until Mario hits them, so that you have to take the time to search for them. Does MArio86 have this kind of block?

Maybe I overstated it a little bit when I said Mario made sqrxz look like basic. I think sqrxz is still a great game, and I keep it on my calculator. I was trying to say that Mario was great, not that sqrxz stunk! Sorry Jimmy!

I'll say I have to agree with your point about recognizing a game for it's entertainment value and not necessarily for it's age or advancement in ASM programming. I used to rail constantly on Penguins for it's game play I found inferior to Sqrxz...I recently reloaded Penguins back onto my calc and found a game that was very entertaining while still being insanely difficult. (A hard combination to find)

Mario86 is an unbelievably fun game -- to play and to look at. Bill Nagel has taken the TI game standard and moved it up another notch...let's not forget the games before it that did the same. :)

can anyone get it to work with the TI 86 emulator... cause i cant

Congrat's Bill Nagel, you've just written the VisiCalc for the TI-86. How does that make you feel?

(For all you "people" out there who don't know, VisiCalc was this old program for the Apple II. Basically, it was the first spreadsheet. And it created a demand for both the program and the hardware, translating into the financial success of Apple Computer).

First, I want to say THIS IS THE BEST GAME EVER. With that said, I want to know about sound. I have heard here and there about sound on your calculator, but I want to know what you are talking about.

Thanks for the great game Bill!!!

You need to get a 2.5mm -> 3.5mm converter from a store such as Radio Shack for a couple dollars. You then plug that into the linkport of your calculator. Then plug your speaker jack into the other end. You are now all set to hear sound.

As soon as I learned this I went out and bought one of these adapters ($3!). Though sound DOES exist, it is very limited (only small fx when mario jump, grow, stomps baddies). I'm not saying this isn't good enough or anything, but I'm wondering if later versions will have actual background music or more sounds. Do these sounds take a lot of memory?

I have an 82, and learning assembly is the coolest thing I've ever tried! Now that I've seen this Super Mario game, I DEFINITELY must have a TI-86. For SOUND I found out on the 'net that holding your calc near an AM radio that is tuned to static will make the radio play the sounds from the game. (Electromagnetic Inductance?) It works with LANDER for the TI-82 anyway, and should (I don't see why not) work with the 86.
Also- Anyone that has an IDE preference, please enlighten me, because I don't know which is best.
GREAT Job, Bill!

Bill --

I just wanted to echo the sentiment of everyone else here: great game. I brought it to a rehearsal for the summer play i'm in and everyone there was awestruck. I was playing it so much I missed my cue! That's quality stuff!

Just a couple of suggestions: Mario goes a bit fast. I don't know if that's a limitation of the TI's keypad (SQRXZ and Penguins have similar controls) or part of the engine. Also, Thwomps are killers!

And now for the ultra-annoying question: When's the sequel coming out? :)

So, to reiterate one more time: This is an inspirational achievement for the TI86. Most awesome job.

-- Steve

I had the same question- why is mario so fast?
Then I reasoned it was because he's fast when there is no enemies and he gradually slows down as more and more enemies fill the screen. If he was slowed down intitially, He would be way too slow when all the enemies showed up. Does this happen in sqrxz? Maybe Bill can add a routine where the juming is slower with less enemies and is gets faster as more enemies appear, so it stays somewhat the same. This is really not necessary though.

I always figured mario was too slow, and I'm always looking for ways to speed it up. Is your calc turboed? Well, maybe things will slow down when I add fireballs. =)

I defintely think that fireballs would make this awesome game that much better... I hope to see that version soon... I was also wondering what Bill Nagel planned to start programming after all the versions and ports of Mario 86...

Hello Bill !

Because I haven't became a response from my mail (maybe you are to busy ?) I ask you here again:
Would you make a speed optimiced version for users of turboed calcs like in Sqrxz ? (PLEASE !!! :)

Thank you anyway !!!

Yes, I believe the same thing happens in Sqrxz.

are there any plans for releasing it for the 85? (please say yes!)

First off let me say this, great game, and a must have for any ti-86 owner. The graphics are sweet!!! And it has tons of replay value!!!

Now let me ask a question, do you have any future plns about updating Aurora 86??? I think the shell is awesome and I use it on my calc, with ASE. (I drew my own icons for it and made the laucher program) I think you should try to combine Aurora and ASE, so it truely is Aurora Shell Enhanced, and not AShell Enhanced.

One feature that I would like to see, is built in support for greyscale wallpaper, sort of like your GreyBG. Pkus I think a dynamic menu system in which you can add programs to the [aurora] menu, would rock!!! You might want to look at USgards' start menu, and make it something like that. You might even be able to add built in support for ti-85 games, to be placed on the desktop, however then the API has to be built in to the program, and the size might be too great. Anywy, I think the shell has the potential to be the best TI-8X shell ever, with a few modifications!!!!!

- mike

this is one tight game. I especially like not having to worry about all those stupid spike traps that sqrxz had. great job and keep up the great programming.

There is one issue that I see someone already brought up, and that's the speed of the game. It is true that Mario is a lot faster then sqrxz especially in the jumping category. (Play Mario a few times then play sqrxz, seems REALLY slow with the jumping and scrolling) I think you should slow down the jumping just a tiny bit, not too much cause you still want it to be considered fast.

Well.. the game itself is pretty fast yes. It may be because he scrolls 2-pixels at the time. However I cannot determine that without the emulator and I cant get past the intro screen with the emulator.. soo.. The jumping is fast.. It is kind of dumb the way mario jumps like a pogo-stick, i.e. hold down the jump button. However I do like the fact that mario is 12 or 10 pixels high, that kind of sprite makes collision detection more difficult. And it seems to be able to animate a lot of stuff pretty quickly. I can't wait till he releases the source code, I wish I personally could have a preliminary copy. It also seems pretty blur-less considering the speed. Maybe because the sprite is large or how the sprite is drawn.