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[levyjl1988]

I grew up with Pokemon and Super Mario franchises. But I noticed that if the games came out without the aid of the television and anime series do you think the franchises would be as successful as it is?

Playing the games was ok, you were trying to interpret the environment and the Pokemon without much animation or story, you had to wholeheartedly use your imagination, but when paired up with the TV series, then it adds dimensionality to the series that the games could never portray.

Like if one were to play Pokemon and explore Pallet town in the game compared to what was envisioned in the TV show, it would never have aligned in comparison due to technical challenges.


Pallet Town (in the game)

Pallet Town (in the anime)

S.S Anne (in the game)

(S.S. Anne in the anime)

Marvel is extremely successful and gained much more traction when the comics hit the big screen beyond just being regulated within its comic book origins.
People are fans of Marvel because of the movies more than the comics because of certain media limitations.

 

[TexMex]

Mario, absolutely. The TV show was a byproduct of its insane popularity. Mario also has maintained its popularity without the aid of TV or movies for what, nearly 30 years now?

Pokemon? Maybe. Probably.

 

[Kuranghi]

The SS Anne's ballroom in the anime looks to wider than the ship, the scale is insane haha

To Boat Designer: "We need to have a room on the boat that seats 1000 people"
Boat Designer: "I'm going to need the innards of a Tardis"

 

[Fbh]

Mario I think would have been fine.
Growing up everyone love Mario games and I don't think the show even aired in my country.

Pokemon on the other hand, I think it would have still been a successful gaming IP but I don't think it would have reached that "worldwide phenomenon" status without the anime.

 

[Kamina]

Pokemon didnt need the anime, but the anime surely helped to keep it hyped between the first few generations.

 

[MadchesterManc]

Funnily enough around my area back in the day, the trading cards and anime were way more popular than the games. Game popularity didn't seem to gain much traction till later generations (Nintendo DS)

 

[Alebrije]

Mario never needed Tv....its an icon of an industry that growed a lot the last 40 years....

Tv / Movies / Theme Parks ...need Mario...not the contrary.

 

[Fake]

IMO yes. Of course that the first season of Pokemon series gave the game so much love.

 

[Ascend]

Mario had a TV series...? Ok... Didn't know.

The Pokemon games were successful before the TV series so... I think it helped expand the audience, but not that the games wouldn't be a success without the TV series.
Now, they function to bring in new generations into the franchise.

 

[Captain Toad]

I've never heard anyone suggest Mario's popularity had anything to do with the horrible American cartoon.

I'm still waiting for the Mario game that starts with Mario jumping out if a pipe and yelling, "Hey, paisanos!".

 

[Termite]

Mario's success has 0% to do with any TV show.

Pokemon would have been a successful game series without the anime, but the mega-explosion of pokemon into a worldwide phenomenon was definitely driven as much by the anime as the games.

 

[FreedomOfSpeech]

Lol at mario cartoon.

Still watched it though, had to watch something, after all.
They also showed Zelda cartoon on some days, that was better.

Excuuuse me, princess!

 

[sackings]

Mario yes, pokemon probably wouldnt be as big as it is.

 

[Diddy X]

Pokemon games and series are just as popular I'd say, 50/50, but then you have all the merchandising, the cards, I guess througout time they have raised and lowered in popularity.

They all feed each other in a circle.

 

[theclaw135]

IMO yes. Of course that the first season of Pokemon series gave the game so much love.

The zaniness is its greatness. By the onset of Johto, corporate meddling or something made the script writing... bland.