A short new web series looks to illuminate the world of Super Mario Bros. as no Nintendo player has ever seen.
The Four Players, the first two episodes of which debut on Thursday, takes a glimpse at darker elements of the world inhabited by Mario, Luigi, Peach and Toad, giving the characters problems associated with the some more troubling aspects of everyday life.
Each of the four short films, created by Maker Studios and writer Evan Daugherty of Snow White and the Huntsman, will spotlight one character.
See also: Hear 15 Classic Songs Remixed With Mario's Help
The Fixer features Mario, who is resigned to spending his life dealing with other people's problems. The second episode, titled The Addict, stars a character named Lou who has turned to drugs under life's "pressures." Those pressures seem ordinary until the end of the show when his hands erupt in flames, much like his corresponding video game character, Luigi.
Both of those episodes can be viewed below. The other two episodes, The Star featuring Peach and The Soldier featuring Toad, can be viewed Friday on Polaris, Maker Studio's geek culture YouTube channel.
Daugherty will continue to re-imagine classics in 2014, when his adaptation of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles hits the big screen.


Have something to add to this story? Share it in the comments.
BONUS: 5 Facts You Didn't Know About Video Games

Image: Flickr, Florence Ivy