When it comes to decorating for the holidays, most houses stick to the usual suspects. Christmas wreaths, trees, and lights are a common sight, as are giant blow-up Santa Claus, reindeer, and snowman figures. However, one couple in Dallas, Texas decided to go a different route with their holiday decorating, making their home look like a giant tube TV playing the classic Super Mario Bros. 3 on an equally giant Nintendo Entertainment System.
Mike and Katie Milam's Super Mario Bros. 3 decorations have caught the attention of local news stations, who have since shared pictures of it online. The decorations include a letter to Santa from a child in 1989 asking to get Super Mario Bros. 3 for Christmas. The giant tube TV shows a scene from Super Mario Bros. 3, with Mario (powered up with a Super Leaf), a Goomba, a Koopa Troopa, and a Piranha Plant. The decoration perfectly captures what the Super Mario Bros. 3 screen looks like.
While the giant TV with Super Mario Bros. 3 playing on it would have likely been enough to turn some heads, Mike and Katie went the extra mile by also building a giant NES. The giant NES looks just like the real deal, and is complete with two NES controllers.
NBC's Larry Collins spoke with the couple, who said that they have gotten a great response from the community. People have been driving by the Super Mario Bros. 3 house, "honking their horns" and waving at the couple. Others have stopped by to take pictures of the impressive sight. As for why the couple decided to decorate their home to look like a giant game of Super Mario Bros. 3 for the holidays, they had a few different reasons.
"We wanted to spread cheer and silliness and playfulness," Katie explained to NBC. The couple hopes that people will take their kids to see the decorations and then tell them about their childhood memories playing Super Mario games. They also hope that people having a bad day can drive by the decorations and maybe it will "bring a little bit of joy."
As for why they chose Super Mario Bros. 3 specifically, Katie said it "had" to be Super Mario Bros. 3 because she and her husband "like the classics." Super Mario Bros. 3 is widely considered to be one of the best video games ever made, and arguably the best game ever released for the NES. Sealed copies of Super Mario Bros. 3 have gone for well over $100,000 at auctions, and the game remains popular to this day.
Anyone interested in playing Super Mario Bros. 3 for themselves without having to dig out their old NES can try the version of the game that's available to play through the Nintendo Switch Online subscription service.
Source: NBC