Mario Is Missing!

Mario Is Missing! is an educational adventure game with light platforming and geography challenges, released for the NES in 1993. This time, Luigi takes the lead after Mario is kidnapped by Bowser, traveling around the world in search of clues and stolen landmarks. Rather than moving through a conventional Mushroom Kingdom quest, Luigi visits real-world cities and learns about their history, famous buildings, monuments, and cultural details.

Each location combines side-scrolling exploration with an information-focused investigation. Luigi can question people in the city, gather clues, and identify which items have been taken and where they belong. Players must then match landmarks and facts to the correct places, making careful reading and memory just as important as reflexes. The NES version also includes straightforward platforming sections, where Luigi navigates hazards and deals with Koopas while working toward the answers needed to progress.

The game’s approach is slower and more deliberate than a traditional Mario platformer. Its main appeal comes from the unusual premise and the way it turns a globe-trotting rescue mission into an interactive geography lesson. Younger players may enjoy discovering new places through familiar Mario characters, while retro fans may appreciate how differently the game uses the NES formula.

Developed by Radical Entertainment and published by The Software Toolworks, Mario Is Missing! is a one-player experience that sits somewhere between an educational title, an adventure game, and a simplified platformer. It is best suited to players who enjoy trivia, exploration, and games with a distinctly instructional side. If you want to revisit this unusual Mario spin-off, RetroCloud lets you play online on your browser and experience its worldwide journey on the NES.