Original Flags of Bowser and Mario - 1985

A game so classic and influential, Super Mario Brothers is perhaps one of the most popular games to ever cross our screens.  Although not 100% original, its unique art, sound, and game play positioned it as the ultimate game from the 1980s, that has carried on, and still has a legacy.

But for the world of vexillology, it is interesting the flags play a critical role.  Mario has a red starred flag on white, while his opponent has a green skull on a pennant. In this game Mario raises several flags before rescuing Princess Peach.

 It was long long ago, before Mario met Peach, that Bowser and Mario were good friends. But then an issue arose between them.  It is written that some day they may become united again?

Here is the Union Flag, or Union Jack of a would be Super Mario Bros. Bowser team up.

Original Mario Flag from 1985 - Super Mario Bros.

The original Super Mario flag had a simple design, similar is colour and style to the nation of Japan.  It has a red field with a red star in the center. 

This flag would appear when Mario completed a level with a mini castle. 

Original Bowser Flag from 1985 - Super Mario Bros

The original Bowser Flag from Super Mario Brothers was a white pennant.  It consisted of the colours green and white and had green skull as the imprint.

During game play during, Mario would jump on a flag pole and lower Bowser's pennant, then enter a mini castle and raise the Mario flag.

Super Mario Odyssey Flag - 2017

Super Mario Brothers appears again on Switch system.  A unique flag appears on Mario's odyssey ship.  It has red field with a letter M on a white disc.  It has a jagged fly side.  Also on a pole is a long red mast pennant.

This screen shot was taken from Let's Riff Super Mario Odyssey w/AVGN 2017 - Youtube.  This video is done in the style of the Mystery Science Theater 3000, but with more salty language - Rated R. 

Orange Prize Flags from Double Dare 1986-1993

Double Dare the Nickelodeon game show for kids was an 1980s mega-bomb of super, silly, slimy fun!  It had that ubiquitous 1980s rock, electro-guitar riff.  After the initial playoff round of two teams of questions and dares, the winning team had an opportunity to run an obstacle course of eight challenges.  With each obstacle was an bright orange flag that they had to grab, in order to claim the prize.

The host of Nickelodeon's Double Dare was Marc Summers, a friendly all American brand from Indiana.  In this photo Summers is describing the obstacle course and pointing out where some of the flag are, as kids do, they often forget to grab the flag and listen to directions!

Kids had 60 seconds to get all eight flags.  It happened every so often.  You can blame Double Dare for all the wacky adult physical challenge games that would later absorb the TV airwaves of the early and mid Mighty-20 ohs.

Colorado Skier on the Colorado Flag

Skiing in Colorado was written into its very nature. You can see the skier in a red ski suit, yellow hat, and blue skis.  The white poles are for added effect!

Flags from Happy - Documentary Film 2011

In 2011 the family documentary movie Happy was released.  It promoted that inner happiness is important, more so than external happiness.  Its been said many times over and over, but many people obsess over external pursuit of happiness.  There is a baseline need for external happiness, but internal happiness is paramount.

 The film has a short segment about happiness in school.  A motivational speaker at Benicia Middle School, talks about how poorly people treat other, and is able to get a few bullied kids to bear their soul.  Showing that their bravery to speak candidly in front of their peers is important, and takes real courage.

 Here a few men in Bhutan relax while doing archery and have flags in the background set up.

Here an elderly person in a wheel chair has US flag attached to the side.  Although he is alone and feeding the birds, he raises his hands in the air to feel the happy.