Super Mario Ds Poker

Pair-a-Gone is a minigame featured in the games Super Mario 64 DS and New Super Mario Bros. In the former, it is one of Luigi's minigames, and in the latter, it is classified as a Table minigame. In addition to stating the minigame's basic mechanics, the name 'Pair-a-Gone' seems to be a pun on 'paragon,' which can mean 'a sole example' or 'to rival,' both of which can be thought of as relating to this game and the skill required to succeed at it.

Gameplay[edit]

The game consists of 50 cards with pictures on them, which the player must match either up, down, left, right, or diagonally. To win coins, the player must be able to match all of the cards. If the player is unable to match all of the cards, one coin is deducted for each card remaining and a Star is deducted. If all the cards are cleared, coins are given and a Star is obtained, which puts more cards in number and/or kinds in the deck after a certain number has been collected. The separate minigame Pair-a-Gone and On is largely identical in gameplay to Pair-a-Gone, though it lasts forever. The gameplay is identical to Nestor.

Cards[edit]

This lists the different types of cards the player can get.

• Goomba*
• Bowser*
• Boo*
• Yoshi*

* -Appears only after getting a certain number of Stars.

In-game instructions[edit]

Touch 2 identical cards that are connected horizontally, vertically, or diagonally to make them disappear. Clear them all to win!

Names in other languages[edit]

“Yeeoww! Unhand me, brute! I'm late, so late, I must make haste! This shiny thing? Mine! It's mine. Finders, keepers, losers... Late, late, late... Ouch! Take it then! A gift from Bowser, it was. Now let me be! I have a date! I cannot be late for tea!”

—MIPS, Super Mario 64

MIPS,^[1] also known as the Yellow Rabbit,^[2] is a minor character found in the basement of the Mushroom Castle in Super Mario 64. He is Princess Peach's pet rabbit.^[3]

Along with Mario, MIPS was the first character created for Super Mario 64. He was used extensively in early Nintendo 64 test simulations and ultimately made it into the final game because the development team liked him so much.^[4] MIPS is named after the MIPS (Microprocessor without Interlocked Pipeline Stages) microprocessor, the instruction set used in the Nintendo 64. Several of MIPS's lines reference the White Rabbit from Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.

History[edit]

Super Mario 64[edit]

MIPS, the rabbit, can be first seen in Super Mario 64, after the player collected fifteen Power Stars. He is found in the basement of the Mushroom Castle - when Mario approaches MIPS, he runs away. After Mario catches MIPS, the rabbit rewards him a Power Star. MIPS appears in the basement a second time after Mario has collected fifty Power Stars, and Mario can catch MIPS again for another Power Star. MIPS will not reappear for the rest of the game after that.

In the remake Super Mario 64 DS, MIPS does not make a reappearance, instead being replaced by the rabbits scattered throughout the castle for each character to find. They are modeled after MIPS, but they do not give up Power Stars. Instead, they give up keys to unlock minigames in the Rec Room. Two of Mario's, one of Wario's, and one of Yoshi's rabbits can be found in the same location MIPS was in the original game. The rabbits are also internally named 'MIP'^[5] with their key known as a 'MIP Key,'^[6] suggesting a connection.

Mario Party 3[edit]

MIPS also makes a cameo appearance in Mario Party 3 in Woody Woods, where several can be seen gathering near the item shop. MIPS appears in three colors: orange, yellow, and pink, which are colors matching the rabbits that replace MIPS in Super Mario 64 DS (the only absent color is green).

Mario no Bōken Land[edit]

MIPS makes a cameo in the Super Mario 64 storyline of Mario no Bōken Land.

Names in other languages[edit]

Trivia[edit]

• Mario was originally able to throw MIPS, but this was removed.^[7]
• MIPS is involved in a glitch where if the player picks him up and places him near a wall, Mario will go through that wall.
• Originally, a rabbit that is most likely MIPS was going to be raced, but ended up being replaced by Koopa the Quick in the final.^[8]

References[edit]