PrinceWatercress plays Mario's Time Machine for Super NES - Part 4 of 4

...and now, the final floor of Mario's Time Machine for Super Nintendo, as well as the best ending.

First | Previous

Printing Press Block - Mainz, 1455

When young Johann Gutenberg was growing up in Germany at the turn of the 15th century, books were very rare and expensive because a scribe had to duplicate each copy by hand. Since Johann was a child of great curiosity who loved to read, he dreamed of a faster, easier way to make books. Luckily, Johann had inherited a large fortune. This allowed him to dedicate all his time to the invention that would soon change the world. The secret, he realized, was in finding a way to print words, so copies would be quick and effortless.

Gutenberg first tried carving letters from wood, but the printing came out crooked and blurry. He continued to experiment, spending all of his father's money during the 30 years it took to perfect the printing press. The final press, made with movable metal type, worked perfectly. His childhood dream realized at last, Johann printed his first books in 1455. They are known today as Gutenburg Bibles.

Astrolabe - The Pacific, 1521

The importance of perseverance has few better examples than Ferdinand Magellan. When Columbus reached America in 1492, he thought he had found a western shortcut to India. By 1519, when Magellan's five ships sailed west to find the Spice Islands, explorers suspected that the Amercias were a vast new region unconnected to Asia. After a year of exploring the eastern coast of the "New World" for a way west, Magellan entered the rough seas between "Tierra Del Fuego" and the tip of South America.

After 39 days of struggle, Magellan entered the vast Pacific Ocean. Sailing west, his crew endured malnutrition and scurvy until they reached the Philippines. There, Magellan was the victim of hostile natives, but Juan Sebastian Del Cano pressed on. "Victoria," the sole remaining ship, rounded the cape of Africa and returned to Spain. Thus, Magellan's expedition became the first to sail around the globe. In so doing, it demonstrated the true scale of the oceans and proved that the Americas were indeed a new world.

Chisel - Florence, 1503

Michelangelo Buonarroti, one of Italy's most impressive artists, was born in Caprese, Italy, on March 6, 1475. Raised by a family of stonecutters, at the age of thirteen he was apprenticed to learn the basics of paintings at the Ghirlandaio brothers' studio. Michelangelo, however, considered himself a sculptor, and he broke his contract so that he might study in the sculpture gardens of the great patron Lorenzo de' Medici.

Indeed, Michelangelo's fame as a sculptor is unmatched. His remarkable "Pieta" was carved when he was only 23. Shortly thereafter, his 13 1/2 foot "David" was wrought from a single block of marble. When commissioned to paint the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, though, Michelangelo implored Pope Julius II that the painter Raphael could do better. Michelangelo was given the job anyway, and ironically, the result was his true masterpiece. Five hundred years after this accomplishment, Michelangelo's influence as a painter, architect, and sculptor is still felt.

Skull - Stratford-upon-Avon, 1601

Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, King Lear, Othello, Macbeth -- these are only just a few of the famous characters immortalized by the greatest playwright and poet in English literature, William Shakespeare. Born over 400 years ago in 1564, Shakespeare's plays are still performed throughout the world. Shakespeare wrote during England's "Golden Age," a time when Queen Elizabeth I was generously supporting the arts. It is said that Shakespeare wrote a play just for her.

An actor as well as an author, Shakespeare is known to have written some 37 plays. Among them were histories, such as "Richard III" and "Henry V," comedies, such as "The Taming of the Shrew" and "Twelfth Night"; and tragedies, such as "Hamlet" and "Romeo and Juliet." Most of Sheakespeare's plays were first performed at the open-roofed Globe Theatre where bad weather could cancel a performance. Shakespeare lived until 1616, having made a modest fortune. He was buried in the village where he was born, Stratford-upon-Avon.

Royal Staff - Alexandria, 47 B.C.

Upon their father's passing, Cleopatra and her brother were named to rule the kingdom of Egypt. However, Cleopatra's selfish brother, Ptolemy XII, didn't want to share the throne, so she banished his sister to the capital city of Alexandria. It was up to the Roman ruler, Julius Caesar, who served as Egypt's guardian, to restore Cleopatra to the throne. Thus, a second coronation was held for the queen in the year 47 B.C..

Meanwhile, Caesar fell deeply in love with Cleopatra, and she eventually bore him a son named Caesarion. However, on March 15th, 44 B.C., Julius Caesar was done away with by members of the Roman senate. One of Rome's new leaders, Marc Antony, had once been an officer in Caesar's army. Cleopatra, who had a penchant for powerful rulers, soon married Antony and bore him three sons. A Roman civil war soon followed in which Antony's forces were defeated in a great sea battle. Soon after, both Antony and Cleopatra took their own lives.

Remember what I said about there being three endings?

Well, if you return all five things on all three floors from left to right, and you complete each and every time period in one shot, you'll get the best ending. Bowser gets squished by a dinosaur foot! Hell yes!

If you only do one of these things, you'll get an ending just like it, but the dinosaur foot doesn't squash Bowser.

If you fail to do both things, or if you take more than one attempt to complete the levels, you'll get the worst ending, where Bowser escapes to Paradise and chillaxes in style.

You can find all three endings here.

PrinceWatercress plays Mario's Time Machine for Super NES - Part 3 of 4

Now that we've got the first five artifacts returned, it's time to head to the second floor to do more of the same.

First | Previous | End

Filament - Menlo Park, 1879

The prolific inventor Thomas Alva Edison, also known as New Jersey's "Wizard of Menlo Park," began his quest to perfect the light blub in 1879, after tiring of the flickering light and funny smells from old, dangerous gas lamps. Learning of a similar invention in Europe, Edison tried over 200 types of material in his seemingly endless quest to find a long-burning filament. Eventually, he discovered that carbonized bamboo was the perfect material.

Although best remembered as the inventor of the incandescent light bulb, Edison also brought us, among other inventions, the photographs, the alkaline battery, and motion pictures. Edison is also credited with owning more patents than anyone else in history, receiving more than 1000 in his lifetime. Later in life he was quoted as saying, "Genius is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration."

Printing Block - Gobi Desert, 1292

When Marco Polo was born in the Italian trading port of Venice, about 1254 A.D., the Western world knew little of the Far East. Marco's father, Niccolo, and uncle, Maffeo, were merchants who happened among the Eastern capital of the Chinese emperor Kublai Khan in 1266. When the Polos set out again for China in 1271, they took 17-year-old Marco with them. A journey of more than 3 years, including a crossing of the Gobi Desert, brought them to Kublai Khan's capital at Cambuluc (now Beijing).

The Khan took a liking to Marco and employed him for 17 years in enterprises all over Asia. Marco discovered wonders unknown in Europe; including paper money, coal, spectacles, and fireworks. The Polos finally returned to Venice in 1295 after escorting a Mongolian princess to the Khan of Persia. Back home, Marco was captured during a war between Venice and Genoa. While imprisoned, he wrote of his travels in "The Book of Marco Polo," which remained Europe's main source of information on Asia for the next 500 years.

Scroll - Athens, 369 B.C.

The methods by which we seek an understanding of our world, our universe, and ourselves are believed to have been created by the great thinkers and teachers of ancient Greece. One of the most noted philosophers was Plato. In 387 B.C. he founded what is said to be the first university. Known as "The Academy," this school survived for over 900 years. There Plato taught his students through a "dialogue" of questions and answers. He learned this so called "Socratic" method of instruction from his own teacher, Socrates.

One of Plato's students, Aristotle, became a great philosopher-scientist himself. Plato examined such questions and ideas as "What is wisdom?", "What is truth?," and "What is the best form of government?" The teachings of Plato have influenced Western civilization for 24 centuries. His ideas are found in his many great works, including "The Republic," in which he contended that the best form of government would be a meritocracy of ruling philosophers.

Crown - London, 1595

The transformation of England from a small island nation to a great world power began during the 45-year reign of one of that country's greatest monarchs, Queen Elizabeth I. "Good Queen Bess," as she was fondly known by her subjects, ruled with strength and wisdom in spite of the many problems she faced as queen. Hers was a kingdom troubled by deep religious divisions and a war with Spain's King Philip II. The famous sea battle with his Spanish Armada was successful, but costly. Finally, countless plots against Elizabeth were attributed to her enemies, including her cousin, Mary, Queen of Scots.

When Mary fled to England, after abdicating the Scottish throne, Elizabeth had her confined for some 16 years. Ultimately, Mary was accused of treason and done away with. It was, however, Elizabeth's generous support of the arts and sciences during the period that produced playwright William Shakespeare and world explorer Sir Francis Drake that allowed her to preside over what is today called "The Golden Age" of England.

Indian - Calcutta, 1947

Few political leaders have earned the prestige of Mohandas K. Gandhi. Born in India in 1869, he studied law in Britain and settled in South Africa. There he protested unjust laws with campaigns called "satyagraha," meaning "grasping for the truth." After some success, Gandhi returned to India in 1915, a land ruled by the British since 1757. Gandhi first sought cooperation, but after a British attack on nationalists, he organized non-violent protests against British rule.

Soon called "Mahatma," or "great soul," he united Indian factions and extracted British concessions by threatening to fast himself to death. In 1942, when he refused to support the British in World War II, he was jailed. After the war, he participated in conferences with British Viceroy Mountbatten which lead to the independence of India and Pakistan. Though Gandhi was mortally wounded one year later, his enduring legacy is in the practice of passive resistance, a tactic later used during the Civil Rights movement in the United States.

PrinceWatercress plays Mario's Time Machine for Super NES - Part 2 of 4

Now that we've gotten the controls and how to play the game out of the way, it's time to remember everything from memory for all the homework assignments!

First | Next | End

Apple - Cambridge, 1687

Born on Christmas Day, 1642, Isaac Newton went on to become of the world's greatest scientists. Newton was uninterested in school until he attended Cambridge University, but his studies there were interrupted by London's Great Black Plague of 1665. In two short years back at his family farm in Woolsthorpe, Newton invented calculus, made major discoveries in optics, and formulated his famous theory of gravitation after observing a falling apple.

Newton's "Three Laws of Motion" revolutionized both physics and astronomy. He also discovered the spectrum of white light and invented the first refracting telescope. Although London's Royal Academy of Science made him a full fledged member at the young age of 30, Newton actually waited many years before publishing his discoveries in two landmark books, "The Principia" and "Optiks." In the 20th century, Einstein's theories have prevailed in atomic sizes and extreme speeds, but Newtonian physics is still used to safely navigate rockets to the moon, Mars and beyond.

Shield - Orleans, 1429

The idea that a mere 17-year-old could inspire hardened soldiers to win battle after battle during France and England's "Hundred Years War" is amazing. That Joan of Arc was an illiterate, 15th century farm girl makes it only more astounding. Driven to change her world by visions and voices of 3 saints, Joan led French troops against the English in an attempt to expel them from her country. Armed with the sword of Saint Catherine and clad in custom-made armor, Joan led an army of 4,000 men to a decisive victory, lifting the siege of the city of Orleans.

Joan's soldiers routed the enemy repeatedly and eventually took back enough land to allow the Dauphin to be crowned King Charles VII of France in the cathedral of Rheims. Before the "Maid of Orleans" could complete her task, however, she fell into the hands of the English. Tried and convicted of heresy, Joan -- still true to her purpose -- was martyred in 1431. Later cleared of the charges, Joan of Arc was made a saint by the Catholic Church in 1920.

Notebook - Florence, 1505

One of the most versatile geniuses in history, Leonardo da Vinci took his name from the village of Vinci, where he was born on April 15th, 1452. He lived during a period of artistic and intellectual reawakening called the Renaissance, which followed the 1000 year slumber known as the Middle Ages. A talented child, Leonardo apprenticed as a painter in Florence and later worked in Milan and Rome. He was employed by a series of wealthy patrons, and his interests extended far beyond painting.

Leonardo was also a sculptor, architect, engineer, musician, scientist and inventor -- a perfect example of a "Renaissance Man." His famous notebooks used backward handwriting for security purposes and were full of ideas that would not be realized for almost 500 years. His sketches include hang gliders, helicopters, parachutes, tanks, machine guns submarines, and diving gear. Leonardo's fresco of "The Last Supper" and his portrait of "Mona Lisa," also known as "La Gioconda," rank among the most famous pictures ever painted.

Sheet Music - Vienna, 1824

Arguably the greatest composer who ever lived, Ludwig von Beethoven spent most of his life in the Austrian music capital of Vienna. Born in 1770, Ludwig gave his first piano concert at the age eight. Soon recognized as a master pianist, he is said to have met Wolfgang Mozart in 1787. His talents turned toward composing, however, when the ear problems he had suffered from for years worsened and he became totally deaf. It is perhaps because of this handicap that he became such an original composer. Able only to imagine the music he created, Beethoven dared to ignore musical convention.

Although he lived in the palace of his royal patron and was admired the world over, Beethoven was said to have a bad temper, nasty habits, and a mean tongue. This perhaps explains why he never married. He completed his first symphony in 1800, beginning a cycle which reached its peak with the presentation of his masterpiece, the Ninth Symphony, in 1824. When he passed away in 1827, he had published approximately 200 works.

Declaration of Independence - Philadephila, 1776

Thomas Jefferson was born in Virginia in 1743. After studying law, he became a leader in the Virginia House of Burgesses. In his famous paper, "A Summary View Of The Rights Of British America," he insisted that colonial ties with England were voluntary. What he lacked as a public speaker was certainly made up for by his powerful writing. For this reason, Jefferson was chosen to write the Declaration of Independence, the document that give birth to the United States on July 4, 1776.

Heartbroken over the untimely passing of his young wife, Martha, in 1824, Jefferson never married again. In his political career he served as Governor of Virginia, the first Secretary of State, the second Vice President, and the third President of the United States. Retiring to the home he had designed, the beloved Monticello, he later became the founder of the University of Virginia. A scientist, farmer, architect and statesman, Jefferson's personal library became the nucleus of the U.S. Library of Congress.

First Floor Complete

Now that you've returned all the items on the first floor, you can enter the door to the left by pressing Up.

PrinceWatercress plays Mario's Time Machine for Super NES - Part 1 of 4

In this Let's Play, I just show off my smarts and go through all the homework assignments without even talking to people. So I decided to go ahead and make a tutorial as to how to play the game, and I even learned a few things in the process. The next video will just be all the answers, so read this if you want to learn how to play the game.

Next | End

You start out in Bowser's Castle, taking one of the five items off the podiums with the X Button and using your time machine to send them back to where they came from. With the R button, you can access a book that tells you all about the history of the item you currently have - and where and when you have to take it back to - but you'll have to fill in some of the blanks before you can actually return it.

Be sure to use the shoulder buttons to switch between the two pages while doing the homework.

You definitely want to do the homework at the castle. If you get three wrong answers in a row, you'll be automatically sent back to the castle.

When you're ready to go back in time at the castle, press L to pull out the time machine. Choose your destination with the Control Pad, set the year and choose between AD and BC, then have at it. Left and Right let you switch between things to toggle, while Up and Down changes numeric and BC/AD values.

Use the X button to go faster when you're time surfing. Use Left and Right Pick up the mushrooms, and avoid the orange sea urchins. If you hold L along with Left, you can make sharp left turns, and if you hold R along with Right, you can make sharp right turns. When you've picked up ten mushrooms, dive into one of the whirlpools. If you got the right destination, you'll be there. If not, it's back to the castle.

Once you've returned the item, press L to trigger the timer that lets Mario go back to Bowser's castle. Press A and Mario will press the button. If you press L again, you'll go back to exploring. 

Now for that homework. To complete it, you'll have to talk to the time people in that time period and read the information they give you. Enter buildings and other areas with the X button. and hopefully you'll find somebody. You'll be able to get all the information you need by talking to them with the Control Pad and the A button. Just make sure you read things carefully, because if you miss something, you won't be able to read it again. As you do this, you'll also get other items that you can trade to people in exchange for more information. If you hear the sound of a Koopa shell, you've gotten an item. You'll need to give it to someone else. You'll need to give the right items to the right people in order to get more information for the homework from them.

Be careful as you talk to people, for every time you ask a question, you'll lose five bonus points off your remaining time in the upper-right corner.

If you get wrong answers, you'll get frowning faces above the name of the current location for your item. If you get three, you'll be booted back to the castle. If you're at the castle while doing the homework, this is not an issue, but if you're in the historical time and place that your current time is from, it really stinks, and you'll have to go time surfing to get back. Again, you're better off doing the homework in the castle.

You're definitely going to need all of this information, so I'll mention all the answers you need. All the words in the blanks are in bold.

Apple - Cambridge, 1687

Born on Christmas Day, 1642, Isaac Newton went on to become of the world's greatest scientists. Newton was uninterested in school until he attended Cambridge University, but his studies there were interrupted by London's Great Black Plague of 1665. In two short years back at his family farm in Woolsthorpe, Newton invented calculus, made major discoveries in optics, and formulated his famous theory of gravitation after observing a falling apple.

Newton's "Three Laws of Motion" revolutionized both physics and astronomy. He also discovered the spectrum of white light and invented the first refracting telescope. Although London's Royal Academy of Science made him a full fledged member at the young age of 30, Newton actually waited many years before publishing his discoveries in two landmark books, "The Principia" and "Optiks." In the 20th century, Einstein's theories have prevailed in atomic sizes and extreme speeds, but Newtonian physics is still used to safely navigate rockets to the moon, Mars and beyond.

Angry Video Game Nerd - Mario Is Missing!

Because why not?

The Music of Mario's Time Machine for Super Nintendo

Here you go...the entire soundtrack for Mario's Time Machine for Super Nintendo.

Popoman100 plays Mario's Time Machine for Super NES - Part 7 of 7

The true ending.

Remember what I said about there being three endings?

Well, if you return all five things on all three floors from left to right, and you complete all the time periods in one shot, you'll get the best ending. Bowser gets squished by a dinosaur foot! Hell yes!

If you only do one of these things, you'll get an ending just like it, but the dinosaur foot doesn't squash Bowser.

If you fail to do both things, or if you take more than one attempt to complete the levels, you'll get the worst ending, where Bowser escapes to Paradise and chillaxes in style.

You can find all three endings here.

Popoman100 plays Mario's Time Machine for Super NES - Part 6 of 7

Another trip to Golden Age England here, a trip to Ancient Egypt there, and we'll finally finish this off!

Skull - Stratford-upon-Avon, 1601

Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, King Lear, Othello, Macbeth -- these are only just a few of the famous characters immortalized by the greatest playwright and poet in English literature, William Shakespeare. Born over 400 years ago in 1564, Shakespeare's plays are still performed throughout the world. Shakespeare wrote during England's "Golden Age," a time when Queen Elizabeth I was generously supporting the arts. It is said that Shakespeare wrote a play just for her.

An actor as well as an author, Shakespeare is known to have written some 37 plays. Among them were histories, such as "Richard III" and "Henry V," comedies, such as "The Taming of the Shrew" and "Twelfth Night"; and tragedies, such as "Hamlet" and "Romeo and Juliet." Most of Shakespeare's plays were first performed at the open-roofed Globe Theatre where bad weather could cancel a performance. Shakespeare lived until 1616, having made a modest fortune. He was buried in the village where he was born, Stratford-upon-Avon.

Royal Staff - Alexandria, 47 B.C.

Upon their father's passing, Cleopatra and her brother were named to rule the kingdom of Egypt. However, Cleopatra's selfish brother, Ptolemy XII, didn't want to share the throne, so she banished his sister to the capital city of Alexandria. It was up to the Roman ruler, Julius Caesar, who served as Egypt's guardian, to restore Cleopatra to the throne. Thus, a second coronation was held for the queen in the year 47 B.C.

Meanwhile, Caesar fell deeply in love with Cleopatra, and she eventually bore him a son named Caesarion. However, on March 15th, 44 B.C., Julius Caesar was done away with by members of the Roman senate. One of Rome's new leaders, Marc Antony, had once been an officer in Caesar's army. Cleopatra, who had a penchant for powerful rulers, soon married Antony and bore him three sons. A Roman civil war soon followed in which Antony's forces were defeated in a great sea battle. Soon after, both Antony and Cleopatra took their own lives.

Popoman100 plays Mario's Time Machine for Super NES - Part 5 of 7

The music here is probably the best out of the three floors.

Printing Press Block - Mainz, 1455

When young Johann Gutenberg was growing up in Germany at the turn of the 15th century, books were very rare and expensive because a scribe had to duplicate each copy by hand. Since Johann was a child of great curiosity who loved to read, he dreamed of a faster, easier way to make books. Luckily, Johann had inherited a large fortune. This allowed him to dedicate all his time to the invention that would soon change the world. The secret, he realized, was in finding a way to print words, so copies would be quick and effortless.

Gutenberg first tried carving letters from wood, but the printing came out crooked and blurry. He continued to experiment, spending all of his father's money during the 30 years it took to perfect the printing press. The final press, made with movable metal type, worked perfectly. His childhood dream realized at last, Johann printed his first books in 1455. They are known today as Gutenburg Bibles.

Astrolabe - The Pacific, 1521

The importance of perseverance has few better examples than Ferdinand Magellan. When Columbus reached America in 1492, he thought he had found a western shortcut to India. By 1519, when Magellan's five ships sailed west to find the Spice Islands, explorers suspected that the Americas were a vast new region unconnected to Asia. After a year of exploring the eastern coast of the "New World" for a way west, Magellan entered the rough seas between "Tierra Del Fuego" and the tip of South America.

After 39 days of struggle, Magellan entered the vast Pacific Ocean. Sailing west, his crew endured malnutrition and scurvy until they reached the Phillipines. There, Magellan was the victim of hostile natives, but Juan Sebastian Del Cano pressed on. "Victoria," the sole remaining ship, rounded the cape of Africa and returned to Spain. Thus, Magellan's expedition became the first to sail around the globe. In so doing, it demonstrated the true scale of the oceans and proved that the Americas were indeed a new world.

Chisel - Florence, 1503

Michaelangelo Buonarroti, one of Italy's most impressive artists, was born in Caprese, Italy, on March 6, 1475. Raised by a family of stonecutters, at the age of thirteen he was apprenticed to learn the basics of paintings at the Ghirlandaio brothers' studio. Michaelangelo, however, considered himself a sculptor, and he broke his contract so that he might study in the sculpture gardens of the great patron Lorenzo de' Medici.


Indeed, Michelangelo's fame as a sculptor is unmatched. His remarkable "Pieta" was carved when he was only 23. Shortly thereafter, his 13 1/2 foot "David" was wrought from a single block of marble. When commissioned to paint the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, though, Michelangelo implored Pope Julius II that the painter Raphael could do better. Michelangelo was given the job anyway, and ironically, the result was his true masterpiece. Five hundred years after this accomplishment, Michelangelo's influence as a painter, architect, and sculptor is still felt.

CGR Undertow reviews Mario's Time Machine for Super Nintendo

Look, it's not that bad, okay?

Popoman100 plays Mario's Time Machine for Super NES - Part 4 of 7

Time to finish off the second floor...and take on two of the best areas in the game: Elizabethan-era England and Gandhi-era India!

Crown - London, 1595

The transformation of England from a small island nation to a great world power began during the 45-year reign of one of that country's greatest monarchs, Queen Elizabeth I. "Good Queen Bess," as she was fondly known by her subjects, ruled with strength and wisdom in spite of the many problems she faced as queen. Hers was a kingdom troubled by deep religious divisions and a war with Spain's King Philip II. The famous sea battle with his Spanish Armada was successful, but costly. Finally, countless plots against Elizabeth were attributed to her enemies, including her cousin, Mary, Queen of Scots.

When Mary fled to England, after abdicating the Scotting throne, Elizabeth had her confined for some 16 years. Ultimately, Mary was accused of treason and done away with. It was, however, Elizabeth's generous support of the arts and sciences during the period that produced playwright William Shakespeare and world explorer Sir Francis Drake that allowed her to preside over what is today called "The Golden Age" of England.

India - Calcutta, 1947

Few political leaders have earned the prestige of Mohandas K. Gandhi. Born in India in 1869, he studied law in Britain and settled in South Africa. There he protested unjust laws with campains called "satyagraha," meaning "grasping for the truth." After some success, Gandhi returned to India in 1915, a land ruled by the British since 1757. Gandhi first sought cooperation, but after a British attack on nationalists, he organized non-violent protests against British rule.


Soon called "Mahatma," or "great soul," he united Indian factions and extracted British concessions by threatening to fast himself to death. In 1942, when he refused to support the British in World War II, he was jailed. After the war, he participated in conferences with British Viceroy Mountbatten which lead to the independence of India and Pakistan. Though Gandhi was mortally wounded one year later, his enduring legacy is in the practice of passive resistance, a tactic later used during the Civil Rights movement in the United States.

Popoman100 plays Mario's Time Machine for Super NES - Part 3 of 7

We now start off another floor of items, complete with some new overworld music, new homework and a slightly different background. Let's dig in!

Filament - Menlo Park, 1879

The prolific inventor Thomas Alva Edison, also known as New Jersey's "Wizard of Menlo Park," began his quest to perfect the light blub in 1879, after tiring of the flickering light and funny smells from old, dangerous gas lamps. Learning of a similar invention in Europe, Edison tried over 200 types of material in his seemingly endless quest to find a long-burning filament. Eventually, he discovered that carbonized bamboo was the perfect material.

Although best remembered as the inventor of the incandescent light bulb, Edison also brought us, among other inventions, the photographs, the alkaline battery, and motion pictures. Edison is also credited with owning more patents than anyone else in history, receiving more than 1000 in his lifetime. Later in life he was quoted as saying, "Genius is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration."

Printing Block - Gobi Desert, 1292

When Marco Polo was born in the Italian trading port of Venice, about 1254 A.D., the Western world knew little of the Far East. Marco's father, Niccolo, and uncle, Maffeo, were merchants who happened among the Eastern capital of the Chinese emperor Kublai Khan in 1266. When the Polos set out again for China in 1271, they took 17-year-old Marco with them. A journey of more than 3 years, including a crossing of the Gobi Desert, brought them to Kublai Khan's capital at Cambuluc (now Beijing).

The Khan took a liking to Marco and employed him for 17 years in enterprises all over Asia. Marco discovered wonders unknown in Europe; including paper money, coal, spectacles, and fireworks. The Polos finally returned to Venice in 1295 after escorting a Mongolian princess to the Khan of Persia. Back home, Marco was captured during a war between Venice and Genoa. While imprisoned, he wrote of his travels in "The Book of Marco Polo," which remained Europe's main source of information on Asia for the next 500 years.

Scroll - Athens, 369 B.C.

The methods by which we seek an understanding of our world, our universe, and ourselves are believed to have been created by the great thinkers and teachers of ancient Greece. One of the most noted philosophers was plato. In 387 B.C. he founded what is said to be the first university. Known as "The Academy," this school survived for over 900 years. There Plato taught his students through a "dialogue" of questions and answers. He learned this so called "Socratic" method of instruction from his own teacher, Socrates.

One of Plato's students, Aristotle, became a great philosopher-scientist himself. Plato examined such questions and ideas as "What is wisdom?", "What is truth?," and "What is the best form of government?" The teachings of Plato have influenced Western civilization for 24 centuries. His ideas are found in his many great works, including "The Republic," in which he contended that the best form of government would be a meritocracy of ruling philosophers.

Popoman100 plays Mario's Time Machine for Super NES - Part 2 of 7

In this entry, we finish off the first floor.

Sheet Music - Vienna, 1824

Arguably the greatest composer who ever lived, Ludwig von Beethoven spent most of his life in the Austrian music capital of Vienna. Born in 1770, Ludwig gave his first piano concert at the age eight. Soon recognized as a master pianist, he is said to have met Wolfgang Mozart in 1787. His talents turned toward composing, however, when the ear problems he had suffered from for years worsened and he became totally deaf. It is perhaps because of this handicap that he became such an original composer. Able only to imagine the music he created, Beethoven dared to ignore musical convention.

Although he lived in the palace of his royal patron and was admired the world over, Beethoven was said to have a bad temper, nasty habits, and a mean tongue. This perhaps explains why he never married. He completed his first symphony in 1800, beginning a cycle which reached its peak with the presentation of his masterpiece, the Ninth Symphony, in 1824. When he passed away in 1827, he had published approximately 200 works.

Declaration of Independence - Philadelphia, 1776

Thomas Jefferson was born in Virginia in 1743. After studying law, he became a leader in the Virginia House of Burgesses. In his famous paper, "A Summary View Of The Rights Of British America," he insisted that colonial ties with England were voluntary. What he lacked as a public speaker was certainly made up for by his powerful writing. For this reason, Jefferson was chosen to write the Declaration of Independence, the document that give birth to the United States on July 4, 1776.

Heartbroken over the untimely passing of his young wife, Martha, in 1824, Jefferson never married again. In his political career he served as Governor of Virginia, the first Secretary of State, the second Vice President, and the third President of the United States. Retiring to the home he had designed, the beloved Monticello, he later became the founder of the University of Virginia. A scientist, farmer, architect and statesman, Jefferson's personal library became the nucleus of the U.S. Library of Congress.

First Floor Complete

Now that you've returned all the items on the first floor, you can enter the door to the left by pressing Up.

Popoman100 plays Mario's Time Machine for Super NES - Part 1 of 7

Before you start thinking that we're moving from 8-bit vomit to 16-bit vomit, keep in mind that it gets a lot harder here and there are three possible endings. I'd like to make fun of this, but considering that it's actually possible to really learn something from this version, this is an improvement.

You start out in Bowser's Castle, taking one of the five items off the podiums and using your time machine to send them back to where they came from. With the R button, you can access a book that tells you all about the history of the item you currently have, but you'll have to fill in some of the blanks before you can actually return it. To do that, you'll have to talk to the time people in that time period and read the information they give you. Enter buildings and other areas and hopefully you'll find somebody. You'll be able to get all the information you need by talking to them. As you do this, you'll also get other items that you can trade to people in exchange for more information.

Be sure to use the shoulder buttons to switch between the two pages while doing the homework.

You definitely want to do the homework at the castle. If you get three wrong answers in a row, you'll be automatically sent back to the castle.

When you're ready to go back in time at the castle, press L to pull out the time machine. Choose your destination, set the year and choose between AD and BC, then have at it.

Use the X button to go faster when you're time surfing. Pick up the mushrooms, and avoid the orange sea urchins. When you've picked up ten mushrooms, dive into one of the whirlpools. If you got the right destination, you'll be there. If not, it's back to the castle.

Once you've returned the item, press L to trigger the timer that lets Mario go back to Bowser's castle. Press A and Mario will press the button.

You're definitely going to need all of this information, so I'll mention all the answers you need. All the words in the blanks are in bold.

Apple - Cambridge, 1687

Born on Christmas Day, 1642, Isaac Newton went on to become of the world's greatest scientists. Newton was uninterested in school until he attended Cambridge University, but his studies there were interrupted by London's Great Black Plague of 1665. In two short years back at his family farm in Woolsthorpe, Newton invented calculus, made major discoveries in optics, and formulated his famous theory of gravitation after observing a falling apple.

Newton's "Three Laws of Motion" revolutionized both physics and astronomy. He also discovered the spectrum of white light and invented the first refracting telescope. Although London's Royal Academy of Science made him a full fledged member at the young age of 30, Newton actually waited many years before publishing his discoveries in two landmark books, "The Principia" and "Optiks." In the 20th century, Einstein's theories have prevailed in atomic sizes and extreme speeds, but Newtonian physics is still used to safely navigate rockets to the moon, Mars and beyond.

Shield - Orleans, 1429

The idea that a mere 17-year-old could inspire hardened soldiers to win battle after battle during France and England's "Hundred Years War" is amazing. That Joan of Arc was an illiterate, 15th century farm girl makes it only more astounding. Driven to change her world by visions and voices of 3 saints, Joan led French troops against the English in an attempt to expel them from her country. Armed with the sword of Saint Catherine and clad in custom-made armor, Joan led an army of 4,000 men to a decisive victory, lifting the siege of the city of Orleans.

Joan's soldiers routed the enemy repeatedly and eventually took back enough land to allow the Dauphin to be crowned King Charles VII of France in the cathedral of Rheims. Before the "Maid of Orleans" could complete her task, however, she fell into the hands of the English. Tried and convicted of heresy, Joan -- still true to her purpose -- was martyred in 1431. Later cleared of the charges, Joan of Arc was made a saint by the Catholic Church in 1920.

Notebook - Florence, 1505

One of the most versatile geniuses in history, Leonardo da Vinci took his name from the village of Vinci, where he was born on April 15th, 1452. He lived during a period of artistic and intellectual reawakening called the Renaissance, which followed the 1000 year slumber known as the Middle Ages. A talented child, Leonardo apprenticed as a painter in Florence and later worked in Milan and Rome. He was employed by a series of wealthy patrons, and his interests extended far beyond painting.

Leonardo was also a sculptor, architect, engineer, musician, scientist and inventor -- a perfect example of a "Renaissance Man." His famous notebooks used backward handwriting for security purposes and were full of ideas that would not be realized for almost 500 years. His sketches include hang gliders, helicopters, parachutes, tanks, machine guns submarines, and diving gear. Leonardo's fresco of "The Last Supper" and his portrait of "Mona Lisa," also known as "La Gioconda," rank among the most famous pictures ever painted.

Mario's Time Machine NES TAS in 08.28.53 by nitrogenesis

I beat this game one time in about 10-11 minutes legit. This TAS does it in eight. That should tell you exactly how short this game is.

Popoman100 plays Mario's Time Machine for NES - Part 2 of 2

The suck continues. Thankfully, this is the second and last part.

The quill pen is from 1602. Use it on the stage at the right end of the area.

The American flag is from 1969. Use it on top of the lunar lander at the right end of the area.

The throne is from 31 BC. Use it at the pyramid at the right end of the area, and be sure to stand on top of the blocks as you do this.

The propeller is from 1903. Use it on the plane at the right end of the area.

The sword is from 1192. Use it at the platform at the right end of the area.

The physics equation is from 1905. Use it at the chalkboard at the right end of the area.

You can now enter the final door and take on Bowser. Before you can do that, you'll have to answer three questions correctly. Answering one incorrectly will force you to have to wait a little bit before you can try again. Thankfully, you can find all the questions and answers here.

To beat Bowser, simply jump on his head and wait for him to stop spinning around before doing it again. After three hits, just grab the key with Down and you'll get the worst NES ending of all time.

Popoman100 plays Mario's Time Machine for NES - Part 1 of 2

Not only is this game really bad, it's really easy. You can time attack this sucker in ten minutes.

"The Software Toolworks."

Oh, crap, will this ever suck.

Anyway, Bowser and his minions have seized a zillion things related to great events in human history from the time-space continuum, and Mario has to get them back. Yoshi gets ahead of Mario, Bowser shows up in front of Mario at the door and does some derpish motion with his hands while a weird sound plays (I'm trying to make fun of this and I can't), and we find Yoshi is kidnapped. Of course, first things first.

Enter a door with Up on the Control Pad and beat up all of the Koopas. The screen you do this in is not only a reference to the original Mario Bros. arcade game, you'll have to beat them in the exact same fashion. You'll get an historical item from the last one. Press Down to pick it up, then go down the pipe at the machine in the center. You'll then have to guess which year it came from by using Up and Down on the Control Pad. When you've made your choice, press A. If you guess wrong, you won't find out until you hit the information boxes...then you'll lose the item. Gee, thanks, game. You'll then have to do the whole thing over and over until you get the year right, then you have to take the item to a specific area to return it. You'll be able to return to the present day and also get a password to save your progress.

The info boxes give you interesting information about the area you're currently in, and you'll have to remember all this stuff for later to enter Bowser's room at the end. You can also use the Question Mark in the item block at the top of the screen to talk to a person from that time period, and switch to the clock with the Select button to see what year you're in. Of course, you can also switch to the item in your possession that you need to return the same way. To use an item, just press Start. Be careful not to use the historical item in the wrong place, or you'll lose it and you'll have to reclaim it all over again before you can take it to its proper place.

The yellow clock blocks can be broken with a Spin Jump (Down + A).

The hourglass blocks can be hit from underneath to allow passage to whatever is above them, much like the bricks in Super Mario World.

The enemies can simply be jumped on, and they don't hurt you. You can also kick the Koopas away after you jump on them.

Believe it or not, you can enter a door twice to return two items. Once you return the two items behind that door, it will be bricked over and you can't enter it again.

The torch is from 776 BC. Take it to the giant torch in the far right side of this area to light the giant torch and return it.

The light bulb is from 1879. Place it on the last bookcase, which is in the right end of the area.

The apple is from 1687. Place it on top of the huge tree at the right end of the area.

The sledgehammer is from 1989. Use it on the guardtower in the right end of the area.

The egg is from 80M BC. Return it to the cave in the right end of the area.

The stovepipe hat is from 1862. Use it on the lock on the gate to Gettysburg.

The steering wheel is from 1520. Use it on top of the anchor at the rightmost end of the ship.

The Indian flag is from 1947. Use it in front of the Taj Mahal (that big white building in the background).