Mario Quiz Cards (partially lost educational flashcard designs based on game franchise; 1995-1997): Difference between revisions

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|status=<span style="color:orange;">'''Partially Lost'''</span>
|status=<span style="color:orange;">'''Partially Lost'''</span>
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The '''''Mario Quiz Cards''''' are a set of educational flash cards that were officially licensed by Nintendo. The cards were produced by Atlas Editions and Newfield Publications in 1995. The art was created by cartoonist Gary Fields. The cards are all part of different decks; each of which has 20 cards from 18 different categories. ย 
The '''''Mario Quiz Cards''''' are a set of educational flash cards that were officially licensed by Nintendo. They were produced by Atlas Editions and Newfield Publications in 1995, and are considered an international derivative of the 1992 ''Fiches Tintin'' set (made by รˆditions Atlas, Atlas Editionsโ€™s European branch). The cards are divided into 91 decks, each having 20 cards from 18 different categories, bringing the total amount to 1820 cards.<ref>[https://tintinomania.com/tintin-fiches-atlas-1992 Information on the ''Fiches Tintin'' set.] Retrieved 10 Mar '24</ref>


==Atlas Editions/Newfield Publications==
==Atlas Editions/Newfield Publications==
Atlas Editions is no longer active, as seen on their website. Atlas Editions acquired Newfield Publications sometime during the production of these cards. This is seen by the 2 box variants (one with the Newfield logo and the other one with the AE logo). The 1998 website of AE/Newfield does not list the quiz cards, which implies that they stopped selling them sometime in 1997/1998. ย 
Atlas Editions and Newfield Publications are no longer active, as seen on their website.<ref>[https://atlaseditions.co.uk Atlas Editions now defunct site on the cards.] Retrieved 10 Mar '24</ref> Due to Atlas Editions acquiring Newfield at some point during production, there are two box variants (one with the Newfield logo, the other with the Atlas logo).<ref>[https://tinyurl.com/kp34u7p4 Atlas Editions and Newfield Publications card boxes.] Retrieved 10 Mar '24</ref> The 1998 website of Atlas and Newfield does not list the quiz cards, implying that they stopped selling them sometime during 1997-1998. ย 


==Illustration==
==Illustrations==
Illustrations for all of the quiz cards were done by cartoonist Gary Fields. Interestingly, older cards do not credit him at all, whereas cards from 1996/1997 have illustration credit in the bottom left-hand corner on the front of the card. Each card has unique art not seen elsewhere, inspired by ''Super Mario World''. Many of these cards are infamous for their unusual depictions of the Mario universe (Ex: Luigi reading about Hitler, Bowser worshiping Al Capone, Mario and Luigi protesting nukes, etc).
Many of these cards are infamous for their unusual depictions of the Mario universe (Ex: Luigi reading about Hitler, Bowser worshiping Al Capone, Mario and Luigi protesting nukes, etc). Illustrations for all of the quiz cards were done by cartoonist Gary Fields. Interestingly, older cards do not credit him at all, whereas cards from 1996-1997 have illustration credit in the bottom left-hand corner on the front of the card. Each card has unique art not seen elsewhere, inspired by 2D Mario titles and illustrations from the 1993 official Nintendo Character Manual.<ref>[https://www.pressthebuttons.com/2014/12/mario-kirby-and-samus-aran-shine-in-the-nintendo-character-manual.html 1993 Nintendo Character Manual.] Retrieved 10 Mar '24</ref> As seen in the prototype cards, said manual was heavily referenced, with exact Pantone colors and character illustrations being used for each Nintendo character featured in the cards.<ref>[https://tinyurl.com/2t5brzp7 Prototype cards.] Retrieved 10 Mar '24</ref>


==Sample Packs==
==Promotional Materials and Distribution Methods==
Certain sample packs of the quiz cards were mailed at random to promote the cards. When opened, they have a red paper with a promotion, in which one can get the box, manual, dividers, 40 cards, and tattoos for 24.95. This was then mailed to the company. It also includes prices for the monthly card packs. A different purple pamphlet also exists, but itโ€™s unknown what this one contains.
Similar to other educational card sets sold by the same companies, the Mario Quiz Cards set operated on a subscription-based distribution. To promote the cards, sample packs would be mailed at random, with recipients being able to subscribe for more cards; These sample packs contain 12 cards from the first two decks and a pamphlet with steps for claiming subscriptions.<ref>[https://tinyurl.com/bdzh2f8d Promotional Sample Pack.] Retrieved 10 Mar '24</ref> For a small fee, subscribers could obtain new decks every month, as well as a card box, user manual, tattoos, dividers, and a calculator. It is likely that certain card decks could only be obtained during specific times while subscriptions were active. This is due to the varying amount and selection of cards throughout different card sets. In addition, there are also various pamphlets included, typically promoting subscriptions and bonus materials.<ref>[https://tinyurl.com/4t5mczzy Promotional pamphlets advertising the cards.] Retrieved 10 Mar '24</ref>
ย 
==Documentation==
There is currently no documentation of the cards in magazines such as ''Nintendo Power''. This makes sense considering the little documentation there is about them. Children's magazines from 1995-1996 are a possible lead as to where these cards could have been advertised.


==Codes==
==Codes==
Numerical codes can be found on the back of each card, around the bottom right corner. The card drafts also have these codes. New information reveals that they indicate deck and card numbers. Each deck had 20 cards, so the highest number of decks x 20 may reveal the total card amount. Sometimes decks were skipped, so the amount may be inaccurate. Itโ€™s unknown if any decks were skipped for this set. The D2 or D3 parts of the code usually reflect languages. The existence of 2 different codes could suggest a connection with a different Tintin quiz card set that was made by Atlas. The existence of codes in draft cards suggests that deck numbers and card numbers were decided early on during production.
Numerical codes can be found on the back of each card, around the bottom right corner, representing deck and card numbers. The D2 and D3 parts of the code reflect languages.<ref>[https://www.thecarburetorshop.com/Subcardsets.htm Site detailing information about subscription card sets.] Retrieved 10 Mar '24</ref> Some cards have D2 in their codes, being the same as the ones found in the ''Fiches Tintin'' set. The card prototypes also have these codes, which match with their final counterparts. This suggests that deck and card numbers were decided early on during production. Many of the cards also match directly with their ''Fiches Tintin'' counterparts, though there are noticeable differences between the two sets; The amount of cards per section varies, and the ''Mario'' set has several questions geared towards an American audience.


==Ordering Cards==
Based on the existence of sample packs and an ad for ''Star Trek Universe'' cards found in a magazine,<ref>[https://qu.ax/fvlH.JPG Ad done by Newfield mentioning the ''Mario Quiz Cards''.] Retrieved 27 Dec '22</ref> it's assumed that the company operated primarily through mail services and magazine adverts to promote their products. There are currently no known TV commercials from the 1990s regarding these cards.ย  Sales could have begun as early as 1994 and most likely ended in 1998. New information suggests that calls could be made to order the cards (as one could call AE and ask them for other quiz cards not related to ''Mario'').<ref>[https://www.thecarburetorshop.com/Subcardsets.htm Link to the website with information on the cards.] Retrieved 27 Dec '22</ref>


==Card List==
==Card List==
Line 51: Line 46:
|Deck 10||[https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1u4miyt58i6QwXDklJ6GMc5-1tZ6PS2W8K74m9JZO_cE/edit#gid=1435724029<span style="color:green;">'''Found''']
|Deck 10||[https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1u4miyt58i6QwXDklJ6GMc5-1tZ6PS2W8K74m9JZO_cE/edit#gid=1435724029<span style="color:green;">'''Found''']
|-
|-
|Decks 11-22||<span style="color:gray;">'''Existence Unconfirmed'''
|Deck 11||[https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1u4miyt58i6QwXDklJ6GMc5-1tZ6PS2W8K74m9JZO_cE/edit#gid=1740373264<span style="color:green;">'''Found''']
|-
|Deck 12||[https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1u4miyt58i6QwXDklJ6GMc5-1tZ6PS2W8K74m9JZO_cE/edit#gid=1514519804<span style="color:green;">'''Found''']
|-
|Deck 13||[https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1u4miyt58i6QwXDklJ6GMc5-1tZ6PS2W8K74m9JZO_cE/edit#gid=1323861310<span style="color:green;">'''Found''']
|-
|Deck 14||[https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1u4miyt58i6QwXDklJ6GMc5-1tZ6PS2W8K74m9JZO_cE/edit#gid=489404892<span style="color:orange;">'''Partially Found''']
|-
|Deck 15||[https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1u4miyt58i6QwXDklJ6GMc5-1tZ6PS2W8K74m9JZO_cE/edit#gid=1581813776<span style="color:orange;">'''Partially Found''']
|-
|Deck 16||[https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1u4miyt58i6QwXDklJ6GMc5-1tZ6PS2W8K74m9JZO_cE/edit#gid=2021698728<span style="color:orange;">'''Partially Found''']
|-
|Deck 17||[https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1u4miyt58i6QwXDklJ6GMc5-1tZ6PS2W8K74m9JZO_cE/edit#gid=569913979<span style="color:orange;">'''Partially Found''']
|-
|Deck 18||[https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1u4miyt58i6QwXDklJ6GMc5-1tZ6PS2W8K74m9JZO_cE/edit#gid=1221468640<span style="color:orange;">'''Partially Found''']
|-
|Deck 19||[https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1u4miyt58i6QwXDklJ6GMc5-1tZ6PS2W8K74m9JZO_cE/edit#gid=722337909<span style="color:orange;">'''Partially Found''']
|-
|Decks 20-22||<span style="color:gray;">'''Existence Unconfirmed'''
|-
|-
|Deck 23||[https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1u4miyt58i6QwXDklJ6GMc5-1tZ6PS2W8K74m9JZO_cE/edit#gid=1128808589<span style="color:orange;">'''Partially Found''']
|Deck 23||[https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1u4miyt58i6QwXDklJ6GMc5-1tZ6PS2W8K74m9JZO_cE/edit#gid=1128808589<span style="color:orange;">'''Partially Found''']
Line 65: Line 78:
|Deck 28||[https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1u4miyt58i6QwXDklJ6GMc5-1tZ6PS2W8K74m9JZO_cE/edit#gid=2023976762<span style="color:green;">'''Found''']
|Deck 28||[https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1u4miyt58i6QwXDklJ6GMc5-1tZ6PS2W8K74m9JZO_cE/edit#gid=2023976762<span style="color:green;">'''Found''']
|-
|-
|Decks 29-31||<span style="color:gray;">'''Existence Unconfirmed'''
|Deck 29||[https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1u4miyt58i6QwXDklJ6GMc5-1tZ6PS2W8K74m9JZO_cE/edit#gid=1727370151<span style="color:orange;">'''Partially Found''']
|-
|Deck 30||[https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1u4miyt58i6QwXDklJ6GMc5-1tZ6PS2W8K74m9JZO_cE/edit#gid=1212202449<span style="color:orange;">'''Partially Found''']
|-
|Deck 31||[https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1u4miyt58i6QwXDklJ6GMc5-1tZ6PS2W8K74m9JZO_cE/edit#gid=1470998526<span style="color:orange;">'''Partially Found''']
|-
|-
|Deck 32||[https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1u4miyt58i6QwXDklJ6GMc5-1tZ6PS2W8K74m9JZO_cE/edit#gid=1767727734<span style="color:green;">'''Found''']
|Deck 32||[https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1u4miyt58i6QwXDklJ6GMc5-1tZ6PS2W8K74m9JZO_cE/edit#gid=1767727734<span style="color:green;">'''Found''']
Line 139: Line 156:
|Deck 67||[https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1u4miyt58i6QwXDklJ6GMc5-1tZ6PS2W8K74m9JZO_cE/edit#gid=1353524834<span style="color:green;">'''Found''']
|Deck 67||[https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1u4miyt58i6QwXDklJ6GMc5-1tZ6PS2W8K74m9JZO_cE/edit#gid=1353524834<span style="color:green;">'''Found''']
|-
|-
|Decks 68-73||<span style="color:gray;">'''Existence Unconfirmed'''
|Deck 68||[https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1u4miyt58i6QwXDklJ6GMc5-1tZ6PS2W8K74m9JZO_cE/edit#gid=1051297209<span style="color:green;">'''Found''']
|-
|Deck 69||[https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1u4miyt58i6QwXDklJ6GMc5-1tZ6PS2W8K74m9JZO_cE/edit#gid=1621495229<span style="color:green;">'''Found''']
|-
|Deck 70||[https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1u4miyt58i6QwXDklJ6GMc5-1tZ6PS2W8K74m9JZO_cE/edit#gid=29218454<span style="color:green;">'''Found''']
|-
|Deck 71||[https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1u4miyt58i6QwXDklJ6GMc5-1tZ6PS2W8K74m9JZO_cE/edit#gid=421779485<span style="color:green;">'''Found''']
|-
|Deck 72||[https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1u4miyt58i6QwXDklJ6GMc5-1tZ6PS2W8K74m9JZO_cE/edit#gid=1502290064<span style="color:green;">'''Found''']
|-
|Deck 73||[https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1u4miyt58i6QwXDklJ6GMc5-1tZ6PS2W8K74m9JZO_cE/edit#gid=1848792499<span style="color:green;">'''Found''']
|-
|-
|Deck 74||[https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1u4miyt58i6QwXDklJ6GMc5-1tZ6PS2W8K74m9JZO_cE/edit#gid=1140117558<span style="color:green;">'''Found''']
|Deck 74||[https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1u4miyt58i6QwXDklJ6GMc5-1tZ6PS2W8K74m9JZO_cE/edit#gid=1140117558<span style="color:green;">'''Found''']
Line 153: Line 180:
|Deck 79||[https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1u4miyt58i6QwXDklJ6GMc5-1tZ6PS2W8K74m9JZO_cE/edit#gid=1888905296<span style="color:green;">'''Found''']
|Deck 79||[https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1u4miyt58i6QwXDklJ6GMc5-1tZ6PS2W8K74m9JZO_cE/edit#gid=1888905296<span style="color:green;">'''Found''']
|-
|-
|Decks 80-91||<span style="color:gray;">'''Existence Unconfirmed'''
|Deck 80||[https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1u4miyt58i6QwXDklJ6GMc5-1tZ6PS2W8K74m9JZO_cE/edit#gid=1339629280<span style="color:green;">'''Found''']
|-
|Deck 81||[https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1u4miyt58i6QwXDklJ6GMc5-1tZ6PS2W8K74m9JZO_cE/edit#gid=902627146<span style="color:green;">'''Found''']
|-
|Deck 82||[https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1u4miyt58i6QwXDklJ6GMc5-1tZ6PS2W8K74m9JZO_cE/edit#gid=1675605785<span style="color:green;">'''Found''']
|-
|Deck 83||[https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1u4miyt58i6QwXDklJ6GMc5-1tZ6PS2W8K74m9JZO_cE/edit#gid=738885342<span style="color:green;">'''Found''']
|-
|Deck 84||[https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1u4miyt58i6QwXDklJ6GMc5-1tZ6PS2W8K74m9JZO_cE/edit#gid=843673694<span style="color:green;">'''Found''']
|-
|Deck 85||[https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1u4miyt58i6QwXDklJ6GMc5-1tZ6PS2W8K74m9JZO_cE/edit#gid=1705801505<span style="color:green;">'''Found''']
|-
|Deck 86||[https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1u4miyt58i6QwXDklJ6GMc5-1tZ6PS2W8K74m9JZO_cE/edit#gid=1327420372<span style="color:green;">'''Found''']
|-
|Deck 87||[https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1u4miyt58i6QwXDklJ6GMc5-1tZ6PS2W8K74m9JZO_cE/edit#gid=23667461<span style="color:green;">'''Found''']
|-
|Deck 88||[https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1u4miyt58i6QwXDklJ6GMc5-1tZ6PS2W8K74m9JZO_cE/edit#gid=1855188453<span style="color:green;">'''Found''']
|-
|Deck 89||[https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1u4miyt58i6QwXDklJ6GMc5-1tZ6PS2W8K74m9JZO_cE/edit#gid=911772960<span style="color:green;">'''Found''']
|-
|Deck 90||[https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1u4miyt58i6QwXDklJ6GMc5-1tZ6PS2W8K74m9JZO_cE/edit#gid=1712695840<span style="color:green;">'''Found''']
|-
|Deck 91||[https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1u4miyt58i6QwXDklJ6GMc5-1tZ6PS2W8K74m9JZO_cE/edit#gid=1618606835<span style="color:green;">'''Found''']
|-
|}
|}
==Gallery==
==Gallery==
<gallery mode=packed heights=175px>
<gallery mode="packed" heights="175px">
File:Bowser admiring Al Capone.png|Card of Bowser admiring Al Capone.
File:Bowser admiring Al Capone.png|Card of Bowser admiring Al Capone.
File:sample.jpg|Code found on card 12 in deck 6.
File:sample.jpg|Code found on card 12 in deck 6.
Line 162: Line 212:
</gallery>
</gallery>
==External Links==
==External Links==
*[https://tinyurl.com/4t5mczzy Promotional pamphlets advertising the cards.]
*[https://youtu.be/QjG_ITf5sw8?si=ESOorToi-wDJ_X5b LSSQ's video mentioning the Mario Quiz Cards.]
*[https://atlaseditions.co.uk Atlas Editions now defunct site on the cards.]
*[https://tinyurl.com/yc7n5cv8 Mario Quiz Cards Archive.]
ย 


==References==
==References==

Latest revision as of 01:19, 11 March 2024

Box Front.jpg

The front of the box set.

Status: Partially Lost

The Mario Quiz Cards are a set of educational flash cards that were officially licensed by Nintendo. They were produced by Atlas Editions and Newfield Publications in 1995, and are considered an international derivative of the 1992 Fiches Tintin set (made by รˆditions Atlas, Atlas Editionsโ€™s European branch). The cards are divided into 91 decks, each having 20 cards from 18 different categories, bringing the total amount to 1820 cards.[1]

Atlas Editions/Newfield Publications

Atlas Editions and Newfield Publications are no longer active, as seen on their website.[2] Due to Atlas Editions acquiring Newfield at some point during production, there are two box variants (one with the Newfield logo, the other with the Atlas logo).[3] The 1998 website of Atlas and Newfield does not list the quiz cards, implying that they stopped selling them sometime during 1997-1998.

Illustrations

Many of these cards are infamous for their unusual depictions of the Mario universe (Ex: Luigi reading about Hitler, Bowser worshiping Al Capone, Mario and Luigi protesting nukes, etc). Illustrations for all of the quiz cards were done by cartoonist Gary Fields. Interestingly, older cards do not credit him at all, whereas cards from 1996-1997 have illustration credit in the bottom left-hand corner on the front of the card. Each card has unique art not seen elsewhere, inspired by 2D Mario titles and illustrations from the 1993 official Nintendo Character Manual.[4] As seen in the prototype cards, said manual was heavily referenced, with exact Pantone colors and character illustrations being used for each Nintendo character featured in the cards.[5]

Promotional Materials and Distribution Methods

Similar to other educational card sets sold by the same companies, the Mario Quiz Cards set operated on a subscription-based distribution. To promote the cards, sample packs would be mailed at random, with recipients being able to subscribe for more cards; These sample packs contain 12 cards from the first two decks and a pamphlet with steps for claiming subscriptions.[6] For a small fee, subscribers could obtain new decks every month, as well as a card box, user manual, tattoos, dividers, and a calculator. It is likely that certain card decks could only be obtained during specific times while subscriptions were active. This is due to the varying amount and selection of cards throughout different card sets. In addition, there are also various pamphlets included, typically promoting subscriptions and bonus materials.[7]

Codes

Numerical codes can be found on the back of each card, around the bottom right corner, representing deck and card numbers. The D2 and D3 parts of the code reflect languages.[8] Some cards have D2 in their codes, being the same as the ones found in the Fiches Tintin set. The card prototypes also have these codes, which match with their final counterparts. This suggests that deck and card numbers were decided early on during production. Many of the cards also match directly with their Fiches Tintin counterparts, though there are noticeable differences between the two sets; The amount of cards per section varies, and the Mario set has several questions geared towards an American audience.


Card List

Deck Status
Deck 1 Partially Found
Deck 2 Partially Found
Deck 3 Found
Deck 4 Found
Deck 5 Found
Deck 6 Found
Deck 7 Found
Deck 8 Found
Deck 9 Found
Deck 10 Found
Deck 11 Found
Deck 12 Found
Deck 13 Found
Deck 14 Partially Found
Deck 15 Partially Found
Deck 16 Partially Found
Deck 17 Partially Found
Deck 18 Partially Found
Deck 19 Partially Found
Decks 20-22 Existence Unconfirmed
Deck 23 Partially Found
Deck 24 Partially Found
Deck 25 Partially Found
Deck 26 Found
Deck 27 Found
Deck 28 Found
Deck 29 Partially Found
Deck 30 Partially Found
Deck 31 Partially Found
Deck 32 Found
Deck 33 Found
Deck 34 Found
Deck 35 Found
Deck 36 Found
Deck 37 Found
Deck 38 Found
Deck 39 Found
Deck 40 Found
Deck 41 Found
Deck 42 Found
Deck 43 Found
Deck 44 Found
Deck 45 Found
Deck 46 Found
Deck 47 Found
Deck 48 Found
Deck 49 Found
Deck 50 Found
Deck 51 Found
Deck 52 Found
Deck 53 Found
Deck 54 Found
Deck 55 Found
Deck 56 Found
Deck 57 Found
Deck 58 Found
Deck 59 Found
Deck 60 Found
Deck 61 Found
Deck 62 Found
Deck 63 Found
Deck 64 Found
Deck 65 Found
Deck 66 Found
Deck 67 Found
Deck 68 Found
Deck 69 Found
Deck 70 Found
Deck 71 Found
Deck 72 Found
Deck 73 Found
Deck 74 Found
Deck 75 Found
Deck 76 Found
Deck 77 Found
Deck 78 Found
Deck 79 Found
Deck 80 Found
Deck 81 Found
Deck 82 Found
Deck 83 Found
Deck 84 Found
Deck 85 Found
Deck 86 Found
Deck 87 Found
Deck 88 Found
Deck 89 Found
Deck 90 Found
Deck 91 Found

Gallery

External Links


References