By Bob Mackey

If one video game character has withstood the test of time, it’s Mario. Despite playing second fiddle to a giant ape in his 1980 debut, Donkey Kong, everyone’s favorite Italian plumber went on to star in the world-changing NES classic, Super Mario Bros., and subsequently saved the video game industry from itself — a much greater feat than rescuing some ditzy princess.

Granted, Mario’s initial adventure in the Mushroom Kingdom wasn’t the first side-scrolling 2D platformer, but it was the first 2D side-scrolling platformer done right. It might be hard to imagine with our modern-day emphasis on realism and grit, but 25 years ago, the carefree journey of a squat, mustachioed man in overalls brought video games away from their status as a passing fad, and soon turned Nintendo into a household name. Without Mario, it’s entirely plausible that we folks of the future would treat video games with the same patronizing terms we reserve for something like air hockey. That’s a pretty big deal.

1UP’S SUPER MARIO GALAXY 2 CONTEST
OFFICIAL RULES

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. A PURCHASE OR PAYMENT OF ANY KIND WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING

1. 1UP’S SUPER MARIO GALAXY 2 CONTEST (the “Contest”): How to Enter: Beginning May 21, 2010 at 4:30PM (ET) through May 21, 2010 at 11:59 PM (ET) go to www.1UP.com and complete and submit your entry pursuant to the onscreen instructions. Winner Selection: The three (3) first entrants to respond correctly via 1UP.com will be the winners. By participating in the Contest, entrant certifies that his/her entry is original, has not been previously published or won any award, and does not contain any material that would violate or infringe upon the rights of any third party, including copyrights, trademarks or rights or privacy or publicity. Sponsor reserves the right in its sole and unfettered discretion to disqualify any entry that it believes contains obscene, offensive or inappropriate content, that does not comply with these official rules or that is not consistent with the spirit or theme of the contest. The decision of the Sponsor and judges is final and binding on all matters relating to the Contest. Prizes and Approximate Retail Values: The three (3) winners will each receive one (1) Super Mario Galaxy 2 game with an approximate retail value (“ARV”) of £50.0. The total ARV of the prize is £150.00. Winner will be notified via phone, e-mail or postal mail, at Sponsor’s discretion, on or about May 21, 2010. Winner’s List: For winner’s name, send a separate self-addressed, stamped envelope to 1UP’sSuper Mario Galaxy 2 Contest, UGO Entertainment, Inc., 1700 Broadway, 20th Floor, New York, New York 10019 by December 31, 2010. Incomplete, or mechanically reproduced entry forms or entry forms that have been tampered with will be disqualified.

2. ENTRIES: Limit one (1) entry per person and per e-mail address for the Contest. Entries using macro, robotic, script or other forms of automatic entry will be disqualified. Entries become the property of the Sponsor and will not be returned. No mechanically reproduced entries permitted. Proof of submission does not constitute proof of receipt. If there is a dispute as to the identity of an online entrant, the prize will be awarded to the authorized account holder of the email address. The “authorized account holder” is defined as the natural person to whom the email address is assigned by an internet service provider, online service provider or other organization (e.g., business, educational institution, etc.) that is responsible for assigning email addresses for the domain associated with the submitted email address.

3. ELIGIBILITY: Open to legal residents of the 50 United States and the District of Columbia who have reached the age of majority in their state or province of residence at time of entry, unless otherwise stated in the specific Contest. Void in Puerto Rico and where prohibited by law. Employees of Sponsor, its parents, affiliates and subsidiaries, participating advertising and promotion agencies, the independent judging organization, prize suppliers (and members of their immediate family and/or those living in the same of household of each such employee) and entrants that have won a prior UGO sponsored contest within thirty (30) days of entry are not eligible for the Contest.

4. CONDITIONS OF PARTICIPATION: Entrants must have valid e-mail address and it is entrant’s responsibility to update Sponsor of any change in e-mail address. Expenses not specifically included in prize description and all taxes are the sole responsibility of the winner. Each prize is awarded “as is” with no warranty or guarantee, either express or implied outside of manufacturer’s limited warranty. No transfer, assignment or substitution of a prize permitted, except Sponsor reserves the right to substitute prize for an item of equal or greater value in the event an advertised prize is unavailable. All federal, state, provincial and local laws and regulations apply. Entrants agree to be bound by the terms of these Official Rules and by the decisions of Sponsor, which are final and binding on all matters pertaining to this Contest. Winners (and parent or legal guardian if winner is a minor) may be required to sign and return an Affidavit of Eligibility, a Liability Release and where legally permissible a Publicity Release within seven (7) days following the date of first attempted notification. Failure to comply with this deadline may result in forfeiture of the prize and selection of an alternate winner. Return of any prize/prize notification as undeliverable may result in disqualification and selection of an alternate winner. Winner hereby further agrees that it will sign any documents necessary to transfer copyright of the entry to Sponsor within seven (7) days following the date of first attempted notification. Acceptance of the prize constitutes permission for Sponsor and its agencies to use winner’s name and/or likeness, biographical material and/or entry (including an altered form of the entry) for advertising and promotional purposes without additional compensation, unless prohibited by law. By accepting the prize, winner agrees to hold Sponsor, its advertising and promotion agencies and their respective parent companies, subsidiaries, affiliates, partners, representative agents, successors, assigns, officers, directors, and employees harmless for any injury or damage caused or claimed to be caused by participation in the Contest or acceptance or use of the prize. Sponsor is not responsible for any printing, typographical, mechanical or other error in the printing of the offer, administration of the Contest or in the announcement of the prize.

5. INTERNET: Sponsor is not responsible for electronic transmission errors resulting in omission, interruption, deletion, defect, delay in operations or transmission, theft or destruction or unauthorized access to or alterations of entry materials, or for technical, network, telephone equipment, electronic, computer, hardware or software malfunctions or limitations of any kind, or inaccurate transmissions of or failure to receive entry information by Sponsor or presenter on account of technical problems or traffic congestion on the Internet or at any Web site or any combination thereof. If for any reason the Internet portion of the program is not capable of running as planned, including infection by computer virus, bugs, tampering, unauthorized intervention, fraud, technical failures, or any other causes which corrupt or affect the administration, security, fairness, integrity, or proper conduct of this Contest, Sponsor reserves the right at its sole discretion to cancel, terminate, modify or suspend the Contest. Sponsor reserves the right to select winners from eligible entries received as of the termination date. Sponsor further reserves the right to disqualify any individual who Sponsor reasonably believes has tampered with the entry process. Sponsor may prohibit an entrant from participating in a Contest if it reasonably believes that said entrant is attempting to undermine the legitimate operation of the Contest by cheating, hacking, deception or other unfair playing practices or intending to abuse, threaten or harass other entrants. Caution: Any attempt by a participant to deliberately damage any Web site or undermine the legitimate operation of the Contest is a violation of criminal and civil laws and should such an attempt be made, Sponsor reserves the right to seek damages from any such participant to the fullest extent of the law.

6. DISPUTES/CHOICE OF LAW: Except where prohibited, each entrant agrees that: (1) any and all disputes, claims and causes of action arising out of or connected with this Contest or any prize awarded shall be resolved individually, without resort to any form of class action, and exclusively by state or federal courts situated in New York, New York, (2) any and all claims, judgments and awards shall be limited to actual out-of-pocket costs incurred, but in no event attorneys’ fees; and (3) no punitive, incidental, special, consequential or other damages, including without limitation lost profits may be awarded (collectively, “Special Damages”), and (4) entrant hereby waives all rights to claim Special Damages and all rights to have such damages multiplied or increased. New York State law, without reference to New York’s choice of law rules, governs the Contest and all aspects related thereto.

7. SPONSOR: The Sponsor of this Contest is UGO Entertainment, Inc., 1700 Broadway, 20th Floor, New York, New York 10019.