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Things I Learned from Mario's Butt
When it comes to video game character designs, one of the most commonly overlooked aspects is the buttocks. Sure, we might see tweets when a game launches about how nice a female character's big arse is, or we might giggle at GIFs of farts from time to time, but how often do we as lovers of interactive media stop to really think about the meaning of the butt?
How often do we take some time out of our day to really think about the lore implications of Skull Kid from Majora's Mask shaking his booty, and what that tells us about his chances of redemption, or Miranda from Mass Effect, and the fact that her perfect cheeks are actually a sad reminder of her predestined upbringing? Probably not often enough.
As an author, I have dedicated years of my career to the study of posteriors, from the large to the small, the formless to the toned, and in this book I hope to bring the fruits of that research to you. By the time we're done, you should hopefully know the difference between a but that's attractive for attractiveness sake, and one that's actually narratively informative, telling us something of worth about the person it belongs to, or the world it inhabits.
How often do we take some time out of our day to really think about the lore implications of Skull Kid from Majora's Mask shaking his booty, and what that tells us about his chances of redemption, or Miranda from Mass Effect, and the fact that her perfect cheeks are actually a sad reminder of her predestined upbringing? Probably not often enough.
As an author, I have dedicated years of my career to the study of posteriors, from the large to the small, the formless to the toned, and in this book I hope to bring the fruits of that research to you. By the time we're done, you should hopefully know the difference between a but that's attractive for attractiveness sake, and one that's actually narratively informative, telling us something of worth about the person it belongs to, or the world it inhabits.
160 pages, Hardcover
Published January 1, 2020
5 people are currently reading
230 people want to read
About the author
Laura Kate Dale
7 books126 followersSo, who am I? I've spent the last years as a freelance games critic, written for pretty much every gaming publication under the sun, and have a passion for digging down to the stories PR teams are not eager to talk about.
I love weird little indie games about sex imps living in Anne Hathaway's mouth, big sprawling JRPGs, and serious in depth discussions of the artistic value of video game character buttock designs.
I'm always looking for interesting stories about games, the people making them, and the stories that happened along the way to store shelves. If you've got a hot scoop, drop me an email or hit me up on Twitter.
I love weird little indie games about sex imps living in Anne Hathaway's mouth, big sprawling JRPGs, and serious in depth discussions of the artistic value of video game character buttock designs.
I'm always looking for interesting stories about games, the people making them, and the stories that happened along the way to store shelves. If you've got a hot scoop, drop me an email or hit me up on Twitter.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
January 15, 2021
I learned more than I ever thought possible about Video Game Butts. Highly recommend, a very fun read!
February 14, 2025
A funny book that has and interesting view on characters. Very enjoyable.
October 26, 2021
Read this review and hundreds more at TheQuillToLive.com
At The Quill To Live, we’re no strangers to butts. Or buts. So it’s only fitting that I supported video game critic Laura Kate Dale’s Things I Learned From Mario’s Butt. The book is an exquisite fit for coffee tables, and if you’re a gamer or butt enthusiast, it makes for a fun read.
Things I Learned From Mario’s Butt explores some of gaming’s most iconic derrieres, from Mario to Bowser to obscure characters like Vyse from Skies of Arcadia. The book bills itself as “A series of gaming butt critiques,” and it largely hits the mark. Dale handles most of the criticism herself, but other gaming personalities (Justin McElroy, Greg Miller, and others) join for guest essays. Most of the butts within get a few paragraphs of text. But some of the essays from creators eschew the criticism format and instead explore the larger meaning of rear-ends in game design. It’s good, butt-based fun all reinforced by Zack Flavin’s cartoonish renderings of classic bums (his depiction of Geralt of Rivia is my personal favorite).
It’s best to read Things I Learned with a specific mindset. Go into it with a smile on your face, ready to revel in bountiful gamified booty. This isn’t a thesis on butts in gaming, nor is it a takedown of the industry. That stuff is better off elsewhere (and much needed, given recent reports about Blizzard, Fullbright, and countless other studios plagued by rampant sexism and harassment). Here, Dale gives us the space to enjoy gaming butts and their myriad purposes.
Some butts serve as storytelling devices. Others shed light on otherwise-opaque backstories. Yet others simply exist to look good. Dale makes her criticisms fun and accessible. But what I enjoyed most is that she struck a delicate balance between explaining where certain butts originated and actually reviewing them. I love games, but I haven’t played everything under the sun. Even when I scratched my head, wondering who or what a character was, Dale guided me through the experience with ease.
Instead of a ho-hum bum exploration, Dale’s tome adopts the mindset of a lifelong nerd that will almost certainly strike a chord with fantasy and sci-fi fans. We’re not exploring the aesthetics of butts here. We’re learning why these butts are the way they are and what function they serve. What can these butts tell us about the worlds in which they exist? Luigi’s butt shows off his jumping prowess, and it’s slightly more toned than his red-capped sibling’s because Luigi has to work not just for his jumping and running, but for his time in the spotlight. Skull Kid? He flaunts his back-end even under the influence of Majora’s Mask, telling players there’s a childish spirit trapped beneath the mask’s evil. These snippets and analyses (though sometimes they can be a stretch) are fun meanderings into video game lore that most fans probably haven’t considered.
Under a microscope, some of the book’s (ahem) cracks begin to show. A missing punctuation mark here, a typo there, or Sheik’s name being misspelled (it’s ‘Shiek” in the book). Little quibbles, but worth mentioning so you don’t expect a flawless masterpiece. This book exists to make the reader smile, and it mostly accomplishes that goal.
I supported Things I Learned From Mario’s Butt on Unbound when it was first announced, but not at a high enough level to actually submit a butt for review. Two lucky supporters did, and now I’m kicking myself for not being one of them. I would’ve loved to see an analysis of Sly Cooper’s rear-end, mainly for its help in balancing the thieving raccoon as he sneaks along rooftops. Second, the perennially underlooked and underestimated pariah of the Mario-verse. The video game royalty without a crown. The ever-denied but consistently deserving purple pariah…WALUIGI. Sad though I am for his exclusion, perhaps Dale will release a follow-up in the coming years and finally give the WAAAA his due.
No review score here, because it just feels silly. If you like games and want a few laughs, Things I Learned From Mario’s Butt might be for you.
At The Quill To Live, we’re no strangers to butts. Or buts. So it’s only fitting that I supported video game critic Laura Kate Dale’s Things I Learned From Mario’s Butt. The book is an exquisite fit for coffee tables, and if you’re a gamer or butt enthusiast, it makes for a fun read.
Things I Learned From Mario’s Butt explores some of gaming’s most iconic derrieres, from Mario to Bowser to obscure characters like Vyse from Skies of Arcadia. The book bills itself as “A series of gaming butt critiques,” and it largely hits the mark. Dale handles most of the criticism herself, but other gaming personalities (Justin McElroy, Greg Miller, and others) join for guest essays. Most of the butts within get a few paragraphs of text. But some of the essays from creators eschew the criticism format and instead explore the larger meaning of rear-ends in game design. It’s good, butt-based fun all reinforced by Zack Flavin’s cartoonish renderings of classic bums (his depiction of Geralt of Rivia is my personal favorite).
It’s best to read Things I Learned with a specific mindset. Go into it with a smile on your face, ready to revel in bountiful gamified booty. This isn’t a thesis on butts in gaming, nor is it a takedown of the industry. That stuff is better off elsewhere (and much needed, given recent reports about Blizzard, Fullbright, and countless other studios plagued by rampant sexism and harassment). Here, Dale gives us the space to enjoy gaming butts and their myriad purposes.
Some butts serve as storytelling devices. Others shed light on otherwise-opaque backstories. Yet others simply exist to look good. Dale makes her criticisms fun and accessible. But what I enjoyed most is that she struck a delicate balance between explaining where certain butts originated and actually reviewing them. I love games, but I haven’t played everything under the sun. Even when I scratched my head, wondering who or what a character was, Dale guided me through the experience with ease.
Instead of a ho-hum bum exploration, Dale’s tome adopts the mindset of a lifelong nerd that will almost certainly strike a chord with fantasy and sci-fi fans. We’re not exploring the aesthetics of butts here. We’re learning why these butts are the way they are and what function they serve. What can these butts tell us about the worlds in which they exist? Luigi’s butt shows off his jumping prowess, and it’s slightly more toned than his red-capped sibling’s because Luigi has to work not just for his jumping and running, but for his time in the spotlight. Skull Kid? He flaunts his back-end even under the influence of Majora’s Mask, telling players there’s a childish spirit trapped beneath the mask’s evil. These snippets and analyses (though sometimes they can be a stretch) are fun meanderings into video game lore that most fans probably haven’t considered.
Under a microscope, some of the book’s (ahem) cracks begin to show. A missing punctuation mark here, a typo there, or Sheik’s name being misspelled (it’s ‘Shiek” in the book). Little quibbles, but worth mentioning so you don’t expect a flawless masterpiece. This book exists to make the reader smile, and it mostly accomplishes that goal.
I supported Things I Learned From Mario’s Butt on Unbound when it was first announced, but not at a high enough level to actually submit a butt for review. Two lucky supporters did, and now I’m kicking myself for not being one of them. I would’ve loved to see an analysis of Sly Cooper’s rear-end, mainly for its help in balancing the thieving raccoon as he sneaks along rooftops. Second, the perennially underlooked and underestimated pariah of the Mario-verse. The video game royalty without a crown. The ever-denied but consistently deserving purple pariah…WALUIGI. Sad though I am for his exclusion, perhaps Dale will release a follow-up in the coming years and finally give the WAAAA his due.
No review score here, because it just feels silly. If you like games and want a few laughs, Things I Learned From Mario’s Butt might be for you.
December 20, 2020
The greatest book about video game butts ever written
March 6, 2023
Irreverent but thought through and richly illustrated this silly book not only lifts interesting ideas about character and game design but amuse with its... um... singular focus. It's a good read, clever and snappy writing with funny and colourful illustrations, that also highlight the issues mainstream video game design have with the butt. The different standards of gender come up, but from a "hold on a professional soldier would have more butt than this" position - and thereby lifts both the absurdity in the double standard and the fear of the male butt.
April 20, 2024
Entertaining, definitely better physical though.
Been meaning to read this since Laura first talked about her campaign on Unbound and shared the excerpt about Skull Kid, but didn't get around to it until now. It's not a bad read, not deathly serious but it doesn't set out to break new ground. It's a book about butts in video games, and it does what it sets out to do. That said, I'd personally recommend a physical book if you're going to read it. The Kindle edition is fine, but more than a little awkward to read because of the layout. I had to zoom in and out a lot.
Been meaning to read this since Laura first talked about her campaign on Unbound and shared the excerpt about Skull Kid, but didn't get around to it until now. It's not a bad read, not deathly serious but it doesn't set out to break new ground. It's a book about butts in video games, and it does what it sets out to do. That said, I'd personally recommend a physical book if you're going to read it. The Kindle edition is fine, but more than a little awkward to read because of the layout. I had to zoom in and out a lot.
December 23, 2020
It's a fun silly book about butts. Honestly my favorite part was Mike Bithell's section about his own game Thomas Was Alone, but there's also an interesting interview with the guy who designed a bunch of monster butts, and other fun guest contributors. If the title piqued your interest then I think this book will be up your alley. Also there's a lot of drawings of butts!
July 11, 2021
This was a pretty silly book.
Parts of it were funny, but mostly just a silly coffee table type of book.
Only read it because my favorite podcast had the writer on as a guest. And 2 of that podcast's hosts actually wrote segments in it!
2.8/5
Parts of it were funny, but mostly just a silly coffee table type of book.
Only read it because my favorite podcast had the writer on as a guest. And 2 of that podcast's hosts actually wrote segments in it!
2.8/5
September 19, 2024
butts
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 30, 2021
True Literature.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews