I am standing in a desolate landscape. The ground beneath my feet is solid rock. I can see a hill and some bushes, but other than that it's nothing but a plain, barren wasteland from what I can see.

All I know is my mission. As soon as I start moving I realize there is no return. I have to move forward - it's the only way.

I can make out some shapes in the sky now. Something hovering right above my path. Will it fall down on me? I hope not. But I'm seeing a more immediate threat. There appears to be a very angry-looking creature heading straight towards me. It's as tall as I am, fungiform and quickly edging sideways in my direction with no sign of stopping.

As it comes close, I jump. Jumping has always been my specialty. The wind hits my face as I soar like no other. This is what I live for. In midair, I correct my velocity and manage to land right on top of the beast. Its helplessness is total as I sink my boots into its skull, crushing it. The monster fades away -- was it not real? It sure felt real.

I have arrived below the shapes in the sky that I saw before. They look man-made, like big blocks suspended in midair. Three parts of the block in front of me look uninteresting, but the two inbetween them, and the one right above me -- oh, they are alluring. Shiny and endlessly blinking... I can't resist. I jump. I jump as high as I can right towards the blinking block above me and I mash my head into it as hard as I can, all concern for my own health vanished at the promise of this golden block.

A great big golden coin jumps out. I catch it. Who can deny free money? Exhilarated, I move forward and jump straight into the next blinking block. Out comes the thing I least expected. The biggest mushroom I've ever seen, sliding over the ground at great speed. I feel its draw, as if it was calling to me. I start running towards it. I open my mouth as wide as I can, I don't know how I'm going to eat it but I want it, I need it... Miraculously, I swallow the gigantic thing in one bite. I can feel it changing me. This is amazing. My body is reacting in ways I did not imagine possible. I feel myself growing to gigantic proportions. Without stopping to wonder, I jump again and mash the third blinking block. I catch another coin in my large hands. Nothing surprises me anymore.

Jump. I'm mashing the other blocks to pieces out of pure joy. Jump. Jump. They're made out of bricks. I don't care. I'll mash them all. I can do this.

I am...Super Mario.