The first game was released in 1992 by Interplay for personal computers. While it is generally a typing game, the game throws a little special twist on the gameplay. You "control" Mario, Luigi, or Princess Peach by typing the letters on the screen as they fight enemies and avoid obstacles. You are graded at the end of every course in a report card. Each typing "Course" involves a setting of some kind. Either ground (Beginner), underwater(Intermediate), or castle(Advanced). The game also offers a practice levels.
The 1994 CD-ROM versions add an Excuse Plot involving Mario and Luigi finding a magic typewriter and try to use it, but Mario is a terrible typist and his errors cause it to split into different pieces. The mission is now to find the pieces of the magical typewriter and put it back together. The CD-ROM edition is also notable for marking Charles Martinet's first time voicing Mario in a video game. He previously voiced Mario at various public events such as trade shows and conventions via an interactive video named Mario in Real Time, and would continue to voice Mario all the way until 2023, when he retired from voice acting to become a brand ambassador for Nintendo.
The first game was successful enough to spawn a sequel, Mario Teaches Typing 2, which followed in 1996. This sequel is more or less the same as the original but with added features. Upgraded presentation and graphics. A color coded keyboard for easier identification, customizable lesson plans, and new levels. The second game is notable for the introduction of a floating Mario head, once again voiced by Martinet, who will make jokes and small talk in between stages and lessons.
Hey, Luigi! It's-a time for you to trope!
- Action Girl: Princess Peach isn't kidnapped at all here, and you can choose her to be your player avatar. She kicks butt right alongside the Mario Bros.
- Canon Discontinuity: The game is notably the first time Charles Martinet voiced Mario in a video game (the first time overall is Mario in Real Time, an interactive video that Nintendo used in events). However, Nintendo never acknowledges it as such, instead treating Super Mario 64 as Charles Martinet's voice acting debut (most certainly because it's an spin-off made by a third party company). They have never acknowledged the game itself in any form since its release either.
- Continuity Nod: Mario greets you with his famous "It's-a me, Mario!" in the second game.
- Excuse Plot: Mario and Luigi come across a magical typewriter, but Mario's poor typing skills causes it to break apart into pieces. The bros embark on a fetch quest to find them.
- Funny Octopus: In the CD-Rom version of the game, the Tentacled Terror mentioned below has a case of Adaptational Heroism. Rather than opposing the brothers, it simply becomes tired of them being constantly chased by the Piranha Problem and helps them out by catching every last one in its tentacles. Both brothers share a Meaningful Look with the octopus before swimming for the surface, with it even tossing them the Plot Coupon once they're safely on the other shore.
- Flying Face: The floating Mario head who talks to you in 2.
- Gameplay and Story Segregation: Even if you choose to play as Princess Peach, she is not involved at all in the actual story, nor does she participate in the story cutscenes.
- Iconic Sequel Character: More like a feature. The floating Mario head introduced in 2 is the main attraction and the most memorable part of this spinoff.
- Musical Nod: Extensive remixes of the title and overworld theme from Super Mario World are used in this game.
- Pungeon Master: The talking Mario head loves doing this.
- Super Not-Drowning Skills: Subverted. The Mario Bros. use snorkels when diving underwater. We guess they are going by the 3D game logic and not the standard 2D ones.
- Tentacled Terror: Mario and Luigi find a piece of the typewriter being guarded by a scary octopus, they manage to get away before the Octopus can attack.
- Villains Out Shopping: In Bowser's Castle, the pair find a group of Koopa Troopas playing cards.
