(The story begins inside of a busy coffee shop. Patrons are sat around at tables around the place as we see two figures come through the entrance. The first figure is a slender man with messy black hair and glasses. His clothes are a bit untidy, but professional. The other figure is shorter and a bit heavier. He has a thick beard and is dressed in more casual clothing. They sit down together at a table. The dark-haired man starts speaking.)

Dark-haired Man: I'm tellin' ya, Bill, this is gonna be the move that makes my entire career.

Bill: Yeah, listen, Zeke, about this experiment of yours...

Zeke: You don't believe in me, do you.

Bill: No, of course I believe in you. Zeke, you're brilliant. I've known that since grade school. It's just... I mean... you tell someone you've unlocked the multiverse, what response do you expect?

Zeke: I know, it's crazy.

Bill: So crazy you can't tell anyone. Not even Charlotte.

Zeke: I'll tell her eventually. I love her so much, I haven't felt this way about someone in years. I don't wanna ruin it.

Bill: Right, right. So what exactly do we do when we open this multiverse?

Zeke: I'm not really sure. Trade resources maybe? Whatever those bigwigs at the capitol think is right. I just wanna be the first to go there.

Bill: You could be our ambassador or something. (He laughs.)

Zeke: Yeah, just gotta work out a few kinks in the system. (There's a pause.) I think I'm going tonight.

Bill: (In shock.) Tonight? Really?

Zeke: I did the calculations. I'll just make a few tweaks and then go on a test run. It'll be easy.

Bill: You don't think you should wait a little? This is a big deal. What if you can't come back?

Zeke: I promise I'll come back. You don't have to worry about me. (Bill is silent.) Hey, who got us through chemistry in high school?

Bill: (Sighs.) You did.

Zeke: And which of us will soon be a part of a very prestigious scientific research team?

Bill: Not my fault I wanted to do something interesting in my life.

Zeke: Got me there. Let's get some coffee. (They get up, but Bill stops Zeke.)

Bill: Hey, Ezekiel. I'm visiting you in your creepy lab tonight to make sure you're still there.

Zeke: I'll be there waiting for you. (The two go up to the counter.)

(We cut to the inside of an underground laboratory while Zeke, now in a labcoat, fiddles with a large capsule. He closes a panel on the capsule and goes to a table full of notes and blueprints.)

Zeke: Alright, if all this is correct, this should work. (He pauses.) I'm about to see another universe. (Zeke excitedly rushes into the capsule. He starts typing on the control console inside.) Search for a safe place to cross into... this one should do. (He types more.) Okay... (He pauses before taking a picture out of his pocket. It shows him, Bill, and a woman with short brown hair and glasses, presumably Charlotte.) I'll be back soon, you two. (He presses a large green button on the console. We cut to the outside of the capsule to see bright lights coming from it. Lots of whirring sounds are heard. Purple and black light then start to shine out of it as the capsule slowly disappears.)

(We cut to a realm between universes. The capsule is slowly sailing through. We cut inside to see Zeke celebrating.)

Zeke: It worked! My machine worked! This is ground-breaking! No, earth-shattering! (He laughs to himself.) Our world won't be the same after this! This is- (He is cut off as a rattling sound is heard.) Huh? What's that? (Zeke types on the console to figure out what's wrong. We cut to the outside of the capsule to see the panel that was open before now opening again.) Something's loose. What's loose? What's breaking?! (We see the panel fly off as the black and purple light starts flowing out. Volts of electricity start forming around the capsule.) I did everything right! It's not fair! It's not... auggghh! (The screen goes white.)

(We cut to the fields of the Mushroom Kingdom, 35 years before the events of New Game. A group of three Toads is patrolling the area while holding spears.)

Toad #1: Nothing to report yet.

Toad #2: Bit boring today, but I guess that's good.

Toad #3: (Pauses.) Does anyone else smell smoke? (The Toads look around before seeing billowing purple smoke appear over a hill.)

Toad #1: Looks like we've got something!

Toad #2: Let's go see what it is! (The Toads bound over the hill. We cut to them at the top as they look down to see the capsule, now destroyed. We hear groans coming from inside.)

Toad #3: Someone's inside.

Toad #2: We gotta help them. (The other Toads nod. They continue to slowly approach as we see the hand of a figure reach out of the capsule.)

Toad #1: Wah! (The Toads look on in confusion as Master Mind exits the capsule. He groggily looks around at the Toads.)

Master Mind: I... I made it. I did it! I'm in another universe! (He sees the scared Toads.)

Toad #1: Who... Who are you?

Master Mind: I am the mastermind behind this creation! (He gestures back before noticing his arm, now made out of the dark energy that we saw in New Game.) My... my arm! What happened to my arm?!

Toad #3: Calm down. What is this?

Master Mind: What am I?! It turned me into a monster! (Electricity surrounds Master Mind's hands as he accidentally shoots a volt of electricity out of his hand into Toad #3, knocking him out.)

Toad #2: No!

Toad #1: What did you do?!

Master Mind: I'm... I'm sorry. I don't-

Toad #1: We need to alert Toadsworth about the Master Mind!

Master Mind: Master Mind?

Toad #2: Come on! We need to go!

Master Mind: No! Wait! Please! (He reaches out as the screen goes black again. We see the words "35 Years Later '' appear on screen.)

(We're now in the present day. We see Master Mind, in his human form, standing in the Helghan ship, just an hour after his battle against the heroes. His eyes shine purple. Radec and Cortex enter the room through a door behind Master Mind.)

Radec: They are ready for deployment, Master Mind.

Cortex: If I knew it was this easy to brainwash that meddling mammal, I would've done this years ago.

Master Mind: Good. Deploy them immediately.

Cortex: To where exactly?

Master Mind: I have informed Specter on where they should be deployed. Talk to him.

Radec: Yes, Master Mind. (Radec leaves but Cortex stays.)

Master Mind: Yes, doctor?

Cortex: Yes, well, I'm just not used to this new form.

Master Mind: I'll be back to my usual form shortly. Being back in this world, it's sapped away a bit of my power. It's caused me to revert back.

Cortex: Yes, yes. Well, how does it feel to soon be the ruler of this world?

Master Mind: (Smiles.) I've been waiting for this for a long time. (The camera zooms out from the Helghan Cruiser.)

End of Prologue