Online Production, a Syrian online YouTube channel with the revolution, has published a video that takes the viewer through the dangerous trek Syrian refugees have to endure for safety.
Four million have fled the country and risked their lives seeking shelter, while 6 million are internally displaced. Hundreds of thousands have risked death at sea for asylum in Europe, despite EU and other highly developed countries not pledging to resettle enough refugees .
The 2-minute video follows a Syrian grabbing his suitcase, withdrawing $2,000 to give to a smuggler in Turkey, who promises him safe arrival. The Syrian Super Mario dies at sea the first time, illustrating the plight of many refugees, like Aylan Kurdi, who risk unsafe waters for asylum in Europe. The second versions shows Syrian Super Mario arriving in Greece, which is " on the verge of explosion," and crossing to Hungary, where a crackdown on refugees intensifies .
After eventually fleeing the Hungarian border, Syrian Super Mario chooses to enter Germany, where he brings down the European Union flag before entering a camp.
The seriousness of the video is offset by the upbeat Super Mario theme song, which gives the whole video a morbid feel.
The video was released for the 30th anniversary of "Super Mario Bros," which is being marked by a number of companies this week, though most are significantly more cheerful than this video.