‘Dungeon Crawler Carl’ Gets a Super Mario Twist in Hilarious New LitRPG Series
Last Save Dave, a new LitRPG series by James Michael Ploof, is gaining recognition as a spiritual successor to the bestselling Dungeon Crawler Carl. The novel follows Dave, an ordinary New York plumber chosen by a child god to compete against 11 other champions in collecting Talismans across different worlds, with Earth's destruction as the stakes. The series demonstrates LitRPG's growing mainstream appeal and potential to attract audiences beyond traditional gaming communities.
Dave's background includes Olympic boxing and winning the 1990 Nintendo World Championship, making his selection seem providential. His special ability—a "last save" mechanic allowing him to restart from checkpoints using Talismans—directly mirrors Super Mario 3D platformer gameplay, with 1,000 worlds to explore. The series prioritises comedy and accessibility, reading more like an interactive video game than traditional LitRPGs, attracting readers unfamiliar with tabletop gaming conventions.
- New LitRPG series Last Save Dave gains popularity as follow-up to Dungeon Crawler Carl
- Plumber Dave must compete across 1,000 worlds with "last save" mechanic inspired by Super Mario
- Series appeals to video game fans unfamiliar with traditional role-playing games
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LitRPG is a fiction genre that blends storytelling with video game mechanics and rules. Last Save Dave is a new series by James Michael Ploof that follows an ordinary New York plumber called Dave who is chosen by a child god to compete against eleven other champions. The competitors must collect Talismans across different worlds, with Earth's survival at stake.
Dave was an Olympic boxer and won the 1990 Nintendo World Championship, lending credence to the idea that his selection was fated. His key ability mirrors the checkpoint system in Super Mario platformers—he can use Talismans to restart from earlier saves and attempt different strategies across 1,000 worlds.
Last Save Dave is a spiritual successor to Dungeon Crawler Carl, a bestselling LitRPG novel. The new series emphasises comedy and accessibility, appealing to readers unfamiliar with gaming rather than just dedicated gaming enthusiasts. This reflects how LitRPG continues to attract audiences beyond its traditional community.