I enjoyed your thoughts about non linear success and I think there is a sense in which the principle holds. but in both life and Balatro experientially, most win conditions are reached linearly, and the really crazy combos just let you explore endless mode for a couple more rounds. To your point being the owner of a modest business, or just being a good employee makes you ‘win’. But if you want to hit 10x win or 100x win, you need some ridiculous non linear scaling.

Great read, especially liked the call-out of the Smash Bros aMSa video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2WMBwFO65J4&t=11s and Baba is You.

Correction: In Super Mario Bros., the 2D successors, and Super Mario 3D Land/World, Mario does indeed become Super Mario when he picks up a Super Mushroom. "Super Mario" is the name of his larger form.