Mario

His Story

His first appearance was under the guise of "Jumpman" in the 1981 arcade game Donkey Kong. It wasn't long until he was officially renamed "Mario" after the original landlord of Nintendo of America's Seattle building, Mario Segali.

Little is known about Mario's background. In Donkey Kong we first learned that he was a carpenter who must save Pauline from the evil Donkey Kong. A few games later, Mario officially switched to plumbing.

Other details about Mario's past are foggy and difficult to place in chronological order. The addition of Baby Mario often complicates things. However, Nintendo's official stance on the subject is that his past is purposefully kept vague. This allows for more people to identify with him and lets him fit into many more roles in various games.

The Look

The red shirt, blue overalls, red cap and bushy moustache are Mario's signature traits. The current appearance of Mario actually has to do with technological limitations during his early development. Limited colors and pixels could be used in moving objects, but creator Shigeru Miyamoto wanted Mario to be as animated as possible. To make his arms visible while walking, he changed their color, thus giving him overalls. Hair was difficult to animate, so a cap was added. A mouth would be too small to see, so he gave Mario a bushy moustache.

Mario hasn't always worn blue overalls and a red shirt. In one Super Mario game, the colors were simply reversed. In the original Super Mario Bros., Mario wore red overalls and a brown shirt. After touching a fire flower, his overalls became white and his shirt turned red. It wasn't until Super Mario Bros. 3 that his look was standardized as what we see today.

Moves

Although he has taken on a number of roles in the plethora of games he has appeared in, there are many common elements to most games starring Mario.

Mushrooms

The first appearance of Super Mushrooms was in Super Mario Bros. When touched (eaten), Mario grows twice his normal size and can smash bricks with his fist. The idea was inspired by Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland story where Alice finds cakes that say "Eat me". Mushrooms can be found in all varieties and types in other Mario games, often with slightly different affects.

Warp Pipes

Big green pipes litter the land where Mario walks. Many of these lead to secret areas. Miyamoto-san was again inspired from outside media to create these warp pipes, this time drawing ideas from the television show Star Trek. Because Mario is a plumber, pipes were used to teleport him.

Jumping

Especially in later games such as Paper Mario and Super Mario RPG, Mario's ability to jump is hailed as his trademark. While his jumping skills in early games were confined to one height, Mario's 3D adventures introduced many new leaps and acrobatic combinations that earn him his fame for flying into the air.

Starman

The gold or yellow flashing star is Mario's most powerful ally. The Starman makes Mario invincible for 8-12 seconds, causing him to rapidly change colors and playing the familiar Starman music in the background.

Fire Flower, Feather, Leaf

Early Super Mario Bros. games featured a power-up in addition to the Super Mushrooms found in question blocks. The Fire Flower was the original staple of the series and allowed Mario to toss fireballs. Super Mario Bros. 3 introduced a red leaf that gave Mario a raccoon's tail. By getting a running start, leaping and wagging his tail, Mario could fly for a short amount of time. In Super Mario World, a feather gave Mario a yellow cape he could use to zoom through the skies.

He's Everywhere!

In addition to dozens of video games, Mario has also made appearances on television shows, cartoons, comics, and even a feature film. Live actors have portrayed him on the big screen and on television and many people have voiced his cartoon character. In all of the video games where Mario speaks, voice actor Charles Martinet is the man behind the moustache.

The theme to Super Mario Bros. is one of the most recognizable songs in the world. It has been remixed by countless fans and has even been played by full orchestras in concert halls.

What Does the Future Hold?

Mario shows no signs of slowing down. In 2005, Nintendo celebrated Super Mario's 20th anniversary. Many more games starring Mario are slated for 2006, including a highly-anticipated side scrolling game for the Nintendo DS. The Italian plumber and his pals continue to provide simple, enjoyable games for everyone.