Mario. A name recognizable in almost any household. Started back in 1981 as the hero from “Donkey Kong”, known then as Jumpman. Mario gained his true name before the second game came out. The story goes that the meeting to discuss possible names for the character was interrupted by the owner of Nintendo America’s first warehouse looking for his back rent. Mario Segale, the owner, was calmed and convinced that he would get his money but little did he know, had just ironed his way into history forever by doing so..
Mario wasn’t designed so much by luck as he was by necessity. At the time, graphics being what they were, being able to differentiate between features of the face were nearly impossible. To help distinguish his features Mario (jumpman) was given a large moustache. He was also given a large hat to hide the lack of hair detail and suspenders to better showcase his movement. Originally thought of as a carpenter due to “Donkey Kong” being on a work site he later “switched careers” to being a plumber due to his games being focused in underground settings. He got the first game of his own title in 1983, Mario Bros, where the world was also introduced to Mario’s brother Luigi.
Super Mario 64 | Nintendo.com
Now all of that was before my time. The first Mario game that I remember was “Super Mario Brothers” for the NES back in the 90’s. I remember running through those levels again and again but I don’t remember ever completing the game. Super Mario 64 is the game that really made this character for me. Back flipping through different pictures to transport yourself into different worlds was incredible. There was even one level where how high you jumped into the picture frame reflected how much water was in the level, allowing you to reach new things. It was then that this magical plumber stood out as being a face (or moustache) that will be in my life for a long time to come.
The Original Smash Brother
Mario was one of the original characters in the Super Smash Bro’s world. Having built the name on his back it’s no surprise that he was in the game and is still a strong character to this day.
Although I don’t tend to play Mario myself I do find him under my control from time to time while using the random selection. I personally don’t find him a very strong character as I am just not good with him. He’s a simple character to pick up but extremely difficult to master. Depending on how much time you intend on put into the game he may or may not be worth selecting as your main character.
Super Mario Maker
Super Mario Maker | Nintendo.com
With the Mario franchise having released Super Mario Odyssey on the Nintendo switch back in 2017 and Super Mario Maker 2 coming out later this year, Mario is still as active as ever. Having made appearances in several games between those two (Including SSBU) this plumber must be starting to wonder if his life would have been more relaxing if he had simply continued fixing the pipes of New York.
Whether or not you you are a fan of this iconic character you have to appreciate all the work he’s put in over the years. From 1981 to now, and many years to come, Mario will continue to free our world from any evil that comes our way.
Happy Gaming everyone.
