Overview
If you've found your way to Giant Bomb, you probably have a good idea of who Mario is and why he's significant. Mario is the character who launched Nintendo's first console, the Nintendo Entertainment System, into millions of homes around the world. He's since become the company's mascot and most beloved character. On top of this, he is also considered by many to be the face of the videogaming medium as a whole, and is consistently seen as one of the most recognizable characters ever created.
Origin
Mario was created by Nintendo game designer Shigeru Miyamoto and first premiered in Donkey Kong in 1981. Back then, he was a carpenter named Jumpman, who had to save his girlfriend Pauline from the eponymous rampaging gorilla. Jumpman's name was changed to Mario after the landlord of Nintendo's U.S. office, Mario Segali, barged in asking for their rent; the surprising resemblance between the two made the name stick. Mario's trademark mustache, hat, and overalls also have their own unique origin, connected to the primitive design capabilities of the time. Jumpman was given a mustache in order to tell apart his nose from the rest of his face. His overalls allow his arms to be a different color then the rest of his body, thus allowing for clear animation. Finally his hat was created because hair was too difficult to animate.
From those early days, Mario has gone on to star in an enormous number of Nintendo games and save the
Mushroom Kingdom and
Princess Peach from
Bowser time and time again.
Legacy
Games in the
Mario series are constantly redefining their own standards, and often influencing the games that follow as a result.
Paper Mario
Super Mario Bros. defined the 2D platforming genre in the mid-80's.
Super Mario World showed the abilities of the Super Nintendo with scaling and rotation of sprites, and gameplay mechanics that rewarded 100 percent completion of levels.
Super Mario 64 famously set the standard for 3D platforming, and for taking traditional 2D franchises into the third dimension. Most recently,
Super Mario Galaxy has offered innovative uses of the
Wii's unique control scheme. Even offshoot games like
Super Mario RPG and
Paper Mario have consistently surprised Mario's fans with their refreshing and unexpected styles of gameplay. Mario has also starred in many spin-off sports games, ranging from racing (
Mario Kart) to golf and tennis (
Mario Golf,
Mario Tennis), as well as a successful series of party games (
Mario Party).
Fun Facts
- Mario has a mustache because he was too small to draw a mouth onto when he was first created.
- It was difficult to animate hair and ears at the time, so that's why Mario has a hat and sideburns.
- Mario and Luigi are both bright colours to make them stand out from the background of the older games.
- Mario also wears bright colours and overalls to fix a problem with Mario's hands disappearing when he walked.
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Name |
Platforms |
Developer |
|
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Super Mario Bros. Mushroom World
|
PIN
|
|
|
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Famicom Grand Prix II: 3D Hot Rally
|
NES,
FDS
|
HAL Laboratory, Inc.,
Nintendo R&D1
|
|
|
Famicom Grand Prix: F1 Race
|
FDS
|
Nintendo R&D1
|
|
|
Mario Excite Bike
|
BS-X
|
Nintendo
|
|
|
BS Excitebike Bun Bun Mario Stadium 1
|
BS-X
|
Nintendo
|
|
|
Mario Kart Arcade GP
|
ARC
|
Nintendo,
NAMCO BANDAI Games Inc.
|
|
|
Super Mario Bros. / Duck Hunt / World Class Track Meet
|
NES
|
Bandai Co., Ltd.
|
|
|
Mario & Luigi RPG 3
released on Feb. 11, 2009
|
DS
|
AlphaDream Corporation, Ltd.
|
|
|
Kirby: Super Star Ultra
released on Sept. 29, 2008
|
DS
|
HAL Laboratory, Inc.
|
|
|
Mario Super Sluggers
released on Aug. 25, 2008
|
WII
|
NAMCO BANDAI Games Inc.
|
|
|
Dr. Mario Online RX
released on May 26, 2008
|
WSHP
|
Arika Co., Ltd.
|
|
|
Wii Fit
released on May 19, 2008
|
WII
|
Nintendo EAD
|
|
|
Mario Kart Wii
released on April 27, 2008
|
WII
|
Nintendo EAD
|
|
|
Super Smash Bros. Brawl
released on March 9, 2008
|
WII
|
Game Arts Co., Ltd.,
Sora
|
|
|
Mario Party DS
released on Nov. 19, 2007
|
DS
|
Hudson Entertainment, Inc.
|
|
|
Super Mario Galaxy
released on Nov. 12, 2007
|
WII
|
Nintendo EAD
|
|
|
Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games
released on Nov. 6, 2007
|
WII,
DS
|
SEGA Studios
|
|
|
Mario Strikers Charged
released on July 30, 2007
|
WII
|
Next Level Games, Inc.
|
|
|
Itadaki Street DS
released on June 21, 2007
|
DS
|
Square Enix
|
|
|
Mario Party 8
released on May 29, 2007
|
WII
|
Hudson Entertainment, Inc.
|
|
|
Super Paper Mario
released on April 9, 2007
|
WII
|
Intelligent Systems Co., Ltd.
|
|
|
WarioWare: Smooth Moves
released on Jan. 15, 2007
|
WII
|
Intelligent Systems Co., Ltd.
|
|
|
Yoshi's Island DS
released on Nov. 13, 2006
|
DS
|
Artoon Co., Ltd.
|
|
|
Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis
released on Sept. 25, 2006
|
DS
|
Nintendo Software Technology Corporation
|
|
|
Mario Hoops 3 on 3
released on Sept. 11, 2006
|
DS
|
Square Enix
|
|
|
New Super Mario Bros.
released on May 15, 2006
|
DS
|
Nintendo
|
|
|
Tetris DS
released on March 20, 2006
|
DS
|
Nintendo
|
|
|
Super Princess Peach
|
DS
|
Nintendo,
TOSE Co., Ltd.
|
|
|
I'm O.K: A Murder Simulator
released on Jan. 1, 2006
|
PC
|
Thompsonsoft
|
|
|
Super Mario Strikers
released on Dec. 5, 2005
|
GC
|
Next Level Games, Inc.
|
|
|
Mario Tennis: Power Tour
released on Dec. 5, 2005
|
GBA
|
Camelot Software Planning
|
|
|
Dr. Mario & Puzzle League
|
GBA
|
Intelligent Systems Co., Ltd.
|
|
|
Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time
released on Nov. 28, 2005
|
DS
|
AlphaDream Corporation, Ltd.
|
|
|
Mario Kart DS
released on Nov. 14, 2005
|
DS
|
Nintendo
|
|
|
Mario Party 7
released on Nov. 7, 2005
|
GC
|
Hudson Entertainment, Inc.
|
|
|
Dance Dance Revolution MARIO Mix
released on Oct. 24, 2005
|
GC
|
Konami Computer Entertainment Tokyo
|
|
|
SSX on Tour
released on Oct. 11, 2005
|
PSP,
PS2,
GC,
XBOX
|
EA Canada
|
|
|
Mario Superstar Baseball
released on Aug. 29, 2005
|
GC
|
NAMCO BANDAI Games Inc.
|
|
|
Mario Party Advance
released on March 28, 2005
|
GBA
|
Hudson Entertainment, Inc.
|
|
|
WarioWare Touched!
released on Feb. 24, 2005
|
DS
|
Intelligent Systems Co., Ltd.
|
|
|
NBA Street V3
released on Feb. 8, 2005
|
PS2,
GC,
XBOX
|
EA Sports BIG
|
|
|
Mario Party 6
released on Dec. 6, 2004
|
GC
|
Hudson Entertainment, Inc.
|
|
|
Super Mario 64 DS
released on Nov. 20, 2004
|
DS
|
Nintendo EAD
|
|
|
Mario Power Tennis
released on Nov. 8, 2004
|
GC,
WII
|
Camelot Software Planning
|
|
|
Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door
released on Oct. 11, 2004
|
GC
|
Intelligent Systems Co., Ltd.
|
|
|
Mario Pinball Land
released on Oct. 4, 2004
|
GBA
|
Fuse Games Limited
|
|
|
Mario Golf: Advance Tour
|
GBA
|
Camelot Software Planning
|
|
|
Mario vs. Donkey Kong
|
GBA
|
Nintendo Software Technology Corporation
|
|
|
WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Party Game$
released on April 6, 2004
|
GC
|
Nintendo R&D1
|
|
|
Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes
released on March 9, 2004
|
GC
|
Silicon Knights, Inc.,
Konami Computer Entertainment Japan, Inc.
|
|
|
Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga
released on Nov. 17, 2003
|
GBA
|
AlphaDream Corporation, Ltd.
|
|
|
Mario Kart: Double Dash
released on Nov. 17, 2003
|
GC
|
Nintendo EAD
|
|
|
Mario Party 5
released on Nov. 7, 2003
|
GC
|
Hudson Entertainment, Inc.
|
|
|
Super Mario Bros. 3: Super Mario Advance 4
released on Oct. 21, 2003
|
GBA
|
Nintendo R&D2
|
|
|
Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour
released on July 28, 2003
|
GC
|
Camelot Software Planning
|
|
|
WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Microgame$!
|
GBA
|
Nintendo R&D1
|
|
|
Mario Party-e
released on Feb. 18, 2003
|
GBA
|
Nintendo
|
|
|
Nintendo Puzzle Collection
|
GC
|
Intelligent Systems Co., Ltd.,
Nintendo Software Technology Corporation
|
|
|
Game & Watch Gallery 4
|
GBA
|
Nintendo
|
|
|
Mario Party 4
released on Oct. 21, 2002
|
GC
|
Hudson Entertainment, Inc.
|
|
|
Super Mario Sunshine
released on Aug. 26, 2002
|
GC
|
Nintendo EAD
|
|
|
Super Mario World: Super Mario Advance 2
released on Feb. 9, 2002
|
GBA
|
Nintendo R&D2
|
|
|
Super Smash Bros. Melee
released on Dec. 2, 2001
|
GC
|
HAL Laboratory, Inc.
|
|
|
Luigi's Mansion
released on Nov. 17, 2001
|
GC
|
Nintendo EAD
|
|
|
Mario Kart Super Circuit
released on Aug. 27, 2001
|
GBA
|
Intelligent Systems Co., Ltd.
|
|
|
Super Mario Advance
released on June 10, 2001
|
GBA
|
Nintendo R&D2
|
|
|
Mario Party 3
released on May 7, 2001
|
N64
|
Hudson Entertainment, Inc.
|
|
|
Dr. Mario 64
|
N64
|
Newcom Co., Ltd.
|
|
|
Paper Mario
released on Feb. 5, 2001
|
N64,
WSHP
|
Intelligent Systems Co., Ltd.
|
|
|