40 Random Facts For Super Mario’s 40th Anniversary

by

Wowza, can you believe it? Here I am, a die-hard fan, excitedly announcing that on September 13, 2025, we’ll be celebrating the 40th anniversary of the legendary Super Mario Bros. series! From his humble beginnings in Donkey Kong games, Mario has grown to become one of the most successful video game characters ever. With numerous games, TV shows, movies like the smash-hit from 2023, theme parks worldwide, and more, this plumbing duo, Mario & Luigi, have truly made their mark in the gaming world. They’re as iconic as they come!

To mark the 40th anniversary of the cherished Super Mario Bros. franchise, here’s a fun fact-filled journey for you! Gather some delicious Italian cuisine, play your favorite Mario tunes, don your overalls and cap, and dive into an engaging exploration of Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach, Bowser, and their Mushroom Kingdom companions.

This paraphrase maintains the original meaning while making it more conversational and easy to read.

Mario: The Origin Story

  • Mario was named after Mario Segale, the landlord of a warehouse leased by Nintendo of America in the 1980s.
  • Mario was originally given his iconic mustache to help give his nose and face more definition in the games’ original 8-bit style. (He also wears a hat because hair was difficult to accurately portray at the time.)
  • The name “Mario” was first used for the character in the game Donkey Kong Junior. Before that, he was Jumpman.
  • Donkey Kong Junior is also the only game where Mario has appeared as an antagonist. He even twirls his mustache!
  • Mario has a long history of appearing in sports games. His very first sports debut was in the 1984 NES title Golf, although he’s never actually referred to by name in-game.
  • Mario was first referred to as a plumber in 1983’s Mario Bros, which also marked the first appearance of Luigi.
  • It has never been confirmed how Luigi got his name, although it may come from the Japanese word “ruiji,” meaning “similar” or an Italian restaurant called “Mario & Luigi’s” reportedly frequented by Nintendo higher-ups.
  • Mario’s first big-screen appearance was in 1986, in the animated film Super Mario Bros: The Great Mission To Rescue Princess Peach.
  • In that film, Mario was voiced by Toru Furuya, who has played roles including Yamcha in Dragon Ball and Tuxedo Mask in Sailor Moon.
  • Mario’s first appearance in an educational game was in the 1986 Japan-only I Am A Teacher: Super Mario Sweater, which taught players how to knit a Mario-themed sweater.

Mario Game Facts and Secrets

  • In 2011’s Super Mario 3D Land, a UFO may appear if you use the Binoculars while in World 1-3. Are aliens secretly keeping an eye on Mario?
  • Originally, Super Mario RPG was going to feature Mario wielding a sword, until it was decided a hammer was a better fit for his personality.
  • In Super Mario Odyssey, Mario can still kick away items that are aimed at him even if he’s sleeping. That’s some reflexes, Mario!
  • As of 2025, Mario and Sonic have faced off at the Olympics six different times, beginning in 2007 with the original Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games.
  • In the original Super Mario Bros., Mario is shorter than Princess Peach in his regular form, but taller when Super. This was addressed in the deluxe re-release by making Peach kneel to kiss regular Mario but stand to kiss Super Mario.
  • In The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask, the Happy Mask Salesman wears a mask on his back that resembles Mario’s face.
  • Mario serves as the referee in the original Mike Tyson’s Punch-Out!! for the Nintendo Entertainment System. It’s also one of the few times he ditches the overalls in favor of a snazzy uniform.
  • The current world record for beating is Super Mario Bros. is 4 minutes, 54 seconds, 515 milliseconds, set by speedrunner averge11 in August 2025.
  • In Super Mario World 2: Yoshi’s Island, a scrapped power-up would have given Baby Mario the ability to temporarily transform into his adult self.
  • As of 2025, Mario has featured in over 250 games. Maybe it’s time to give the poor guy a vacation?

Mario’s Friends and Family (and Enemies)

  • Luigi is generally portrayed as being able to jump higher than his brother. This distinction first appeared in 1985’s Super Mario Bros: The Lost Levels.
  • Bowser was originally intended to be an ox, but animator Yoichi Kotabe misinterpreted the design as a turtle, leading to the Koopa King fans know today.
  • Bowser Jr. is Bowser’s only confirmed child. In 2012, Shigeru Miyamoto cleared up confusion by officially stating that the Koopalings are not Bowser’s offspring.
  • Like her beau Mario, Princess Peach has gone through some name changes. She’s always been Peach in Japan, but the West called her “Princess Toadstool” until the 1993 game Yoshi’s Safari.
  • Wario isn’t just named as such because a “W” is an upside-down “M.” His name is actually a combination of the Japanese word “warui,” meaning bad or evil, and “Mario.”
  • Similarly, Waluigi gets his name from taking the Japanese word “ijiwaru,” meaning bad-tempered, and reversing the syllables.
  • There have been several attempts over the years to design and introduce a “Walupeach,” but none have been approved. Her appearance when possessed by the Shadow Queen in Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door may be inspired by this.
  • The design of Pauline, Mario’s very first love interest, was inspired by Olive Oyl from the Popeye cartoons. Nowadays, Pauline’s moved on from Mario and become the mayor of New Donk City, as well as teaming up with Donkey Kong in 2025’s Bananza.
  • Princess Daisy is known as Luigi’s love interest and Peach’s friend, but she’s also a sports star. Her first playable appearance was in Mario Tennis in 2000, and she’s been a regular in sports titles since.
  • According to Super Mario World 2: Yoshi’s Island, which was released in 1995, Mario first met his dinosaur friend Yoshi when the plumber was just a baby. That makes Yoshi Mario’s oldest friend (except for Luigi, of course!)

It’s-A Mario Grab Bag!

  • The iconic Mario theme music has spent over 100 weeks at the top of Billboard’s Ringtone Charts and is considered one of the most popular ringtones in the world.
  • Mario’s first television appearance was actually not the Super Mario Bros. Super Show, but rather the short-lived Saturday Supercade, which focused on a variety of arcade titles.
  • For a period following the release of The Super Mario Bros. Movie in 2023, calling 929-55-MARIO would result in hearing a voice message from Luigi, who mentioned “we also do mansions.”
  • In art portraying the Mario characters as musicians, Mario is typically shown playing the saxophone. Maybe he’s a fan of smooth jazz?
  • Over 25 actors have taken on the role of Mario in various projects. Actors who have portrayed Mario in English include Bob Hoskins, Chris Pratt, Lou Albano, and, of course, Charles Martinet.
  • According to a 1988 issue of Nintendo Power Magazine, Mario’s birthday is October 11 — not March 10, which is commonly celebrated as “Mario Day.”
  • In a 2023 interview, Shigeru Miyamoto described Mario as “shady” and said he personally wouldn’t go to Dr. Mario for treatment.
  • The 1993 educational game Mario is Missing! reveals that Mario’s greatest fear is the dark. Maybe that’s why he doesn’t join Luigi when his brother goes mansion-cleaning?
  • In the official Super Mario Bros. tie-in chess set from 2009, Luigi, not either princess, plays the role of the Queen piece.
  • In 2015 at the Mario Bros. 30th Anniversary Festival, Miyamoto stated that the plumber’s full name was “Mario Mario.” However, he has said at different times that the brothers have no last name. Perhaps it will remain a mystery forever.

Read More

2025-09-13 15:28