Mario

is a video game character made by Nintendo. He is an Italian plumber who lives in the Mushroom Kingdom. The character was created and designed by Japanese game designer Shigeru Miyamoto. Mario is the main mascot of Nintendo along with his rival Bowser. He has been in more than 200 games by the company, which are usually designed for people of all ages.

In most of the _Mario_ games, he tries to stop Bowser from kidnapping Princess Peach in order to not let Bowser marry Princess Peach in the other games like Super Mario Odyssey. He is helped by his brother Luigi in most games. He has other enemies like Donkey Kong, Waluigi, and Wario, but they are friends in some spinoffs.

Mario is one of the most famous video game characters. Over 200 million _Mario_ games have been sold all over the world.

## Concept and creation

Mario is the Greek form of the Roman Latin name Marius. Mario first appeared in the arcade game _Donkey Kong_ as a carpenter named **Jumpman**. In Japan, he had the name "Mr. Jump." Later, he was named "Mario," after Mario Segale, who was a lot like Mario. Mario Segale owned the land where Nintendo of America's office was built.

Mario later appeared with his younger brother Luigi in an arcade game called _Mario Bros._ The game _Super Mario Bros._ was released at the same time as the Nintendo Entertainment System. _Super Mario Bros._ was a very well liked game, along with _Super Mario Bros. 3_  and The Legend of Zelda.

At that time, video games were hard to make and Nintendo could not make Mario move without making his arms "disappear". Changing his clothes fixed it. They also did not have the space to give him a mouth or ears. They also could not make hair on his head. To fix this, the makers of the game gave Mario a moustache, sideburns, and a cap so it would not look like he was bald. Mario's creator, Shigeru Miyamoto, said that he gave Mario a cap,  because it is hard for him to draw hair. His voice is made by Charles Martinet, who also voices Luigi, Wario, Waluigi and other characters like Toadsworth.

Mario is Nintendo's mascot (the face of the company). Mario's rival was Sega's mascot, Sonic the Hedgehog. Sonic the Hedgehog first appeared in 1991. At first, Sega and Nintendo competed with each other. But then, in _Sonic Adventure 2: Battle, Sega_ made a game for a Nintendo video game console. Mario and Sonic appeared together in a sports game, _Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games_, and again in Super Smash Bros. Brawl, _Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U,_ and _Super_ _Smash_ _Bros_. _Ultimate_.

## Disney Style

Mario in Disney Style

Mario from Super Mario in the style of Disney is a non-anthropomorphic human character created by the Japanese game designer Shigeru Miyamoto.

## Playable appearances (1981-present)

1. _Donkey Kong_ (1981)
1. _Mario's Cement Factory_ (1983)
1. _Mario Bros._ (1983)
1. _Mario's Bombs Away_ (1983)
1. _Golf_ (1984)
1. _Donkey Kong Hockey (1984)
1. _Wrecking Crew_ (1985)
1. _Super Mario Bros._ (1985)
1. _Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels_ (1986)
1. _Famicom Grand Prix: F-1 Race_ (1987)
1. _Super Mario Bros. 2_ (1988)
1. _Super Mario Bros. 3_ (1988)
1. _Super Mario Land_ (1989)
1. _Dr. Mario_ (1990)
1. _Super Mario World_ (1990)
1. _Mario Teaches Typing_ (1991)
1. _Mario the Juggler_ (1991)
1. _Yoshi_ (1991)
1. _Mario Paint_ (1992)
1. _Super Mario Kart_ (1992)
1. _Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins_ (1992)
1. _Yoshi's Cookie_ (1992)
1. _Mario is Missing_ (1992)
1. _Yoshi's Safari_ (1993)
1. _Mario & Wario_ (1993, Japan only)
1. _Mario's Time Machine_ (1993)
1. _Super Mario All-Stars_ (1993)
1. _Hotel Mario_ (1994)
1. _Donkey Kong_ (handheld game) (1994)
1. _Mario's Early Years! Fun with Letters_ (1994)
1. _Mario's Early Years! Fun with Numbers_ (1994)
1. _Mario's Early Years! Preschool Fun_ (1994)
1. _Super Mario All-Stars + Super Mario World_ (1994)
1. _Mario's Early Years! CD-ROM Collection_ (1995)
1. _Mario's Picross_ (1995)
1. _Mario's Tennis_ (1995)
1. _Mario Clash_ (1995)
1. _Mario's Game Gallery_ (1995)
1. _Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars_ (1996)
1. _Super Mario 64_ (1996)
1. _Mario Teaches Typing 2_ (1996)
1. _Mario Kart 64_ (1996)
1. _Excitebike: Bun Bun Mario Stadium_ (1997, Japan only)
1. _Game & Watch Gallery_ (1997)
1. _Wrecking Crew '98_ (1998, Japan only)
1. _Mario's Game Gallery_ (1998)
1. _Mario no Photopi_ (1998, Japan only)
1. _Mario Party_ (1998)
1. _Super Smash Bros._ (1999)
1. _Super Mario Bros. Deluxe_ (1999)
1. _Mario Golf_ (1999)
1. _Mario Party 2_ (1999)
1. _Mario Tennis_ (2000)
1. _Paper Mario_ (2000)
1. _Mario Tennis_ (handheld) (2000)
1. _Mario Party 3_ (2000)
1. _Super Mario Advance_ (2001)
1. _Super Monkey Ball_ (2001)
1. _Mobile Golf_ (2001)
1. _Mario Kart: Super Circuit_ (2001)
1. _Super Smash Bros. Melee_ (2001)
1. _Super Mario Sunshine_ (2002)
1. _Mario Party 4_ (2002)
1. _Mario Party-e_ (2003)
1. _Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour_ (2003)
1. _Mario Kart: Double Dash!!_ (2003)
1. _Mario Party 5_ (2003)
1. _Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga_ (2003)
1. _Mario vs. Donkey Kong_ (2004)
1. _Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door_ (2004)
1. _Mario Pinball Land_ (2004)
1. _Super Mario Fushigi no Korokoro Party_ (2004, Japan only)
1. _Mario Power Tennis_ (2004)
1. _Mario Party 6_ (2004)
1. _Super Mario 64 DS_ (2004)
1. _Mario Party Advance_ (2005)
1. _Yakuman DS_ (2005, Japan only)
1. _Dance Dance Revolution: Mario Mix_ (2005)
1. _Mario Superstar Baseball_ (2005)
1. _Mario Tennis: Power Tour_ (2005)
1. _Mario Party 7_ (2005)
1. _Mario Kart DS_ (2005)
1. _Dr. Mario & Puzzle League_ (2005)
1. _Mario Kart Arcade GP_ (2005)
1. _Super Mario Fushigi no Korokoro Party 2_ (2005, Japan only)
1. _Super Mario Strikers_ (2005)
1. _Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time_ (2005)
1. _New Super Mario Bros._ (2006)
1. _Mario Hoops 3-on-3_ (2006)
1. _Super Paper Mario_ (2007)
1. _Mario Strikers Charged_ (2007)
1. _Mario Party 8_ (2007)
1. _Itadaki Street DS_ (2007, Japan only)
1. _Super Mario Galaxy_ (2007)
1. _Mario Kart Arcade GP 2_ (2007)
1. _Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games_ (2007)
1. _Mario Party DS_ (2007)
1. _Super Smash Bros. Brawl_ (2008)
1. _Mario Kart Wii_ (2008)
1. _Dr. Mario Online RX_ (2008)
1. _Mario vs Donkey Kong: Minis March Again_ (2008)
1. _Mario Super Sluggers_ (2008)
1. _Dr. Mario Express_ (2008)
1. _Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story_ (2009)
1. _Mario Party Fushigi no Korokoro Catcher_ (2009, Japan only)
1. _Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games_ (2009)
1. _New Super Mario Bros. Wii_ (2009)
1. _Super Mario Galaxy 2_ (2010)
1. _Super Mario All-Stars 25th Anniversary Edition_ (2010)
1. _Mario Sports Mix_ (2010)
1. _Super Mario 3D Land_ (2011)
1. _Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games_ (2011)
1. _Mario Kart 7_ (2011)
1. _Fortune Street_ (2011)
1. _Mario Party 9_ (2012)
1. _Mario Tennis Open_ (2012)
1. _New Super Mario Bros. 2_ (2012)
1. _Paper Mario: Sticker Star_ (2012)
1. _New Super Mario Bros. U_ (2012)
1. _Mario & Luigi: Dream Team_ (2013)
1. _New Super Luigi U_ (2013)
1. _Super Mario 3D World_ (2013)
1. _Mario Kart Arcade GP DX_ (2013)
1. _Mario & Sonic at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Games_ (2013)
1. _Mario Party: Island Tour_ (2013)
1. _Mario Golf: World Tour_ (2014)
1. _Mario Kart 8_ (2014)
1. _Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U_ (2014)
1. _Mario vs Donkey Kong: Tipping Stars_ (2015)
1. _Mario Party 10_ (2015)
1. _Super Mario Maker_ (2015)
1. _Mario Tennis: Ultra Smash_ (2015)
1. _Dr. Mario: Miracle Cure_ (2015)
1. _Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam_ (2015)
1. _Mini Mario and Friends Amiibo Challenge_ (2016)
1. _Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games_ (2016)
1. _Minecraft: Wii U Edition_ (2016)
1. _Paper Mario: Color Splash_ (2016)
1. _Mario Party: Star Rush_ (2016)
1. _Super Mario Maker for Nintendo 3DS_ (2016)
1. _Super Mario Run_ (2016)
1. _Mario Kart 8 Deluxe_ (2017)
1. _Mario and Rabbids Kingdom Battle_ (2017)
1. _Super Mario Odyssey_ (2017)
1. _Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga + Bowser's Minions_ (2017)
1. _Minecraft: Nintendo Switch Version_ (2017)
1. _Mario Tennis Aces_ (2018)
1. _Super Mario Party_ (2018)
1. _Super Smash Bros. Ultimate_ (2018)
1. _Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story + Bowser Jr.'s Journey_ (2019)
1. _New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe_ (2019)
1. _Super Mario Maker 2_ (2019)
1. _Mario Kart Tour_ (2019)
1. _Luigi's Mansion 3_ (2019)
1. _Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020_ (2019)
1. _Paper Mario: The Origami King_ (2020)
1. _Super Mario Bros. 35_ (2020)
1. _Super Mario 3D All-Stars_ (2020)
1. _Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury_ (2021)
1. _Mario Golf: Super Rush_ (2021)
1. _Mario Party Superstars_ (2021)
1. _Mario Strikers: Battle League_ (2022)
1. _Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope_ (2022)
1. _Super Mario Bros. Wonder_ (2023)
1. _Super Mario RPG_ (2023)
1. _Mario vs. Donkey Kong_ (2024)
1. _Nintendo World Championship: NES Edition_ (2024)
1. _Super Mario Party Jamboree_ (2024)
1. _Mario & Luigi: Brothership_ (2024)
1. _Mario Kart World_ (2025)

## Appearances

Mario has been seen in many games, and is seen in games that are not Mario games, like _Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!!_ where he is a referee. He is also a character you can play as in the _Super Smash Bros._ series. Mario has  appeared as a secret character which any player can play as in the GameCube version of _NBA Street V3_ and _SSX on Tour_, which are both from Electronic Arts. In some games, he only makes very small appearances: in both _The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past_ and _The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time_, a picture of Mario can be seen, and in _Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes_ small Mario and Yoshi statues can be seen.

After the Game & Watch game _Mario Bombs Away_, the first _Mario_ non-platformer game, _Dr. Mario_, was sold in 1990. There are two educational _Mario_ games that have been made. They are called _Mario Paint_, which was sold in 1992 for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System, and _Mario Pinball Land_ for the Game Boy Advance. _Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars_ was released in 1996 for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. It is the first _Mario_ role-playing game. Since then, other Mario role-playing games have been released, such as _Paper Mario_ for the Nintendo 64;  and _Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga_ for the Game Boy Advance. Both of these games were made into their own series later on.

There have been more series based on the original _Mario_ series. The _Mario Kart_ series' first game was _Super Mario Kart_ for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. The _Mario Kart_ series is the most successful racing video game series of all time. The _Mario Kart_ series is a type of _Mario_ sports game. There have been other _Mario_ sports games like _Mario Golf_ and _Mario Tennis_, and the baseball and soccer games _Mario Superstar Baseball_ and _Super Mario Strikers_. In 1999, the _Mario Party_ series started on the Nintendo 64.

There has been a few TV shows and a movie for the _Mario_ series. The name of the first TV show is _The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!_ and the movie is called _Super Mario Bros._. The TV show starred "Captain" Lou Albano as Mario, and the movie starred Bob Hoskins as Mario. There have also been _Mario_ toys sold in some places.

## Characteristics

Mario was first a 2D character but since technology has changed, Nintendo has remade Mario in 3D. He is a plumber who lives in the land of Mushroom Kingdom. He is the older, shorter brother of Luigi, and they are both plumbers. In the television series, Mario and Luigi are from Brooklyn, although _Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island_ says he was born in the Mushroom Kingdom.

### Physical appearance

Mario's looks have changed over the years although he has several staple features. He is a short, stubby man wearing a hat with an "M" on it, brown hair, black moustache, a very large nose, white gloves, and denim overalls. In most appearances, Mario wears a red hat and shirt with blue overalls. However, in the original _Super Mario Bros._ video game, Mario wears a brown shirt and red overalls.

Mario's clothes depend on the game he is in. For example, in the _Super Mario Strikers_ soccer game, Mario wears a football kit instead of overalls, and in _Super Mario Sunshine,_ a very sunshiny tropical game, he wears a red T-shirt and can also put on sunglasses and a Hawaiian-style shirt. In some games, Mario can turn into different forms, each with different clothes.

### Personality

Mario is a kind-hearted and brave hero, with a love of pasta and pizza. People know Mario has a great, happy, personality since he has a high pitched, funny voice. Since _Mario's Game Gallery_, Charles Martinet has been his voice actor. In the games, Mario speaks in English with a thick Italian accent. In other things like TV shows, he has a more Brooklyn-styled accent. Mario does not say much. He usually says: "Okey dokey!", "Woohoo!", "Let's a-go!", "It's-a me! Mario!", "Here we go", "Mama mia!" and more, though in sports games, he says things relevant to the sport, in Mario Golf he says "Fore!" for example. Mario hardly ever speaks properly in any game, leaving the talking to other characters. He does speak normally in the DiC animated cartoons and the anime series.

### Occupation and hobbies

He only acts like a plumber in the games, _Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga_ and the original _Mario Bros._, but pipes are always one way to get around. Mario was seen plumbing during the animated series. He knows a lot about tools and fixing pipes in the movie. In the first Donkey Kong games when Mario was called Jumpman, he was a carpenter.

In the _Dr. Mario_ games first seen in 1990, Mario is a doctor. In 2001, Mario appeared in _Dr. Mario 64_, an updated version of the original puzzle game. Dr. Mario appeared as an secret character in the Nintendo GameCube game _Super Smash Bros. Melee_, and in another newer version, _Dr. Mario Virus Buster_, for WiiWare. In the Game Boy game _Mario's Picross_, Mario is an archaeologist.

Mario usually saves Princess Peach (AKA Princess Toadstool), Princess Daisy and Pauline. And he usually has to defeat villains, like Bowser(AKA King Koopa in Japan) Most characters in the games know who he is because he acts like a hero, as shown in _Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga_, where they are called "superstars", or celebrities.

In _Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis_, it is said that Mario has a toy-making company that earns him money.

### Relationships

Since his first game, Mario has to save the "damsel in distress" of the game. Originally, he had to rescue his girlfriend Pauline in _Donkey Kong_. Pauline was soon replaced by a new damsel-in-distress, Princess Peach, in _Super Mario Bros._ (she was first named "Princess Toadstool" or simply "the Princess" in English-speaking places until 1993, when _Yoshi's Safari_ was sold, even though the name was not widely used until _Super Mario 64_ was sold three years later). Pauline returned in the Game Boy remake of _Donkey Kong_ in 1994, and later _Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis_ in 2006, although the character is now said to be "Mario's friend".

Mario has rescued Princess Peach lots of times since _Super Mario Bros._. In a role reversal, Peach rescues Mario in _Super Princess Peach_. Some people say the two could be a couple.

Luigi is Mario's younger brother. He is usually a companion on many of Mario's adventures and the character whom players play as in two-player sessions of many of the video games. He sometimes acts like a "scaredy cat" who sets off to help Mario but instead needs help himself, though he has also had to rescue Mario occasionally as displayed in _Mario is Missing!_ and _Luigi's Mansion_. Yoshi is another one of Mario's friends.

Mario rescued Princess Daisy in _Super Mario Land_ for the Game Boy. In _Super Smash Bros. Melee_, the text explaining Princess Daisy's trophy states that "after her appearance in Mario Golf, some gossips portrayed her as Luigi's answer to Mario's Peach", although Luigi and Daisy were previously paired as a romantic couple in the live-action _Super Mario Bros_ movie.

Wario, Mario's evil counterpart was first seen in _Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins_. Though there is no clear relationship between the two, Wario was once referred to as Mario's cousin in Nintendo Power. Wario is designed to act, in a way, as an anti-Mario.

### Baby Mario

Baby Mario is Mario when he was a child. He first appeared in _Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island_, released in 1995 for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System, and has appeared in several titles since. Baby Mario has often appeared in Nintendo-sports titles, such as _Mario Golf_, _Mario Tennis_, _Mario Superstar Baseball_, _Mario Kart: Double Dash!!_, _Mario Super Sluggers_, and _Mario Kart Wii_. These games imply Mario and Baby Mario are separate characters, but those games are considered to be outside the continuity of the main _Mario_ series. More recently, he has appeared in _Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time_, in which Baby Mario appeared via time travel along with Baby Luigi, Baby Peach, and Baby Bowser, which could explain the separation of the two characters. Like the older Mario, Baby Mario is also voiced by Charles Martinet.

## Abilities

During the development of _Donkey Kong_, Mario was known as "Jumpman". Jumping—both to access places and as an offensive move—is a common gameplay element in _Mario_ games, especially the _Super Mario Bros._ series.

Mario's most commonly portrayed form of attack is jumping to stomp on the heads of enemies, first used in _Mario Bros._. This jump-stomp move may entirely crush smaller enemies on the stage, and usually deals damage to larger ones, sometimes also causing secondary effects. This attack often enables Mario to knock the turtle-like Koopa Troopas into their shells, which can slide into and damage other enemies or Mario.

Subsequent games have elaborated on Mario's jumping-related abilities. _Super Mario World_ added the ability to spin-jump, which allows Mario to break blocks under him. Later, the Game Boy version of _Donkey Kong_ allows Mario to jump higher with many jumps, and perform a back-flip. In _Super Mario 64_, Mario has several jumping abilities, such as a sideways somersault, a "ground pound", which makes Mario hit the ground under him hard, and the "Wall Kick", which propels him upwards by kicking off walls.

### Power-ups

Mario uses many items, which give him various powers. The one that shows up the most often is the "Super Mushroom", which allows Mario to grow to twice his size, becoming "Super Mario" (after the name of the series), and can take a hit before shrinking back down to "regular" Mario. If "Super Mario" collects a "Fire Flower", he will transform into "Fire Mario", who can throw fireballs at enemies. Picking up a "Star" makes it so nothing can hurt Mario for several seconds.

A common theme in the _Mario_ series' power-ups is the fact that many items give Mario a semi-animal appearance, sometimes related to the item itself, for example _Super Mario Bros. 3_s Frog Suit, which turns Mario into a frog, and _Super Mario Land 2_s Power Carrot, which turns Mario into a rabbit. Other times the item may not be related to the power; for example, the Raccoon Leaf gives him raccoon ears, a tail, and the power of flight. Other power-ups are overall more useful; in _Super Mario World_, the Cape allows Mario to fly and glide, and a balloon in a later game in the series allows similar effects. _New Super Mario Bros._ introduced other types of Mushroom power-ups, such as the "Mega Mushroom", which causes Mario to grow to a screen-filling size and the "Mini Mushroom" that makes him shrink to a very small size.  The Drill Mushroom in Super Mario Bros. Wonder allows the player to dig and dodge enemies go through walls and dig in ceilings to almost fly.

In _Super Mario 64_, Mario takes extra damage without when he is not wearing his hat. Different types of caps found in the game also give him powers of flight, invincibility, and invisibility. Along with these basic features, caps gave more practical abilities as well. For example, the Metal Cap allows Mario to sink to sea floors and the Invisibility cap allows him to walk through thin surfaces such as iron grates.

_Super Mario Sunshine_ has several few power-ups with a water theme. He is granted a F.L.U.D.D. (**F**lash **L**iquidizing **U**ltra **D**ousing **D**evice) pack that performs his main attack and squirts paint and enemies with water, named the Squirt Nozzle. He has three other expansion packs including the Hover Nozzle, which allows him to hover for short distances, the Turbo Nozzle, which allows him to move a lot faster and break through some barriers, and the Rocket Nozzle, which charges water up, then blasts Mario high into the air.

_Super Mario Galaxy_ introduced several new power-ups along with a few older items re-done. These include the Bee Shroom, which allows him to float short distances and stick to certain surfaces; the Boo Shroom, which makes him capable of floating as well as traveling through walls; the Life Shroom, which gives him three more life wedges; the Rainbow Star, granting him brief invincibility; the Fire Flower, which appeared for the first time in a 3D game; and the Ice Flower, which allows him to turn water into solid ice so he can go to otherwise unreachable or deadly places. A hidden power-up is the Flight Star, which allows Mario to fly for a while.

Mario uses hammers in numerous games, such as _Super Mario Bros. 3_, the original _Donkey Kong_, and _Super Mario RPG_. Hammers are used to attack and for other things, like flicking switches and solving puzzles. He often picks up and throws various projectiles around him, however, starting in _Super Mario Bros. 2_. He tosses items such as vegetables, giant blocks and Bob-ombs.

In the Mario Kart series, there are a number of items to use. For example, a mushroom makes the characters go faster, and a Koopa shell knocks into other players to slow them down.

## Reception and legacy

As Nintendo's mascot, many people think that Mario is the most famous video game character of all time. The _Mario_ series of video games has sold more than 200 million copies, making it the best selling game series of all time.  Mario was the first video game character to get a wax figure in the Hollywood Wax Museum in 2003. In 1990, a national survey showed that more American kids knew Mario than Mickey Mouse.   Mario has become a very famous person having been in many television shows, comic books, and in a movie. He has been on lunch boxes, T-shirts, magazines, commercials, in candy form, on Shampoo bottles, cereal, badges, and as a stuffed toy. Nintendo of Japan made a 60-minute anime (Japanese cartoon) movie starring Mario and his friends in 1986, but this movie has never been shown or sold on DVD outside of Japan. The animated series _The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!_ had a live-action series of episodes starring former WWF manager "Captain" Lou Albano as Mario and Danny Wells as Luigi. There was even a book series, the Nintendo Adventure Books. In 2005, Jonathan Mann even wrote an opera based on the character, and performed _The Mario Opera_ at the California Institute of the Arts.

Bergsala, the distributor of Nintendo's products in the Nordic and the Baltic countries, is located at Marios Gata 21 (Mario's Street 21) in Kungsbacka, Sweden, named after Mario.

Mario's legacy is recognized by Guinness World Records, who awarded the Nintendo Mascot and his games seven records in the _Guinness World Records: Gamer's Edition 2008''. These records include, "Best Selling Video Game Series of All Time", "First Movie Based on an Existing Video Game", and "Most Prolific Video Game Character", with Mario appearing in 116 distinct titles (not including remakes or re-releases).

In a poll conducted in 2008, Mario was voted as the most popular video game character in Japan.

### In popular culture

Former NHL hockey player, Mario Lemieux was given the nickname "Super Mario" by the media during his career. Mario Williams, the #1 draft pick in the 2006 NFL Draft, was also given the nickname "Super Mario", as was pro-cyclist, Mario Cipollini. German international footballer Mario Basler was affectionately referred to as "Super Mario" by fans and the media. Another sportsman who received this nickname was the Brazilian soccer player Mário Jardel, famous for his jumps and headers.

## Other websites

- The official home of Mario (Nintendo of America official site.)
- Super Mario Bros. Hub (Nintendo UK official site)