National Mario Day is observed each year on March 10th and honors Mario from the popular Nintendo game.
This gamer holiday is celebrated on March 10 because of the way the date appears, when abbreviated (Mar.10). It looks just like the name Mario.
- Mario, the Italian plumber, first appeared in Donkey Kong in 1981
- In 1983 Mario got his own game with his brother Luigi
- Mario is known for being the most famous video game character ever created
- Over 210 million copies of the Mario game series have been sold
Mario Andretti (race car driver), Mario Batali (chef) and Mario Lopez (actor) are a few other famous Marios you might recognize.
- When Mario first appeared as Jumpman in Donkey Kong, the game was the first of its kind to have a backstory and playable character.
- Mario was created by a Nintendo icon, Shigeru Miyamoto. Not only did he develop the famous red plumber, but he‘s also the mastermind behind series including The Legend of Zelda, Donkey Kong, Star Fox and a whole lot more.
- Mario‘s moves from his first game, 1985‘s Super Mario Bros., have become his trademarks and still define him today. They include incredible leaps, brick-breaking and stomping on enemies to defeat them. 31 years after that game, the Super Mario Run app showcased his classic abilities in a brand new light.
- Mario‘s a bit of a renaissance man. He‘s demonstrated his skills as an athlete with games like Mario Tennis Open, Mario Gold: World Tour, Super Mario Strikers and Super Mario Baseball, as well as participating in Olympic sports every four years. He‘s covered pretty much every game genre to boot. While the platforming Super Mario Bros. games are the most iconic, he‘s also been a role-player with Super Mario RPG and Paper Mario, a puzzler with games like Dr. Mario and a racer in the Mario Kart games.
- Though Mario will always be a hero in our eyes, there‘s actually a game where he‘s considered the villain. In Donkey Kong Jr., the player takes on the role of Donkey Kong‘s son after Donkey is captured and imprisoned by Mario, and it‘s up to you, the player, to save him.
- When you think of Mario, you probably picture him wearing a red shirt under blue overalls. That hasn‘t always been his style. In the original Super Mario Bros., his normal style actually included red overalls with an olive green shirt. He adapted the signature look we know and love today in Super Mario Bros. 2.
- Mario has appeared in more than 200 video games.
- Super Mario Bros. launched 32 years ago on Sept. 13, 1985.
- Since 1995, the voice of Mario has been provided by American voice actor Charles Martinet. He also voices Mario’s twin brother, Luigi, and nemesis, Wario.
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