With the new Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury just released for the Nintendo Switch over the past few days, I thought it might be a good idea to get us started with a couple of facts you may not know about the undisputed King of sewer pipes - Mario Mario.

1. His name is Mario Mario

That's great, it was not a mistake in the introduction. Mario’s surname has been confirmed by to also be Mario. Which of course means that Luigi's surname is Mario too - sheesh, talk about living in your older brother’s shadow.

2. He was not originally a plumber

Although Mario does seem to enjoy working with his hands, he was originally a Carpenter. When his first Mario titled game was released, the scenarios he faced had drastically changed and required him to go sewer diving instead of ladder climbing. It made sense that he opt for a career change.

3. His original name was Jumpman

Many gamers know by now that Mario was the original protagonist of Donkey Kong. However, during these older ages, he was effectively an unnamed protagonist and was affectionately known as Jumpman.



4. His iconic look is due to technical limitations

During Mario’s original development cycle, video games still had extreme limitations on character design and as such they worked with what they had and delegated him his very own mustache to hide features on his face and a large head to give as much digital-real-estate to his persona.

5. He was almost Popeye

Although it is hard to imagine a world without Mario, this was almost the case. The original intention was for the game to be developed around, the well-known character, Popeye. An agreement could not be reached between the IP owners and Nintendo, so they settled on the creation of our iconic and beloved hero, Mario.

6. Princess Peach is loaded

Perhaps Mario's intentions are not as straightforward they seem. Surely one would receive a considerable reward for saving a billionaire. That is exactly what Princess Peach is. She has been famously included on Forbes most wealthy fictional characters list and it would seem she is not strapped for cash.



7. Mario is named after a Nintendo landlord

Although this may be more speculation than fact, Nintendo have yet to confirm nor deny that Mario is named after a Nintendo landlord. If so, the verdict still awaiting judgement on if he was a kind or cruel property owner.

8. A mint copy of the 1985 Mario classic sold for $114,000

It might be a good idea to look under your mattress for an old copy of Super Mario Bros. Mint condition cartridges of Super Mario sell for astronomical amounts, with one sold as recently as 2020 for over $100,000.

9. The Warp Whistle in Super Mario 3 is from The Legend of Zelda

Many of us love crossovers and why not have one of the most iconic possible crossovers you could hope for? In Super Mario 3 you can obtain one of your very own Warp Whistles. The Warp Whistle is straight from The Legend of Zelda and even maintains the same audio tune when used.



10. Mario was the bad guy in DK2

Last but not least, Mario hasn't always been the good guy. After his presumed grueling victory over Donkey Kong, he took up the mantle as antagonist. Mario battled against Donkey Kong Junior as the youngster tried to save his... I guess good dad now?

It is pretty hard to dislike Mario. His games tend to deliver good quality experiences, and the spinoffs often offer fantastic value and make for excellent party games. It is a certainty that Mario will continue to produce legendary titles over the years to come and create many more fascinating facts along the way.

*Article by Devin Rigotti