With the video game industry being extraordinarily popular, there are countless characters that are widely known and beloved by thousands, but none are as prolific as Nintendo’s Super Mario.
Since Mario’s inception, he has captured the hearts of millions with games that are some of the most critically-acclaimed and best-selling of all time.
With such a massive number of games and massive profile in other types of entertainment, it’s only proper to catalogue his evolution through his games, and other forms of media.
Super Mario Bros [1985]
Introduced Mario, and saved the gaming industry in North America.
Super Mario Bros 3 [1990]
Debuted Mario’s modern color scheme, and introduced series staples like the Tanooki Leaf Power-Up and the seven Koopalings.
Super Mario World [1991]
Brought Mario into the 16-bit generation and introduced Yoshi into the series.
Super Mario Kart [1992]
Started off the wildly popular Mario Kart series, one of Mario’s bestselling series of games.
Super Mario 64 [1996]
Brought Mario into the 3rd dimension, and remains relevant with a passionate speed running community.
Super Mario Sunshine [2002]
Mario’s fan-favorite entry on the GameCube that innovated on his 3D control scheme from Super Mario 64.
New Super Mario Bros. [2006]
Brought Mario back to the 2nd dimension and became the best game for Nintendo’s wildly popular DS system.
Super Mario Galaxy [2007]
Mario’s planet hopping adventure that defined his modern control scheme and his modern gameplay.
Super Mario 3D World [2013]
Made the Wii U look worth buying, and gave Wii U owners a reason to like their console.
Super Mario Odyssey [2017]
Mario’s big title on the Switch that introduced worlds with full 3D exploration.
Super Mario Bros: Wonder [2023]
Brought the personality back to Mario’s 2D games, and gave Peach and Daisy more spotlight as playable characters.
Mario isn’t just a video game character anymore: he’s a cultural icon. He has gone from humble beginnings to being one of the most beloved and important characters in pop culture.
Mario has been used to sell toys, clothing, food, and even stranger things like showerheads and toothbrushes. He’s also the main feature in Super Nintendo World, a Nintendo Theme Park portion of Universal Studios.
These aren’t the only things Mario has been prominently featured in. He’s also been a part of numerous TV shows in the 1980s and 1990s, as well as two feature length films, the first of which flopped in the 1990s, while the one released in 2023 did extraordinarily well.
