Mario is the main character of theSuper Mario franchise. His history spans decades of media primarily in video games, but it also includes cartoons, books, and other promotional materials. Though Mario is usually the main protagonist in his appearances, he has also played other roles across his history with ranging significance, such as a captive that needs to be rescued (such as inMario is Missing!,Luigi's Mansion, andSuper Princess Peach) and a minor supporting character (such as in several games of theMario vs. Donkey Kong series andYoshi's New Island). He has even served the role of a villain very rarely, such as inDonkey Kong Jr.

Background[edit]

TheYoshi's Island games show Mario's and Luigi's twin births through a stork delivery, areference to European folklore.

Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island depicts Mario's beginnings by delivery of astork at nearly the same time as Luigi, suggesting a twin birth.Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island is usually considered as one of the first media chronologically in Mario's history, but a few other sources, usually older thanSuper Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island, depict different beginnings. InSuper Mario Momotarō, for instance, two elderlyHammer Brothers have found and raised Mario, who emerged out of a peach that has fallen from the sky. Mario here resembles his older self, although smaller and without a cap. The story inSuper Mario Momotarō, however, is a retelling of a popular Japanese fairy tale and may have no actual bearing on Mario's history. TheNintendo Comics System comic entitled "Family Album 'The Early Years'" is another early medium that depicts Mario's childhood. According to it, Mario has taken an early interest in plumbing, although frequently misbehaving, such as makinghis father's pipe emit bubbles instead of smoke. Mario is also adept at sports, scoring home runs in his neighborhood softball team. Mario at birth is shown to have full hair on the head and facial stubble that quickly became a mustache. The comic also depicts Luigi as several years younger than Mario, whereas he is depicted as Mario's younger twin in the video games.

The Super Mario Bros. Movie is a later portrayal of Mario's childhood fromBrooklyn. Family portraits and dialogue (such asLuigi's awkward recall of a friend from high school) indicate that they attended high school and graduated. From Mario and Luigi's room, Mario's hobbies include playing sports, playing retro video games, and collecting retro video game memorabilia. Before working as plumbers, Mario and Luigi worked in a construction company withSpike as their boss. They left their job to pursue their interests, though at an apparent cost, with Luigi claiming that they spent their life savings on their commercial and their father's criticizing their risky choices.

Donkey Kong franchise[edit]

Donkey Kong series[edit]

Donkey Kong[edit]

Mario in the first level of the arcade version ofDonkey Kong,25m

InDonkey Kong, Mario is a carpenter who needs to rescue his girlfriend,Lady (renamed Pauline in later games), fromDonkey Kong at aconstruction site. Mario canjump over obstacles such as thebarrels Donkey Kong throws, or Mario can usehammers to destroy the barrels and defeat other enemies. After defeating Donkey Kong in thefinal level, Mario is reunited with Lady.

In theGame & Watch version ofDonkey Kong, the objective is the same as in the arcade version, but Mario must trigger a lever, causing a hook to appear. If Mario grabs the hook, a girder wire is removed and he is transported to the starting point. If Mario misses, he falls and loses a life. If Mario removes all the wires, he defeats Donkey Kong.

Donkey Kong Jr.[edit]

“Saveyour papa, huh? Saveyourself first!”

—Mario,Donkey Kong Jr. commercial^[1]

InDonkey Kong Jr., Mario, an antagonist, holds Donkey Kong hostage in a cage, while Donkey Kong's son,Donkey Kong Jr., must rescue him. As Donkey Kong Jr. moves through the levels, Mario releases enemies such asSnapjaws andNitpickers to stop him. After Donkey Kong Jr. rescues Donkey Kong in the final level, Mario falls and is defeated. In the arcade version, Mario regains consciousness and attempts to pursue the pair, only to be sent running away by a kick by the elder Donkey Kong.

During the intro to the arcade version of the game, there are two Marios that are seen carrying Donkey Kong away.

Donkey Kong II[edit]

SinceDonkey Kong II serves as a semi-sequel to the Game & WatchDonkey Kong Jr., Mario reprises his role as the antagonist.

Donkey Kong Circus[edit]

Mario appears as a spectator inDonkey Kong Circus. He laughs at Donkey Kong whenever he drops apineapple or grabs afireball by mistake. The circus seems to be at the construction site where the first game begins, based on the girder-like platform Mario stands on.

Donkey Kong Hockey[edit]

Mario appears as the protagonist inDonkey Kong Hockey. His hockey shot is less powerful than Donkey Kong's, but it has more range.^{[citation needed]}

Donkey Kong (Game Boy)[edit]

Mario makes a later appearance in theDonkey Kong series with a new appearance inDonkey Kong for theGame Boy. Along with the original fourDonkey Kong levels, Mario has to travel through an additional nine worlds to rescue Pauline. Mario can also perform additional acrobatic maneuvers that can assist him in navigating through levels.

Mario can perform ahandstand move, which protects him from any objects falling on him from above. From the handstand position, Mario can also perform the Handstand Jump. The game also features theBackflip as well aswires on which Mario canwire-spin and jump to catapult himself high in the air. Another essential part of Mario's moveset, taken fromSuper Mario Bros. 2, is his ability to pick up enemies and objects and lift them over his head to throw them. This is also one of the fewSuper Mario games in which Mario takes damage and can lose a life from a high fall.

In most stages, Mario has to find thekey and take it to the locked door in order to proceed to the next level. As long as Mario holds the key, he has an additional hit point, although he loses the key when he takes damage. He useshammers as seen in the originalDonkey Kong and constructs temporaryladders androads in order to pass through the levels. Other levels are boss fights against Donkey Kong Jr. and Donkey Kong. In the final level, Mario must navigate through the level while chasing Donkey Kong and Donkey Kong Jr. to the top of the tower, where he eventually traps Donkey Kong Jr. in a cage, defeats a giant Donkey Kong, and rescues Pauline. In the game's credits, however, Mario seems to have reconciled with Donkey Kong since they are shown together with Donkey Kong Jr. and Pauline in a photo inRocky-Valley.

The ending to the game shows Mario holding Donkey Kong above his head (with Donkey Kong yelling, "HELP!") as Donkey Kong Jr. is standing to the left of him. To the right is what appears to be the start ofWorld 1-1 fromSuper Mario Bros. This foreshadows the events of bothDonkey Kong Jr. andSuper Mario Bros.

Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest[edit]

Mario's cameo inDonkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest

Mario makes a cameo appearance inDonkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest. He appears at the end of the game as one ofCranky's Video Game Heroes, along withDiddy Kong,Link, and Yoshi. With 39DK Coins in the original and 67 in theGame Boy Advance version, Mario is the top video game hero.

Donkey Kong 64[edit]

InDonkey Kong 64, specifically in a port of the originalDonkey Kong game, playable via an arcade set up inFrantic Factory, Mario re-enacts his initial role. Mario has to go through the same construction site as in the original game, while the oldDonkey Kong creates mischief down Mario's path. However, a slight modification has been brought to this port, which is related to the game's objective. In the first run, Mario has to rescuePauline from Donkey Kong; however, after she is rescued and the player restarts, Mario can instead collect a specialNintendo Coin at the end.

Mario vs. Donkey Kong series[edit]

TheMario vs. Donkey Kong series revisits the oldDonkey Kong series, pitting Mario against a misbehavingDonkey Kong. The originalMario vs. Donkey Kong game, released in 2004, introduced the windup toys known asMini-Marios. The Mini-Marios replaced Mario as the playable character inMario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis,Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Minis March Again!,Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Mini-Land Mayhem!, andMario and Donkey Kong: Minis on the Move, although Mario is still present in the storylines, as isPauline.

Mario vs. Donkey Kong[edit]

“Mario vs. Donkey Kong!”

—Mario,Mario vs. Donkey Kong

InMario vs. Donkey Kong andits remake, Mario's objective is to recover the stolen Mini-Marios from Donkey Kong. Mario has access to his moveset fromDonkey Kong on theGame Boy, being able to performhandstands andWire Spins. This is one of the few games where Mario speaks in full sentences.

In the first area of the main levels, as well as in the Expert Levels, Mario needs to carry akey to a locked door in order to progress, solving puzzles along the way. In the second area of the main levels, Mario needs to rescue a captured Mini-Mario while dodging enemies and obstacles. Once Mario completes six levels in a world, he has to lead the six Mini-Marios into atoy box and then fight Donkey Kong. In the Plus Levels, Mario has to lead a single Mini-Mario with a key attached to it to the locked door.

Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis[edit]

Mario and his Mini Mario team pursue Donkey Kong to rescue Pauline.

Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis starts with Mario and Pauline cutting the premier ribbon of the theme park calledSuper Mini Mario World. After Pauline takes a Mini Mario toy from Mario, Donkey Kong kidnaps her. Mario chases after Donkey Kong to rescue Pauline, but his path is blocked. Instead of Mario, the playable characters in this game and all following installments of theMario vs. Donkey Kong series are the Mini Marios. They clear the way for Mario to get to Pauline. Mario and Pauline feel sorry for Donkey Kong, and the three celebrate the opening of the theme park.

Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Minis March Again![edit]

Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Minis March Again! begins once again with Mario and Pauline opening an expansion to Super Mini Mario World, with numerousToads and Donkey Kong waiting to get in. However, as Donkey Kong reaches the ticket counter, he sees that tickets are sold out and, out of rage, kidnaps Pauline. Mario tries to save her, only to end up ripping off part of her dress, allowing Donkey Kong to escape. Two Mini Marios then approach him, and Mario decides to use them to help save Pauline.

Eventually, Mario reaches the top of the building, where he finds Pauline in a room with one window. As they are about to hug, Donkey Kong flips the light switch off, grabs Pauline, and leaps out the window, with Mario and the minis following him.

After much more toil, Mario once again enters the room, where he finds Donkey Kong, Pauline, two Toads (one blue and one green), and two Mini Marios. As Mario is confused, Pauline reveals that the entire adventure was to test the Mini Mario product, and the group decides to celebrate.

Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Mini-Land Mayhem![edit]

InMario vs. Donkey Kong: Mini-Land Mayhem!, Mario and Pauline are once again opening a theme park, but this time, he is giving awayMini Pauline toys to the first 100 guests. Donkey Kong, wanting a Mini Pauline, charges through the line to get to the front but finds out that he is visitor 101. When he learns from Mario that the toys are out of stock, he goes into yet another fit of rage, capturing Pauline. Mario once again must rely on his minis to help get her back.

After much journeying, Mario defeats Donkey Kong and tries to hug Pauline, but Donkey Kong captures her again, leaving Mario to chase after him again.

Mario once again defeats Donkey Kong after many more challenges. As Donkey Kong is about to capture Pauline again, Mario offers him a Mini Pauline. Donkey Kong accepts this gift, and, happy again, the entire group decides to ride the Ferris wheel.

Mario and Donkey Kong: Minis on the Move[edit]

The Mini-Marios again play a major role inMario and Donkey Kong: Minis on the Move. Unlike the otherMario vs. Donkey Kong games, this game has little story and Mario makes only a minor appearance.

Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Tipping Stars[edit]

Mario appears once again inMario vs. Donkey Kong: Tipping Stars. Pauline is once again kidnapped by Donkey Kong, and Mario chases them down with his Mini Mario toys. Mario has to freeCursed Mini Marios along the way. When Mario catches up to Donkey Kong and Pauline, he finds out they and two Toads have thrown him a surprise party. Mario continues on to the bonus worlds afterwards.

Super Mario franchise[edit]

Game & Watch series[edit]

Mario and otherSuper Mario characters fromGame & Watch Gallery 2

Mario has appeared in severalGame & Watch games, includingMario Bros.,Mario's Cement Factory,Mario's Bombs Away,Super Mario Bros., andMario the Juggler. He also appeared in four installments of remakes marketed as theGame & Watch Gallery series, and he later appeared inGame & Watch Collection.

InMario Bros. (which is unrelated to thearcade game of the same name), Mario and the newly introducedLuigi must cooperate and put pallets of bottles on a delivery truck. They have to use conveyor belts to send the package to each other. If they drop a pallet, their foreman yells at them. If they drop three pallets, the game is over. InGame & Watch Gallery 3 andGame & Watch Gallery 4,Wario drives the delivery truck andBowser periodically reverses the conveyor belt directions.Cakes replace pallets in the game.

InMario's Cement Factory, Mario must move cement from conveyor belts into cement trucks by emptying hoppers. The hoppers can hold only three loads of cement. If a hopper overflows, some cement can land on adriver, making Mario lose a life. Mario can move by using an elevator, but if he moves when the elevator is not there, he falls and loses a life. If Mario stays in the elevator for too long, he can be crushed or can touch the very bottom, losing a life either way; there are safe zones to circumvent this. In the remake inGame & Watch Gallery 4,Yoshi andToad appear as background characters. ABoo can appear and interfere with the work. Mario can fall from the elevator, but when he touches the bottom ground, he gets a miss.

Mario must safely deliverbombs inMario's Bombs Away, avoiding oil spills and torches.

Super Mario Bros. for the Game & Watch plays similarly to the original game for the NES. This version, however, is simpler and shorter.

Mario is featured inMario the Juggler, a Game & Watch game based on the very first one,Ball.

In the Modern games ofGame & Watch Gallery remakes, Mario also takes some roles previously taken by other characters. Other times, he is a non-playable character. InFire, for instance, he and Luigi rescue Toads, Yoshis, andDonkey Kong Jrs. from a fire. In another example,Chef,Princess Peach must cooperate with Mario and Luigi to feed Yoshi. Mario and Luigi throw the food, and Peach can catch it inher pan.

Mario Bros. series[edit]

Mario with his brother, Luigi, inMario Bros.

AfterDonkey Kong Jr., Mario's next arcade appearance isMario Bros. in 1983. Only Mario's physical appearance is taken from earlier titles; Mario is now a plumber in the sewers ofNew York^[2][3] (his house, according to Atari)^[4] and fights an endless number of creatures, such asShellcreepers andSidesteppers. Unlike in later games, Mario cannotjump on enemies. Instead, he must jump against the ceiling of afloor from below to stun all enemies walking on top of it. When Mario approaches the stunned enemies, he kicks them out of the screen, rendering them defeated. In the two-player mode, the second player plays as Luigi, here portrayed as a green palette swap of Mario.

The brothers reprise their role in two Japan-only sequels for home computers,Mario Bros. Special andPunch Ball Mario Bros. InMario Bros. Special, Mario has to stun enemies by jumping on shared trampolines before dispatching them. InPunch Ball Mario Bros., he needs to hit them with aPunch Ball first.

Mario shoots at Koopas and various other enemies inMario Clash, a game for theVirtual Boy. Mario has to knock enemies away withKoopa Shells at the side. The game's gameplay is similar to the style ofMario Bros., but Luigi is absent.

Pinball /VS. Pinball[edit]

Mario's appearance in the Pinball Bonus Stage

In thebonus stage ofPinball andVS. Pinball, Mario returns, trying to rescue Lady by holding a platform and having a ball bounce off it to pass throughbingo lamps so the size of the floor Lady is on decreases. Once the floor is small enough, Lady falls through, and Mario can catch her and bring her to an exit. If not, Lady will fall to the floor, and the player will be sent back toScene A.

Golf[edit]

The first time Mario starred in any sports game was inGolf, where his proportions are more realistic.Captain Rainbow would later identify this character asOssan rather than Mario (although this was one of Mario's initial names during development ofDonkey Kong).

Family BASIC[edit]

Family BASIC is an accessory to theFamily Computer that lets users program their own games. Mario is one of the available sprites. InFamily BASIC V3, he appears in two minigames, one in which he is a controllable character.

Wrecking Crew series[edit]

VS. Wrecking Crew /Wrecking Crew[edit]

InVS. Wrecking Crew, an arcade game for theVS. System, Mario and Luigi are workers on a demolition site. Mario must break all thewalls before enemies can stop him. In this game, Mario wears a helmet, shoes, and dark-red overalls. Unlike the NES version, this game has a simultaneous two-player mode, where Mario and Luigi can compete or cooperate. In single-player mode, Luigi is an opponent that attacks Mario, but Mario can hit him with his hammer and cause him to fall. They use hammers similar to those previously seen inDonkey Kong againstGotchawrenches or each other. If Mario stays too long, afireball appears to hinder his progress.

In the NES gameWrecking Crew, Mario faces off againstForeman Spike instead of Luigi. Mario can now defeat enemies by trapping them indrums. Mario can also wield theGolden Hammer, which can smash any wall with a single swing.

Unlike their sequel,Wrecking Crew '98, these games have no specific plot.

Wrecking Crew '98[edit]

InWrecking Crew '98, Mario finds theMushroom Kingdom covered withBowser's new high-rises. Foreman Spike also makes a reappearance, along with several other enemies fromWrecking Crew, this time helping Bowser. These buildings negatively impact the Mushroom Kingdom's environment, so Mario must demolish these structures.

Unlike in the earlier games, Mario can hinder his opponent's progress by raining panels on them. To clear the stage, Mario must demolish blocks or arrange three consecutive panels vertically or horizontally. If four or more panels are aligned, Mario can rain panels down onto his opponent. If he clears the field, he receives a Mushroom, boosting his offensive combos toward his enemy.

Super Mario series[edit]

Super Mario Bros.[edit]

Super Mario Bros. is the first game to standardize Mario's general appearance, such as the look of his hair, his eyes, and his hat.

InSuper Mario Bros., Mario arrives in the Mushroom Kingdom, where his objective is to rescuePrincess Toadstool (renamed Princess Peach in later games) from Bowser. Mario can gain power-ups andcoins from jumping against? Blocks andBricks. Mario begins the game asSmall Mario, who loses a life from any enemy attack. By usingSuper Mushrooms, Mario grows intoSuper Mario, who has an additional hit point (reverting to Small Mario after being hit). Super Mario has access to theFire Flower, which lets him throwfireballs that can knock out enemies. Mario can also become invincible for a short amount of time with theStarman.

Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels[edit]

Mario appears inSuper Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels, the sequel toSuper Mario Bros., with the same role as in the original game. Mario's traction and jumping height remain the same, while those ofLuigi are changed to differentiate him more from Mario. Luigi jumps higher than Mario but has less traction. This would be a distinguishing feature used in future games.

Super Mario Bros. 2 / Super Mario Advance[edit]

Mario in World 1 of Subcon

InSuper Mario Bros. 2 and itsreissue,Super Mario Advance, Mario, along with Luigi, Princess Toadstool, andToad, rescuesSubcon fromWart. The ending of the game, however, reveals the events to take place in Mario's dream. Mario is a well-balanced character with no special abilities. The gameplay of the two games is different from that of otherSuper Mario titles: Enemies can no longer be defeated bystomping them, and Mario gains the power to pick up enemies, lift them over his head, and throw them.

In the story, based on the Japanese gameYume Kōjō: Doki Doki Panic, Mario has experienced a dream one night. Thefairylike beings from the land of Subcon inform him that Wart has taken over the land of Subcon and that they need Mario's help to defeat Wart. After awakening from his dream, however, Mario dismisses the dream and returns to sleep. The next day, Mario, along with Luigi, Princess Toadstool, and Toad, decides to go on a picnic. While searching for a proper place, they notice a cave and decide to explore within it. After entering the cave, the four of them are transported to Subcon. Mario remembers his dream, and they decide to save Subcon from Wart and the8 bits.

BS Super Mario USA[edit]

“BS Super Mario USA! Power Challenge!”

—Mario,BS Super Mario USA

Mario reappears in the spiritual sequel toSuper Mario Bros. 2,BS Super Mario USA, retaining his characteristics of being well balanced. While the four heroes celebrate their victory after the events ofSuper Mario Bros. 2, Mario is seen to be awakening during the end of the game, implying the message that the whole adventure is simply a part of Mario's dream.BS Super Mario USA explains that Subcon is a dream world, and, while Mario and the others initially thought it is all a dream, they learn the truth about the realm when they are called back into the world to save it from Wart again. They must collectgolden Mario statues in each level, defeat the boss, and find Wart.

Super Mario Bros. 3 /Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3[edit]

InSuper Mario Bros. 3 and itsGame Boy Advance reissue,Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3, after Bowser has invaded again, Mario and Luigi travel through eight kingdoms, in which thekings have been transformed into different creatures by the sevenKoopalings. During Mario's quest, he is repeatedly sentletters by Princess Toadstool, who encloses power-ups for him. Eventually, Toadstool is kidnapped, but the Mario Bros. save her from Bowser inDark Land.Super Mario Bros. 3 introduces several new power-ups that Mario can now use in addition to the Fire Flower, including theSuper Leaf,Tanooki Suit,Frog Suit,Hammer Suit, andGoomba's Shoe.

Super Mario Land[edit]

InSuper Mario Land, Mario travels toSarasaland to rescue the land's princess,Daisy, from the alienTatanga. Mario's powers in the game are limited toSuperball Mario, in which he can shoot balls that ricochet off walls, as well as theMarine Pop (a submarine) and theSky Pop (an airplane), each in a special auto-scrolling stage. When he rescues Daisy, the two fly off in a spaceship.

Super Mario World /Super Mario World: Super Mario Advance 2[edit]

Caped Mario andYoshi

Super Mario World and its reissue,Super Mario World: Super Mario Advance 2, introduceYoshi as a sidekick character to Mario. Mario can rideYoshis and so gain varying new powers. Mario meets Yoshi on a holiday inDinosaur Land, whereBowser kidnaps Toadstool again, forcing Mario and Luigi to rescue her once again.Super Mario World is the firstSuper Mario game to have a second jump button for a different jump—theSpin Jump—with which Super Mario can destroyRotating Blocks from above or jump off Yoshi's back; he can also use it to avoid certain obstacles or defeat foes. Mario can useCape Feathers to turn intoCaped Mario, allowing him to take off from the ground and stay in the air for quite a while. Mario can also useGrab Blocks and throw them at enemies or obstacles.

Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins[edit]

Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins introduces a new antagonist to Mario namedWario. Wario usurpsMario's castle while Mario rescues Princess Daisy in Sarasaland (the events ofSuper Mario Land). The player's objective here is to regain control of Mario's castle. Mario gains more power-ups this time, including theFire Flower and theCarrot. TheFire form has a slightly different appearance: Mario wears a small feather on his cap. The Carrot transforms Mario intoBunny Mario, allowing him to slow his descent or hover. Mario encounters several enemies and bosses by traveling through zones rather than worlds. When he finally reaches Wario, Wario attempts to use power-ups transforming him into Bunny Wario^[5] and Fiery Wario,^[5] but Mario eventually prevails and takes his castle back.

Super Mario 64 /Super Mario 64 DS[edit]

Artwork of Mario forSuper Mario 64 (left) and his updated appearance inSuper Mario 64 DS (right)

“It's-a me, Mario!”

—Mario,Super Mario 64

InSuper Mario 64, Mario is invited to have acake withPrincess Peach at theMushroom Castle, but he finds the castle taken over and Peach kidnapped by Bowser. In order to save Peach, Mario has to collect the castle'sPower Stars to advance and defeat Bowser. Mario utilizes a larger variety of jumps and maneuvers, such as theBackward Somersault, theSide Somersault, and theWall Kick, and while he can stomp enemies, he can also attack them bypunching andkicking.

In the game's remake,Super Mario 64 DS, Mario is an unlockable character. He is invited to the Mushroom Castle for cake, along withLuigi and Wario. However, some time after they enter, Bowser overtakes the castle. The three are thrown behind locked doors, with Mario being sealed away byGoomboss, who keeps thekey to his door. Yoshi can unlock Mario's door once he defeats Goomboss. Mario is required to rescue Luigi. The player also needs Mario to complete the game, as he is the only character that Bowser allows to enter thefinal level to rescue Peach. Mario has good stats, with decent power andswimming, the best speed, and, by extension, the best jump height and distance (excluding Luigi's Backward Somersault). His special ability is the balloon-floating power gained by thePower Flower. Mario can also use the feather, the remake equivalent of theWing Cap, which gives him more special abilities than the other characters. Mario is also the only character that can wall-kick. Other characters can transform into Mario, gaining his appearance but not his voice, by putting onMario's cap. Mario can transform into Luigi and Wario this way but not into Yoshi.

Later inSuper Mario 64 DS, Mario can catchvarious pink rabbits to unlock sideminigames. Mario is featured in the following minigames:

• Wanted! —Mario's face, along with the faces of the playable cast, either needs to be found or is part of the many other faces blocking the face that needs to be found.
• Boom Box — Mario's head reacts to the player's choices in the minigame.
• Tox Box Shuffle — Mario's head reacts as it does in Boom Box.
• Mix-a-Mug — Mario is one of the matchable faces among Wario, Luigi, Peach, and Yoshi.
• Mario's Slides — Mario (represented by his face) needs to be guided down the slides toward a Star and away fromPiranha Plants.
• Bounce and Pounce — On every level, three Marios are falling and need to stomp onFly Guys. The player can tap on a Mario to have him move a certain direction. If a Mario falls, a life is lost and the Mario respawns.
• Trampoline Time — This is like Bounce and Pounce. Various Marios cross a gap and need to be supported by trampolines.
• Bounce and Trounce — This is similar to Bounce and Pounce. The minigame is more focused on earning a high score than clearing levels.
• Connect the Characters — This is similar to Mario's Slides, but the player needs to guide the correct head to the correct body of the dolls. The minigame begins with Mario and Yoshi dolls.
• Trampoline Terror — This is similar to Trampoline Time. Instead of guiding Marios across gaps, the player helps the Marios earnpoints by flying through rainbow rings. One Mario is present in the minigame; as the player scores more points, more Marios appear, for a total of five Marios.
• Pair-a-Gone — Mario is on one of the several cards to match.
• Picture Poker — Mario is on one of the several cards. Mario, when matched, is ranked second-best, after the Star.
• Mushroom Roulette — Mario is in two of the slots.
• Mario Slot — The minigame references sprite work and key art forSuper Mario Bros.
• Pair-a-Gone and On — This is similar to Pair-a-Gone but endless.
• Memory Master — Mario is one of the matchable cards.
• Super Mario Slot — This is similar to Mario Slot.

Super Mario 64 - "It's-a me, Mario!"

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Super Mario Sunshine[edit]

Mario with FLUDD on his back

“Super Mario Sunshine! Wahoo!”

—Mario,Super Mario Sunshine

InSuper Mario Sunshine, Mario, Princess Peach, andToadsworth arrive atIsle Delfino, where Mario is framed for polluting the island and disrupting the sunlight and is sentenced to clean it and collectShine Sprites. Mario meets a new machine calledFLUDD and discovers thatShadow Mario, using a stolenMagic Paintbrush, is behind the pollution. Shadow Mario attempts a few times to kidnap Peach, and Mario later discovers that he isBowser Jr. in disguise, who accuses Mario of stealing his mom, Peach. Mario does eventually meet and fight Bowser and Bowser Jr. inCorona Mountain to rescue Peach and restore Isle Delfino to normal.

With FLUDD, Mario can spraywater at enemies and cleargoop; the Expansion Nozzles for FLUDD can make Mario hover in the air for a short while, make him run at a turbo speed, or rocket him high in the air, although Mario can hold only one Expansion Nozzle at a time. Water for FLUDD can be refilled at any body of water in the game or withWater Bottles. Mario can also ride Yoshis. In the secret levels of the game, Shadow Mario takes FLUDD away from Mario, leaving him with only his basic jumping abilities and theGround Pound to beat the stages. When Mario loses his cap inSuper Mario Sunshine, he takes damage from the sun.

New Super Mario Bros.[edit]

“That's-a so nice!”

—Mario,New Super Mario Bros.

New Super Mario Bros. depicts Mario in a similar plotline and game design toSuper Mario Bros., having to save Princess Peach from Bowser Jr. and eventually fighting Bowser. Throughout the game, Mario has the option to travel through eight worlds or bypass a few. Mario first faces Bowser at the first of the eightcastles, where Mario presses a switch, causing Bowser to fall into the lava. However, Bowser survives as a skeletal version of himself, known asDry Bowser. Mario later fights and defeats Dry Bowser in the eighth castle. Mario fights Bowser and Bowser Jr. during the final fight after Bowser Jr. resurrects Bowser. The traditionalSuper Mushroom and Fire Flower return, but power-ups also include further size-changing effects induced by theMega Mushroom and theMini Mushroom. The Mega Mushroom lets Mario grow to a giant size, allowing him to crush all enemies and obstacles such aspipes, while the Mini Mushroom has Mario shrink to a tiny size, giving him access tosmall pipes.

Mario can face against Luigi in the two-player side mode Mario vs. Luigi, collecting a set number of stars before Luigi does.

Mario is also in the minigame side mode, which first appeared inSuper Mario 64 DS. Mario is also in the following minigames exclusive toNew Super Mario Bros.:

• Vs. Mario's Slides — This is a two-player rendition of Mario's Slides fromSuper Mario 64 DS.
• Jumping Brothers — This is similar to Bounce and Trounce fromSuper Mario 64 DS, but Mario and Luigi compete with each other for points.
• Jumping Sudden Death — This is similar to Jumping Brothers, except Mario and Luigi avoid spikes. Instead of points, they have three lives and lose one if one lands on a spike.
• Vs. Trampoline Time — This is a two-player rendition of Trampoline Time fromSuper Mario 64 DS. Players send a Mario back and forth between their screens until one misses; if a player misses three times, they lose.
• Vs. Pair-a-Gone — This is a two-player rendition of Pair-a-Gone fromSuper Mario 64 DS.

Super Mario Galaxy[edit]

“Super Mario Galaxy!”

—Mario,Super Mario Galaxy

In the beginning ofSuper Mario Galaxy and itsNintendo Switchport, Mario attends theStar Festival to receive a gift from Princess Peach. Bowser, however, disrupts the event, captures Peach, and summonsKamek to blast away Mario. After being found byBaby Luma (Peach's intended gift) andRosalina in theGateway Galaxy, Mario assists Rosalina in powering herCosmic Observatory so he can reach Bowser, who is disrupting othergalaxies. Most of the jumping mechanics present inSuper Mario 64 return, such as thelong jump and the backward somersault. New powers include theStar Spin and theStar Pointer, which can be controlled independently from Mario. The Star Pointer can shoot enemies or grabStar Bits without controlling Mario. Additionally, Mario can get assistance by another player in Co-Star Mode, who can help gather Star Bits, shoot Star Bits, stun enemies, and assist in his jumping. Finally, Mario can find new sets of temporary power-ups that aid him in completing levels, providing him with new abilities, including but not limited to theBee Mushroom, theBoo Mushroom, theIce Flower, and theSpring Mushroom.

New Super Mario Bros. Wii[edit]

“New Super Mario Bros. Wii-hee!”

—Mario,New Super Mario Bros. Wii

Mario's role and basic abilities inNew Super Mario Bros. Wii remain the same as inits predecessor, although there are a few added power-ups, such as thePropeller Mushroom and thePenguin Suit. The story, while still basic, is slightly different—in the cutscene at the beginning of the game, Mario, Luigi, and manyToads, includingBlue Toad andYellow Toad, are celebrating Princess Peach's birthday when a cake suddenly walks into the castle. When Peach moves closer to the cake, Bowser Jr. and theKoopalings jump out of the cake and throw it onto her. Mario, Luigi, and the Toads then give chase, and Mario once again fights his way through eight worlds in his attempt to rescue Peach. After Mario rescues her, she tells him about secretWorld 9, extending his adventure.

Super Mario Galaxy 2[edit]

“Super Mario...Galaxy! Woo-hoo!”

—Mario,Super Mario Galaxy 2

Super Mario Galaxy 2 and itsNintendo Switchport follow a more simplistic form of the original game's story.Bowser disrupts the Star Festival and kidnaps Peach so she can bake a cake for him. As in the first game, Mario discovers Baby Luma. While pursuing Bowser, Mario enlistsLubba's help and pilotsStarship Mario. Aside from additional power-ups and the addition ofYoshi, the gameplay is also identical to that of the firstSuper Mario Galaxy game.

Super Mario 3D Land[edit]

“Super Mario 3D Land.”

—Mario,Nintendo 3DS Home Menu icon

InSuper Mario 3D Land, Bowser kidnapsPrincess Peach while she checks the damage to aTail Tree. Mario and the Toads then follow to try to rescue her. During the adventure, Mario battles several enemies old and new, includingBoom Boom andPom Pom. While running through the worlds, Mario receives letters from Peach to learn about her situation. Mario's adventure is a throwback to the classic 2DSuper Mario adventures, relying on power-ups and his jumping to successfully clear levels, but merged with the 3D gameplay of later games as a new feature. He uses several classic power-ups, notably theTanooki Suit fromSuper Mario Bros. 3. Unlike in older games, however, his default form is hisSuper form; whenever he loses a life, he restarts in this form rather than hisSmall form. His new abilities includerolling, which can break blocks if he is in Super form. He also has a few of his jumps from the 3D games, including the Long Jump, the Crouch Jump (which works like theBackward Somersault), and theSide Somersault.

New Super Mario Bros. 2[edit]

Raccoon Mario makes a prominent reappearance sinceSuper Mario Bros. 3 inNew Super Mario Bros. 2;it was planned to be inSuper Mario 3D Land.

“New Super Mario Bros....2!”

—Mario,New Super Mario Bros. 2

InNew Super Mario Bros. 2, Mario needs to rescue Princess Peach from Bowser again after the Koopalings kidnap her. During Mario's adventure, he and his brother collect many coins.Gold Mario (as well as theGold Flower) is introduced as Mario's newest form. In this form, he can throw fireballs that transform blocks into coins for him to collect. This game is also the introduction ofWhite Raccoon Mario, a form obtainable fromInvincibility Leaves received fromAssist Blocks. The form gives Mario the power of invincibility and all of the abilities of Raccoon Mario.

There is another mode in the game,Coin Rush, in which Mario must collect as many coins as possible in three random courses within the time limit and without being defeated once. There are+ Clocks scattered throughout the courses, while Mario also gets more time by hittingCheckpoint Flags. Reaching the top of the flagpole doubles Mario's coin count, and defeating enemies as Gold Mario or after aGold Ring is triggered awards additional coins.

New Super Mario Bros. U /New Super Luigi U /New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe[edit]

“Oh, yeah! Mario time!”

—Mario,New Super Mario Bros. U

InNew Super Mario Bros. U, Mario must again save theMushroom Kingdom from Bowser andhis minions as he travels with his alliesLuigi, Blue Toad, Yellow Toad, and his new allies,Miis. This game introducesSuper Acorns, which give Mario a new form,Flying Squirrel Mario, when he collects them. In this form, Mario can glide and cling to walls. The upgradedP-Acorn allows him tofly indefinitely. His old power-ups, including but not limited to theSuper Mushroom,Fire Flower, andIce Flower, return. The Penguin Suit and Propeller Suit fromNew Super Mario Bros. Wii also return, but they are found only in certainToad Houses and in Challenge Mode.

In this game, Mario discoversBaby Yoshis that aid him on his adventure by providing light, emitting bubbles, or floating. During his adventure, he encounters new enemies, including but not limited toWaddlewings,Nabbit, andGoombrats. To save Princess Peach, Mario must travel to a Koopaling'sairship and defeat that Koopaling to proceed. When Mario finally arrives atPeach's Castle, it is conquered, and he must enter the modified castle to defeat Bowser and rescue Peach.

In the downloadable contentNew Super Luigi U, due to Luigi replacing Mario as the main protagonist, Mario himself does not appear, marking his only absence in the entireSuper Mario series. His absence from the game is referenced in three instances: In the opening sequence,his cap appears on the table; at the beginning of theFrosted Glacier levelBroozers and Barrels, a snowman with Mario's face and a cap with hisM on it can be seen; and an object known as theLuigi Block has Mario'semblem on it (despite being named after Luigi).

Mario reappears as a playable character inNew Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe and remains a non-playable character inNew Super Luigi U. When aSuper Guide Block appears inNew Super Luigi U, however, a computer-controlled Mario now appears to complete a level for the player.

Super Mario 3D World /Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury[edit]

“Super Mario...3D World!! Meow!”

—Mario,Super Mario 3D World

Mario returns inSuper Mario 3D World and itsNintendo Switch port,Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury, alongside Luigi, Princess Peach, andToad, as an all-round character, in a similar way toSuper Mario Bros. 2, lacking the special abilities and trade-offs of the other three characters. After Bowser has kidnapped theSprixie Princesses, Peach falls into thepipe that leads to theSprixie Kingdom, and Mario, Toad, and Luigi follow. There, they cooperate on their adventure to reach Bowser. During the adventure, Mario encounters new items, most notably theSuper Bell, which transforms him intoCat Mario. He also encounters new enemies, such asCat Goombas, and old enemies, includingChargin' Chucks.Boom Boom andPom Pom also reappear to hinder Mario's progress, while new bosses, such asHisstocrat, are additional impediments.

In the game's port's standalone storyBowser's Fury, Mario is the only character fromSuper Mario 3D World to be playable. He teams up withBowser Jr. to collectCat Shines and defeat a corrupted Bowser and restore him back to normal, which they do by collecting more Cat Shines that awaken a new power-up called theGiga Bell, one of the enhanced versions of the Super Bell that transforms Mario intoGiga Cat Mario, allowing him to grow to an enormous size to battleFury Bowser. If Mario collects all 100 Cat Shines, his Cat form changes to match his Giga Cat form, Bowser Jr. and hisJunior Clown Car become Cat variants of themselves, and Fury Bowser's spikes and hair change from orange to white, although all of these changes are simply aesthetic.

Super Mario Maker /Super Mario Maker for Nintendo 3DS[edit]

Builder Mario demonstratesSuper Mario Maker'soption of attaching wings to objects, one being a? Block.

“Hey! Let's get making!”

—Mario,Super Mario Maker

Mario appears as the sole playable character in theWii U level-creation gameSuper Mario Maker. However, Mario can make use ofMystery Mushrooms to take on the appearances of a variety of other characters (including characters not from theSuper Mario franchise). Also, a number of unlockable Mystery Mushroomcostumes alter Mario's sprite to a different iteration of himself, listed below. In theNintendo 3DS version of the game, Mario cannot do this due to the removal of the Mystery Mushroom.

• Mario (Super Mario Bros.): A recolor of Mario's originalSuper Mario Bros. sprite that uses his modern colors.
• Silver Mario (Super Mario Maker): A silver palette swap of Mario's modernizedSuper Mario Bros. sprite.
• Gold Mario (Super Mario Maker): A golden palette swap of Mario's modernizedSuper Mario Bros. sprite.
• Builder Mario (Super Mario Maker): An 8-bit rendition of the attire Mario wears on the box art and promotional art.
• Dr. Mario (Dr. Mario): Mario's modernizedSuper Mario Bros. sprite modified to look like Dr. Mario.
• Kart Mario (Super Mario Kart): Mario's originalSuper Mario Bros. sprite, modified to match his current colors, driving aStandard Kart fromMario Kart 8.
• SUPER MARIO KUN (Coro Coro Comic): Mario's design from theSuper Mario-kun manga, originally exclusive to Japan.
• Cat Mario (Super Mario 3D World): An 8-bit rendition of Cat Mario based on Mario'sSuper Mario Bros. sprite.
• Frog Mario (Super Mario Bros. 3): Frog Mario's sprite fromSuper Mario Bros. 3.
• Mario Trio (Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam): Mario,Luigi, andPaper Mario are shown as one sprite.
• GLA (Mercedes-Benz/Mario Kart 8): Mario drives a GLA SUV.
• Statue Mario (Super Mario Bros. 3): Statue Mario's sprite fromSuper Mario Bros. 3.

Mario is also given two new forms. The first one isWeird Mario, which is a taller and skinnier version of him and has access to thescuttle, and in addition to being a placeable form, it will also "answer"Warp Doors if they are tapped five times. The other isBig Mario, which comes in two different versions: one with Mario's original colors and another with his modern colors. The form causes several enemies and items to gain traits of Mario (specificallyhis cap and his moustache).

Super Mario Run[edit]

Mario reappears inSuper Mario Run as a playable character along with Luigi,Princess Peach, Toad,Toadette, Yoshi, four other coloredYoshis, andPrincess Daisy. Mario is the only playable character at the start of the game, but the others are unlocked as the player progresses through the game. Along with Luigi, Mario has a Small form, allowing him to be hit twice before being defeated. However, both of the Mario Bros. start courses in Small form, unlike the other characters. The version 3.0.4 update changed this, with all other characters gaining Small forms but still starting as tall characters. While most modes allow players to use any character, the Remix 10 mode has the player almost exclusively use Mario. Only the fifth course in a run has the player use another character, which is selected at random. Additionally, Mario is the only character that can be used in the tutorialHow to Play.

Mario goes to the Mushroom Kingdom following Peach's invitation. However, Bowser taunts him, beats him to the Mushroom Kingdom, and captures Peach. Mario is not especially prominent in the story past these cutscenes and the tutorial that comes between them, especially as the player character can be freely swapped.

A number ofbuildings and decorations are themed after Mario, including a topiary, an 8-bit trim based on his sprite fromSuper Mario Bros., a statue, an 8-bit statue with a voxel version of his sprite fromSuper Mario Bros., another statue with the same sprite but using modern coloration, a golden statue, a golden statue of him running, and aGoal Pole. Of these, the 8-bit Mario Trim and the Gold Running Mario Statue are unique in not having an equivalent for any other character. The Gold Mario Statue is unique for being available only throughMy Nintendo. The Sparkly Snow Globe and 1st Anniversary Statue depict Mario as well.

Events have added Mario statues based on games released afterSuper Mario Run, such as one based on him riding aStandard Kart inMario Kart 8 Deluxe. An event from before the release ofSuper Mario Odyssey addedcaptured versions ofGoomba,Hammer Bro, andChain Chomp, while an event afterward added Mario's wedding suit design from that game. APaper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door event added a statue based on that game where he swings a hammer. AMario & Luigi: Brothership event added a statue pairing Mario withConnie and another with both Mario and Luigi.

Super Mario Odyssey[edit]

Mario with Cappy inSuper Mario Odyssey

“Super Mario...Odyssey!”

—Mario,Super Mario Odyssey

InSuper Mario Odyssey, Mario cooperates withCappy to stop Bowser from kidnapping and marrying Peach. When Bowser kidnaps Peach again, Mario fights him onBowser's Airship. However, he is defeated by Bowser and crash-lands in theCap Kingdom. He is later found by aBonneter named Cappy, whose sisterTiara was also kidnapped by Bowser, and the two team up to save their respective loved ones. Cappy replaces theMario Cap (which was torn apart during the fight), allowing Mario to throw him in one of his moves as well as use him to capture various characters, enemies, and objects. The two then have to travel across various kingdoms in order to catch up with Bowser and save Peach.

Appearance-wise, Mario seems to have a similar design fromSuper Mario 3D World, albeit with more detailed textures, and he appears to be much shorter than other humans, as seen inNew Donk City.^[6]

Super Mario Maker 2[edit]

Mario reappears inSuper Mario Maker 2 as the main playable character. Although he is no longer the only playable character, he is the only one playable in Story Mode. Mario has access to theSuper Bell, due to the addition of aSuper Mario 3D World style. In addition, he can use theSuper Hammer in said style to turn intoBuilder Mario, as well as theSuperball Flower in theSuper Mario Bros. style, which previously appeared 30 years prior inSuper Mario Land and turns Mario intoSuperball Mario. In the version 3.0.0 update, he also has access to theSMB2 Mushroom, which turns him intoSMB2 Mario, giving him his appearance and characteristics fromSuper Mario Bros. 2.

Super Mario Bros. 35[edit]

Mario appeared as a playable character inSuper Mario Bros. 35, being identical to his appearance fromSuper Mario Bros. He was also featured in multiple player icons.

Super Mario Bros. Wonder[edit]

“Wonderful!”

—Mario,Super Mario Bros. Wonder

Mario appears inSuper Mario Bros. Wonder as one of the main playable characters. After Bowser invades theFlower Kingdom and merges and transforms intoPrince Florian's castle, causing chaos and trappingPoplins, Mario and his friends happily agree to help. Prince Florian accompanies and guides him, and the badge on his head enables Mario to perform various abilities depending on the badge equipped. One of the new power-up forms Mario can take isElephant Mario. This new form gives him the appearance of an anthropomorphic elephant, albeit without his shoes. Other new power-up forms includeDrill Mario andBubble Mario.

Super Mario Bros. Wonder is the first Nintendo game where Mario is not voiced byCharles Martinet, who departed from the series in August 2023.^[7] Instead,Kevin Afghani voices Mario in this game, and he would continue to voice Mario in later games.

Tennis (NES / Game Boy)[edit]

Mario's sprites in Tennis

InTennis for theNES andGame Boy, Mario appears as the referee during the game. In addition, the Western cover for the Game Boy conversion of the game features Mario, once again refereeing.

Golf: Japan Course /Golf: US Course[edit]

InGolf: Japan Course, Mario is depicted in his normal overalls with his appearance akin to his normal design. InGolf: US Course, the companion ofGolf: Japan Course, Mario has a blue shirt and red-and-white striped overalls.

Famicom Grand Prix series[edit]

Famicom Grand Prix: F1 Race[edit]

In the Japan-exclusive racing game,Famicom Grand Prix: F1 Race, Mario drives a Formula One car and can race alone or with a competition. Whenever Mario crashes into a wall or car or drives off-road, his car's fuel and health decrease. He can visit pit stops to repair and refuel his car, although this takes time. When Mario wins the Grand Prix, he earns money, which can be used to buy unlockable cars.

Famicom Grand Prix II: 3D Hot Rally[edit]

Mario and Luigi are drivers inFamicom Grand Prix II: 3D Hot Rally. The two drive one of the three vehicles:Kattobi,Yonque, orMonster. They must rally through the course, driving through checkpoints before the timer runs out. If they hit other cars, they severely slow down and can be knocked to the side if other cars bump them from there. In higher levels, their car may crash if they hit another car, which can make it more difficult to reach the checkpoint.

Alleyway[edit]

InAlleyway, similar toBreakout, Mario controls apaddle that deflects aball to break a particularformation of blocks. DuringBonuses, various block formations resembling sprites fromSuper Mario Bros., including Mario's sprite, are shown.

Dr. Mario series[edit]

Main article:Dr. Mario

“Hi everybody! I'm Mario. How's it going? Over the last few years, I've been involved in some pretty wild adventures. Now, believe it or not, I work in the virus research lab at theMushroom Kingdom Hospital. Today I'm about to begin my research as usual.”

—Dr. Mario,Dr. MarioNES manual, p. 3

Mario takes in a different alias in the first game of the puzzle series,Dr. Mario. Mario works alongside Nurse Toadstool (Princess Peach) at theMushroom Kingdom Hospital to combat three types ofviruses: Fever, Chill, and Weird. Here, he must dropcapsules to destroy these viruses.

Dr. Mario 64 features a story behind the gameplay. During a flu outbreak, Dr. Mario attempts to use his Megavitamins to heal the citizens.Wario, however, wishes to steal and profit from the Megavitamins.Mad Scienstein intervenes and takes the Megavitamins, so after Dr. Mario beats Wario, the two follow Mad Scienstein, defeating enemies fromWario Land 3. Mad Scienstein then reveals himself to be a worker forRudy, who is afflicted with the cold. Dr. Mario proceeds to cure Rudy after beating him, though. If Dr. Mario has not lost any matches, however, Wario takes the Megavitamins and transforms intoVampire Wario. On the other hand, if the player is using Wario, Dr. Mario becomesMetal Mario after ingesting the pills.

Dr. Mario Online Rx has similar gameplay to the originalDr. Mario, although there is an additional Virus Buster minigame.Dr. Mario Express is similar toDr. Mario Online Rx but features no Virus Buster minigame.

InDr. Mario World, Dr. Mario hunts down viruses to save infected Koopa Troopas,Toads, andShy Guys after a virus outbreak happens in the Mushroom Kingdom. Other characters of theSuper Mario franchise join him as playable characters.

Mario's Egg Catch[edit]

InMario's Egg Catch, Mario is the playable character in hisRaccoon form where he catcheseggs thatBirdo is firing from a wall. Mario can also collect aStarman, which can earn him five points.

NES Open Tournament Golf[edit]

InNES Open Tournament Golf, taking place onEarth, Mario retains his blue shirt and red-and-white striped overalls. Princess Peach is depicted as Mario's caddy, who helps carry his golf equipment.

Mario Teaches Typing series[edit]

“Whoo-hoo! Hello! It's-a me, Mario! And I'mma want to thank you for choosing 'Mario Teaches-a Typing'! I know you're going to be a great typist. Hee hee!”

—Mario,Mario Teaches Typing 2

Mario helps children type inMario Teaches Typing andMario Teaches Typing 2. By typing correctly, players enable the game to advance.Mario Teaches Typing 2 has another story. Mario and Luigi find aMagical Typewriter. The note attached to it explains that it is essential to beat Bowser. If one types the correct sequence into the scroll, a spell is cast and defeats Bowser. If it is used incorrectly, however, the typewriter self-destructs. Mario attempts to type, but he fails and the typewriter explodes, sending its pieces to various regions. He and Luigi adventure, retrieving the pieces while improving their typing abilities, eventually restore the typewriter, and cause a giant typewriter to fall on top of Bowser's Castle.

Mario Paint[edit]

Mario plays a minor role inMario Paint. Aside from generally serving as the game's mascot, Mario appears on the interactive title screen and on several icons that appear throughout the game. Mario's icon in themusic mode indicates a piano-like instrument. InGnat Attack, Mario's head is the second icon added to the top left corner of the screen, after levels 1 through 3 are completed five times in a row.

Mario Kart series[edit]

LINE sticker of Mariohopping fromMario Kart 8

“Welcome to Mario Kart!”

—Mario,Mario Kart 64 andMario Kart: Double Dash!!

In theMario Kart series, both in the mainline series and theMario Kart Arcade GP subseries, starting withSuper Mario Kart, Mario has always been a playable character and, except inMario Kart Tour, is usually available at the start. In games where characters are divided into weight groups, Mario is a middleweight character with all-around stats. Numerous racecourses throughout the series have been named after Mario, usually asMario Circuit and often in theFlower Cup.

Super Mario Kart[edit]

In the first installment,Super Mario Kart, Mario and Luigi are two of the only middleweight characters in the game, a feature that is present untilMario Kart: Double Dash!!, where Peach and Yoshi are reclassified as middleweights while adding Daisy, Birdo, and Waluigi as middleweights. Mario as a computer-controlled opponent usesStar power, which gives him invincibility.Super Mario Kart also features one Mario Circuit percup of increasing complexity, but the Mario Circuits typically have minimal hazards aside fromoil slicks and pipes and off-road shortcuts that can be taken with aMushroom.

Mario Kart 64[edit]

Mario Kart 64 features Mario and Luigi as middleweights, but unlike in other games, Mario's stats work differently from being balanced. His weight class grants him the lowest acceleration but similar top speed to heavyweights, a constant diminishing acceleration when reaching top speed (compared to the other classes being more erratic), better cornering than the other weight classes, and better off-road than heavyweights. Despite being classified in the same class, Mario is slightly heavier than Luigi and has the advantage when they are colliding with each other.Mario Raceway is a basic track with several hairpin turns and stationary Piranha Plant hazards on the sides of the road.

A snow structure shaped like Mario is inFrappe Snowland, while Mario's face cameos as a neon light onRainbow Road.Mario Kart 64 also introduces various sponsors and billboards, with some featuring Mario.

Mario Kart: Super Circuit[edit]

InMario Kart: Super Circuit, Mario and Luigi are again two of the only middleweights.Mario Circuit features no hazards, but it has hairpin turns and winding paths, similar to other Mario Circuits.

Mario Kart: Double Dash!![edit]

Official game art forMario Kart: Double Dash!! always depicts Mario as the driver.

Mario Kart Double Dash!! is the first game where Mario, while classified as a middleweight character, does not directly affect the stats of a vehicle. Depending on his partner's weight, he can choose between a middleweight vehicle (if the partner is a lightweight or a middleweight) or a heavyweight vehicle (if the partner is a heavyweight). His signature vehicle is theRed Fire, featuring balanced stats; even internal data that often contradict with the in-game stat display show no outstanding stats.

Mario is usually paired with Luigi, in game art and in 50cc and 100cc speeds, although there is some game art that shows Mario paired with Princess Peach and Bowser instead. Mario and Luigi's special item is theFireball, which splits into five smaller fireballs and spins out any racer that the fireballs hit.

Mario Circuit features hairpin turns, and obstacles include a large Chain Chomp and several Piranha Plants that can flipkarts over and cause the rear character to be dragged behind. The end of the track features hills to impede with driving and respawnable Goombas that can be flattened to release Mushrooms. An unlockable Battle Mode course,Tilt-a-Kart, is a large tilting suspended platform in the shape of 8-Bit Mario. Mario is also seen as part of obelisk engravings inDry Dry Desert, but the engravings are absent in Dry Dry Desert in future games.

Baby Mario makes his debut inMario Kart: Double Dash!!

Mario Kart Arcade GP subseries[edit]

In theMario Kart Arcade GP subseries, Mario shares his special character items with Luigi. His special items are a Star, which gives Mario invincibility; a fireball, which can be shot forward or backward to damage a kart; the hammer, which can hit a rival, giving them damage; and the Chain Chomp, which provides damage to any kart it hits. InMario Kart Arcade GP DX, his personal kart is theLightning Champ. He also receives a Fire Mario alternate palette swap. InMario Kart Arcade GP andMario Kart Arcade GP 2,Mario Highway andMario Beach are some of the only tracks named after him that are not based on a circuit.Robo Mario also appears as arival inMario Kart Arcade GP.

Mario Kart DS[edit]

InMario Kart DS, Mario's karts are theB Dasher, theStandard MR, and theShooting Star. His course,Mario Circuit, which is now the third course in theStar Cup instead of the Flower Cup, featuresFire Piranha Plants as well as normal Piranha Plants. After the player beats the game, Mario, as well as the rest of the roster, can race in any of the karts. He also fights two bosses in Mission Mode:Eyerok in Level 2 andWiggler in Level 7. Mario is also used to race a special red car inShroom Ridge. A Mario-shaped topiary is part ofPeach Gardens.

Mario Kart Wii[edit]

“Mario Kart Wii!”

—Mario,Mario Kart Wii

InMario Kart Wii, Mario provides a large boost to weight and small boosts to acceleration, handling, and drift on any vehicle he drives.Mario Circuit, similar to the course inMario Kart: Double Dash!!, features a Chain Chomp as well as Goombas near the end of the track, with similar behavior as the Goombas inMario Kart: Double Dash!! A statue of a snowboarding Mario is seen inDK Summit, and it is replaced in later games with a snowboarding Donkey Kong. Mario also cameos in a poster for a musical calledThe Mushroom Moon onMoonview Highway. A Mario statue along with Luigi, Peach, and Daisy statues appear inBlock Plaza, and they slowly descend and disappear to exposepits after 60 seconds.

Mario Kart 7[edit]

“Mario Kart 7!”

—Mario,Mario Kart 7

Like in the firstMario Kart games, Mario, Luigi, andMiis are classified as middleweights, making this game similar to the first two games where Mario and Luigi are the only two characters classified as middleweights.Metal Mario makes his debut in theMario Kart series inMario Kart 7 and has been described as a rival on the American website forMario Kart 7. Likewise,Mario Kart 7 features a rival system; Mario's rivals are Metal Mario, Bowser, and Princess Peach (if Metal Mario is absent). Mario is also the rival for Luigi, Bowser, and Wario; he is the third rival for Metal Mario,Lakitu, and male Miis.Mario Circuit features cherry blossoms and a brief segment insidePeach's Castle.

Mario Kart 8 /Mario Kart 8 Deluxe[edit]

Mario battlingInkling Girl inBalloon Battle

“Mario Kart 8!”

—Mario,Mario Kart 8

Mario's stats inMario Kart 8 are also not perfectly balanced. His top speed and traction are his strongest stats, while his acceleration is his weakest stat.Mario Kart 8 Deluxe introduces stat changes fromMario Kart 8. While inMario Kart 8, Mario shares stats with Luigi, Iggy, Ludwig, and medium-sized Miis, Luigi and Iggy's stats have slight alterations, receiving slightly higher handling but slightly worse traction. Due to this, Mario shares stats with only Ludwig and medium-sized Miis. If Mario drives certain vehicles, they are colored red to match Mario's color. The exceptions are his grayGLA and his whiteCity Tripper (though with red accents). Unlike inMario Kart Wii, all characters can ride on any vehicle in the game.Mario Circuit makes extensive use of the featuredanti-gravity component ofMario Kart 8, transforming the track into aMöbius strip. The course also hasramps, Piranha Plants, Goombas, andGoomba Towers as features. DLC content forMario Kart 8 includes a new playable variant for Mario,Tanooki Mario.

As inMario Kart 7, Mario has a rival system in the Grand Prix mode. Mario's rivals are Peach and Bowser, and he is one of the rivals for Luigi, Bowser, and Wario.

InMario Kart 8 Deluxe, when Mario is a computer-controlled opponent, his vehicle preferences include the following:

• Standard Kart,Standard Tire, andSuper Glider
• B Dasher, Standard Tire, and Super Glider
• P-Wing,Blue Standard, andParafoil
• Comet,Slim, and Super Glider

Mario Kart Tour[edit]

InMario Kart Tour, Mario is an unlockable Super driver. Hisspecial skill is theFire Flower. Mario also has aself-titled cup in the game, as well as self-named tours and Team Rally toursagainst Luigi andagainst Peach.

Mario has several variants of himself appear.Mario Kart Tour additionally introduced a number of High-End variants of Mario, with most of them being based on his outfits fromSuper Mario Odyssey.

• Mario (Musician): FromSuper Mario Odyssey, he has theDouble Bob-ombs special skill and was available as of theNew York Tour.
• Mario (Hakama): FromSuper Mario Odyssey, he has theCoin Box special skill and was available as of theTokyo Tour.
• Mario (Santa): This variant is added in the2019 Winter Tour, with the Fire Flower being his special skill (like his normal counterpart).
• Mario (Happi): FromSuper Mario Odyssey, he has theBob-omb Cannon special skill and was introduced in the2020 New Year's Tour.
• Mario (Classic): Mario has theTriple Mushrooms special skill and is available as of theMario Bros. Tour.
• Mario (Chef): FromSuper Mario Odyssey, based on the chef outfit fromYoshi's Cookie, he has theLucky Seven as his special skill and is introduced in theCooking Tour.
• Mario (Swimwear): FromSuper Mario Odyssey and introduced in theMarine Tour, he has theDash Ring as his special skill.
• Mario (SNES): This variant is based on Mario's sprites fromSuper Mario Kart, and he appears as of theSuper Mario Kart Tour with the Triple Mushrooms as his special skill.
• Mario (Sunshine): FromSuper Mario Sunshine, he has theGiant Banana special skill, and he appears as of the2020 Los Angeles Tour.
• Mario (Halloween): This variant has the Lucky Seven for his special skill and was added in the2020 Halloween Tour.
• Mario (Racing): FromSuper Mario Odyssey, he has Triple Mushrooms special skill and was introduced in the2021 Mario Tour.
• Mario (Tuxedo): FromSuper Mario Odyssey, he has theCoin Box special skill and was introduced in theWedding Tour.
• Mario (Baseball): FromSuper Mario Odyssey, he has theMushroom Cannon special skill and is introduced in the2021 Los Angeles Tour.
• Mario (Satellaview): FromSuper Mario Odyssey, he has theLucky Seven special skill and is introduced in the2021 Space Tour.
• Mario (Golf): A variant of Mario in his golf outfit originally fromGolf: US Course andNES Open Tournament Golf but also included inSuper Mario Odyssey andMario Golf: Super Rush was introduced in the2022 Los Angeles Tour, with theMushroom Cannon special skill.
• Mario (Aviator): FromSuper Mario Odyssey, he has theDash Ring special skill and was introduced in theSky Tour. Also formatted asAviator Mario.^[8]
• Mario (Samurai): FromSuper Mario Odyssey, he has theBoomerang Flower special skill and was introduced in theSamurai Tour.
• Mario (King): FromSuper Mario Odyssey, he has theCoin Box special skill and was introduced in the2022 Anniversary Tour.
• Mario (Black Suit): FromSuper Mario Odyssey, he has theMushroom Cannon special skill and was introduced in the2023 Summer Tour.
• Mario (Mechanic): A variant of Mario in his mechanic outfit originally fromFamicom Grand Prix II: 3D Hot Rally but also included inSuper Mario Odyssey,Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit, andMario Kart World was introduced in the 2025 rerun of theSunshine Tour, with theTriple Bananas special skill.

The game also featuresMetal Mario,Ice Mario,Builder Mario,Dr. Mario,Penguin Mario,Tanooki Mario,Cat Mario, andWhite Tanooki Mario as separate drivers. In total, Mario has 28 different playable variants, making him the driver inMario Kart Tour with the most playable variants. He also has multiple victory animations depending on which variant the player uses. His Builder variant holds up his hammer, then nods his head; his musician variant waves his hat in the air; his Sunshine variant dances in his seat; his Halloween variant looks around, then playfully giggles; and his Satellaview variant performs an astronaut's wave.

For ways in which Mario and his variants have been obtainable throughout the game's history, seeList of availabilities for Mario inMario Kart Tour.

Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit[edit]

Mario and Luigi are the two fully playable characters inMario Kart Live: Home Circuit. As inMario Kart Tour, alternate variants are available, though they are only cosmetic.

Mario Kart World[edit]

“Mario Kart World!”

—Mario,Mario Kart World

Mario Kart World features Mario with some design differences most noticeably the rounder face and added wrinkles to his overalls, along with returning Baby Mario. New toMario Kart World, theDash Food can unlock several costumes for Mario. Along with his default overalls, Mario has 9 alternate outfits to use, with several adapted from his costumes fromSuper Mario Odyssey; Mario has the most outfits in the cast.

• 

  Default

• 

  Touring

• 

  Pro Racer

• 

  Mechanic

• 

  Dune Rider

• 

  Cowboy

• 

  Sightseeing

• 

  Aviator

• 

  Happi

• 

  All-Terrain

Mario Bros. Circuit is the new course introduced to the game. Unlike other circuits, the course is based off the deserts in the western part of the United States, such asMonument Valley, that feature plateaus and mesas. Returning courses includeMario Circuit (SNES) that combines the first three Mario Circuit courses from theSuper Mario Kart installment.

Mario Discovery Series[edit]

Mario travels to different worlds to teach basic learning skills to younger players in theMario Discovery Series. Mario is controlled by a cursor interacting with an object.

Mario is Missing![edit]

Mario, Luigi, and Yoshi in Antarctica inMario is Missing!

Mario is Missing! is the first game in theMario Discovery Series^[9] and sets theSuper Mario characters onEarth. The game stars Luigi, who rescues Mario from Bowser in the end. When hearing of Bowser's plan to flood the Earth by meltingAntarctica's ice with hair dryers, Mario, Luigi, and Yoshi head to Bowser's Castle in the Antarctic. Mario is captured, although his capture varies between versions of the game.

In the DOS, CD-ROM and Macintosh versions, Mario enters the castle alone, as Luigi is too scared to follow. Mario meets Bowser, who is in a butler disguise, and accepts candy from him, despite Luigi's warning not to take candy from strangers. Bowser uses this as a distraction to trap Mario in a net. Despite his captured status, however, Mario in this version nonetheless manages to give contact to Luigi to guide him to the continents to stop Bowser's plans, as well as update him on the situation. Over the course of the game, Mario tells Luigi that he admitted to Bowser that he has a fear of the dark, which strained communication since Bowser is threatening him with his fear. In the NES version, Mario is captured outside in the snow by a Koopa with a bag. In this version, he also reacts angrily to the title shortly before being captured by the Koopa. In the SNES version, Mario gets trapped inside a pitfall outside the castle.

Mario's Early Years! Fun with Letters[edit]

InMario's Early Years! Fun with Letters, Mario and Princess Peach (with Yoshi in the console version) are controllable characters that help guide players learn about basic English language. Mario traverses through various worlds to complete several tasks, such as selecting the correct word to complete a sentence and matching words with indicated letters. The PC version of the game includes a narrative fromStory World where Mario, Luigi, and Peach help free Bowser from a log. When Bowser falls into the mud, they join him and have fun. The Pig Out involves Mario and Luigi riding Peach's pig while Peach is not looking.

Mario's Early Years! Fun with Numbers[edit]

Similar toFun with Letters,Mario's Early Years! Fun with Numbers involves Mario or Princess Peach (with Yoshi in the console version) exploring several worlds. In the game, players learn about Arabic numerals, basic mathematics such as counting and comparisons, and basic geometry such as identifying shapes.

Mario's Early Years! Preschool Fun[edit]

Mario's Early Years! Preschool Fun involves more general learning across several worlds. Mario and Princess Peach (with Yoshi in the console version) again serve as controllable characters. Tasks include identifying colors, counting, identifying sounds, and more. Mario is used inBody World for players to learn about basic body parts such as the nose, hands, and feet.

Mario's Time Machine[edit]

Mario inside Bowser'sTimulator

In thePC version,SNES version, andNES version ofMario's Time Machine, Bowser uses a time machine to steal various artifacts from different time periods of human history in order to display them at his museum. Mario goes on a mission to return all objects of Bowser's museum to their original time periods in order to prevent history from being altered. Additionally, Mario has to rescue Yoshi from Bowser in the NES version of the game.Mario's Time Machine is one of the few games in which Mario talks.

In the SNES version, Mario has to pick a stolen object from the museum and then go to a "Time Surfing" level to collect enough Mushrooms to make a time jump, then return the objects to their proper places.

In the NES version, the player has to play an altered version ofMario Bros. to defeat Koopa Troopas, who drop the stolen objects when defeated. Mario then has to travel back in time to return the objects to their proper places in a side-scrolling mission.

Hotel Mario[edit]

Mario gestures and warns the player about Wendy'spenny enemies "pinching back."

“You know what they say: 'All toasters toast toast!'”

—Mario,Hotel Mario

InHotel Mario, Mario and Luigi travel to the Mushroom Kingdom after an invitation for a picnic by Princess Peach. Upon arriving, the two find out that Peach has been kidnapped by Bowser, who has made her a "permanent guest" in one of his sevenKoopa hotels. Mario and Luigi travel from one Koopa hotel to the next, with Peach being brought to a new hotel every time the brothers have searched through the last one. After destroying most of the Koopa hotels, Mario fights Bowser inhis own hotel and defeats him. Mario then receives a kiss from Peach, then congratulates the player as "the best ever."

In the game, Mario has to close all doors in a hotel in order to proceed. Mario can stomp on enemies to defeat them, like in theSuper Mario series. He can also hide in open doors and take elevators to change his level.

Mario has four fingers in this game, instead of five as he usually does.

Mario's FUNdamentals[edit]

“Mario's-a Game Gallery!”

—Mario,Mario's FUNdamentals

Mario has also appeared inMario's FUNdamentals (also released asMario's Game Gallery), where he plays several games with younger players—specifically Go Fish, checkers, backgammon, dominoes, and Yacht. This is the first video game whereCharles Martinet, the voice actor for Mario at the time, was credited for providing his voice.

UNDAKE30 Same Game[edit]

Although Mario does not technically appear inUNDAKE30 Same Game, icons of his head can appear as random arrangements on the playing field.

Mario's Picross series[edit]

Mario is featured as an archaeologist inMario's Picross, a puzzle game where he must scrape squares according to the numbered indicators on each column and row. Completing the puzzle correctly usually shows an image, sometimes referring to earlier games in theSuper Mario franchise. During the gameplay, Mario is also given hints such as an entire row being scraped correctly or a roulette that determines which lines are revealed. Mario reappears in the sequel,Picross 2, where now, he must match boxes and link them to form specific images. Mario again appears inMario's Super Picross on theSuper Famicom. As inPicross 2, Wario also appears in the game. Mario is given a set of rules, where he works under a time limit and gets penalized if he makes a mistake. Wario, on the other hand, has no time limit, but mistakes are not apparent and no hints are given.

Mario's Tennis[edit]

Mario's Tennis, a precursor to theMario Tennis series, is the first tennis game Mario is playable in (Mario has made a cameo as a referee inTennis for the Game Boy and NES). He has balanced stats, including average court speed and average racket contact, and is reliant on groundstrokes. Unlike inMario Tennis games up untilMario Tennis Aces, Mario wears a sports outfit for the occasion.

Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars[edit]

One of Mario's earliest 3D iterations in a video game.An earlier one is found inDonkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest.

Mario appears as the main protagonist inSuper Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars andits Nintendo Switch remake. Mario first arrives atBowser's Keep to confrontBowser, who has again capturedPrincess Peach (which by now is a recurring event). Mario battles Bowser atop aChaindelier and rescues Peach. A huge sword namedExor then strikes the castle from atop and knocks them all to various spots inMario's world. Mario falls through thepipe on top ofhis house and lands on his bed.

Mario discovers that theStar Pieces of the wish-grantingStar Road are being sought by a group called theSmithy Gang, who is causing havoc throughout the world. On this adventure, Mario recruitsMallow,Geno, Peach, and even Bowser. They travel through much of the world, finding Star Pieces, which are protected by the Smithy Gang's strongest members. After all Star Pieces are collected, Mario and hisallies search forSmithy. They can get to him through Bowser's Keep, which is inaccessible because Exor destroyed the bridge. With the help of Mallow's parents,King Nimbus andQueen Nimbus, Mario and his allies have passage through theroyal bus. When Mario and his allies finally arrive, they defeat Exor and go toSmithy's world via Exor's mouth.

Mario's journey is not over, since Smithy has even more minions at his disposal. After many battles, Mario and his allies face and defeat Smithy, saving the Star Road.

Mario also has a clone version of himself thatBelome can transform into named "Mario Clone." OneGreaper in the game can also take the appearance of Mario.

Mario Party series[edit]

Mario holding a Dice Block fromSuper Mario Party Jamboree

“Mario Party!”

—Mario,Mario Party 6

Mario is one of the playable characters in theMario Party series, playable in all games thus far along withLuigi,Peach, andYoshi. Mario is represented by his trademark red color, but he does not usually have distinguishable gameplay- or story-specific traits from other playable characters. He can compete inminigames to win coins (orMini Stars, inMario Party 9 and inStar-Crossed Skyway inMario Party: Island Tour), which ultimately can help him earnStars.

Mario Party[edit]

In the originalMario Party, Mario and his friends argue over who is the Super Star. Toad suggests to settle the argument by throwing a party and determining the winner. Mario's board isMario's Rainbow Castle, based on the locationsTower of the Wing Cap andWing Mario Over the Rainbow fromSuper Mario 64. While Mario has new recordings forMario Party, his eliminated voice clip uses the same voice for when he is set on fire fromSuper Mario 64. According to the game bio, Mario is described as a "super guy" for his talents, but not as strong asWario orDonkey Kong and not as intelligent as Luigi.

Minor Mario appearances include being a topper atPeach's Birthday Cake.

Mario Party 2[edit]

Costumes fromMario Party 2

“Loves Mushrooms. Runs like the dickens. Our hero.”

—Mario Party 2

Mario Party 2 is also based on an argument. Mario and his friends decide to build a place of their dreams, which they callMario Land. Wario, unhappy with the name, wants to call it "Wario Land," eventually resulting in an argument over naming the land. During the chaos, despiteKoopa Troopa's warnings, Bowser disrupts and invades Mario Land. Toad then encourages Mario and his friends to compete in a party, and whoever wins the party and challenges and defeats Bowser can have the land named after them. At the end of the game, the player defeats Bowser, and the land's name, regardless of the character chosen, is "Mario Land." It is implied that the plot of the game is simply part of the attraction at Mario Land.

Due to the overall theme park motif of the game,Mario Party 2 features different costumes Mario can wear on different boards. In promotional material of the game, Mario is typically shown in a cowboy outfit fromWestern Land.

Although gameplay for Mario is mostly the same across the playable roster, as a computer-controlled opponent, he prioritizes the Mushroom, an item that enables players to roll two Dice Blocks. Additionally, if Whomp is present at theLast Five Turns Event, it will always predict Mario as the winner and reward him with 10 coins.

Mario Party 3[edit]

InMario Party 3, theMillennium Star crashes where Mario and his friends are peacefully relaxing outside. While Mario and his friends argue over who keeps it, the Millennium Star transports them to a toy box and challenges them to parties across lands to win and collectStar Stamps. Mario possesses the Courage Star Stamp, and can be challenged inCreepy Cavern for the Battle Royale board andMr. Mover for the Duel board. If the player is using Mario, Luigi instead has the Courage Star Stamp. Mario's default Duel Mode partner is Koopa Troopa, and the booklet says that Mario's favorite item is theGolden Mushroom, which increases the likelihood of his purchasing one if he is computer-controlled.

Mario's face, with Toad andWiggler as alternate faces, is featured inPicture Imperfect, where players need to hit blocks to best match his likeness.

Mario Party 4[edit]

Likely due to the limitations of light and shadow behavior on 3D renders from the 2000s, Mario's promotional art features several post-processing paint-overs throughout the image, which includes even his entire mouth.

Mario is first seen in the opening toMario Party 4, where he joins a gathering of his friends. He and his friends watch and get shocked at the unfolding giant bag, which reveals itself to be theParty Cube containing the hosts of the party. At the end of the cutscene, he holds an envelope that contains cards that are invitations to various modes inside the Party Cube.

Like inMario Party 2 andMario Party 3, Mario, as a computer-controlled player, has a preference for certain items, with a full order of items he prioritizes over others. Mario will purchase and use items higher on the list, and if certain conditions are met (such as always using theMagic Lamp if he is able to afford a Star). Mario's bio indicates a preference for Mega Mushrooms, which is confirmed by the list for being higher compared to Mega Mushroom preferences of most other playable characters (Donkey Kong has similar preferences for the Mega Mushroom). Despite theBowser Suit being listed, the AI never uses it. Even if Mario's AI has a function pointer to use it, the list shows Mario is very unlikely to use it during a course of the match, unless it is the only item in his inventory, and he has the lowest preference for the Bowser Suit compared to other characters in the game.

This is the order of Mario's item preferences:

1. Magic Lamp
2. Boo's Crystal Ball
3. Warp Pipe
4. Super Mega Mushroom
5. Mega Mushroom
6. Super Mini Mushroom
7. Swap Card
8. MiniMega Hammer
9. Mini Mushroom
10. Sparky Sticker
11. Chomp Call
12. Bowser Suit

Mario's likeness makes a small cameo inBoo's Haunted Bash as a silhouette in a small portrait at the upper right corner of the board.

Mario Party-e[edit]

Mario is featured in two cards of theMario Party-e board game, as regular Mario and Super Mario. Both cards offer protection for the player by preventing any cards in the hand or in-play taken, if the player spends one Coin card to trigger its effects. Super Mario has an additional effect, worth two Coin cards, where the player can look at the opponent's hand and exchange one card or take one opponent's card that is in-play and place it in their hand. Mario's clothes (in the form of his hat, shirt and overalls, and shoes) are also available cards, with each article of clothing and a Superstar card in-play required to win the game.

Mario is also playable in several video games, as minigames, fromMario Party-e. His art style varies across several minigames.

• Cast Away Mario! – Mario needs to fish a specific aquatic creature that is requested by Peach.
• Mario's Mallet – Mario hits Goombas that emerge from a Pipe with a hammer before they can attack Peach. Luigi, however, can emerge from the Pipe, and hitting him causes a loss.
• Bolt from Boo – Mario tries to escape aGhost House. ABig Boo is chasing him and moves faster than he does, so he needs to look back to stop it and cause it to retreat.
• Time Bomb Ticks! – Mario, the second player, diffuses a bomb by hitting buttons in the same order as the first player, Waluigi, who tries to minimize the time allocated for Mario. If Mario hits the incorrect order, the timer goes down faster.
• Waluigi's Reign – Waluigi causes several coins and hammers to fall. While the timer counts down, Mario collects these raining coins and avoids hammers (which defeat him if they strike him, ending the turn early).

Mario Party 5[edit]

InMario Party 5, Mario and his friends are invited toDream Depot due to their attractive ability to dream big. Bowser, however, wants to destroy these dreams, so Mario and his friends have to win against theKoopa Kids across several boards and defeat Bowser inFrightmare.

Mario, when paired with characters in Tag Team Battle, has certain specific team names:

• Luigi: Mario Bros.
• Princess Peach: Cutest Couple
• Princess Daisy: Nice Couple
• Yoshi: Famous Combo
• Wario: Alter Egos
• Waluigi: Pseudo Bros.
• Toad: Best Buds
• Boo: Old Acquaintances
• Koopa Kid: Uneasy Allies

As a computer-controlled opponent inSuper Duel Mode, Mario can be challenged in Normal and Hard tournaments. His title name is "Last Hero Mario." He drives a vehicle, called the "Super Dash," with theChoo-Choo Body,Star Tires,Goomba-Trio Engine, andE. Gadd Cannon. His vehicle is described as "Well-balanced, like our hero!"

Mario also has a couple of cameos throughout the game. His silhouette is used in Mini-Game Decathlon. A crater in a shape of his silhouette is seen on a celestial object inLeaf Leap; however, in the PAL version, it is impossible without external hacks to change the timer to reach the height at which it is visible.Coney Island features a giant statue of him holding an ice cream cone, a homage to theStatue of Liberty.Squared Away can feature a pixelated rendering of him.

Mario Party 6[edit]

This promotional render (and its future updates) used inMario Party 6, later associated withNew Super Mario Bros., is a frequent pick by Nintendo and third parties to represent Mario products.

“I've a-got it! The Stars will help us end their [Brighton andTwila's] fight! We'll throw a Mario Party to fill the Star Bank!”

—Mario,Mario Party 6

InMario Party 6, Mario and his friends, the residents ofMario Party World, watch an argument break out between Brighton and Twila. Similar to Toad in the early entries ofMario Party, Mario proposes aStar Bank, where holding parties can fill it with Stars and help Brighton and Twila notice how much work is being done to solve the conflict.

Mario has the same team names fromMario Party 5. When he is paired with the newcomer,Toadette, the team name is "Unexpected Pair."

Mario appears in the following pages of theMiracle Book:

• Fetch, based onThrow Me a Bone: Mario is ready to toss a bone. When the page is activated, he throws a bone to spawn several Chain-Chomps. Koopa Kid is riding one.
• Say Goomba, based onFreeze Frame: Mario is taking a photo of Princess Peach. When the page is activated, several Goombas, a Shy Guy, and Luigi sneak in, startling Mario.
• Yoshi's Revenge, based onSnow Brawl: Depicting the daytime version of Snow Brawl, Mario, Daisy, and Toadette, jubilant, are ready to throw snowballs at Yoshi, whose Ukiki allies are frozen. When the page is activated, the nighttime version of Snow Brawl is shown, and Mario, Daisy, and Toadette flee while Yoshi and several Shy Guys are ready to throw snowballs at them.
• Ground-pound Boogie, based onSmashdance: Luigi is hitting a light panel while Mario is in the middle of a jump. Activating the page shows the reverse, and the torch lights up in the background.
• Misty Surprise, based onSomething's Amist: Mario and Peach are shrouded in thick mist. When the page is activated, the mist clears and Peach is holding a Bob-omb while Mario holds a gem.
• Bowser Breath, based onDizzy Rotisserie: Mario, Wario, Luigi, and Peach are stumbling around nearBowser Statues. When the page is activated, a Bowser Statue burns Mario from behind, while Luigi and Wario hit their heads. Bowser appears from behind a Bowser Statue, startling Peach.
• Kitchen Monkeys, based onStrawberry Shortfuse: Mario is about to remove the lid from a plate. When the page is activated, Toadette is revealed, startling him. Other items and characters pop out, including Yoshi from a floor panel, Wario and Waluigi under the counter, and a Cheep Cheep jumping from a pot. A cake is revealed from the oven.
• Lawn Mowin' Fun, based onMowtown: Mario is mowing the area, creating grass piles. When the page is activated, Luigi is shown also mowing, while Peach catches the grass pile that Mario is making. Shy Guys are also inside another grass pile. Flowers bloom, and musical notes trail out from Mario.

Mario's minor appearances include his silhouette used for minigames in Decathlon Park.

Mario Party Advance[edit]

Mario is one of the few playable characters inMario Party Advance. During the game, Bowser and Koopa Kid invade Party World and disperse minigames andGaddgets throughoutShroom City. Mario, Luigi, Peach, and Yoshi are available characters to follow the storyline of the game and try to restore the scattered items to the correct spots and help the residents of Party World. If the player picks Mario, he starts in thetown area. Mario or Luigi is required to completeMustached Hero!, as Spear Guy challenges duels to any character with a mustache. Mario, however, cannot completeDino of Mystery!, asDorrie wants to have a dinosaur for a soulmate. Similarly, Mario cannot completeLove That Princess!, sinceMr. I requests to see Peach. Mario's mouth makes an appearance in theLip Sync Gaddget, alongside other mouths. To mimic speech, the player can press and release the or button.

Mario Party 7[edit]

During the opening forMario Party 7, Toadsworth invites Mario to a cruise vacation, to which Mario agrees and brings his friends along. Meanwhile, Bowser, angry for not being invited, crashes the party and causes havoc viaBowser Time, every five turns during a match. Unlike in most other games, human-controlled Mario and Luigi offer a gameplay difference: they receive the exclusiveFireball Orb. When it is activated, players that pass any opponent throw a fireball and steal 10 coins from them. The effect lasts for three turns.

Mario makes small appearances inNeon Heights. Similarly to the statue in the Coney Island minigame that references the Statue of Liberty, there is a smaller statue of Mario holding a torch in the center of the board. Mario is also featured in two movie posters. Like in Mini-Game Decathlon fromMario Party 5 and Decathlon Park fromMario Party 6, Mario's silhouette is part of the minigames for Decathlon Castle in this game. Mario's silhouette, facing forward, illustrates the "Annoy Mode" unlockable from theDuty-Free Shop.

Mario Party 8[edit]

“Mario Party 8!”

—Mario (with other characters),Mario Party 8 Wii menu screen

InMario Party 8,MC Ballyhoo and Big Top invite Mario and his friends to theStar Carnival to hold parties and compete for prizes. In the story mode, Mario competes with his friends in Star Battle Arena to determine who will win a year's supply ofCandy.

From a returning feature fromMario Party 5 andMario Party 6, Mario has specific team names for particular characters in tag-team matches.

• Luigi: Mario Bros.
• Princess Peach: Power Players
• Yoshi: Fan Favorites
• Wario: Big Starrios
• Princess Daisy: Flower Players
• Waluigi: 'Stache Clashers
• Toad: Fungi Fun Guys
• Boo: Soul Bros.
• Toadette: Marionnettes (a combination of Mario's and Toadette's names that creates a reference to puppets)
• Birdo: Super Snozzios
• Dry Bones: BBQ Ribs
• Blooper: 'Stache Splashers
• Hammer Bro.: Heavy-Blow Bros.

Mario's appearance changes from Candy are listed below:

• 

  Springo Candy

• 

  Cashzap Candy

• 

  Vampire Candy

• 

  Bitsize Candy

• 

  Bloway Candy

• 

  Weeglee Candy

• 

  Bowlo Candy

• 

  Thwomp Candy

• 

  Bullet Candy

• 

  Bowser Candy

• 

  Duelo Candy

For minor appearances, inBowser's Warped Orbit, a pixelated Mario is seen chased by a pixelated Bowser in the marquee. The sprites are based on the originalSuper Mario Bros. Additionally, Mario appears in all of the minigame preview videos that are on the instruction screen before the start of any minigame, and his arm is used to demonstrate the orientation and motion of theWii Remote. Mario's likeness is used for theHeckling Voices purchasable item from theFun Bazaar.

Mario Party DS[edit]

The story mode ofMario Party DS begins with Mario finding aSky Crystal and showing it to his friends. They accept an invitation to Bowser's dinner party, but they quickly realize they are tricked. Bowser traps them in a cage, steals the Sky Crystal, and shrinks them with hisMinimizer. Bowser discards them on the streets, and they search for the other Sky Crystals. Mario and his friends come across several allies, who deal with foes holding Star Crystals. To decide who faces the boss and retrieves the Sky Crystals, Mario and his friends throw parties to find a winner fit enough.

With the feature returning fromMario Party 8, Mario has team names paired with other characters:

• Luigi: Mario Bros.
• Princess Peach: Fan Favorites
• Princess Daisy: Flower Players
• Wario: Foe Bros.
• Waluigi: 'Stache Stars
• Yoshi: Old Buddies
• Toad: Fungus Friends

Mario Party 9[edit]

Mario Party 9 begins with Mario and his friends gathering outside to watchMini Stars from the sky. Mario watches through a telescope, but he spots Bowser and Bowser Jr. in a spacecraft before they steal the Mini Stars. Like in previous titles in the series, Mario and his friends decide to throw parties to try to restore Mini Stars back to the skies.

Like on the instruction menu fromMario Party 8, Mario's arm is illustrated to guide players to replicate motions to play certain minigames, such asMecha March.

Mario Party: Island Tour[edit]

InMario Party: Island Tour, Mario and his friends find a bubble containing an invitation to theParty Islands and accept the invitation by riding in large bubbles. Like with the plot inMario Party 7, Bowser is enraged for not being invited, and he buildsBowser's Tower to attack Mario and friends with his own bubbles, such as trapping all the Party Islands in bubbles. Meanwhile, he populates Bowser Tower withbubble clones that challenge the playable character.

Outside of Mario being a playable character, his voice is one of the possible choices fromUtter Nonsense andThe Choicest Voice.

While the clones themselves do not have voices in the release of the game, there are voice files for Mario's bubble clones found in the files. They have a distorted bouncy filter applied to them.

Mario Party 10[edit]

Unlike priorMario Party installments,Mario Party 10 lacks a narrative, so Mario's role is limited to one of the several playable characters in the roster. TheMario Board is one of the playable boards in amiibo Party, unlocked if the player scans a Mario amiibo, or related Mario amiibo including Mario (Super Smash Bros.), Gold Mario, Silver Mario, 8-bit Mario amiibos, Wedding Mario, and Cat Mario. Theming after the first levels of the platformers, it features various sprite art of Mario fromSuper Mario Bros. as well as buildings with Mario's clothes.

Mario Party: Star Rush[edit]

While Mario is playable inMario Party: Star Rush, the main modeToad Scramble instead limits his playability to be one of the possible characters the player, who starts as a Toad, can recruit, but also lose. Players can make him playable in the beginning of Toad Scramble, however, if they scan his amiibo or other Mario-related amiibo, and he is a permanent addition to the group. Mario's special ability lets players traverse grass more easily by removing Goombas and rewarding coins that otherwise impede on them and stop their turns. This ability, shared with Luigi's, make both very effective characters in maps that have grass due to their ability to award players several coins, which are generally a more valuable currency in Toad Scramble compared to other game modes (for example, coin counts are tallied up and converted to Stars at the end of a match). Several maps do not have grass, however, limiting their effectiveness greatly.

Mario's Dice Block, theSuper Dice Block is modified to allow Mario to roll a slightly higher number, 7, but he also can roll a 0. His dice block also does not roll two intermediate numbers, 3 and 4, polarizing the possible amount of moves his Dice Block grants. It has an equal amount of even and odds, so the overall chances of rolling an even or an odd number, an integral part of Toad Scramble, is not affected when compared to using the standard Dice Block.

Mario's special amiibo perk in Coinathlon is theCoin Bag. If his or a related amiibo is scanned, he grants the player the ability to activate this item and collect severalRed Coins that spawn in the minigame, which can help players get an early boost to the match.

Mario Party: The Top 100[edit]

In promotional artwork, Mario has an exclusive outfit being in a party-themed wear with a sequin-like material on his vest, although this outfit is not used elsewhere.

Mario's role inMario Party: The Top 100 is limited to simply being one of the several playable characters in the roster. His likeness inLeaf Leap does not appear, however, and the pixel art of him inSquared Away has been simplified to show just his head due to the smaller playing field. Additionally, in Squared Away, players always play with a Mario pattern.

Super Mario Party[edit]

In a similar vein to the firstMario Party,Super Mario Party sets Mario and friends disagreeing on being the Super Star, with each claiming they are worthy of the title. Similar to how disagreements are settled throughout the series, Mario suggests throwing a party to decide, with Toad and Toadette as judges. Bowser and his minions crash the group and become additional challengers to the Super Star title, with Kamek being an additional judge for fairness.

While Mario does not have major gameplay differences in the main Mario Party mode, the Partner Party mode plays similarly to Toad Scramble fromMario Party Superstars. Carrying from Toad Scramble, Mario, as well as other competitors, possesses a unique Dice Block. It has a different set of numbers from Super Dice Block fromMario Party: Star Rush. Compared to a traditional block that rolls from 1 through 6, Mario's Dice Block forgoes replaces 2 and 4 with 3, allowing him to roll 1, 3, 5, and 6, with a high chance of rolling three. This also makes his dice block very likely to roll odd, which can affect the predictability of how players land on a space.

Mario makes a couple cameos in minigames:

• Making Faces - A 2D illustration of Mario's face is one of the two faces, the other being Bowser, that players need to correctly place facial features on.
• Pep Rally - Mario, as 2D stock art, can appear solo or with Luigi and Yoshi in three of the possible panels that can be revealed.
• Puzzle Hustle - Small Mario fromSuper Mario Bros. is the 1st sprite; Small Mario, with Baby Yoshi, is the 26th sprite; and Cape Mario is the 29th and second-to-last sprite.

Mario, along with Luigi, is one of the few characters that do not speak directly in Party Plaza. Instead, Toad speaks for him. This is also the case for players' acquiring him, if he is an non-playable ally, in Partner Party.

Mario Party Superstars[edit]

Mario Party Superstars, as withMario Party: The Top 100, is a compilation of various minigames and so Mario's role is limited as being one of the various playable characters. Mario's cameos in a couple minigames and boards are retained, barring Leaf Leap, including his statue in Coney Island and his pixelated rendering in Squared Away (which has been redesigned to resemble his sprite fromSuper Mario Bros.). His topper in Peach's Birthday Cake reappears, being more on-model but given a plastic material and several seams.

Super Mario Party Jamboree /Super Mario Party Jamboree – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Jamboree TV[edit]

Mario's most distinguishing trait inSuper Mario Party Jamboree and theNintendo Switch 2 edition of the game is his role as aJamboree Buddy. If he is encountered, he starts the Showdown minigame calledMario's Three-peat where he participates with 4 players in a series of three minigames from past Mario Party installments: Leaf Leap, Bumper Balls, and Shy Guy Says. Each player is scored based on their performance, versus Mario's score additionally, and whoever has the most points earns Mario as a Jamboree Buddy. The person who encounters Mario receives a small advantage by having three points at the start of the minigame. As a Jamboree Buddy, Mario can add from 3 to 8 to the player's dice roll.

Mario's Three-peat is also available inMinigame Bay. If Mario is used, he and the other players instead face a graylook-alike of himself.

Mario cameos in some minigames:

• Brick Breaker - a formation that resembles Mario's sprite fromSuper Mario Bros. is breakable.
• Down the Hatch - Mario is one of the character dolls that players can poke into the reward tray for coins.

Mario and Luigi are the two usable characters inParatroopa Flight School.

Mario's stage,Mario's Rainbow Castle, also returns.

Super Mario Party Jamboree is the first game in the series whereKevin Afghani provides Mario's voice, instead of recordings ofCharles Martinet.

Mario Golf series[edit]

Mario Golf character
Mario
Drive	270 yards
Shot	High Draw
Description	Mario is a popular character who boasts a highly-refined technique. He's always anxious to get out on the course!
How to unlock	Defeating him in "Get Character Mode" (N64). Available from the start (GBC).
Portrayed by	Charles Martinet

Mario in a follow-through. In the series, Mario has been portrayed as having a straight trajectory swing.

Mario Golf (Nintendo 64)[edit]

“Welcome to Mario Golf!”

—Mario,Mario Golf (Nintendo 64)

InMario Golf for the Nintendo 64, Mario's drive is 270 yards, the second-strongest in the game, with onlyBowser andMetal Mario surpassing him, and his shot is Draw. He must be unlocked for the single-player modes, but he is available by default in the multiplayer modes. He also appears with Luigi at the 18th hole ofMario's Star.

Mario Golf (Game Boy Color)[edit]

Mario also appears in theGame Boy Color version under the same name, even though this version is drastically different from the Nintendo 64 version that it can interact with. The game also features a story mode where Mario and otherSuper Mario characters are not playable.

Mobile Golf[edit]

Mario appears in the Japan-onlyMobile Golf, but he is unlockable only through the connection of a mobile phone network.

Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour[edit]

“It's-a me! (Mario! Hoo-hoo!) I've been on fire lately, but I hope you'll challenge me!”

—Mario,Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour

InMario Golf: Toadstool Tour, Mario is a default character in all modes. His shot is 212 yards (280 yards with a Star), giving him the fifth-strongest drive in the game with a high, straight trajectory. Although he can hit farther than many other characters, his shots are more influenced by the wind due to his high trajectory, but they can go farther with a favorable wind direction. He has a decently strong impact and the second-best spin, behind only Bowser, but as a trade-off to his strong drive, his control is very poor, tied withDonkey Kong's for the second-worst in the game and better than only Bowser's andPetey Piranha's; this means Mario's shots are more sensitive to veering off if the player does not perfectly time the hits while he is swinging. When he hits aNice Shot, the ball is encased in flames.

Mario also makes a few miscellaneous appearances throughout the game. He is part of theHUD, accompanying the sliding bar. In Hole 3Peach's Castle Grounds, Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach, and Yoshi are part of a rock formation resemblingMount Rushmore.

Mario Golf: Advance Tour[edit]

As withMario Golf for the Nintendo 64,Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour features a different handheld variant entitledMario Golf: Advance Tour, which continues the story from the Game Boy Color version ofMario Golf. As with its predecessors, Mario and otherSuper Mario characters are not playable in the story mode. Instead, he is seen as the greatest golfer in the tournament, andNeil andElla attempt to proceed through the ranks to try to defeat him.

Mario Golf: World Tour[edit]

Mario returns inMario Golf: World Tour as a default character. His combination of having the fifth-highest drive and straight trajectory makes him a versatile character suited to perform well in many golfing maneuvers, but his control is poor. Mario also has agold variant that features identical stats and the inability to use items, but it awards Mario a coin per yard depending on how far the ball travels, similar to a permanentGold Flower.

Mario Golf: Super Rush[edit]

Mario reappears as a playable character inMario Golf: Super Rush, sporting a golfing outfit. He is a Speed character with average stats. HisSpecial Shot is known as the Super Star Strike, and hisSpecial Dash is known as the Moonsault Dash.

Mario Tennis series[edit]

Mario and Peach in a match against Bowser and Luigi inMario Tennis: Ultra Smash

Mario is a playable character in all games of theMario Tennis series. In all direct games in the series—Mario Tennis for the Nintendo 64,Mario Power Tennis for theNintendo GameCube andWii,Mario Tennis: Power Tour for the Game Boy Advance,Mario Tennis Open for theNintendo 3DS,Mario Tennis: Ultra Smash for theWii U, andMario Tennis Aces for theNintendo Switch—he is an all-around character. InMario Tennis for theGame Boy Color, Mario is an unlockable character, unlocked by completing the Singles Mario Tour.

Mario Tennis (Nintendo 64)[edit]

The blue Mario referee

“Mario Tennis!”

—Mario andLuigi,Mario Tennis (Nintendo 64)

InMario Tennis for the Nintendo 64, Mario is an all-around playable character, and he has several themed courts including theMario Bros. Court, theMario & Luigi Court, and theSuper Mario Court. In the doubles version of tournament mode, his AI doubles partner is Luigi. Additionally, if Peach is the human player, Mario is her partner.

If Mario is not playing in a match, he appears as the referee. A clone of Mario wearing a blue cap replaces his role as a referee if Mario is playing in a match; however, this clone is always the referee during theStar Cup andPlanet Cup, regardless of whether or not Mario is playing. The referee wears different outfits depending on the tournament.

Mario is also the announcer in this game, making this the only game in theMario Tennis series where he takes this role.

Mario Tennis (Game Boy Color)[edit]

InMario Tennis for the Game Boy Color, Mario is a supportingNPC in the main story campaign called the Mario Tour.Alex orNina, the main character of the mode, faces Mario as a final opponent in Singles or Mario and Peach in Doubles onCastle Court. Once Mario is defeated, he is unlocked for the Exhibition Mode. Mario is used in a side minigame,Boo Blast, where he rallies with Luigi and tries to hit the Boos hovering above the net.

This version ofMario Tennis is one of the few games where, instead of being a default character, Mario needs to be unlocked. He is classified as an all-around character.

Mario Power Tennis[edit]

InMario Power Tennis, Mario and Luigi are the only all-around characters. Unlike in other games, Mario and Luigi have subtle differences within each other. While they have nearly identical movement speed, Mario has more power, while Luigi has slightly more reach and more control. Mario, when compared to other characters, has a slightly below-average reach and lunge because of his short stature. Mario is stronger than most non-power characters. All his other stats are average. Mario'sOffensive Power Shot has his racket transform into a giant mallet, enabling him to hit the ball with high speed and force; opponents that return the ball may get blasted to the back of the court. Mario'sDefensive Power Shot is a simple spin that allows him to reach lobs and faraway balls quickly, but it is one of the few Defensive Power Shots that fail when the ball is too far away. Mario'staunt is waving and saying, "Come on!"

Mario appears occasionally in several trophy-earning ceremonies inMario Power Tennis. While Mario appears more than most characters in these ceremonies, Luigi appears the most.

During the opening cinematic, Mario returns the ball that gets past Wario and Waluigi, allowing him and Luigi to win the opener of the tournament. During the night of the final match, Mario and Luigi are about to face off against Yoshi and Donkey Kong, but their opponents fail to show up, as Wario and Waluigi appear instead. Wario and Waluigi launch a full-scale assault by throwing Bob-ombs, while Mario and Luigi use their tennis rackets to knock back the explosives, which causes significant damage to thePeach Dome in recoil. After Bowser launches a Bullet Bill from his balloon, Mario knocks it back to Wario and Waluigi. Mario is unharmed during the chaos, even after Bowser's balloon generates an explosion that nearly wipes out the venue and the rest of the inhabitants inside.

Mario Tennis: Power Tour[edit]

Like inMario Tennis for the Game Boy Color, Mario is a supporting NPC in the main story mode, withClay orAce instead being the playable character. In the story, Clay/Ace tries to investigate the identity of the masked challengers that defeated the champions at theRoyal Tennis Academy while also aspiring to face Mario after winning in Island Open. Clay/Ace later discovers that Mario and friends are the opponents, and they play against them to thePeach Tournament in the Mushroom Kingdom.

Mario is an all-around character who is available from the start in the Exhibition Mode.

Mario Tennis Open[edit]

InMario Tennis Open, Mario shares nearly identical stats fromMario Power Tennis. His metal form, Metal Mario, also appears as a Power character.Miis can wear tennis clothing based on Mario, and if they win the singles Final Cup, they can wear his costume as well.

Mario Tennis: Ultra Smash[edit]

InMario Tennis: Ultra Smash, Mario is again a balanced character. Mario's tennis racket color is slightly different; rather than being a solid blue, it is predominantly red and blue with some white.

Mario Tennis Aces[edit]

Prior to the release ofMario Tennis Aces, Mario was among the characters that could be used in the online tournament demo. In the game, Mario wears a tennis outfit to fit the sport. However, his standard outfit could be unlocked by either participating in the online tournament demo or accumulating 500 participation points in the January 2019 online tournament. While most of his model is reused fromMario Tennis: Ultra Smash, his hair is more detailed. During the game's adventure mode, Mario is, for most of the missions, the playable character and must collect the fivePower Stones to stopLucien. As of the game's version 2.0.0 update, the player can unlock a costume for Mario that has him wielding a Lucien replica while wearing his tennis outfit by completingLast Trial Boss Challenge.

Mario Tennis Fever[edit]

Announced in the September 2025 Nintendo Direct, celebrating theSuper Mario Bros. 40th Anniversary,Mario Tennis Fever returns Mario with his tennis gear fromMario Tennis Aces. During the trailer for the campaign mode of the game, Mario is shown with his normal overalls, cowering with Luigi and Princess Peach before they are transformed into their baby counterparts. Due to their skills being reset, Baby Mario has to rebuild his skills and defeat the monsters to revert to his older self.

Paper Mario series[edit]

Paper Mario[edit]

Mario's initial design in thePaper Mario series depicts him with dotted eyes, a black cap rim, and visible legs.

Paper Mario follows Mario's attempt at rescuing Princess Peach and theStar Spirits from Bowser. After imprisoning the Star Spirits in cards, Bowser, along withKammy Koopa, defeats Mario with theStar Rod, forcing Mario to adventure and recover the Star Spirits. WithToad Town serving as the main hub for his travels, Mario travels to various locations and befriendsParty Members that assist him in battle. During the events of this game,Toad Town News traces Mario as he tries to save the Star Spirits and posts news about his progress. Peach also in the meantime tries to help Mario through sneaking in the castle and havingTwink relay helpful items and information to him for the whereabouts on each Star Spirit.

Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door[edit]

"The Great Gonzales" redirects here. For the character fromPaper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door sometimes called The Great Gonzales Jr., seeYoshi Kid.

SincePaper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, Mario's paper design has been simplified further, and this is the design used for the subsequent games (starting withMario & Luigi: Paper Jam, a texture and a white outline were added to accentuate the paper material).

InPaper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door andits remake, Peach invites Mario toRogueport to sharea treasure map leading to powerful artifacts calledCrystal Stars. By the time Mario arrives, theX-Nauts have kidnapped her. The X-Nauts need to use her as a vessel for theShadow Queen so the leader of the X-Nauts,Grodus, can use her power to aid him in world domination.

In search of Peach, Mario sets out to collect the seven Crystal Stars. Gaining many new partners and finding all Crystal Stars, Mario entersthe Thousand-Year Door. There he finds Grodus standing before the Shadow Queen's room. Mario defeats Grodus but is then ambushed by Bowser and Kammy Koopa. This gives Grodus time to escape with Peach to the Shadow Queen's room. When Mario arrives, Grodus has awakened the Shadow Queen herself, taking control of Peach's body. Mario has to fight her possessed form, and, using the help of the Rogueport citizens' wishes, Mario prevails.

In theGlitz Pit, Mario is namedThe Great Gonzales (also known as the titleThe Merciless Executioner) byGrubba. Additionally in the Glitz Pit, when Mario optionally returns to the Glitz Pit to fightRawk Hawk a second time, someone in the crowd yells, "Jumpman! Wait. Who?" referencing Mario's alternate name inDonkey Kong arcade materials.

Mario can wear two badges that change the colors of his clothes. TheL Emblem makes him resemble Luigi, and theW Emblem makes him resemble Wario, but when they are worn together, Mario resembles Waluigi.

Super Paper Mario[edit]

InSuper Paper Mario, Mario and Luigi sit intheir house one day when they hear the news that Princess Peach has been kidnapped. The Mario Bros. rush to Bowser's Castle, thinking he has the princess, an assumption to be proven wrong. Later, a new antagonist namedCount Bleck shows up and kidnaps Luigi and Bowser. It is also revealed that Count Bleck has Peach, too.

Mario is transported toFlipside, a town between dimensions. Mario later finds Bowser and Peach, who decide to join Mario in his quest to stop Count Bleck. Mario must go through eight chapters to get eightPure Hearts, which can counter the Chaos Heart. Mario also encounters new enemies, such asO'Chunks,Dimentio,Mimi,Nastasia, and even his brother, Luigi, now calledMr. L because Nastasia, an assistant of Count Bleck's, has brainwashed him (however, he joins Mario once he is freed by Dimentio and sent toThe Underwhere).

Mario's special ability is theflip, which allows him to travel between 2D and 3D plains, which is necessary to progress and solve puzzles. Unlike the other playable characters who have their special abilities unlocked from the beginning of the game, Mario cannot flip untilBestovius teaches him the technique in Chapter 1-1.

Paper Mario: Sticker Star[edit]

InPaper Mario: Sticker Star, Mario, along with Princess Peach and manyToads, is celebrating theSticker Fest, a holiday where sixRoyal Stickers ride in ona comet that allows wishes to come true. Bowser, however, takes the comet for himself, releasing its Royal Stickers to him and his minions. Mario attempts to jump on him, but his efforts fail and Mario is knocked out. Shortly after waking up, he meets a sticker guardian namedKersti, and with her help, he saves some Toads hidden around the town and takes back the Royal Stickers. Mario then pursues Bowser by traveling through various worlds. Along the way, Mario must collect various stickers to aid him in defeating enemies and progress through levels.

After getting five of the six Royal Stickers, Mario is allowed to enterBowser's Sky Castle. Mario defeats Bowser and gets the last Royal Sticker, but Kersti is destroyed in the process. He releases Peach, who thanks Mario for his efforts and allows him to make a wish on the Sticker Star. He wishes for the return of Kersti, and the Sticker Fest is saved.

Paper Mario: Color Splash[edit]

InPaper Mario: Color Splash, Mario, Peach, and Toad get sent toPrism Island, which got drained of half its colors. Here, Mario meets a paint can guardian namedHuey, and with his help, Mario saves theBig Paint Stars and restores color to the island by collecting them in each level while defeating enemies with hisPaint Hammer andBattle Cards.

After getting all six Big Paint Stars, Mario is ready to face Bowser by enteringBlack Bowser's Castle, but he cannot walk up the rainbow road path. Luigi comes in with his kart, and the duo drives off to face Bowser. Mario and Huey defeat Bowser and paints Peach back, and she thanks Mario for his efforts. They leave the castle, but Huey decides to stay behind to drain the castle and sends the black paint far away. That night, a celebration is held for the return of all of the colors in Prism Island. Peach thanks Mario for everything and realizes that Huey will be all right after everything they have done.

Paper Mario: The Origami King[edit]

InPaper Mario: The Origami King, Mario (calledBig M byBob-omb) and Luigi are invited into Toad Town by Peach to celebrate the Origami Festival. Mario quickly notices Peach's change of appearance and demeanor, the result of her being attacked byKing Olly, and is nearly turned into origami himself before barely escaping the castle. It now falls on him to restore the Mushroom Kingdom with the help of numerous allies, includingOlivia, several of Bowser's minions, and even Bowser himself.

Luigi's Mansion series[edit]

Luigi's Mansion[edit]

Luigi's Mansion is the first game released after the Nintendo 64 games to show Mario's redesigned look from advancements in 3D technology.

Mario is a captive inLuigi's Mansion andits Nintendo 3DS remake. After he arrives atthe mansion Luigi has won,King Boo and his minions trap Mario ina painting as revenge for defeating Boos in the past. Mario is first seen in-game at theBottom of the Well, when Luigi peers through the mouth of a lion statue and sees him in theSecret Altar, calling to him for help. If Luigi lingers in the area, Mario will call out to him impatiently. After Luigi captures King Boo with thePoltergust 3000, he recovers Mario's portrait and takes it to thePortrificationizer Chamber insideProfessor E. Gadd'sLab, where E. Gadd then sets Mario free from the painting by reversing theGhost Portrificationizer.

Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon[edit]

InLuigi's Mansion: Dark Moon, Mario is trapped again as a sketch in a painting. Mario is not directly referenced or seen until in theHaunted Towers, where Luigi sees the Boos holding an upside-down portrait of him. There, only his feet are showing. Later, the game reveals that King Boo trapped him. However, unlike in the previous game, the painting is in black and white, and Mario is completely frozen. After Luigi finds the last piece of theDark Moon, King Boo transports him toanother dimension and engages him in battle. After King Boo is defeated, Luigi frees Mario with hisDark-Light Device, after which he, Mario, E. Gadd, severalghosts, and several Toads pose for a picture after Mario thanks Luigi for saving him.

Luigi's Mansion 3[edit]

InLuigi's Mansion 3, Mario is once again trapped in a painting with everyone else atThe Last Resort (barring Luigi, who manages to escape from King Boo). Luigi manages to free Mario after he defeatsHellen Gravely. Mario happily embraces Luigi and urges Luigi to head to therooftop. Once Luigi catches up to Mario at the top and frees Princess Peach, King Boo attacks and traps Mario again, this time in a single painting with Peach, E. Gadd, and the three Toads. After Luigi defeats King Boo, Mario and everyone else are freed again, with Mario congratulating Luigi for saving everyone, and the game ends.

Mario & Luigi series[edit]

Mario and Luigi directly team up in theMario & Luigi series. Throughout the series, the brothers embark on various adventures across theMushroom Kingdom and beyond, often tasked with defeating threats not native to the Mushroom Kingdom. Mario is shown to be headstrong when given a task, eager to help those who asked for it, and usually drags Luigi along with him, be it by accident or by force, though he strongly supports Luigi. In terms of battle statistics, Mario, compared to Luigi, has higherpower andspeed stats but trails in hisdefense andHP.

Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga /Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga + Bowser's Minions[edit]

In theMario & Luigi series, Mario has black irises and a simpler face. The insignia on his hat is black in the first three installments, but it was changed to be red fromDream Team onwards. There is a red tinge on his nose in the first installment, but this is absent in later games.

InMario & Luigi: Superstar Saga andits 3DS remake,Cackletta has arrived in disguise in the Mushroom Kingdom and has stolen Princess Peach's voice so she can take over theBeanbean Kingdom. Mario and Luigi (who goes on the adventure against his will), with Bowser's help, arrive in the Beanbean Kingdom, butFawful causes them to crash-land inStardust Fields, beginning their adventure. Along the way, Mario and Luigi learn to help each other traverse the varied land through learning jumping techniques, acquiringhammers, and Mario's learning to shoot fire while Luigi's learning to shoot electricity. Some notable characters Mario and Luigi meet include but are not limited toPopple, a brainwashed Bowser who calls himselfRookie,Prince Peasley,Queen Bean, theHammerhead Bros., theStarshade Bros.,Blablanadon, and Professor E. Gadd.

Mario has multiple abilities in this game, and they are learned as he and Luigi progress. If he is following Luigi, the brothers can use theSpin Jump to cross large gaps; Mario can also useFirebrand on Luigi to allow the two to move fast and either run past rolling spikes or knock downAnkoopas. If Luigi hits Mario with a hammer, Mario can transform intoMini Mario, letting him enter small openings. Mario can also hold large amounts of water asPump Mario as use for water projectiles, watering plants (if Luigi usesThunderhand on him), and putting out fires.

Tanoombas have the ability to transform into copies of Mario and Luigi.

Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time[edit]

Mario with Baby Mario on his back

InMario & Luigi: Partners in Time, after a mishap from usingE. Gadd's time machine, causingtime holes to spawn aroundPrincess Peach's Castle, Mario and Luigi set out to rescue Peach, who is trapped back in time. There, they meet their baby counterparts, who team up with them for the rest of the game. Mario and company then go through more time holes, meeting many characters to help them along the way, includingKylie Koopa,Toadbert,Toadsworth the Younger, andE. Gadd from the past.Stuffwell helps store their items and advise them during their adventure. They soon discover that theShroobs, lead byPrincess Shroob, are planning to take over the Mushroom Kingdom, transform its residents toShroob mushrooms, and harvestvim to power their ships and try to stop them.

Unlike inMario & Luigi: Superstar Saga, Mario always leads Luigi, and this is the case for the rest of the series, even in the remakes.Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time pairs Mario withBaby Mario, though Mario can separate from his baby self with theBaby Toss. During battle, if they are paired, Baby Mario assists Mario in standard attacks, helping him deal more damage. Mario takes damage for Baby Mario; if he is defeated, Baby Mario removes him from the battle. Mario and Luigi lack the hammer unlike in other games, so they cannot deal damage to spiked enemies without Baby Mario andBaby Luigi or without using aBros. Item such as theSmash Egg. While they have the Spin Jump fromSuperstar Saga, there are other new techniques Mario and Luigi can learn, including theBros. Ball, which they can use to travel faster and flatten the baby Mario Bros. toBaby Cakes.

Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story /Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story + Bowser Jr.'s Journey[edit]

InMario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story andits 3DS remake, a new disease called theblorbs, which make Toads grow to a giant size, has affected the Mushroom Kindgom citizens. Mario and Luigi attend a meeting at Peach's Castle that is disrupted when Bowser barges in. Bowser then fights Mario and is defeated. Thrown toDimble Wood, Bowser receives aVacuum Shroom from Fawful, which makes him inhale everything, including Mario, Luigi,Starlow, the princess, Toadsworth, and several of the Toads. Fawful later kidnaps Peach so she can awaken theDark Star, to control the Mushroom Kingdom. Throughout the game, the heroes help Bowser in his trips, while they travel to various parts ofhis body and the Mushroom Kingdom while trying to find theStar Cures.

In the 3DS remake, Mario makes a brief appearance in the newBowser Jr.'s Journey mode, where he and Luigi pass byBowser Jr., who tries a fight with them while inBubble Lake, but Starlow stops the fighting.

Mario & Luigi: Dream Team[edit]

InMario & Luigi: Dream Team, Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach, Toadsworth, and the Toads are invited to a vacation atPi'illo Island byDr. Snoozemore. They also find Starlow there. Mario and Luigi follow Peach and Toadsworth when they end up ejected into the ruins and find aPi'illo, which later turns out to bePrince Dreambert. They discover that Luigi can sleep and openDream Portals to theDream World.Antasma, however, kidnaps Peach through a Dream Portal, which Mario promptly follows. In the Dream World, Mario meetsDreamy Luigi, who assists Mario in the Dream World in both fights and the field. Prince Dreambert, when freed, explains to Mario and Luigi that Antasma is searching for theDream Stone; he already has stolen theDark Stone but is trapped in the Dream World. The story then revolves around Mario, Luigi, and Starlow trying to rescue Peach and retrieve the Dream Stone to prevent Antasma (who teams up with Bowser) from using them for evil deeds.

Mario plays a supporting role duringGiant Luigi fights, where he rests on Luigi's head. During these battles, he is rendered in 3D, a first in the series, where he is usually rendered as sprites. He can use Bros. Attacks to either coordinate a powerful attack withDrill Stomp or heal Luigi withRhythm Mushroom. Once he uses a Bros. Attack, he needs to rest. Mario is part of a crucial finishing move calledFinishing Bros., where he rides a Star and attempts to crash into the boss.

Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam[edit]

Mario appears once again as one of the main protagonists inMario & Luigi: Paper Jam, where he and Luigi team up withMario's paper counterpart after thePaper Mario universe was brought to their universe. The trio works together to save Princess Peach andher paper counterpart, who have been kidnapped by the two Bowsers. The gameplay is largely the same as that of the previous entries, although now there are alsoPapercraft battles that involve the trio operating giant cardboard battle units.

Mario & Luigi: Brothership[edit]

Mario's promotional art, now rendered in 3D, has been redesigned for a more digital look, with more saturated colors, smoother shading, and more evenly distributed line work.

In a cutscene inMario & Luigi: Brothership, Mario searches for Luigi while he is being chased by bees and saves him just in time when he runs off a cliff. Afterwards, Mario's and Luigi's hands begin to glow, and a large bright portal materializes from them in the sky, teleporting the brothers away.

Unlike in the prior games, Mario is rendered fully in 3D with a cel shader applied.

Mario Pinball Land[edit]

Mario as a pinball

“Mario Pinball Land!”

—Mario,Mario Pinball Land

InMario Pinball Land, Mario waits in line with Princess Peach to try theSky Cannon. After two Goombas turn the cannon to fire Peach intoBowser's castle, Mario travels through the stages as a pinball to rescue her. Once Bowser is defeated, Mario and Peach are reunited and ride an attraction together.

Yakuman DS[edit]

Mario appears in the Japanese-exclusive game of mahjong inYakuman DS as a playable character or rival. He is a default character as usual in theSuper Mario spinoffs. As a rival, he has normal difficulty and relies on a balanced playstyle.

Super Mario Stadium series[edit]

Mario Superstar Baseball[edit]

InMario Superstar Baseball, Mario is a balanced character, although his running is only average. Mario's special ball is the classicFireball, which allows him to pitch or launch the ball at high speeds. Mario's abilities are very similar to Luigi's. Mario's default team is called the Mario Sunshines, which mostly consist of the non-playable characters fromSuper Mario Sunshine.

Mario's special abilities includeWall Jump, which can help him catch fly balls at the edge of the field, and an improvedSliding Catch.

Mario Super Sluggers[edit]

“Let's-a play ball! Woohoo!”

—Mario,Mario Super Sluggers

InMario Super Sluggers, Mario's team is called the Mario Fireballs, which consist of the Mario Bros., the baby Mario Bros.,Piantas,Nokis, aMonty Mole, and aBlooper. Mario also had his batting and running skills improved, while his pitching and fielding remain the same. Mario's ability isEnlarge, which enables him to knock away third-base and home-base players and possibly the baseball if he succeeds a close play.

Super Princess Peach[edit]

Mario held captive by Army Hammer Bro

Mario once again ends up in need of rescue inSuper Princess Peach. Bowser sends an army ofHammer Bros. (led byArmy Hammer Bro) andGoombas to invade Peach's Castle. Mario, Luigi, and the Toads, busy defending the castle, are overwhelmed by theVibe Scepter and captured by a group of Hammer Bros. Princess Peach is not in the castle at the time and so escapes the attack. Mario and the others are taken toVibe Island, the source of the enemies' power; Mario is imprisoned in a dungeon ofBowser's Villa. After reading a note left by Bowser about having captured Mario, Peach, with Toadsworth's giftPerry, decides to rescue Mario herself. Peach and Perry venture through various parts of the island, using emotional powers calledVibes to defeat Bowser's minions and rescue the Toads. After rescuing Luigi, Peach and Perry finally arrive at Bowser's Villa, where Mario is being held. Following Bowser's defeat, Peach and Perry free Mario, who then shares a joyful reunion with Peach and gives her a bunch of flowers. Following a successful rescue mission, Peach, Perry, Mario, Luigi, and the Toads return to the Mushroom Kingdom.

Mario Strikers series[edit]

In theMario Strikers (orMario Football in the PAL regions) series, Mario takes on a variation of yet another sport, soccer (or football), referred to inMario Strikers: Battle League as "Strike." In the first two games, Mario's team number is 1 and his captain type is Balanced. InSuper Mario Strikers, however, he plays similarly to the rest of the roster. InMario Strikers: Battle League, unlike with his balanced classification in most spinoffs, he is a technique character who sports more emphasis on his technique and shooting stats, but his other stats are also balanced. Later updates introduce characters classified as all-around, including Shy Guy and Bowser Jr. Mario'sSuper Strike inSuper Mario Strikers is theFire Strike, while hisHyper Strike inMario Strikers: Battle League is the Fire Cyclone. His Super Ability inMario Strikers Charged isSuper Mario!, which increases his size, crushes any players including opponents and teammates, and increases the power of his shooting. Unlike in most sports games, he is seen wearing a soccer outfit, along with an armor and metallic gloves inMario Strikers Charged, while inMario Strikers: Battle League, the player can equip him with gear that alters his appearance and stats.

Mario Hoops 3-on-3[edit]

InMario Hoops 3-on-3, Mario is a default character. HisSpecial Shot is theFire Shot, which involves Mario dribbling the ball around him in the shape of anM and then either alley-ooping or dunking a flaming red basketball into the hoop. To execute this move, the player must tap the touchscreen in the shape of the letterM. Mario is classified as a balanced character.

Mario Sports Mix[edit]

InMario Sports Mix, Mario is an All-Rounder type character, and all of his stats are average. His stadium in the game isMario Stadium. Most of his attacks involve spinning. In Basketball, he spins into his opponent if he is blocking his opponent for too long. In Hockey, his hits involve a two-hit combo followed by a spin. In Dodgeball, he rolls forward to avoid any incoming hit. In Volleyball, he spins when he spikes. In all sports, his special move is a fire blast that is so powerful that opponents have to resist the force while sliding backwards if they do not want Mario to score.

NES Remix series[edit]

Mario appears in theNES Remix series, featuring inNES Remix,NES Remix 2,NES Remix Pack, andUltimate NES Remix.

Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker[edit]

InCaptain Toad: Treasure Tracker, Mario makes a brief cameo at the fiftieth and final room ofMummy-Me Maze Forever on a poster. Tapping the poster gives a single coin. In theWii U version of the game, he also appears in the post-credits cutscene, which is the same as the cutscene shown at the beginning ofSuper Mario 3D World.

Mario Sports Superstars[edit]

Mario appears inMario Sports Superstars, where he is a Balance type character in most sports; in tennis, he is classified as the similar All-Around type. As a result, Mario has few weak stats, but by the same token he does not excel in any stat in particular. His special shots involve hitting the ball with a fiery streak. In golf, Mario's default drive is 220 yards, and his shots travel straight and high.

Yoshi franchise[edit]

Yoshi[edit]

Mario is featured in the first game of theYoshi franchise, entitled simplyYoshi (orMario & Yoshi). The gameplay is similar to that ofTetris: Mario holds several enemies and must align them vertically to eliminate them and score points. Mario can also match egg halves vertically (even with enemies in between) to create aYoshi's Egg that hatches aBaby Yoshi, giving Mario 50 points. The Yoshi that Mario can hatch is dependent on the enemies between the egg halves.

Yoshi's Cookie[edit]

Mario is portrayed as a baker in another puzzle game of theYoshi franchise,Yoshi's Cookie, along with its remake inNintendo Puzzle Collection. The title screen of the NES and Game Boy versions shows a small narrative: Mario fails to open a cookie jar, but when he gets an idea and leaves, Yoshi enters and eats the jar. Mario then chases Yoshi with a hammer. When Mario returns with the cookie jar, however, the jar is empty. In the game, Mario must clear rows and columns of cookies by matching them. There are six types of cookies he must match. Mario can also face against Princess Peach, Yoshi, or Bowser in the VS mode of the game, where he must maintain a higher lit fuse than his opponent by clearing rows of cookies. Matching fiveYoshi Cookies gives a special move that can disrupt the opponent's playing field.

Yoshi's Safari[edit]

InYoshi's Safari, Mario and Yoshi are sent by Princess Peach to rescueJewelry Land from Bowser's occupation. In this game, Mario uses a gun called theSuper Scope (controlled by the player with said accessory for the Super Nintendo) to shoot enemies while riding on Yoshi's back. Mario fights the Koopalings and Bowser to freeKing Fret andPrince Pine of Jewelry Land.

Yoshi's Island series[edit]

Mario revealing himself inYoshi's New Island

TheYoshi's Island series takes place while Mario and Luigi are babies, who are referred to asBaby Mario andBaby Luigi, respectively. In entries of that series, thestork delivers Baby Mario and Baby Luigi to their parents but is intercepted byKamek. He succeeds in capturing only Baby Luigi and the stork, while Baby Mario is rescued byYoshi. The goal of the series is for Yoshi to rescue Baby Luigi so the stork can safely reunite the two brothers to their parents.

InYoshi's New Island, adult Mario is disguised as a live Warp Pipe namedMr. Pipe, and he helps Yoshi and Baby Mario by giving them needed items. He reveals himself in the end credits, where he eventually vanishes, presumably going back to his own time period.

Yoshi Touch & Go[edit]

Mario appears as a high score icon inYoshi Touch & Go.

Wario franchise[edit]

Mario & Wario[edit]

InMario & Wario, the fairyWanda must guide Mario safely to Luigi through hazards and traps in each level. Before each level,Wario blinds Mario by dropping buckets, barrels, or similar objects on his head. When Mario and Wanda arrive at the end of the level, Luigi removes the obstructing object. Besides Mario, the other usable characters are Princess Peach and Yoshi. Mario walks at a medium speed, while Peach is slow and Yoshi is fast.

Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3[edit]

AlthoughWario Land: Super Mario Land 3's title has Mario's name in it, Wario is the protagonist of this game. Mario is mentioned as one of Wario's motivations to go on a treasure hunt in the game's manual. Mario himself makes a small appearance at the end of the game, where he steals a Princess Peach statue from Wario via helicopter.

WarioWare series[edit]

Mario has made only minor, albeit occasional, appearances in theWarioWare series, being small cameos in some microgames. He also frequently appears in9-Volt's classicmicrogames, such asSuper Mario Brothers andSuper Mario Sunshine inWarioWare: Smooth Moves, andSuper Mario Bros. 3 andSuper Mario 64 DS inWarioWare: Move It!

InWarioWare, Inc.: Mega Microgame$!, Mario is the "judge" in the microgameUltra Machine. He and Bowser are also parodied inClassic Clash I,Classic Clash II, andClassic Clash III. Mario also appears in the microgamesRock Paper Scissors, in which the player must beat him in a game of the same name;Grow Wario Grow, whereWario must grab the mushroom and not let it go to Mario;Wario Facial, where parts of his face are shown; andWario Bros. starting at Level 2, where Wario must grab the coin before Mario does.

InWarioWare: Twisted!, Wario must greet Mario in the microgameBurying the Hatchet.

InWarioWare: Touched!, Mario appears as a blackboard drawing inJimmy T's microgameChalk Full. Mario also appears inWario-Man's microgameYou Scratch Mine, alongside Wario and evenToad. InWhere's Wario, Mario appears alongsideLuigi. Mario also makes an appearance outside the microgames inRetro Action, as a small figure, with Luigi, on 9-Volt's DJ set, who reacts accordingly to winning or losing a microgame.

In the drawing in the "Challenge Period" section of theWario Cup info screen inWarioWare: Get It Together!, the character standing in third place on the podium somewhat resembles Mario (with a character resembling Luigi standing in first place); the characters depicted previously appeared in theWarioWare: Smooth Moves microgameSpray It, Don't Say It, though their resemblance was less apparent due to the lack of color.

Game & Wario[edit]

InGame & Wario, one of the microgames in the minigameGamer,Sole Man, involves Mario, on the third level of difficulty. Here, the player's character, dressed as a Goomba, must purposely be stomped by his foot. This difficulty is different from the others, where the player must avoid being stomped.

Crossovers and guest appearances[edit]

Excitebike: Bun Bun Mario Battle Stadium[edit]

Mario is a playable character in aSuper Mario–styled remake ofExcitebike inExcitebike: Bun Bun Mario Battle Stadium. He competes with other racers to try to place third or higher. He appears to have no differences from the other racers.

Super Smash Bros. series[edit]

Mario as he appears in all theSuper Smash Bros. games up toUltimate

Mario has been playable in every game of theSuper Smash Bros. series to date. Mario is usually portrayed as a "main" character alongsideLink,Kirby, andPikachu, roughly depicted as the most prominent character and face of the games untilSuper Smash Bros. Ultimate, where he and Link share mascot status and Kirby is the closest thing to a main character inWorld of Light. Mario has retained his balanced abilities even when fighting characters from other series. Due to his balanced playstyle, Mario's skill is reflected by the player, as mentioned by the Adventure mode Mario trophy. Also, as a result of his balanced design, Mario is also typically chosen for the "template" character; in the originalSuper Smash Bros., as well as all subsequent installments, he is shown in the "How to Play" video; inSuper Smash Bros. Brawl, players use him when testing changes in Stage Builder; and inSuper Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS andSuper Smash Bros. for Wii U, his silhouette is an opponent character for special move demonstrations. He is also used for controller mapping testing and is part of the gauge when players select the level of intensity in Classic Mode. Mario's moveset consists of quick short-ranged attacks, such aspunches,kicks, and even head attacks. Mario's weight in the originalSuper Smash Bros. andSuper Smash Bros. Melee is 100 units; starting fromSuper Smash Bros. Brawl, his weight is decreased to 98 units. Mario's victory theme throughout the series, which is shared with the rest of theSuper Mario characters (exceptRosalina), is an arrangement of the theme "Course Clear" fromSuper Mario Bros.

Most of Mario's moveset remains the same throughout the games, though his forward smash has been altered from a fist-inflating punch to an explosive palm blast (used fromSuper Smash Bros. Melee onward). Additionally, his spinning kick forward aerial is replaced with a downwardhook fromMelee onward, whileMario Tornado has been used as his down aerial sinceBrawl.

Mario's alter-egosDr. Mario andMetal Mario have also made appearances, with Dr. Mario being playable inSuper Smash Bros. Melee,Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS,Super Smash Bros. for Wii U, andSuper Smash Bros. Ultimate. Mario also makes additional trophy, sticker, and spirit appearances, such as hisMario Strikers incarnation, his Raccoon form, and him driving a vehicle.

Super Smash Bros.[edit]

SmashWiki article:Mario (SSB)

InSuper Smash Bros., Mario's standard moveset is inspired fromSuper Mario 64; his standard attack is the punch + punch + kick combo, his dash attack is theSlide Kick, his down smash is theSweep Kick, and finally, his back throw is the same throw he uses againstBowser. His special moves areFireball, a bouncing fireball;Super Jump Punch, which has him jump, causingcoins to fly out when in contact with enemies; and Mario Tornado, which has him spinning rapidly. Luigi serves as aclone of Mario, having the same moveset but with different properties, although in later games, this trait instead applies to Dr. Mario.

In the Japanese version ofSuper Smash Bros., Mario is slightly smaller and has a bigger head compared to the international versions.

Super Smash Bros. Melee[edit]

SmashWiki article:Mario (SSBM)

InSuper Smash Bros. Melee, Mario gains a side special move:Cape, a cape swipe that reflects projectiles. Mario receives more detailed overalls, with visible metal buttons and pockets. Dr. Mario is introduced as a playable character, having near-identical moves. Mario receives a graphical update, including a design that is unique toMelee that appears to be based on theSuper Mario 64-styled promotional art from the previous console generation.

Super Smash Bros. Brawl[edit]

SmashWiki article:Mario (SSBB)

Mario's snapshot prior to him fighting Kirby in The Subspace Emissary

“Oh yeah! HIYAHHHHHHH...!!!”

—Mario,Super Smash Bros. Brawl

InSuper Smash Bros. Brawl, Mario has been redesigned to more closely resemble his contemporary appearance. Compared to his main series counterpart, Mario has longer limbs, smaller hands, and a longer neck. These proportions are reused for the next several games in theSuper Smash Bros. series. Like every other character, Mario is given aFinal Smash, which is namedMario Finale. This move launches a slow-moving two-streamed blast of fire that hits multiple times. Opponents that come in contact with the blast are knocked slightly to the side and are thus forced to travel in the blast's direction. His down special move, Mario Tornado, was replaced byF.L.U.D.D., which sprays water that can push opponents.

While Mario does not appear as Dr. Mario, unlike in the previous game, Dr. Mario's name can be found in the files for the game along withsix other characters.

Mario also plays a role as one of the several protagonists in the story mode ofThe Subspace Emissary. He is one of the earliest characters shown and is one of the first characters the player can use (the other being Kirby) throughout the cycling cast of usable characters in the story. His role in the story involves cooperating withPit, who later recalls this team-up in the nextSuper Smash Bros. game in Mario'sPalutena's Guidance conversation.

Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS /Wii U[edit]

SmashWiki article:Mario (SSB4)

InSuper Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS /Wii U, Mario, while retaining the general body structure fromBrawl, has been given brighter colors and simplified details on his overalls, along with a wider variety of more exaggerated facial expressions. His voice remains the same as inSuper Smash Bros. Brawl, however. As with any character, he can useequipment to boost his stats at the cost of others. In addition to generic badges, Mario can wear certain additional equipment, including shoes (to boost his speed), overalls (for defense), and gloves (for attack). Finally, Mario can use alternate special moves, provided that these moves are found during normal gameplay. One exception, in the Nintendo 3DS version, is the Explosive Punch, which is unlocked only if the player has a combined score of 200,000 points in Target Blast and the third Challenge Panel has been revealed.

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate[edit]

SmashWiki article:Mario (SSBU)

Mario's victory photo in Classic Mode

Mario returns inSuper Smash Bros. Ultimate as a playable character alongside every other character previously playable in the series. Mario appeared in the game's reveal teaser trailer, alongside Link (in his design fromThe Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild) and the new fighter,Inkling. As inSuper Smash Bros. for 3DS /Wii U, Mario retains his proportions fromBrawl but has a more muted color scheme, while the seam details on his overalls are more apparent. Mario's fire-based attacks, such as his sweet-spotted forward smash called Fireball, as well as Mario Finale, have brighter, flashier effects, including the appearance of smoke. Mario also hasCappy alongside him, though Cappy's appearance is limited to aesthetics. Most of Mario's moves are unaltered, though his Super Jump Punch now has a random chance of producingregional coins found in theMetro Kingdom fromSuper Mario Odyssey. In addition, Mario'sFire Mario andWario-based costumes are replaced with the Wedding and Builder outfits fromSuper Mario Odyssey. One of these two costumes, the Builder Outfit, was first used for Mario's artworks forSuper Mario Maker. In this game, three more of Mario's standard attacks receive names: His up smash is the Lead Headbutt, his forward air is the Meteor Knuckle, and his back throw is the Airplane Swing. As with several other returning characters, theSuper Mario-franchise victory theme has been slightly shortened and sped up compared to that in the previous installments.

In the game's Adventure mode, Mario is seen when the fighters opposeGaleem for the first time. Although Mario is not shown to be hit by Galeem's beams directly, he, like every fighter except Kirby, is imprisoned in the World of Light, where a Galeem-serving Puppet Fighter (copy) of him is created. Mario is the first imprisoned fighter saved (being rescued following Kirby's defeating the Mario Puppet Fighter). Once rescued, Mario joins Kirby against Galeem, and laterDharkon.

Mario'sfighter spirit uses his artwork fromMario Party 10. He also makes an appearance in various primary and support spirits.

Classic Mode route[edit]

Mario's Classic Mode route has him fight many characters across different franchises without a specific theme, similar to Classic Mode's previous iterations. However, Mario's penultimate battle pits him against Bowser Jr. and the Koopalings, while his final battle is against Bowser/Giga Bowser. Mario's Classic Mode route is called "Let's-a Go!" referencing one of his catchphrases. Following his Classic Mode route, it is possible to unlockSonic,Bayonetta,Little Mac,Ike,Luigi,Roy,Dr. Mario, orOlimar.

Mario engages in these battles in the following order:

1. Link andZelda onGreat Plateau Tower
2. A free-for-all betweenKirby,Meta Knight, andKing Dedede onGreen Greens
3. Donkey Kong andDiddy Kong onKongo Falls
4. A horde battle againstSquirtle,Ivysaur,Charizard, andPikachu onPokémon Stadium
5. Marth,Chrom, andIke onColiseum
6. A horde battle againstLarry,Morton,Wendy,Iggy,Roy,Lemmy,Ludwig, andBowser Jr. onPrincess Peach's Castle
7. Final boss againstBowser, who eventually becomesGiga Bowser, onFinal Destination

NBA Street V3[edit]

Mario dribbles withSteve Francis.

Mario, along with Luigi and Princess Peach, as a result of the Nintendo andEA partnership, makes a fully playable guest appearance exclusive to theNintendo GameCube version ofNBA Street V3. The three are part of a team entitled "Nintendo All-Stars," alongside other all-star basketball teams. Mario's team additionally has a special basketball court.

Dance Dance Revolution: Mario Mix[edit]

InDance Dance Revolution: Mario Mix, a collaboration withKonami'sDance Dance Revolution series, Mario has to win in dance-offs to help save the Mushroom Kingdom from being controlled by theMusic Keys. In the beginning,Waluigi goes toTruffle Towers to gain Music Keys and grant him the power to "hypnotize the rhythm-less masses." However, after he opens the door, all but one key fly to various locations in the Mushroom Kingdom. One of the Music Keys is found in the sea, another one inWario's carnival, and another atop asnowy mountain. Toad, who sees this occur, rushes to tell Mario (or Luigi). If all keys are not returned, they can be exploited by anyone.

Mario responds by setting out to find all four Music Keys, along with Toad. Using theSS Brass to navigate, Mario challenges the key owners to dance-offs. After Mario wins the keys, however, Bowser steals them. Mario wins a dance-off against him and gets the Music Keys back. Bowser reveals his intentions of stealing the keys: to help cure his tone-deafness. Mario and Toad decide to use the keys to change Bowser's Castle and the surrounding area into a paradise. From this, though, some music has been implemented into their souls, so they cannot stop dancing. The keys then are all returned to Truffle Towers.

SSX on Tour[edit]

Mario, along with Luigi and Peach, as withNBA Street V3, makes another playable guest appearance in the Nintendo GameCube version ofSSX on Tour, stemming from the same partnership with Nintendo and Electronic Arts. InSSX on Tour, Mario snowboards on a mountain and performs various stunts to earn points.

Itadaki Street series[edit]

Itadaki Street DS[edit]

TheSuper Mario series crosses over with theDragon Quest series in a property-holding spinoff game,Itadaki Street DS. As a computer-controlled opponent, Mario is classified as an A-rank, making him the second-most difficult opponent. As such, he can buy the maximum amount of stock per bank pass and make maximum investments if he has enough stock. Mario also has a high chance of buying out other properties. Unlike in many games, Mario has full dialogue when interacting with other players. The player can buy accessories for their main avatars; Mario's hat, clothes, and mustache are available ones.

Mario also has two boards:Mario Stadium from theMario Baseball series, andMario Circuit, which is loosely based onMario Kart: Double Dash!! andMario Kart DS.

Fortune Street[edit]

“Here we go! Just remember, little die: Mario's your best friend!”

—Mario,Fortune Street

Mario is a default character inFortune Street, although he is playable only in the multiplayer mode, as allSuper Mario andDragon Quest characters are in the game. As an opponent, he is Rank A, sharing this rank with Bowser and Bowser Jr., making him the second-most difficult opponent to face. Also, as an opponent, as inItadaki Street DS, he can speak in full sentences.

Mario & Sonic series[edit]

Artwork fromMario & Sonic at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games

Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games[edit]

Mario first appears as a playable character in both theWii version andNintendo DS version ofMario & Sonic at the Olympic Games, where he is an All-Around type character, giving him balanced statistics in all categories. He appears in the opening of theWii version at the start with all of the other athletes, as well as in100m.

Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games[edit]

Mario returns as a playable character in both versions ofMario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games. In theWii version, Mario appears in the opening with all of the other athletes at the start and end, as well as competing inSnowboard Cross. The game also features an outfit based on Mario for Miis to wear, as well as ones based onBee Mario andFire Mario. In theNintendo DS version, Mario can also be used as one of the playable characters to exploreWinter Island andDream Island in Adventure Tours mode, as well as being one of the first two to be selectable in events, along withSonic.

Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games[edit]

Mario returns as an All-Around type character in theWii version ofMario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games, appearing in the opening with the other athletes at the beginning, competing inTrampoline,Dream Hurdles, andDream Uneven Bars, and with Sonic on top ofBig Ben. The Mii outfits return from the Wii version ofMario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games, as well as the addition of two based onPropeller Mario andPenguin Mario.

In theNintendo 3DS version of the game, Mario is included in the Heroes group, alongside Sonic, Luigi, andTails, which allows him to compete only in certainevents. Throughout the story mode, Mario, Luigi, Sonic, and Tails team up to defeatimposters in thePhantasmal Fog generated by afog machine, which is disrupting the Olympics. Teaming up with other groups, the Heroes confront Bowser andDr. Eggman responsible for the fog and imposters. After defeating them, the Heroes seal the fog back into the urn. They all then head back to the Main Stadium for the opening ceremony of the Olympic games.

Abadge of Mario can also be obtained from the badge machine.

Mario & Sonic at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games[edit]

Mario appears inMario & Sonic at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games once again as a playable All-Around type character. All of the Mii costumes based on Mario from the Wii version ofMario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games return as well.

Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games[edit]

Mario appears in theWii U version ofMario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games once again as an All-Around type character. The Mario outfits return from the previous two instalments, but they now must be collected in separate head and body parts that each have their own set of bonus statistics. In theNintendo 3DS version, he, Sonic, and the Mii are the only characters that can be used for all events. In the Road to Rio mode, Mario's disappearance causes a disagreement between his and Sonic's gyms, though it is later revealed that Mario was missing due to investigating the theft of his and Sonic's Olympic medals from a museum.

Mario is playable as a Balance character in all events inMario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games Arcade Edition, but he has recommended events of100m andLong Jump. Here, all of his statistics are above average.

Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020[edit]

Mario appears inMario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 once again as an All-Around type playable character, now wearing appropriate sporting clothing depending on the event. In addition to being playable in the Tokyo 2020 events, Mario is also among the eight characters playable in the Tokyo 1964 events. In the story mode, he, Sonic, Bowser, Dr. Eggman, and Toad get sucked into agame system featuring 8-bit graphics and are transported back in time to the Tokyo 1964 Olympic Games. While in the game system, Mario uses his 8-bit appearance first used inSuper Mario Bros. To return to the real world, the five characters need to win gold medals in Olympic events.

Mario is also an All-Around type playable character inMario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 - Arcade Edition, having the same statistics as in the arcade version of the previous installment.

Puzzle & Dragons: Super Mario Bros. Edition[edit]

The story inPuzzle & Dragons: Super Mario Bros. Edition is similar to ones in the more traditionalSuper Mario platformers. Princess Peach invites Mario to her castle to show him some bright Orbs that have appeared. When Mario arrives, however, Bowser abducts Peach and Kamek steals the power of these Orbs, causing more Orbs to scatter in the Mushroom Kingdom. Mario and Red Toad set out to rescue Peach by using these Orbs to attack enemies along the way. In the meantime, Mario can recruit enemies from Baddie Blocks and allies, such asYoshis, that have been captured by Bowser. At Bowser's Castle, Mario defeats Bowser Jr. and Kamek several times. When Mario reaches and defeats Bowser, Bowser uses the Koopalings and Bowser Jr. together to attempt to beat Mario but fails. Mario eventually rescues Peach.

Mario is among the first usable team members inPuzzle & Dragons: Super Mario Bros. Edition, and either he, Luigi, or the duo's power-up forms (includingSmall Mario,Super Mario,Ice Mario,Raccoon Mario,Fire Mario,Boo Mario,Penguin Mario,Flying Squirrel Mario,Bee Mario,Statue Mario,Cat Mario, andWhite Tanooki Mario) can serve as leaders of the team. All of Mario and his various forms have the fire attribute in common.

Mario + Rabbids series[edit]

Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle[edit]

See also:Rabbid Mario

Mario and the rest of the playable cast inMario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle

InMario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle, Mario and his friends encounter a Mushroom Kingdom that has been fused with the world ofRabbids. Mario savesBeep-0 and later meetsRabbid Luigi andRabbid Peach, two Rabbids based onLuigi andPrincess Peach. He also reunites with Luigi,Yoshi,Toad, and Peach to help restore order to the Mushroom Kingdom. They use weapons attached to a message from an unknown individual named "F.B." (later revealed to be Beep-0 from the future).

Gameplay-wise, Mario is required in battle. He is a medium-range fighter with good mobility, and he has the highest offense tied with Yoshi. His specialjump is theStomp Jump, in which he lands on an enemy to deal 30 points of damage and lands on a nearby cell. His primary weapon is the Lightning Shark, which fires one missile at a time, while his secondary one is the Button Masher, which hits multiple targets at once. These weapons can be powered up by M-Power, which increases Mario's weapon damage along with the damage caused by his allies. His primary technique is Hero Sight, which allows him to immediately damage the first enemy he sees that moves. He also has his Rabbid counterpart, Rabbid Mario.

In theDonkey Kong Adventure DLC, Mario's role is restricted as a minor supporting character. He is instead seen with Rabbid Luigi and Luigi trying to warn Rabbid Peach, who is trying to charge her phone to get away from theTime Washing Machine, but they are too late.

Additionally, in the beginning of the game, theGenius Girl is shown to own a Mario figurine.

Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope[edit]

Mario reappears inMario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope. At the beginning of the game, Rabbid Peach is abducted by theDarkmess Manta, and Mario enters the Darkmess Dimension via the Manta to save her. After Mario and Rabbid Peach defeat severalStooges andGoombas, they are rescued by the rest of the team in theWM ARC speceship. Mario and Rabbid Peach join the rest of the team to stop the evil forceCursa from consuming theSparks to save the universe.

Mario now wields the Dual Slingers,^[10] a dual-wielding blaster-like weapon that can fire at two enemies at once. His Hero Sight technique returns from the previous game. His Stomp ability also returns. If unlocked in the skill tree, he can even fire at enemies during a team jump.^[11] Unlike inMario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle, Mario is not required to be in the party at all times.

Related non-game appearances[edit]

Donkey Kong (coloring/activity books)[edit]

Donkey Kong confronting Mario inDonkey Kong Strikes Again!

Ina series of activity books released in 1982, little Mario the carpenter appears as a hapless, balding, middle-aged employee atVideo Land Amusement Park. He is in love with Pauline, but he is unable to express it. He sets off to rescue her after Donkey Kong breaks free from his cage and kidnaps her.

In the other book series,Donkey Kong Strikes Again, after Pauline purchases the amusement park, she promotes Mario to foreman.

Donkey Kong Goes Home[edit]

In the albumDonkey Kong Goes Home, Mario works at a pizza parlor next to the narrator's candy shop andGamesville's zoo where Donkey Kong lives. She, Mario, and Pauline, who is Mario's delivery girl, would go to the zoo every day to see Donkey Kong and feed him food—until the animals, including Donkey Kong, were sold to the circus, which visits Gamesville only once a year, and the zoo became aconstruction site. Later,Jake the Watchman of the construction site calls Mario and orders a pizza, which Pauline heads to deliver. Donkey Kong sees Pauline and kidnaps her, and the narrator tells Mario to save her. As Mario climbs closer to Donkey Kong, he throws fewer barrels and soon recognizes him. Mario saves Pauline and everybody in Gamesville celebrates. Mario says Donkey Kong is not dangerous but rather homesick, and everyone decides that the top 20 floors of the building would be the Donkey Kong zoo.

Saturday Supercade[edit]

Mario andPauline in theDonkey Kong segment of the show

Mario makes his first appearance in a television show in theDonkey Kong segments ofSaturday Supercade. In the show, he is an apparent circus owner along with Pauline, who works as an animal trainer.Donkey Kong escapes from the circus, and Mario and Pauline are always on the loose to capture him. They go on many adventures where Donkey Kong gets himself involved in many situations, usually happening on crimes involving theft, fraud, and deceit, and Mario and Pauline try to help make things right.

Super Mario Bros.: Peach-hime Kyūshutsu Dai Sakusen![edit]

Mario and Luigi surrounded by mushroom people

The feature-length anime adaption ofSuper Mario Bros.,Super Mario Bros.: Peach-hime Kyūshutsu Dai Sakusen!, portrays Mario and Luigi asgrocery store workers. Mario has his video game hijacked, and he notices Princess Peach. She escapes the TV set, pleads for help, and gets kidnapped byBowser, dropping herBrooch. Mario quickly is attracted to her, and he and Luigi, while also traveling to the kingdom for riches, eventually followKibidango into a series ofpipes and explore the Mushroom Kingdom to search for Peach.

Super Mario no Kōtsū Anzen[edit]

Schools in Japan useSuper Mario no Kōtsū Anzen to instruct traffic safety and dealing with strangers for children. Mario is first referenced during a session where children are playingSuper Mario Bros. 3. A girl, however, gets lost after trying to go to her mother's store. Mario, in a car, nearly strikes her, and he lectures her on safety crossing the road. Later in the anime, he appears fending off Bowser, who is scaring children.

Super Mario no Shōbōtai[edit]

Similar toSuper Mario no Kōtsū Anzen,Super Mario no Shōbōtai is a Japanese educational short film intended to inform children on fire safety. Again, children, namedTatsuya andKaoru, are playingSuper Mario Bros. 3 in the beginning. Meanwhile, Mario and Luigi themselves are working at an auto junkyard. Later in the film, two children have set off fireworks and accidentally caused a fire in a trash bin, prompting the brothers to put out the fire and then lecture them about fire hazards caused by cigarette butts, neglected ovens, and mischievous children. Later in the film, a cigarette butt is responsible for a large fire, and firefighters arrive and stop the fire. Two of them are Mario and Luigi, who rescue a fainted mother and a crying baby.

Amada Anime Series: Super Mario Bros.[edit]

InSuper Mario Momotarō, using a family heirloom from his parents, Mario captures and threatens Bowser at gunpoint.

TheAmada Anime Series: Super Mario Bros. series of Japan-only anime featuresSuper Mario characters in classic fairy tale settings and with alterations. Mario plays as the main protagonist, defeating Bowser in all of them.Super Mario Momotarō retells a popular Japanese folklore calledMomotarō, with Mario playing the role as the main hero who is born from a peach and is raised by elderly Hammer Bros.Super Mario Issun-bōshi retells the Japanese folk taleIssun-bōshi, where Mario plays the role of a small hero who is only one inch tall.Super Mario Shirayuki-hime is the final story of the series, based on Brothers Grimm'sSnow White, where Mario protects Princess Peach from the evil Queen Bowser.

DIC cartoons[edit]

In theSuper Mario cartoons produced byDIC Entertainment, Mario and Luigi are shown to be plumbers fromBrooklyn. According to the first two animated series, Mario and Luigi arrived in the Mushroom Kingdom while out on a house call; they are shown working on a bathtub in an old woman's house when they are suddenly sucked down the drain, transporting them to the Mushroom Kingdom, where they save Princess Toadstool from King Koopa for the first time. The series depicts Mario as the pasta-loving older brother of Luigi.

The Super Mario Bros. Super Show![edit]

Mario seen with Luigi in the live-action segment "Marianne & Luigeena"

“Hey, paesanos! It's The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!”

—Mario,The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!

The Super Mario Bros. Super Show! shows both Mario's and Luigi's lives in the real world and their lives in the Mushroom Kingdom, through both live-action and animated episodes. In the live-action portion of the show, Mario and Luigi (portrayed byLou Albano andDanny Wells, respectively) are plumbers living in Brooklyn, working fromMario Brothers Plumbing, their basement workshop doubling as their home. They are shown as being financially unsuccessful, barely being able to get by. In some segments, Mario is shown to have disdain for his life; in the episode "Baby Mario Love," Mario is shown complaining about his life being dull, not having any glitz or glamour.

Mario seen with Toad, Luigi, and Princess Toadstool in the animated segment "The Pied Koopa"

In the animated segments, Mario and Luigi are traveling across the Mushroom Land with Toad and Princess Toadstool, searching for anyone or anything that can both rid the kingdom of King Koopa and send Mario and Luigi back home to Brooklyn. According to the first episode, "The Bird! The Bird!", they begin their quest shortly after Mario and Luigi have saved Princess Toadstool after arriving in the Mushroom Kingdom.

Similar to King Koopa,Mouser, andTryclyde, Mario may occasionally employ disguises or aliases during animated segments:

• Butch Mario from "Butch Mario & The Luigi Kid"
• Captain Kiddler from "Pirates of Koopa"
• Sherlock Mario from "The Adventures of Sherlock Mario"
• Mighty McMario from "Mighty McMario and the Pot of Gold"
• Zero from "The Mark of Zero"
• Marzan from "Mario of the Apes"
• The Provolone Ranger from "The Provolone Ranger"
• Indiana Mario from "Raiders of the Lost Mushroom"
• Crocodile Mario from "Crocodile Mario"
• Mario Skywalker from "Star Koopa"

The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3[edit]

The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3 follows the events ofThe Super Mario Bros. Super Show!, and it is based onSuper Mario Bros. 3, including Mario, Luigi, Princess Toadstool, and Toad engaging King Koopa and his children, theKoopalings, the new major antagonists of the show. In this series and in the next and final animated series of the DiC trilogy,Super Mario World, Mario is portrayed byWalker Boone. The only episode in which Mario does not appear is "Life's Ruff."

Super Mario World[edit]

“Ugh. Now I know how a meatball feels...”

—Mario briefly inside Yoshi, "Mama Luigi"

TheSuper Mario World television series is a continuation ofThe Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3. This time, the episodes focus loosely on the video gameSuper Mario World with added characters, the most prominent beingYoshi, theCave People, andOogtar. Mario appears in every episode of theSuper Mario World television series as one of the main protagonists.

Mario Ice Capades[edit]

Mario appears in the "show on ice" television specialMario Ice Capades. In the show, Bowser plans to use the NES to infect computers with viruses. After being summoned by Princess Toadstool, Mario and Luigi appear and fight Bowser's troops consisting of twoKoopa Troopas, twoGoombas, aHammer Brother, a redKoopa Paratroopa, and aSpiny. For the final fight with Bowser, Mario and Luigi get children from the audience to assist them, handing them plumber tools for them to use as weapons. After their victory, Toadstool awards the Mario Bros. the "Purple Plunger for Bravery."

Super Mario-kun[edit]

Mario has played a starring role on a long-running manga series,Super Mario-kun. As the manga series is based on the games, Mario often plays the same role as he did in the games. The manga volumes typically depict Mario along with Yoshi or Luigi, although he sometimes befriends other partners to aid him. There are some major alterations in some portrayals, however, such as theDonkey Kong Country arc, where Mario does make an appearance, or inSuper Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island, where Mario's and Luigi's adult selves aid Yoshi and Baby Mario to save Baby Luigi.

Mario is depicted as playful, brave, and devoted to his friends, although immature, rash, and sometimes mischievous. Unlike in the games, Mario frequently scolds or teases his friends for failing or otherwise making simple gags. Mario, as well as his friends, is playful with his visual gags, pop culture references, and wordplay, and can even engage in crude humor such as flatulating to taunt his opponents or urinating on Yoshi.

Super Mario World: Mario to Yoshi no Bōken Land[edit]

Mario calls the viewer inSuper Mario World: Mario to Yoshi no Bōken Land.

Mario is one of the main characters in the interactive OVASuper Mario World: Mario to Yoshi no Bōken Land. The video follows the story ofSuper Mario World rather closely, though it is quite condensed. Mario leads a group on a quest to save Princess Peach from Bowser. He is shown to be the bravest of the group, with Luigi and Yoshi less so. He often calls the viewer to ask questions.

Club Nintendo[edit]

Panels fromSuper Mario: Mario im Wunderland

Mario is a regular occurring protagonist in the comics fromClub Nintendo that ran from 1991 to 1998. In the followingN-Gang series, from 1999 to 2000, however, Mario is more frequently a side character with more minor appearances, as the stories revolve around teenagers.

Mario's first appearance in the comics is in a two-page comic calledMario will hoch hinaus (Mario is aiming high). The later comics have more pages and span across several parts across the issues. Frequently throughout the series, Mario encounters other Nintendo characters such asKirby andLink. In some comics, however, he encounters non-Nintendo characters such asDr. Light,Mega Man,Bomberman, and variousStreet Fighter combatants.

White Knuckle Scorin'[edit]

The comic that is released alongside theWhite Knuckle Scorin' CD album is a loose adaptation ofSuper Mario World. Mario and Luigi vacation in Dinosaur Land, but Bowser kidnaps Princess Peach as part of his plan to convert Dinosaur Land to fossil fuel and become an oil tycoon of OPEC. While Princess Peach tries to send messages, Mario helps teachYoshi how to read, which is later integral for relaying Peach's messages as well as reciting spells from Bowser's magic book.

Super Mario Adventures[edit]

Super Mario Adventures is a 12-part series of comics that features Mario and Luigi attempting to rescue Princess Toadstool, as well as other characters and elements fromSuper Mario World. In the comics, Mario and Luigi head to Princess Toadstool's castle to attempt to fix the plumbing, but Bowser and the Koopa Troop, who are responsible for the pipe problem, ambush them. Turning Mario to stone, Bowser and his army kidnap Princess Toadstool so Bowser can marry her. After recovering from his stone form, Mario teams up with Luigi, and they follow the pipes to rescue Princess Toadstool. Along the way, they attempt to cook an egg, but they accidentally encounter Yoshi when the egg hatches. Unlike in many video games, Mario gets captured twice, and he needs to be rescued by both Princess Toadstool (who escapes the first time, but gets recaptured later and put in a trance) and Luigi. Other characters Mario and Luigi encounter includeFriendly Floyd, a businessperson who swindles the Mario Bros.' money; however, his services help Luigi devise a disguise to rescue Mario by dressing as Princess Toadstool. Mario and Luigi also encounter Boos in a ghost house, where Mario disguises himself as a psychiatrist to help comfort the Boos and escape the ghost house.

Super Mario Bros. & Friends: When I Grow Up[edit]

Mario appears in various scenes of the virtual coloring bookSuper Mario Bros. & Friends: When I Grow Up. He and various otherSuper Mario characters (andLink) are shown in various occupations.

Super Mario Bros. (film)[edit]

“Stop fiddlin' with the fungus, and let's get outta here!”

—Mario,Super Mario Bros. (film)

Mario is one of two protagonists of the 1993Super Mario Bros. film, in which he was played by the lateBob Hoskins. Mario is portrayed as aBrooklyn-born plumber and co-owner ofMario Brothers Plumbing Service, a family business, with his younger brother, Luigi. While the film takes strong inspirations from Mario'svideo game franchise depiction, he has notable differences from his video game depictions. Unlike his in-game counterpart, Mario is portrayed in the film as grumpy, rude, and practical, and he is initially the less willing to saveDaisy of the two brothers. In addition to that, he is wary and skeptical of anything supernatural or otherworldly, continuously belittling Luigi for his superstitious nature. According to director Rocky Morton, the film was meant to show the "real" story that the games were based on, which is supported by the post-credits scene whereIggy andSpike are commissioned to make their own video game.^[12]

As Mario and Luigi mention in one scene, Mario raised Luigi from a young age. Luigi mentions having never known his parents or family, so he sees Mario as having fulfilled the role of mother, father, uncle, and brother. It is not elaborated on the circumstances of what happened to the parents, though Mario mentions having learned plumbing knowledge from his father (who learned said knowledge from Mario's grandfather). As the two brothers grew older, Mario trained Luigi in the plumber business, and the two have been working as plumbers at Mario Brothers Plumbing Service, but their business has been tapering and they have been running low on money.

Mario has the same first and last name, making his full name Mario Mario. This is inspired by Mario and Luigi's video games referring to them as the "Mario Bros.," and how it would be unusual to refer to a group of brothers by the first name of the older brother rather than referring to them by their last names. This naming convention is humorously pointed out in a scene where Mario and Luigi confuseSergeant Simon by their unusual last names. In 2012, Mario's creator,Shigeru Miyamoto, dismissed this naming oddity featured in the film, stating that the video game version of Mario did not have a last name. This was retconned a few years later in 2015, when he officially canonized "Mario Mario" being the full name of the video game character.^[13] Although "Mario" being Mario's last name is commonly attributed to theSuper Mario Bros. film, it was actually first established onThe Super Mario Bros. Super Show!

This version of Mario also appears in the film's manga adaptation,Super Mario: Makai Teikoku no Megami, and as a promotional cameo inSuper Mario 4koma Parade andSuper Mario 4koma Manga Kingdom next to his video game counterpart.

Mario Kirby Meisaku Video[edit]

Mario Kirby Meisaku Video is a Japanese instructional film teaching kanji that features Mario and Kirby in their own adventures. Mario's role is catching the thief, Wario, in theBulldog, who has stolen various objects from school. Mario is initially using his kart. After crashing into a lake, he uses aCarrot to transform intoBunny Mario and leaps from a bamboo to catch Wario. Mario reveals to Princess Peach that the stolen goods are comic books.

Mario no Bōken Land[edit]

In the Japanese activity bookMario no Bōken Land, Mario and friends participate in various activities related to several games includingYoshi's Story,Diddy Kong Racing,Super Mario 64,Wario Land II, andMario Party. For instance, Mario, in a storybook-like segment, is involved in the segments based onYoshi's Story, helping theBaby Yoshis defeatBaby Bowser. In theDiddy Kong Racing segment, Mario is seen racing in thecars andplanes fromDiddy Kong Racing and then later helps Diddy Kong defeatWizpig.

Mario and the Incredible Rescue[edit]

The children's bookMario and the Incredible Rescue has Mario teaming up with Luigi, Toad, and eventually Yoshi to rescue Princess Peach. In the events of the book, Bowser has amassed an army of ghosts (Boos) by stealing (and using)The Book of Spells from a sorceress namedCybele. Upon speaking with Cybele, Mario, Luigi, and Toad learn that to defeat Bowser and his army of ghosts, he has to collect six magic mushrooms that contain special powers. Eventually, Mario and his friends collect all six mushrooms, fight Bowser, and successfully rescue the princess.

The Cat Mario Show[edit]

Mario in hisCat form as he appears inThe Cat Mario Show

The Cat Mario Show is a video series depicting Mario and Princess Peach (in their Cat power-ups fromSuper Mario 3D World). The two present general information on upcoming games for the Nintendo 3DS, the Wii U, and the Switch; show tips and tricks on particular games; and quiz viewers.

Illumination film series[edit]

The Super Mario Bros. Movie[edit]

Mario's artwork forThe Super Mario Bros. Movie, based ona promotional render first seen inMario Party 6

“Mushroom Kingdom... here we come!”

—Mario,The Super Mario Bros. Movie teaser trailer

Mario appears as the titular protagonist inThe Super Mario Bros. Movie. In the English version of the movie, he is voiced byChris Pratt.

The film's plot revolves around Mario's attempt to rescue Luigi from Bowser after they get separated in a warp zone. Unlike in the video games, Mario and Luigi are based inBrooklyn andQueens, living with their family, and run a new start-up business,Super Mario Bros. Plumbing. They formerly worked underSpike, who is seen antagonizing the brothers.Mario's father also derides Mario for "[quitting] a steady job for some crazy dream," to the latter's dismay. He and Luigi then go underground to fix a water main, only for Mario to accidentally visit the Mushroom Kingdom after discovering a Warp Pipe in an abandoned part of the sewers. After they are separated, Mario meets Toad in the Mushroom Kingdom, who introduces himself and helps guide Mario to Princess Peach. After Mario learns that Bowser has captured Luigi, Mario and Toad later join Peach to assist her in defeating Bowser, who wishes to take over the world but also wants to marry Peach.

Mario then defeatsDonkey Kong in a fight, and Mario plummets to the ocean alongside him when theKoopa General attacks them. After returning to the Mushroom Kingdom and while fighting theKoopa Troop, Mario then transforms intoTanooki Mario and rescues Luigi, reuniting with his brother. Mario and company are then transported to Brooklyn, where he gets pummelled and injured by Bowser. Just when Mario is about to give up, he is rejuvenated by the commercial from the beginning of the film. He and Luigi then becomeinvincible using the Super Star and defeat Bowser and his minions. Mario's father then expresses how proud he is of Mario, much to his satisfaction, and he and the others are hailed as heroes by all of Brooklyn. He and Luigi then take up residence in the Mushroom Kingdom.

Mario's design, first teased ina posterMedia:The Super Mario Bros Movie teaser poster.jpg in September 2022 and revealed fully in the movie's teaser trailer, retains his general proportions but differs from the games slightly. He has slightly smaller hands, mustache, nose (which is flattened from the front), and overall buttons; a more visible neck; rounder eyes and cap; a different shirt with buttons and a longer collar; scaled down hair features; more detail on his teeth and hair; a detailed pocket on the front of his overalls; and visible laces on his boots.

Mario's voice actors in foreign dubs of the film include the following:

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie[edit]

Mario returns as the titular protagonist inThe Super Mario Galaxy Movie, with Pratt reprising his role.

Cameos and other appearances[edit]

See also:Merchandise,Toys,Publications,Lists of references

Photographs featuring Mario-costumed performers. Left: Mario withRonald McDonald. Right: Mario as seen at 2023Meet & Greet Mario events.

Other Nintendo video games[edit]

Mario has made several small appearances outside his own series, including other Nintendo series.

InTennis andPunch-Out!! for theNES, Mario is the referee for tennis and boxing matches, respectively.

In the NES version ofTetris, Mario, alongside Luigi and Princess Toadstool, makes a cameo in Game B upon the player completing one of the heights, specifically height 5. He and Luigi are seen doing thehopak.

In theGame Boy version ofQix, Mario appears in a scene after the player completes the game. Depending on how many points have been earned, Mario can appear in various locations around theworld, taking a role that is stereotypically associated with each region.

In theSNES version ofSimCity, the player is awarded a statue of Mario if their city has a population of 500,000 residents.

InStunt Race FX, billboards of Mario's head can be seen along various courses.

Mario appears in theLazerBlazer game inSuper Scope 6, in the mode Type A: Intercept. Mario pilots a plane as he is chased byLemmy Koopa on a rocket.

Mario is featured as a Character Card, a traceable image, and a stamp in the built-inAR Games application for theNintendo 3DS.

Mario's appearance in the "Factory Entrance" concept artwork

The "Factory Entrance" concept artwork fromDonkey Kong Country Returns features a hidden 8-bit sprite of Mario's appearance inDonkey Kong, made out of various parts on the right side of the machinery.

A set of playing cards inClubhouse Games: 51 Worldwide Classics depicts various characters from theSuper Mario franchise, including Mario himself.

Cranky Kong makes an indirect reference to Mario inDonkey Kong Bananza, where he remarked that rivals used to have charisma back in his day, even when wearing overalls.^[14]

Kirby series[edit]

InKirby Super Star andKirby Super Star Ultra, a golden statue of Mario is one of the possible transformationsKirby or his helper can take by using theStone ability. Mario can also be seen in the crowd when Kirby is fightingKing Dedede or participating inMegaton Punch. He is also seen in the credits of bothMilky Way Wishes andRevenge of the King, in the form of a golden statue inKirby Super Star, and performing a peace sign in front of the Nintendo logo inKirby Super Star Ultra.

InKirby: Planet Robobot, Mario returns as a golden statue transformation of the Stone ability.

Pac-Man Vs.[edit]

Mario, voiced byCharles Martinet, is heard narratingPac-Man Vs.

Scribblenauts Unlimited[edit]

Mario appears as a guest object exclusively in theWii U version ofScribblenauts Unlimited.

Minecraft[edit]

The Super Mario Mash-up inMinecraft features a playable Mario in the style of the game.^[15] It also features Mario's other forms as playable characters, including Dr. Mario, Tanooki Mario, Propeller Mario, Fire Mario, Mario with F.L.U.D.D., Boomerang Mario, and Cat Mario.

Merchandise[edit]

Mario has also been seen on various peripherals designed and published by Nintendo. Mario's head, nose, and moustache can be used as stamps for photos in theGame Boy Camera peripheral. The stamp of Mario's face can also be seen dancing on the title screen.

Mario has several merchandising lines ranging from a Japanese plush series bySan-ei to a 2014 series of articulate action figures by Bandai Tamashii Nations SH Figuarts. Mario is also featured in a few food packaging, including Campbell's and gummies. Mario has a neon sign that depicts him. MarioT-shirts,toys, and alike have also been produced, and McDonald's released a chain of toys based on the popularSuper Mario video gameSuper Mario Bros. 3, as seenhere.

Mario is also featured in several tabletop games that promote Nintendo, includingNintendo Monopoly, where he costs $400, replacing the Boardwalk, the most expensive space in the game. On the ? Block and Coin Block (later Block) cards, he replaces Mr. Monopoly. Mario is also one of the four base characters in the Standard Edition (five in the Collector's Edition) ofMonopoly Gamer. Mario is also featured inSuper Mario-branded games, including but not limited toSuper Mario Chess (as the king) andSuper Mario Checkers & Tic Tac Toe.

In a sketch by the producers ofRobot Chicken from Nintendo'sE3 2014 YouTube video, Mario complains about the lack of a game of theSuper Mario series being revealed during the presentation. He later helpsReggie Fils-Aimé stopWario,Ganondorf, and aBullet Bill, who had interrupted the presentation, remarking that he hopes Reggie will reconsider announcingMario Ballet.

References[edit]

• Character histories

• Articles with unsourced statements
• Pages with audio files
• Articles with new subject sections
• Articles with sections to be rewritten and expanded