The biggest name in video games is on the unemployment line, it seems. On Nintendo's official Japanese website (via Kotaku) Super Mario is a plumber, no more.

'All around sporty, whether it’s tennis or baseball, soccer or car racing, he [Mario] does everything cool,' the video game mainstay's profile reads on Nintendo's Mario Portal. 'As a matter of fact, he also seems to have worked as a plumber a long time ago...'

I always thought it strange that he'd choose to wear what appear to be denim dungarees rather than loose-fitting overalls when going out on the day job, and it appears that was purely a fashion choice, because Mario hasn't been a plumber for some time, apparently.

We've reached out to the Mario family for clarification on whether or not he was handed his P45, changed career voluntarily, or has been living off the dole with no plans to go back out working again. We've also got in touch with Luigi to find out if the brothers are actually Italian.*

He wasn't always a plumber, of course. He only jumped on that profession in 1983, doing work with his brother, who presumably finished his trade at the same time as Mario. We were lead to believe that the business was still going strong for the two Italians, but the recession hit everyone hard, so perhaps that's what saw them seek their fortune elsewhere. As soon as we find out more, we'll let you know.

*We've done none of this because the Mario Bros. are fictional characters.