Mario is the main character and protagonist of the long-running and highly successful Mario franchise. He was created by Japanese video game designer Shigeru Miyamoto and serves as the main mascot of Nintendo. Mario made his first appearance as the protagonist of the arcade game Donkey Kong, released in 1981 (in which he took the alias "Jumpman"). Since Super Mario Bros., his trademark abilities have been his jumping and stomping powers, with which he defeats most of his enemies, and his ability to gain powers with a plethora of items, such as the Super Mushroom, the Fire Flower, and the Super Star. Games have usually portrayed Mario as a silent character without a distinct personality (Fortune Street is a notable exception). According to Nintendo's philosophy, this allows Mario to fit in many different genres and roles. In most games, he is the hero that goes on an adventure to save Princess Peach from his archenemy, Bowser, but he has been shown doing many other activities besides adventuring, such as racing and sporting with his younger twin brother and others. Mario's main traits are his red hat, thick mustache, Italian accent, cheerful personality, heavy use of power-ups, and high jumping ability.

Creation

Concept art for Mario

Following the failure of Radar Scope in North America, Nintendo's then-president, Hiroshi Yamauchi, requested Miyamoto's aid in converting unsold Radar Scope units into something that would sell well. Miyamoto conceived the concept of a love triangle and decided to make a game based on Popeye. He, however, was denied the rights for the Popeye franchise, so he decided to come up with a new idea using his own characters.

For use in his arcade game Donkey Kong, he created a player character originally known during development as Ossan (the Japanese term for "middle-aged man"), then Jumpman and Mr. Video Game or Mr. Video.[2][3] Coincidentally, "Ossan" would be the name given to a Mario look-alike in the game Golf. This character was given red overalls and a blue shirt in order to make the arms more visible as well as a cap and moustache, as hair and a mouth were impossible to animate on the arcade system.[4] The character was originally known as Jumpman, but Nintendo of Japan asked Nintendo of America if they wanted to rename him during the Western localization; president Minoru Arakawa and employee Don James thought it would be funny to call the character Mario after the suspenders-wearing Italian American landlord of storage and company housing, Mario Segale.[5][6][7][dead link][8][9][10][11] While Mario was initially described as a carpenter, Mario Bros. subsequently changed his occupation after a colleague thought that he looked more like a plumber.[12]

History

Background

Baby Mario is discovered by the tribe of Yoshis.

Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island depicts Mario's beginnings by delivery of a stork at nearly the same time as Luigi, suggesting a twin birth. Mario, however, receives help from Yoshis shortly after Luigi has been kidnapped by Kamek, pointing them to Luigi's location. While Mario can still use a power-up, Superstar Mario, the Yoshis must otherwise protect and guide him to Bowser's Castle. Once Mario and Luigi are rescued, the stork delivers them to their parents. Yoshi's New Island, however, states they are the wrong parents. After Luigi is kidnapped a few more times, Mario and Luigi reunite with their true parents in Yoshi's New Island and Yoshi's Island DS.

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 than Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island, depict different beginnings. In Super Mario Momotarō, for instance, two elderly Hammer 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 in Super Mario Momotarō, however, is a retelling of a popular Japanese fairy tale and may have no actual bearing on Mario's history. The Nintendo 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 making his 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 implies that Luigi was born several years after Mario, whereas he is depicted as Mario's younger twin in the video games.

In Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time, Mario's infant self and adult self unite to defeat the Shroobs and save Princess Peach, although the game takes place from Mario's adult self's setting by labeling his time period as the present and his baby self's time period as the past.

Donkey Kong franchise

Donkey Kong

Donkey Kong Mario in

Mario as he appears in various different versions of Donkey Kong

In Donkey Kong, Mario is a carpenter who needs to rescue his girlfriend, Lady (later renamed Pauline), from Donkey Kong at a construction site. Mario can jump over obstacles such as the barrels Donkey Kong throws, or Mario can use hammers to destroy the barrels and defeat other enemies. After defeating Donkey Kong in the final level, Mario is reunited with Lady.

Donkey Kong Jr.

Donkey Kong Jr. Mario with a captured Donkey Kong in

Mario as he appears in various different versions of Donkey Kong Jr.

In Donkey Kong Jr., Mario appears as the antagonist, having captured Donkey Kong and holding him in a cage, with the protagonist of the game being Donkey Kong's son, Donkey Kong Jr. As Donkey Kong Jr. moves through the levels, Mario sends out enemies like Snapjaws and other obstacles 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

Since Donkey Kong II serves as a semi-sequel to Donkey Kong Jr., Mario reprises his role as the antagonist.

Donkey Kong Circus

Mario appears as the antagonist in Donkey Kong Circus. Mario is an audience member who laughs at Donkey Kong, the new attraction of the circus, whenever he drops a pineapple or gets hit by fire. In the end of the game, Mario is shown in the construction site where the first game begins.

Donkey Kong Hockey

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

Donkey Kong (Game Boy)

Ending credits of the game, where Mario poses with Pauline, Donkey Kong, and Donkey Kong Jr. at Rocky-Valley

Mario makes a later appearance in the Donkey Kong series with his updated Super Mario Bros. design in Donkey Kong on the Game Boy. Along with the original four Donkey 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.

Donkey Kong (Game Boy) Mario in(Game Boy)

Mario can perform a handstand 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 the backflip as well as wires on which Mario can wire-spin and jump to catapult himself high in the air. Another essential part of Mario's moveset, taken from Super 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 few Mario games in which Mario takes damage and can lose a life from a high fall.

In most stages, Mario has to find the key 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 uses hammers as seen in the original Donkey Kong and constructs temporary ladders and roads 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 in Rocky-Valley.

The ending of 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 of World 1-1 from Super Mario Bros. This foreshadows the events of both Donkey Kong Jr. and Super Mario Bros.

Many of Mario's moves and objectives are carried over to the semi-sequel, Mario vs. Donkey Kong.

Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest

Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest Mario's cameo in

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

Donkey Kong 64

In Donkey Kong 64, specifically in a port of the original Donkey Kong game, playable via an arcade set up in Frantic Factory, Mario re-enacts his initial role. Mario has to go through the same construction site as in the original game, while the old Donkey 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 rescue Pauline from Donkey Kong; however, after she is rescued and the player restarts, Mario can instead collect a special Nintendo Coin at the end.

Saturday Supercade

It has been requested that this section be rewritten and expanded to center information on Mario.

Mario appears in several episodes in Saturday Supercade, which was his first television show. His personality on the show was of a heroic person whose goal was to capture Donkey Kong.

"The Great Ape Escape"

In "The Great Ape Escape," Donkey Kong escapes by riding a motorcycle, after which Mario and Pauline drive their circus van to chase him. Mario attempts to catch Donkey Kong by disguising himself as a banana and catapulting himself. He tries using sleeping gas on Donkey Kong, but Donkey Kong deflects it and escapes into a nearby prison. In the prison, the criminals join with Donkey Kong and exploit his gullibility by having him perform crimes, including theft. Meanwhile, riding on a hot air balloon, Mario and Pauline attempt to lure Donkey Kong with a rope ladder made of bananas. Donkey Kong, however, pops the balloon, so the two then disguise themselves as chefs, but this also fails. During the prison football game, Mario again tries and fails to capture Donkey Kong while disguising himself as a referee. When Donkey Kong and the criminals are finally cornered at the top of the building, Mario, in a police outfit, and Pauline tell Donkey Kong that the criminals are tricking him. Donkey Kong then tosses the criminals in the cage and escapes in a hot air football, leading Mario and Pauline to continue chasing him.

"Greenhouse Gorilla"

In "Greenhouse Gorilla," Donkey Kong is tricked by Mr. X to steal Stanley's metal-eating plant, Herman. While chasing Donkey Kong, Stanley meets Mario and Pauline, where they team up to find Donkey Kong and Mr. X. They find Donkey Kong and Mr. X with the plant in the grocery store, but when Mario tries to capture Donkey Kong with his vacuum trap, the plant consumes it and the three escape. Mr. X then leads Donkey Kong to a banquet, where Mario, Pauline, and Stanley are found disguised as hired help. Pauline convinces Donkey Kong to distrust Mr. X, so Mr. X's plan fails and Donkey Kong then escapes, once again leading the three to chase him.

Game & Watch series

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

In the Game & Watch version of Donkey Kong, the objective is the same as in the arcade version, but Mario must trigger a lever, which causes a hook to appear. If Mario grabs the hook, a peg is removed and he is transported to the starting point. If Mario misses, he falls and loses a life. If Mario removes all the pegs, he defeats Donkey Kong.

In Mario Bros. (which is unrelated to the arcade game of the same name), Mario and the newly introduced Luigi 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 boss yells at them. If they drop three pallets, the game is over. In Game & Watch Gallery 3 and in Game & Watch Gallery 4, Wario is the boss and Bowser periodically reverses the conveyor belt directions. Cakes replace pallets in the game.

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

Mario must safely deliver bombs in Mario's Bombs Away, avoiding oil spills and torches.

Fire from Game & Watch Gallery 4 The Modern version offrom

In Mario's Cement Factory, Mario must move cement from hoppers into cement trucks by putting them on conveyor belts. The conveyor belts can hold only three hoppers. If the hopper overflows, some cement can land on a worker, 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 in Game & Watch Gallery 4, Yoshi and Toad appear as background characters. A Boo can appear and interfere with the work. Mario can fall from the elevator, but when he touches the bottom ground, he gets a miss.

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

Mario has also appeared in various heavily toned-down games on the Game Watch, a wristwatch that can tell time and play games. The games are based on Super Mario Bros., Super Mario Bros. 2, Super Mario Bros. 3, Super Mario World, Super Mario Kart, and Donkey Kong.

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

Mario Bros.

Mario Bros. Mario with his brother, Luigi, in

Mario as he appears in various different versions of Mario Bros.

After Donkey Kong, Mario is given his own starring series, beginning with the arcade game Mario Bros. in 1983. Only Mario's physical appearance is taken from earlier titles; Mario is now a plumber working in the sewers of New York and fighting an endless number of creatures, such as Shellcreepers and Sidesteppers. Unlike in later games, Mario can't jump on enemies. Instead, he must jump against the ceiling of a platform 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.

Mario Golf series

Golf

Mario swings a golf ball with (from behind) Toad, Luigi, and Peach watching.

Mario after taking a swing with his golf club. In the series, Mario has been portrayed as having a straight trajectory swing.

The first time Mario appeared in any sports game was in Golf where his proportions are more realistic. In Japanese versions of Golf, Captain Rainbow would later identify the character as a more generic Ossan (although this was one of Mario's initial names during development of Donkey Kong). The gameplay is fairly simplistic, but there are obstacles that can impede the ball from landing into the hole.

Family Computer Golf: Japan Course / Family Computer Golf: U.S. Course

Mario additionally appears in Family Computer Golf: Japan Course where he is depicted in his normal overalls with his appearance akin to his normal design. In Family Computer Golf: U.S. Course, the companion of Family Computer Golf: Japan Course, Mario has a blue shirt and red-and-white striped overalls.

NES Open Tournament Golf

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

Mario Golf (Nintendo 64)

In Mario Golf for the Nintendo 64, Mario appears with Luigi at the 18th hole of Mario's Star. His drive is 270 yards, the second strongest in the game, with only Bowser and Metal Mario surpassing him, and his shot is Draw. He must be unlocked in single-player mode, but he is default in multiplayer mode.

Mario Golf (Game Boy Color)

Mario also appears in the Game 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 other Mario characters are not playable.

Mobile Golf

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

Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour

“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

Mario has appeared in the opening in Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour. Mario unintentionally interferes with Bowser's chasing of Wario and Waluigi by hitting Wario's and Waluigi's eyes and Bowser's hand with a golf ball. Bowser drops a Bob-omb on Wario and Waluigi, creating an explosion that confuses Mario, Luigi, Peach, and Daisy. At the end, Bowser, Wario, and Waluigi growl at a confused Mario.

In Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour, Mario is a default character in all modes. His shot is 212 yards and 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 the his high trajectory, but it can send farther with a favourable wind direction. He has a decently strong impact and the second best spin, only behind Bowser, but his control is very poor, tied with Diddy Kong for the second worst in the game and only better than Bowser. When he hits a Nice Shot, the ball is encased in flames.

Mario Golf: Advance Tour

As with Mario Golf for the Nintendo 64, Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour features a different handheld variant entitled Mario Golf: Advance Tour, which continues the story from the Game Boy Color version of Mario Golf. As with its predecessors, Mario and other Mario characters are not playable in the story mode.

Mario Golf: World Tour

Mario returns in Mario 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 a gold variant that featuring identical stats and the inability to use items but awards Mario with a coin per yard depending on how far the ball travels, similar to a permanent Gold Flower.

Wrecking Crew series

Wrecking Crew

Wrecking Crew '98 Mario smashing blocks in

In 1985's Wrecking Crew, Mario and Luigi appear as workers on a demolition site. They use hammers similar to those previously seen in Donkey Kong against Foreman Spike. Unlike its Japan-only "sequel," Wrecking Crew '98, the game has no specific plot. In this game, Mario wears a helmet, shoes, and dark red overalls. Mario faces Gotchawrenches, Eggplant Men, and Foreman Spike. Mario must break all the stone walls before the enemy can. Mario can defeat enemies by trapping them in drums. Foreman Spike can attempt to break blocks himself or push Mario, but Mario can hit him with his hammer and cause him to fall. If Mario stays too long, a fireball appears to hinder his progress.

Mario reappears in VS. Wrecking Crew, an arcade game for the VS. System. The game plays similarly to the original with the addition of simultaneous two-player mode, where Mario and another player compete.

Wrecking Crew '98

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

Unlike in the first game, 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 onto his opponent. If he clears the field, he receives a Mushroom, boosting his offensive combos toward his enemy.

Super Mario series

Super Mario Bros.

Super Mario Bros. Artwork of Mario from

Super Mario Bros. with Mario on the bottom left The title screen ofwith Mario on the bottom left

Since Super Mario Bros., Mario is portrayed living in the Mushroom Kingdom. In the game, Mario's objective is to rescue Princess Toadstool (later known as Peach) from Bowser, the King of the Koopas. The game is the first in the series in which regular enemies such as Goombas can be defeated and Koopa Troopas can be stunned by stomping on them from above. Mario can also gain power-ups and coins from jumping against ? Blocks and Brick Blocks. Mario begins the game as Small Mario, who loses a life from any enemy attack. By using Super Mushrooms, Mario grows into Super Mario, who has an additional hit point (reverting to Small Mario after being hit). Super Mario has access to the Fire Flower, which lets him throw fireballs that can knock out enemies such as Koopa Troopas or fake Bowsers. Mario can also become invincible for a short amount of time with the Starman.

Mario's role and powers remain mostly the same in all entries to the series except for Super Mario Bros. 2. While new power-ups and moves are introduced, there is no deviation from the basic formula; Mario's basic appearance is unchanged and his personality remains unwritten. Despite this, Mario in the later games has adapted this depiction. Mario's eye color, mustache shape, hairstyle, cap shape, and face shape are all derived from Super Mario Bros.

Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels

Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels, the sequel of Super Mario Bros., features Mario and Luigi's having to rescue Princess Toadstool from Bowser by traveling in new various different lands of the Mushroom Kingdom. The setting, however, is noted as a parallel world of the original Mushroom Kingdom, according to the Japanese manual. A notable harmful element to Mario introduced in Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels is the Poison Mushroom, which can power down or even defeat Mario. Mario's traction and jumping height remain the same, while those of Luigi 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

In the story of Super Mario Bros. 2, based on the Japanese game Yume Kōjō: Doki Doki Panic, Mario has experienced a dream one night. The fairylike beings from the land of Subcon inform him that King 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 his friends Luigi, Princess Toadstool, and Toad, decides to go on a picnic. However, while searching for a proper place, Mario and his friends notice a cave and decide to explore within it. After entering the cave, the four friends are transported to Subcon. Mario remembers his dream, and he and his three friends decide to save Subcon from Wart and the 8 bits. Throughout their adventure, Mario and his friends defeat many of Wart's members, including Birdo and Mouser. Eventually, Mario and his three friends confront Wart himself in a battle. After defeating Wart, Mario and his friends save the Subcon fairies and Subcon.

Mario in World 1 of Subcon

While the four heroes celebrate their victory, 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. The spiritual sequel, 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 collect Gold Mario Statues in each level, defeat the boss, and find Wart.

In contrast to the other characters, Mario is a well-balanced character with no special abilities in Super Mario Bros. 2 and its sequel, which has the same gameplay mechanics. The gameplay of the two games is vastly different from other Mario titles: Enemies can no longer be defeated by stomping them, and Mario gains the power to pick up enemies, lift them over his head, and throw them. This feature is later reused in the Game Boy version of Donkey Kong and the Mario vs. Donkey Kong series of games.

Super Mario Bros. 3

In Super Mario Bros. 3, after Bowser has invaded again, Mario and Luigi travel through eight kingdoms, in which the kings have been transformed into different creatures by the seven Koopalings. During Mario's quest, he is repeatedly sent letters by Princess Toadstool, who encloses power-ups for him. Eventually, Toadstool is kidnapped, but the Mario Bros. save her from Bowser in the Dark Land. Super Mario Bros. 3 introduces a plethora of new power-ups aside from the Fire Flower, including Super Leaves, Tanooki Suits, Frog Suits, and Goomba's Shoes. Mario also encounters new enemies, such as Thwomps, Dry Bones, and Boos.

Super Mario World

Super Mario World introduces Yoshi as a sidekick character to Mario. Mario can ride Yoshis and so gain varying new powers. Mario meets Yoshi on a holiday in Dinosaur Land, where Bowser kidnaps Toadstool again, forcing Mario and Luigi to rescue her once again. Super Mario World is the first Mario game to have a second jump button for a different jump—the Spin Jump—with which Super Mario can destroy Rotating Blocks from above or jump off Yoshi's back; he can also use it to avoid certain obstacles or defeat foes. Mario can use Cape Feathers to turn into Cape Mario, allowing him to take off from the ground and stay in the air for quite a while. Mario can also use Grab Blocks and throw them at enemies or obstacles.

Mario and Luigi defeat the Koopalings in their castles, rescue the captured eggs, and defeat Bowser in the Valley of Bowser, rescuing Toadstool and taking her home to Yoshi's Island to continue their vacation.

Super Mario 64 / Super Mario 64 DS

Artwork of Mario for Super Mario 64 (left) and his updated appearance in Super Mario 64 DS (right)

In Super Mario 64, Mario is invited to have a cake with Princess Peach at the Mushroom Castle, but he finds the castle taken over and Peach kidnapped by Bowser when he arrives there. In order to save Peach, Mario has to collect the castle's Power Stars to advance further and defeat Bowser. When facing off against Bowser, Mario grabs his tail and spins him around to throw him off the fighting platform. After being rescued, Peach kisses Mario and bakes him the cake.

Brought into a three-dimensional environment, Mario gains a larger variety of moves. He can jump in multiple ways—besides the basic jump, jumping from a standstill while crouching results in a backwards somersault, crouching from a run and then jumping gives a long jump, jumping consecutively while running allows Mario to jump higher (the triple jump), quickly changing direction while jumping results in a side somersault, and jumping off a wall allows Mario to gain height (the wall jump). More offensive options are also available: He can punch, kick, slide-attack, and ground-pound, while he can also crawl under low barriers.

Power-ups are gained by collecting caps from ! Blocks: Red blocks give Wing Caps, green blocks Metal Caps, and blue blocks Vanish Caps. These are temporary, however, and do not fulfill the traditional role of power-ups in giving Mario additional hit points—instead, a health meter is introduced for the first time since Super Mario Bros. 2. Mario takes damage not only from enemy hits but also from falling from great heights and from time spent underwater. The meter is primarily refilled by collecting coins, but catching air bubbles underwater or swimming on the water's surface also replenishes it. Finally, Mario can lose his normal cap, whereupon he takes greater amounts of damage until he retrieves it.

In the game's remake, Super Mario 64 DS, Mario is invited to the Mushroom Castle for cake, along with Wario and Luigi. However, some time after they enter, Bowser overtakes the castle. The trio is thrown behind locked doors, with Mario being sealed away by Goomboss, who keeps the key to his door. Yoshi, who has avoided capture by sleeping on the castle's roof, is able to find a portrait of Mario in Peach's room and finds Goomboss. After defeating him, Yoshi unlocks Mario's door with the key he receives.

From then on, Mario is an additional playable character. He is required to rescue Luigi (while Luigi is needed to rescue Wario). Mario is also required to open the Big Star Doors and enter the final level to rescue Princess Peach. Mario has average stats, with decent power, speed, swimming, and jumping. His special ability is the balloon-floating power gained by the Power Flower. Mario can still use the Wings, this game's equivalent to the Wing Cap, which gives him more abilities than the other characters. Mario is also the only character that can wall-jump. Other characters can transform into Mario, gaining his appearance but not his voice, by putting on Mario's cap. Mario can transform into Luigi and Wario this way but not into Yoshi. The game's story is otherwise identical to that of the original game, and Mario plays much the same way.

Super Mario Sunshine

Mario with F.L.U.D.D. on his back

In Super Mario Sunshine, Mario, Peach, and Toadsworth travel to the tropical island of Isle Delfino to have a vacation. However, upon arriving on the Delfino Airstrip, they notice some type of goop is covering half the area. Mario, responding to Toadsworth's request for help, discovers F.L.U.D.D. and, with his help, destroys the Gatekeeper, cleaning the airstrip. Soon after, however, the police arrests Mario and takes him to a jail on the main island.

Mario on trial

Mario is then placed on trial against the citizens of Isle Delfino. During the trial, the prosecutor explains that Isle Delfino is covered in goop by an unknown entity, though descriptions from various anonymous eyewitnesses have suggested that Mario has vandalized Isle Delfino. Peach and Toadsworth try objecting against the prosecution, but the judge overrules the objection quickly, sentencing Mario to clean the island of the goop as community service before leaving, while returning the island's power by collecting Shine Sprites, the island's source of sunlight.

Shadow Mario soon captures Peach, taking her to Pinna Island. From there, Mario uses a cannon in Delfino Plaza to come after her and, after chasing Shadow Mario through the island's theme park, arrives at a lake where Shadow Mario unveils Mecha-Bowser, a huge Bowser-like robot. However, Mario defeats the robot by using Water Rockets. It is here that Shadow Mario reveals himself to be Bowser Jr., Bowser's child. Bowser Jr. then reveals that he had taken Peach because Bowser has told him that Peach is his mother (though Bowser later admits this was a lie meant to get Bowser Jr. to kidnap Peach) and that she is "kidnapped by a bad man named Mario..." Mario, Peach, and F.L.U.D.D. also learn that Bowser Jr. has planted the graffiti so Mario can be sent to prison, but it fails. Bowser Jr. then escapes, and he and Peach fly to Corona Mountain.

Mario later arrives at the top of the mountain, where Peach, Bowser, and Bowser Jr. are sitting in a hot tub. The interruption enrages Bowser, leading him to fight Mario—but despite having help from Bowser Jr., who is firing Bullet Bills from his raft, Mario still manages to ground-pound all five sections of the hot tub, causing it to flip, sending Mario, Peach, Bowser, and Bowser Jr. falling to the ground. Mario and Peach land on an islet west of Delfino Plaza, where Mario also finds F.L.U.D.D. lying on the ground, highly damaged from the fall and stress of the battle. F.L.U.D.D. then asks if he had truly assisted Mario before shutting off. The two then watch as the final Shine Sprite falls to the Shine Gate, restoring light to the island.

Mario and Princess Peach watching the sunset at Sirena Beach

Mario and Peach are then seen at Sirena Beach, Mario still sad about his loss of F.L.U.D.D. Both then turn around to see the Toads that came with them to the island, one holding F.L.U.D.D., who is now fixed and says, "The vacation starts now!"

The game removes most jumping, punching, and kicking abilities of the previous game and replaces them with F.L.U.D.D.'s powers. Mario can spray water at enemies and clear goop; the Expansion Nozzles for F.L.U.D.D. 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 F.L.U.D.D. can be refilled at any body of water in the game or with Water Bottles. Mario can also ride Yoshis. In the secret levels of the game, Shadow Mario takes F.L.U.D.D. away from Mario, leaving him with only his basic jumping abilities and the Ground Pound to beat the stage. When Mario loses his cap in Super Mario Sunshine, he takes damage from the sun.

New Super Mario Bros.

New Super Mario Bros. Artwork of Mario from

New Super Mario Bros. depicts Mario in a similar plotline and game design to Super Mario Bros. The beginning of the game shows Mario and Princess Peach taking a walk outside Peach's Castle, when both see lightning hit the castle, startling them. Mario quickly runs off to check it, while Peach stays behind and is thus kidnapped by Bowser Jr. The lightning bolt at the castle was a distraction for Mario. Throughout the game, Mario chases Bowser Jr. in order to save Princess Peach, battling him in his fortress towers.

The traditional Super Mushroom and Fire Flower return, but power-ups also include further size-changing effects induced by the Mega Mushroom and the Mini Mushroom. The Mega Mushroom lets Mario grow to a giant size, allowing him to crush all enemies and obstacles such as pipes, while the Mini Mushroom has Mario shrink to a tiny size, which gives him access to small pipes.

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 eight castles, where Mario presses a switch, causing Bowser to fall into the lava. However, Bowser survives as a skeletal version of himself, known as Dry Bowser. Dry Bowser is fought again in the eighth castle, although he is defeated.

Mario eventually arrives at Bowser's Castle, where Peach is taken after Mario defeats Dry Bowser. Here, Bowser Jr. throws Bowser's bones inside a bubbling pot, reviving him as a somewhat larger version of Bowser. However, despite his larger size and extra strength, Bowser is still beaten when Mario presses the switch, causing Bowser and his son to fall into a pit, thus freeing Princess Peach.

Super Mario Galaxy

Super Mario Galaxy Mario star-spinning in

Super Mario Galaxy starts with Mario's invitation to the Star Festival by Peach, who has something to give. The event is interrupted by Bowser, however, when he abducts the princess. Mario, after hearing Bowser's plot to create an empire at the center of the universe with Peach, gets blasted by Kamek and fails to stop Bowser. When later recovering in the Gateway Galaxy, Mario is asked by Rosalina to rescue the Power Stars and Grand Stars to power her Comet Observatory, which can help take them to Bowser and Peach. Mario is given the Baby Luma, who accompanies him and allows him to star-spin. Throughout the game, Mario also receives letters from Peach, who sends him 1-Up Mushrooms.

After several encounters with Bowser, Mario defeats him in Bowser's Galaxy Reactor. When Mario rides on the final Grand Star, Bowser's star explodes and creates a black hole. Baby Luma shocks Mario by throwing himself into the black hole to prevent Bowser's black hole from consuming everything around it, including Mario, Princess Peach, and the castle. After a big explosion, Mario reappears in an unknown location in front of a large floating Rosalina. Rosalina reassures him that this explosion is just the mark of a new universe. Mario then awakens in a restored world, near Peach's Castle. He also sees Bowser and Princess Peach awaken intact. He takes time adjusting to this new world around him before happily embracing it. During a special cutscene after Mario has collected 120 Stars, Rosalina thanks him before leaving in her Comet Observatory.

Most of the jumping mechanics present in Super Mario 64, such as Long Jumps, somersaults, and Triple Jumps, return. New powers include the Star Spin (which replaces Mario's punch/kick/slide offensive moves in Super Mario 64) and the Wii pointer, which can be controlled independently from Mario. The Wii pointer can shoot enemies or grab Star 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, such as the Bee Mushroom, Ice Flower, Red Star, Rainbow Star, and Fire Flower.

New Super Mario Bros. Wii

New Super Mario Bros. Wii Mario in

Mario riding Yoshi

Mario's role and basic abilities in New Super Mario Bros. Wii remain the same as in its predecessor, although there are a few added power-ups, such as the Propeller Mushroom and the Penguin Suit. The story, while still basic, is slightly different—in the cutscene at the beginning of the game, Mario, Luigi, and many Toads, including Blue Toad and Yellow 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 the Koopalings jump out of the cake and throw it onto Peach. 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 Princess Peach, the princess tells Mario about secret World 9, extending his adventure.

Super Mario Galaxy 2

“Thank you so much for playing my game!” Mario Super Mario Galaxy 2

Super Mario Galaxy 2 Mario riding Yoshi in

Super Mario Galaxy 2 has Mario involved in a more minimalist story compared to its predecessor, Super Mario Galaxy. Before arriving at the castle, Mario finds Luma lying on the ground. Luma then flies into his cap again, giving him his old spinning ability. However, when Mario arrives at Peach's Castle, a giant Bowser kidnaps Peach. Mario gives chase by using a Launch Star.

After finding a Star in the first galaxy, Mario finds a small planetoid that a group of Lumas, led by Lubba, is using to travel around. Lubba then explains that earlier, Bowser found them, took their Star power, and left the ship in disrepair. The crew of Lumas then uses its power to transform the ship, giving it the appearance of Mario's head, and it is named Starship Mario. Being named the captain, Mario flies off to collect Power Stars in order to reach Bowser and Princess Peach.

Aside from additional power-ups and the addition of Yoshi, the gameplay is identical to the first Super Mario Galaxy game. Mario defeats Bowser and saves Peach in the end. Rosalina and her Comet Observatory appear before Mario and Peach. Rosalina thanks Mario for watching over the Luma that he has found, and the Luma returns to the Comet Observatory, along with Mario's cap. Mario and his companions return to the Mushroom Kingdom.

Super Mario 3D Land

Super Mario 3D Land Mario as he appears in

Mario appears in Super Mario 3D Land for the Nintendo 3DS. He uses several classic power-ups, notably the Tanooki Suit from Super Mario Bros. 3. He once again saves Princess Peach from Bowser's clutches.

After a storm, all the Tanooki Leaves are blown from the Tail Tree outside Peach's Castle. The next day, Mario and three Toads investigate the scene when they notice a floating letter. They open it to discover that Bowser kidnapped Peach while she was checking the damage to the tree. Mario and the Toads then run to rescue her. During the adventure, Mario battles several enemies old and new, including Boom Boom and Pom Pom. While running through the worlds, Mario receives letters from Peach to learn about her situation. Mario also encounters Bowser Impostors throughout the adventure.

Mario and an Invincibilty Leaf

Mario fights Bowser at Bowser's Castle, activating the switch on the other side of the bridge and sending Bowser into the lava. The area beside the castle contains only a cage lying on its side, however. Mario enters a door and finds Peach, but, upon running over to her, he finds out that it is only a wooden cutout. Bowser then emerges, carrying the real princess, and flees to his second castle.

After heading through another level, Mario reaches Bowser's second castle and the princess, who is this time tied to the flagpole. Bowser then appears and the two begin their battle. This time, Mario has to navigate an obstacle course to get to the bridge and eventually the switch at the end. He pushes this, sending Bowser into the lava below. Bowser quickly emerges from the lava, however, and Mario has to reach another switch in order to actually defeat him. Pushing the switch once again sends Bowser falling into the lava below. Mario then reappears back at the flagpole and frees the princess. Mario, along with three Toads, then uses a Super Leaf to get himself and the princess back home.

Some time after that, Mario receives a letter from Luigi, depicting Luigi in captivity. Mario runs through Special 1 and frees Luigi from Dry Bowser. Then, yet again, Peach is captured by Bowser. Mario goes back to his castle and defeats him once more. Once Mario gets five stars in his profile, the level Special 8-Crown is unlocked. There, he goes through an obstacle course where Boom Boom and Pom Pom are fought for the last time. This time, Boom Boom has a track of flames. When they are defeated, a giant "THANK YOU" appears while Toads surround the final Goal Pole of the game.

New Super Mario Bros. 2

New Super Mario Bros. 2 Raccoon Mario artwork in

Mario once again appears as the main protagonist of New Super Mario Bros. 2. In this game, Mario can once again become Raccoon Mario, first seen in Super Mario Bros. 3. Gold Mario (as well as the Gold Flower) is introduced as Mario's newest form. In this form, he can throw fireballs that transform solid objects (blocks) into coins for him to collect. It is also the introduction of White Raccoon Mario, a form obtainable from Invincibility Leaves gotten from Assist Blocks. The form gives Mario the power of invincibility and all of the abilities of Raccoon Mario.

In the game, Mario and Luigi are visiting Princess Peach and leave her castle in Tanooki form, with the princess waving them off, to collect coins in the sky. As soon as they land, the Koopalings appear in the Koopa Clown Car and slam into the ground, causing the brothers to lose their raccoon powers. The Koopalings reveal that they have taken Princess Peach once again, and the brothers give chase. As they travel through the six worlds, the brothers must find secret worlds, battle Reznors, who make a return, and the Koopalings, and search for coins. At the very end, they confront Bowser, who is powered up by the Koopalings after his first defeat. However, in classic Mario style, the Mario Bros. use a switch to drop Bowser into a pit. Peach is rescued and the brothers return home.

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 dying once. There are + Clocks scattered throughout the courses, while Mario also gets more time by hitting Checkpoint Flags. Reaching the top of the flagpole doubles Mario's coin count, and defeating enemies as Gold Mario or after a Gold Ring is triggered awards additional coins.

New Super Mario Bros. U

New Super Mario Bros. U Mario jumping together with Luigi, Yellow Toad, and Blue Toad in

Mario appears again as the protagonist in New Super Mario Bros. U. Once again, he must save the Mushroom Kingdom from Bowser and his minions as he travels with his allies Luigi, Blue Toad, Yellow Toad, and his new allies, Miis. After Bowser kidnaps Peach, Mario and his allies are thrown into a tree, releasing Super Acorns. He gets a new form, Flying Squirrel Mario, when he collects them. In this form, Mario can glide and cling to walls. The upgraded P-Acorn allows him to fly indefinitely. His old power-ups, including but not limited to the Super Mushroom, Fire Flower, and Ice Flower, return. The Penguin Suit and Propeller Suit from New Super Mario Bros. Wii also return, but they are found only in certain Toad Houses and in Challenge Mode.

In this game, Mario discovers Baby 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 to Waddlewings, Nabbit, and Goombrats. To save Princess Peach, Mario must travel to a Koopaling's airship and defeat that Koopaling to proceed. Meanwhile, Bowser modifies Peach's Castle according to his tastes. When Mario finally arrives at Peach's Castle, it is conquered, and he must enter the modified castle to defeat Bowser and rescue Peach.

Unlike in New Super Mario Bros. Wii, when Mario collects 99 lives, he keeps his cap.

In the downloadable content New Super Luigi U, Mario himself does not appear, the first time this has occurred in the entire Super Mario series. However, in the opening sequence, his cap appears on the table. Additionally, at the beginning of the Frosted Glacier level Broozers and Barrels, a snowman with Mario's face and a cap with his "M" on it can be seen.

New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe

Mario reappears as a playable character in New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe. Mario remains a non-playable character in New Super Luigi U. When a Super Guide Block appears in New 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

From left: Toad, Peach, Mario, and Luigi in their Cat forms

Mario returns in Super Mario 3D World and its Nintendo Switch port, alongside Luigi, Princess Peach, and Toad, as an all-round character, in a similar way to Super Mario Bros. 2, lacking the special abilities of the other three characters. After Bowser has kidnapped the Sprixie Princesses, Peach falls into the pipe that leads to the Sprixie 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 the Super Bell, which transforms him into Cat Mario. He also encounters new enemies, such as Cat Goombas, and old enemies, including Chargin' Chucks. Boom Boom and Pom Pom also reappear to hinder Mario's progress, while new bosses, such as Hisstocrat, are additional impediments. Once Mario and his teammates reach the end of World Castle, the seventh world, Bowser retreats into another world, the amusement park of World Bowser. Once Mario and his friends finally reach Bowser, Bowser transforms himself into Meowser and climbs a huge tower. Mario and his friends then hit the large POW Block at the peak of the tower, defeating Bowser, transforming him into a large firework. They then proceed to rescue the Sprixie Princesses before using a clear pipe to return to the Mushroom Kingdom.

Super Mario Maker

Mario appears as the sole playable character in the Wii U level-creation game Super Mario Maker. However, Mario can make use of Mystery Mushrooms to take on the appearances of a variety of other characters (including non-Mario characters). Also, a number of unlockable Mystery Mushroom costumes alter Mario's sprite to a different iteration of himself, listed below.

Super Mario Odyssey

Super Mario Odyssey Mario with Cappy in

Mario once again appears as the protagonist and the sole playable character (aside from Cappy in co-op mode) in Super Mario Odyssey. When Bowser kidnaps Peach again, Mario fights him on Bowser's airship. However, he is defeated by Bowser and crash-lands in the Cap Kingdom. He is later found by a Bonneter named Cappy, whose sister Tiara was also kidnapped by Bowser, and the two team up to save their respective loved ones. Cappy replaces the Mario 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.

After chasing Bowser across the globe, Mario and Cappy confront him on the moon, where he intends to forcibly marry Peach. The two manage to defeat Bowser and, by capturing him, save Peach and Tiara, bringing them out of a cave-in. Mario attempts to woo Peach along with Bowser, but Peach asks both of them to stop and leaves with Cappy and Tiara. Mario and Bowser are very upset about this, but after a while, she calls them back on the Odyssey, which is about to take off, and Mario jumps on Bowser to return on the Odyssey, which is directed toward the Mushroom Kingdom. Upon returning, Mario and Cappy decide to continue exploring all of the kingdoms they had visited during their journey.

Appearance-wise, Mario seems to have a similar design to that he possessed in Super Mario 3D World, albeit with more detailed textures, and he appears to be much smaller in height than other humans, as seen in New Donk City.[14]

Super Mario Maker 2

Mario reappears in Super Mario Maker 2 as the main playable character. Mario has access to the Super Bell power-up, due to the addition of a Super Mario 3D World style. In addition, he can also use the Super Hammer power-up in same said style, as well as the Superball Flower in the Super Mario Bros. style, which previously appeared 30 years prior in Super Mario Land.

Super Mario Bros.: Peach-hime Kyushutsu Dai Sakusen!

Mario and Luigi surrounded by mushroom people

Mario is featured in a feature-length anime adaption of Super Mario Bros., Super Mario Bros.: Peach-hime Kyushutsu Dai Sakusen!, roughly translated to "Super Mario Bros.: The Great Mission to Rescue Princess Peach!" In the beginning of the film, Princess Peach interrupts Mario's video game session by jumping out of the television and requests him to protect her. Mario agrees, but King Koopa succeeds in kidnapping her. Mario and Luigi almost dismiss it as a dream, but Mario finds an emerald necklace from Princess Peach. Working at the grocery store, Luigi notices Mario holding the pendant and then, identifying the gem from a book he has read, believes it can guide them to the Mushroom Kingdom, where they can get rich. Mario tries to call the author of the book, and he answers, already knowing his name. A dog-like creature, Kibidango, however, steals the necklace. Mario and Luigi chase the dog and enter a Warp Pipe, where they find Kinoko Sennin, the author of the book. He tells them that the Mushroom Kingdom is being attacked and Princess Peach believed from a prophecy that Mario and Luigi can save it, but King Koopa has taken her because she has rejected his proposal to marry her. Mario, angry and motivated, wants to rescue Peach and her kingdom, so Kinoko Sennin advises they get help from the mushroom, flower, and star, scattered in the kingdom. Luigi becomes encouraged by the coins he may find along the way, so he joins Mario along with Kibidango.

On their adventure, two Goombas watch their progress and try to impede them. The first time, they tell a famished Luigi that they know of delicious mushrooms and lead him to a field of mushrooms that cause erratic effects to him, such as laughing and crying. Mario struggles to get Luigi to normal, but a colossal-sized Paratroopa interferes and tries feeding him to her chicks. Mario finds a mushroom in a block of ice and tries to climb to reach it, but he reveals a rock that shoots coins. This surprises him and causes him to fall, but he lands safely. Luigi then finds out that the coins have transformed to mushroom people. One, called Toad, explains that King Koopa has transformed them to coins and thanks Mario and Luigi for rescuing them. They give Mario and Luigi a key item, a Super Mushroom, and let Mario, Luigi, and Kibidango continue on their way. Mario uses this mushroom to help fend off enemies, such as giant-sized Koopa Troopas and Bullet Bills, along the way.

Mario and Luigi meet these two Goombas again, and the Goombas lead them to a field infested with Piranha Plants. They narrowly escape but anger a Lakitu in the process for disturbing its flowers. Lakitu throws Spiny's eggs at Mario and Luigi, though Mario and Luigi taunt at it for missing. Lakitu then summons rain to cause these eggs to morph into big-sized Spinies. It also causes a beanstalk to grow and trick Lakitu for a moment to think Mario is defeated, but Mario grabs some of the cloud before Lakitu realizes and escapes. Mario eventually saves Luigi and Kibidango when he triggers the cloud to snow and make the Spinies hibernate. This cloud then transforms into another Toad, who thanks Mario and gives him a Fire Flower. This flower helps Mario defeat more enemies with fire, including a big-sized Buzzy Beetle.

Mario locked in after being led into a cave

After resting and eating, Luigi leads Mario and Kibidango into a cave, but they are immediately locked in. Mario sees the two Goombas and begs for forgiveness, but the Goombas refuse and consider their mission to stop Mario, Luigi, and Kibidango successful. They leave a Hammer Brother to guard the prison cell. While waiting in the cell, Mario gets a daydream of dancing with Peach, but Luigi has found a way to escape. Mario, however, is still in his daydream and winds up kissing the Hammer Brother. The three then quickly leave. When they escape, Luigi realizes that these coins are fake and tosses them into the water while also accidentally tossing a star into it. Realizing the mistake, Mario and Kibidango swim to try to get it while avoiding many fish, including mega-sized Cheep-cheeps. They grab the star, which is hidden in a clam, but retreat in a sunken ship for safety. They steer this ship out of the water, and they reunite with Luigi. Riding the ship, Mario, Luigi, and Kibidango have the three items and are prepared to face King Koopa and crash his wedding ceremony.

They are spotted when Peach notices them approaching the castle. Mario and Kibidango enter the area through a hole in the wall and see King Koopa. They then chase him while Luigi searches for treasure. Mario and Kibidango arrive at a lava pit, and the two Goombas, with a control panel, challenge Mario to jump across elevator platforms. Meanwhile, however, Luigi finds a leak and floods the room with water. While Mario is saved, the water causes the castle to collapse. Among the remains, Mario sees King Koopa grab Peach, and he is ready to fight Mario. Kibidango reminds Mario to use the power-ups. Mario does use the Super Mushroom and the Fire Flower, but he is distracted by more food, and King Koopa manages to damage and throw him. Peach begs King Koopa for forgiveness and is even willing to marry him as long as Mario is spared. King Koopa hesitates but wants to destroy Mario since Mario has yet to use the Super Star. King Koopa tries to squish Mario and Luigi, but Mario uses his Star and manages to fight and defeat King Koopa.

At the end, the castle is restored to Peach's Castle and the landscape becomes lush. Princess Peach thanks Mario, and he returns her pendant. Peach talks about another half of the pendant, which Mario promises to find. Kibidango, however, transforms into Haru-ōji of Flower-koku. He is the keeper of the other half and is about to marry Peach, but King Koopa has cursed him into his dog form. This devastates Mario, but Princess Peach thanks him, and Mario and Luigi promise her help whenever she needs it. At the end of the movie, King Koopa and the Koopa Troop are shown working as employees for Mario and Luigi's grocery store.

Famicom Grand Prix series

Famicom Grand Prix: F-1 Race

Mario makes a playable appearance in the Japan-exclusive racing game, Famicom Grand Prix: F-1 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

Mario and Luigi are drivers in Famicom Grand Prix II: 3D Hot Rally. The two drive one of the three vehicles: Kattobi, Yonque, or Monster. 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

In Alleyway, similar to Breakout, Mario controls a paddle that deflects a ball to break a particular formation of bricks. During bonus rounds, various brick formations resembling sprites from Super Mario Bros., including Mario's sprite, are shown.

Super Mario Land series

Super Mario Land

Mario in the Sky Pop

In Super Mario Land, Mario travels to Sarasaland to rescue the land's princess, Daisy, from the alien Tatanga. Mario's powers in the game are limited to Superball Mario, in which he can shoot balls that ricochet off walls, as well as the Marine Pop (a submarine) and the Sky Pop (an airplane), each in a special auto-scrolling stage. When he rescues Princess Daisy, Mario is kissed by her, and the two fly off in a spaceship.

Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins

Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins introduces a new antagonist to Mario named Wario. Wario usurps Mario's castle while Mario rescues Princess Daisy in Sarasaland (the events of Super Mario Land). The player's objective here is to regain control of Mario's castle. Mario gains more power-ups this time, including the Fire Flower and the Carrot. The Fire form has a slightly different appearance; Mario wears a small feather on his cap. The Carrot transforms Mario into Bunny Mario, which allows 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 Fire Wario and Bunny Wario, but Mario eventually prevails and takes his castle back.

Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3

Although Wario 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.

DIC cartoons

Artwork of Mario in the DIC cartoons

In the Mario cartoons produced by DIC Entertainment, Mario and Luigi are shown to be plumbers from Brooklyn. 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!

Mario seen with Luigi in the live-action segment of the 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 by Lou Albano and Danny Wells, respectively) are plumbers living in Brooklyn, working from Mario 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.

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.

The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3

For a complete list of the episodes of The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3 that Mario has appeared in, see List of The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3 episodes featuring Mario

The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3 follows the events of The Super Mario Bros. Super Show! This series of episodes is based on Super Mario Bros. 3. Unlike the previous series, this one has the Mushroom Kingdom in a more peaceful state. Mario has more enemies to fight, most notably the Koopalings. The only episode Mario does not appear in is "Life's Ruff."

Super Mario World

The Super Mario World television series is a continuation of the previous series, The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3. This time, the episodes focus loosely on the video game Super Mario World with added characters, the most prominent being Yoshi, the Cave People, and Oogtar. Mario appears in every episode of the Super Mario World television series as one of the main protagonists.

Mario Ice Capades

Mario appears in the "show on ice" television special, Mario 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 two Koopa Troopas, two Goombas, a Hammer Brother, a red Koopa Paratroopa, and a Spiny. 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, Princess Toadstool awards them the "Purple Plunger for Bravery."

Mario and the Incredible Rescue

The children's book Mario 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 named Cybele. 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.

Super Mario World: Mario to Yoshi no Bōken Land

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

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

Dr. Mario series series

Mario as Dr. Mario

Mario takes in a different alias in the first game of the puzzle subseries, Dr. Mario. Mario works alongside Nurse Toadstool (Princess Peach) at Mushroom Kingdom Hospital to combat three types of viruses: Fever, Chill, and Weird. Here, he must drop Megavitamins 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, steals the Megavitamins and wishes to profit from them. Mad Scienstein intervenes and takes the Megavitamins, so after Dr. Mario beats Wario, the two follow Mad Scienstein, defeating enemies from Wario Land 3. Mad Scienstein then reveals himself to be a worker for Rudy, 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 to Vampire Wario. Or, if the player is using Wario, Dr. Mario becomes Metal Mario after ingesting the pills.

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

In Dr. Mario World, Dr. Mario hunts down viruses to save infected Koopa Troopas, Toads, and Shy Guys after a virus outbreak happens in the Mushroom Kingdom. Other Mario characters join him as playable characters.

Amada Anime Series: Super Mario Bros.

The Amada Anime Series: Super Mario Bros. series of Japan-only anime features Mario characters in classic fairy tale settings. Mario plays as the main protagonist, defeating Bowser in all of them.

Super Mario Momotarō

Mario, after defeating Bowser, threatens him at gunpoint.

Super Mario Momotarō retells a popular Japanese folklore called Momotarō, with Mario playing the role as the main hero. Bowser and the Koopalings have stolen Princess Peach from Ojīsan and Obāsan, two elderly Hammer Brothers. Eventually, the Hammer Brothers discover a shooting star in the form of a peach that has landed in their feet. Mario, as a mustached child, emerges from this peach, and the two elderly Hammer Brothers welcome him into their family. While Mario rapidly grows up, Ojīsan and Obāsan accidentally mention Princess Peach. They explain their loss to Mario once he asks them for more information. Mario then ultimately decides to rescue her, even though Ojīsan is unwilling to let him go. The Hammer Brothers finally relent and give aid to Mario for his journey, including a lunchbox with mushrooms and a gun, a valuable family heirloom.

During his travels, Mario encounters a weak, starving Para-Beetle. He immediately befriends her by sharing his mushroom, and she agrees to join his cause. Mario also helps a Boomerang Bro. up, who also joins Mario. Mario then finally befriends a Spike after the Spike has seen Bowser destroy his homeland. The four ride a rocket-powered airship to confront Bowser and the Koopalings. While Mario's friends battle the Koopalings, Mario faces Bowser and, with help from the Para-Beetle and the Boomerang Bro., eventually defeats him. After winning the fight, Mario threatens Bowser at gunpoint until Bowser relents and agrees to stop destroying the lands and to return everything he has stolen, including Princess Peach. Princess Peach thanks Mario and his friends for rescuing her, and they use the airship to return to Ojīsan and Obāsan.

Super Mario Issun-bōshi

Peach holding Mario, who plays the title role

Mario plays the role of the small hero in Super Mario Issun-bōshi, based on the Japanese folk tale Issun-bōshi. A couple has wished for a child, but while the shooting star delivers the child, who is Mario, he is only one inch tall. As Mario grows older, he notices a city beyond the mountains and wishes to travel there. His parents are reluctant at first, but they do not wish to shelter him for the rest of his life. Mario's father gives him a sewing needle for a sword, a bowl with rocket engines for a boat, and a chopstick for an oar to help Mario travel. Mario encounters several enemies along the way, including a Spiny Cheep Cheep, Para-Beetles, a Blooper Nanny, a Dry Bones, and a Lakitu. The Lakitu, however, summons a storm and sinks Mario and his boat, making him unconscious.

When Mario wakes up, he finds himself in the city and Princess Peach, normal sized, who has rescued him. Peach introduces herself and explains that she has found him unconscious on the shore of the river. Mario thanks her and tells her his desire to explore the city. Peach, who likes him, wants Mario to stay with her, and he agrees, riding on Peach's shoulders. As they are walking in the city, however, Bowser ambushes and attacks Peach, demanding that she marry him. Princess Peach strongly refuses, and before Bowser resorts to force, Mario challenges Bowser. Bowser does not take Mario seriously and tries to stomp him, but he dodges his steps. Bowser, however, finally grabs Mario and swallows him. While Bowser is trying to kidnap Peach, though, Mario attacks Bowser from the inside with his needle sword, which forces Bowser to cough out Mario. Mario then cuts off Bowser's horns and eyebrows, making Bowser flee while passersby laugh at him. After thanking Mario, Peach notices a magic wish-granting hammer, which Bowser has dropped, and she then fulfills Mario's wish to be a full-sized human. In the end, the two use a hovercraft to return home.

Super Mario Shirayuki-hime

Super Mario Shirayuki-hime is the final story of the series, based on Snow White. Bowser, as Queen Koopa, is jealous that Princess Peach is declared fairest in the land according to the magic mirror. Queen Koopa orders the Koopalings (Roy, Wendy, Morton, and Iggy) to destroy Princess Peach. Mario rescues her and flees to a house containing his friends, the seven dwarves, who are Toads. After Mario tells them what is happening, the Toads promise to protect her while Mario is away. Queen Koopa, meanwhile, tricks Peach into eating a poisoned apple and casts her into a deep sleep. When Mario returns and finds Peach in a deep sleep, the Toads apologize for their failure. Mario then retrieves a potion he has received from a goddess in a foreign land and revives Peach. After Peach explains that she has been given a poisoned apple, Mario concludes that it is Queen Koopa and wants to punish Queen Koopa. With Peach and the Toads following, Mario travels to Queen Koopa's castle and defeats the Goombas there. When he confronts Queen Koopa, the Koopalings attack him with a magical electric blast. The Toads help Mario by giving him a power-up that makes him grow large and knock away the Koopalings. After Mario chases Queen Koopa, she takes Princess Peach and holds a knife near her neck. Luigi, however, ambushes Queen Koopa, and the brothers defeat her by throwing her against the magic mirror. Mario, Peach, Luigi, and the Toads then happily leave the castle, concluding the story arc.

Mario Teaches Typing series

Mario helps children type in both Mario Teaches Typing and Mario Teaches Typing 2. By typing correctly, players enable the game to advance. Mario Teaches Typing 2, the sequel, has another story. Mario and Luigi find a Magical 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. The two 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.

Super Mario Bros. & Friends: When I Grow Up

Mario appears in various scenes of the virtual coloring book, Super Mario Bros. & Friends: When I Grow Up. He and various other Mario characters (and Link) are shown in various occupations.

Mario is Missing!

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

The 1992 game Mario is Missing! was the first game in the Mario Discovery Series[15] of Educational Games and set the Mario characters on Earth. When hearing of Bowser's plan to flood the Earth by melting Antarctica'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 version, 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 that 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 that 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.

The game centers around Luigi, who rescues Mario from Bowser in the end.

Super Mario-Kun

Super Mario-Kun

Mario has played a starring role on a long-running manga series, Super Mario-Kun. As the title implies ("kun" is a Japanese honorific for little boys), Mario is depicted as playful, brave, and devoted to his friends, although immature, rash, and sometimes mischievous. 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 the Donkey Kong Country arc, where Mario does make an appearance, or in Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island, where Mario's and Luigi's adult selves aid Yoshi and Baby Mario to save Baby Luigi.

Yoshi franchise

Yoshi

Mario is featured in the first game of the Yoshi franchise, entitled simply Yoshi (or Mario & Yoshi). The gameplay is similar to that of Tetris: 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 a Yoshi's Egg that hatches a Baby Yoshi, giving Mario 50 points. The Yoshi that Mario can hatch is dependent on the enemies between the egg halves.

Yoshi's Cookie

Mario is portrayed as a baker in another puzzle game of the Yoshi franchise, Yoshi's Cookie, along with its remake in Nintendo 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 five Yoshi Cookies gives a special move that can disrupt the opponent's playing field.

Yoshi's Safari

Yoshi's Safari's title screen, with Yoshi Mario as seen on's title screen, with Yoshi

In Yoshi's Safari, Mario and Yoshi are sent by Princess Peach to rescue Jewelry Land from Bowser's occupation. In this game, Mario uses a gun called the Super 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 free King Fret and Prince Pine of Jewelry Land.

Yoshi's Island series

Main article: Baby Mario

Baby Mario floats, attached to balloons.

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

Adult Mario appears as a high score icon in Yoshi Touch & Go.

Yoshi's New Island. The man who would be identified as Mario is Mr. Pipe in

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

Super Mario Adventures

Super Mario Adventures Mario and Luigi fixing the castle pipes in the beginning of

Super Mario Adventures features Mario and Luigi attempting to rescue Princess Toadstool, and it features characters and other elements from Super Mario World. In the beginning, Mario and Luigi arrive at Toadstool's palace to work. A party is scheduled, but Mario and Luigi find a tangle of pipes, so the two set to work. Mario notices an unfamiliar green pipe. It and several other green pipes spawn enemies, and Mario and Luigi flee outside, where they find many green pipes. Bowser, with the Koopalings, then appears and blackmails Princess Toadstool. If she does not marry him, he turns her kingdom into stone. He demonstrates by transforming several Toads to stone. Later, when the Toads try to reach Mario and Luigi, it is revealed that Mario has been turned to stone. Princess Toadstool, defiant, pursues Bowser for a negotiation. The Toad attendants call the Minister of Massage to restore Mario to normal, which he accomplishes after one week. After Toads tell him what has happened, Mario and Luigi decide to chase Bowser, so they enter the large green pipe. Below, however, is the sky, and Mario and Luigi plummet.

After Mario pulls Luigi from the ground, Mario sees Luigi holding on to an egg. They try to cook it, but it hatches into a Yoshi. Mario and Luigi, who are unfamiliar with Yoshi, try to flee, believing that the Yoshi will eat them. Mario hides in a bush and beckons Luigi to follow. Luigi tries to, but he panics after sitting on a Wiggler. Mario stomps on its head, enraging it and giving it chase to the brothers. They then spot Yoshi still following them, and they brace themselves. The Yoshi and the Wiggler fight, and Mario and Luigi try to sneak away. They then see the Yoshi eat the Wiggler, and they hear it talk and beckon Mario and Luigi to give it a ride. The two decide that it is friendly, so they ride it. Yoshi takes them to a Yoshi village. Still uncertain, they wonder if the Yoshis are going to prepare them as part of a meal. They find Friendly Floyd, a traveling salesman. He informs them that they are in a Yoshi village and thanks them for rescuing Yoshi. They ask why Yoshi was sealed in an egg, and he explains that it was Bowser's curse inflicted on him while he was setting out to rescue Yoshis from Bowser. Floyd offers to sell them a Yoshi interpreter book, though Mario and Luigi convince him to lower the price. After buying the book, however, they discover that it is useless. They then find one of Toadstool's guards, from Toadstool's expedition to Bowser's Castle, who tells them that Princess Toadstool is captured.

Mario and Luigi soon arrive at the castle and see it covered in a moat. Mario attempts to swim through it but is attacked by Urchins, Fish Bones, and Porcupuffers. Mario and Luigi see Friendly Floyd but try to ignore him. Luigi sits on a Bill Blaster, but Mario panics and tries to knock him off. The blaster fires a Bullet Bill, which catches Mario. He zooms past Princess Toadstool flying with her cape, who has escaped in the meantime. Mario crash-lands in the castle and is promptly captured. While he is sitting in his cell, Luigi is given blackmail to give the princess or watch Mario suffer. Luigi, with help from Friendly Floyd, disguises himself as Princess Toadstool, and he successfully tricks Bowser. Luigi visits Mario in his cell, causing Mario to snicker. Wendy finds Luigi and tells them both that she is going to feed Mario to the piranhas. Luigi hastily changes the subject and tells the Koopalings that he orders pizza. The pizza arrives, and it turns out to be Princess Toadstool in Luigi's clothes, who, with several bombs, threatens the Koopalings to blow up the castle. Luigi then reveals himself. Wendy believes it is a bluff, though the Koopalings charge. Luigi steals the keys from Roy. He jumps too high, however, and he drops the keys. The Toad catches the keys and rides on Yoshi. He quietly passes the keys to Luigi while the Koopalings are chasing him and Yoshi. Luigi goes to Mario's cell and struggles to open both the cell lock and the prison chain lock. While Yoshi, Toad, and Toadstool are cornered, Mario is free and takes out the enemies. Wendy opens a trapdoor and sends Mario, Luigi, Toad, Toadstool, and Yoshi into a pit. The fires from the Reznors in the pit set off Toadstool's bomb, and there is a massive explosion.

After they all land safely, Luigi and Toadstool swap their clothes to normal, and Mario, Luigi, Toadstool, and Toad feel their adventure is done. They, however, quickly realize that they must re-enter the pipe from the sky, the pipe they fell from. Toad gets an idea and borrows Princess Toadstool's cape to fly and send rescue units. He leaves, and after a while, Mario spots units and a ladder coming from the pipe. They attempt to climb the ladder. The leading Toad, however, kicks Mario below, and he slices off the ladder below him. The rescue unit is revealed to be Bowser and his troops, disguised, and the real Toad has been captured. Bowser sends Paratroops after them. Yoshi eats a Blue Shell and starts flying, but he loses Bowser and his troops. Yoshi spits out his shell, and Mario and Luigi crash into a dark forest.

Mario hesitates to enter the Ghost House (it is actually a trap set by Bowser), but Luigi is hit with hunger pangs. While Mario argues with him, they smell cheese coming from the house, and Luigi runs in. Mario and Yoshi chase him, but Yoshi is hit by the door and throws Mario inside. Bowser activates the door to be shut, leaving Yoshi outside. While getting attacked by Boos, Mario searches for Luigi. He finds Luigi in a room with a big chunk of cheese. He alerts Luigi to Boos, and Luigi flees with Mario. Mario tells Luigi to stick to the walls. Without realizing it, however, they slip in front of a hallway with Big Boo inside, and they are exposed from behind. Luigi falls backward, sees the Big Boo, and yells. Mario turns around, and the Boos they were facing attack them. This leads to a stand-off that lasts for a while. Mario gets tired but has a plan, so he leads Luigi into an empty room. When the Boos enter, they are greeted by Mario, dressed as a psychologist, with Luigi as a nurse. Mario tells the Boo that it is scared of humans and asks it to talk about its past. He successfully cheers up the Boo by telling it about the massive universe they are in. He then tells it to go outside. The Boo thanks him, and it answers Mario's question as to where Bowser's Castle is. Mario, Luigi, and Yoshi then head there.

Looking at the beginning of the wedding ceremony, Mario notes the tight security. He, Luigi, and Yoshi try entering a pipe they believe will take them inside. In the tunnel, they reach a lava chamber. They encounter Thwomps and Blarggs that attack them. While Luigi and Yoshi are on a rock island, Mario reaches a pipe. Exiting the pipe, which leads outside the wedding cake, Mario tries to crash the wedding ceremony. He seems surprised to see Toadstool (not realizing she is hypnotized) calling Bowser her "darling," but he grabs her and tries to escape. He promptly gets beaten and tied up. Meanwhile, however, Luigi and Yoshi find an alternate route. Mario then sees escaped Yoshis (which Luigi and Yoshi have freed from their eggs) stampeding. They trample the Magikoopa hypnotist, breaking the spell. Princess Toadstool unties Mario, and he uses the rope to snag Bowser, who tries to flee. Bowser hides in the cake, but the Yoshis start eating it. Mario finds him, but Bowser tries charging into him. Realizing that the cake will collapse, Mario gets off the cake, and the cake collapses, defeating Bowser. Princess Toadstool kisses Mario, and the Yoshis are freed. Mario, Luigi, and Toadstool return to the Mushroom Kingdom for rest and celebration until their next adventure.

Mario Kart series

LINE sticker of Mario performing a trick

Mario paired with Luigi

In the series of Mario Kart games, starting with Super Mario Kart, Mario has always been a playable character. In games where characters are divided into weight groups, Mario always has middling weight with balanced statistics. Numerous tracks throughout the series have been called Mario Circuit, or something with the name "Mario" in it.

Mario appears in the Mario Kart series in the first installment: Super Mario Kart. Mario is average in all categories. When used by a computer, he sometimes uses Star power, which gives him invincibility. Mario is used again for Mario Kart 64, where he is featured as a middleweight average-stats character. In Mario Kart: Super Circuit, Mario is once again used as middleweight characters with average speed and weight.

In Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, he is grouped with Luigi by default, and their special item is the Fireball. His kart is the Red Fire, which is an all-around average kart. His baby version, Baby Mario, also makes his debut.

Mario once again returns as a character in Mario Kart DS. His karts are the B Dasher, the Standard MR, and the Shooting Star. After beating the game, Mario can race in any of the karts. He also fights two bosses in Mission Mode: Eyerok in Level 2 and Wiggler in Level 7. Mario later returns as a character for Mario Kart Wii. Unlike the previous installment, in Mario Kart Wii, Mario can ride on any of the medium karts and bikes. Mario also provides a small boost to handling, weight, and acceleration on any vehicle he drives. Mario returns as a playable character in Mario Kart 7. Like in the previous titles, he is a medium class racer, and most of his stat boosts are around average levels. Mario's metallic rival, Metal Mario, also makes his debut in the Mario Kart series.

In Mario Kart 8, Mario is yet again a middleweight, sharing this distinction with not just Luigi but also Ludwig von Koopa and Iggy Koopa. His stats, however, are not perfectly balanced. His top speed and traction are his strongest stats, while his acceleration is his weakest stat. If Mario drives certain vehicles, they are colored red to match Mario's dominant color. The exceptions are the GLA and City Tripper. Unlike in Mario Kart Wii, Mario can ride on any vehicle in the game. As with every character playable in Mario Kart 8, Mario is playable again in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe.

In Mario Kart Arcade GP, he is an all-around type and 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. Mario then appeared in Mario Kart Arcade GP 2, the sequel to the original. Mario, like Luigi, Pac-Man, and Waluigi, is an all-around racer. Mario reappears in Mario Kart Arcade GP DX as yet again a balanced middleweight character. His personal kart is the Lightning Champ. He also received a Fire Mario alternate palette swap.

Mario reappears in Mario Kart Tour as a playable character. He is available as a Super character in said game; his special item is the Fire Flower. Mario also has a self-titled cup in the game. In addition, Mario in his musician outfit from Super Mario Odyssey (referred to in-game as "Mario (Musician)") appears as a separate, High-End playable character available as the second High-End Spotlight driver of the New York Tour with Double Bob-ombs as his special item; Mario (Musician) has different trick animations and a few distinct quotes as well. Mario in his hakama outfit from Super Mario Odyssey (which the game similarly refers to as "Mario (Hakama)") also appears as a separate, High-End playable character, available as the second High-End Spotlight driver of the Tokyo Tour. Mario (Hakama)'s special item is the Coin Box, which continually releases coins onto the track while in use. Mario in a Santa Claus costume, referred to as "Mario (Santa)," was added as another separate driver as the first High-End Spotlight driver of the Winter Tour, with the Fire Flower being his special item (like his normal counterpart).[16] Mario in his Happi outfit from Super Mario Odyssey (which the game similarly refers to as "Mario (Happi)") is a High-End Spotlight driver of the New Year's Tour with the Bob-omb Cannon as his special item. In addition, Mario in his classic outfit is a High-End Spotlight driver of the Mario Bros. Tour with the Triple Mushrooms as his special item. Two more variants based on his Chef and Swimwear outfits from Super Mario Odyssey (which the game similarly refers to as "Mario (Chef)" and "Mario (Swimwear)") also appear, with the Lucky Seven and Dash Ring as their special items, respectively. Another variant based on Mario's sprites from Super Mario Kart (which the game similarly refers to as "Mario (SNES)") is a High-End Spotlight driver of the Super Mario Kart Tour with the Triple Mushrooms as his special item.

Mario Paint

Mario played a minor role in Mario Paint. He appears in the interactive title screen, although he also makes appearances for a few icons. In the game, players can paint, create sprites, create music, and animate. Mario's icon during music mode indicates a piano-like instrument.

Mario's Time Machine

Mario in his time machine

In Mario'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 NES version, the player has to play an altered version of Mario 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.

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.

Mario & Wario

In Mario & Wario, Mario is a passive character. Wario drops buckets or barrels or similar objects on his head, blinding him. The fairy Wanda has to guide Mario safely to Luigi through hazards and traps in each level. When arriving at the end of the level, Luigi frees Mario from the sight-blocking object. Mario is only one of the characters that have to be guided through levels by Wanda like this in the game. The other characters are Princess Peach and Yoshi. Mario walks at a medium speed, while Peach is slow and Yoshi is fast.

Mario's Early Years! series

Mario has appeared in the Mario's Early Years! series, which consists of three games. Mario, by traveling to different worlds, teaches basic learning skills to younger players, such as counting, recognizing shapes, and basic spelling. Mario is controlled by a cursor interacting with an object.

Mario's Picross series

Mario is featured as an archaeologist in Mario's Picross. Mario's Picross is a puzzle game where Mario 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 the Mario series. 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 in Mario's Super Picross on the Super Famicom. As in Picross 2, Wario also appears in it. 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.

Hotel Mario

Hotel Mario Mario seen in a cutscene from

In Hotel 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 seven Koopa hotels. Mario and Luigi travel from one Koopaling's 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 Koopaling hotels, Mario fights Bowser in his own hotel and defeats him. He then receives a kiss from Princess 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, similar to in the Super Mario series. He can also hide in open doors and take elevators to change his level.

On a side note, Mario has four fingers instead of the normal five in this game.

Excitebike: Bun Bun Mario Battle Stadium

Mario is a playable character in a Mario-styled remake of Excitebike in Excitebike: 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.

Mario's FUNdamentals

Mario has also appeared in Mario's FUNdamentals, where he plays several games with younger players, such as "Go Fish," "Checkers," "Backgammon," "Dominoes," and "Yahtzee." This is the first video game where Charles Martinet, the current voice actor for Mario, was credited for providing his voice.

Mario Tennis series

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

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

In the intro for the game Mario Tennis for the Nintendo 64, Mario is one of the participants of the tournament. Here, he defeats Donkey Kong to gain access to the semifinals. In the semifinals, he defeats Yoshi and moves on to the finals against Luigi. While the two brothers are looking for the missing tennis ball prior to the match, Wario and his partner, Waluigi, appear and cause mischief. After this, Bowser and a Boo appear. Everyone stands back in fear, thinking that the two came to cause trouble as well. But Bowser and Boo reveal that they simply want to play a nice game of tennis, to which Mario exclaims, "Let's all play!" and all of them agree and cheer. Initially unknown to the cast, however, a Bob-omb walks onto the court and explodes. In this game, Mario is the referee who wears different outfits depending on the tournament. If he is playing, a clone of him sits on the referee's chair and wears a blue version of Mario's cap. He reads "0" as "oh" during tiebreakers.

Mario playing tennis

In Mario 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's Offensive Power Shot has his racket transform into a giant mallet, which enables 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's Defensive 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's taunt is him waving and saying, "Come on!"

Mario has appeared occasionally in several trophy-earning cutscenes in Mario Power Tennis. While Mario has appeared more than most characters in these cutscenes, Luigi appears in most trophy-earning cutscenes.

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

In Mario Tennis: Ultra Smash, Mario's tennis racket color is slightly different in this game; rather than being a solid blue, Mario's racket is predominantly red and blue with some white.

In Mario Tennis Aces, Mario by default wears a new tennis outfit. 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. Also, Mario was among the characters that could be played as in the online tournament demo. During the game's adventure mode, Mario is, for most of the missions, the playable character as the player must collect the five Power Stones to stop Lucien. 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 completing Last Trial Boss Challenge.

Mario Clash

Mario Clash Mario in

Mario shoots at Koopas and various other enemies in Mario Cl