On March 10, the annual celebration of Nintendo’s Mario is celebrated throughout the world. The reason for this celebration is because when shortened, Mar10 looks like Mario.
The 40th anniversary of Mario’s first appearance is coming up in July. Mario first appeared in Nintendo’s 1981 release “Donkey Kong.” In the game, the player controls Mario as he attempts to rescue his girlfriend, Pauline, who was kidnapped by Donkey Kong. The player tries to leap obstacles while simultaneously ascending ladders to reach Pauline.
In 1983, Mario received a spin off game titled “Mario Bros,” ultimately creating the Mario franchise. The game introduced a younger brother of Mario named Luigi. The multiplayer game allows two players to control the brothers as they embark on their journey in the New York sewers and defeat all of the creatures that appear down there.
The next game Mario would receive is “Super Mario Bros.” in 1985. Mario’s main objective in this game is to save Princess Toadstool, who would later be renamed Princess Peach. “Super Mario Bros.” is considered one of the most important video games of all time. It is the best selling game on the Nintendo Entertainment System, Nintendo’s first ever gaming console. It sold over 50 million copies and is also acknowledged as one of the main factors of the revival of the video game industry after it crashed in 1983.
Another pivotal game for Nintendo was their 1996 release “Super Mario 64.” The game was the first Mario game to feature 3D gameplay. It is credited as one of the best video games of all time and it was the first ever game to get a perfect rating by the video game magazine “Edge.” It also included open world gameplay allowing the player to explore extensive worlds.
Mario would go on to be featured in other best selling games such as “Mario Kart Wii,” “Super Mario World” and “New Super Mario Bros,” and has been in TV shows and movies. He has become the most famous video game character of all time, having appeared in over 200 games.
Mario Day is celebrated around the world with festive activities. These activities include: playing one of his countless video games and consuming Mario themed snacks and drinks. Nintendo celebrates Mario Day with extensive sales on Mario games.