Mario is the main character and titular protagonist of the long-running and highly successful Super Mario. 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. 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 even more powers with a plethora of items, such as the Super Mushroom, the Fire Flower, and the Super Star.
Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island depicts Mario's beginning by delivery of a stork at nearly the same time as Luigi, suggesting a twin birth. Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island is usually considered as one of the first media chronologically in Mario's history, but a few other sources, usually older than Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island, depict different beginnings. In Super Mario Momotaro, 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 Momotaro, 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 depicts Luigi as several years younger than Mario, whereas he is depicted as Mario's younger twin in the video games.
The Super Mario Bros. Movie is a later portrayal of Mario's childhood from Brooklyn. Family portraits and dialogue (such as Luigi's awkward recall of a friend from high school) indicate that they attended high school and graduated. From Mario and Luigi's room, Mario's hobbies include playing sports, playing retro video games, and collecting retro video game memorabilia. Before working as plumbers, Mario and Luigi worked in a construction company with Spike as their boss. They left their job to pursue their interests, though at an apparent cost, with Luigi claiming that they spent their life savings on their commercial and their father's criticizing their risky choices.
In Donkey Kong, Mario is a carpenter who needs to rescue his girlfriend, Lady (renamed Pauline in later games), 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.
In the Game & Watch version of Donkey Kong, the objective is the same as in the arcade version, but Mario must trigger a lever, causing a hook to appear. If Mario grabs the hook, a girder wire is removed and he is transported to the starting point. If Mario misses, he falls and loses a life. If Mario removes all the wires, he defeats Donkey Kong.
In Donkey Kong Jr., Mario, an antagonist, holds Donkey Kong hostage in a cage, while Donkey Kong's son, Donkey Kong Jr., must rescue him. As Donkey Kong Jr. moves through the levels, Mario releases enemies such as Snapjaws and Nitpickers 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.
Since Donkey Kong II serves as a semi-sequel to the Game and Watch Donkey Kong Jr., Mario reprises his role as the antagonist.
Mario appears as a spectator in Donkey Kong Circus. He laughs at Donkey Kong whenever he drops a pineapple or grabs a fireball by mistake. The circus seems to be at the construction site where the first game begins, based on the girder-like platform Mario stands on.
Mario appears as the protagonist in Donkey Kong Hockey. His hockey shot is less powerful than Donkey Kong's, but it has more range.
Mario makes a later appearance in the Donkey Kong series with a new appearance in Donkey Kong for 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.
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 Super 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 to the game shows Mario holding Donkey Kong above his head (with Donkey Kong yelling, "HELP!") as Donkey Kong Jr. is standing to the left of him. To the right is what appears to be the start of World 1-1 from Super Mario Bros. This foreshadows the events of both Donkey Kong Jr. and Super Mario Bros.
During the intro to the arcade version of the game, there are two Marios that are seen carrying Donkey Kong away.
Mario has appeared in several Game & Watch games, including Mario Bros., Mario's Cement Factory, Mario's Bombs Away, Super Mario Bros., and Mario the Juggler. He also appeared in four installments of remakes marketed as the Game & Watch Gallery series, and he later appeared in Game & Watch Collection.
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 foreman yells at them. If they drop three pallets, the game is over. In Game & Watch Gallery 3 and Game & Watch Gallery 4, Wario drives the delivery truck and Bowser periodically reverses the conveyor belt directions. Cakes replace pallets in the game.
In Mario's Cement Factory, Mario must move cement from conveyor belts into cement trucks by emptying hoppers. The hoppers can hold only three loads of cement. If a hopper overflows, some cement can land on a driver, 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.
Mario must safely deliver bombs in Mario's Bombs Away, avoiding oil spills and torches.
Super Mario Bros. for the Game & Watch plays similarly to the original game for the NES. This version, however, is simpler and shorter.
Mario is featured in Mario the Juggler, a Game & Watch game based on the very first one, Ball.
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, Chef, Princess Peach must cooperate with Mario and Luigi to feed Yoshi. Mario and Luigi throw the food, and Peach can catch it in her pan.
After Donkey Kong Jr., Mario's next arcade appearance is Mario Bros. in 1983. Only Mario's physical appearance is taken from earlier titles; Mario is now a plumber in the sewers of New York[1][2] (his house, according to Atari)[3] and fights an endless number of creatures, such as Shellcreepers and Sidesteppers. Unlike in later games, Mario cannot jump on enemies. Instead, he must jump against the ceiling of a floor from below to stun all enemies walking on top of it. When Mario approaches the stunned enemies, he kicks them out of the screen, rendering them defeated. In the two-player mode, the second player plays as Luigi, here portrayed as a green palette swap of Mario.
The brothers reprise their role in two Japan-only sequels for home computers, Mario Bros. Special and Punch Ball Mario Bros. In Mario Bros. Special, Mario has to stun enemies by jumping on shared trampolines before dispatching them. In Punch Ball Mario Bros., he needs to hit them with a Punch Ball first.
Mario shoots at Koopas and various other enemies in Mario Clash, a game for the Virtual Boy. Mario has to knock enemies away with Koopa Shells at the side. The game's gameplay is similar to the style of Mario Bros., but Luigi is absent.
In VS. Wrecking Crew, an arcade game for the VS. System, Mario and Luigi are workers on a demolition site. Mario must break all the walls before enemies can stop him. In this game, Mario wears a helmet, shoes, and dark-red overalls. Unlike the NES version, this game has a simultaneous two-player mode, where Mario and Luigi can compete or cooperate. In single-player mode, Luigi is an opponent that attacks Mario, but Mario can hit him with his hammer and cause him to fall. They use hammers similar to those previously seen in Donkey Kong against Gotchawrenches or each other. If Mario stays too long, a fireball appears to hinder his progress.
In the NES game Wrecking Crew, Mario faces off against Foreman Spike instead of Luigi. Mario can now defeat enemies by trapping them in drums. Mario can also wield the Golden Hammer, which can smash any wall with a single swing.
Unlike their sequel, Wrecking Crew '98, these games have no specific plot.
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 earlier games, Mario can hinder his opponent's progress by raining panels on them. To clear the stage, Mario must demolish blocks or arrange three consecutive panels vertically or horizontally. If four or more panels are aligned, Mario can rain panels onto his opponent. If he clears the field, he receives a Mushroom, boosting his offensive combos toward his enemy.
In Super Mario Bros., Mario arrives in the Mushroom Kingdom, where his objective is to rescue Princess Toadstool (renamed Princess Peach in later games) from Bowser. Mario can gain power-ups and coins from jumping against ? Blocks and Bricks. 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. Mario can also become invincible for a short amount of time with the Starman.
Mario appears in Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels, the sequel to Super Mario Bros., with the same role as in the original game. 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.
In Super Mario Bros. 2 and its reissue, Super Mario Advance, Mario, along with Luigi, Princess Toadstool, and Toad, rescues Subcon from Wart. The ending of the game, however, reveals the events to take place in Mario's dream. Mario is a well-balanced character with no special abilities. The gameplay of the two games is different from that of other Super 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.
In the story, based on the Japanese game Yume Kojo: Doki Doki Panic, Mario has experienced a dream one night. The fairylike beings from the land of Subcon inform him that Wart has taken over the land of Subcon and that they need Mario's help to defeat Wart. After awakening from his dream, however, Mario dismisses the dream and returns to sleep. The next day, Mario, along with Luigi, Princess Toadstool, and Toad, decides to go on a picnic. While searching for a proper place, they notice a cave and decide to explore within it. After entering the cave, the four of them are transported to Subcon. Mario remembers his dream, and they decide to save Subcon from Wart and the 8 bits.
Mario reappears in the spiritual sequel to Super Mario Bros. 2, BS Super Mario USA, retaining his characteristics of being well balanced. While the four heroes celebrate their victory after the events of Super Mario Bros. 2, Mario is seen to be awakening during the end of the game, implying the message that the whole adventure is simply a part of Mario's dream. BS Super Mario USA explains that Subcon is a dream world, and, while Mario and the others initially thought it is all a dream, they learn the truth about the realm when they are called back into the world to save it from Wart again. They must collect golden Mario statues in each level, defeat the boss, and find Wart.
In Super Mario Bros. 3 and its Game Boy Advance reissue, Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3, after Bowser has invaded again, Mario and Luigi travel through eight kingdoms, in which 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 Dark Land. Super Mario Bros. 3 introduces several new power-ups that Mario can now use in addition to the Fire Flower, including the Super Leaf, Tanooki Suit, Frog Suit, Hammer Suit, and Goomba's Shoe.
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 Daisy, the two fly off in a spaceship.
Super Mario World and its reissue, Super Mario World: Super Mario Advance 2, introduce 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 Super 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 Caped 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.
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, allowing him to slow his descent or hover. Mario encounters several enemies and bosses by traveling through zones rather than worlds. When he finally reaches Wario, Wario attempts to use power-ups transforming him into Bunny Wario and Fiery Wario, but Mario eventually prevails and takes his castle back.
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. In order to save Peach, Mario has to collect the castle's Power Stars to advance and defeat Bowser. Mario utilizes a larger variety of jumps and maneuvers, such as the Backward Somersault, the Side Somersault, and the Wall Kick, and while he can stomp enemies, he can also attack them by punching and kicking.
In the game's remake, Super Mario 64 DS, Mario is an unlockable character. He is invited to the Mushroom Castle for cake, along with Luigi and Wario. However, some time after they enter, Bowser overtakes the castle. The three are thrown behind locked doors, with Mario being sealed away by Goomboss, who keeps the key to his door. Yoshi can unlock Mario's door once he defeats Goomboss. Mario is required to rescue Luigi. The player also needs Mario to complete the game, as he is the only character that Bowser allows to enter the final level to rescue Peach. Mario has good stats, with decent power and swimming, the best speed, and, by extension, the best jump height and distance (excluding Luigi's Backward Somersault). His special ability is the balloon-floating power gained by the Power Flower. Mario can also use the feather, the remake equivalent of the Wing Cap, which gives him more special abilities than the other characters. Mario is also the only character that can wall-kick. Other characters can transform into Mario, gaining his appearance but not his voice, by putting on Mario's cap. Mario can transform into Luigi and Wario this way but not into Yoshi.
Later in Super Mario 64 DS, Mario can catch various pink rabbits to unlock side mini-games.
In Super Mario Sunshine, Mario, Princess Peach, and Toadsworth arrive at Isle Delfino, where Mario is framed for polluting the island and disrupting the sunlight and is sentenced to clean it and collect Shine Sprites. Mario meets a new machine called F.L.U.D.D. and discovers that Shadow Mario, using a stolen Magic Paintbrush, is behind the pollution. Shadow Mario attempts a few times to kidnap Peach, and Mario later discovers that he is Bowser Jr. in disguise, who accuses Mario of stealing his mom, Peach. Mario does eventually meet and fight Bowser and Bowser Jr. in Corona Mountain to rescue Peach and restore Isle Delfino to normal.
With F.L.U.D.D., 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 stages. When Mario loses his cap in Super Mario Sunshine, he takes damage from the sun.
New Super Mario Bros. depicts Mario in a similar plotline and game design to Super Mario Bros., having to save Princess Peach from Bowser Jr. and eventually fighting Bowser. Throughout the game, Mario has the option to travel through eight worlds or bypass a few. Mario first faces Bowser at the first of the 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. Mario later fights and defeats Dry Bowser in the eighth castle. Mario fights Bowser and Bowser Jr. during the final fight after Bowser Jr. resurrects Bowser. The 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, giving him access to small pipes.
Mario can face against Luigi in the two-player side mode Mario vs. Luigi, collecting a set number of stars before Luigi does.
Mario is also in the mini-game side mode, which first appeared in Super Mario 64 DS.
In the beginning of Super Mario Galaxy, Mario attends the Star Festival to receive a gift from Princess Peach. Bowser, however, disrupts the event, captures Peach, and summons Kamek to blast away Mario. After being found by Baby Luma (Peach's intended gift) and Rosalina in the Gateway Galaxy, Mario assists Rosalina in powering her Cosmic Observatory so he can reach Bowser, who is disrupting other galaxies. Most of the jumping mechanics present in Super Mario 64 return, such as the long jump and the backward somersault. New powers include the Star Spin and the Star Pointer, which can be controlled independently from Mario. The Star 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, providing him with new abilities, including but not limited to the Bee Mushroom, the Boo Mushroom, the Ice Flower, and the Spring Mushroom.
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 her. Mario, Luigi, and the Toads then give chase, and Mario once again fights his way through eight worlds in his attempt to rescue Peach. After Mario rescues her, she tells him about secret World 9, extending his adventure.
Super Mario Galaxy 2 follows a more simplistic form of the original game's story. Bowser disrupts the Star Festival and kidnaps Peach so she can bake a cake for him. As in the first game, Mario discovers Baby Luma. While pursuing Bowser, Mario enlists Lubba's help and pilots Starship Mario. Aside from additional power-ups and the addition of Yoshi, the gameplay is also identical to that of the first Super Mario Galaxy game.
In Super Mario 3D Land, Bowser kidnaps Princess Peach while she checks the damage to a Tail Tree. Mario and the Toads then follow to try 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's adventure is a throwback to the classic 2D Super Mario adventures, relying on power-ups and his jumping to successfully clear levels, but merged with the 3D gameplay of later games as a new feature. He uses several classic power-ups, notably the Tanooki Suit from Super Mario Bros. 3. Unlike in older games, however, his default form is his Super form; whenever he loses a life, he restarts in this form rather than his Small form. His new abilities include rolling, which can break blocks if he is in Super form. He also has a few of his jumps from the 3D games, including the Long Jump, the Crouch Jump (which works like the Backward Somersault), and the Side Somersault.
In New Super Mario Bros. 2, Mario needs to rescue Princess Peach from Bowser again after the Koopalings kidnap her. During Mario's adventure, he and his brother collect many coins. Gold Mario (as well as the Gold Flower) is introduced as Mario's newest form. In this form, he can throw fireballs that transform blocks into coins for him to collect. This game is also the introduction of White Raccoon Mario, a form obtainable from Invincibility Leaves received from Assist Blocks. The form gives Mario the power of invincibility and all of the abilities of Raccoon Mario.
There is another mode in the game, Coin Rush, in which Mario must collect as many coins as possible in three random courses within the time limit and without being defeated once. There are + Clocks scattered throughout the courses, while Mario also gets more time by 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.
In New Super Mario Bros. U, Mario must again 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. This game introduces Super Acorns, which give Mario a new form, Flying Squirrel Mario, when he collects them. In this form, Mario can glide and cling to walls. The 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. When Mario finally arrives at Peach's Castle, it is conquered, and he must enter the modified castle to defeat Bowser and rescue Peach.
In the downloadable content New Super Luigi U, due to Luigi replacing Mario as the main protagonist, Mario himself does not appear, marking his only absence in the entire Super Mario series. His absence from the game is referenced in three instances: In the opening sequence, his cap appears on the table; at the beginning of the Frosted Glacier level Broozers and Barrels, a snowman with Mario's face and a cap with his M on it can be seen; and an object known as the Luigi Block has Mario's emblem on it (despite being named after Luigi).
Mario reappears as a playable character in New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe and 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.
Mario returns in Super Mario 3D World and its Nintendo Switch port, Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury, alongside Luigi, Princess Peach, and Toad, as an all-round character, in a similar way to Super Mario Bros. 2, lacking the special abilities and trade-offs 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.
In the game's port's standalone story Bowser's Fury, Mario is the only character from Super Mario 3D World to be playable. He teams up with Bowser Jr. to collect Cat Shines and defeat a corrupted Bowser and restore him back to normal, which they do by collecting more Cat Shines that awaken a new power-up called the Giga Bell, one of the enhanced versions of the Super Bell that transforms Mario into Giga Cat Mario, allowing him to grow to an enormous size to battle Fury Bowser. If Mario collects all 100 Cat Shines, his Cat form changes to match his Giga Cat form, Bowser Jr. and his Junior Clown Car become Cat variants of themselves, and Fury Bowser's spikes and hair change from orange to white, although all of these changes are simply aesthetic
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 characters not from the Super Mario franchise). Also, a number of unlockable Mystery Mushroom costumes alter Mario's sprite to a different iteration of himself, listed below. In the Nintendo 3DS version of the game, Mario cannot do this due to the removal of the Mystery Mushroom.
Mario is also given two new forms. The first one is Weird Mario, which is a taller and skinnier version of him and has access to the scuttle, and in addition to being a placeable form, it will also "answer" Warp Doors if they are tapped five times. The other is Big Mario, which comes in two different versions: one with Mario's original colors and another with his modern colors. The form causes several enemies and items to gain traits of Mario (specifically his cap and his mustache).
Mario reappears in Super Mario Run as a playable character along with Luigi, Princess Peach, Toad, Toadette, Yoshi, four other colored Yoshis, and Princess Daisy. Mario is the only playable character at the start of the game, but the others are unlocked as the player progresses through the game. Along with Luigi, Mario has a Small form, allowing him to be hit twice before being defeated. However, both of the Mario Bros. start courses in Small form, unlike the other characters. The version 3.0.4 update changed this, with all other characters gaining Small forms but still starting as tall characters. While most modes allow players to use any character, the Remix 10 mode has the player almost exclusively use Mario. Only the fifth course in a run has the player use another character, which is selected at random. Additionally, Mario is the only character that can be used in the tutorial How to Play.
Mario goes to the Mushroom Kingdom following Peach's invitation. However, Bowser taunts him, beats him to the Mushroom Kingdom, and captures Peach. Mario is not especially prominent in the story past these cutscenes and the tutorial that comes between them, especially as the player character can be freely swapped.
A number of buildings and decorations are themed after Mario, including a topiary, an 8-bit trim based on his sprite from Super Mario Bros., a statue, an 8-bit statue with a voxel version of his sprite from Super Mario Bros., another statue with the same sprite but using modern coloration, a golden statue, a golden statue of him running, and a Goal Pole. Of these, the 8-bit Mario Trim and the Gold Running Mario Statue are unique in not having an equivalent for any other character. The Gold Mario Statue is unique for being available only through My Nintendo. The Sparkly Snow Globe and 1st Anniversary Statue depict Mario as well.
Events have added Mario statues based on games released after Super Mario Run, such as one based on him riding a Standard Kart in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. An event from before the release of Super Mario Odyssey added captured versions of Goomba, Hammer Bro, and Chain Chomp, while an event afterward added Mario's wedding suit design from that game. A Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door event added a statue based on that game where he swings a hammer. A Mario & Luigi: Brothership event added a statue pairing Mario with Connie and another with both Mario and Luigi.
In Super Mario Odyssey, Mario cooperates with Cappy to stop Bowser from kidnapping and marrying Peach. 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. The two then have to travel across various kingdoms in order to catch up with Bowser and save Peach.
Mario reappears in Super Mario Maker 2 as the main playable character. Although he is no longer the only playable character, he is the only one playable in Story Mode. Mario has access to the Super Bell, due to the addition of a Super Mario 3D World style. In addition, he can use the Super Hammer in said style to turn into Builder Mario, as well as the Superball Flower in the Super Mario Bros. style, which previously appeared 30 years prior in Super Mario Land and turns Mario into Superball Mario. In the version 3.0.0 update, he also has access to the SMB2 Mushroom, which turns him into SMB2 Mario, giving him his appearance and characteristics from Super Mario Bros. 2.
Mario appeared as a playable character in Super Mario Bros. 35, being identical to his appearance from Super Mario Bros. He was also featured in multiple player icons.
Mario appears in Super Mario Bros. Wonder as one of the main playable characters. After Bowser invades the Flower Kingdom and merges and transforms into Prince Florian's castle, causing chaos and trapping Poplins, Mario and his friends happily agree to help. Prince Florian accompanies and guides him, and the badge on his head enables Mario to perform various abilities depending on the badge equipped. One of the new power-up forms Mario can take is Elephant Mario. This new form gives him the appearance of an anthropomorphic elephant, albeit without his shoes. Other new power-up forms include Drill Mario and Bubble Mario.
Super Mario Bros. Wonder is the first Nintendo game where Mario is not voiced by Charles Martinet, who departed from the series in August 2023.[6] Instead, Kevin Afghani voices Mario in this game, and he would continue to voice Mario in later games.
In the Legacy of Chris Thorndyke,
He is voiced by Andrew Francis in the English dub and reprised by Mamoru Miyano in the Japanese dub as a tribute for Toru Furuya.