With his mustache, his red cap, and his outfit with this silky jumpsuit, Super Mario emerges as THE iconic character in the world of video games. Whether you are a fan of the genre or not, young or old, everyone has heard of this Italian-American plumber who landed on our screens in 1985.
At forty-one years old, he has starred in 36 console adventures (not counting derivative games like Mario Kart), with a total of 452 million sales in March 2025 (according to Nintendo’s figures). Mind-blowing. This makes it the best-selling saga in video game history.
A pure product of the Japanese company Nintendo, Mario logically made his way to the cinema. Not always with success. In 1993, the disastrous Super Mario Bros. was released. A total failure, despite Bob Hoskins in the lead role, as well as Dennis Hopper (as Bowser). A flop that became a cult classic, but not for the right reasons.
It took until 2023 to see a worthy adaptation. This time in animated film. A success that stormed the box office in its first weekend, with 377 million dollars in revenue. Directed by Aron Horvath and Michael Jelenic, they hit the mark, with a touch of nostalgia as the entire saga’s universe is brought to life, especially in the music. And visually, the film is a triumph.
Naturally, a sequel was inevitable, arriving this Wednesday in theaters, with a highly anticipated new installment called Super Mario Galaxy, adapting the game of the same name released in 2007 on Wii. One of the saga’s finest.
The ultimate anti-hero
Despite all of this, a question remains: how to explain such success? Mario ultimately stands out as the ultimate anti-hero. Slightly chubby, big-nosed, no superpowers… He is the creation of Shigeru Miyamoto, a major figure at Nintendo. In this colorful universe, there’s no complex plot or violence, no elaborate narrative – simply an all-purpose hero who appeals to everyone. Even the villains appear somewhat sympathetic.
Over time, the adventures have also evolved. The hero used to always go to the rescue of Princess Peach. But gradually, the mustachioed, non-macho hero has given more space to the heroine. Nintendo has developed worlds around the character of Peach, without her needing anyone’s help. In the 2023 movie, she appears strong and independent, almost stealing the spotlight from Mario when it comes to saving Luigi.
The most surprising aspect of all this is that Mario was initially a secondary character. He didn’t even have a name when he first appeared in the arcade game Donkey Kong in 1981. But players liked him, giving him the nickname Jumpman.
Another anecdote: his pixelated mustache was primarily a decision based on the technical difficulties of creating a realistic mouth at the time. Legends sometimes arise from fortunate accidents. And after over 40 years, Mario has become inseparable from “pop culture.” His mustache as well.
