The Fascinating Longevity of Mario

Nintendo’s most iconic and beloved character continues to appeal to fans of all ages over four decades after his introduction to the world

Why is it that we as a society can’t get enough of an animated Italian plumber named Mario? In 2023, a reintroduction of Nintendo’s iconic video game character in the form of a new movie has yielded nearly $150M in ticket sales as of this writing. There is perhaps no other media franchise that is more beloved than the Mario universe of characters. Even the series’ primary villain, Bowser, has a dedicated following of fans.

I was recently speaking to a friend whose nephew just turned 6. And to my surprise, he was a huge fan of Mario and had a Mario-themed birthday cake. What struck me was the longevity of Mario, a character that was introduced in 1981 that is still the flagship image of Nintendo over 40 years later. Where others have failed to maintain critical acclaim, Mario remains dominant and an institution. How has this been accomplished? A simple formula and a dedication to not taking itself too seriously is a place to start.

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