Nintendo Celebrates Mario’s 25th Birthday

Mario, the video game character created by Shigeru Miyamoto for Nintendo, is celebrating his 25th birthday this month of September. As Nintendo’s mascot, Mario is one of the most recognizable characters in video game history, appearing in over a hundred games. His first appearance as a hero was in 1981’s Donkey Kong, and the game was so successful that he carried over into an arcade spin-off, Mario Brothers, which introduced his brother Luigi.

And to celebrate his birthday, Nintendo is releasing two Nintendo DS games. The Mario Hoops: 3-on-3 allows players to use the stylus to make “tricky dribbles, special passes and sweet shots” in the fun game of basketball. The second game is the Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis, the follow-up to the Mario vs Donkey Kong on the GBA, where players use the stylus and the touch screen to guide Mini Marios through mind-boggling, obstacle-filled levels.

Since his creation, Mario has established himself as a pop culture icon not only in Japan but also worldwide. In 1990, a national survey found that Mario was more recognizable to American children than Mickey Mouse. In addition, Mario made history in 2003 by becoming the first video game character to be honored with a wax figure in the legendary Hollywood Wax Museum. We here at QJ extend our warmest wishes to Mario on his birthday. Happy Birthday, Mario!

Via GameSpy

Mario, the video game character created by Shigeru Miyamoto for Nintendo, is celebrating his 25th birthday this month of September. As Nintendo’s mascot, Mario is one of the most recognizable characters in video game history, appearing in over a hundred games. His first appearance as a hero was in 1981’s Donkey Kong, and the game was so successful that he carried over into an arcade spin-off, Mario Brothers, which introduced his brother Luigi.

And to celebrate his birthday, Nintendo is releasing two Nintendo DS games. The Mario Hoops: 3-on-3 allows players to use the stylus to make “tricky dribbles, special passes and sweet shots” in the fun game of basketball. The second game is the Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis, the follow-up to the Mario vs Donkey Kong on the GBA, where players use the stylus and the touch screen to guide Mini Marios through mind-boggling, obstacle-filled levels.

Since his creation, Mario has established himself as a pop culture icon not only in Japan but also worldwide. In 1990, a national survey found that Mario was more recognizable to American children than Mickey Mouse. In addition, Mario made history in 2003 by becoming the first video game character to be honored with a wax figure in the legendary Hollywood Wax Museum. We here at QJ extend our warmest wishes to Mario on his birthday. Happy Birthday, Mario!

Via GameSpy