Today marks the annual celebration of one of the most iconic video game franchises and characters of all time – Mario Day. Celebrated on March 10th each year, Mario Day pays homage to the beloved character Mario from the popular Nintendo video game franchise.
The date March 10th is significant because when written in abbreviated form, it spells out Mario, with the “1” and zero replaced by the letters “I” and “O”. Nintendo, the company that owns the Mario franchise, began celebrating this unique holiday in 2016.
Mario made his debut in the 1981 video game “Donkey Kong” and went on to star in his own game, “Mario Bros”, in 1983. Created by Shigeru Miyamoto, a Japanese video game designer, Mario quickly became a household name and helped Nintendo establish itself as a major player in the video game industry.
To celebrate Mario Day, Nintendo and many retailers offer discounts on Mario and Nintendo games, consoles, and merchandise. This includes deals on Nintendo Switch consoles, gaming bundles, Lego sets, and other Mario-related items.
In addition to video games, Mario and other Nintendo characters have expanded into other forms of entertainment. Universal Studios theme parks have incorporated Mario and his friends into their attractions, and a new animated film starring Mario and friends was released in 2023. The movie, titled “The Super Mario Bros”, featured an all-star cast including Chris Pratt, Seth Rogen, Anya Taylor-Joy, Charlie Day, Jack Black, and Keegan-Michael Key. It went on to gross over $1.3 billion worldwide, making it one of the highest-grossing animated films of all time.
Nintendo’s acquisition of animation studio Dynamo Pictures in 2022 suggests that more Mario movies and possibly other Nintendo character films may be in the works. Fans can look forward to seeing their favorite video game characters come to life on the big screen in the coming years.
Mario Day is not just a celebration of a beloved video game character; it is a testament to the enduring popularity and cultural impact of the Mario franchise. As fans around the world come together to celebrate this iconic character, they can look forward to more exciting adventures and entertainment featuring Mario and his friends in the future.
