Mario

, |lead=yes}} is a character created by the Japanese game designer Shigeru Miyamoto. He is the star of the ''Mario'' franchise, a recurring character in the ''Donkey Kong'' franchise, and the mascot of the Japanese video game company Nintendo. Mario is an Italian plumber who lives in the Mushroom Kingdom with his younger twin brother, Luigi. Their adventures generally involve rescuing Princess Peach from the villain Bowser while using power-ups that give them different abilities. Mario's distinctive characteristics include his large nose and mustache, overalls, red cap, and high-pitched, exaggerated Italian accent.

Mario debuted as the player character of ''Donkey Kong'', a 1981 platform game. Miyamoto created Mario after he was unable to obtain the license to use Popeye as the protagonist. The graphical limitations of arcade hardware influenced Mario's design, such as his nose, mustache, and overalls, and he was named after Nintendo of America's landlord, Mario Segale. After ''Donkey Kong'', Mario starred in ''Mario Bros.'' (1983). Its 1985 Nintendo Entertainment System sequel, ''Super Mario Bros.'', began the successful ''Super Mario'' platformer series. Charles Martinet voiced Mario from 1991 to 2023, when he was succeeded by Kevin Afghani.

Mario has appeared in over 200 video games. These include puzzle games such as ''Dr. Mario'', role-playing games such as ''Paper Mario'' and ''Mario & Luigi'', and sports games such as ''Mario Kart'' and ''Mario Tennis''. He lacks a set personality and consistent profession, allowing him to take on many different roles across the ''Mario'' franchise. Mario is often accompanied by a large cast of supporting characters, including friends like Princess Daisy, Toad, and Yoshi and rivals like Bowser Jr., Donkey Kong, and Wario. Mario has also appeared in other Nintendo properties, such as the ''Super Smash Bros.'' series of crossover fighting games.

Mario is an established pop culture icon and is widely considered the most famous video game character in history. His likeness has been featured in merchandise, and people and places have been nicknamed after him. He inspired many video game characters, including Sega's Sonic the Hedgehog, and unofficial media. The ''Mario'' franchise is the bestselling video game franchise of all time, with more than 800 million units sold worldwide. Mario has been adapted in various media; he was portrayed by Bob Hoskins in the live-action film ''Super Mario Bros.'' (1993) and voiced by Chris Pratt in the animated film ''The Super Mario Bros. Movie'' (2023).

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