When Mario first appeared in Donkey Kong in 1981, he wasn’t even Mario.
He was simply Jumpman, a stocky carpenter whose job was to rescue his girlfriend from an oversized ape. His design was shaped by the limitations of early arcade hardware with a bright red hat and overalls to make him visible against the dark backgrounds, and a bushy moustache as a shortcut for facial detail.
This simple collection of pixels was an unlikely candidate to become Nintendo’s mascot character, lacking the sleek or casually cool qualities typically associated with action heroes of that era. Yet, through some exceptional game design and an endearing personality, Jumpman soon became Super Mario, and Super Mario became one of the most enduring video game characters of all time.
Mario has largely retained his character ever since. He is a blue-collar hero with a big heart, known for rescuing princesses and thwarting Bowser’s schemes in his mainline games.
Since Charles Martinet began voicing the character in the mid-1990s, Mario’s appearance and personality have remained relatively consistent, cementing his status as the Mickey Mouse of the video game era. Mario’s inherent simplicity makes him a versatile avatar, allowing him to take on various roles, such as a golfer, doctor, kart racer, paper RPG hero, clockwork toy, and board game contestant. You name it, Mario can do it.
However, in his primary role as a platforming superstar, a lack of character evolution and a sense of over-familiarity have sometimes frustrated fans eager for a more overt update to his visual style, character, and animations. Even Luigi has developed more over the past 20 years, becoming a nervous but brave goofball.
Mario’s games have always changed with the times and broken new ground, but what about the main man himself?
Nintendo is often accused of taking a conservative stance with its valuable intellectual properties and can be resistant to change. However, over the past few years, Mario has seen a subtle and steady evolution.
One could argue that the seeds for this change were sown in 2017 with Super Mario Odyssey. However, the immediate glow surrounding that wild and inventive adventure has been somewhat overshadowed by a glut of reissued Mario games as Nintendo dipped into its back catalogue to pack out the Switch release schedule.
The most noticeable shift in the character came in 2023 with The Super Mario Bros. Movie. The film was a global success and introduced Mario to a broader audience. And while Chris Pratt’s casting as Mario was not to everyone’s taste, his performance must be considered a success. The movie presents Mario as more relatable, expanding his emotional depth and humour, showing a side of him that feels human and accessible while preserving his characteristics of perseverance and heroism.
The film also expands on Mario’s hallmark athleticism with modern animation techniques, keeping him recognisable while introducing movements and expressions not previously seen in video games.
Expressing Mario’s personality through animation is also central to Super Mario Bros. Wonder, the excellent 2D platformer released for Nintendo Switch in 2023. The game introduces significant changes in visual style, personality, and gameplay for a 2D Mario title, providing a refreshing departure from the outdated New Super Mario Bros. aesthetic, which had kept Mario confined to a mid-2000s CG render style for far too long.
Mario’s new, seemingly dynamic animations showcase his sense of adventure with winks, surprised reactions, and playful interactions, such as the delightful Indiana Jones-style hat grab when he enters a warp pipe. The game’s Wonder Flower effects add creativity and surreal spontaneity to Mario’s actions and environment, placing him in an unpredictable and joyful world and giving him more to respond to.
The recent RPG Mario & Luigi: Brothership also showcases Mario’s more narrative-driven personality, highlighting a caring, slightly playful side that complements Luigi’s character. The game features brotherly moments, elastic animation, and humorous dynamics that resemble a Saturday morning cartoon. Importantly, it builds on Mario’s iconic traits without fundamentally altering who he is.
The other significant aspect of this evolution is the introduction of Kevin Afghani as Mario’s new voice actor. Afghani brings a fresh yet familiar tone to the character, that aligns perfectly with Mario’s enhanced animations and emotional warmth. The response to Afghani’s performances has been largely positive, with fans appreciating the updated but subtle tonal shifts in Mario’s voice.
Martinet’s contributions in defining the character of Mario cannot be underestimated, but it’s clear that Nintendo wanted to transition to an actor who could supplement the trademark “whoops” and “yahoos” accompanying each jump with a broader range of expressions. These subtle adjustments in design, voice, and personality thread the needle in keeping Mario relevant to longtime fans while inviting a new generation into the Mushroom Kingdom.
A new mainline Super Mario game will likely launch alongside the successor to the Nintendo Switch, and it’s fun to speculate how the new system’s power could push Mario’s characterisation even further forward. Nintendo is known for focusing on gameplay above all else, but could the Mario we see in games start to resemble the Mario from the recent movie? Could he even have full voice acting? Or would adding too much personality diminish the charm that makes Mario such a versatile character? Whatever direction Nintendo takes, it’s clear that Mario’s enduring appeal lies in his ability to adapt while staying true to his Jumpman roots.
