123 Fun Facts About Super Mario

Whom does Mario rescue in most mainline Super Mario games?

Western releases originally called her Princess Toadstool; the Peach name became standard around the time of Super Mario 64.

What power-up makes Mario grow bigger in the original Super Mario Bros.?

The Super Mushroom (a red mushroom with white spots) transforms small Mario into Super Mario, doubling his size and allowing him to break bricks.

What is the name of Mario's dinosaur companion who first appeared in Super Mario World?

Yoshi is a green dinosaur who debuted in Super Mario World (1990) for the SNES. Mario can ride Yoshi, who can eat enemies with his long tongue.

What color is Luigi's hat and shirt?

He began life in 1983's Mario Bros. as a straight palette swap of his brother, and only later grew a personality of his own.

What is the name of the main villain in the Super Mario series?

Bowser's Japanese name Kuppa comes from gukbap, a Korean rice-and-soup dish; Miyamoto also considered naming him after yukhoe and bibimbap.

Which small brown enemies are the first you encounter in World 1-1 of Super Mario Bros.?

Goombas, designed to resemble shiitake mushrooms, were added late in development; their walk was animated by flipping a single image back and forth to save memory.

Which company created Super Mario?

Mario has become the company's mascot, and games featuring him have sold hundreds of millions of copies across every Nintendo console.

What does Mario collect 100 of to earn an extra life?

Collecting 100 coins earns an extra life; the counter rolls back to zero after the 1-Up, and the rule has carried through most later Super Mario games.

What profession is Mario officially described as?

Mario is a plumber. He started out as a carpenter because Donkey Kong is set on a construction site; the switch to plumber came with 1983's Mario Bros., set in sewers.

In Super Mario Bros., what happens when Mario touches a Super Star?

The Super Star (also called Starman) grants Mario temporary invincibility, allowing him to defeat enemies on contact. The effect is accompanied by a fast, iconic jingle.

In Super Mario Bros. 3, what flying vessels do the Koopalings use to invade the Mushroom World?

Airships end each of the first seven worlds; Mario boards one, reaches the Koopaling's cabin and recovers the magic wand stolen from that world's king.

Which actor voiced Mario in The Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023)?

The casting drew skepticism, but the film grossed about $1.36 billion, becoming the first video-game movie to pass the billion-dollar mark.

How many Power Stars does Mario need to face Bowser in the final battle of Super Mario 64?

70 Power Stars open the final door; until then the stairs loop forever, and their music resembles a Shepard scale, an auditory illusion of endless rising.

What is the name of the ghost enemy in Super Mario that stops moving when Mario looks at it?

Boo debuted in Super Mario Bros. 3 (1988); it chases Mario when his back is turned but shyly covers its face and freezes when he looks at it.

In which game did Mario first appear?

Donkey Kong (1981) had Mario climbing girders to rescue Pauline from the giant ape; the character was only given the name Mario later on.

Which mushroom-headed character tells Mario 'Thank you Mario! But our princess is in another castle!'?

The line has been ranked among the most repeated quotes in video games and inspired a 2008 song by The Mountain Goats and Kaki King.

What is the name of Mario's hat-shaped companion in Super Mario Odyssey?

Cappy is a sentient hat from the Cap Kingdom who becomes Mario's companion in Super Mario Odyssey (2017). Mario can throw Cappy to capture and control enemies and objects.

Which item, introduced in 1988, turns Mario into Raccoon Mario, complete with tail and ears?

The Super Leaf, introduced in Super Mario Bros. 3, turns Mario into Raccoon Mario; after a running start he can take off and then float gently down.

What is the name of the realm that Mario calls home in most Super Mario games?

The Mushroom Kingdom, ruled by Princess Peach, is Mario's home; Sarasaland is Daisy's realm from Super Mario Land, and Hyrule belongs to the Zelda series.

Who composed the iconic main theme music for Super Mario Bros.?

Koji Kondo composed the legendary Super Mario Bros. theme ("Ground Theme") in 1985. It is one of the most recognizable pieces of video game music ever created and Kondo composed it at age 24.

Which Mario Kart item homes in on the racer in first place?

The Spiny Shell, better known as the blue shell, debuted in Mario Kart 64 and races to hit whoever is in first place; Mario Kart 8's Super Horn was the first item able to destroy it.

What was Mario's original name when he first appeared in the 1981 arcade game Donkey Kong?

Miyamoto later said that if he had used a name like Mr. Video instead, the character would probably have faded away.

Which game introduced the Cape Feather power-up that lets Mario fly by running and jumping?

The Cape Feather was introduced in Super Mario World (1990) for the SNES. It transforms Mario into Cape Mario, who can fly indefinitely after building up running speed and taking off.

Who created Mario and is widely regarded as one of the most influential video game designers ever?

More than a billion copies of games from franchises he created have been sold, including Zelda, Donkey Kong, Star Fox and Pikmin.

In Super Mario Galaxy, what celestial object serves as the hub world?

The Comet Observatory's six domes open onto most of the game's 42 galaxies, and Rosalina, the caretaker of the Lumas, lives aboard.

Which was the first Mario game to sell 60 million copies?

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe for Switch passed 60 million copies in 2024, the first Mario game to do so; the original Super Mario Bros. sold about 40 million on the NES.

Who voiced Mario in video games from 1991 until 2023?

Charles Martinet improvised a warm Italian voice at his audition and voiced Mario for more than three decades, until Kevin Afghani took over with Super Mario Bros. Wonder in 2023.

In Super Mario Bros. 3, how many worlds are there?

Super Mario Bros. 3 has 8 worlds, each with its own theme, from Desert Land's pyramids to Giant Land, where enemies and obstacles are twice their normal size.

What ability does the Tanooki Suit give Mario that the regular Raccoon form doesn't?

In Super Mario Bros. 3 it does everything Raccoon Mario can (fly, tail whip), and pressing down + B turns Mario into an invulnerable statue, a nod to tanuki folklore.

The Mario Kart series launched in 1992 on which console?

Super Mario Kart (1992) launched on the Super NES with eight racers and Mode 7 pseudo-3D tracks; Super Circuit on the Game Boy Advance later returned to the same look.

Which real-world metropolis inspired the Metro Kingdom's capital in Super Mario Odyssey?

New Donk City is modelled on New York: its City Hall echoes the Empire State Building, yellow taxis crowd its streets, and Mario can ride a scooter between its skyscrapers.

In Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, what is Mario's Smash Ball-triggered move, a widening wall of flame sent across the stage, called?

Mario Finale sends a widening wall of flame across the stage; Final Smashes debuted in Brawl and are triggered by breaking a floating Smash Ball.

What is the name of Wario's partner who first appeared in Mario Tennis (2000)?

Waluigi debuted in Mario Tennis for the Nintendo 64 in 2000 as Wario's doubles partner, designed by Fumihide Aoki to give Wario a counterpart to Luigi.

Which 1996 Super Mario game was the first in the series with a fully 3D world, setting the template for 3D platformers?

Super Mario 64, a 1996 launch title for the Nintendo 64, was the first Mario game with a fully 3D world and set the template for 3D platform design.

In the Super Mario speedrunning community, what does "BLJ" stand for?

BLJ stands for Backwards Long Jump, a famous speedrunning exploit in Super Mario 64. By repeatedly long-jumping backwards into certain slopes or stairs, Mario can build up infinite speed and clip through doors and walls.

Besides the basic spray, which F.L.U.D.D. nozzle does Mario start with in Super Mario Sunshine?

The Hover Nozzle is Mario's second nozzle from the outset, letting him float briefly in mid-air; the Rocket and Turbo nozzles are unlocked later in the game.

A 2012 statement from the series' creator redefined the seven Koopalings' relationship to Bowser as what?

Miyamoto said in 2012 that the Koopalings are Bowser's minions, not his children, and that Bowser Jr. is his only child; their musician-pun names came from Nintendo of America's Dayvv Brooks.

In Super Mario World, a Yoshi holding a Koopa shell of which colour can spit three fireballs?

A red shell in Yoshi's mouth lets him spit three fireballs; a blue shell gives him wings, a yellow one stomps out dust clouds, and coloured Yoshis hatch from Star World eggs.

What is Mario's cream-coloured star companion who grants the spin move in Super Mario Galaxy called?

Baby Luma, the cream-coloured Luma who joins Mario early in Super Mario Galaxy, grants the spin; Lubba only turns up in the sequel, running Starship Mario.

Which 2023 Nintendo Switch platformer introduced the Elephant Fruit power-up?

Wonder's other new power-ups are a bubble flower and a drill mushroom, and the game is set in the Flower Kingdom rather than the usual Mushroom Kingdom.

Nintendo of America's warehouse landlord, whose first name the company borrowed for its mascot, was called what?

The famous version has Segale storming in to demand back rent, but a former warehouse manager says the staff picked the name as a joke because Segale was so reclusive none of them had ever met him.

In Super Mario 64, who operates the camera that follows Mario?

Lakitu films Mario throughout Super Mario 64; the cloud-riding cameraman appears at the start, and the R button switches between the Lakitu and Mario camera modes.

In Super Mario Bros. 3, which Koopaling rules World 1, Grass Land?

Larry Koopa holds Grass Land's airship at the end of World 1 in Super Mario Bros. 3; Morton takes Desert Land, Wendy Water Land and Iggy Giant Land.

What does F.L.U.D.D. stand for in Super Mario Sunshine?

F.L.U.D.D. stands for Flash Liquidizer Ultra Dousing Device, the talking water pack built by Professor E. Gadd that Mario wears throughout Super Mario Sunshine.

Which actor voiced Bowser in The Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023)?

Black co-wrote the improvised love song "Peaches", which was released as a single and earned the film a Golden Globe nomination for Best Original Song.

In Nintendo's 2023 Flower Kingdom platformer, what collectible rewards finishing a course?

Wonder Seeds are awarded for reaching a course's goal; touching a Wonder Flower warps a stage, with pipes coming alive or enemy hordes spawning, and grabbing a second seed ends the effect.

Which villain in Super Mario Sunshine frames Mario by painting graffiti on Isle Delfino?

Bowser Jr. disguises himself as Shadow Mario using a magic paintbrush (created by Professor E. Gadd) to vandalize Isle Delfino and frame Mario. This is Bowser Jr.'s debut game appearance, where he believes Peach is his mother.

In Super Mario Odyssey, what does Mario collect to fuel his airship, the Odyssey?

Power Moons fuel the Odyssey; only a minimum number is needed to leave each kingdom, and once Bowser is beaten every kingdom is restocked with more to find.

Before inventing Mario, Miyamoto wanted to build Donkey Kong around which licensed cartoon characters?

Nintendo could not get the licence in time, so an unnamed carpenter, a giant ape and a lady in distress took their places; the Popeye game finally arrived in 1982.

In Super Mario 64, what is the name of the first course Mario enters through a painting?

Bob-omb Battlefield is the first course in Super Mario 64, accessed through a painting on the first floor of Princess Peach's castle. Its first star mission is "King Bob-omb on the Summit."

Who is the final boss of the Western Super Mario Bros. 2?

Wart, a frog king who hates vegetables, is the final boss of Super Mario Bros. 2; Mario beats him by throwing the vegetables spat out by a Dream Machine into his mouth.

In Super Mario Bros., which title-screen input continues from the world you lost in?

Hold A and press Start on the title screen after a Game Over and Mario restarts at the first stage of the world where he lost, rather than back at World 1-1.

How many worlds, and stages per world, does the 1985 original have?

The answer is 8 and 4: Super Mario Bros. spans 8 worlds of 4 stages each, 32 levels in all, and warp zones in Worlds 1-2 and 4-2 let Mario skip ahead.

Which Famicom Disk System game was reskinned to become the Western Super Mario Bros. 2?

Yume Kojo: Doki Doki Panic, a 1987 Famicom Disk System advergame for Fuji Television's Yume Kojo '87 expo, was reskinned with Mario characters to become the Western Super Mario Bros. 2.

When the Western SMB2 finally reached Japanese Famicoms in 1992, what was it titled?

Japan received the Western game in 1992 as Super Mario USA; Japan's own harder 1986 sequel, Super Mario Bros. 2, became The Lost Levels elsewhere.

Which 1989 film famously advertised Super Mario Bros. 3 in its final scene?

The Wizard (1989), starring Fred Savage, unveiled Super Mario Bros. 3 in its climactic Video Armageddon tournament; the game reached North America in February 1990.

Which two Super Mario staples were introduced in Super Mario Bros. 3?

The Koopalings and a world map both debuted in Super Mario Bros. 3, which sold about 17 million copies on the NES; Yoshi arrived in Super Mario World and Shy Guys in Super Mario Bros. 2.

Which company produced the animated series inspired by Super Mario Bros. 3?

DIC also made The Super Mario Bros. Super Show! and the Super Mario World cartoon.

Super Mario World's setting, which Mario must save with Peach, is called what?

Dinosaur Land is Super Mario World's setting, where Mario, Luigi and Peach are holidaying when Bowser kidnaps her; the game sold over 20 million copies, the best-selling SNES title.

Who directed Super Mario World, with the series creator producing?

Takashi Tezuka directed Super Mario World with Miyamoto producing; Yoshi, whom Miyamoto had wanted Mario to ride since the NES days, finally arrived on SNES hardware.

Which bouncing projectile replaces Mario's fireball in Super Mario Land?

The Superball, from Super Mario Land's Superball Flower, bounces off walls at angles and collects coins, unlike the fireball; the Game Boy game also trades Goombas for Goombos and Koopas for Bombshell Koopas.

Which alien villain kidnaps Princess Daisy in Super Mario Land?

Tatanga, an alien invader, kidnaps Princess Daisy in Super Mario Land; the game is set in Sarasaland and includes Gradius-style shooting stages.

Which game beat Super Mario Land to become the Game Boy's pack-in title?

Tetris became the Game Boy's pack-in after Henk Rogers convinced Nintendo of America's Minoru Arakawa it would reach a broader audience than Super Mario Land.

Miyamoto conceived a 3D Mario game during production of which 1993 title?

Miyamoto conceived a 3D Mario during Star Fox's production, first planning it around the SNES Super FX chip; the idea grew into Super Mario 64 on the Nintendo 64.

Which handheld received a remake of Super Mario 64 in 2004?

The original is the best-selling N64 game at nearly twelve million copies.

Which Super Mario 64 course holds Bowser's submarine?

Dire, Dire Docks, entered from the castle basement, holds Bowser's submarine; one star sits on the sub's deck, and the course also leads on to Bowser in the Fire Sea.

In Super Mario Sunshine, where does Mario fight Mecha-Bowser?

Pinna Park, Isle Delfino's amusement park, stages the Mecha-Bowser fight: Mario rides a roller coaster and fires water rockets at the robot piloted by Bowser Jr.

Which 2020 Switch collection bundled 64, Sunshine and Galaxy?

Super Mario 3D All-Stars bundled Super Mario 64, Sunshine and Galaxy for the Switch in September 2020, sold only until March 2021 as a 35th-anniversary limited release.

Galaxy's spherical planets came from which GameCube tech demo shown in 2000?

Super Mario 128, a GameCube tech demo shown at Nintendo Space World 2000, had dozens of Marios on a warping disc; Miyamoto said its ideas became Super Mario Galaxy's spherical planets.

Super Mario Galaxy was the first in the series to use what for its soundtrack?

Super Mario Galaxy was the first Mario game scored with a symphony orchestra; Mahito Yokota and Koji Kondo composed it, and Yoshiaki Koizumi directed the game.

The 2010 Wii space sequel was first planned as an update with what suffix in its title?

Super Mario Galaxy 2 started as 'Super Mario Galaxy More', a planned expansion reusing the first game's engine; new ideas grew it into a full sequel over about two and a half years.

Which hidden galaxy unlocks in Super Mario Galaxy 2 once all 240 stars are collected?

Grandmaster Galaxy, unlocked by gathering all 240 stars, is Super Mario Galaxy 2's final challenge; its Perfect Run star must be finished without taking a single hit.

Which Mario game was the DS's best-selling title, with over 30 million copies?

New Super Mario Bros. (2006) sold about 30.8 million copies, the DS's best seller ahead of Nintendogs and Mario Kart DS; it revived side-scrolling Mario after an eleven-year gap.

Which fairy-like creatures does Mario rescue in Super Mario 3D World?

Sprixies, the fairy-like rulers of the Sprixie Kingdom, are bottled by Bowser in Super Mario 3D World; rescuing all seven is the goal, while the Super Bell turns players into cats.

Super Mario 3D World's 2021 Switch re-release added which subtitle?

Bowser's Fury is the open-world add-on in Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury (February 2021), where a giant corrupted Bowser rampages around Lake Lapcat and Bowser Jr. helps Mario.

What is Bowser's plan for Princess Peach in Super Mario Odyssey?

A forced marriage is Bowser's plan, and Mario chases him across kingdoms to stop the wedding, with his new ally's capture ability letting him possess enemies and objects.

Which accessory gained Super Mario Odyssey support through an April 2019 update?

The Labo VR kit's cardboard goggles gained Super Mario Odyssey support in an April 2019 update, adding three short VR mini-missions in the Cap, Seaside and Luncheon kingdoms.

What magical item does Bowser use to fuse with a castle in the 2023 Switch platformer?

Bowser seizes the Wonder Flower and fuses with Prince Florian's castle, turning it into a flying fortress; Wonder Flowers in each course trigger its reality-bending Wonder effect.

Which 2005 DS title gave Princess Peach her first starring role?

Super Princess Peach (2005, DS) was the first game to star Peach; she uses Perry, a talking parasol, and emotion-based vibe powers to rescue Mario and Luigi from Bowser.

Miyamoto originally conceived Bowser as which animal?

Miyamoto first drew Bowser as an ox, inspired by the Ox King from the anime Alakazam the Great; Takashi Tezuka said the drawing looked more like a turtle, so Bowser became a Koopa.

In Super Mario Bros., how many fireballs does it take to defeat Bowser?

Bowser falls after 5 fireballs from Fire Mario in Super Mario Bros.; beaten this way, the Bowsers of Worlds 1 to 7 are revealed as disguised minions such as Goombas.

Who designed Yoshi?

Shigefumi Hino drew Yoshi for Super Mario World (1990); Miyamoto had wanted Mario to ride a dinosaur since Super Mario Bros., but the NES could not handle it.

Which two Yoshi abilities did the 1995 SNES prequel introduce?

Yoshi's Island (1995) introduced the flutter jump and egg-spawning: Yoshi swallows enemies to make eggs he throws, and kicks his legs in mid-air to extend a jump.

Which Magikoopa kidnaps baby Luigi in the 1995 SNES prequel to World?

Kamek, a Magikoopa, snatches Baby Luigi from the stork in Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island; the game ran on the Super FX 2 chip for its scaling and rotation effects.

What is Toad's Japanese name?

Toad is Kinopio in Japan, a pun on kinoko (mushroom) and Pinocchio; Toadette is Kinopiko.

Wario's name combines Mario with which Japanese word?

Wario's name blends Mario with warui, meaning bad; Hiroji Kiyotake designed him as Mario's greedy rival for Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins (1992).

Which game first made Wario the playable hero?

Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3 (1994) was the first game to star Wario as its playable hero, sending him to plunder Captain Syrup's Brown Sugar Pirates on Kitchen Island.

What symbol adorns Waluigi's purple cap?

Waluigi's purple cap bears an inverted yellow L, mirroring Luigi's upright green L, just as Wario's cap flips Mario's M into a W.

In Super Mario Galaxy, how does Rosalina tell her backstory?

Rosalina reads chapters of a storybook read aloud in the observatory's library as Mario collects stars; written by Yoshiaki Koizumi, it tells how she left her planet to raise a lost Luma.

Which turtle enemies in Mario Bros. were predecessors of the Koopa Troopas?

Shellcreepers, the turtles Mario flips from below in Mario Bros. (1983), were the predecessors of the Koopa Troopas, who debuted in Super Mario Bros. in 1985.

Why were Goombas added late in Super Mario Bros.' development?

Koopa Troopas proved too hard for testers, who struggled with the stomp-then-kick two-step, so Goombas were added late as an enemy beaten with a single stomp.

Which US arcade flop did Nintendo salvage cabinets from to make Donkey Kong?

Radar Scope flopped in the US in 1980, leaving Nintendo of America with about 2,000 unsold cabinets; Hiroshi Yamauchi handed the rescue project to first-timer Miyamoto, and Donkey Kong resulted.

Which fairy tale, alongside King Kong and Popeye, inspired Donkey Kong's scenario?

Miyamoto said Donkey Kong's scenario drew on Beauty and the Beast and King Kong, with the ape carrying off the hero's girlfriend, after Nintendo failed to secure the Popeye licence.

Which chief engineer co-designed Donkey Kong and Mario Bros. with Miyamoto?

Yokoi also created the Game Boy.

How many tracks did the original Super Mario Kart include?

Super Mario Kart had 20 tracks, split into four cups of five (Mushroom, Flower, Star and Special), raced at 50cc, 100cc and a hidden 150cc.

Which new mechanic in Mario Kart 8, later ported to the Switch as Deluxe, lets racers drive on walls and ceilings?

Anti-gravity sections let Mario Kart 8 racers drive on walls and ceilings with their wheels folded sideways; bumping a rival inside those zones gives a spin boost.

How many tracks did Mario Kart 8 Deluxe's Booster Course Pass add?

Eight characters also came with it between March 2022 and November 2023.

How many players can race at once in Mario Kart World?

Mario Kart World puts 24 racers on track at once, double Mario Kart 8's 12; it launched alongside the Switch 2 on June 5, 2025.

Why was the title Mario Kart World chosen over Mario Kart 9?

Nintendo's developers said they chose World over Mario Kart 9 to flag the open-map approach, with every course sitting inside one connected world; development began on Switch in 2017 and moved to Switch 2 in 2020.

Which two directors made The Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023)?

Both returned for The Super Mario Galaxy Movie in 2026.

How did Miyamoto come to meet Illumination's Chris Meledandri?

Miyamoto met Chris Meledandri through a Universal theme park project, the Super Nintendo World deal with Universal Parks, whose parent also owns Illumination; the two then developed the film together.

In The Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023), Jack Black's Bowser professes his love in which song, which Black co-wrote?

'Peaches' was co-written by Jack Black, who voices Bowser, and its video was directed by Cole Bennett.

Who voices Bowser Jr. in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie (2026)?

Benny Safdie, the Uncut Gems co-director, voices Bowser Jr. in the 2026 sequel, with Brie Larson as Rosalina and Jack Black returning as Bowser.

Who played Mario in the 1993 live-action Super Mario Bros. film?

Bob Hoskins played Mario opposite John Leguizamo's Luigi in the 1993 film, with Dennis Hopper as President Koopa and Samantha Mathis as Daisy; Hoskins later called it his worst job.

Koji Kondo's Super Mario Bros. theme was the first game music added to what US archive?

The National Recording Registry at the Library of Congress added the Super Mario Bros. theme in 2023, the first video game music inducted; Kondo was Nintendo's first dedicated composer, hired in 1984.

Which wrestling personality played Mario in The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!?

Danny Wells was Luigi, and Friday episodes featured a Legend of Zelda cartoon.

Super Nintendo World first opened at which park in March 2021?

Universal Studios Japan in Osaka opened the first Super Nintendo World on 18 March 2021 after pandemic delays; Universal Studios Hollywood followed in 2023 and Epic Universe in Orlando in 2025.

Super Mario Maker launched on Wii U in 2015 to mark which anniversary?

Super Mario Maker marked 30 years of the 1985 original, arriving in September 2015 with a 30th-anniversary Mario amiibo; by May 2016 players had uploaded over seven million courses.

Which studio developed Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars in 1996?

Square developed Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars (1996) for the SNES, introducing Mallow and Geno and borrowing turn-based combat from its Final Fantasy series.

Which villains scatter the seven star pieces of Star Road in Super Mario RPG?

The Smithy Gang's giant sword Exor smashes into Star Road, scattering its seven star pieces across the world in Super Mario RPG; Yoko Shimomura composed the score.

Which developer made the first Mario Party games from 1998 to 2007?

Hudson designers later moved to Nd Cube, which took over from Mario Party 9.

Which 2016 game was Nintendo's first mobile title from a major franchise?

Super Mario Run launched on iOS in December 2016 as Nintendo's first major-franchise mobile game, a one-handed auto-runner that passed 50 million downloads within its first month.

Which four NES-era games are remade in Super Mario All-Stars?

Super Mario All-Stars (1993) remade SMB, Lost Levels, SMB2 and SMB3 with 16-bit graphics and save files; a later SNES bundle added Super Mario World.

Toadette's Super Crown power-up transforms her into what?

The Super Crown, added in New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe (2019), turns Toadette into Peachette, a Peach-like form with a double jump and slow fall; Toadette herself debuted in Mario Kart: Double Dash.

What is Birdo's name in Japan?

Birdo is Catherine (Kyasarin) in Japan; the Super Mario Bros. 2 manual described the character as a boy who thinks he is a girl and would rather be called Birdetta.

Which childhood experience inspired Miyamoto's Chain Chomp?

Miyamoto said the Chain Chomp came from being chased by a chained dog as a child, the chain yanking it back just short of him; in Link's Awakening a Chain Chomp called BowWow helps Link.

Pauline returned in Super Mario Odyssey with what new job?

Pauline returned as Mayor of New Donk City, singing 'Jump Up, Super Star!' at its festival; she had been Donkey Kong's original damsel in 1981.

Why was Captain Toad chosen to lead his own puzzle game?

His backpack justified not jumping: the designers wanted a hero who could not jump in the puzzle levels, and Captain Toad's heavy pack explained it; Treasure Tracker grew out of side levels in Super Mario 3D World.

Who supplies Luigi's ghost-catching vacuum in Luigi's Mansion?

Professor E. Gadd, the ghost researcher, lends Luigi the Poltergust 3000 vacuum in Luigi's Mansion, a GameCube launch title in 2001.

Wario, Mario's antihero rival, headlines which party-game series built from rapid-fire microgames?

WarioWare is the party-game series; Wario also fronts the Wario Land platformers as their protagonist and antihero.

Super Mario World, the 1990 SNES debut of the series, was released in Japan with what subtitle?

Super Mario Bros. 4 was the Japanese subtitle; unlike Super Mario Bros. 3, its world map covers the whole game, and some levels hide alternate exits.

How many worlds does Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island have?

Yoshi's Island has 6 worlds of eight levels each, with a relay of differently coloured Yoshis carrying Baby Mario and a boss at each world's fourth and eighth stage.

New Super Mario Bros. 2 on the 3DS introduced which rare power-up that turns items into coins?

The Gold Flower, exclusive to New Super Mario Bros. 2 (2012), lets Mario throw gold fireballs that turn blocks and enemies into coins, fitting a game whose side goal was amassing a million coins.