Why Nintendo Made Mario a Plumber

For 35 years, Super Mario and his younger brother, Luigi, have been jumping into the hearts of gamers. During that period, he has shifted occupations several times. Mario has worked as a doctor, Olympic athlete, professional racer, and has even traveled to space. However, Mario constantly returns to his core employment as Mushroom Kingdom’s heroic plumber.

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Mario franchise turned 35 years in 2020. To acknowledge the franchise’s long-term success, CNN Business talked to some of the developers of Nintendo. And of course, the topic of Mario being a plumber did come up.

Mario Was a Carpenter!

If you didn’t know already, you’re allowed to be surprised.  In 1981, Mario began his career as a carpenter. In “Donkey Kong,” an arcade game, he appeared as a character named “Jumpman” who is a carpenter. The game was technologically innovative at the time and included classic sound effects as Mario navigated hard stages to save Princess Peach (known as Princess Toadstool in the early US version).

From Carpenter to a Plumber

People who spend their days repairing and replacing leaking pipes aren’t recognized for their abilities to repel armies of enraged suns, sentient bullets, and evil turtles. And so, “Plumber” appears to be the most unlikely of all the jobs Nintendo could have picked for Mario. Still, Mario is usually referred to be a plumber in his escapades.

According to Shigeru Miyamoto, designer and developer at Nintendo, they wanted Mario to appear just as a man who lives near you, not as a superhero. Mario’s look, which also dictated his work, appears to have been influenced by the restricted technology of the time. Mario had to be basic yet unique since consoles and arcade cabinets could only render so many pixels at once. This lured Miyamoto into the fascinating realm of plumbing.

Mario frequently walks up and down pipes as he travels across the many areas included in the Mario Bros. games. His plumbing abilities play a big role in his capacity to execute this properly. He wouldn’t be able to transfer himself through the pipes like he does if he wasn’t a highly educated and excellent plumber. Overall, Mario’s career change was a fantastic one.

Despite the fact that he started out as a carpenter in Donkey Kong, it’s impossible to dispute that his job as a plumber in Mario Bros. propelled him to international fame.

You may give credit to manga for Mario’s characteristic red helmet and shirt with blue overalls — and his plumbing career — throughout his 35 years of escapades. Miyamoto was influenced by manga artists of the time who reused characters in their various works. As a result, Miyamoto borrowed a leaf from the manga artist’s playbook and spliced Mario into a variety of games. The rest, as they say, is history.

Why Mario Turned Out to Be So Successful

Thousands of games hit the market since last few decades. But, no other arcade game could turn out to be so successful like Mario. Let’s explore why this game is still so popular.

• Simple, but Fun

Nintendo’s games have been meant to be basic, quick to understand, and incredibly accessible for anybody to pick up and play from the original Super Mario Bros. game. Super Mario is a family-friendly game that doesn’t throw you into obstacles right away, but gradually increases the difficulty as you continue through the stages, easing gamers into the game.

This was significantly different from the games that were launched at the time, which meant that this game appealed to a wide range of people.

The controls were straightforward and basic enough that anyone could learn them in a short amount of time, despite the fact that the game included no instructions for the players.

• Lovable Characters

Nintendo has used the same characters in all of the Mario games, which makes them incredibly memorable. Mario is one of the most recognizable game characters owing to his simplistic design, which sets him apart from many other game characters.

Even in recent games, Nintendo has kept Mario’s appearance consistent, with the same size, clothing, and attributes — consistency is what makes Mario a distinctive figure. Mario has shortcomings, such as a strong accent, and it is these imperfections that make him relevant and attractive to a wide range of individuals.

• Colorful Designs

Everything in the Super Mario games has a distinctive design that is cartoon-like, colorful, and quirky. The constraints of hardware in the early days meant that games could only be displayed in a specific fashion.

Super Mario Bros. took advantage of this by designing a game that was both easy and memorable. It has a variety of bright colors, basic animations, and an easy-to-understand level design. Nintendo has enhanced the visuals of its newer Mario games as technology has progressed, but they have maintained the same feel and style of design that everyone is acquainted with.

• Perfect for the Era

When Super Mario Bros. was initially released, arcade machines and games were at their zenith. Arcade machines were still prevalent at the time, and the game’s easy controls were ideal for these devices.

Although arcade games were supposed to be difficult in order to tempt players to keep playing, Mario revolutionized the manner that players were kept interested. The game didn’t make the tasks any simpler, but it did rely on the player’s ability.

This platform game was all upon precision and timing while performing tasks. You may miss a platform or run into an adversary if you didn’t time your leaps right, which would be your own responsibility.

As a result, players kept returning to the game in order to strive to improve, advance to the next level, and beat their friends’ scores.

Games Where Mario Appeared as Plumber

• Mario and Luigi: Dream Team
• Super Mario Galaxy
• Super Mario Sunshine
• Super Mario Bros.
• Mario Bros.

Other Professions of Mario

• Archeologist
• Athlete
• Soldier
• Baker
• Toy Company President
• Physician
• Factory Worker
• Kart Racer
• Demolition Worker.

Wrapping Up Super Mario Bros. revolutionized the way we play video games, shifting our focus from just achieving a high score to engaging in an adventure and seeing it through to its conclusion. The game will always have a special place in each gamer’s heart.