Business Super Hero of the Month: Super Mario

24 Sep 2015

In the entertainment industry, if a star’s career lasts 30 years that’s pretty good going – especially if the star happens to be from a video game.

The Italian plumber, known to millions as Super Mario, has just reached this incredible milestone and his popularity shows no signs of wavering. This year alone, four of his games have been on the WiiU’s top selling list and the other has a chapter relating to him and another to his almost-just-as-famous brother Luigi .

But in an ever changing world, with new games and consoles being launched constantly, it’s extremely impressive that Nintendo has kept this much-loved character alive and current. But how have they done it?

Shigeru Miyamoto is Mario’s creator and has worked on every game that has featured the character. He credits the popularity on the fact that the core of the games have stayed the same. I suspect, and I doubt I’m alone, that his vision and the continuity of it has ensured that the core values and feel of the character have remained constant.

Mario still jumps and runs around saving the princess and the world he inhabits with a playfulness that is the brand. At the same time, it has adapted to the changing face of the gaming industry. As the software and technology has improved, the games have been able to be enhanced to fit the modern day. Nintendo has tried to keep Mario at the forefront of innovation and the variety of games that are now on offer reflect that.

What Nintendo has also managed to do with this cartoon is develop a character that emulates some important life lessons. Mario is fearless, he can overcome anything that stands in his way and he loves his friends and family. Is there a better gaming team than Mario and Luigi?

It could be argued that these subtle messages are just as important as the game itself – this little Italian stallion has managed to touch the lives of so many during the last three decades.

And as is fitting, Nintendo had to celebrate his 30th birthday in style. Mario is the star of a new game, called Super Mario Maker which allow users to create their own levels to play.

Creators are not sure what’s next for Mario, but I don’t think he’s ready to retire just yet.

Fun Facts courtesy of Neatorama : Mario first appeared in Donkey Kong and was called ‘Jumpman’ and its rumoured that Mario was named after Mario Segale, Nintendo of America’s landlord who barged into a meeting demanding an overdue rent payment.