History of the Game

Story (from the original instruction booklet)

The history of Game

The Koopa, a turtle tribe well-known for their black magic, one day invaded the tranquil realm of the mushroom people. The peaceful, tranquil Mushroom People were reduced to the status of insignificant stones, bricks, and even field horsehair plants, and the Mushroom Kingdom was destroyed.The daughter of the Mushroom King, Princess Toadstool, is the only person who has the power to break the magic spell that has been placed on the Mushroom People and restore them to their former selves. Bowser, the King of the Koopa, unfortunately has her right now.After learning of the predicament of the Mushroom People, Mario embarks on a mission to rescue the Mushroom Princess from the villainous Koopa and rebuild the Mushroom People's fallen kingdom.

History of Creation

Mario was designed by Shigeru Miyamoto, and it initially debuted in Donkey Kong, an arcade platformer from 1981. When Nintendo hired Miyamoto in 1977 as a graphic artist, the business had a number of early coin-operated games that had failed to gain traction in the lucrative arcade industry. The Radar Scope hardware from an earlier arcade game that disappeared in the US was used to make Donkey Kong. The shooting theme was dropped in favor of an ape and rolling barrels by Miyamoto. Success came naturally after.

Why Jampman?

Mario used to go by the name Jumpman. However, their landlord Mario Segale interrupted them as they struggled to come up with a better name in time for the game's release in America, so they decided to name the character after him instead.

About Mario

All of Mario's visual characteristics are a result of the hardware's graphics limitations at the time. He wears a cap since it was difficult to depict genuine hair, a moustache to draw attention to his nose, and dungarees to emphasize his arm movements. He has a brown shirt below his overalls in Super Mario Bros., a style that was quickly dropped.

Mario Antagonist

The 1982 follow-up to Donkey Kong, Donkey Kong Jr., is the only game in which Mario is credited as the antagonist. Donkey Kong's kid must free his father after the ape's son imprisoned him in a cage. To emphasize his evil nature, Mario even receives a particularly spun moustache in the game's promotional materials.