The Secret Origin of Nintendo’s Mario

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Mario is arguably the most famous video game character ever, and he’s been Nintendo’s main star for many years. He’s appeared in a huge variety of games – everything from classic platformers and sports titles like tennis, to racing and role-playing adventures. It’s natural to wonder why a Japanese company would choose an Italian plumber as its face, especially for the American market. It seems odd, since you’d expect them to pick a character inspired by Japanese culture. Instead, they went with a short, mustachioed plumber who loves jumping on things!

Mario wasn’t always the face of Nintendo. He first appeared in the 1981 game Donkey Kong as a character simply called Jumpman. Interestingly, he was rescuing Pauline, not Princess Peach! While Donkey Kong was the villain, he was actually the main focus of the game. So, why did Nintendo eventually rename him Mario and make him the star of over 200 games? The answer is surprisingly heartwarming and connected to Nintendo’s initial attempts to become successful in the United States – Mario’s story began here.

Mario’s Secret Origin Story Is an Endearing Tale of Nintendo’s Early Days

Mario began as the unnamed character ‘Jumpman’ in the game Donkey Kong, but he quickly became more recognizable. Originally, the character didn’t have a name when Donkey Kong launched in Japan, though that was later updated. The first time his name appeared was in a sales brochure that called him ‘Little Mario, the carpenter,’ but this wasn’t widely known because the brochure was only sent to arcades. In 1983, Mario got his own game, Mario Bros., which was the first time ‘Mario’ was officially used as his name. He was named after Mario Segale.

Howard Segale owned the warehouse Nintendo of America used in Seattle. When Nintendo was a new company, they fell behind on rent payments. Segale confronted Minoru Arakawa, the company’s president, and they had a tense discussion. Eventually, Nintendo employees persuaded Segale to be patient and allow them to stay, assuring him he would eventually receive the full payment. His generosity in accepting late payments, rather than evicting Nintendo, led the company to honor him by naming a character after him.

There’s a story going around that Mario wasn’t actually named after Mario Segale to honor him, but as a playful jab at how private he was. While that might be true, it doesn’t really change anything. Segale himself was very proud to be the inspiration for such a famous character. He often told his family and friends how much he loved the little Italian plumber, and they all shared his enthusiasm. Interestingly, Mario’s full name is often said to be Mario Mario, a detail hinted at in the ‘Mario Bros.’ games and confirmed (though rather poorly) in the 1993 live-action film.

Mario Is an Italian Plumber, Thanks to a Kind Landlord

Mario Segale, the man who inspired the character, wasn’t actually a plumber, but the name ‘Mario’ suggested an Italian background. The idea of him being a plumber came from the original Mario Bros. game, which featured levels filled with pipes where enemies appeared. It took a while for the character to become popular, but Super Mario Bros. on the Nintendo Entertainment System really made him a household name. That game, and the NES console itself, helped revive the video game industry after a major slump in 1983, establishing Mario as a lasting icon in both gaming and broader culture. Interestingly, the creator, Miyamoto, originally considered naming him ‘Mr. Video’!

Would Mario have been as popular if his name was Mr. Video? Share your thoughts and join the discussion in the ComicBook Forum!

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2026-01-01 20:43