Mario’s Creators Explain How They Plan To Keep The Mascot Popular For 100 Years

Mario turned 40 this year. An incredible accomplishment by any standard, but one that’s made even more impressive when you consider how much more popular Mario is at 40 than he has been at pretty much any other point during his four-decade run. But can the world’s most famous plumber keep that run going until he turns 100?

It’s a question you’ve probably never pondered before, particularly when you realize Mario won’t be celebrating his centenary until 2085, a year that most of us have never even thought about, and probably won’t live to see. Some of Mario’s creators were recently asked whether they think Mario has what it takes to still be popular when he hits triple digits, though, providing some fascinating insight in the Nintendo Museum’s new book (thanks, VGC).

Keeping Mario Relevant For 100 Years Will Hinge On Maintaining Mario’s Core While Embracing Change

Nintendo

Takashi Tezuka, who worked on the original Super Mario Bros. and is still with Nintendo today, believes the key to Mario’s continued longevity is as simple as creating games that don’t run the risk of making players bored. The long-time Nintendo director also noted that while Mario games are very different today from what they were 40 years ago, the key is to make those changes gradually.

“Different times bring different kinds of fun. What Mario can do now is completely different from when we started out. I want to continue making things people find fun to play, including the actions you do, by changing things little by little,” Tezuka explained. Shigeru Miyamoto, Mario’s creator, echoed those sentiments when weighing in on what he believes will keep Mario relevant and popular until 2085 and beyond.

However, despite noting how much Mario games have changed, Miyamoto highlighted that while adding to those titles and adapting them as audiences and technology change, Mario’s core must remain. What is Mario’s core, I hear you ask? Well, that’s simple. Running and jumping.

“As long as we don’t forget Mario’s prime point – running and jumping – as we add new things, I think Mario will be with us for a long time to come,” explains Miyamoto. The Nintendo veteran also added that despite exploring new avenues like movies, he and the rest of the team behind Mario and Nintendo’s other flagship IPs want to keep things interactive and digital first and foremost.

It’s difficult to imagine a world 60 years from now in which Mario is still as popular as he is today, but it’s equally as hard to picture any world where people suddenly stop loving the Nintendo mascot as much as they do now. The real acid test as to whether Mario can truly stand the test of time and transcend generations will depend on how he is treated and utilized after his creators have gone.

It’s morbid and sad to think about, but we’re pondering a world in which Mario is 100 years old. One where the likes of Tezuka and Miyamoto will no longer be calling the shots. While they clearly know what it takes to keep Mario relevant, having steered the ship for 40 years, one day they will need to completely hand the baton off to somebody else. How those new minds view Mario, and what they believe will be the key to his continued longevity, will dictate whether our great-grandchildren will be just as excited about Mario games as we are.

Systems

Released

November 17, 1985

ESRB

E For Everyone

Developer(s)

Nintendo R&D4

Franchise

Super Mario

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