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Who knew that a little Italian plumber with a voluminous mustache could make such an impact on the video gaming world? He seems an unlikely hero — and yet, Mario has become quite the cultural icon. His first appearance was way back in 1981 as a minor character in Donkey Kong. Mario’s creator, Shigeru Miyamoto, didn’t expect him to gain any sort of popularity and at first gave him the impersonal moniker “Jumpman.”

But as fate would have it, the U.S. Nintendo offices were late on their rent one month, and as they sat brainstorming a stronger name for Jumpman, they were interrupted by their displeased landlord demanding payment. His name was — you guessed it — Mario Segale. Inspiration can come from anywhere, right?

These days Mario is an instantly recognizable character, and the Mario Bros. games are one of the top-selling gaming franchises in the history of … well, ever. Not to mention his presence on nearly every type of merchandise you can imagine. As of 2018, the worth of his franchise totaled over $30 billion. That’s a lot of revenue for a plumber!

As parents, we know that Mario hits the “sweet spot.” The games in the Mario Bros. franchise are kid-friendly, yet enjoyable for adults too, and they’re a fun way to bond without worrying about inappropriate content. Plus, not much rivals the satisfaction of lapping your kid in a game of Mario Kart … if you know, you know.

To celebrate this much-loved character, fans created Mario Day — on March 10th, appropriately, since Mar10 looks like “Mario.” And though it wasn’t created by Nintendo, the company (and the retailers who sell its products) wholeheartedly embraced the festivities starting in 2016, and have leaned into it by offered some amazing sales. Keep clicking for some of the best Mario Day deals on Nintendo Switch games and accessories that we’ve found so far.

 

 

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