Super Mario Bros turns 40. Here are 6 ways the iconic video game impacted pop culture
Released in the middle of an industry crash, the hit Nintendo game went on to become an all-time industry best seller
On Sept. 13, 1985, the video game world changed forever. On that day, Nintendo released Super Mario Bros. in Japan, and things were perilous, to put it mildly.
The video game industry was in year two of a sustained crash that many feared could become permanent. But Super Mario Bros. turned that around. Designed by Shigeru Miyamoto, it was a game that seemed bigger than it was, in part due to its scrolling screen, as well as one that proved to be incredibly replayable.
It would go on to sell more than 40 million copies, reviving the industry (which has since grown to become a $187 billion behemoth) and retaining its popularity through multiple generations.
Mario might have made his first appearance (as Jumpman) in the 1981 arcade game Donkey Kong. And Mario Bros., where he formally picked up his name, might have hit shelves in 1983, but for millions of players, Sept. 13 is the day Mario became a true video game icon. And he has left quite a legacy since that day.
Multiple world records
Nintendo
The Super Mario franchise is the best-selling video game series of all time, according to Guinness World Records. That puts it ahead of Call of Duty and Grand Theft Auto, which tend to dominate headlines today. Including its spin offs, the Super Mario Bros. series has sold more than 890 million copies.
The fastest anyone has ever completed Super Mario Bros., incidentally, is 4 minutes 54.515 seconds.
A film franchise
Universal Studios
We'll look past the 1993 Super Mario Bros. film that starred Bob Hoskins and John Leguizamo that Hoskins called the worst job he ever did. Nintendo righted the cinematic ship in 2023 with the release of Super Mario Bros. Movie, which tool in $1.36 billion at the box office worldwide.
As part of the 40th anniversary celebration, Nintendo has announced the official title of that film's sequel – The Super Mario Galaxy Movie. That will hit theaters on April 3, 2026 and takes its name from the 2007 Wii game.
So many versions
Nintendo
Game sequels aren't unusual. Super Mario Bros., however, is noteworthy for the number of times it has been re-released on platforms other than the Nintendo Entertainment System. Every major Nintendo system has a version of the game and it has been released on several non-Nintendo systems as well.
Museum exhibits
The Nintendo Museum in Kyoto, Japan, will observe the game's anniversary with a special 40th-anniversary light display, new ticket designs, and Super Mario illustrations and pixel art, Nintendo announced on Friday.
Lasting legacy
Smith Collection/Gado
Super Mario Bros. has spawned a slew of subsequent games, many of which went on to be classics of their own. From Super Mario 64 to Super Mario Galaxy to the upcoming Switch 2 Edition of Super Mario Bros. Wonder, which will release next spring, players have eagerly looked forward to each new true Mario game.
As for Mario himself, he's been busy in that time. To date, the character has appeared in more than 250 different video games.
Theme parks
Universal
The excitement that Super Mario Bros. sparked turned Nintendo into one of the leading video game companies. In 2021, the company expanded its world, partnering with Universal Studios to open a Super Nintendo World theme park in Japan. That has since expanded to be a part of Universal Studios Hollywood and Universal Epic Universe. Another is currently under construction in Singapore.