September 13, 2025 marks the 40th anniversary of the release of Nintendo's (Minami Ward, Kyoto) video game "Super Mario Bros." The series, a landmark title in the gaming world, has sold over 400 million copies worldwide to date. Born in Kyoto, Mario continues to expand his horizons.
The first Super Mario game was released on September 13, 1985, for the Family Computer home video game console. With intuitive controls and catchy, upbeat background music, it captivated countless children. Over the course of 40 years, 43 titles have been released in the series, with total sales reaching 452 million units as of the end of March this year.
Mario, the overall-clad, mustachioed character, was created by Representative Director and Fellow Shigeru Miyamoto, the first game developer to be named a Person of Cultural Merit. Featuring unique characters like his brother Luigi, heroine Princess Peach, and formidable enemy Bowser, new titles have been released with each new generation of game consoles. Mario has penetrated a wide range of generations, both in Japan and overseas, establishing an unwavering following and becoming a symbol of the Nintendo brand.
During this time, Nintendo's Mario strategy has shifted to expanding beyond games. A prime example of this is theme parks. Universal Studios Japan (USJ, Osaka) will open a new area, "Super Nintendo World," in 2021, followed by expansion to affiliated theme parks overseas, in Hollywood in 2023 and Orlando in 2025, with a Singaporean theme park also planned.
At roughly the same time, Mario also made his silver screen debut. The animated film "The Super Mario Bros. Movie," released in 2023 in collaboration with American production company Illumination, was a massive hit, grossing over $1.3 billion (approximately 190 billion yen) worldwide. A new film, "The Super Mario Galaxy Movie," is scheduled for release in April 2026.
In August 2025, the company established a subsidiary to manage the secondary use of film characters, and also created a new product brand for young children called "My Mario." Mario and other in-house characters are becoming increasingly "multi-talented."
In an online video posted on the evening of September 12, Nintendo announced that it would be planning commemorative products and events for Super Mario's 40th anniversary. As part of this, the company also announced sponsorship of the Kyoto Marathon in February 2026, with Miyamoto stating in the video, "This time, Mario will be cheering on everyone as they run." With many fans expected to apply, it will be interesting to see if Mario expands his presence to local events in the future.
