The Internet Is Bracing For The Death Of Mario
Mario's had a long and storied career in video games, dating all the way back to his first appearance in 1981's Donkey Kong. After that, the mustachioed plumber experienced a meteoric rise, starring in dozens upon dozens of games that spanned multiple console generations. This past year, Nintendo's been celebrating the 35th anniversary of Mario — that is, 35 years since Super Mario Bros. dropped and gave Mario his first leading role. The way Nintendo is ending this tribute, however, doesn't quite sit right with some fans. In fact, some are claiming that the end of the anniversary period — which comes on March 31 — could mean the death of Mario.
That isn't hyperbole. Some people think Nintendo is actually going to kill off its biggest star.
A whole lot of Mario-related content is set to disappear on March 31. Nintendo is removing Super Mario 3D All-Stars from sale. It's taking down the Super Mario 35 battle royale game from Nintendo Switch Online. The Game & Watch: Super Mario Bros. handheld game will be unceremoniously yanked from stores. Even the merch related to Mario's 35th anniversary is going away.
While these could be ways for Nintendo to simply mark the end of the anniversary celebration, some fans think the company has other motivations. A Twitter user named Michael Spiese had by far the boldest theory, writing, "All the mario games are going away on March 31 because Nintendo is killing him." If that indeed is the case, it would almost certainly be an unprecedented event — one on the level of Disney putting down Mickey Mouse.
It's tough to imagine a world without Mario and his Goomba-stomping antics, though there are certainly some characters who wouldn't mind seeing the plumber swimming with the Cheep Cheeps. Bowser could of course be a prime suspect, as the two have been feuding for three-and-a-half decades. There's also Wario to consider. All those Mario Kart and Mario Tennis losses may have finally taken their toll on the stout villain. And what about Luigi? The man who's always been in Mario's shadow would stand to gain a lot from his brother's demise.
As such, there's no real indication Nintendo is actually planning to kill off Mario for good. No reports suggest that any other Mario titles are being discontinued, and seeing as Nintendo just launched an enormous theme park attraction in Japan — one that heavily incorporates the character — making him disappear may not be the smartest business move.
The "death of Mario" theory is an interesting one, for sure. At this stage, it may be hard to see how the pieces fit together on it. On March 31, you can expect to see quite a few Mario-related video games and products disappear as the 35th anniversary of Super Mario draws to a close. What you probably won't see, though, is Nintendo putting a well-placed Zapper blast into its most popular figure.