Super Mario Keychain

Super Mario Keychain.  This little keychain has movable arms and is a great way to take gaming memories with you.

Mario is the main character and protagonist of the long-running and highly successful Mario series. He was created by Japanese video game designer Shigeru Miyamoto and also serves as the main mascot of Nintendo. Mario made his first appearance as the protagonist of the arcade game Donkey Kong, released in 1981. Since Super Mario Bros., his trademark abilities have been his jumping and stomping powers, with which he defeats most of his enemies, and his ability to change size and gain powers with a plethora of items, such as the Super Mushroom and Fire Flower. Games have usually portrayed Mario as a silent character without a distinct personality (Fortune Street is a notable exception). According to Nintendo’s philosophy, this allows Mario to fit in many different genres and roles. In most games, he is the hero that goes on an adventure to save Princess Peach from Bowser, but he has been shown doing other activities besides adventuring, such as racing and sporting with his younger twin brother and others.

After Donkey Kong, Mario is given his own starring series, beginning with the arcade game Mario Bros. in 1983. Only Mario’s physical appearance is taken from earlier titles; Mario is now a plumber working in the sewers of New York and fighting an endless number of creatures, such as Shellcreepers and Sidesteppers. Unlike later games, Mario can jump against the ceiling of a platform from below to stun all enemies walking above it. When Mario approaches the stunned enemies, he kicks the enemies out the screen, rendering them defeated. In the two-player mode, the second player plays as a palette swap of Mario. This character is introduced as Mario’s brother Luigi, who wears green, whereas Mario wears red.

Since Super Mario Bros., Mario is portrayed living in the Mushroom Kingdom. In the game, Mario’s objective is to rescue Princess Toadstool (later known as Peach) from Bowser, the King of the Koopas. The game is the first in the series in which regular enemies such as Goombas can be defeated and Koopas can be stunned by stomping on them from above. Mario can also gain power-ups and coins from jumping against Question Blocks and Brick Blocks. Mario begins the game as Small Mario, who loses a life from any enemy attack. By using Super Mushrooms, Mario grows into Super Mario, who has an additional hit point (reverting to Small Mario after being hit). Super Mario has access to the Fire Flower, which lets him throw Fireballs that can knock out enemies such as Koopas or Bowser Impostors. Mario can also become invincible for a short amount of time with the Star.

Mario’s role and powers remain mostly the same in all entries to the series except for Super Mario Bros. 2. While new power-ups and moves are introduced, there is no deviation from the basic formula; Mario’s basic appearance is unchanged and his personality remains unwritten. Despite this, Mario in the later games has adapted this depiction. Mario’s eye color, mustache shape, hair style, cap shape, and face shape are all derived from Super Mario Bros..

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