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Mario began with a different name, a design built for a tiny screen, and a game that took shape through experiments. These ten facts trace what Nintendo and creator Shigeru Miyamoto have said about the character’s origins—and distinguish the 1980s development story from a later anecdote about Super Mario Bros. Wonder.
Names and beginnings
1. Mario was first called Jumpman
Nintendo’s company history says the hero of Donkey Kong was initially called Jumpman. Nintendo dates the game’s development and distribution to 1981. The name describes the character’s role in that game, before “Mario” became the familiar name. Nintendo’s Mario history
2. Miyamoto remembered an earlier working name: Mr. Video
In an interview with Nintendo president Satoru Iwata, Miyamoto recalled that he called the character “Mr. Video” and imagined reusing him in all his games. That is a separate part of the naming story from Jumpman, the name Nintendo associates with the Donkey Kong hero.
3. Nintendo links “Mario” to its American landlord
Nintendo’s company-history account says the later name Mario referred to Mario Segale, Nintendo of America’s landlord. This is Nintendo’s account of the name’s origin; it should not be confused with a separately verified etymology. Nintendo’s company history
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Designing Mario for a tiny screen
4. The original Mario image was 16 by 16 pixels
Nintendo describes the original Mario image as just 16 by 16 pixels. At that scale, designers had very little room for detail, so bold, readable visual cues mattered more than fine features. Nintendo’s account of Mario’s history
5. Gloves helped make movement visible
Nintendo says white gloves made Mario’s motion easier to see. Miyamoto also explained that gloves helped distinguish his hands and movements. They were not merely a costume detail: on a small, low-resolution character, contrast could help players read an action.
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6. Overalls helped separate his arms from his body
Miyamoto said overalls made Mario’s arms easier to distinguish against his body. The explanation is practical rather than a claim that one technical limitation dictated every part of the design. Alongside the gloves, the clothing helped make movement legible in the game’s compact image.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Experiments that shaped Super Mario Bros.
7. The game grew out of a scrolling-screen experiment
Miyamoto recalled wanting to make a game with a scrolling screen, a brighter background, and larger characters after the comparatively plain, non-scrolling Mario Bros. He described starting with a simple moving shape and developing the idea from there. Nintendo’s interview records his recollection of that creative process.
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8. Mario’s growth during play was a design decision
As Miyamoto recalled it, the team eventually decided it would be satisfying for Mario to grow partway through the game. That idea produced a clear change in how the character looked and played, rather than leaving the player with the same-sized figure throughout.
9. A larger-Mario test came before the 1985 release
Nintendo’s anniversary interview places an early test featuring a larger Mario around December 1984. The Famicom version of Super Mario Bros. was released in Japan in September 1985, according to the same Nintendo interview. These dates are Nintendo’s reporting of the development timeline. Nintendo’s 40th-anniversary interview
10. Miyamoto rejected the Alice in Wonderland origin story for mushrooms
Miyamoto said mushrooms had long been associated with magical realms. He clarified that, although he had spoken about Alice in Wonderland in an interview, that did not mean it inspired the mushroom design. The familiar association is not the same as a direct source of inspiration.
Quick Recap
A later Mario development anecdote
More than 2,000 ideas for Super Mario Bros. Wonder
As a separate, much later example of Nintendo’s development process, Nintendo reports that the Super Mario Bros. Wonder team gathered and prototyped more than 2,000 sticky-note ideas. Programmers and sound designers took part in the idea-sharing session. The figure is Nintendo’s reported count for Wonder, not a statistic about the original 1985 game. Nintendo on Mario’s platforming history
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