The Mario games are basically the story of one very determined plumber with a questionable work-life balance. For over four decades, Mario has been sprinting, jumping, and power-sliding his way through the Mushroom Kingdom, rescuing Princess Peach from Bowser — a giant, fire-breathing turtle who apparently has nothing better to do. Every game starts with the same setup: Peach gets kidnapped, Mario shrugs, eats a mushroom, and risks his life navigating lava pits and haunted castles while Bowser probably just sits around watching turtle Netflix. And yet, we love it.
The brilliance of Mario games is how they somehow make plumbing-related activities thrilling. One minute you’re dodging sentient cacti in the desert, the next you’re riding a dinosaur (Yoshi) who will absolutely abandon you if you jump off a cliff. Power-ups range from practical (fireballs) to delightfully absurd (turning into a flying raccoon… for some reason). And despite Mario’s questionable career progression — plumber, doctor, kart racer, Olympic athlete — he never seems to ask for a day off. But hey, as long as Bowser keeps kidnapping Peach, Mario will keep stomping on turtles, eating questionable fungi, and reminding us all that the best adventures start with “Wahoo!”.
