Updated April 22, 2020 12k votes 2.8k voters 358.1k views
Voting Rules
Vote up the most entertaining fan theories from any installment of Super Mario Bros.
Super Mario fans certainly get points for creativity. They've followed Mario in video game form, films, and cartoons, so it's no surprise that they've come up with some fascinating conspiracy theories about their favorite Italian superhero over the years. Here are just a few of the amazing Super Mario fan theories out there, to fuel speculation and discuss among your gamer friends.
Photo: Nintendo
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1,179 VOTES
Super Mario Bros. 3 Never Happened
Photo: Nintendo
All the world is a stage in Super Mario Bros. 3, according to this theory. From the opening screen’s curtain to the shadows on the backdrop to platforms hanging from the roof, it looks a lot like the characters are just acting out the story in a play. This theory even got validation from Nintendo creator Miyamato in 2015, who told a fan that it was correct.
1,179 votes
2
825 VOTES
Why Super Mario Sunshine’s Secret Levels Look Like They Were Designed by a Child
Photo: Nintendo
According to this theory, it’s because they were, in fact, created by a child. Redditor 2brostudio explained:
"I've been replaying this gem for at least the 10th time right now, and finally brilliance struck. The secret areas have always been one of my favorite parts of the game, but I always wondered why they had a poorly drawn train skybox or something of the like. If you're unfamiliar with the game, this is what I'm talking about. I just accepted the wood toy-block theme, but the background is what stuck out to me. It looks like a 5-year-old drew it. Then it hit me. It literally was drawn by a 5-year-old. Bowser Jr. created the secret levels himself, with the aid of the Magic Paintbrush."
"At the end of Super Wario Land, when Mario shows up in a helicopter and takes the giant Princess Peach statue away, Wario doesn't get angry, he shrugs. Then when the genie tells him he can only have one wish, what does he ask for? He doesn't ask for a giant Peach statue worth millions and he doesn't wish that Mario's helicopter would crash into the ocean. He just wanted a simple place to live!"
769 votes
4
756 VOTES
Why Mario and Luigi Are Called “The Mario Brothers”
Photo: Nintendo
Is Mario a first name or a last name? The gaming community is still divided over this point. While the "Super Mario Bros." movie from 1993 explains that Mario is a family name, Redditor wsw82 pointed out that in the games themselves, Mario and Luigi's last names are never spoken. One explanation has to do with the Mushroom Kingdom's culture and its naming conventions. Specific characters are consistently named after their own species, with individual names being far less common: Toad of the Toads, Yoshi of the Yoshis, and so forth. The theory goes that when Mario first introduced himself to the Mushroom Kingdom, he announced, "My name is Mario," and everyone assumed that was the species name for him and his brother.
Another user, Thin-Man, supported the "last name" theory by pointing out that residents of the Mushroom Kingdom might follow Japanese naming convention, putting their family name ahead of their given name.
756 votes
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658 VOTES
Luigi Is Weaker Than Mario Because He Was Traumatized as a Baby
Photo: Nintendo
Redditor jolliraine points out that in Super Mario 2: Yoshi’s Island, Baby Luigi was captured and imprisoned for the entire game, while Baby Mario was searching for him with Yoshi. In theory, this led to Mario being brave in the face of adversity, and shaped the brother's weaker personality. This idea is solid, though Luigi isn’t really less powerful as much as he's not as brave or confident.
658 votes
6
959 VOTES
Peach Was Only Legitimately Kidnapped One Time
Photo: Nintendo
How many times can one princess get kidnapped? Not as often as you might think, it turns out. One theory from GameMachineJames on Reddit speculates that Super Mario Bros. 1 was the only time Peach was actually kidnapped. If Super Mario Bros. 2 was a dream story, and Super Mario 3 was a play retelling Super Mario Bros. 1 with embellishments, then the only time Peach was really in any danger was the first game. It's a complicated idea, but it makes a weird amount of sense if you think about it.
