Few video games can claim the distinction of being in the general consciousness for decades, spanning different generations. Super Mario (🔎 wiki) is one of, if not the only one, that has made great strides in this area.

There's almost no one on the planet who has not heard of the Italian plumber in overalls who goes by the name of Mario. Those who have never played the game may not be aware of his humble beginnings but they have in some shape or form, heard of him.

Mario wasn’t even the main character in his first appearance in the video game. Most importantly, he wasn’t even a plumber and he wasn’t called Mario. He made his first appearance in 1981 in the pioneering arcade game called Donkey Kong. The character was called Jumpman and he was a carpenter.

You can read more about the history and evolution of Mario here.

When playing, the player is assuming the role of Mario and has to go through the Mushroom Kingdom. The player has to survive the evil forces of the game’s villain, Bowser, and rescue Princess Toadstool. To win the game, Mario has to reach the flag pole at the end of each level.

There are coins scattered throughout the game which need to be collected. There are also special bricks with question marks that reveal more coins and other special items once hit. It’s a must to hit other bricks if there’s enough time as they might contain rare items or coins.

Eating a mushroom transforms regular Marion into Super Mario, which means he grows double in size and gets the ability to break bricks above him. Careful though as when he gets hit in this mode, he reverts to his original self, but he won’t die.

You can read more about the gameplay here.