Released on 13 September 1985, Super Mario Bros. celebrates its 40th anniversary this year. Selling around 40 million copies worldwide, it sparked a huge boom as the best-selling game of its time.

Since then, Mario has continued to evolve with each new console release, with the series surpassing a total of 450 million copies sold.
Opening the golden age of video games, Mario has become one of the most recognisable icons in the world.

But what is the origin story behind his creation?

We conducted an in-depth interview with his creator, Shigeru Miyamoto — Representative Director and Fellow at Nintendo.
From the secrets behind the pixel art born from the constraint of just 40 kilobytes of ROM, to rare development materials and the evolution of the series, we take a comprehensive look at the world of Mario from a design perspective.

NINTENDO MUSEUM
With Mario’s creator, Shigeru Miyamoto, at the Nintendo Museum.

STAGES
A complete overview of every world.
Course design shaped by the art of subtraction.

PIXEL ART
Mario’s design, born from limitations and functionality.

PLANNING
From background specifications to early concepts —
the blueprint of Super Mario Bros.

PROLOGUE
From Mr. Video to Mario.
The eve of Super Mario Bros.

EVOLUTION
Mario’s transformation alongside each new generation of consoles.

[CHARACTERS]
The evolving cast of characters who inhabit Mario’s world.

[ITEMS & OBJECTS]
The changing design of items and objects that build the game’s universe.

TIMELINE
Tracing Mario’s adventures across 24 titles in the series.

SUPER NINTENDO WORLD
Super Nintendo World in Florida.
An in-depth look at the architectural appeal of Mario’s world, where layered structures blend 2D and 3D.

3D FIGURES
Beautiful from every angle —
a visual compendium of character sculptures.