But according to Shigeru Miyamoto, creator of Mario, you might have been misinterpreting Nintendo’s iconic mascot for decades.

In a recently re-published interview from 2005, Miyamoto stated that there weren’t any strict guidelines or definitions when it came to Mario lore.

“I think it was fortuitous that we didn’t put any restrictions on Mario as a character (…) Normally when you create a character and present him to the world, all the details get filed in: what’s his favourite colour? what kind of food does he like to eat? But aside from the fact that he’s about 24-25 years old, we didn’t define anything else.”

none

Though Mario has appeared in games for over 30 years, he’s apparently still young enough to stay on his parents’ health insurance. That’s probably a good thing, since the Mushroom Kingdom benefits package is mostly comprised of cake and kisses on the cheek.

So what’s the story about Super Mario and Donkey Kong?

So, Mario and Donkey Kong didn’t exactly get along in the first Donkey Kong game. Donkey Kong captured his lady, Mario had to climb a bunch of ladders and get her back, let’s just say they didn’t end on good terms. But what does Mario do in response? He captures Donkey Kong from the wild, locks him in a cage, and then sends out his bullwhipped animal minions to stop DK’s son, Donkey Kong Jr., from saving his father. I don’t even know where to begin with this. Obviously, there’s an element of animal cruelty here, but it’s exacerbated by the fact that DK and his son are self-aware, and Jr. is watching his father dangled in front of his face before Mario sweeps him away to the next stage. Super Mario is one sick puppy.

Mario Once Went To Battle With Monsters From Hell

Yes, you read that correctly. Super Mario, along with Kirby and Link from The Legend of Zelda once went to battle against the worst the underworld had to offer in a comic strip featured in German gaming magazine, Club Nintendo. Simply called Super Mario in the Night of Horror, the plot of the comic is this: Mario, along with Kirby and Link, must defend their Brooklyn skyscraper and Princess Peach from Abigor, a demon, and his evil forces, which include such classic horror characters as Leatherface and Chuckie. Using Van Helsing’s weapons and drinking “red serum,” the Nintendo heroes are able to drive the evil back. Remarkably, this story is actually part one of a two-part arc, just in case you really need that Mario/horror itch scratched.

Luigi was originally colored green because of technological limitations

Luigi has gotten the short end of the stick for most of his life. For the most part, he’s always been mentioned in relation to his more famous sibling; most know him as “Mario’s brother” or “Player 2” or “Green Mario.” This goes back to the creation of the original “Mario Bros.” game — not the classic sidescroller, but the weird single-screen arcade game. You might have played a variation of it in Super Mario Bros. 3’s battle mode.

See, Nintendo wanted another character for multiplayer purposes, but they had limited memory. So Luigi (which is close to the Japanese word “ruiji,” which means “similar”) was built as an exact copy of his brother. But when it came time to design Luigi’s clothes, Nintendo had a problem. They couldn’t very well give him the exact same wardrobe as Mario, but they didn’t have a ton of memory left over for the palette. So, making do with what they had, Luigi borrowed the color from the Koopa’s green shell.

You can eat the dolphins in the Japanese version of Super Mario World (but not in the US)

One of the most memorable levels in Super Mario World has to be “Vanilla Secret #3.” There’s a reason that it’s often called “The Dolphin Level,” as porpoises bound across the screen, acting as mobile platforms for Mario to travel across. It’s not the toughest level in the game, but its

And it’s way different in Japan.

Should you visit Vanilla Secret #3 while playing the US version of SMW, you’ll find that the cute, cuddly dolphins are immune to Yoshi’s tongue. But in the Japanese version of the game, these dolphins are just as eatable as any apple or koopa you might come across.

No one is really sure why this is, but there are a couple of theories out there. One suggests that Western audiences were particularly attached to dolphins during the early 90s, as anyone with a Lisa Frank Peechee folder could attest. Some think that it was actually a way to make the game easier for dummies in the US, since allowing players to swallow the dolphins is essentially letting them destroy the quickest path across the level.

Mario Almost Had A Gun

It’s hard to imagine now, but originally, a shoot-’em-up stage was planned for Super Mario Bros. From Shigeru Miyamoto: “We originally thought about having a shoot-’em-up stage where Mario jumps on a cloud and shoots at enemies”

It’s crazy to imagine Nintendo’s golden boy wielding a gun and dropping enemies in the Mushroom Kingdom with a bullet to the head, but it was almost a reality. For shame. What would Batman think?

Of course, the game ended up going in a very different direction, and Mario’s ammunition was supplied instead by fireballs. Because setting someone on fire instead of shooting them is far more humane. Mario, you’re the worst, man.

Mario Is Not Aging Well

According to Super Mario creator Shigeru Miyamoto, Mario is supposed to be around 24 or 25 years old. Yeah, you read that right. Mario—the short, round, mustached guy who, if we’re being honest, looks like he’s in his early forties—is actually in his mid-twenties. What is going on?

I can think of a few possible explanations. Maybe his constant trips to the Mushroom Kingdom, which exists in an entirely different dimension, have taken a serious toll on his body and mind. Or maybe his, uh, questionable relationship with power-ups (which we already discussed) is catching up to him. He’s like the Keith Richards of video games or something. Just another reason why drugs are a bad idea, kids. And if you’re a kid reading this—stop! I thought I made it clear this wasn’t for you.

Bowser Had His Own Show…And It Would Terrify You

Everyone remembers The Super Mario Bros. Super Show, the classic Mario Brothers cartoon with Captain Lou Albano playing Mario. But way fewer people remember King Koopa’s Kool Kartoons—yeah, that was really its name. It was a short-lived show featuring an actor in a Koopa costume that somehow managed to look both cheap and terrifying at the same time.

The whole show was basically just Koopa introducing public-domain cartoons to a live audience of kids. And these kids? They were all decked out in Koopa-themed hats and shirts, which honestly just made it look like they were being held hostage. The show ran from 1989 to 1990, but only aired in Southern California, which probably explains why so few people remember it.

There Are Two “Adult Industry” Movies Based On The Mario Games

Oh, we’re really getting into it now. Yes, this is a thing. Back in 1993, Super Hornio Brothers and Super Hornio Brothers II were made—two ahem “adult” films based on Super Mario Bros. And yes, Ron Jeremy played Mario, though in these movies, his character’s name was “Squeegie Hornio” (I can’t believe I’m writing this, but here we are).

Here’s the best part—Nintendo actually bought the rights to both movies just to make sure they never saw the light of day. Honestly, that was probably one of the best business decisions they’ve ever made. Alright, now that we got that out of the way, let’s move on to something a little less…weird.

Super Mario Sunshine has a secret Zelda cameo

Super Mario Sunshine is full of weird little details, but one of the most interesting mysteries has actually been solved. In the game, a character named Il Piantissimo shows up, disguised as one of the Piantas, to challenge Mario to a series of races. You never get to see under his mask, but fans, being the dedicated detectives they are, dug into the game’s code to find out his true identity.

And what they found? If you played Ocarina of Time or Majora’s Mask, you might recognize him—he’s actually the Running Man from Ocarina of Time and the mailman from Majora’s Mask. A little shorter, maybe, but undeniably the same guy.

Honestly, fans will find just about anything if they’re determined enough. Who knows—maybe if they look hard enough, they’ll find a way to make Super Mario Sunshine a better game.

Enjoy the Infographic summarizing all we heard now, or have been reading about our 10 Fun Super Mario Facts you never knew you wanted to know.

Another of Fun Super Mario Facts, he has a new Job

The economy is hard in the year 2017 and so had Super Mario also the need to look for new income since his plumping business is really leaving out. Watch the Video from the recent Jimmy Fallon Latenight Show.

Before we end our story about Fun Super Mario Facts here a bonus: Super Mario Might Be A Mass Murderer

From the Super Mario Bros manual:

“One day, the kingdom of the peaceful Mushroom Kingdom people was invaded by the Koopa, a tribe of turtles famous for their black magic. The quiet, peace-loving Mushroom People were turned into mere stones, bricks, and even field horsehair plants, and the Mushroom Kingdom fell into ruin.”

Hang on a second. Wait a minute. Backup. What was that last part? They were all turned into stones and bricks? Aren’t those…exactly what you spend the entire game destroying? By that logic, with every brick you smash, you are in fact, taking the life of an innocent denizen of the Mushroom Kingdom. You’ll never look at Mario the same way again. But your kids still can. Because hopefully, you kept them far away from this list. But when they’re old enough, take it out, sit them down, and tell them the true story of the “Super” Mario. Oh, brother.

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Link: Mario Games – Nintendo’s Official Home for Super Mario Nintendo’s official home for Mario. Check out new, popular, and classic Mario games for the Wii U, Wii, Nintendo 3DS, Nintendo 2DS, Nintendo DS, and more