List of rumors and urban legends: Difference between revisions

{{italic title|List of rumors and urban legends about ''Mario''}}

Being a long-running and popular franchise, there have been many '''rumors, misconceptions, and urban legends''' regarding production history, fictional details, and gameplay elements within the ''[[Mario (franchise)|Mario]]'' franchise.

The origin of [[Donkey Kong]]'s name has been the subject of several conflicting explanations over time. One popular myth states that the original ''[[Donkey Kong (game)|Donkey Kong]]'' game was intended to be titled "Monkey Kong", and was actually named "Donkey Kong" due to either a mistranslation<ref>Dougherty, Kerry (January 4, 1997). [https://scholar.lib.vt.edu/VA-news/VA-Pilot/issues/1997/vp970104/01040009.htm "Pretendo — Oops, Nintendo — Separates Males from Females"]. ''The Virginian-Pilot''. Retrieved June 25, 2021. "It seems the entire game is a misnomer. Legend has it that the Japanese wonk who developed the game made a mistake when translating the Japanese for 'Monkey Kong' into English. By the time the error was discovered millions of labels had already been printed." ([https://web.archive.org/web/20201212112854/https://scholar.lib.vt.edu/VA-news/VA-Pilot/issues/1997/vp970104/01040009.htm Archived] December 12, 2020, 11:28:54 UTC via Wayback Machine.)</ref> or typo.<ref>Burrill, William (August 4, 1994). "Game Boy Cart More Fun Than Barrel of Donkeys." ''The Toronto Star''. p. F5. "Why exactly the giant ape is called 'Donkey Kong' is a mystery, although I heard one story that sounds plausible: The original arcade game, designed in Japan, was supposed to be called 'Monkey Kong,' but somebody misspelled it and the name stuck."</ref> However, the words ''monkey'' and ''donkey'' are completely different from each other in Japanese, so it is unlikely to be a translation error. Additionally, while typos resulting in popular names do exist, the accuracy of the latter claim is questionable considering the conflicting viewpoints surrounding it.

Another explanation states that ''donkey'' was used to avoid copyright issues with the character {{wp|King Kong}}. The etymology of the word "donkey" can be traced back to the word ''ass'', which can also mean ''fool'', with the word ''fool'' traditionally being the opposite of the word ''king''. This may suggest that the name "Donkey Kong" was intended as a subversion of "King Kong", and a way to refer to the movie and character without violating copyright law. However, [[Nintendo]] was [[List of Mario-related controversies#Universal Studios|sued]] by [[wikipedia:Universal Studios|Universal Studios]] in 1982 for the exact reason that ''Donkey Kong'' was too similar to King Kong. Notably, a written statement produced in 1983 regarding this lawsuit states that Nintendo employee Shinichi Todori came up with the name "Donkey Kong" towards the end of May 1981.<ref>Norman Caruso [@GamingHistorian] (January 30, 2020). [https://twitter.com/GamingHistorian/status/1222939644217757697 "Before settling on the name "Donkey Kong," Nintendo considered a ton of other ideas. - ....not sure who suggested "Kong Dong" 😳"]  (Tweet) – via Twitter. Retrieved June 25, 2021. ([https://web.archive.org/web/20210416063736/https://twitter.com/GamingHistorian/status/1222939644217757697 Archived] April 16, 2021, 06:37:36 UTC via Wayback Machine.)</ref>

[[Shigeru Miyamoto]], the creator of Donkey Kong, has claimed multiple times that he found the name from a Japanese-English dictionary when looking for something "stubborn" or "stupid".<ref>Mingo, Jack (1994). ''How the Cadillac Got Its Fins''. New York: HarperBusiness. pp. 136-141. ISBN 0-88730-677-2. "[Miyamoto] consulted a Japanese-English dictionary and found 'donkey' listed as an English equivalent to the Japanese word for stupid or goofy. He decided that Kong would be a good name for the gorilla, so he called the game Donkey Kong."</ref><ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20210227125147/https://themushroomkingdom.net/interview_miyamoto_nom18_feb2000.shtml "Exclusive Interview with Donkey Kong Creator Shigeru Miyamoto"]. ''The Mushroom Kingdom''. Archived from [http://themushroomkingdom.net/interview_miyamoto_nom18_feb2000.shtml the original] February 27, 2021, 12:51:47 UTC via Wayback Machine. Retrieved June 25, 2021. "I had always been under the impression that Kong meant gorilla. So I wanted to name him "something-something" Kong. And so, because I wanted to make a dumb character, I went and looked that word up in an English dictionary. When I did that, I found that the word "donkey" had that meaning in addition to that of the animal. And so with that, I gave him the name Donkey Kong, but when we brought him to America, it was said over and over that "That's a weird name... Donkey doesn't mean dumb." But I was just like, "Well, whatever," and left the name that way. (laughs) Even after all that, Donkey Kong is still loved all over America, right? I think that when something is called "weird," there's a strong negative connotation to it, but on the other hand, by leaving it that way I think it definitely sticks in people's minds better."</ref> While "donkey" is not usually considered to be an adjective or a synonym of those terms, the animals themselves are often associated with those traits. In an interview published in 2016, Miyamoto stated that he was informed by Nintendo of America staff that "donkey" does not mean "stupid" as the dictionary said, but that he ignored their feedback, as he liked the sound of the name "Donkey Kong".<ref>Kohler, Chris (October 14, 2016). [https://www.wired.com/2016/10/miyamoto-donkey-kong-secrets/ "Miyamoto Spills Donkey Kong’s Darkest Secrets, 35 Years Later"]. ''Wired''. Retrieved October 14, 2016. ""For example, for the game's title, I was trying to convey the idea of 'stupid monkey,'" [Miyamoto] said. "'Donkey' of course referred to the animal, but the dictionary I used said that it had a secondary meaning of 'idiot.' Nintendo of America said that this was not the case, and 'donkey' didn't mean 'idiot.'" "Even though it was in the dictionary," the interviewer said. "It's a mystery," Miyamoto replied. "But I just liked the sound of it, so I decided to stand my ground on 'Donkey Kong.' And within a year, everyone was saying 'Donkey Kong' with no hesitation."" ([https://web.archive.org/web/20210607161051/https://www.wired.com/2016/10/miyamoto-donkey-kong-secrets/ Archived] June 7, 2021, 16:10:51 UTC via Wayback Machine.)</ref>

===The usage of the name "Jumpman"===

Due to [[Mario]] initially being referred to as "Jumpman" in the arcade version of ''[[Donkey Kong (game)|Donkey Kong]]'', it is sometimes believed that he was not given the name of "Mario" until the release of ''[[Donkey Kong Jr. (game)|Donkey Kong Jr.]]'', the game produced immediately after ''Donkey Kong''. This theory is supported by the name "Jumpman" being common throughout English material related to the game, appearing in its operation manual<ref>[https://www.arcade-museum.com/manuals-videogames/D/dk-tkg4u.pdf "Donkey Kong Operation Manual"]. ''The International Game Museum''. 1981. Retrieved June 28, 2021. ([https://web.archive.org/web/20210323233657/https://www.arcade-museum.com/manuals-videogames/D/dk-tkg4u.pdf Archived] March 23, 2021, 23:36:57 UTC via Wayback Machine.)</ref> and several graphics containing instructions for play, including a [[:File:DK Instruction Page.jpg|page]], [[:File:DK Arcade Instructions Card.jpg|card]], and [[:File:DK Instruction Banner.jpg|banner]].

While no Japanese material included the name "Mario" until ''Donkey Kong Jr.'' as the theory states, a flyer with story information was released to arcades internationally, in which the protagonist was referred to as "little Mario" in its English localization, proving that he was known as "Mario" to the public before games other than ''Donkey Kong'' had released. All subsequent [[port]]s of ''Donkey Kong'' to home console removed the name "Jumpman" in favor of "Mario", with the exception of ''Arcade Archives: Donkey Kong'' on the [[Nintendo Switch]].

Some rumors have questioned the origin of the [[Super Mushroom]], suggesting that it was inspired by real-world drugs such as the {{wp|Psilocybin mushroom|magic mushroom}}<ref>Burch, Anthony (December 19, 2006). [http://www.destructoid.com/six-sinister-things-about-super-mario-28654.phtml "Six sinister things about Super Mario"]. ''Destructoid''. Retrieved June 29, 2021. ''"It may have taken some of us longer than others to make the connection, but at some point Mario’s innocent mushroom and flower powerups begin to take on a much more sinister, substance-abuse-related-meaning... The only rational answer is that all of these “transformations” are nothing more than visual and auditory hallucinations, brought on by heavy drug use."'' ([https://web.archive.org/web/20210626211614/https://www.destructoid.com/six-sinister-things-about-super-mario/ Archived] June 26, 2021, 21:16:14 UTC via Wayback Machine.)</ref><ref>Cooper, Hollander (August 13, 2012). [http://www.gamesradar.com/top-7-most-disturbing-things-about-mushroom-kingdom/ "The Top 7... Most disturbing things about the Mushroom Kingdom"]. ''GamesRadar''. Retrieved June 29, 2021. ''"Yeah, the mushrooms Mario devours to increase, decrease, greatly increase, or greatly decrease his size are drugs. Let's get that out of the way right now."'' ([https://web.archive.org/web/20210519035941/https://www.gamesradar.com/top-7-most-disturbing-things-about-mushroom-kingdom/ Archived] May 19, 2021, 03:59:41 UTC via Wayback Machine.)</ref>, or {{wp|Amanita muscaria#Cultural depictions|Amanita muscaria}}.<ref>della Quercia, Jacopo (June 29, 2010). [http://www.cracked.com/article_18585_the-7-most-wtf-origins-iconic-pop-culture-franchises.html "The 7 Most WTF Origins of Iconic Pop Culture Franchises"]. ''Cracked''. Retrieved June 30, 2021. ''"Why would anyone--from Lewis Carroll to Nintendo--associate mushrooms with getting smaller or bigger? It's because of hallucinogenic toadstools like Amanita Muscaria, as folks who have ingested them know, screw with your perception of size."'' ([https://web.archive.org/web/20210514105627/https://www.cracked.com/article_18585_the-7-most-wtf-origins-iconic-pop-culture-franchises.html Archived] May 14, 2021, 10:56:27 UTC via Wayback Machine.)</ref> While the spores of the latter species look similar to the Super Mushroom and other [[power-up]]s such as the [[1-Up Mushroom]], no evidence has confirmed that this was an intentional design decision.

 

 

With the introduction of [[Luigi]] as Mario's brother, the pair began to be collectively referred to as "the Mario brothers", which has led many to believe that Mario and Luigi's last names are actually "Mario". This theory was supported by ''[[The Super Mario Bros. Super Show]]'' live-action episodes "[[Dance]]" and "[[Treasure of the Sierra Brooklyn]]", and, more famously, the 1993 ''[[Super Mario Bros. (film)|Super Mario Bros.]]'' live-action film, all of which used "Mario" as the brothers' surname. Several other sources, such as the ''[[Mario Party 2]]'' [[Prima Games]] guide and a promotional flyer for the ''[[Donkey Kong/Donkey Kong Jr./Mario Bros.]]'' arcade cabinet, also use the "Mario" last name. [[Charles Martinet]], Mario's current voice actor, has given it as his response when asked about Mario's last name.<ref>Patrick Scott Patterson (July 16, 2012). [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AAjhjLuWbC8 "Mario (Charles Martinet) reveals his last name & other tales - San Diego Comic Con 2012"]. ''YouTube''. Retrieved April 29, 2021. "''"What's my last name? That's-a very good question! Uh...uh... that's right! My name's-a Mario Mario. Of course, my brother's name, a-Luigi Mario. And of course, my mama's-a Mama Mia Mario; my papa Papa Pio Mario. Of course, my grandmama Grandmama Mia Mario and my greatpapa et cetera, et cetera. Yeah, first name Mario, last name Mario. Yahoo!"''" ([https://web.archive.org/web/20201220125944if_/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AAjhjLuWbC8 Archived] December 20, 2020, 12:59:44 UTC via Wayback Machine.)</ref>  

Various Nintendo employees and representatives, including series creator Shigeru Miyamoto, have stated that Mario and Luigi do not have a last name at all.<ref>Japancommercials4U2 (February 9, 2009). [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IS713fNTJ8c&t=2m "Inside Edition News Report With Super Mario Bros."] ''YouTube''. Retrieved April 29, 2021.</ref><ref>Totilo, Stephen (August 17, 2012). [https://kotaku.com/nintendo-chief-mario-is-part-of-gamers-dna-5935721 "Nintendo Chief: Mario Is Part Of Gamers' DNA"]. ''Kotaku''. Retrieved August 16, 2014. ([https://web.archive.org/web/20210309044745/https://kotaku.com/nintendo-chief-mario-is-part-of-gamers-dna-5935721 Archived] March 9, 2021, 04:47:45 UTC via Wayback Machine.)</ref><ref name="Game Informer">Ryckert, Dan (September 10, 2015). [https://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2015/09/10/miyamoto-tezuka-interview.aspx "Mario's Creators Answer Burning Questions About The Series"]. ''Game Informer''. Retrieved April 29, 2021. ([https://web.archive.org/web/20210309044745/https://kotaku.com/nintendo-chief-mario-is-part-of-gamers-dna-5935721 Archived] March 25, 2021, 22:30:44 UTC via Wayback Machine.)</ref> However, Miyamoto later retracted this stance, stating during the [[Super Mario Bros. 30th Anniversary]] festival held in {{wp|Shibuya}} that Mario's full name is "Mario Mario".<ref>Brian (September 14, 2015). [http://nintendoeverything.com/miyamoto-says-marios-full-name-is-mario-mario "Miyamoto says Mario’s full name is “Mario Mario”"]. ''Nintendo Everything''. Retrieved September 14, 2015. ([https://web.archive.org/web/20210215214836/https://nintendoeverything.com/miyamoto-says-marios-full-name-is-mario-mario/ Archived] February 15, 2021, 21:48:36 UTC via Wayback Machine.)</ref>

===Gunpei Yokoi is the creator of Wario and Daisy===

Due to being the most notable member of [[Nintendo]]'s former [[Nintendo Research & Development 1|Research & Development 1]] department and having a role as producer for many of their games, [[Gunpei Yokoi]] is often attributed as the sole creator of its franchises and characters up to his departure. This has led fans to credit Yokoi for the creation of the characters [[Princess Daisy]] and [[Wario]], two main characters of R&D1's ''Super Mario Land'' games.<ref>[https://www.teechu.com/5-awesome-facts-trivia-princess-daisy "5 Awesome Princess Daisy Facts"]. ''TeeChu''. April 22, 2019. Retrieved June 28, 2021. ([https://web.archive.org/web/20210628182311/https%3A%2F%2Fwww.teechu.com%2F5-awesome-facts-trivia-princess-daisy Archived] June 28, 2021, 18:23:11 UTC via Wayback Machine.) ''"When creating the first handheld Mario game, producer Gunpei Yokoi wanted to create a land like the Mushroom Kingdom, Sarasaland. Princess Daisy would rule the land, and it would be down to Mario to help her out when aliens invade!"''</ref><ref>[https://scoop.previewsworld.com/Home/4/1/73/1016?articleID=228619 "Nintendo’s Tomboyish Princess at 30"]. ''Scoop''. n.d. Retrieved June 28, 2021. ([https://web.archive.org/web/20210628182617/https://scoop.previewsworld.com/Home/4/1/73/1016?articleID=228619 Archived] June 28, 2021, 18:26:17 UTC via Wayback Machine.) ''"Daisy was created by Gunpei Yokoi, Super Mario Land’s producer, who had intended for the game to give the overall feel of a traditional Mario title, but set in a different world. This led to the creation of the kingdom of Sarasaland, with Princess Daisy as its ruler."''</ref><ref>Jones, Thomas (2013). [https://purenintendo.com/the-life-and-legacy-of-gunpei-yokoi/ "The Life and Legacy of Gunpei Yokoi"]. ''Pure Nintendo''. Retrieved June 28, 2021. ([https://web.archive.org/web/20210628183110/https%3A%2F%2Fpurenintendo.com%2Fthe-life-and-legacy-of-gunpei-yokoi%2F Archived] June 28, 2021, 18:31:10 UTC via Wayback Machine.) ''"Yokoi’s contributions to Nintendo not only consisted of hardware developments, during this highly groundbreaking period at the company he was responsible for the creation of a plethora of well loved games such as Metroid, Kid Icarus and thought up many of the characters featured in the games, including the likes of Wario and Pitt [sic]."''</ref> In reality, Yokoi has never been credited as a character designer in any of the games he was involved with, and no report done during Yokoi's lifetime or modern interviews with former R&D1 staff stated he created any characters for its games.

While no specific creator has been attributed to Princess Daisy, [[Satoru Okada]], the director of ''[[Super Mario Land]]'', or [[Hirofumi Matsuoka]] and/or Masahiko Mashimo, graphic designers for the game, would be more likely candidates. [[Hiroji Kiyotake]], director and graphic designer for ''[[Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins]]'', is the creator of Wario, as stated by multiple interviewees in a 2004 interview in the magazine ''Nintendo Dream''<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20160326011958/http://www.metroid-database.com/m1/fds-interview-p0.php Translation of "Famicom Disk System: The More You Play It, the More You'll Want to Play" on Metroid Database]. Archived from [https://www.metroid-database.com/m1/fds-interview-p0.php the original] March 26, 2016, 01:19:58 UTC via Wayback Machine. Retrieved October 11, 2015. ''"Took part in the development of the original'' Metroid''; creator of Wario in'' Super Mario Land: Six Golden Coins''."''</ref>; he is also credited as the original designer of Wario throughout the ''[[WarioWare (series)|WarioWare]]'' series.

[[File:Electronic Games Magazine Donkey Kong Interview.jpg|thumb|left|x175px|The cover of the Electronic Games issue that allegedly contained the quote from Miyamoto]]

In 2001, author {{wp|Steven L. Kent|Steven Kent}} published the book ''{{wp|The Ultimate History of Video Games}}'', in which he discussed the development of ''[[Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island]]''. On page 518, the book details that [[Shigeru Miyamoto]], the creator of ''[[Donkey Kong (game)|Donkey Kong]]'', became frustrated after the the original graphical style of ''Yoshi's Island'' was rejected for having "not enough punch" compared to the pre-rendered graphics of ''[[Donkey Kong Country]]''. Alluding to an interview he conducted with Miyamoto and Tim Stamper, the director of ''Donkey Kong Country'', Kent stated that "Miyamoto was a bit hard on Stamper", and included a quote from Miyamoto saying "Donkey Kong Country proves that players will put up with mediocre gameplay as long as the art is good".<ref>Super Mario Wiki [@SMWikiOfficial] (April 27, 2018). [https://twitter.com/SMWikiOfficial/status/989891915050029056 "An excerpt from the book "The Ultimate History of Video Games: from Pong to Pokemon and beyond...the story behind the craze that touched our lives and changed the world"  regarding Yoshi's Island development"]  (Tweet) – via Twitter. Retrieved July 2, 2021. ([https://web.archive.org/web/20210702160540/https://twitter.com/SMWikiOfficial/status/989891915050029056 Archived] July 2, 2021, 16:05:40 UTC via Wayback Machine.)</ref> This created the rumor that Miyamoto disliked the [[Donkey Kong Country (series)|''Donkey Kong Country'' series]].  

The interview in question originates from the May 1995 issue of the magazine {{wp|Electronic Games}}. However, according to {{wp|Frank Cifaldi}}, founder of the {{wp|Video Game History Foundation}}, the supposed quote from Miyamoto is not present in the magazine.<ref>Frank Cifaldi (Unlicensed).nes [@frankcifaldi] (June 27, 2019). [https://twitter.com/frankcifaldi/status/1144373230364266496 "Sorry, they do talk about tech but there's nothing remotely like that in here."]  (Tweet) – via Twitter. Retrieved July 2, 2021. ([https://web.archive.org/web/20210627062027/https://twitter.com/frankcifaldi/status/1144373230364266496 Archived] June 27, 2021, 06:20:27 UTC via Wayback Machine.)</ref> This led to doubts as to whether Miyamoto said it at all, or if it was merely a false memory from Kent.<ref>Hyle (June 28, 2019). [https://dkvine.com/?p=news_body&post=5978 "Guess Whose Gameplay Isn't Medicore? <nowiki>[sic]</nowiki>"]. ''DK Vine''. Retrieved June 15, 2020. ([https://web.archive.org/web/20210702161649/https://dkvine.com/?p=news_body&post=5978 Archived] July 2, 2021, 16:16:49 UTC via Wayback Machine.)</ref>

Following the announcement of ''[[Donkey Kong Country Returns]]'' at {{wp|E3 2010}}, the gaming website {{wp|IGN}} conducted an interview with Miyamoto in which he alluded to the rumor and declared it to be false, saying "And apparently recently some rumor got out that I didn't really like that game? I just want to clarify that that's not the case, because I was very involved in [the game's production]."<ref>Harris, Craig (June 29, 2016). [https://www.ign.com/articles/2010/06/17/e3-2010-shigeru-miyamoto-likes-donkey-kong-country-after-all "E3 2010: Shigeru Miyamoto Likes Donkey Kong Country After All"]. ''IGN''. Retrieved July 2, 2021. ([https://web.archive.org/web/20210629005314/https://www.ign.com/articles/2010/06/17/e3-2010-shigeru-miyamoto-likes-donkey-kong-country-after-all Archived] June 29, 2021, 00:53:14 UTC via Wayback Machine.)</ref>

On August 10, 2001, in response to a letter sent to {{wp|Rare}}'s Scribes website about a ''[[Donkey Kong Country (series)|Donkey Kong Country]]'' game on the [[Virtual Boy]], Rare employee [[Leigh Loveday]] stated that a Virtual Boy [[port]] of ''[[Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest]]'' had been in development, but that it "didn't get very far".<ref>[https://rarewhere.neocities.org/2000_2002/aug10_01.html "Scribes - August 10, 2001"]. ''Rarewhere''. August 10, 2001. Retrieved October 16, 2020. ([https://web.archive.org/web/20210627143344/https://rarewhere.neocities.org/2000_2002/aug10_01.html Archived] June 27, 2021, 14:33:44 UTC via Wayback Machine.)</ref>

However, an article on the DK Vine fan website showcased that subsequent statements were made by former Rare artist Steven Hurst and, more notably, engineer Paul Machacek, employees who worked on the project. They clarified that there were no concrete plans for any ''Donkey Kong Country'' game on the system, and that what Loveday referred to was a short demo to test the capabilities of the Virtual Boy which consisted of a short stretch of land featuring reused ''[[Donkey Kong Land]]'' and ''{{wp|Battletoads (video game)|Battletoads}}'' graphics. No evidence suggests this demo was ever planned to become a full game, and DK Vine assumed that it was ultimately scrapped after it became clear that the Virtual Boy was a commercial failure.<ref>Cameron. [https://dkvine.com/?p=games&page=dkvb&section=red_dead_reflection "Red Dead Reflection"]. ''DK Vine''. n.d. Retrieved October 16, 2020. ([https://web.archive.org/web/20210123102434/https://www.dkvine.com/?p=games&page=dkvb&section=red_dead_reflection Archived] January 23, 2021, 10:24:34 UTC via Wayback Machine.)</ref>

An article on the fan site SNES Central by Evan G elaborates that there is no proof that such a game was in development.<ref>Evan G (February 4, 2012). [http://www.snescentral.com/article.php?id=1032 "Super Mario FX"]. ''SNES Central''. Retrieved July 2, 2021. ([https://web.archive.org/web/20210410051056/http://www.snescentral.com/article.php?id=1032 Archived] April 10, 2021, 05:10:56 UTC via Wayback Machine.)</ref> Early claims regarding the topic surfaced on video game forum websites, such as the Lost Levels forum in 2004.<ref>Ancient Oldie (February 15, 2004). [http://forums.lostlevels.org/viewtopic.php?t=198 "Mario 3D on the SNES???"]. ''Lost Levels''. Retrieved July 2, 2021. ([https://web.archive.org/web/20210117155713/http://forums.lostlevels.org/viewtopic.php?t=198 Archived] January 17, 2021, 15:57:13 UTC via Wayback Machine.)</ref> These theories were supported by a feature on the gaming website {{wp|IGN}} in 2007 claiming that "Miyamoto spent years trying to build a fully 3D Mario platformer for the SNES before he finally admitted the technology just wasn't there for him".<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20091113074022/http://au.top100.ign.com:80/2007/ign_top_game_5.html "IGN Top 100 Games 2007: 5 Super Mario 64"]. ''IGN''. 2007. Archived from [http://au.top100.ign.com:80/2007/ign_top_game_5.html the original] November 13, 2009, 07:40:22 UTC via Wayback Machine. Retrieved July 2, 2021.</ref> While they did not list a source, the Wikipedia page for ''Super Mario 64'' referenced an interview with Miyamoto in the January 1996 issue of ''[[Nintendo Power]]'', which IGN may have misconstrued. Miyamoto stated that "I first had the idea to do a 3-D Mario game when I was working on Star Fox. That was five years ago".<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20210607205652/http://www.zeldalegends.net/index.php?n=interviews&id=1996-01-np080-miya-tezu&m=html Translation of "The Game Guys - (Shoshinkai 1995)" on Zelda Legends]. Archived from [http://www.zeldalegends.net/index.php?n=interviews&id=1996-01-np080-miya-tezu&m=html the original] June 7, 2021, 20:56:52 UTC via Wayback Machine. Retrieved July 2, 2021.</ref> As ''[[lylatwiki:Star Fox (game)|Star Fox]]'' released on the SNES and used the Super FX chip to display full 3D graphics, this may have led to the conclusion that Miyamoto was referring to a 3D ''Mario'' title using the same hardware, even though he never specified that the idea was for any console in the interview. Additionally, this interpretation would suggest that Miyamoto was developing a title for the SNES years after the [[Nintendo 64]] hardware had begun development, as 'Project Reality', the codename for the console, was announced in August 1993, only about half a year after ''Star Fox'' was released.  

In their article, Evan G details that they contacted Dylan Cuthbert, the designer of the Super FX chip and lead programmer of ''Star Fox'', who confirmed that no 3D ''Mario'' platformer was in development for the SNES, and that "Super Mario FX" was actually a codename for the chip itself.<ref>Dylan [@dylancuthbert] (February 3, 2012). [https://twitter.com/dylancuthbert/status/165596909413728256 "@snescentral no, that was the internal code name for the FX chip"] (Tweet) - via Twitter. Retrieved July 2, 2021. ([https://web.archive.org/web/20140525211908/https://twitter.com/dylancuthbert/statuses/165596909413728256 Archived] May 25, 2014, 05:25:21 UTC via Wayback Machine.)</ref>

In ''[[Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door]]'', there is a regional difference involving the [[Boo]] sisters [[Peeka]] and [[Lahla]]. In the Japanese release, they both wear a headband with fake bunny ears resembling the {{wp|Playboy Bunny}}, the icon of the adult magazine {{wp|Playboy}}, but international releases replace the bunny ears with cat ears. This change was made either to avoid a reference to adult headgear or out of legal concern, as the Playboy Bunny is a copyrighted icon.  

On the unused-content wiki {{wp|The Cutting Room Floor (website)|The Cutting Room Floor}}, the [https://tcrf.net/Paper_Mario:_The_Thousand-Year_Door/Regional_Differences/en#Peeka_and_Lahla regional differences page] for ''Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door'' originally listed that only Peeka underwent this change. This was potentially due to Lahla not being a mandatory character to see to complete the game, meaning that Lahla wearing bunny ears may have gone unnoticed for an extended period of time. In reality, both sisters wear identical accessories in all versions, and the wiki page was edited to reflect this once it was discovered.<ref>[[User:Doc von Schmeltwick|Doc von Schmeltwick]] (March 30, 2020). [https://tcrf.net/Talk:Paper_Mario:_The_Thousand-Year_Door/Regional_Differences "Talk:Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door/Regional Differences"]. ''The Cutting Room Floor''. Retrieved July 1, 2021. ([https://web.archive.org/web/20210607210601/https://tcrf.net/Talk:Paper_Mario:_The_Thousand-Year_Door/Regional_Differences Archived] June 7, 2021, 21:06:01 UTC via Wayback Machine.)</ref>

In February 2005, ''[[Donkey Kong Jungle Beat]]'' producer Takao Shimizu and co-director [[Yoshiaki Koizumi]] conducted an interview with the official ''Nintendo Online Magazine'' in Japan regarding the game.<ref>[https://www.nintendo.co.jp/nom/0412/pick/2_int/index.html "Donkey Kong Jungle Beat Development Staff Interview"]. ''Nintendo''. February 2005. Retrieved July 6, 2021. ([http://web.archive.org/web/20210306063006/https://www.nintendo.co.jp/nom/0412/pick/2_int/index.html Archived] March 6, 2021, 06:30:06 UTC via Wayback Machine.)</ref> An English translation of the interview was produced by the fan website N-Sider, and was shared by the gaming website {{wp|IGN}} as part of a partnership between the two websites. One of the questions in the interview was about the game characters, and the English translation stated Koizumi's answer as "''All the characters outside of [[Donkey Kong]] and the [[banana]] are completely original. We don't really feel the past look of Donkey Kong was fresh enough for today. We really gave our new development team the chance to really create something unique and stylish.''."<ref>Anthony JC (February 18, 2005). [https://www.ign.com/articles/2005/02/18/donkey-kong-jungle-beat-2 "DONKEY KONG JUNGLE BEAT"]. ''IGN''. Retrieved April 28, 2019. ([http://web.archive.org/web/20160322124141/http://www.ign.com/articles/2005/02/18/donkey-kong-jungle-beat-2 Archived] March 22, 2016, 12:41:41 UTC via Wayback Machine.)</ref> Due to its dismissive implications, this statement was the subject of substantial negative backlash from ''Donkey Kong'' fans.

As recorded on the DK Vine fan website, a post by the Super Mario Wiki {{wp|Twitter}} account in April 2019 prompted DK Vine informant Johnnie Kong to translate the text themselves.<ref>Hyle (April 26, 2019). [https://dkvine.com/?p=news_body&post=5945 "Guess Who's Certified Fresh?"]. ''DK Vine''. Retrieved July 6, 2021. ([https://web.archive.org/web/20210619073413/https://dkvine.com/?p=news_body&post=5945 Archived] June 19, 2021, 07:34:13 UTC via Wayback Machine.)</ref> In doing so, he uncovered a more accurate interpretation of Koizumi's statement: Koizumi chose to use a mostly original cast because the tone of the game was very "uncharacteristic" compared to that of previous ''Donkey Kong'' titles; he also hoped ''Jungle Beat'' would represent the "personality" of the newly-formed [[Nintendo Entertainment Analysis and Development|EAD Tokyo]] team.<ref>Johnnie [@Johnnie_Kong] (April 26, 2019). [https://twitter.com/Johnnie_Kong/status/1121739758638698497 "3./ Anyway, without further ado here it is."]. (Tweet) – via Twitter. Retrieved July 6, 2021. ([http://web.archive.org/web/20210707000513/https://twitter.com/Johnnie_Kong/status/1121739758638698497 Archived] July 7, 2021, 00:05:13 UTC via Wayback Machine.)</ref> The gaming news website Source Gaming would verify this interpretation by sharing their own translation on Twitter shortly after this.<ref>Source Gaming [@AllSourceGaming] (April 27, 2019). [https://twitter.com/AllSourceGaming/status/1122167498822971394 "Dear @dkvine, @KRoolKountry and DK fans everywhere. @N_Mosier and @PushDustIn have retranslated Koizumi's comments about DK Jungle Beat. Hopefully, this will clear up what Koizumi meant."] (Tweet) – via Twitter. Retrieved July 6, 2021. ([http://web.archive.org/web/20210707000043/https://twitter.com/AllSourceGaming/status/1122167498822971394 Archived] July 7, 2021, 00:00:43 UTC via Wayback Machine.)</ref>

Notably, N-Sider translations of Japanese material have been found to contain mistranslations and forgery.<ref>Prime Blue (February 24, 2011). [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia_talk:WikiProject_Video_games/Sources/Archive_4#N-Sider_as_situational_source "Wikipedia talk:WikiProject Video games/Sources/Archive 4"]. ''Wikipedia''. Retrieved July 6, 2021. ([https://web.archive.org/web/20200802230138/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia_talk:WikiProject_Video_games/Sources/Archive_4#N-Sider_as_situational_source Archived] August 2, 2020, 23:01:38 UTC via Wayback Machine.)</ref>

The earliest accessible edit to the {{wp|HomePage|Wikipedia}} page for the 1996 ''[[Donkey Kong Country (television series)|Donkey Kong Country]]'' animated series states that the original French version was titled ''La planète de Donkey Kong'' (translated as "Planet Donkey Kong").<ref>UnlimitedAccess (June 21, 2005). [https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Donkey_Kong_Country_%28TV_series%29&type=revision&diff=15543608&oldid=15543299 "Donkey Kong Country (TV series): Difference between revisions"]. ''Wikipedia''. Retrieved July 3, 2021. ([https://web.archive.org/web/20210703205954/https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Donkey_Kong_Country_%28TV_series%29&type=revision&diff=15543608&oldid=15543299 Archived] July 3, 2021, 20:59:54 UTC via Wayback Machine.)</ref> In May 2010, the text was edited to say "Created by France 2 and Nelvana, it was originally titled 'La Planète de Donkey Kong' ('The Planet of Donkey Kong' in English translation)."<ref>Caleson (May 8, 2010). [https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?diff=360994996&oldid=356598982&title=Donkey_Kong_Country_(TV_series) "Donkey Kong Country (TV series): Difference between revisions"]. ''Wikipedia''. Retrieved July 3, 2021. ([https://web.archive.org/web/20210703210059/https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?diff=360994996&oldid=356598982&title=Donkey_Kong_Country_%28TV_series%29 Archived] July 3, 2021, 21:00:59 UTC via Wayback Machine.)</ref> This sentence, and the introductory paragraph it came from, would be copied verbatim across multiple summaries of the TV series on different English databases.<ref>[https://en-academic.com/dic.nsf/enwiki/999355 "Donkey Kong Country (TV series)"]. ''Academic''. n.d. Retrieved July 3, 2021. ([https://web.archive.org/web/20210703195732/https://en-academic.com/dic.nsf/enwiki/999355 Archived] July 3, 2021, 19:57:32 UTC via Wayback Machine.)</ref><ref>[https://likewise.com/Shows/2784 "Donkey Kong Country"]. ''Likewise''. n.d. Retrieved July 3, 2021. ([https://web.archive.org/web/20210703205658/https://likewise.com/Shows/2784 Archived] July 3, 2021, 20:56:58 UTC via Wayback Machine.)</ref> The mistake was also cited as fact on an edit made to the series' page on the Donkey Kong Wiki fan site.<ref>Neon the Spelunker (February 16, 2010). [https://donkeykong.fandom.com/wiki/Donkey_Kong_Country_(TV_series)?diff=next&oldid=6160 "Changes: Donkey Kong Country (TV series)"]. ''Donkey Kong Wiki''. Retrieved July 3, 2021. ([https://web.archive.org/web/20210703195854/https://donkeykong.fandom.com/wiki/Donkey_Kong_Country_(TV_series)?diff=next&oldid=6160 Archived] July 3, 2021, 19:58:54 UTC via Wayback Machine.)</ref>

"La planète de Donkey Kong" actually refers to a [[La planète de Donkey Kong|programming block]] (later renamed to "DKTV") which aired from 1996 to 2001 exclusively in France, and hosted the ''Donkey Kong Country'' series alongside a large number of other children's programs. As with other regions, the ''Donkey Kong Country'' cartoon itself was named "Donkey Kong Country" when it aired in France and Québec, with some ads and TV listings shortening the title to simply "Donkey Kong".<ref>Japancommercials4U2 (May 16, 2009). [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d9fImyYnLik "Donkey Kong Country DVD French Commercial"]. ''YouTube''. Retrieved July 3, 2021.</ref>

===''Super Mario Galaxy'' box art hidden message===

 

In ''[[Super Mario Galaxy 2]]'', these sparkles are still present in the game's logo, but have been rearranged. They now spell out "UR MI AY", although this can be interpreted as "YA, I M, R U?" (Yeah, I am, are you?) if read backwards.<ref>Sterling, Jim (February 27, 2010). [http://www.destructoid.com/ur-mr-gay-ya-i-m-r-u--165205.phtml "UR MR GAY? YA, I M, R U?"]. ''Destructoid''. Retrieved December 19, 2014. ([https://web.archive.org/web/20210118161329/https://www.destructoid.com/ur-mr-gay-ya-i-m-r-u--165205.phtml Archived] January 18, 2021, 16:13:29 UTC via Wayback Machine.)</ref> The preliminary logo of ''[[Super Mario Odyssey]]'' contains similar sparkles, which spell out "MARIO DYS" (interpreted by some as "Mario dies").<ref>@Zachruff (June 14, 2017). [https://twitter.com/Zachruff/status/874982036104237058 "Mario Dys - Mario Dies - The stars were right once again..."] (Tweet) – via Twitter. Retrieved April 29, 2021. ([https://web.archive.org/web/20210429155116/https://twitter.com/Zachruff/status/874982036104237058 Archived] April 29, 2021, 15:51:16 UTC via Wayback Machine.)</ref>

On December 9, 2007, a video showcasing a downloadable, [[Nintendo DS]] version of ''[[Super Mario Galaxy]]'' was uploaded to YouTube.<ref>enriqueastley (December 9, 2007). [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e3FVLyzmNAI "super mario galaxy DS !!!"]. ''YouTube''. Retrieved April 28, 2021.</ref> The footage showed a hidden [[galaxy]] unlocked by collecting all 121 [[Power Star]]s as both Mario and Luigi and feeding them all to a [[Hungry Luma]], which would allow the player to access the Nintendo DS version of the game using the Download Play feature. The player used the stylus to control Mario, and both brothers were shown in the game's galaxies simultaneously, implying a co-op mode. The video also stated that each Power Star collected in the Nintendo DS version would be redeemable for 10 [[Wii Points]] on the [[Wii Shop Channel]].  

About ten days after the video's release, an article on Engadget proved the footage to be faked by discovering a shorter but cleaner version of the same video on the video site Stage6. The video was posted by psycho3ler, the username of Pablo Belmonte, who had previously created a  hoax video of a "Nintendo ON" console in 2005 (the original ''Super Mario Galaxy DS'' video even showed a Nintendo ON planet, adding credibility to this theory).<ref>Orland, Kyle (December 19, 2007). [https://www.engadget.com/2007/12/19/super-mario-galaxy-ds-video-a-hoax "Super Mario Galaxy DS video a hoax"]. ''Engadget''. Retrieved January 23, 2017. ([https://web.archive.org/web/20170611035457/https://www.engadget.com/2007/12/19/super-mario-galaxy-ds-video-a-hoax/ Archived] June 11, 2017, 03:54:57 UTC via Wayback Machine.)</ref> Belmonte himself would later upload a high-quality version of the video, explaining in the description that it was created for a school project involving designing a viral video.<ref>Pablo Belmonte (June 12, 2018). [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EfHDSrNjUA8 "Super Mario Galaxy DS"]. ''YouTube''. Retrieved April 28, 2021.</ref>  

 

Coincidentally, a {{wp|Homebrew (video games)|homebrew}} Nintendo DS game exists named ''Super Mario Galaxies''<!--note the plural-->.<ref>Cid2Mizard (September 25, 2014). [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=elx4MwOmVcY "Super Mario Galaxies v0.8"]. ''YouTube''. Retrieved April 28, 2021.</ref> A group of four homebrewers are working on a ''Super Mario Galaxy DS'' project unrelated to the hoax video, which recreates gameplay from ''Super Mario Galaxy'' on real DS hardware.<ref>Jesse (May 30, 2021). [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E_riJdTbnVk "Super Mario Galaxy DS - Hurry Scurry Galaxy"]. ''YouTube''. Retrieved June 1, 2021.</ref>

In 2008, {{wp|NortonLifeLock|Symantec Corporation}} announced a new version of their {{wp|Norton AntiVirus}} software. Subtitled the "Gaming Edition", it used less computer resources to make it easier to play video games while the antivirus was running. However, when an article about the software was published to gaming site {{wp|Kotaku}} on November 11, 2008, it was accompanied by a picture of a different software, labeled ''Norton AntiVirus: Dr. Mario''.<ref>Houghton, Stuart (November 11, 2008). [https://web.archive.org/web/20081227163603/http://kotaku.com/5083571/is-this-stand+up-fight-or-a-bug-hunt-norton-antivirus-for-gaming "Is This A Stand-up Fight Or A Bug Hunt? Norton AntiVirus For Gaming"]. ''Kotaku''. Archived from [http://kotaku.com/5083571/is-this-stand+up-fight-or-a-bug-hunt-norton-antivirus-for-gaming the original] December 27, 2008, 16:36:03 UTC via Wayback Machine. Retrieved July 1, 2021.</ref> No text in the article mentioned or alluded to ''Dr. Mario'' nor this image.

Other news websites would later republish the image<ref>mohsin (November 13, 2008). [https://www.newlaunches.com/archives/norton_gets_gamer_friendly_with_the_gaming_edition_antivirus.php "Norton gets gamer friendly with the Gaming Edition antivirus"]. ''Newlaunches''. Retrieved July 1, 2021. ([https://web.archive.org/web/20160801131837/http://newlaunches.com/archives/norton_gets_gamer_friendly_with_the_gaming_edition_antivirus.php Archived] August 1, 2016, 13:18:37 UTC via Wayback Machine.)</ref>; some mistakenly stated that the software was directly related to ''Dr. Mario'', likely due to them interpreting the image as the official art created for the software.<ref>Amorín, Alfonso I. (November 13, 2008). [https://www.pixfans.com/norton-lanza-un-antivirus-del-dr-mario-para-jugones/ "NORTON LANZA UN ANTIVIRUS DEL DR. MARIO PARA JUGONES"]. ''Pixfans''. Retrieved July 1, 2021. ([https://web.archive.org/web/20190913182000/https://www.pixfans.com/norton-lanza-un-antivirus-del-dr-mario-para-jugones/ Archived] September 13, 2019, 18:20:00 UTC via Wayback Machine.)</ref> While the Gaming Edition version of Norton AntiVirus was officially published, it did not contain any connection to [[Nintendo]] nor the ''Mario'' franchise.

The original source of the image remains unknown. It is most likely that the art was faked use image-editing software and presented to Kotaku as a genuine product, leading it to be spread and believed as such by other news outlets and their readers. However, as no proof of this is currently known, there is still a possibility that ''Norton AntiVirus: Dr. Mario'' was legitimate, cancelled software.

On April 30, 2010, the Official Nintendo Magazine in {{wp|Great Britain}} published an article to their website stating the name origins of the [[Koopalings]], with [[Larry Koopa]] said to be named after the talk show host [[wikipedia:Larry King|Larry King]].

<ref>Scullion, Chris (April 30, 2010). [https://web.archive.org/web/20110512072842/http://www.officialnintendomagazine.co.uk/16520/features/10-amazing-mario-facts/ "10 Amazing Mario Facts"]. ''Nintendo''. Archived from [http://www.officialnintendomagazine.co.uk/16520/features/10-amazing-mario-facts/ the original] May 12, 2011, 07:28:42 UTC via Wayback Machine. Retrieved June 30, 2021.</ref> This was contested by former [[Nintendo|Nintendo of America]] employee Dayvv Brooks, who named all of the Koopalings during the production of ''[[Super Mario Bros. 3]]''. According to Brooks, Larry is named after a musician like his siblings, in this case the inspiration being [[wikipedia:Larry Mullen, Jr.|Larry Mullen, Jr.]], the drummer for the rock band [[wikipedia:U2|U2]].<ref>[https://www.mariowiki.com/index.php?title=Larry_Koopa&diff=prev&oldid=1299498 Edit to the Super Mario Wiki page for Larry Koopa made by Brooks on July 18, 2012]. The account had been verified to have a legitimate email address by [[User:Walkazo|Walkazo]].</ref>

However, on December 29, 2015, the gaming site {{wp|Kotaku}} published an interview with Brooks contradicting this action. Brooks asserted that all of the Koopalings were named after real-world figures except Larry, stating that "there’s no real-world equivalent—he’s not Larry Mullen Jr. from U2 or Larry King—he just looked like a Larry."<ref name="Brooks">Klepek, Patrick (December 29, 2015). [https://kotaku.com/how-a-mario-character-was-named-after-motorheads-lemmy-1750180427 "How A Mario Character Was Named After Motorhead's Lemmy"]. ''Kotaku''. Retrieved December 30, 2015. ([https://web.archive.org/web/20210602215525/https://kotaku.com/how-a-mario-character-was-named-after-motorheads-lemmy-1750180427 Archived] June 2, 2021, 21:55:25 UTC via Wayback Machine.)</ref>

On August 10, 2012, an edit was made to the {{wp|HomePage|Wikipedia}} page for the long-time ''Mario'' artist [[Yoichi Kotabe]] stating that his latest work was for ''[[Super Mario 3D Land]]'' as an illustrator.<ref>Vidpro23 (August 10, 2012). [https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Y%C5%8Dichi_Kotabe&diff=next&oldid=497430990 "Yōichi Kotabe: Difference between revisions"]. ''Wikipedia''. Retrieved July 4, 2021. ([https://web.archive.org/web/20210705010108/https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Y%C5%8Dichi_Kotabe&diff=next&oldid=497430990 Archived] July 5, 2021, 01:01:08 UTC via Wayback Machine.)</ref> This claim may have inspired an unsourced edit to the same page on the Super Mario Wiki on September 7, 2012 stating that Kotabe had returned from retirement to draw the artwork for [[Princess Peach]]'s letters in that game.<ref>[https://www.mariowiki.com/index.php?title=Yoichi_Kotabe&diff=next&oldid=1169256 Edit to the Super Mario Wiki page for Yoichi Kotabe made by Bardiscuter on September 7, 2012].</ref> While both claims were eventually removed, other websites cited the error as fact.<ref>Schmitz, Tobias (November 1, 2014). [https://nintendo-online.de/artikel/report/18820/inside-nintendo-52-nintendos-unbekannte-anime-urgesteine "Inside Nintendo 52: Nintendo's unknown anime veterans"]. ''Nintendo-Online''. Retrieved July 4, 2021. ''"In 2011, by the way, Kotabe returned to draw Peach's letters in Super Mario 3D Land."'' ([https://web.archive.org/web/20190623015447/https://nintendo-online.de/artikel/report/18820/inside-nintendo-52-nintendos-unbekannte-anime-urgesteine Archived] June 23, 2019, 01:54:47 UTC via Wayback Machine.)</ref><ref>Mental Floss UK (April 19, 2017). [https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/91167/artist-who-helped-bring-super-mario-life "The Artist Who Helped Bring Super Mario to Life"]. ''Mental Floss''. Retrieved July 4, 2021. ''"Kotabe retired from Nintendo in 2007 after 21 years, but has still contributed to the company's games from time to time; in 2011's'' Super Mario 3D Land'', Princess Peach occasionally sends you illustrated letters as you progress. Those illustrations were provided by Kotabe."'' ([https://web.archive.org/web/20210501035050/https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/91167/artist-who-helped-bring-super-mario-life Archived] May 1, 2021, 03:50:50 UTC via Wayback Machine.)</ref>

While the art style of the letters is similar to Kotabe's ''Mario'' artwork, his name is not listed in the staff credits for ''Super Mario 3D Land'', nor is he mentioned in the two Iwata Asks interviews dedicated to the game.<ref>[http://iwataasks.nintendo.com/interviews/#/3ds/super-mario-3d-land/0/0 "Iwata Asks: ''Super Mario 3D Land'': Keyword: Reset"]. ''Nintendo''. n.d. Retrieved July 4, 2021. ([https://web.archive.org/web/20210614185705/http://iwataasks.nintendo.com/interviews/ Archived] June 14, 2021, 18:57:05 UTC via Wayback Machine.)</ref><ref>[http://iwataasks.nintendo.com/interviews/#/3ds/super-mario-3d-land/1/0 "Iwata Asks: ''Super Mario 3D Land'': Like an Archeologist"]. ''Nintendo''. n.d. Retrieved July 4, 2021. ([https://web.archive.org/web/20210614185705/http://iwataasks.nintendo.com/interviews/ Archived] June 14, 2021, 18:57:05 UTC via Wayback Machine.)</ref> The artwork was actually drawn by current ''Mario'' artist [[Shigehisa Nakaue]], who does appear in the credits of the game and was credited under "Illustrations" for it by the January 2012 issue of the Japanese magazine ''Nintendo Dream''. Nakaue also appears in the in-game credits of ''[[Super Mario 3D World]]'', ''[[Mario Kart 8]]'' and ''[[Mario Party: Star Rush]]''.

===''Donkey Kong 64'' only required the Expansion Pak to fix a memory leak===

On May 28, 2013, former [[Rare Ltd.|Rare]] employee Chris Marlow published a {{wp|Let's Play}} video of ''{{wp|Conker's Bad Fur Day}}'' in which he shared an anecdote revealing that ''[[Donkey Kong 64]]'' was allegedly not initially planned to support the [[Expansion Pak]] RAM expansion. Marlow explained that Rare found a memory leak to occur after a short amount of playtime and, as they were unable to pinpoint the exact cause of the issue before release, were forced to bundle the Expansion Pak with the game as a quick fix.<ref>Conker King (May 28, 2013). [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VgtAXCaSlpk&t=178s "CONKER'S BFD : DIRECTORS COMMENTARY PRT 1"]. ''YouTube''. Retrieved June 26, 2021. ([https://web.archive.org/web/20201120122418if_/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VgtAXCaSlpk Archived] November 20, 2020, 12:24:18 UTC via Wayback Machine.)</ref> The story was immediately picked up by video game news websites<ref>Watts, Martin (May 28, 2013). [http://www.nintendolife.com/news/2013/05/donkey_kong_64_required_expansion_pak_to_prevent_game_breaking_bug "Donkey Kong 64 Required Expansion Pak to Prevent Game-Breaking Bug"]. ''Nintendo Life''. Retrieved December 1, 2016. ([https://web.archive.org/web/20210401191348/https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2013/05/donkey_kong_64_required_expansion_pak_to_prevent_game_breaking_bug Archived] April 1, 2021, 19:13:48 UTC via Wayback Machine.)</ref>, and was [https://www.mariowiki.com/index.php?title=Donkey_Kong_64&type=revision&diff=1489725&oldid=1464525 presented as fact] on the Super Mario Wiki page for ''Donkey Kong 64''.

[[Mark Stevenson]], a developer of ''Donkey Kong 64'', would deny this claim in a November 2019 interview, stating that Rare's management instructed the game's developers to support the Expansion Pak early in development to accommodate advanced graphical effects.<ref name="2019DK64">Lane, Gavin (November 23, 2019). [http://www.nintendolife.com/news/2019/11/feature_donkey_kong_64_devs_on_bugs_boxing_and_20_years_of_the_dk_rap "Feature: Donkey Kong 64 Devs On Bugs, Boxing And 20 Years Of The DK Rap"]. ''Nintendo Life''. Retrieved June 26, 2021. ([https://web.archive.org/web/20210401191340/https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2019/11/feature_donkey_kong_64_devs_on_bugs_boxing_and_20_years_of_the_dk_rap Archived] April 1, 2021, 19:13:40 UTC via Wayback Machine.)</ref> (Dynamic lighting was specifically cited as a feature that made use of the Expansion Pak in another interview with Stevenson.<ref>Power, Tom (December 6, 2019). [https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/making-of-donkey-kong-64/ "As Donkey Kong 64 turns 20, the devs reflect on its design, the infamous DK Rap, and how a shocked Shigeru Miyamoto created the Coconut Shooter"]. ''GamesRadar''. Retrieved December 6, 2019. ([https://web.archive.org/web/20210610080627/https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/making-of-donkey-kong-64/ Archived] June 10, 2021, 08:06:27 UTC via Wayback Machine.)</ref>) He added that while ''Donkey Kong 64'' did contain a game-breaking bug during development, it only affected one revision of the [[Nintendo 64]] hardware, and was eventually resolved. Stevenson speculated that these two stories were likely conflated into one, creating the memory leak rumor.<ref name="2019DK64"></ref>

[[File:Mario Characters - Simon Mall Promo Artwork.png|thumb|left|x150px|The original stock art used as the basis for the tentative cover of ''Mario Party: Star Rush'']]

In June 2016, shortly after ''[[Mario Party: Star Rush]]'' was announced during {{wp|E3 2016}}, a post on Twitter was made joking about Nintendo reusing art from cans of {{wp|Campbell's}} {{wp|Spaghetti-Os}}. The tentative cover art of the game appeared to be based off of artwork used on cans from a ''Super Mario'' promotion between Campbell's and Nintendo.<ref>An adorable kitty bun [@TommoTheCabbit] (June 15, 2016). ''[https://twitter.com/TommoTheCabbit/status/743231627896070144 "I can't believe that Nintendo recycled the art from a Spaghetti-O's can"''] (Tweet) – via Twitter. Retrieved July 3, 2021. ([https://web.archive.org/web/20210615203421/https://twitter.com/TommoTheCabbit/status/743231627896070144 Archived] June 15, 2021, 20:34:21 UTC via Wayback Machine.)</ref> This post quickly gained popularity and was shared by several popular gaming websites<ref>Carpenter, Nicole (June 16, 2016). [http://www.ign.com/articles/2016/06/16/e3-2016-mario-party-star-rush-uses-repurposed-art-from-nintendo-spaghetti-os "E3 2016: Mario Party: Star Rush Uses Repurposed Art From Nintendo Spaghetti-Os"]. ''IGN''. Retrieved July 2, 2016. ([https://www.ign.com/articles/2016/06/16/e3-2016-mario-party-star-rush-uses-repurposed-art-from-nintendo-spaghetti-os Archived] November 8, 2020, 16:42:55 UTC via Wayback Machine.)</ref><ref>Cameron, Kock (June 16, 2016). [http://www.techtimes.com/articles/165442/20160616/is-the-box-art-for-mario-party-star-rush-taken-from-a-can-of-spaghettios.htm "Is The Box Art For 'Mario Party: Star Rush' Taken From A Can Of SpaghettiOs?"]. ''TechTimes''. Retrieved July 2, 2016. ([https://web.archive.org/web/20160619043717/http://www.techtimes.com/articles/165442/20160616/is-the-box-art-for-mario-party-star-rush-taken-from-a-can-of-spaghettios.htm Archived] June 19, 2016, 04:37:17 UTC via Wayback Machine.)</ref><ref>Hillier, Brenna (June 16, 2016). [https://www.vg247.com/2016/06/16/mario-party-star-rush-recycles-art-from-a-spaghettios-tin-apparently/ "Mario Party Star Rush recycles art from a Spaghettios tin, apparently"]. ''VG 24/7''. Retrieved July 2, 2016. ([https://web.archive.org/web/20201108121259/https://www.vg247.com/2016/06/16/mario-party-star-rush-recycles-art-from-a-spaghettios-tin-apparently/ Archived] November 8, 2020, 12:12:59 UTC via Wayback Machine.)</ref><ref>Paget, Mat (June 16, 2016). [http://www.gamespot.com/articles/new-mario-party-box-art-seems-to-be-from-a-spaghet/1100-6440968/ "New Mario Party Box Art Seems to Be From a SpaghettiOs Can"]. ''Gamespot''. Retrieved July 2, 2016. ([https://web.archive.org/web/20210401191443/https://www.gamespot.com/articles/new-mario-party-box-art-seems-to-be-from-a-spaghet/1100-6440968/ Archived] April 1, 2021, 19:14:43 UTC via Wayback Machine.)</ref><ref>McMinn, Kevin (June 16, 2016). [http://nintendonews.com/news/3ds/spaghettios-mario-party-star-rush-box-art/ "SpaghettiOs Lives on for Mario Party Star Rush Box Art"]. ''Nintendo News''. Retrieved July 2, 2016. ([https://web.archive.org/web/20161024091205/http://nintendonews.com/news/3ds/spaghettios-mario-party-star-rush-box-art/ Archived] October 4, 2016, 09:12:05 UTC via Wayback Machine.)</ref>, giving off the impression that the artwork was directly taken from the can.  

However, the original artwork used on the can is simply stock promotional artwork. Before the announcement of Nintendo's collaboration with Campbell's in late November 2013<ref>[http://www.campbellsoupcompany.com/newsroom/news/2013/11/22/campbell-teams-up-with-nintendo-for-mario-soups/ "Campbell Teams up with Nintendo for Mario Soups"]. ''Campbell's''. November 22, 2013. Retrieved July 2, 2016. ([https://web.archive.org/web/20210323233642/https://www.campbellsoupcompany.com/newsroom/news/2013/11/22/campbell-teams-up-with-nintendo-for-mario-soups/ Archived] March 23, 2021, 23:36:42 UTC via Wayback Machine.)</ref>, the art had made appearances in ''Mario''-themed stationery{{ref needed}}, the official Super Mario Brothers 2013 Wall Calendar, which was released on August 1, 2012<ref>[https://www.amazon.com/Super-Mario-Brothers-2013-Calendar/dp/141970219X "Cal Super Mario 2013"]. ''Amazon.com''. August 1, 2012. Retrieved July 2, 2021. ([https://web.archive.org/web/20160224133236/http://www.amazon.com/Super-Mario-Brothers-2013-Calendar/dp/141970219X Archived] February 24, 2016, 13:32:36 UTC via Wayback Machine.)</ref>, a playable demo of ''[[Mario Kart 8]]'' at select {{wp|Best Buy}} locations{{ref needed}} on June 12 and June 15 of 2013<ref>[https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20130611006101/en "ADDING MULTIMEDIA Nintendo Systems Will Offer the Widest Array of Exclusive Games and the Most Fun and Compelling Experiences in 2013"]. ''Business Wire''. June 11, 2013. Retrieved July 3, 2021. ([https://web.archive.org/web/20210703192231/https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20130611006101/en Archived] July 3, 2021, 19:22:31 UTC via Wayback Machine.)</ref>, and a webpage promoting the 'Nintendo Experience Tour' event held at {{wp|Simon Property Group|Simon Mall}} locations from August 31 to November 3 of 2013.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20131028105814/http://www.nintendo.com/events/tour "The Nintendo Experience Tour"]. ''Nintendo''. n.d. Archived from [http://www.nintendo.com/events/tour the original] October 28, 2013, 10:58:14 UTC via Wayback Machine. Retrieved July 3, 2021.</ref>

The "Game Description" section on page 2 of the instruction manual for the original ''[[Super Mario Bros.]]'' states that the "[[Toad (species)|Mushroom People]]" of the [[Mushroom Kingdom]] were "turned into mere stones, bricks and even field horse-hair plants".<ref name="SMB1 Manual">Nintendo (1985). [https://www.nintendo.co.jp/clv/manuals/en/pdf/CLV-P-NAAAE.pdf "''Super Mario Bros.'' Instruction Booklet"]. Retrieved July 8, 2021. ([https://web.archive.org/web/20210309100159/https://www.nintendo.co.jp/clv/manuals/en/pdf/CLV-P-NAAAE.pdf Archived] March 9, 2021, 10:01:59 UTC via Wayback Machine.)</ref> The mention of "bricks" led many to assume that the [[Brick Blocks]] that [[Mario]] can break throughout the game were transformed Toads, supporting the idea that Mario is 'murdering' the Toads by breaking these blocks.<ref>[https://unrealfacts.com/super-mario-bros-mario-mass-murderer/ "Mario From Super Mario Bros Is A Mass Murderer"]. ''Unreal Facts''. n.d. Retrieved July 8, 2021. ([http://web.archive.org/web/20210708191749/https://unrealfacts.com/super-mario-bros-mario-mass-murderer/ Archived] July 8, 2021, 19:17:49 UTC via Wayback Machine.)</ref> However, page 8 of the same manual states that "mushrooms who have been turned into bricks" will "reward you by giving you a power boost" upon finding them, implying that the blocks that were transformed Toads were specifically the Brick Blocks, [[? Block]]s, and [[Hidden Block]]s that produce [[power-up]]s upon being hit, which cannot be destroyed.<ref name="SMB1 Manual"></ref>

Despite Mario being able to break these blocks in later games, such as by using the [[Mega Mushroom]] in ''[[New Super Mario Bros.]]'', no other game besides ''Super Mario Bros.'' has [[Bowser]] transform Toads.

[[File:AtSuperMarioBros.png|thumb|left|x175px|The guide image depicting Princess Toadstool as a Toad]]  

In 1990, five years after the release of ''[[Super Mario Bros.]]'', author {{wp|Jeff Rovin}} published a strategy guide for the game titled ''How to Win at Super Mario Bros.''. This guide contains an illustration of [[Princess Peach|Princess Toadstool]] designed similarly to [[Toad (species)|her subjects]], leading to the impression that Toadstool was intended to be a Toad at some point during the development of the game, as the illustration was mistaken for concept artwork.<ref>Velasco, Ryan (May 10, 2019). [https://medium.com/gaminglinkmedia/how-was-princess-peach-created-3519eff319d1 "Princess Peach of the Mushroom Kingdom, Origin — Character Creation"]. ''GamingLinkMedia''. Retrieved July 8, 2021. ''"Before the final appearance was decided she had a few prototypes... Another was found in the 1987 Japanese strategy guide “How to Win at Super Mario Bros.” which showed her as a Toad, wearing a mushroom cap, a simple tiara and a dress similar to Aurora of Sleeping Beauty."'' ([http://web.archive.org/web/20210708195151/https://medium.com/gaminglinkmedia/how-was-princess-peach-created-3519eff319d1 Archived] July 8, 2021, 19:51:51 UTC via Wayback Machine.)</ref>

After [[Peachette]] was revealed in a Nintendo Direct presentation in September 2018, gaming news websites used the image in their discussions and analysis of the character, theorizing that the artwork hinted at a connection between Toadstool and [[Toadette]].<ref>Gach, Ethan (September 14, 2018). [https://kotaku.com/but-seriously-who-is-peachette-1829061920 "But Seriously Who Is Peachette"]. ''Kotaku''. Retrieved July 8, 2021. ([http://web.archive.org/web/20210126124023/https://kotaku.com/but-seriously-who-is-peachette-1829061920 Archived] January 6, 2021, 12:40:23 UTC via Wayback Machine.)</ref><ref>Radulovic, Petrana (September 14, 2018). [https://www.polygon.com/2018/9/14/17860768/peachette-new-super-mario-bros-u-investigation "Peachette: An Investigation"]. ''Polygon''. Retrieved July 8, 2021. ([http://web.archive.org/web/20201127102810/https://www.polygon.com/2018/9/14/17860768/peachette-new-super-mario-bros-u-investigation Archived] November 27, 2020, 10:28:10 UTC via Wayback Machine.)</ref><ref>Phillips, Tom (September 17, 2018). [https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2018-09-17-nintendo-fans-are-trying-to-work-out-new-character-peachette "Nintendo fans are trying to work out new character Peachette"]. ''Eurogamer''. Retrieved July 8, 2021. ([http://web.archive.org/web/20210109175714/https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2018-09-17-nintendo-fans-are-trying-to-work-out-new-character-peachette Archived] january 9, 2021, 17:57:14 UTC via Wayback Machine.)</ref>

The guide was written and illustrated by people outside of [[Nintendo Entertainment Analysis and Development]], and was likely illustrated based on vague descriptions given to the illustrator. Because these illustrations were not produced by Nintendo employees, and created years after the game released, they have no impact on the development history of ''Super Mario Bros.''.

===''Super Mario Bros. 3'' is a stage play===

[[File:SMB3 Play Evidence.jpg|thumb|x150px|right|An image shared throughout the Internet highlighting the connections to a stage play]]

Several design elements in ''[[Super Mario Bros. 3]]'' suggest that the events of the game are a stage play rather than a real adventure. These include the rising and closing curtains at the beginning of the game, the end of each stage being a black void representing an exit stage, several platforms being visibly suspended by cables and some being bolted into the background and casting shadows onto the sky.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20200109193900/http://www.dorkly.com/post/13074/the-dorklyst-the-6-greatest-videogame-theories-on-the-internet "The Dorklyst: The 6 Greatest Videogame Theories on the Internet"]. ''Dorkly''. March 16, 2011. Archived from [http://www.dorkly.com/post/13074/the-dorklyst-the-6-greatest-videogame-theories-on-the-internet the original] January 9, 2020, 19:39:00 UTC via Wayback Machine. Retrieved September 10, 2015. ''"The Internet had its collective mind blown when this image started making the rounds sometime last year. And it makes some damn good points: The curtain rises at the beginning of the game and closes at the end. The platforms are bolted to the backgrounds or supported by rope. Mario exits stage right into darkness once he finishes a level. I could go on, but there's no need to relive the childhood-crushing truth."''</ref> On September 10, 2015, [[Shigeru Miyamoto]], the creator of [[Mario]], would claim that the theory is true in a {{wp|YouTube}} video discussing various ''Mario'' rumors and myths.<ref>Nintendo UK (September 10, 2015). [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uu2DnTd3dEo "Mario Myths with Mr Miyamoto"]. ''YouTube''. Retrieved September 10, 2015.</ref> However, this does not appear to be true of the ''[[Super Mario All-Stars]]'' and ''[[Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3]]'' versions of the game, due to more realistic backgrounds, the removal of platform shadows, and the latter containing an introductory cutscene rather than curtains opening.

===The Koopalings being Bowser's children is a Western addition===

Following the release of ''[[New Super Mario Bros. Wii]]'' and its Japanese bios stating the Koopalings are minions of Bowser rather than his children, as well as Shigeru Miyamoto's statement in a 2012 interview that Nintendo's "current story" is that Bowser Jr. is Bowser's only child<ref name="Miyamoto">[http://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2012/09/24/miyamoto-tezuka-interview.aspx Game Informer interview with Shigeru Miyamoto, originally featured in issue 234]. "''Our current story is that the seven Koopalings are not Bowser's children. Bowser's only child is Bowser Jr., and we do not know who the mother is.''" (Retrieved September 5, 2016)</ref>, there have been claims that the concept of the Koopalings being Bowser's children was a change made for the English releases of the games.<ref>As an example, on a [https://www.gamefaqs.com/boards/960544-new-super-mario-bros-wii/52367637 thread on GameFAQs about the Japanese bios of the Koopalings in ''New Super Mario Bros. Wii''] comment number 7 states: ''Well, minions is correct. They aren't bowser's children in Japan. That was a "The Adventures of Super Mario Brothers 3" invention, which they ran with in the USA. Ko-kuppa just means little koopa, or young koopa.''.</ref>  

Though Nintendo of America effectively did change the Koopalings' dialogue in the ''Super Mario Bros. 3'' manual and gave the originally unnamed characters their names that have been used in Japanese versions of the games ever since<ref name="Brooks"/><ref>[https://www.nintendo.co.jp/switch/aabpa/index.html Official Japanese site for ''Mario Kart 8 Deluxe'']. The Koopalings' names are direct transcriptions of their English names.</ref>, the Koopalings being Bowser's children has also been present in official Japanese material since ''[[Super Mario Bros. 3]]''. This is stated in the Japanese manual of said game,<ref>In the Japanese instruction booklet of ''Super Mario Bros. 3'', they are called 「<span class="explain" title="じぶん">自分</span>の<span class="explain" title="こども">子供</span>コクッパ7<span class="explain" title="きょうだい">兄弟</span>」 (''Bowser's own children, the 7 Koopalings siblings''), in the story section ({{media link|SMB3 Japanese manual pages 4 5.jpg|pg. 4}}), and Bowser's line ({{media link|SMB3 Japanese manual pages 2 3.jpg|pg. 2}}) reads 「ワッハハ。これから<span class="explain" title="おれさま">俺様</span>の<span class="explain" title="むすこたち">息子達</span>がこのゲームの<span class="explain" title="せつめい">説明</span>をするぜ。<span class="explain" title="むすこたち">息子達</span>の<span class="explain" title="い">言</span>うことをよーく<span class="explain" title="き">聞</span>いてせいぜいガンバルことだな。ワッハハ。」 Bowser's use of 「<span class="explain" title="おれさま">俺様</span>の<span class="explain" title="むすこ達">息子たち</span>」 (''ore-sama no musuko-tachi'')equates to "my children" (or, literally, "my sons"). Larry ({{media link|SMB3 Japanese manual pages 4 5.jpg|pg. 4}}), Morton ({{media link|SMB3 Japanese manual pages 8 9.jpg|pg. 8}}) and Lemmy ({{media link|SMB3 Japanese manual pages 34 35.jpg|pg. 34}}) refer to King Koopa as 「オヤジ」 (''oyaji''), which is both a Japanese word for "father" as well as a term of endearment.</ref>, in books written in cooperation with Nintendo and released during the 1990's such as the ''Super Mario Complete Encyclopedia'' (「スーパーマリオ<span class=explain title="オールひゃっか">全百科</span>」),<ref>In both {{media link|SMCE pages 18 19.png|the ''Super Mario World'' section}} and {{media link|SMCE page 214.png|the ''Super Mario Bros. 3'' section}} of the ''Super Mario Complete Encyclopedia'' (「スーパーマリオ<span class=explain title="オールひゃっか">全百科</span>」), the Koopalings are considered part of the ''Royal Family'' (「<span class=explain title="おう">王</span><span class=explain title="ぞく">族</span>」), this is further confirmed on {{media link|SMCE pages 88 89.png|page 89}}, where both Bowser and the Koopalings are stated to be part of it. In particular, their relationship is explained in the ''Super Mario Bros. 3'' section of the book, where the Koopalings are stated, on {{media link|SMCE pages 150 151.png|page 151}}, to be Bowser's children 「クッパの<span class=explain title="こ">子</span>ども、コクッパたち」) and where Bowser on {{media link|SMCE page 228.png|page 228}} is referred to as the ''demon/sorcerer king'' (「<span class=explain title="だいまおう">大魔王</span>」) and on {{media link|SMCE page 214.png|page 214}} Larry Koopa is stated to be the ''youngest child of the demon/sorcerer king'' (「<span class=explain title="だいまおう">大魔王</span>の<span class=explain title="すえ">末</span>っ<span class=explain title="こ">子</span>」), while the Koopalings are stated to be siblings as well (「コクッパ7<span class=explain title="きょうだい">兄弟</span>」).</ref> in the description for Bowser's main trophy in ''[[Super Smash Bros. Melee]]''<ref>{{media link|JSSBM Bowser Trophy.jpg|In ''Super Smash Bros. Melee'', the first trophy of Bowser in Japanese refers to him as having 「7人のこども」}}.</ref> and in the ''Nintendo Official Guidebooks'' for ''[[Super Mario World: Super Mario Advance 2]]''<ref>{{media link|SMA2 Japanese Guide Page 20.png|Page 20 of the Japanese ''Nintendo Official Guidebook'' of ''Super Mario World: Super Mario Advance 2''}}. The Koopalings are stated being 「7<span class=explain title="ひき">匹</span>の子ども=コクッパ」, roughly meaning ''(Bowser's) seven children=Koopalings'' using an implicit possessive pronoun.</ref> and ''[[Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3]]'',<ref>{{media link|SMA4 Japanese Guide Page 4.png|Page 4 of the Japanese ''Nintendo Official Guidebook'' of ''Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3''}}. Note how, while in the story they are referred as ''<nowiki>[</nowiki>Bowser's<nowiki>]</nowiki> own children'' (「<span class=explain title="じぶん">自分</span>の<span class=explain title="こ">子</span>どもの「コクッパ7<span class=explain title="きょうだい">兄弟</span>」」), in Bowser's bio the possessive referred to the ''children'' term (「<span class=explain title="こ">子</span>どもたち」) is missing like in the case of the ''Nintendo Official Guidebook'' of ''Super Mario World: Super Mario Advance 2''.</ref> the latter case being notable as the game and its guide were released after the introduction of Bowser Jr. in ''[[Super Mario Sunshine]]''.

 

It is commonly claimed among online fans that Ashley is 9/10 years old in Japanese ''[[WarioWare (series)|WarioWare]]'' material and that her age was "changed" for the western localization. The claim was featured for a time on MarioWiki's [[Ashley and Red]] page, although it was later removed for being unsourced.

 

The claim is only partially true in that Ashley's bio on the western ''[[WarioWare: Touched!]]'' website stated her to be 15 where its Japanese equivalent does not give a precise age to Ashley: while there are hints that Ashley is meant to be younger than 15 years old (such as her voice and Ashley referring to herself in the third person in Japanese material, a speaking pattern that usually denotes young, immature characters in Japanese media), she has never been given a precise age in any Japanese ''WarioWare'' media, beside the description for the ''[[Ashley and Red#Crazy Galaxy|Crazy Galaxy]]'' badges in ''[[Nintendo Badge Arcade]]'' stating that this specific incarnation of Ashley is older.

A popular rumor states that an issue of a Nintendo magazine in the {{wp|United Kingdom}} said that [[Bowser]] had a wife named "Clawdia Koopa".<ref>[https://mario.fandom.com/wiki/Clawdia_Koopa "Clawdia Koopa| MarioWiki | Fandom"]. ''Fandom''. n.d.  Retrieved July 10, 2021. ([https://web.archive.org/web/20201029142453/https://mario.fandom.com/wiki/Clawdia_Koopa Archived] October 29, 2020, 14:24:53 UTC via Wayback Machine.)</ref><ref>Timby (October 5, 2014). [https://www.mariomayhem.com/bowsers_blog/index.php/2014/10/05/7-king-koopa-facts-bowser-power/ "7 King Koopa Facts – Bowser Power"]. ''Bowser's Blog''. Retrieved July 10, 2021. ''"A Nintendo Power UK magazine once cited Bowser’s wife as being a mysterious “Clawdia Koopa”! So who is she and where is she now? No one knows."'' ([https://web.archive.org/web/20210710171255/https://www.mariomayhem.com/bowsers_blog/index.php/2014/10/05/7-king-koopa-facts-bowser-power/ Archived] July 10, 2021, 17:12:55 UTC via Wayback Machine.)</ref><ref>cheat-master30 (July 31, 2015). [https://www.reddit.com/r/nintendo/comments/3fccup/anybody_else_surprised_there_isnt_a_queen_koopa/ctndz2y?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3 "Anybody else surprised there isn't a Queen Koopa type character yet?"]. Retrieved July 10, 2021. ''"Wasn't there a character mentioned in some UK Nintendo magazine called Clawdia Koopa? I remember the Official Nintendo Magazine here once mentioned it."'' ([https://web.archive.org/web/20210710170917/https://www.reddit.com/r/nintendo/comments/3fccup/anybody_else_surprised_there_isnt_a_queen_koopa/ctndz2y?context=3 Archived] July 10, 2021, 17:09:17 UTC via Wayback Machine.)</ref><ref>Goodbye (September 6, 2017). [https://aminoapps.com/c/mario/page/blog/theory-what-happened-to-clawdia/j0Yu_KuJggwGYNrqZ54kKBLJg3jx8zw "Theory: What happened to Clawdia?"]. ''Amino''. Retrieved July 10, 2021. ([https://aminoapps.com/c/mario/page/blog/theory-what-happened-to-clawdia/j0Yu_KuJggwGYNrqZ54kKBLJg3jx8zw Archived] July 10, 2021, 17:01:36 UTC via Wayback Machine.)</ref> However, despite the popularity of this claim, no scan or direct quotation of the statement has surfaced. Additionally, most websites that make this claim attribute it to "Nintendo Power UK", a publication that does not exist (the {{wp|Official Nintendo Magazine|official Nintendo magazine of the UK}} went through a variety of names, but none related to ''Nintendo Power'').  

The idea that Bowser has a wife named Clawdia Koopa likely originates from the ''Mario'' fan website Lemmy's Land. The user Lemmy Koopa, the owner of the website, created an original character named Clawdia to play the role of Bowser's wife in his {{wp|Fan fiction|fanfiction}}. She appeared on the site as early as 2002.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20020802141637/http://lemmykoopa.com/lkmain.html "Lemmy's Land"]. n.d. Archived from [http://lemmykoopa.com/lkmain.html the original] August 2, 2002, 14:16:37 UTC via Wayback Machine. Retrieved November 26, 2014. ''"Disclaimer: Let's see... "Super" Mario and all related characters are property of Nintendo and I didn't make them, but I did add Clawdia, Susan, Bagels, and Playful. The stories accredited to me are indeed mine."''</ref> As Lemmy Koopa has always been open about Clawdia being his original character, it is most likely that a third party started the "Nintendo Power UK" rumor.

===King K. Rool's costumes are separate characters in Japanese===

[[King K. Rool]]'s [[Trophy (Super Smash Bros. series)|trophy]] description in ''[[Super Smash Bros. Brawl]]'' states that "His brother, Kaptain K. Rool, made an appearance in the game ''[[Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest]]''". This lead to several fans wondering if this was a change in the Japanese localization of the ''Donkey Kong Country'' games, which, due to the [[wikipedia:Chinese whispers|broken telephone effect]], was morphed into a "fact" that King K. Rool's disguises are separate characters in Japanese. In truth, Japanese material for the ''Donkey Kong Country'' series also has K. Rool's aliases being mere disguises<ref>[http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%82%AD%E3%83%B3%E3%82%B0%E3%82%AF%E3%83%AB%E3%83%BC%E3%83%AB#.E3.82.AD.E3.83.A3.E3.83.97.E3.83.86.E3.83.B3.E3.82.AF.E3.83.AB.E3.83.BC.E3.83.AB Japanese Wikipedia page for King K. Rool], Wikimedia foundation (accessed August 8, 2014) </ref>, and thus the trophy description is merely an error.

The ''[[Donkey Kong Country (television series)|Donkey Kong Country]]'' animated series featured [[Kaptain Skurvy]], a pirate-themed texture swap of [[General Klump]] who is eventually revealed to be Klump's long-lost brother. As the ''Donkey Kong Country'' series was relatively popular in Japan, it may have been a possible source of confusion.

===The ''Mario'' characters are actors===

In September 2012, Shigeru Miyamoto and Takashi Tezuka held an interview with gaming magazine [[wikipedia:Game Informer|Game Informer]], which was reported by several sites. Among other information, the interview had Shigeru Miyamoto stating he pictured the ''Mario'' cast as "[...] a troupe of actors".<ref name="Game Informer"></ref> As many who reported the interview omitted the context of the statement (with at least [http://www.polygon.com/gaming/2012/9/25/3407672/miyamoto-the-mario-cast-is-a-troupe-of-actors-and-bowsers-kids-are one site] running it as the headline), this lead to several assuming that the statement was meant to be taken literally, that is, the ''Mario'' characters are actors playing a role and that their adventures are not "real" in the context of the ''Mario'' universe. Further supporting this idea is the [[#Super Mario Bros. 3 is a stage play|above interpretation]] that ''Super Mario Bros. 3'' is a play.

Miyamoto's answer, however, was of a different nature. When asked by the interviewer why [[Mario]] and [[Princess Peach]] partake in friendly sporting competitions with [[Bowser]] despite their antagonistic relationship in the platforming games, Miyamoto responded that he pictured the ''Mario'' cast as being similar to old comic and cartoon characters (specifically mentioning ''[[wikipedia:Popeye|Popeye]]''), which frequently changed time period and occupation depending on the scenario with no explanation, concluding that he envisions them as "one big family, or maybe a troupe of actors."<ref>Ryckert. Dan (24 September, 2012). [http://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2012/09/24/miyamoto-tezuka-interview.aspx Mario's Creators answer our burning questions]. ''Game Informer''. Retrieved February 11, 2015</ref>.

'''Miyamoto:''' If you're familiar with things like Popeye and some of the old comic characters, you would oftentimes see this cast of characters that takes on different roles depending on the comic or cartoon. They might be businessman in one [cartoon] or a pirate in another. Depending on the story that was being told, they would change roles. So, to a certain degree, I look at our characters in a similar way and feel that they can take on different roles in different games. It's more like they're one big family, or maybe a troupe of actors.</blockquote>

On November 17, 2014, the gaming website {{wp|GameSpot}} posted an article featuring a segment of an interview with [[Koichi Hayashida]], the producer of ''[[Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker]]''. When discussing the genders of [[Toad]] and [[Toadette]], Hayashida stated that "'...we never really went out of our way to decide on the sex of these characters, even though they have somewhat gendered appearances.'" This led the article's writer to conclude that "[[Toad (species)|Toads]] are a genderless race that take on gendered characteristics". <ref>Corriea, Alexa Ray (November 17, 2014). [http://www.gamespot.com/articles/nintendo-reveals-the-toads-gender-secret/1100-6423610/ "Nintendo Reveals the Toads' Gender Secret"]. ''GameSpot''. Retrieved July 10, 2021. ([https://web.archive.org/web/20210405112614/https://www.gamespot.com/articles/nintendo-reveals-the-toads-gender-secret/1100-6423610/ Archived] April 5, 2021, 11:26:14 UTC via Wayback Machine.)</ref>

However, an interview with [[Shigeru Miyamoto]], the creator of Mario, in December 2014, contradicts this. Using a human translator, Miyamoto described that "we didn't really have in mind whether Toad was a boy or a girl" until [[Toadette]] was introduced. This led players to "take the impression that Toad was a boy because Toadette was a girl".<ref>iJustine (December 17, 2014). [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dUkU6O4p7Lw&t=8m44s "Shigeru Miyamoto Interview (Creator of Mario!)"]. ''YouTube''. Retrieved December 20, 2014.</ref> This shows that Toads were more likely viewed with an ambiguous gender at first, rather than being genderless as the GameSpot article states.

A famous rumor surrounding ''[[Super Mario 64]]'' was that Luigi can be unlocked as a secret playable character, with proponents often citing the star statue in the [[Courtyard (Peach's Castle)|courtyard]] of [[Peach's Castle]] as proof. The statue contains a plaque with small, blurry characters that purportedly read "L is real 2401", which supports the idea that Luigi (the character "L" stands for) exists in the game. (The inscription has also been said to read "Eternal Star" by many, but this interpretation does not prove the point as clearly.) After the discovery of this plaque, many theories regarding the meaning of the "L is real 2401" message circulated, many being that the number "2401" hinted at the method of unlocking Luigi. These methods, which varied in levels of absurdity, included running 2,401 laps around the courtyard statue or collecting every single coin in the game (there supposedly being 2,401 coins in total).<ref>WWwWario (October 30, 2013). [https://web.archive.org/web/20160516032041/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G31sxNAXpks "10 REAL Ways To Unlock LUIGI in Super Mario 64!"] ''YouTube''. Archived from [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G31sxNAXpks the original] May 16, 2016, 03:20:41 UTC via Wayback Machine. Retrieved June 21, 2021.</ref> On April 1, 2000, the user Hairball published several fake screenshots onto the blog site Super Mario 128 Central with their own explanation, claiming that unlocking Luigi would also unlock a co-op gameplay mode.<ref>Hairball (April 1, 2000). [https://www.sm128c.com/april2000/luigi-found-in-super-mario-64 "Luigi found in Super Mario 64! - How to unlock co-op mode"]. ''Super Mario 128 Central''. Retrieved June 21, 2021. ([https://web.archive.org/web/20210329150834/https://www.sm128c.com/april2000/luigi-found-in-super-mario-64 Archived] March 29, 2021, 15:08:34 UTC via Wayback Machine.)</ref>

After receiving numerous fake explanations and controller input codes from fans, the gaming website IGN offered a $100 reward for an authentic method of unlocking Luigi in the game.<ref>IGN Staff (November 13, 1996). [http://ca.ign.com/articles/1996/11/14/in-search-of-luigi "In Search of Luigi"]. ''IGN''. Retrieved August 20, 2014. ([https://web.archive.org/web/20210308022520/https://www.ign.com/articles/1996/11/14/in-search-of-luigi Archived] March 8, 2021, 02:25:20 UTC via Wayback Machine.)</ref> A week later, the staff would post an update stating that, while no legitimate methods had been found, the number of false submissions had significantly dropped. They concluded that Luigi's inclusion in the game was simply a myth.<ref>IGN Staff (November 20, 1996). [http://ca.ign.com/articles/1996/11/21/luigi-still-missing "Luigi Still Missing"]. ''IGN''. Retrieved August 20, 2014. ([https://web.archive.org/web/20200222100247/https://www.ign.com/articles/1996/11/21/luigi-still-missing Archived] February 22, 2020, 10:02:47 UTC via Wayback Machine.)</ref>

Nintendo itself acknowledged the rumor in an April Fools' feature in the April 1998 issue of ''[[Nintendo Power]]'', which stated that it would discuss the "L is real 2401" message on the non-existent page 128. During the same year, a fan sent a letter to Nintendo of America asking about the message on the statue. According to Game Play Counselor Michael D. Chandler's response letter, the message has no actual meaning and was only added as a joke to trick players into thinking that it had a hidden meaning.<ref>Brian (December 11, 2016). [http://nintendoeverything.com/nintendo-game-counselor-talks-about-the-meaning-of-super-mario-64s-statue-text-in-classic-letter/ "Nintendo Game Counselor talks about the meaning of Super Mario 64’s statue text in classic letter"]. Nintendo Everything. Retrieved December 11, 2016. ([https://web.archive.org/web/20161222114838/http://nintendoeverything.com/nintendo-game-counselor-talks-about-the-meaning-of-super-mario-64s-statue-text-in-classic-letter/ Archived] December 22, 2016, 11:48:38 UTC via Wayback Machine.)</ref>  

Post-release interviews for the game would reveal that the developers had initially planned to include a cooperative multiplayer mode featuring Luigi, with early prototypes allowing players to run around in a large space simultaneously, but that this feature had to be cut due to hardware limitations.<ref>[http://iwataasks.nintendo.com/interviews/#/wii/nsmb/0/5 Iwata Asks: ''New Super Mario Bros. Wii'': "A Medal for Skilled Players"]. ''Nintendo''. n.d. Retrieved May 7, 2021. ([https://web.archive.org/web/20210614185705/http://iwataasks.nintendo.com/interviews/ Archived] June 14, 2021, 18:57:05 UTC via Wayback Machine.)</ref><ref>[http://iwataasks.nintendo.com/interviews/#/wiiu/super-mario-3d-world/0/6 Iwata Asks: ''Super Mario 3D World'': "A Culmination of 3D Super Mario"]. ''Nintendo''. n.d. Retrieved September 9, 2020. ([https://web.archive.org/web/20210614185705/http://iwataasks.nintendo.com/interviews/ Archived] June 14, 2021, 18:57:05 UTC via Wayback Machine.)</ref>

A variant of the rumor claims that "L is real 2401" instead refers to ''[[Paper Mario]]'', a game that Luigi does appear in, though as a non-playable character. According to the rumor, the "2401" refers to the game's supposed North American release date of February 4, 2001<ref>[http://www.gamefaqs.com/boards/198848-super-mario-64/45354911 Post by 1337_M4rio on GameFAQs]. September 9, 2008. Retrieved May 2, 2015. ([https://web.archive.org/web/20210621151338/https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/boards/198848-super-mario-64/45354911 Archived] June 21, 2021, 15:13:38 UTC via Wayback Machine.)</ref><ref>[http://eeggs.com/items/52448.html "Super Mario 64 Easter Egg - L is Real 2401/eternal Star"]. ''The Easter Egg Archive''. March 21, 2008. Retrieved May 2, 2015. ([https://web.archive.org/web/20191219134005/http://www.eeggs.com/items/52448.html Archived] December 19, 2019, 13:40:05 UTC via Wayback Machine.)</ref>, even though the actual date was one day later, on February 5. In addition, ''Paper Mario'' was initially released in Japan on August 11, 2000, and was originally scheduled for a December 26, 2000, launch in North America before being delayed to February 2001.<ref>IGN Staff (September 8, 2000). [http://www.ign.com/articles/2000/09/09/stop-the-press "Stop the Press!"]. ''IGN''. Retrieved May 2, 2015. ''"Unless you read Japanese fluently, we definitely suggest holding off for the US release of Paper Mario, which is scheduled for December 26 (translated: early next year)."'' ([https://web.archive.org/web/20160506064943/http://www.ign.com/articles/2000/09/09/stop-the-press Archived] May 6, 2016, 06:49:43 UTC via Wayback Machine.)</ref> As the development team of ''Super Mario 64'' could not have predicted the exact release date of any game years in advance, it is highly unlikely that the text was foreshadowing Luigi's appearance in this game.

 

Eventually, Luigi was made a playable character in the remake of the original game, ''[[Super Mario 64 DS]]''. Coincidentally, due to a large-scale asset leak of pre-release Nintendo games, a prototype model of Luigi in ''Super Mario 64'' was found and assembled on July 25, 2020, 24 years and one month (hence, 24-01) after the game was released.<ref>Spangle Ze Kankle [@SpangleZeKankle] (July 25, 2020). [https://web.archive.org/web/20210521083050/https://twitter.com/SpangleZeKankle/status/1287212712074846209 "THEY COMPLETED THE MODEL - IT'S NOT PHOTOSHOP THIS TIME"] (Tweet) – via Twitter. Archived from [https://twitter.com/SpangleZeKankle/status/1287212712074846209 the original] May 21, 2021, 08:30:50 UTC via Wayback Machine. Retrieved July 25, 2020.</ref> Additionally, the numbers that make up the day and month relate as well, with 7 (July) being all four digits added together and 25 being 24 + 01.

Former ''Nintendo Power'' columnist [[wikipedia:Dan Owsen|Dan Owsen]] would state in a subscriber-exclusive feature of the magazine that one question he was asked many times was how to unlock "Ninja Mario" in ''[[Super Mario 64]]''. Despite repeatedly confirming that such a form does not exist, fans continued to ask him about it. After some time, his answers went from tongue-in-cheek responses such as "A ninja never reveals his secrets" and "I'd tell you, but then I'd have to kill you" to actively {{wp|Flaming (Internet)|flaming}} anyone who mentioned it.<ref>Owsen, Dan (January 1998). ''Nintendo Power'' volume 104, "Insider Collector's Edition". p. 17.</ref>

Various rumors have circulated regarding earlier versions of and cut content from ''[[Luigi's Mansion]]'', most of which claim that the game was meant to have a darker and more violent tone than the final version. Two recurring parts of these rumors are a cut "hunter" [[Portrait Ghost]]<ref>Jelley0 (July 13, 2011). [https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/boards/516494-luigis-mansion/59724000 "Was there really a boss ghost who was a hunter that got removed?"]. ''GameFAQs''. Retrieved July 6, 2021. ([https://web.archive.org/web/20200909044018/https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/boards/516494-luigis-mansion/59724000 Archived] September 9, 2020, 04:40:18 UTC via Wayback Machine.)</ref><ref>chuggaaconroy (July 13, 2011). [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H8LL2iL0_HE&t=343s "Luigi's Mansion - Episode 11"]. ''YouTube''. Retrieved July 6, 2021.</ref> and the presence of an in-game time limit<ref>[https://mario.fandom.com/wiki/Luigi%27s_Mansion_(video_game) "Luigi's Mansion (video game) | MarioWiki | FANDOM"]. ''FANDOM''. Retrieved July 6, 2021. ''"The game originally had a time limit for 24 hours, which means that the player had to save Mario before the time expired. If the player didn't save Mario when 24 hours were expired, the game will end and the player would have to restart again, similar to Majora's Mask where the player had a three-day time limit to complete it. The time limit was removed from the final version of the game."'' ([https://web.archive.org/web/20210302210149/https://mario.fandom.com/wiki/Luigi%27s_Mansion_(video_game) Archived] March 2, 2021, 21:01:49 UTC via Wayback Machine.)</ref>.

The October 2001 issue of ''Nintendo Power'' included a page with preview screenshots of ''Luigi's Mansion'', including a screenshot of an earlier build of the [[Safari Room]] with the caption ''"When your ghoul-busting mission takes you to the trophy room, proceed with caution. If you meet up with the ghost of a hunter, he'll want to add Luigi to his collection."'' This created rumors that the Safari Room originally featured a hunter boss who wanted Luigi's head as one of his trophies, and players speculated that it was removed from the game for being too frightening to the target audience of children.

 

 

During {{wp|E3 2001}}, a playable demo of ''Luigi's Mansion'' featured an on-screen timer of 1 minute 30 seconds.<ref>GlitchDoctor (October 29, 2013). [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QvsaffFZS7g&t=266 "Luigi's Mansion Beta EXPLAINED (Horribly inaccurate)"]. ''YouTube''. Retrieved June 21, 2021. ([https://web.archive.org/web/20200220045232if_/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QvsaffFZS7g&gl=US&hl=en Archived] February 20, 2020, 04:52:32 UTC via Wayback Machine.)</ref> After this time elapsed, [[Professor Elvin Gadd|Professor E. Gadd]] would appear and return the player to the title screen, ending their time with the game. This time limit may have been subject to a {{wp|Chinese whispers|broken telephone}} effect leading to the belief that original versions of the game featured a mandatory time limit, after which the [[Luigi's Mansion (place)|titular mansion]] would disappear with [[Mario]] still inside. Similar to the hunter ghost, no evidence of a scrapped time limit exists in the data of the final release. Additionally, no other previews of the game mention or showcase it.  

Another contributor to this rumor may have been a commercial for the game in the United States, in which the narrator states "You only have one night to save Mario."<ref>Japancommercials4U2 (January 22, 2009). [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kACSIJ8DGGc "Luigi's Mansion USA Commercial"]. ''YouTube''. Retrieved January 15, 2017. ([https://web.archive.org/web/20201024164314if_/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kACSIJ8DGGc&gl=US&hl=en Archived] October 24, 2020, 16:43:14 UTC via Wayback Machine.)</ref>

In ''[[Luigi's Mansion]]'', when entering Area 4 after defeating [[Boolossus]], a [[blackout]] occurs, and Luigi must proceed to the [[Telephone Room]]. If the player waits while he answers a telephone, lightning strikes and reveals his shadow, which appears to be suspended from the ceiling. This led many to believe that it purposely depicted Luigi hanging himself, and the shadow became a source of {{wp|creepypasta}} and speculation about the development of the game.<ref>ABrandonToThePast (July 2, 2014). [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mG2o2Jxx7E4 "Luigi Commits Suicide in Luigi's Mansion? | Theory of the Week"]. ''YouTube''. Retrieved May 31, 2021. ([https://web.archive.org/web/20140705181304/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mG2o2Jxx7E4&gl=US&hl=en Archived] July 5, 2014, 18:13:04 via Wayback Machine.)</ref>

The appearance of Luigi's shadow is simply a glitch caused by shadow positions being based on the angle of the in-game camera. Because the camera moves slightly lower while Luigi is answering a telephone, his shadow is projected slightly higher.<ref>Dustin Bragg (April 23, 2009). [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FOY_liTIDCM "A Luigi's Mansion Suicide - What it actually is"]. ''YouTube''. Retrieved May 31, 2021. ([https://web.archive.org/web/20141015024713/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FOY_liTIDCM Archived] October 15, 2014, 02:47:13 UTC via Wayback Machine.)</ref> Additionally, what appears to be Luigi's arm to the right of his shadow is actually the shadow of the [[Poltergust 3000]], which converges with Luigi's shadow in this instance. This graphical effect can be replicated while speaking to a [[Toad (species)|Toad]] or [[Professor Elvin Gadd|Professor E. Gadd]] over the [[Game Boy Horror]], as a similar camera angle change occurs.

[[File:SM64DSWaluigi.png|thumb|x250px|left|The "Purple Prizes" image]]

After ''[[Super Mario 64 DS]]'' released on November 21, 2004, its inclusion of multiple playable characters caused rumors to surface about [[Waluigi]] appearing in the game, similar to the original ''Super Mario 64'' Luigi rumors. Various fake and sometimes very elaborate ways to supposedly unlock Waluigi were shared, some even involving the original "L is real 2401" statue.<ref>donaldthescottishtwin (January 8, 2009). [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OIq4PtGrOF0 "How to unlock Waluigi in Super Mario 64 DS Guide"]. ''YouTube''. Retrieved April 29, 2021. ([https://web.archive.org/web/20210623182631if_/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OIq4PtGrOF0 Archived] June 23, 2021, 18:26:321 UTC via Wayback Machine.)</ref> However, no evidence in the game's files suggests Waluigi was ever planned to appear.

One of the most popular pieces of evidence that Waluigi was both present and playable in the game was a fake magazine scan titled "Purple Prizes." It stated that Waluigi could be unlocked by collecting every Power Star and becoming "the fastest foot racer in the land," then triggering a hidden switch to reveal his door and defeating the "Rabbit King" to collect the key; the page also described his standard and [[Power Flower (Super Mario 64 DS)|Power Flower]] abilities, as well as stating that he has a "special ending." The image was created by Andrew Brown, who edited a custom-made Waluigi model into game screenshots and compiled them into a scan for a nonexistent magazine. He posted the image onto art-sharing site DeviantART and some small gaming forums as a joke for {{wp|April Fools' Day}} 2005, but it quickly spiked in popularity and began to be shared as fact, despite his detailed explanation of how the image was created only two days after it was first uploaded.<ref>Brown, Andrew (December 7, 2011). [http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/feature/28610/waluigi-we-hardly-knew-ye-the-time-i-fooled-the-world "The time I fooled the world"]. ''Nintendo World Report''. Retrieved November 25, 2014. ([https://web.archive.org/web/20210401191427/https://www.nintendoworldreport.com/feature/28610/waluigi-we-hardly-knew-ye-the-time-i-fooled-the-world Archived] April 1st, 2021, 19:14:27 UTC via Wayback Machine.)</ref>

[[File:Mk64 green thwomp.png|thumb|right|"Marty the Thwomp" in Bowser's Castle]]

A popular rumor surrounding ''[[Mario Kart 64]]'' involves the [[Thwomp]] locked behind a cage at the beginning of [[Bowser's Castle (N64)|Bowser's Castle]]. Its peculiar color and situation led fans to name it "Marty". While the exact origin of this name is unknown, it was popularized by user Clay McElveen, who uploaded two videos to YouTube on March 24 and April 1 of 2007, showcasing complex methods to unlock Marty as a playable character in the game. Both videos involved playing as [[Bowser]] and making various complicated movements around the track, such as driving around a statue of Bowser or driving in reverse to a specific point of the track, before returning to the room with Marty, where the bars on his cage would rise, indicating that he was unlocked.<ref>Clay McElveen (April 1, 2007). [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F9pKU9vyhRA "Marty Unlocking Method 1"]. ''YouTube''. Retrieved May 31, 2021. ([https://web.archive.org/web/20201014010745/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F9pKU9vyhRA Archived] October 14, 2020, 01:07:45 UTC via Wayback Machine.)</ref><ref>Clay McElveen (March 24, 2007). [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NdCdwprt45k "Marty Unlocking Method 2"]. ''YouTube''. Retrieved May 31, 2021. ([https://web.archive.org/web/20200414092844if_/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NdCdwprt45k&gl=US&hl=en Archived] April 14, 2020, 09:28:44 UTC via Wayback Machine.)</ref>

There is no evidence in the data or code of the game to indicate that this Thwomp or any other character is unlockable. Additionally, no green Thwomp textures exist in the game, and the green appearance of this specific Thwomp is a result of the yellow light from its cage reflecting off of its surface.

On April 21, 2007, a video showcasing a secret exit in the [[Top Secret Area]] of ''[[Super Mario World]]'' was uploaded to YouTube. In the video, Mario jumps between the two right [[? Block]]s of the level and enters an invisible [[Warp Pipe]]. This takes the player to a hidden [[Giant Gate]], which unlocks a new level titled "???". In this level is a [[Message Block]] containing a congratulatory message supposedly from Nintendo staff presenting the Laser Suit [[power-up]]. In this form, Mario has the gliding property of [[Cape Mario]], but can also shoot lasers directly forwards.<ref>Daniel Sissa (April 21, 2007). [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VRpAoLiEdIc "Super Mario World Ultra secret level"]. ''YouTube''. Retrieved March 25, 2019. ([https://web.archive.org/web/20190912034701/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VRpAoLiEdIc Archived] September 12, 2019, 03:47:01 UTC via Wayback Machine.)</ref>  

In reality, the power-up was created by ''Super Mario World'' hacker KPhoenix, who added the secret exit, new level, and Laser Suit in a ROM hack of the game. On an online message board, they stated that they included the Message Block "so people would be fooled on Youtube", and made the hack publicly available to download on February 4, 2007.<ref>[http://acmlm.kafuka.org/archive3/thread.php?pid=184903&r=1#184903 Post by KPhoenix on Acmlm's Board]. November 11, 2006. Retrieved August 14, 2014. ([https://web.archive.org/web/20210403220448/http://acmlm.kafuka.org/archive3/thread.php?id=8984 Archived] April 3, 2021, 22:04:48 UTC via Wayback Machine.)</ref> While this original download is no longer available, the files for the power-up were uploaded to ROM hacking site Super Mario World Central by KPhoenix on March 7, 2011.<ref>[https://www.smwcentral.net/?p=section&a=details&id=3705 "Laser Suit - SMW Sprites - SMW Central"]. ''SMW Central''. March 7, 2011. Retrieved June 16, 2021. ([https://web.archive.org/web/20201228223125/https://www.smwcentral.net/?p=section&a=details&id=3705 Archived] December 28, 2020, 22:31:25 UTC via Wayback Machine.)</ref>

Some time after the release of ''[[Mario Tennis Open]]'' on May 20, 2012, a Nindori magazine scan appeared on Japanese websites depicting [[Rosalina]]'s head edited over the QR code used to unlock [[Yoshi (species)|Black Yoshi]] in the game, despite Rosalina not appearing in ''Mario Tennis Open''.<ref>[http://blog-imgs-50.fc2.com/h/i/m/himastime/20120517184807925r.jpg The magazine scan depicting Rosalina's head over the QR code]. The katakana reads "Rosetta", Rosalina's Japanese name.</ref>

In June of 2014, a playable demo of ''[[Super Smash Bros. for Wii U]]'' was available at select North American {{wp|Best Buy}} locations. On July 28, 2014, Smashboards user wildvine47 reported that he saw [[Chunky Kong]] as an [[Assist Trophy]] character while playing the demo at a Best Buy in {{wp|Schaumburg, Illinois}}. He described Chunky Kong [[Ground Pound]]ing, after which [[banana]]s fell from the sky to damage opponents.<ref>[http://www.dkvine.com/interactive/forums/index.php?showtopic=8318&st=5900&p=336564&#entry336564 Post by wildvine47 on the Donkey Kong Universe forum]. July 28, 2014. Retrieved December 22, 2014. ([https://web.archive.org/web/20210513170503/http://www.dkvine.com/interactive/forums/index.php?showtopic=8318 Archived] May 13, 2021, 17:05:03 UTC via Wayback Machine.)</ref> While the rumor was initially seen as credible, suspicion arose due to there being no video or image captured of the alleged Assist Trophy. The rumor was confirmed to be false when ''Super Smash Bros. for Wii U'' and ''[[Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS]]'' were released, with no sighting or mention of Chunky Kong as one of the Assist Trophies in either version. On December 22, 2014, wildvine47 admitted in a forum post that he had invented the rumor, both to see which fake leaks would include the information as legitimate, and for his own amusement.<ref>[http://smashboards.com/threads/k-rools-kremling-kutthroats-request-the-king-in-your-smash-club-nintendo-forms-today.324259/page-516#post-18244015 Post by wildvine47 on the Smashboards forum]. December 22, 2014. Retrieved December 22, 2014. ([https://web.archive.org/web/20210116084430/https://smashboards.com/threads/k-rools-kremling-kutthroats-pm-bkupa666-for-an-invite-to-the-new-k-rool-thread.324259/ Archived] January 16, 2021, 08:44:30 UTC via Wayback Machine.)</ref>

[[File:MPDS Fake Piracy.png|thumb|right|The fake screen]]

On October 13, 2020, YouTube user Joey Perleoni uploaded a video titled "Mario Party DS Anti Piracy Screen", showcasing what appears to be piracy detection features in ''[[Mario Party DS]]''. In the video, the minigame [[Cherry-Go-Round]] is played normally until an error message appears stating that a pirated copy of the game is being played. The game then cuts to the eponymous anti-piracy screen. On the bottom screen, an image taken from [[:File:Characters caged MPDS opening.png|a story cutscene]] where Bowser shrinks Mario and friends and traps them in a cage is used, meant to evoke a prison cell in the video. The phrase "Piracy Is No Party!" and a message about video game piracy are displayed on the top screen.<ref>Joey Perleoni (October 13, 2020). [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B3iMW7m4DZM "Mario Party DS Anti Piracy Screen"]. ''YouTube''. Retrieved December 22, 2020. ([https://web.archive.org/web/20210208030811if_/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B3iMW7m4DZM Archived] February 8, 2021, 03:08:11 UTC via Wayback Machine.)</ref> During this portion of the video, ominous music plays in the background; an extended version of this track was uploaded by the same user on December 17, 2020.<ref>Joey Perleoni (December 17, 2020). [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=joRZn6qiDg0 "Piracy is no Party! | Mario Party DS Anti Piracy Screen Extended"]. ''YouTube''. Retrieved December 22, 2020. ([https://web.archive.org/web/20210206014857if_/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=joRZn6qiDg0 Archived] February 6, 2021, 01:48:57 UTC via Wayback Machine.)</ref> While both videos became very popular, with both accruing at least 500,000 views on YouTube, there is no evidence in the game's files that this screen, music, or any anti-piracy measure exists in the game.

After the success of the first video, Joey Perleoni would continue to post several other videos showing additional supposed anti-piracy measures in ''Mario Party DS''. On December 20, 2020, a second video titled "Mario Party DS Anti Piracy | Item Shop Dialogue/Secret Boss HD" was uploaded, in which Luigi enters the [[Item Shop (Mario Party series)|Item Shop]], only for the [[Monty Mole]] to state "I don't serve criminals". The player is then taken to a boss minigame version of [[Mole Thrill]] with the name "RUN"; the rules state "There is nothing you can do", and the controls are "None". When the minigame starts, the Monty Mole burrows through the ground until it comes into contact with Luigi and, as in the previous video, an error message appears, followed by the game cutting to the anti-piracy message screen.<ref>Joey Perleoni (December 20, 2020). [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Md-Uu1nBcqg "Mario Party DS Anti Piracy | Item Shop Dialogue/Secret Boss HD"]. ''YouTube''. Retrieved December 20, 2020. ([https://web.archive.org/web/20210208030843if_/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Md-Uu1nBcqg Archived] February 8, 2021, 03:08:43 UTC via Wayback Machine.)</ref> Other videos include one showing a version of the [[Last Five Turns Event#Mario Party DS|Final 5 Frenzy]] event where the player is unceremoniously squashed by a Thwomp, ending the game prematurely<ref>Joey Perleoni (December 22, 2020). [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L69kmceWfb8 "Mario Party DS Anti Piracy | Final 5 Frenzy Death Event"]. ''YouTube''. Retrieved April 29, 2021.</ref>; a self-reporting protocol that appears should the player wait on the anti-piracy screen for too long without turning the console off<ref>Joey Perleoni (January 8, 2021). [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gsj9QrGedds "Mario Party DS Anti Piracy | Power Off Refusal"]. ''YouTube''. Retrieved April 29, 2021. ([https://web.archive.org/web/20210204221432if_/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gsj9QrGedds Archived] February 4, 2021, 22:14:32 UTC via Wayback Machine.)</ref>; and a boss minigame called "Host Hoedown" which involves apologizing to a host named "DJ Hallyboo", inspired by [[MC Ballyhoo]] from ''[[Mario Party 8]]''.<ref>Joey Perleoni (January 23, 2021). [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UzeBHFv0VkY "Mario Party DS Anti Piracy | Host Hoedown"]. ''YouTube''. Retrieved April 29, 2021. ([https://web.archive.org/web/20210322031349/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UzeBHFv0VkY Archived] March 22, 2021, 03:13:49 UTC via Wayback Machine.)</ref> Eventually, a "finale" to the video series was uploaded, dropping any pretense of legitimacy in favor of a live-action black comedy short in which Hallyboo escapes into the real world and hunts Perleoni himself down for pirating the game.<ref>Joey Perleoni (April 22, 2021). [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XM6Ox7gERH0 "Mario Party DS Anti Piracy | Finale"]. ''YouTube''. Retrieved April 29, 2021. ([https://web.archive.org/web/20210526163504if_/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XM6Ox7gERH0 Archived] May 26, 2021, 16:35:04 UTC via Wayback Machine.)</ref>

On December 21, 2020, the unused-content wiki {{wp|The Cutting Room Floor (website)|The Cutting Room Floor}}'s ''Mario Party DS'' page was protected due to vandalism related to the hoax.<ref>[https://tcrf.net/index.php?title=Mario_Party_DS&oldid=864614 "Mario Party DS"]. ''The Cutting Room Floor''. December 21, 2020. Retrieved April 29, 2021. ''"Protected "Mario Party DS": Excessive vandalism: A YouTube hoax making the rounds about a fake anti-piracy screen."'' ([https://web.archive.org/web/20210610051656/https://tcrf.net/index.php?title=Mario_Party_DS&oldid=864614 Archived] June 10, 2021, 05:15:56 UTC via Wayback Machine.)</ref> Several other YouTube creators have since uploaded similar videos showing fabricated anti-piracy measures in other games.

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[[Category:Lists|Rumors]]

[[Category:References|Rumors]]