List of references in animated television
This is an alphabetical list of Mario-related sightings and references in animated TV shows and movies.
- For animated shows staring Mario, visit the TV & Movies page.
Arthur
In the "A Word From Us Kids" segment for the episode "Arthur's Dummy Disaster", a certain child has a dummy which he calls "Mario". He describes the dummy, which is quite obviously a crudely drawn Mario, as being very athletic.
Also, the episode "Meek For a Week" features a heart-shaped watch known as the "Princess Peach Watch". Despite its name, though, it has nothing to do with Princess Toadstool; the names of the watch and princess may be coincidental.
In the TV movie "Arthur's Perfect Christmas", Muffy, during a line in a song, describes that presents mean nothing if her friend Francine isn't by her side. As she says this, she appears in a Mario outfit, on the end of World 1-1, and is hit by a Koopa Troopa.
Cartoon Fridays
In one of the ads for Cartoon Friday on Cartoon Network, Mac (from Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends) runs along a Mario-like level.
Class of 3000
In the episode Funky Monkey a gorilla escapes from the class and takes refuge at the top of a construction site. Li'l D climbs the platforms to reach him, and the gorilla throws barrels at him in the process like in Donkey Kong. Li'l D even uses a large mallet to knock the barrels away.
El Tigre
In the El Tigre episode Mother of All Tigres, at the end, they show two plumbers who look very much like Mario and Luigi, both with M's on their hats. The Luigi look-alike shouts "It's the zombie plumbers", which might be Wario and Waluigi, since one of them has a W on his hat.
Darkwing Duck
Episode 84: "The Frequency Fiends" (originally aired Oct. 17, 1992)
During the climax of the episode, Darkwing, Launchpad, Gosalyn and Megavolt build a life-sized level of the video game Son of Whiffle World to distract the Frequency Fiends (energy-based clones of Gosalyn). Although the Whiffle Boy series is more of a spoof of the Mega Man series, the level had a similar design to the first level of Donkey Kong. Darkwing, dressed as Whiffle Boy, had to leap over drums thrown down from the top level by Launchpad in order to rescue Gosalyn, who was dressed like a princess.
The Fairly OddParents!
"Fairy Fairy Quite Contrary" (originally aired Sep. 13, 2002)
In this episode, Timmy challenges his newest rival, Remy Buxaplenty, to a fairy duel. In the first portion of the duel, the fairies must save their respective godchildren from a gorilla, who throws barrels down girders at them, ala Donkey Kong.
Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends
"The Buck Swaps Here" (originally aired May 18, 2007)
In the episode, there are two men carrying a large mirror - one is tall in green overalls and a blue shirt, the other short and plump with red overalls and a blue shirt. This makes the two resemble the Mario Brothers. Also, when attacking the robber, they shout with Italian accents.
Futurama
Episode 1ACV01: "Space Pilot 3000" (originally aired Mar. 28, 1999)
At the very beginning of the series' premiere episode, a spaceship is seen flying through space, with Fry providing a voiceover. It is then revealed to the audience that Fry is actually playing an Asteroids-style arcade game, just as he encounters a gorilla similar to Donkey Kong, except with overalls. Although Fry attempts to blast the gorilla with lasers, the gorilla throws barrels at the spaceship, causing Fry to lose. A later shot of arcade cabinet then reveals that the game is entitled Monkey Fracas Jr., probably as a throwback to Donkey Kong Jr..
Episode 3ACV18: "Anthology of Interest II" (originally aired Jan. 6, 2002)
This episode centers around the show's various characters using the Professor's "What If?" machine to show them various alternate realities. In the second act of the episode, Fry wants to know what life would be like if it was more like a video game. The machine shows a world where Earth goes to war with the Planet Nintendu 64.
At the start of the scenario, President Nixon is signing a peace treaty with Donkey Kong, who is the Nintendian ambassador to Earth. The Planet Express crew watches on TV, leading to a mild argument between Fry and Professor Farnsworth about Donkey Kong.
Fry: Wait a second. I know that monkey. His name is "Donkey"!
Prof. Farnsworth: Monkeys aren't donkeys! Quit messing with my head!
DK turns on Nixon, however, and Mario, who is part of the Earth U.N. (for Italy), expresses fear: "Mamma mia! The cruel meatball of war has-a rolled onto our laps, and-a ruined our white pants of peace."
Donkey Kong then stomps atop the United Nations building, slanting the ledges across the side of the building diagonally, similar to the girders in the first level of the original Donkey Kong game.
Later on in the episode, the characters exit a Pac-Man-inspired maze through a Warp Pipe.
Towards the end of the episode, Donkey Kong demands for the citizens of Earth to hand over a million dollars in quarters over to the Nintendians. Lrrr then explains that the Nintendians need the quarters to do their laundry, and implies that Donkey Kong's loincloth needs washing.
The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy
"Bearded Billy"
Mandy says "My method is on like Donkey Kong!".
"Billy and Mandy's Big Boogey Adventure"
The Warp Pipe sound effect is used at one point.
Histeria!
Episode #43: "Communuts!" (originally aired May 8, 1999)
One sketch in this episode centers around Joseph Stalin speaking with his agent (played by Chit Chatterson). At the beginning, when the secretary asks if he has an appointment, Stalin demands, "Do you know who I am?!" The secretary replies, "Well, you look a little like that Super Mario guy."
Kappa Mikey
In an episode, the Lilli Mu company gets their own game which is a spoof of the game Donkey Kong. In it, Gonard is Cranky Kong, Lilli is Pauline and Mikey is Mario.
The Legend of Zelda
"Doppelganger" (originally aired Oct. 20, 1989)
Near the beginning of the episode, Link can be heard whistling the Mario theme.
Megas XLR
Episode 18: Thanksgiving Throwdown (First aired: Saturday November 27, 2004)
The "Fabio Brothers" in this episode are very similar to the known Mario Brothers. In this episode there are another allusions to other fictional characters as Sonic the Hedgehog.
Muppet Babies
Episode 85: It's Only Pretendo (Originally aired December 2, 1989)
Throughout the entire episode, the babies play several "Pretendo" video games, and imagine themselves as characters in them. During the first part of the episode, Gonzo pretends to be Mario in a Donkey Kong-style game, which has a dragon king throwing green balls in place of barrels. He then imagines himself in an area similar to the game's third level, where he hops across moving platforms to reach a cupcake. Gonzo then finds himself back in the first level, where Piggy has taken the place of the dragon, although she's actually just disconnected the system in reality.
Piggy then attempts to play Donkey Kong Jr., but fails miserably. Going back to the original Donkey Kong, Piggy pretends to be a ninja, scares off the real Mario, climbs up to the dragon king and defeats him.
In addition to spoofing the games, actual footage of the games themselves is shown briefly.
The Ren & Stimpy Show
Episode 1: Stimpy's Big Day / The Big Shot
This episode starts off with a fake commercial, showcasing a boy who is offered a bicycle, which he rejects. The boy is then offered a video game, which he also rejects. But when "Log" is offered to the boy, he graciously accepts. The video game, although only a still shot of it is shown for a few seconds, clearly resembles Super Mario Bros]].
Robot Chicken
On a certain episode of Robot Chicken, they show the characters from Halo beating up Mario and Donkey Kong. They still rescue Pauline.
One of the segments featured a parody of the "Fast and the Furious" movie trilogy. Competing in the segments street race are Mario, Luigi and Wario along with several other pop-culture icons. Despite cheating by using the "blue tortoise shell" of the Mario Kart series, the bros. and Wario still lose.
A "bloopers" segment in the episode "Massage Chair" had people attempting stunts similar to those featured on MTV's Jackass. One clip had a fight with people dressed as Donkey Kong and Mario.
Another segment features Mario and Luigi going on a series of misadventures in Vice City, which is featured prominently in the Grand Theft Auto video game series. After committing several crimes such as animal abuse (killing a turtle thought to be a Koopa Troopa), destruction of property, hit and run and possession of illegal substance (originally thought it was a Mushroom), Luigi ends up being killed by being shot multiple times by the police and Mario gets blown up by the military.
The short ends with Yoshi going down the same road the bros. did but instead going left at the fork in the road. He ends up in Raccoon City, the setting of various Resident Evil games. While driving through the destroyed city, Yoshi ends up being decapitated by several zombies.
The Simpsons
Episode 3F07: "Marge Be Not Proud" (originally aired Dec. 17, 1995)
In this episode, Bart wants the new extremely violent video game Bonestorm, but is having trouble getting it. After Jimbo and Nelson brag to him about their shoplifting, Bart observes that the display case housing Bonestorm has been left open. As he contemplates stealing the game, some video game characters pop up in his mind, the Mario Bros., Donkey Kong and Sonic among them.
- Luigi: Go ahead-a, Bart, take-a the Bonestorm.
- Mario: The store, she's so rich. She'll-a never notice.
- Donkey Kong: Duh, it's the company's fault for making you want it so much.
- Lee Carvallo: Don't do it son. How's that game going to help your putting?
- Sonic: Just take it! Takeittakeittakeittakeittakeit TAKE IT!
Interestingly, in this cameo, Mario and Luigi's heights are switched.
Episode 3G01: "The Springfield Files" (originally aired Jan. 12, 1997)
At the Noiseland arcade, Donkey Kong is shown sitting under a banner declaring that on Friday he can be met in person, but no one seems to be coming to see him. The Manager walks by and says, "Sorry Donkey Kong, you're just not a draw anymore." DK responds by throwing a barrel at him, to which he replies, "Hey, he's still got it!"
Episode HABF20: "Please Homer, Don't Hammer'Em"
When Marge and Homer are in their carpentry clothing, Marge wears overalls and a green shirt while Homer wears overalls and a red shirt, the respective colors and weights of Mario and Luigi.
Episode GABF02: "Homer and Ned's Hail Mary Pass" (originally aired Feb. 6, 2005)
Shortly after Homer's showboating makes him a laughingstock, a bus full of Italian-Americans shows up in front of the house while he's taking out the trash. Mario comes out of the crowd, stands next to Homer, and says, "Master master, take my picture with-a the Internet marmalok!" Homer then starts throwing trash cans at him in the style of Donkey Kong until he finally knocks him out.
Episode GABF09: "The Father, the Son, and the Holy Guest Star" (originally aired May 15, 2005)
At the beginning of the episode, when Skinner is introducing the school play, he says, "Now kids, since the Middle Ages had no compact discs or Super Mario Men..."
South Park
Episode 1110: Imaginationland (originally aired Oct. 17, 2007)
In several shots, a character resembling Mario, except with an "E" on his hat, can be seen among the residents of Imaginationland.
Episode 1111: Imaginationland Episode II (originally aired Oct. 24, 2007)
In several shots, a character resembling Wario, except with an "V" on his hat, can be seen among the evil residents of Imaginationland.
Episode 1112: Imaginationland Episode III (originally aired Oct. 31, 2007)
In several shots, Mario, Wario, and a green Bowser can be seen among the residents of Imaginationland.
Spider-Man
In one episode of the new animated Spider-Man TV show, you could see a person playing what seemed to be a handheld video game. While he was playing, you were able to hear both the Mario jump sound and coin collect sound from Super Mario Bros. on the NES.
SpongeBob Squarepants
Atlantis Squarepantis
In one part when Sandy Cheeks was in a videogame, she went down a Warp Pipe.
Super Robot Monkey Team Hyper Force Go
In one episode, one monkey gets a hologram and turns one guy into Mario from Super Mario Bros., Link from The Legend of Zelda, and Cranky Kong from Donkey Kong.
Tiny Toon Adventures
Episode W-165: K-ACME TV
Halfway through this episode, a fake commercial plays, advertising "the brand new hit video game, Super Plucky-o Bros.!" The game parody features Plucky-o and his brother Linguini (two Plucky Ducks) being guided through Fungoworld, where they must rescue Princess Loon (Shirley the Loon) from the Toadstool Tower by picking a magic kumquat from a tree. Linguini tries to do so, but is then chased away from said tree by the Dizzy Doofus (Dizzy Devil), and then Pluckyo eludes various enemies larger than himself, until finally he finds "The Giant Nyah Nyah of Power" (a magic egg) that turns him into an invincible giant who defeats the enemies and plucks Loon from the tower. The game then ends, and we find Plucky playing it in an arcade. "It's more than a game, it's an obsession!" he says, right before a set of false teeth come out of the game and begin chasing him around as the segment ends.
Ouran Highschool Host Club
In episode 9, Karou is playing a Nintendo DS game, that has a dinosaur like creature, which looks alot like Bowser.
Haré+Guu
In one episode, Haré is seen in a world of Video-Game parodies. He is punched up, and is sent flying through the air. Sonic the Hedgehog jumps out, hits his head, which sends him flying down, only to be punched to the side by a Mario figure.
Sound Effect Sightings
Sound effects from Mario games are also fairly common in modern animated series, particularly those with scenes that involve arcades, video game systems, or computers. Here is a list of animated TV shows where Mario sound effects can be heard (listed in alphabetical order).
- Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog
- American Dragon: Jake Long
- Batman: The Animated Series (used as sound effects for the "Maze of the Minotaur" game)
- Dave the Barbarian (as well as the "Barrier" sound from Sonic)
- Invader Zim (sound effects from Mario Bros. are used for a scene in an arcade)
- Kim Possible (in one episode, they are in an arcade. Sounds from Sonic and Pac-Man are also heard)
- Lloyd in space
- Mucha Lucha!
- Oruchuban Ebichu ep. 9 (The coin sound affect is used)
- Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1987 series)
- Teacher's Pet
- Teamo Supremo
- The Weekenders
