Was Mario in the 70s? No, Super Mario Began His Videogame Takeover in the 80s

While Mario is often viewed with nostalgia as a classic video game icon, he did not actually emerge until the early 1980s. The first Mario game released in 1981, well after the heyday of 70s arcade classics like Space Invaders and Asteroids. But over the following decade, the mustachioed Nintendo mascot exploded into global superstardom and evolved into the most recognizable character in gaming history.

The Pixelated Origins of a Future Megastar

Mario debuted in 1981 as a minor character named "Jumpman" in the Donkey Kong arcade game produced by Nintendo. He was depicted as a carpenter rather than a plumber, with red overalls, a red cap, black hair and mustache – establishing the basic visual design still used today.

Jumpman was renamed "Mario" in honor of Nintendo‘s landlord Mario Segali following the surprise success of Donkey Kong. Building on this momentum, Nintendo launched Mario Bros. for arcades in 1983 – marking the first official appearance of Mario and his lanky brother Luigi as starring characters.

It was the 1985 launch of Super Mario Bros. on the Nintendo Entertainment System that cemented Mario as a globally recognized pop culture icon. SMB sold over 40 million copies worldwide, making it one of the best-selling games to date. This sidescrolling 2D adventure formalized key Mario universe staples like:

• Jumping on enemies to defeat them
• Breaking bricks with his head
• Powerups like Super Mushrooms and Fire Flowers
• Warp pipes, flag poles, etc.

So while Mario is today viewed with "old school" retro charm, he did not capture hearts and minds until the rebound of the gaming industry in the mid-80s following the infamous crash of 1983.

Industry Upheaval: Before and After the Crash of ‘83

The history of Mario cannot be separated from the massive upheaval facing the early video game business. The 1970s rise of arcade games like Pong and Space Invaders sparked what seemed like an endless boom – with hundreds of consoles flooding living rooms and game cabinets taking over pizzerias.

According to industry research, the global arcade video game market generated an estimated $37 billion in revenue from 1972-1982, with yearly growth peaking around 60 percent. But by 1983, consumer and developer oversaturation led to a disastrous crash that bankrupted major American companies like Atari. Analysts estimate nearly 97 percent of the video game industry evaporated between 1983 and 1985.

Nintendo chose the perfect time to launch its first console in 1985, reviving interest in gaming with a disciplined business approach focused on quality over quantity. As the Nintendo Entertainment System (and Super Mario Bros) swept America and Japan, Mario began rising meteorically as the charismatic face of the industry rebound.

So in many ways, Mario arrived at the perfect moment to lead gaming‘s comeback generation. His energetic personality and family-friendly appeal attracted broad demographics beyond the stereotypical teenage boy gamer – foreshadowing Nintendo‘s strategy to come.

Becoming an Institution: Mario as Nintendo Mascot

After single-handedly revitalizing the video game industry in the late 80s, Mario continued starring in iconic Nintendo franchise entries over the following decades:

• Super Mario Bros 2 (1988)
• Super Mario Bros 3 (1990)
• Super Mario World (1990)
• Mario Kart (1992)
• Super Mario 64 (First 3D Mario, 1996)

By 2020, the Super Mario games had sold over 580 million units combined, recently surpassing Call of Duty as the best selling video game franchise ever in the United States. Mario also spawned an extensive merchandising, television and film empire now worth over $30 billion according to market analysis.

Critically, Nintendo maintained tight control over Mario‘s image rather than licensing him out excessively. This helped preserve the brand essence while allowing gradual evolution across generations without alienating older fans.

According to modern Nintendo developers, Mario‘s iconic visual traits like red cap, blue overalls and salt-and-pepper mustache evoke a sense of nostalgia and familiarity. At the same time, introducing new abilities (like Mario‘s sentient hat Cappy) and gameplay innovations keeps the series feeling fresh.

Still Stomping Goombas After 40+ Years

While Mario got his start in the early 80s, he feels strangely timeless in 2024. The basic sidescrolling platformer concept established by Super Mario Bros remains intact. Yet new Switch releases like Super Mario Odyssey integrate open world 3D gameplay that would seem unfathomably advanced when Mario first smashed bricks as Jumpman.

Some gaming pundits credit Mario‘sknn enduring appeal to this balance of nostalgia and reinvention. Millions of millennials fondly remember growing up with Super Mario World on SNES – now introducing Mario to their own kids. Yet vibrant new settings, enemies and abilities excite newcomers weaned on mobile gaming too.

So regardless of generation, Mario remains at the heart of gaming culture due to his fun-loving persona and evergreen game design centered around precision jumping. While Mario may technically have been born in 1981, not 1971 – perhaps Miyamoto‘s cheerful Italian plumber truly transcends the bounds of history at this point!