Was Mario originally from Brooklyn?

As one of gaming‘s most legendary icons, Mario stands as a heroic figure shrouded in mystery and mythology as vast as the magical worlds he traverses. But before entering pipes to mushroom-filled wonderlands, many fans view his story as beginning far from the fantastical – in the very real working-class neighborhoods of Brooklyn, New York.

While never officially cemented by Nintendo, over the years a firm tradition has grown of envisioning Mario and his brother Luigi as humble Italian-American plumbers from Brooklyn. But just how strong is the evidence supporting these American roots? As a gaming culture writer, this urban legend surrounding one of the medium‘s definitive stars presents a compelling lore trail worth chasing down the proverbial warp pipe.

The Search for Mario‘s True Origins

When Mario first debuted in Donkey Kong as "Jumpman" in 1981, information on his personal background was non-existent. His original 8-bit sprite portrayed nothing more than a mustachioed man in overalls. But that simplistic design and lack of backstory provided all the flexibility needed for Mario to transform into gaming‘s most versatile hero.

As Nintendo icon Shigeru Miyamoto once stated: "I don‘t know if there really is a definitive answer, because Mario sort of transcends the worlds that he inhabits."

This sentiment perfectly explains why Mario‘s nebulous origins allowed new media interpretations to freely shape his identity over decades of evolution.

The Legend of Brooklyn Mario Takes Form

While Mario‘s official in-game backstories made no comment on living in Brooklyn, through the 90s this became the prominent depiction across various licensed media:

• The live-action Super Mario Bros. Super Show! TV series frequently showed the "real world" lives of Mario and Luigi in Brooklyn
• The 1993 Super Mario Bros. film dramatized Mario and Luigi‘s fantastical transportation from Brooklyn to the Mushroom Kingdom
• Numerous books, comics, merchandising, and more cemented the Brooklyn plumber concept

And with the mushroom-munching mascot appearing everywhere throughout culture, the notion spread rapidly that before heading off to rescue Princess Peach, he called the New York borough his true blue-collar home.

Brooklyn – A Fitting Adopted Home for an Icon

As a passionate gaming journalist, in my view Mario‘s connection to Brooklyn folklore represents a perfect blending of his whimsical wonder with an endearing down-to-earth workmanship. The neighborhoods of New York encapsulate a gritty appeal aligned with the daily labors of a plumber. This blue-collar atmosphere grounded the magical worlds with believability and helped transform Mario into a champion of the common man – an ordinary guy capable of extraordinary feats people could connect with.

The Hunt for Evidence Supporting Mario‘s Brooklyn Roots

While concrete confirmation remains elusive, clues continue piling up pointing to Mario‘s upbringing in the borough so nice they named it twice. Below I break down some of the most compelling evidence cementing his New York origins:

Clues Across Decades of Media

First, the repeated consistency of Mario‘s Brooklyn backstory across numerous mediums provides reinforcement, as summarized nicely in the table below:

While not directly from Nintendo games, the widespread consistency points to Brooklyn‘s general acceptance as Mario‘s adopted place of origin.

"Mario Mario" – Suggestive Family History

In 2015, acclaimed Mario creator Shigeru Miyamoto playfully told Katie Linendoll of GameSpot in an interview:

"Our current story is that Mario and Luigi were originally plumbers in Brooklyn"

While said lightly, Miyamoto embracing the lore certainly gives extra credibility to the claims. Other minor references, such as Mario having a last name of "Mario" suggestive of Italian family nomenclature, provide added background depth.

Donkey Kong/Jumpman Was Originally Set in NYC

Perhaps most convincingly, some gaming historians report that Nintendo‘s 1981 arcade classic Donkey Kong (Mario‘s first appearance as Jumpman) was actually envisioned by game designer Shigeru Miyamoto as being set in New York City. Although not specified in the simplistic game, Miyamoto envisioned Jumpman as a carpenter rather than plumber in his original Japanese role.

This early partial Big Apple setting established just a hint of NYC flair later built up by US media. And Miyamoto not denying Brooklyn lore for decades suggests he welcomes its fitting adoption as Mario‘s rough-and-tumble home turf.

The Hunt Continues…

So while investigations provide no definitive proof of Mario originally hailing from Brooklyn, overwhelming evidence points to its status as his de facto hometown in hearts and minds globally. Miyamoto‘s openness to interpretation perfectly feeds creative freedom. And Brooklyn‘s salt-of-the-earth blue-collar vibe perfectly fits everyone‘s favorite heroic plumber – shadowy origins notwithstanding.

As an avid gaming culture commentator, in my view Mario‘s mythic backstory stands as a great metaphor for video games overall – fantasy realms endlessly shaped by the imaginations of eager fans. So as long as players worldwide picture a hardworking Mario & Luigi Plumbing shop down some bustling Brooklyn avenue sending our hero off to his next quest, perhaps in this case adopted lore becomes as true as any "real" history for this multidimensional icon without boundaries.