List of references in The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!

This article is under construction. Therefore, please excuse its informal appearance while it is being worked on. We hope to have it completed as soon as possible. This article is currently under construction by Apikachu68 (talk).

Due to its heavy use of parodies, The Super Mario Bros. Super Show! contains many references to popular culture.

Live-action segments

General

• In Mario Brothers Plumbing, several Domino's pizza boxes can be seen lying about.
• Edison is named after the famed inventor Thomas Edison, who is best known for having invented the incandescent lamp or lightbulb. He may also be named after Con Ed, the power company for most of New York.

"Neatness Counts"

• The Brooklyn Times is a parody of the American daily newspaper The New York Times.

"Day of the Orphan"

• The title is a reference to the zombie horror film Day of the Dead.

"All Steamed Up"

• One of the ingredients on the pizza Luigi offers to Sgt. Slaughter is Cheese Whiz.

"Slime Busters"

• The title is a reference to the supernatural comedy film Ghostbusters, which also serves as the basis of the titular organization.
• Slime Ghosts are a parody of the character of Slimer from the Ghostbusters series.

"The Mario Monster Mash"

• The title is a reference to the song "Monster Mash", while the plot is a parody of the 19th century novel Frankenstein by Mary Shelley.

"Bonkers From Yonkers"

• Dr. Sigmund Fruitcake's name is a parody of Dr. Sigmund Freud, a famous psychoanalyst and pioneer in the field of psychology. Another parody, Doc Freud, appears in the segment "A Basement Divided".
• The episode's Italian title "La Scimmia o la Gallina?" ("The Monkey or the Chicken?") is a reference to the chicken or the egg causality dilemma.

"Bats in the Basement"

• Count Zoltan Dracula's name is a reference to both Count Dracula and the cult film Zoltan, Hound of Dracula.
• While Mario and Luigi discuss how odd Count Zoltan Dracula is at breakfast, a box of Nintendo Cereal System can be seen on the table.

"Will the Real Elvis Please Shut Up!"

• The title of the episode is a reference to "Will the real [name] please stand up?", a line that originated from the game show To Tell the Truth, while the premise of this episode is a reference to "Elvis lives", a discredited conspiracy theory that was popular at the time of the episode's airing, which claimed that Elvis Presley did not die in 1977, but only went into hiding and was still alive, based on alleged inconsistencies with Presley's official death certificate. This premise is also used in the animated episode "Elvin Lives".
• At the beginning of the episode, the first few notes of "Jailhouse Rock" can be heard. The notes are also played in the animated episode "Elvin Lives" when Mario and his friends enter Parsley Land and when Elvin Parsley performs at the Half Life Malt Shop at the end of the episode.
• While Elvis Presley's disappearance at the end of the episode may indicate that he was actually a ghost, it can also be reference to "Elvis has left the building", a phrase commonly used by public address announcers at the end of Elvis Presley concerts to disperse the crowd waiting for an encore. This is supported by an announcer saying "Ladies and gentlemen, Elvis has left the basement!", a play on the phrase.

"Alligator Dundee"

• The title of the episode is a reference to the action-comedy film Crocodile Dundee. This also used as the basis of the episode's titular character, as well as the animated episode "Crocodile Mario".

"Wild Thing"

• The title is a reference to The Troggs' song of the same name.
• Mario's book Attack of the Killer Plungers is a reference to Attack of the Killer Tomatoes, while Luigi's book My Plumber, Myself is a reference to the book Our Bodies, Ourselves.

"E.C. The Extra Creepy"

• The title is a reference to E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, which also the basis of the titular character's name.

"The Marios Fight Back"

• The title is a reference to the consumer advocate show Fight Back! with David Horowitz. David Horowitz, the host of the show, also appears as a guest star in this episode.

"Do You Believe In Magic?"

• The title is a reference to The Lovin' Spoonful song of the same name.

"Mommies Curse"

• Before starting to cast her spells, Elvira spins in a circle while chanting "There's no place like home". She then claims to feel "a little bit like Dorothy". Both of these phrases are references to The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. The actress who portrays Elvira, Cassandra Peterson, was born in Kansas, as was the character Dorothy.
• Mario's claim that chanting "the rain in Spain stays mainly on the plain" works in films may be a reference to the 1938 film version of Pygmalion, in which the character Eliza Doolittle has a speech impediment cured by continually reciting this phrase.

"Mario Hillbillies"

• The title is a reference to the American sitcom The Beverly Hillbillies. In addition, Ellie Mae is based on Elly May Clampett from the same sitcom and is portrayed by the same actress, Donna Douglas.

"Fred Van Winkle"

• The title of the episode is a reference to the short story "Rip Van Winkle", which is also the basis of the episode's titular character.
• One of the inventions Luigi shows Fred Van Winkle is an NES console.

"Baby Mario Love"

• The title is a reference to The Supremes song of the same name. The song itself is also sung in the same episode.
• Susanna Ross's name is a reference to American singer and songwriter Susanna Hoffs.

"9001: A Mario Odyssey"

• The title is based on the novel 2001: A Space Odyssey and the 1968 film of the same name.

"Time Out Luigi"

• At the beginning of the episode, Luigi plays Duck Hunt on his Nintendo Entertainment System and NES Zapper.
• Angelica's mention of a painting that ages while its owner stays young is a reference to the novel The Picture of Dorian Gray, whose story revolved around such an eerie painting.

"Tutti Frutti, oh Mario"/"Tutti Frutti Mario"

• "Tutti Frutti Mario" is a reference to the 1955 song "Tutti Frutti", while "Tutti Frutti, oh Mario" refers to a lyric in its chorus, "Tutti Frutti, aw rooty". In addition, Little Robert is a reference to the song's artist, Little Richard. In the Swedish dub, he is given the same name as the artist.
• Mario mentioning how Little Robert's voice is not a bird or a plane is a reference to a similar catchphrase from the 1940s Superman animated film series. This catchphrase is also referenced in the animated episode "Koopa Klaus", as well as The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3 episode "Super Koopa".

"Flower Power"

• The title is a reference to the slogan of the same name, coined by pacifists protesting the Vietnam War.
• Both Old McDonald and Young McDonald are references to the song "Old McDonald Had a Farm", which is even pointed out in the episode.

"Fortune Teller"

• When looking for a fortune teller in the yellow pages, Mario mentions Wheel of Fortune.

"The Magic Love"

• Mad Donna is a parody of the American real-life singer Madonna.

"Little Marios"

• The title is a reference to the coming-of-age novel Little Women.

"Gorilla My Dreams"

• The Ding-a-Ling Bros. Circus is a reference to the real-life Ringling Brothers Circus.

"George Washington Slept Here"

• The title is a reference to the 1942 comedy film of the same name.
• Ralph Washington is a reference to Founding Father George Washington. George Washington himself appears as guest star in the same episode.

"Caught in a Draft"

• The title is a reference to the 1941 American comedy film Caught in the Draft.

"The Artist"

• Luigi's painting is mentioned as representing Tippy Turtle, a character by American animator Jack Zander who appeared in three animated shorts for Saturday Night Live.
• Vincent Van Gook's name and appearance are based off of the real-life artist Vincent van Gogh.

"Zenned Out Mario"

• Obi-Wan Cannoli is a parody of Obi-Wan Kenobi, a character from the Star Wars franchise. Another parody, Obi-Wan Toadi would appear the animated episode "Star Koopa". In addition, the Latin American Spanish dub title of the episode, "La fuerza estará contigo" ("The force will be with you"), is a reference to one of his famous quotes.
• In the original version, Mario says, "Obi-Wan Cannoli, you're my only hope," referencing a similar line made by Princess Leia in Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope.

"Texas Tea"

• One of the items Mario and Luigi buy with their recently-acquired wealth is a Whirlpool mini-fridge.

"The Painting"

• Lifestyles of the Poor and Unknown is a parody of the American television series Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous'.
• In the original version, Howard Stevens mentions that Mario and Luigi could not trade their painting for a Pong arcade machine.
  • In the Latin American dub, Howard also mentions Mickey Mouse when he mentions that they could not trade their painting for a stamp of him.

"Game Show Host"

• This segment contains several references to American game shows:
  • Luigi asks Mario to choose between three numbered doors, a reference to the Monty Hall problem from the American game show Let's Make a Deal. A reference to the problem is also made in the animated episode "Count Koopula".
  • When describing the jackpot, Luigi mentions Whammies, coming from the American game show Press Your Luck.
  • The part about naming a tune refers to the game show Name That Tune, one of the shows Jim Lange hosted.
  • At the end of the segment, the trio uses a special way to say goodbye by blowing a kiss, a reference to The Dating Game.

"Treasure of the Sierra Brooklyn"

• The title is a reference to the Neo-Western film The Treasure of the Sierra Madre.
• When Inspector Gadget accidentally hits Luigi with his hammer, he remarks, "Sorry about that, Luigi." This a reference to the "Sorry about that, Chief" catchphrase from the show Get Smart.

"Adee Don't"

• The title is a reference to a line from Adee Plumbing & Heating's commercials: "Adee Do!"

"A Basement Divided"

• The title and premise of the episode is based on Lincoln's House Divided Speech.

"No Way to Treat a Queenie"

• Liz's name and appearance is based on the late Queen Elizabeth II.

"Goodbye Mr. Fish"

• The title is a reference to the novella Goodbye, Mr. Chips.

"Two Bums From Brooklyn"

• The Brooklyn Dodgers is named after the MLB team of the same name. In addition, the team's coach, Tommy Lasagna is a pun on the late Tommy Lasorda, a real-life baseball manager, then with the defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers.

"Cyrano de Mario"

• The title is a reference to Cyrano de Bergerac, an 1897 French play which depicts a fictionalized version of the eponymous writer ghostwriting a man's poems for a woman that both of them are in love with.

"Santa Claus is Coming to Flatbush"

• The title is a reference to the Christmas song "Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town". In addition, an arrangement of "Jingle Bells" can be heard at the beginning of the episode; this arrangement is also used at the beginning of the animated episode "Koopa Klaus." A different arrangement had previously been used in the Saturday Supercade episode "A Christmas Story."

"Captain Lou Is Missing"

• At the beginning of the episode, Mario and Luigi listen to the song "Girls Just Want to Have Fun" on a radio.

Animated segments

General

• The Plumber's Log is a reference to Star Trek's Captain's Log.

"King Mario of Cramalot"

• The title and plot are based on the Legend of King Arthur, with Cramalot being a pun on the fictional castle Camelot. Additionally, Mervin is named after the wizard of Arthurian legend, Merlin, while Excalibur is named after the sword of the same name.
• The Brazilian Portuguese dub title of the episode, "O Cavaleiro da Távola Quadrada" ("The Knight of the Square Table"), is a reference to the legendary Knights of the Round Table.

"Butch Mario & The Luigi Kid"

• The title is a reference to the western film Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. In addition, King Koopa's alter egos in the episode, Kid Koopa and Koopa the Kid, are references to notorious outlaws Kid Curry and Billy the Kid, respectively.
• Mario and his friends trying to escape from the prison cell and Sheriff Mouser is a reference to Bill and Ted trying to escape the saloon with Billy the Kid from the 1989 film Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure.
• Poopa La Koopa's motto ("Cheat, beat, and be merry!") is based on King Edward VII of Great Britain's motto. ("Eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die!")

"Mario's Magic Carpet"

• The title and plot are based on the legend of Aladdin's magic lamp.
• The organization Pidgit Express may be a play on the defunct low-cost airline People Express.

"Rolling Down the River"

• In the original version, when Toad is thrown into Princess Toadstool's cell, he asks if she expected Pee-wee Herman, a character played by American comedian Paul Reubens.
  • In the Herbert Ritchers Brazilian Portuguese dub, the reference is replaced by Tarcísio Meira, a well-known Brazilian actor.
• The title of the episode is a reference to a line from the Creedence Clearwater Revival song "Proud Mary", "Rollin' on the river".
• Mark Twang's name is a pun on the name "Mark Twain", which was the pen name of Samuel Langhorne Clemens, a famous American novelist and satirist.

"The Great Gladiator Gig"

• King Koopa's alter ego in this episode, Emperor Augustus Septemberus Octoberus Koopa, is a reference to Augustus, the founder of the Roman Empire, while Brutius Maximus Grouchimus's name is a reference to Roman politician Marcus Junius Brutus.
• While hiding behind a rock, Emperor Augustus Septemberus Octoberus Koopa says, "Guess who's coming to dinner, Tryclydius?" This is a reference to the 1967 romance comedy drama film of the same name.

"Mario and the Beanstalk"

• The episode is a parody of the fairy tale "Jack and the Beanstalk", taking elements such as a beanstalk, a gold-laying goose, a giant, and the main character(s) trading a cow for beans from the story.

"Love 'Em and Leave 'Em"

• When punishing Mario and his friends, Queen Rotunda says, "Off with their heads!" This is a reference to the Queen of Hearts from Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, who would give death sentences at even the slightest offenses.
• One of the ingredients for creating the second Passion Potion is "one Fat Boys record", which alludes to the real life singers. The Fat Boys also serves as the basis of two rappers in the episode "Bad Rap": the Flab Boys.
  • In the Spanish dub, Luigi also alludes to Mexican singer and songwriter Juan Gabriel when he suggests that the record has to be a Juanga record, with "Juanga" being a nickname for him.

"Stars in Their Eyes"

• The song hummed by the Quirks to defeat Moon Man Koopa is the theme song of the game The Legend of Zelda.
• Mario makes an allusion to The Communist Manifesto by Karl Marx during his speech to the enslaved Quirks, saying "Honk-noses of the world, unite! You have nothing to lose but your chains!" This quote is a re-working of the last couple sentences of The Communist Manifesto: "Workers of the world, unite! You have nothing to lose but your chains!" The Quirks later re-work Mario's speech when they decide to block Koopa's magnet to allow Mario and his friends to escape, saying, "Quirks, unite! We have nothing to use but our chains!"

"Brooklyn Bound"

• Koopa Khan is a parody of Mongolian emperor Genghis Khan, while his name is a play on the latter emperor Kublai Khan.
• The French dub title of the episode, "Le grand boum" ("The big bang"), is a reference to French title of the 1944 comedy film The Big Noise.
• When Toad reassures Salvador Drainotto, he says, "Old plumbers never cry." This is a reference to "Goonies never say die," a famous catchphrase from the 1985 adventure-comedy film The Goonies.

"Toad Warriors"

• The title and plot of the episode are based on the post-apocalyptic film The Road Warrior.
• The State Troopa that arrests Mario and his friends at the beginning of the episode uses a car designated Car 54 1/2, a reference to the TV series Car 54, Where Are You?
• The Thunderbirdo's name is a play on the Ford Thunderbird car

"The Fire of Hercufleas"

• Hercufleas is based on Hercules (also known as Heracles) of Greek and Roman legend.
• The Great Balls of Fire are named after the Jerry Lewis song of the same name. Another reference to this song appears in The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3 episode "A Toadally Magical Adventure".
• The training montage is a parody of the iconic sequence from the film Rocky.

"Count Koopula"

• The episode is a parody of the story Dracula, with Count Koopula playing the part of the story's titular character and main antagonist, Count Dracula. Additionally, Mousigor is a reference to Igor/Fritz from the Frankenstein series of films. Additionally, Turtlevania is based on the country of Transylvania.
• The numbered rooms are a reference to the Monty Hall problem, a brain teaser based from the American television game show Let's Make a Deal. Toad later asks, "What's behind door number three?", supporting this analogy.

"Pirates of Koopa"

• The title is a reference to the comic opera The Pirates of Penzance, as well as the theme park ride Pirates of the Caribbean.
• King Koopa's alter egos in this episode, Blackbeard Koopa and Long John Koopa, are references to the pirates Blackbeard and Long John Silver, the latter of which is also the basis of Luigi's alias in this episode, Long John Spaghetti. Additionally, Mario's alias, Captain Kidder, is a reference to the real-life sailor Captain William Kidd.
• While tied on the mast, Luigi suggests singing "100 Bottles of Milk," a reference to the traditional counting song "99 Bottles of Beer". The song is also parodied in the Donkey Kong Country television series episode "Get a Life, Don't Save One".
  • In the Latin American dub, the song is replaced by "La sirenita," a song by Mexican musician and singer Rigo Tovar.
• Mario mentioning how he is "faster than a vanishing clog" and "more powerful than an electric drain snake" as he transforms into Super Mario is a reference to a catchphrase from the 1940s Superman animated film series. This catchphrase is also referenced in Mighty Plumber's catchphrase in The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3 episode "Misadventure of Mighty Plumber".

"Two Plumbers and a Baby"

• The title is a reference to the American comedy film Three Men and a Baby.

"The Adventures of Sherlock Mario"

• The episode is a parody of the Sherlock Holmes books by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, with Herlock Solmes being a parody of Sherlock Holmes himself, and King Koopa's alias of Professor Koopa-arity being a reference to Holmes' archenemy, Professor Moriarty. In addition, Victoria, the city where the episode takes place, is a reference to Queen Victoria, who reigned in the era in which the books are set. In Herlock's flat, a violin can be seen in a recliner, which is based on one of twelve things Holmes does that Watson took note of in A Study in Scarlet. Also, the name of the Killer Kitty of the Kaskervilles is a reference to the title of one of the Sherlock Holmes books, The Hound of the Baskervilles.

"The Pied Koopa"

• The title is a reference to Pied Piper of Hamelin, which also serves as the basis of King Koopa's alter ego in this episode: the Pied Koopa.
• Mario's speech at the end of the episode is a reference to Nathan Hale's final words: "I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country."

"Koopenstein"

• The title and plot are based on the 19th century novel Frankenstein by Mary Shelley.

"On Her Majesty's Sewer Service"

• The episode's title is a reference to the James Bond novel, while the plot is a parody of the film Goldfinger.
• Wheel of Misfortune is a parody of the game show Wheel of Fortune, with Vampa White parodying its hostess Vanna White.
• The Tunnel of Doom's name is a reference to Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. The film is also the basis of the names of the Temple of Koopa in "Raiders of the Lost Mushroom" and the Temple of Gloom from The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3 episode "Do the Koopa".
• When Mario and Luigi are congratulated for defeating Koopfinger, Luigi says "danger is our business," which is a play off the catchphrase of the spy parody character Cool McCool from the eponymous television series.

"Mario and Joliet"

• The episode is a parody of the tragic play Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare. The Plumber's Log's number, 1601, references the year William Shakespeare wrote another one of his plays, Hamlet.

"Hooded Robin and His Mario Men"

• The title and plot of the episode is based on Robin Hood and His Merry Men, with Hooded Robin being a parody of Robin Hood, and King Koopa's alter ego, Sheriff of Koopingham, being a parody of the Sheriff of Nottingham. Additionally, Sharewood Forest is based on the real-life Sherwood Forest.

"20,000 Koopas Under the Sea"

• The episode draws inspiration from the novels Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Seas and Moby-Dick, with King Koopa's alter ego, Koopa-Nemo, being parody of Captain Nemo, and his submarine, the Koopilus, being a parody of the Nautilus. In addition, Captain Abidab's name is a reference to Captain Ahab.

"Mighty McMario and the Pot of Gold"

• The Plumber's Log number, 7-11, refers to the convenience store franchise 7-Eleven.
• Luigi and Toad being chased back and forth between doors in a hallway is a reference to a famous running gag from the Scooby-Doo series.

"Mario Meets Koop-zilla"

• The title and plot of the episode is based on the 1954 film Godzilla. In addition, Mario grabbing Koop-zilla's tail and swinging him around before throwing him is similar to King Kong (as well as Mechagodzilla III) performing that act on Godzilla.

"Koopa Klaus"

• The title of the episode is a reference to Santa Claus, which also serves as the basis of King Koopa's alter ego in this episode.
• When discussing his plan to ruin Christmas to Tryclyde, Koopa Klaus mentions that "everyone will have a very unmerry Christmas." Tryclyde follows up by saying, "And an unhappy New Year!", referencing the English Christmas carol "We Wish You a Merry Christmas".

"Mario and the Red Baron Koopa"

• The title is a reference to the 1966 Peanuts cartoon book Snoopy and the Red Baron.
• Sam Shalam mentioning that he recently received a spiffy magic carpet from a little old lady in Pastadena is a reference to the song "The Little Old Lady (from Pasadena)".

"The Unzappables"

• The title and plot of the episode is based on the American crime film The Untouchables, with the Unzappable Hats' ability to make its wearers immune to attack referencing the Untouchables' refusal to take bribes from mafiosi like Al Capone. Al Capone also serves as the basis of King Koopa's alter ego in this episode: Al Koopone.
• The Plumber's Log number, 1929, refers to the year of the Saint Valentine's Day massacre.

"Bad Rap"

• King James is based on the late singer and dancer James Brown.

"The Mark of Zero"

• The title and plot of the episode is based on silent film The Mark of Zero, with Zero being parody of the titular character Zorro.

"The Ten Koopmandments"

• The episode is based on the second half of the Judeo-Christian tale of Exodus, the second book in both the Bible and the Torah. Mario's role is based on Moses, freeing the slaves of a powerful tyrant and parting the Red Sea with his staff. In the Exodus story, Moses receives the Ten Commandments on Mt. Sinai, to praise the God of Israel who brought them out of labor, whereupon he breaks the original tablets after seeing that the Hebrews made an idol out of the gold they took from the Pharaoh and demanded they melt it into a gold chest to carry the Commandments, after writing a second set on the same mountain. Here, Koopa has written his own set of Koopmandments which direct all glory and worship to himself.
  • Additionally, the Plumber's Log number refers to the approximate time that David was the king of Israel, despite the fact he was not Israel's leader when the Ten Commandments were established, but rather Moses, and the concept of "king of Israel" had not existed at that time.
• King Koopa's alter ego, Koop Tut, is a parody of the mythical Pharaoh of the Exodus, while the name is a reference to "King Tut", a common nickname for Tutankhamen.
• The Three Mushrooms highly resemble The Three Stooges, with similar names, personalities, and appearances. They may also be partially inspired by the Three Wise Men.

"The Koopas are Coming! The Koopas are Coming!"

• The title is based off the erroneous quote attributed to American patriot Paul Revere during his Midnight Ride, "The British are coming!" In fact, the entire episode is based off of the American Revolutionary War, fought from 1775 to 1783, that gave the original thirteen American colonies their independence. As such, this episode contains many references to the war:
  • The Plumber's Log is numbered as 1776, the year the United States Declaration of Independence was signed, establishing the Thirteen Colonies as a union of sovereign states.
  • King Koopa's alter ego in this episode, Redcoat Koopa, is based on anti-revolutionary British forces from the war, who were informally known as "redcoats" due to their bright red tunics.
  • George Washingtoad is stationed in Valley Forge, a forge in Pennsylvania where George Washington and the Continental Army spent the Winter of 1777-78.
    • This same detail is carried over with the crossing of the Delawide River, itself based on the crossing of the Delaware River on the night of Christmas Day, 1776. The placement in said scene is based on the painting Washington Crossing the Delaware.
  • Mario having Luigi ride a horse to warn the colonies that "The Koopas are coming! The Koopas are coming!" is based on Paul Revere's Midnight Ride, where he was one of two riders who attempted to warn the colonists from Lexington and Concord about an imminent crackdown against the Massachusetts Provincial Congress. Revere's warning is popularly misquoted as "The British are coming! The British are coming!"; firsthand accounts of the event instead recall it as "The regulars are coming out!"
  • Luigi's mention of Koopa's dumping tea in the harbor is a reference to the Boston Tea Party, where the Sons of Liberty snuck onto a British trading ship and dumped crates of tea into the Boston Harbor to protest the Tea Act.
  • George Washingtoad's line, "Give us Koopa, or give us death!" is based on Patrick Henry's speech to the Virginia Convention "Give me liberty, or give me death!"
  • Mario, Luigi, and Toad's positions and instruments at the end of the episode are based on the painting The Spirit of '76, which was painted to commemorate the centennial celebration of America's independence.

"The Trojan Koopa"

• The title and plot of the episode is a reference to the Trojan Horse.

"Quest for Pizza"

• The title is a reference to the Belgian fantasy novel The Quest for Fire. In addition, King Koopa's alter ego in the episode, Alley Koop, is a reference to the comic strip character Alley Oop.

"The Great Gold Coin Rush"

• In Lonesome Mushroom, there is a hat shop named "Hats Are Us," which is a reference to Toys "R" Us.

"Elvin Lives"

• Elvin Parsley is based on the late Elvis Presley, who was frequently referred to as the "King of Rock," specifically his younger look from the 1950's, while Parsley Land is a parody of his mansion, Graceland.
• The Koopallac is based on the "Cadillac", an American automobile brand.
• When Elvin Parsley is unfrozen at the end of the episode, he exclaims, "OW! I FEEL GOOD!", a line from the song "I Got You (I Feel Good)" by James Brown.

"Plummers Academy"

• Sergeant Kooperman is a parody of Gunnery Sergeant Hartman from the 1987 film Full Metal Jacket, based on his strict, sadistic, loudmouth personality.
• The alligators that appear in the sewers are a reference to the 1980 horror film Alligator.

"Karate Koopa"

• The title is a reference to the 1984 martial arts drama film The Karate Kid.
• When Mario and his friends fall into the sea, a wave resembling the wave from The Great Wave off Kanagawa can be seen.

"Mario of the Apes"

• The title is a reference to the novel Tarzan of the Apes, with Marzen being a parody of the fictional character Tarzan.
• June and Ward are references to June and Ward Cleaver from the 1950's television sitcom Leave It to Beaver. In addition, they also have a copy of the book Naked Ape in their living room.
• Toad mentioning lions and tigers before being interrupted by King Koopa saying "...and Koopas, oh my!" at the beginning of the episode is a reference to the line, "Lions and tigers and bears, oh my!" from The Wizard of Oz.
• When King Koopa realizes that Marzan is the king of Jungleland, he says, "If that wrench monkey is the king of the jungle, what am I?" This is a reference to "I know you, but what am I?", a quote Pee-wee Herman would say when others insulted him.

"Princess, I Shrunk the Mario Brothers"

• The title is a reference to the American science fiction comedy film Honey, I Shrunk the Kids.
• The Beetles are a parody of the British band The Beatles.

"Little Red Riding Princess"

• The title and plot of the episode is based on the fairy tale, Little Red Riding Hood.
• At one point, Princess Toadstool asks "Who's afraid of the big bad wolf?" in reference to the song of the same title from the classic 1933 Silly Symphony The Three Little Pigs.

"The Provolone Ranger"

• This episode is a parody of The Lone Ranger, with Pronto being a parody of Tonto, and Billy the Koopa being a parody of Billy the Kid. In addition, the Plumber's Log number refers to the decade during which Billy the Kid was a wanted outlaw.

"Escape from Koopatraz"

• The title is a reference to the book Escape from Alcatraz. The Italian dub title ("Fuga da Alcatraz") is named directly after the film of the same name.

"Mario of the Deep"

• The title is a reference to the poem "Song of the Sea".
• King Neptune is a reference to the god of the same name.

"Flatbush Koopa"

• The "tree that grows in Brooklyn" is a reference to the Betty Smith novel A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, though may also be a joke about the lack of vegetation in an urbanized place like Brooklyn.

"Raiders of the Lost Mushroom"

• This episode is based heavily on the original Indiana Jones movie trilogy. The third movie, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade was released a few months before the airing of the episode, and is most likely the impetus for its production.
  • The title of the episode, "Raiders of the Lost Mushroom", is a reference to Raiders of the Lost Ark.
  • Indiana Joe is a parody of Indiana Jones, who is also a treasure hunter.
  • In place of Indiana Jones's whip is a plumber's snake.
  • Indiana Joe's Koopaphobia (fear of Koopas) is the equivalent of Indiana Jones's Ophidiophobia (fear of snakes).
  • The Lost Mushroom is the equivalent of the Chachapoyan Idol, which Indiana Jones retrieved in Raiders of the Lost Ark.
  • The Plumber's Log number is 1938, the year when The Last Crusade takes place.
  • The Temple of Koopa is derived from the Temple of Doom, a location in the eponymous movie, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom.
  • Kolonel von Koop is based on Colonel Dietrich, a major antagonist from Raiders of the Lost Ark.
    • In keeping with the fact that Dietrich was a member of the Nazi Party in the film, the Koopa Pack are shown with red WWII-era armbands with black "K" marks in the place of the Nazi swastika.

"Star Koopa"

• This episode is a parody of Star Wars, with several characters, such as Darth Vader, Grand Moff Tarkin, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Luke Skywalker being parodied. In addition, the Koop Star's destruction emulates the destruction of both Death Stars (traveling down a trench to destroy the first Death Star in A New Hope and entering the second Death Star's infrastructure in Return of the Jedi). The Flying Pizza is a parody of the Millennium Falcon.
  • In addition, the Plumber's Log number for this episode is 2001, which is a reference to the science-fiction movie 2001: A Space Odyssey. The Plumber's Log number is reused in the final episode, "Robo Koopa".
• In the original version, before bucking the Cobrat the first time, Mario says, "Hi Ho, Cobrat, Away!", a reference to the Lone Ranger's catchphrase from the eponymous television series. This reference is also present in the Swedish dub.
• The Intergalactic InSinkErator is named after the InSinkErator brand of garbage disposals.

"Robo Koopa"

• The title is a reference to the American science fiction action film RoboCop, which also serves as the basis for King Koopa's alter ego in this episode.
• The profiles for this episode on the Action Adventures VHS and Mario's Greatest Movie Moments DVD reference the plumbing company Roto-Rooter.