List of references in Nintendo video games

A list of references to the Mario franchise in video games released by Nintendo.

1080° Avalanche (GCN)

 * On the bottom of Ricky Winterborn's "8-Bit Soul" snowboard, a Super Mario Bros. 3 sprite of Mario, using the Super Mario All-Stars color palette, can be seen (or Luigi on the alternate color of that board). Ricky's bio also mentions that he likes to play Nintendo games such as Super Mario Bros. and The Legend of Zelda.
 * An NES controller board makes the Super Mario Bros. jump noise when the jump button is pressed and the Bill Blaster sound when landing.
 * At the end of the stage Midnight City is an ice sculpture of Mario in a victory pose.

Animal Crossing (GCN)

 * When Rover calls Tom Nook when the second, third, or fourth player first starts a save, he says "It's-a me! Good impression, huh?", referring to Mario's famous catchphrase.
 * There are many rare NES games that the player can find and play once they are in their house. Among them are several Mario games:
 * Donkey Kong and Donkey Kong Jr. Math are obtainable from Tom Nook's Lottery, Crazy Redd's, or by digging it up after a villager buries it.
 * Wario's Woods can be obtained by burying a furniture item on Animal Island, then having the Islander dig it up and bury another item as replacement. The replacement item has a chance of being Wario's Woods.
 * Donkey Kong Jr. and Donkey Kong 3 are obtainable through codes provided as prizes from Nintendo giveaways.
 * Mario Bros. can be obtained by scanning an e-Reader card for the game.
 * Super Mario Bros. is hidden in the game's code and can only be obtained through cheating devices.
 * Two items in the game are rare Mario and Luigi statues, which are gold and silver respectively.
 * While rowing to Animal Island, Kapp'n sings one of a few random songs, and a line to one of them is that he sings better than Mario.
 * After rescuing Gulliver, the player might be told of how he left his pet goldfish in Hyrule and Toad Town.
 * There is a series of Mario-themed furniture that can be unlocked with special cheat codes from Nintendo Power if the player tells them to Tom Nook. They include: a Warp Pipe, a Super Star, a Fire Flower, a Mushroom, a Flagpole, a Koopa Shell, a Cannon (or rather a Bill Blaster), a ? Block, a Brick Block, and a Coin. There is a wallpaper called "Mushroom Mural" which is an exact replica of the backdrop of the first level in Super Mario Bros., and a carpet called "Block Flooring" which is identical to the ground tiles.
 * There are four Mario-related shirts: the "big bro's shirt", a red shirt with Mario's trademark "M"; the "lil' bro's shirt", a green shirt with Luigi's "L"; the "turnip shirt", on which a pattern resembling vegetables appears, and the "toad shirt", which is a red shirt with Toad spots; for some reason, the name in-game incorrectly spells "Toad" with a lowercase "t".
 * Alfonso the crocodile sports the big bro's shirt, and his initial catchphrase is "It's-a me." Additionally, one of the gorillas, Louie, greatly resembles Donkey Kong and wears the lil' bro's shirt.
 * If the player sends Bob the code on his e-card, he will write back in a letter claiming he had a dream of the player running around an island with a water pump on their back, a reference to Super Mario Sunshine.
 * K.K. Slider's song, K.K. Country, is a cover of Choco Mountain from Mario Kart 64. The song is also present in all subsequent games.

Doubutsu no Mori e+ (GCN)

 * The Egg Town Decoration resembles a Yoshi Egg.

Animal Crossing: Wild World (DS)

 * The furniture pieces from the original Animal Crossing are available once more, with some new ones added in. However, this time they must be received from Nintendo through letters obtained over Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection.
 * Occasionally when players open up villagers' bureaus, dressers, etc., the message that pops up reads "What are Luigi's clothes doing in here?!"
 * The four shirts from the original return. The hats and mustaches are also in the game.
 * The "Super Mario Bros. 3 Paper" is first in this game, with a background resembling the title screen for Super Mario Bros. 3.
 * The Arcade Machine first appears in this game, featuring a fighting game with characters resembling Mario and Luigi.

Animal Crossing: City Folk (Wii)

 * One of the items, the Arcade Machine, has a game resembling a fighting game with Mario and Luigi. The Pinball Machine also features what appears to be the artwork for the original Super Mario Bros. on the screen and artwork of Mario on the table itself. Another item is the Tabletop Game, which looks like a side scrolling shooter; however, the ground appears to be from the original Super Mario Bros. as well.
 * A Banana, Triple Shells, a Yoshi's Egg, a "Bad Bro Mustache" (an accessory that looks like Wario's nose and mustache), a Toad Hat, a Peach Parasol, a Wario Hat, and a Kart (taking the appearance of Mario's Standard Kart from Mario Kart Wii) can all be purchased from the Tom Nook Point System.
 * All the Mario-related items from the original Animal Crossing appear in this game, but instead of using a code to obtain them, the player must shoot down a floating present with a slingshot and open it.
 * If the player finds bags of Bells from a rock using a shovel, the "Extra life" tune from Super Mario Bros. will play for every bag found.
 * If Wendell is given a Red Turnip or a White Turnip, the player gets a ? Block or Brick Block pattern respectively.

Animal Crossing: New Leaf (3DS)

 * After waking up Guliver on the beach, he may ask the player if he is in the Overthere. If the player chooses to help him, he may say, "Oh, thanks! I haven't met someone so willing to help a total stranger since the residents of Ricco Harbor!" . He may also say, "You mean it?! I haven't met such a noble skipper since old Bobbery of Rogueport! Not even close!" In addition, he may also say how he was glad when he was once washed up on Isle Delfino.
 * When Gulliver describes his destination as Easter Island, one of the options to choose is Yoshi's Island.
 * Mario and Luigi hats and shirts and a Wario hat can be bought at the Able Sisters shop. The first six notes of the Super Mario Bros. theme plays when one of these are put on.
 * Just like in Animal Crossing: City Folk, revealing bags of Bells from a rock plays the Extra life tune from Super Mario Bros.
 * In the Dream Suite, sometimes when the player falls asleep, a soft version of the Super Mario Bros. theme will play.
 * On the official website, there are QR Codes for designs which players can scan using the sewing machine to receive special clothes in-game; two of these designs are Princess Peach and Princess Daisy's dresses.
 * There is a pinball machine that has artwork from Super Mario Bros.. It can be bought along with the arcade machine from the last game.
 * Sometimes, villagers might say they have a game about "a guy in green overalls with a vacuum cleaner", a reference to Luigi's appearance in Luigi's Mansion and its sequel.
 * The tabletop game looks like Donkey Kong 3 as it was shown on a poster.
 * "SMB3 paper" (used to write letters) can be bought at Timmy and Tommy's store, which has a background similar to that of the title screen from Super Mario Bros. 3.
 * The fortune cookies from Timmy and Tommy's store contain lucky tickets, which can be traded in for Nintendo-related items, including items from the Mario series. Besides the carpet and wallpaper, all the 8-bit items from previous Animal Crossing games have changed into their modern designs, specifically those seen in Super Mario 3D Land and Mario Kart 7. 22 of the lucky tickets are references to the Mario series, more specifically to either Super Mario or Mario Kart:

Animal Crossing: Happy Home Designer (3DS)

 * Some of the Mario-related items in the previous game are reused as items for their homes in this game including the Super Star and the Super Mushroom.
 * Gulliver again makes a Mario reference in one conversation, where he mentions having been washed up on the shore of Wuhu Island, and goes on to bring up its appearance in Mario Kart 7, recalling karts nearly running him down.
 * Louie appears in this game through SpotPass, where his vision is "A 30th-anniversary party!", referencing the 30th anniversary of Super Mario Bros.

Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp (iOS/Android)

 * Big bro's tee can be obtained from Alfonso when reaching friendship to level 7 with him.
 * As part of Super Mario Run ' s 1st year anniversary, the big bro's hat was added to this game. Putting it on, instead of making the regular jingle, it plays the first few notes of the Super Mario Bros. theme.
 * A Super Mario crossover event was held on March 10, 2018, which features returning Mario-themed items from previous installments.

Art Academy (DS)

 * A pencil-drawn picture of a Yoshi plush toy can be seen on the game's cover. This drawing does not appear in the game, however.

Art Academy: Lessons for Everyone! (3DS)

 * On the cover for the PAL version (titled New Art Academy), a pencil-drawn Goomba picture can be seen. Like the Yoshi doll before, this drawing does not appear in the game itself.
 * At one point, one custom lesson for New Art Academy/Art Academy: Lessons for Everyone! was distributed by Nintendo via SpotPass, distributed in different periods depending on the region. The custom lesson featured a colored-pencil drawing of a Goomba, and the method which to draw it. The picture featured is different from the Goomba drawing on the PAL version cover as mentioned above, though.

Art Style: PiCTOBiTS (DSi)

 * Several puzzles represent Mario characters, such as Mario, Bowser and a Goomba.
 * The POW Block appears as an item in the game.


 * The main antagonist of the Game & Watch version of this game is named "Oiram Repus," which is "Super Mario" spelled backwards.

Banjo-Kazooie (N64/Xbox Live Arcade/Xbox One)

 * In the level Click Clock Wood, there is a large beaver named Gnawty who needs Banjo and Kazooie to destroy the rock blocking the entrance to his home. While resembling the Gnawties of the Donkey Kong Country series, he mostly resembles Very Gnawty in size and color.
 * In the voice questions at Grunty's Furnace Fun, Donkey Kong and Cranky Kong's names are seen as answers.
 * In another question, Grunty questions what Conga throws. One of the answers are barrels, a reference to Donkey Kong.
 * Conga uses Donkey Kong's sound effects from Mario Kart 64.

Banjo-Tooie (Nintendo 64/Xbox Live Arcade/Xbox One)

 * In Grunty Industries, Banjo and Kazooie find Loggo, a toilet character from the previous game, who says that he needs unblocking. Kazooie suggests calling a plumber, and says that she thinks Mario's free at the moment. Loggo says he doesn't think Mario does that kind of work anymore. In the Xbox 360 version of the game, the dialogue is altered slightly to say "Italian plumber" instead.
 * Bottles's daughter, Goggles, can be seen playing with a Donkey Kong doll.
 * During the final battle with Hag 1, Gruntilda asks the question "Who appears on the cover art?", and one of the answers is "Banjo, Kazooie, and Donkey Kong".
 * In the Inferno section in the Haunted Zone in Witchyworld, there is a face at the top of the large slide which many believe resembles Bowser's face.

Baseball (GB)

 * Among the in-game players, Mario's name can be seen in the W-Bears team, and Luigi's name can be seen in the R-Eagles team. The North American game cover features Mario pitching.

Big Brain Academy (DS)

 * In "Missing Links", a sketch of Mario's Hat will appear.
 * In "Get in Shape" in the 3-star difficulty, a silhouette of a Piranha Plant will appear.

Big Brain Academy: Wii Degree (Wii)

 * In "Speed Sorting", one of the pictures of "Has a tail" is Raccoon Mario from Super Mario Bros. 3.
 * In "Point of View", one of the objects in the Brain Quiz category is a pair of Warp Pipes.

Brain Age: Train Your Brain in Minutes a Day! (DS)

 * In "Syllable Count", there is the famous Toad quote written during the game. It reads, "Thank you, Mario, but our princess is in another castle."
 * If the player taps the walking man who appears when the player gets the rank "Walking Speed", he whistles the first six notes of the Mario theme.

Brain Age 2: More Training in Minutes a Day! (DS)

 * If the player goes on 'Training' and taps the last '???', this will start a game called 'Virus Buster', which is a game just like Dr. Mario, even with a soothing version of the in-game music. This mini-game can be played in the WiiWare game Dr. Mario Online Rx, but with the Wii Remote's cursor control.
 * If the player taps the walking man who appears when the player gets the rank "Walking Speed", he whistles the tune that plays after Mario gets a 1-Up.

Brain Age Express (DSiWare)

 * If the player taps the walking man who appears when the player gets the rank "Walking Speed", he whistles the tune that plays after Mario loses a life in Super Mario Bros..
 * The game 'Virus Buster' returns from Brain Age 2.

Conker's Bad Fur Day (N64) / Conker: Live & Reloaded (Xbox)

 * In order to defeat the game's final boss Heinrich, Conker has to grab and spin Heinrich around by the tail and fling him into an airlock portal towards outer space. This both parodies and references how Mario had to defeat Bowser in Super Mario 64.

Chase Mii (Wii U Tech Demo)

 * The Chase Mii Tech Demo takes place in a Mushroom Kingdom-like area. The Miis are dressed up as Toads and Mario. This game was later released as Mario Chase, one of the twelve attractions in Nintendo Land.

Chibi-Robo! (GCN)

 * The Eggplant Man enemy from Wrecking Crew makes an appearance in the game, though it's renamed "Kid Eggplant" in the North American version of the game (his name in the Japanese version of Chibi-Robo! is "Nasubi Kamen", the same as Eggplant Man).

Okaeri! Chibi-Robo! Happy Richie Ōsōji! (DS)

 * Occasionally, sifting through dust will reveal a Super Star, which plays the invincibility theme from Super Mario Bros when picked up.

Chibi-Robo! Zip Lash (3DS)

 * A Mario PEZ Dispenser is among the Snacks the player can collect.
 * Among the Trash is a Banana Peel with the description "Last night, I had a dream. A big gorilla riding a Kart passed a car I was riding in, and then he went and threw a HUGE banana peel at me! Gah!"

F-1 Race (GB)

 * Mario waves the checkered flag when the player wins a race in the game.
 * Several Mario characters greet the player before the race begins. The following characters appear based on the course he or she appears in:

F-Zero series

 * Rainbow Road, based on the Mario Kart 64 iteration of the course, appears in F-Zero X as the first course of the Joker Cup. Playing the game with the Japan-exclusive F-Zero X Expansion Kit also replaces the standard music with a rock cover version of the track's theme from Mario Kart 64.
 * Mr. EAD's head and mustache resemble those of Mario. His belt buckle is also designed after a Super Star. Additionally, when interviewing him in F-Zero GX, his answer to his favorite food is Italian, and his dream for the future is to "wear overalls every day and take it easy."
 * In the Emblem Editor of F-Zero GX, there are three sample emblems that are Mushrooms.

(3DS)

 * The Princess Peach costume for Maya (one of the main characters), is available after clearing all Battle Mode missions on Nightmare Mode. It can only be viewed in Free Photography mode.

(Wii)

 * The main characters Mayu and Mio Amakura can obtain one of the costumes that resembles to the outfits of Mario and Luigi. They are unlocked when completing the Normal Difficulty and receive the "Promise" ending, then purchase for 15000 Spirit Points.

Flipnote Studio 3D (3DS eShop)

 * Coins, that look similar to Star Coins, can be collected. This currently only applies to the Japanese version of the app.

Freakyforms Deluxe: Your Creations, Alive! (3DS)

 * In the Deluxe version of this game, Formees are able to smash blocks, collect coins, and eat Super Mushrooms.

(N64)

 * An unlockable cheat in this Rare-developed game is "DK Mode", named after Donkey Kong. The cheat appeared again as an unlockable in the game's spiritual successor , which was also developed by Rare. In both games, the cheat will make it so that all characters will have a similar body type to Donkey Kong, with a larger head.

HarmoKnight (3DS eShop)

 * One of the enemies shares the same name and looks similar to Poink from Super Mario Sunshine.

Jet Force Gemini (N64)

 * An exact replica of Greenwood Village is included as an unlockable track for the multiplayer races, the only difference is that one of the shortcuts has been removed.

Kid Icarus: Uprising (3DS)

 * In the Japanese version of the game, Pit and Palutena start a game of Super Smash Bros. Brawl (the game that debuted Pit's design in the game), with the character selection menu appearing on screen and Pit selecting Mario. The English localization reduces this to a reference to "Super Bash Sisters", omitting the explicit Mario cameo.
 * When Palutena tells Pit about Powers, Pit says, "Looks like all that Dr. Mario is about to pay off!"
 * In chapter 19, there is a segment while climbing the tower featuring barrels rolling down toward Pit which also has jump pads to leap over them. At this point, Pit mentions that "Something seems familiar about this..." with Hades saying, "I guess the Chariot Master has played Donkey Kong."
 * In Together mode, some of the randomly generated names used for CPU players are names of characters from the Mario series, including "Mario" and "Toad."

Kirby Super Star (SNES) / Kirby Super Star Ultra (DS)

 * Mario, Toad, Luigi, Birdo, Bowser, and Princess Peach, as well as Wario in the DS remake, are in the audience of the Megaton Punch Contest and the King Dedede battle in "Spring Breeze" along with several 1-Up mushrooms. Bowser and Peach are only visible in Spring Breeze, and are hidden off-screen (though Peach is still partially visible). In the remake, Peach is moved to a more visible position in the audience.
 * A picture of Mario appears in the credits of "Milky Way Wishes" and, in the remake, "Revenge of the King".
 * Several of the items in "The Great Cave Offensive", such as the "Koopa Shell", "Bucket", "Phanto Mask" and the DK Barrel are from Mario games.
 * When Kirby activates his Stone ability he will (very rarely) turn into a gold statue of Mario. The statue also appears in the credits for Revenge of the King in Kirby Super Star Ultra.
 * In the remake, Kaboola, now known as Kabula, has now a Bullet Bill-like appearance. One of Kabula's special attacks involves shooting giant Bullet Bill-like missiles at Kirby.

Kirby: Triple Deluxe (Nintendo 3DS)

 * One of the possible forms of Stone Kirby is a Brick Block.
 * One of the possible moves Wheel Kirby can perform is the Rocket Start, which refers to the boost in the Mario Kart series when the race begins.

Kirby: Planet Robobot (Nintendo 3DS)

 * The Brick Block and Gold Mario statue are some of the forms that Stone Kirby and Smash Bros. Kirby can use.
 * The Wheel ability includes the Rocket Start, which refers to the starting boost in the Mario Kart series.
 * The Doctor ability is based off of Dr. Mario in the Super Smash Bros. series.

Kirby: Star Allies (NS)

 * The Brick Block form of Stone Kirby makes an appearance in this game.

The Legend of Zelda (NES)

 * According to the Japanese manual for the game, the boss Manhandla is actually a massive Piranha Plant.

The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past (SNES)

 * Some of the houses in the Light World village have paintings of Mario in them. If Link pulls on the painting, Rupees will come out.
 * Chain Chomps appear as enemies in the Turtle Rock dungeon.
 * The File Select music and the theme for the Fairy Fountain/Great Fairy Fountains is a rendition of Water Land's music from Super Mario Bros. 3, which would be used in many subsequent The Legend of Zelda games in the same situations.

The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening (GB)

 * Tarin resembles Mario. He even transforms into a raccoon by eating a mushroom, as Mario transforms into Raccoon Mario by using a Super Leaf. Likewise, the Cuccoo keeper resembles Luigi.
 * There are many enemies from the Mario franchise, though some of them were named differently in the English translation. There are Goombas, Piranha Plants, Podoboos, Cheep Cheeps, Bloopers (called "Bloobers," their original name), Thwomps, Pokeys, Boos (called Boo Buddies), and Shy Guys (called Mask-Mimics). Also, the Bombite enemy bears a striking resemblance to Bob-omb.
 * A Yoshi Doll is found at the Trendy Game shop in Mabe Village. Link can win the Yoshi Doll by controlling the crane and hovering over it. When the doll is received, the text box states that it has appeared in many games recently, another reference to the Mario games.
 * The character Wart reappears in this game under his original Japanese name Mamu and acts as an ally to Link by teaching him the Frog's Song of Soul.
 * When Mr. Write shows the player the picture sent to him by Christine, a goat living in Animal Village, the picture of "Christine" is actually one of Princess Peach.
 * BowWow, known in the Mario franchise as a Chain Chomp, is featured in the game and 'befriends' Link as it actually helps him access one of the dungeons.
 * A cave in the second dungeon is made to resemble World 1-2 of Super Mario Bros., with Piranha Plants coming out of what appear to be real pipes and Goombas walking side to side. Unlike most enemies, Goombas are stompable, just like in Mario games.
 * The egg of the Wind Fish, seen on the title screen as well as in the game, heavily resembles a Yoshi egg.

Zelda: The Wand of Gamelon (CD-i)

 * The beginning portion of the Shrine of Gamelon is structured similar to 25m from Donkey Kong, as flaming wheels called Phyrandaii (replacing barrels) roll down a series of slopes while Zelda uses ladders to ascend.

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (N64)

 * Lon Lon Ranch worker Ingo and owner Talon both look like the Mario Bros. Ingo, Talon, and Malon all wear necklaces with Bowser's head on it. Talon's sleeping pose is also very similar to Mario's from Super Mario 64.
 * In the area where Zelda usually stands in the Hyrule Castle courtyard, there is a window on the right. If viewed at a different angles, pictures of Yoshi, Princess Peach, Mario, Bowser, and Luigi can be seen. The artwork of Mario is from Super Mario 64, the artworks of Peach, Luigi and Bowser are from Mario Kart 64 while the image of Yoshi appears to use his sprite from Yoshi's Story.

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D (3DS)

 * The pictures of the Mario characters seen in one of the windows of the Hyrule Castle courtyard were changed from the original, instead showing the background of World 1 from New Super Mario Bros.
 * Like in the original, Ingo and Talon both look like the Mario Bros; Ingo, Talon, and Malon all wear necklaces with Bowser's head on it and Talon's sleeping pose is still similar to Mario's from Super Mario 64.

The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask (N64)

 * A Mario mask is on the back on the Happy Mask Salesman's backpack, but it is not wearable.
 * Romani and Cremia, like Malon and Talon, wear Bowser necklaces, due to them reusing Malon's child and adult models.
 * When the music house in Ikana Canyon is playing music again, it resembles the Merry-Go-Round music from Big Boo's Haunt from Super Mario 64.

The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages (GBC)

 * In a linked game, there is a part where Link has to rescue Zelda from Vire, in a mini-game resembling Donkey Kong.
 * Like in Link's Awakening, Thwomps appear as enemies.

The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons (GBC)

 * The artwork for Talon strongly resembles Mario. His hat for this game has an "M" on it in the same style as Mario's, and like in The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, he is given a necklace depicting Bowser's face.

The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords (GBA/DSi)

 * Chain Chomps appear as an item.

The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker (GCN/Wii U)

 * Armos Knights have noses and mustaches resembling Wario's.
 * There are multiple test rooms in this game accessible via an action replay device. These rooms use assets from Super Mario Sunshine, most notably the very similar semi-transparent water effects that could suggest the ocean was originally intended to be see-through.

The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures (GCN)

 * In various platforming stages, Thwomps appear.

The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap (GBA)

 * Lakitus appear as enemies who throw lightning bolts at Link, then disappear into their clouds.
 * Bob-omb is also found in this game, and if struck with the player's sword, will scurry around and then explode. A second hit will cause it to stop and then explode.
 * When a vine is grown, the vine growing sound effect from the original Super Mario Bros. plays.

The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess (GCN/Wii/Wii U)

 * Fyer, who operates the cannon at Lake Hylia, has a Bullet Bill on his sleeve.

The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword (Wii)

 * Gratitude Crystals strongly resemble Star Bits from Super Mario Galaxy, both of which are based off a popular Japanese candy called konpeitō.

The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks (DS)

 * One of the themes played while traveling via train greatly resembles that of the music for the Ghost Houses in Super Mario World.
 * Star Fragments, like Gratitude Crystals from The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword, resemble Star Bits from Super Mario Galaxy and are based on the Japanese candy konpeitō.

Hyrule Warriors (Wii U/3DS/NS)

 * A Chain Chomp, which previously made a cameo appearance in The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening, appears as the Ball and Chain included with Link's level 3 Guantlets, the Power Gloves.

The Legend of Zelda: Tri Force Heroes (3DS)

 * The Fire Gloves, introduced in this game, allow players to throw fireballs, which function similar to those from the Mario series and use the same sound effects from Super Mario Bros.
 * The Hammerwear outfit is designed after the appearance of a Hammer Bro.
 * If blue Link or red Link wear the Hammerwear, it resembles a Boomerang Bro or Fire Bro, respectively.
 * When the Hammerwear is put on in Madame Couture's, the Stylish Woman will comment, saying "Did you use a koopon to buy that? I mean, a coupon? ♥"
 * One of the obtainable materials is called the Crimson Shell. Its description reads "A mysterious shell that never misses a foe when thrown.", a reference to the Red Shell item from the Mario Kart series.

Densetsu no Stafy 3 (GBA)

 * Wario appears in this game and teaches Starfy an enhanced version of the 'Shooting Star' ability. Multiple elements from Wario Land 4 appear in this game, including the switch, a vortex, four Pyramid Jewels resembling the ones found in Sapphire Passage (simply referred to as "Jewels" in this game) and three transformation of Wario; Bubble Wario, Flaming Wario and Puffy Wario.

Densetsu no Stafy 4 (DS)

 * One of the collectible costumes for Starfy and Starly is based on Princess Peach. It is called "Princess and Umbrella" (Japanese: おひめさまとカサ) and was a winning design from the Wanted Kisekae contest. When Starfy or Starly wear it they also hold Perry, the magic talking parasol from Super Princess Peach.

Mother (Family Computer) / EarthBound Beginnings (Wii U)

 * In the original Japanese version, a child in Twinkle Elementary in Merrysville asks Ninten if he's played Dragon Quest IV, remarking that he can't get past Dragon Quest III. In the English version of the game (released as EarthBound Beginnings on the Wii U Virtual Console), he instead says "Super Mario Bros. 7" and Super Mario Bros. 3, respectively. In the Game Boy Advance port Mother 1+2, any name-dropping was removed.

EarthBound (SNES)

 * When Ness enters the arcade in Onett, some of the games displayed on the arcade cabinet screens look similar to Donkey Kong.
 * In the Japanese version of the game, Mother 2, the sixth set of default names references the Mario series, giving Ness the name "Mario", Paula the name "Peach", Jeff "Luigi", Poo "Kinopio", and King "Yoshi". The protagonist's favorite food becomes "mushroom meal" and his favorite thing becomes "Goal". This naming set was replaced in the North American release.

Metroid Fusion (GBA)

 * A test level in the game's files uses objects and sprites from Wario Land 4.

Metroid Prime 3: Corruption (Wii)

 * If the player has save data of certain Nintendo games in their Wii's internal memory, they will receive bumper stickers based on those games on Samus' gunship. The player can acquire stickers based on the following Mario games:
 * WarioWare: Smooth Moves (Wario's face)
 * Super Paper Mario (Paper Mario's head)
 * Mario Party 8 (Star Carnival emblem)
 * Super Mario Galaxy (Mario's emblem)

Metroid Prime: Federation Force (3DS)

 * By scanning certain Mario-related amiibo, the player can acquire different paint jobs for their Mechs based on Mario, Luigi, Peach, Bowser, Rosalina and Bowser Jr.; these are the only character-based paint jobs available aside from Metroid characters such as Samus, Zero Suit Samus and Ridley. They can also be unlocked in the Metroid Prime: Blast Ball demo.

Mickey's Speedway USA (N64)

 * Greenwood Village is hidden within the game's files, and can be raced on via a Gameshark code. This is because Mickey's Speedway USA was developed by Rareware, who also developed Diddy Kong Racing.

Miitomo (iOS/Android)

 * Miis can purchase and wear Mario's cap and clothing, among other outfits.
 * Any mention of "Nintendo" plays the Coin sound effect.
 * On July 29, 2016, Mario-themed Miitomo Drop minigames named "Mario characters T-shirt festival! [Mario and Friends]" and "Mario characters T-shirt festival! [Bowser and Friends]" were released (lasting for three weeks each), which contain clothing based on several Mario characters as prizes.
 * As part of an update released on November 10, 2016, Luigi's cap and clothing were given to players as free gifts.
 * Super Mario Bros.-themed wallpaper and flooring were also made available for the newly added room customization option, among others.
 * A Fire Mario outfit is also given to players who log in seven times during the update promotion period.
 * Before the iOS release of Super Mario Run, Miitomo Drop minigames named "Super Mario Run! Wallpaper/Flooring & Toad Style" and "Super Mario Run! Princess Peach & Bowser Style" were released on December 8, 2016 until January 12, 2017. The prizes were Super Mario Run-themed wallpaper and flooring, as well as outfits based on Princess Peach, Toad and Bowser.

(3DS)

 * As the Mii characters approach Greenhorne Castle, the main character wonders if there are princesses living there, and the secondary character doubts it and states that "Princesses are always in another castle".
 * By scanning certain Mario series amiibo, players can acquire Mario character-themed outfits for their Miis. The Yoshi clothing can be changed into eight colors (green, red, yellow, light blue, blue, pink, black and purple), and the Toad clothing can be changed to five different colors (red, blue, green, yellow and purple).

Nintendogs (DS)

 * There is a Mario and Luigi Cap, respectively called the Red and Green Hats, that can be worn by the player's dogs. The description says "This hat is standard gear for mustachioed master (apprentice for the Green Cap) plumbers."
 * The player can find a Mario, Peach or Bowser Kart toy, a ? Block and a classic Super Mario Bros. Mushroom.
 * When used, the Kart toys play music from Mario Kart: Double Dash!! The Mario Kart plays the theme from Mario Circuit, the Peach Kart plays Peach Beach, and the Bowser Kart plays Bowser's Castle.
 * When starting a Beginner or Open Class contest, the music that plays is similar to Super Mario Bros. ' s world clear theme.

Nintendogs + Cats (3DS)

 * Players can obtain Mario and Luigi Hats, and Mario, Peach, and Yoshi Karts; as well as a Mushroom Toy, Mushroom-Table Set, and Koopa-shell Chair.
 * Players are able to choose the Mario Style Interior, which shows a Green Pipe outside.

Pikmin (GCN)

 * Part of the concept of Pikmin was based on the Mario tech demo Super Mario 128.
 * Captain Olimar's original Japanese name is an anagram of Mario. (Orima = Mario)
 * Unused models show a giant form of Mario and a model entitled "Kuribo", the Japanese name for Goomba. The model is the planned Goomba design for Super Mario Sunshine suggesting an appearance was planned but later scrapped.
 * There are also unused models for a key and a door, thought to be from the Super Mario 128 stage of development.

Pikmin 2 (GCN)

 * A picture of Bowser appears on the Flame of Tomorrow (a matchbox), accompanied by caption "Bowser Breath Brand".
 * The Key resembles the secret exit key found in Super Mario World.
 * Pokos resemble coins from the Mario series.
 * One of the game's treasures, the Decorative Goo, is a used tube of blue paint with the brand name "Mario Paints", a reference to Mario Paint, and another treasure, the Master's Instrument, is a stick of peach pink pastel of the same brand.
 * The Unspeakable Wonder resembles Princess Peach's Crown.
 * The name of the character Louie uses the first two syllables of Luigi's name, just as Olimar's name was derived from Mario's name.

Pikmin 3 (Wii U)

 * In the Twilight River area, a giant Warp Pipe can be entered via lily pad that enters into a different section of the map.
 * In the opening cutscene, when the S.S. Drake departs from Koppai, Mario's walking sound effect from Mario Bros. can be heard.

Pikmin Short Movies (Wii U,3DS)

 * In the movie "Occupational Hazards", in the scene where the Pikmin are seen inside some tubes, among them is a green tube resembling a Warp Pipe spitting out coins, complete with sound effects from Super Mario Bros.. A red Pikmin is then seen poking out from inside the tube, with dust formed on its face resembling Mario's hat and moustache. When the Pikmin jumps out, the first seven notes of the Super Mario Bros. theme can be heard.

Hey! Pikmin (3DS)

 * Some of the treasures Captain Olimar finds are cartridges of early Nintendo games with descriptions based on their artwork, three of which are Mario-related:
 * Super Mario Bros., labeled "Inevitable Tragedy".
 * Donkey Kong Land, labeled "Enduring Partnership".
 * Super Mario Land, labeled "Tempting Vision".
 * By scanning certain Mario series amiibo can acquire a treasure based on that amiibo.

Pilotwings 64 (N64)

 * In the Mount Rushmore part of the Little States stage, the player can see along the mountain and has Mario's face on it in the place of George Washington. If the player shoots Mario's face, it changes into Wario's face.

Pilotwings Resort (3DS)

 * A house in the village portion of the island will have different music from Super Mario Bros. playing depending on the mission.

Pokémon Red, Blue and Yellow (GB)

 * On the TV in the copycat's room, the player can see Mario with a bucket on his head. This is a reference to the game Mario & Wario, also developed by Game Freak, where Mario gets a bucket dropped on his head by Wario.

Pokémon Stadium 2 (N64)

 * A few of the accessories that can be received from the Mystery Gift feature in Pokémon Gold, Silver and Crystal versions include an NES, SNES, Virtual Boy and Nintendo 64. When using the Transfer Pak to see them in Pokémon Stadium 2, a limited number of video games appear randomly on the screen depending on which console is set up. These games includes Donkey Kong and Super Mario Bros. for the NES, Super Mario World for the SNES and Super Mario 64 Shindō Pak Taiō Version for the Nintendo 64.

Pokémon Sun and Moon and Pokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon (3DS)

 * Mario's overalls can be seen on the right side of Konikoni City's boutique. The shirt accompanying the overalls appears to be short-sleeved. However, they are only part of the background and cannot be obtained.

Punch-Out!! (Arcade)

 * In the audience, the player can see Mario, Luigi, Donkey Kong, and Donkey Kong Jr. This is one of the first games to feature Luigi, Donkey Kong, and Donkey Kong Jr. as cameos.

Punch-Out!!/Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!! (NES)

 * Mario acts as the in-ring referee during the gameplay of the game.

Super Punch-Out!! (SNES)

 * Names such as Mario, Luigi, Wario and Peach are present in the scoreboards.

Punch-Out!! (Wii)

 * Donkey Kong appears in the game's Last Stand mode. He can then be fought anytime in the Exhibition mode.
 * Donkey Kong can also be seen in the audience sometimes when fighting anyone other than him.
 * Princess Peach was planned to appear in this game but the idea was scrapped due to concerns about violence towards women. Mario was also going to reprise his role as referee, but the developers didn't think he would fit well with the game's art style.
 * King Hippo's underwear has Super Stars on it.

Pushmo (Nintendo 3DS eShop)

 * Pushmo includes several Mario-themed puzzles.

Crashmo (Nintendo 3DS eShop)

 * Two stages are based on the Buzzy Beetle and Piranha Plant sprites from Super Mario Bros..

Stretchmo (Nintendo 3DS eShop)

 * As this game is in the Pushmo series, it also contains puzzles featuring 8bit sprites of Mario and friends - which are in the attraction "Papa Blox's NES Expo."

Qix (GB)

 * A thematic scene of Mario will appear after completing the Game Boy version of  (which was developed by Nintendo). Depending on the score obtained by the player, Mario takes on the role of a stereotypical character from real world regions, such as Mexico and Africa. When obtained, the higher score shows Mario alongside Luigi, Princess Peach and several Toads cheerfully waving at the player (similar to the ending of the Game Boy version of Tetris).

SimCity (SNES)

 * If the player's city has a population of 500,000 residents, the player will earn a Mario statue.
 * The bonus scenario Freeland has its trees shaped like Mario's head.
 * Bowser can appear and destroy the player's city by selecting him on the disasters menu. The Tokyo scenario has Bowser walking through the city, in a similar approach to Godzilla.

Splatoon (Wii U)

 * In Urchin Underpass on the left side, a picture of an 8-bit Blooper can be seen on one of the walls.
 * A similar Blooper can be seen in Piranha Pit.
 * A T-shirt called Black Pipe Tee features 8-bit Mario heads and pipes from Mario Bros.
 * In Flounder Heights near the team's spawn point, a picture of an 8-bit Gunion from Super Mario Land can be seen in one of the walls.
 * The Inkbrush and Octorush are used in the same manner as Magic Paintbrush.
 * The "boxart" for Squid Jump somewhat resembles the Famicom boxart for Super Mario Bros.
 * Coincidentally, the red fish power-ups look like Cheep Cheeps.
 * Super Sea Snails look almost similar to Super Mushrooms in shape.

Splatoon 2 (NS)

 * The Autobomb Sub Weapon shares the same name as an enemy from Super Mario Bros. 2.
 * An image of Gunion appears near the subway entrance in Inkopolis Square.

Star Fox Adventures (GameCube)

 * The Farewell, Beloved Falco manga, which was distributed on the official Japanese site and served as an interquel between Star Fox 64 and Star Fox Adventures, contained a gang known as the Hot Rodders. Two of the members had names on the back of their jackets that were derived from Mario characters: the rat-like member had "Mouser" and the crocodile-like member had "Bowsor".

Star Fox Guard (Wii U)

 * Two enemies in the game, B.O.O. Unit and Nabbot, are robotic versions of Boo and Nabbit, respectively. B.O.O. Units have the ability to teleport and disable cameras, while Nabbots steal any fallen metals they find and run away with them.

(3DS)

 * The player can scan certain compatible Mario-series amiibo to acquire exclusive items: Mario for his hat, Peach for her crown, Yoshi for a Yoshi-themed hoodie, Rosalina for the "Starry Dress" (Western version only), and Luigi, Bowser or Toad for a Super Star broach.
 * Yukatas based on Peach and Rosalina's dresses were also released as free downloadable content. The obi of Rosalina's yukata in particular features a Luma design.

New Style Boutique 3: Styling Star (3DS)
Similar to the game's predecessor, the player can scan the Mario and Peach amiibo to unlock accessories based on those characters.

Super Scope 6 (SNES)

 * In LaserBlazer, Type A: Intercept, Mario appears to be plioting a plane; being chased by Lemmy Koopa riding on a rocket.

Swapdoodle (3DS)

 * In the Lesson Shop, players can purchase Mario-themed stationery, as well as drawing lessons for various Mario characters and objects.

Tennis (NES/Game Boy)
Mario appears as the referee during the game. This game is one of the first games featuring Mario as a cameo.

Tetris (NES)

 * Mario, Luigi, and Princess Peach are seen dancing when the player completes Stage 9 Level 5 in Type B mode. Samus Aran, Pit, Donkey Kong, Bowser, and Link can also be seen dancing after the rocket ship takes off.

Tomodachi Life (3DS)

 * The NES console treasure's description in the European version reads, "The old school classic game console. Mario eat your heart out. Not literally!" In the American version, it reads, "The video game console that got the world gaming. Pick it up and play some Mario."
 * A Donkey Kong Game & Watch can also be obtained as treasures.
 * Miis who own a Wii U are often heard playing games such as Game & Wario and Nintendo Land.
 * Mushroom descriptions state that eating them could make the consumer bigger, a reference to Super Mushrooms.
 * The description for the banana peel reads; "Good for comedy routines and making karts peel out." This statement is a reference to the Mario Kart series.
 * During "pity parties" at the cafe, Miis may sometimes state that Luigi is taller than Mario because "his legs are longer."
 * The description for the peach states that it is "fit for a princess."

Wii Fit (Wii)

 * Along the Free Run island, 8-Bit sprites of Mario and Luigi can be spotted. On a few occasions, a Goomba, Koopa Troopa, Mushroom, or Super Star sprite may also appear along the side of the trail. These sprites have a purpose, because at the end, one of the many questions asked can be which sprite the player spotted.

Wii Fit U (Wii U)

 * Just like Wii Fit, 8-Bit sprites of Mario, a Goomba, and a Mushroom can be spotted along the Free Run island.

Wii Music (Wii)

 * The Super Mario Bros. theme is unlocked after one has cleared the first four levels of Pitch Perfect, simply called Super Mario Bros..

Wii Party (Wii)

 * In the minigames section accessed from the main menu, one of the minigames under the Challenge subsection is called "Clover Hunt." This is a minigame in which players must locate a certain number of objects that are slightly different from the rest shown on the screen. The directions for the game state that "If you reach the last set, you might see a familiar face!" If the player reaches Stage 26 through Stage 30 (there are only 30 Stages in all and there are six different sets of objects that comprise five stages each, so this is the last set), the object they are given to find is 8-Bit Mario from Super Mario Bros.. They must find the required number of 8-Bit Mario's that are standing still, all of which are hidden amongst multiple 8-Bit Mario's in a jumping position.
 * The mall seen in "Shifty Gifts" resembles Peach's castle.

Wii Party U (Wii U)

 * In the Mii Fashion Plaza TV Party, Miis can dress up like Mario (Male) or Princess Peach (Female).
 * In the Mii Fashion Plaza TV Party, there are a few stores that are Mario-themed.
 * In Mad Hatters, players can choose to wear the Mario Cap, giving two points if no one else is wearing it.
 * In "Dance with Mii", the player can dance to the Super Mario Bros. Ground Theme.

Wii Sports Resort (Wii)

 * The countdown timer used at the start of the racing events sounds pretty much like the one used during the Mario Kart series. In particular, the Cycling event's timer sounds is almost identical to the one used in Mario Kart: Double Dash!!.
 * In the Island Flyover event, one can hear the Super Mario Bros. overworld theme, the "Lose a Life" and the "Game Over" tunes (also as reference to the place's nighttime description: "Sounds like someone's playing NES, but they need a few pointers...") by flying near the Hillside Cabins area.
 * The name of the ship "The Queen Peach" is based on Princess Peach.
 * The track Wuhu Loop from Mario Kart 7 imitates the first track, Wuhu Island Loop. Maka Wuhu and Wuhu Town also are on Wuhu Island.
 * When playing the island flyover at night, the information of the mysterious ancient ruins (PAL version) states that skeletons were found in a pit along with shells, possibly referring to Dry Bones. Also, in the same time of the day, while going to the entrance of the ruins (Also PAL version), the player will read that "Eerie" can be heard singing. This might allude to the enemy, although a wolf is heard howling and it is possible that the wolf may be named Eerie.