List of references in real life

The following is an alphabetical list of Mario-related sightings and references outside of print, video game, film, television, or Internet-based media.

2016 Summer Olympics closing ceremony
At the end of the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Shinzō Abe (the prime minister of Japan) was given the opportunity to give a presentation in preparation for the next Summer Olympics: the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo. His intro was preceded by a short skit featuring Abe, where he is driving in Tokyo and suddenly realizes that he cannot make it in time to Rio. He then transforms into Mario, albeit with the "M" on his cap saying Tokyo instead, and takes off running. While running, he meets with Doraemon, who pulls out a Warp Pipe that drills its way through the ground, carving a path from Tokyo to Rio. Mario thanks Doraemon and hops into the pipe, plummeting towards Rio, holding a red ball (symbolizing the hope of Japan that it carries to the rest of the world ). As he reaches the end of the Pipe, the scene transitions to Maracanã Stadium (where the closing ceremony was taking place), focusing on a Warp Pipe at the center; Abe, fully dressed in Mario regalia, then hops out of the pipe while the Warp Pipe and Mushroom sound effects play. After Abe leaves the pipe, he takes off the Mario outfit (while already wearing a suit underneath it) and leaves it on the ground. After the performance, the "Course Clear" tune from Super Mario Bros. plays.

Bergsala
The Swedish company Bergsala that handles the distribution of Nintendo products in Scandanavia uses Mario extensively around its office in the Kungsbacka locality. This includes a road named "Marios Gata" ("Mario's Street") and numerous signs, including a large pole that is viewable from the nearby freeway and acts as a local landmark.

On August 25, 2016, Bergsala held its 35th anniversary event that saw the original Mario statue, which was considered a poor rendition of the character and had been compared to Saddam Hussein, being replaced by a newer statue featuring him in modern appearance atop a Warp Pipe.

Donkey Kone
There is a fleet of "Donkey Kone" ice cream trucks operating in Toronto, Canada. As well as the title, the side also shows a gorilla holding a girl, referencing the Donkey Kong arcade game. In addition, the two boys flanking the gorilla are dressed in red and green T-shirts and blue overall shorts, clearly modeled after Mario and Luigi.

Donkey Kong Monster Truck
There was a monster truck driven by Frank Krmel and Kreg Christensen featuring Donkey Kong. This truck ran from 2007 until 2010.

Game On
Mario was featured alongside numerous other videogame consoles and series as part of the Game On travelling exhibition. As well as information and a poster, original Donkey Kong concept sketches drawn by Shigeru Miyamoto were provided by Nintendo for the exhibit.

Hollywood Wax Museum
Mario is the only videogame character with a wax statue in the Hollywood Wax Museum.

Mario Monti
Mario Monti, the prime minister of Italy from 2011 to 2013, was nicknamed "Super Mario" due to his work in international finance.

Miami "Nintendo Fun Day"
In 1991, the mayors of Los Angeles, California and Miami, Florida both declared "Nintendo Fun Days." The one in Miami was celebrated with the appearance of a Mario mascot and billed as "Mario Gets His Day In Miami."

Musée Grévin Montreal
In collaboration with Nintendo of Canada, the wax museum Musée Grévin Montreal created an exhibit based on the Mario franchise titled "Super Mario and Friends: The Exhibit!", running from October 7, 2016 to January 8, 2017. The exhibit features several games spanning across the entire series, multiple life-sized figures of the characters (though most of them focus on Mario), and occasional interactions with Mario, who walks around the exhibit to speak with visitors.

Negative Celsius
The Malaysian food truck vendor, Negative Celsius, uses a "Super Macaron" sign to advertise their macaroon ice cream burgers, which depicts Mario's signature hat and moustache above and below a side-view of a pink version of the desert.

"Super Mario" street
A suburb in Spain called Zaragoza named a street after Super Mario, called "Avenida de Super Mario Bros." Upon naming the street, residents of the town held a celebration in honor of Mario's 25th anniversary.

Target Corporation
To promote Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, starting April 20, 2017, 650+ brick and mortar stores in the United States were themed with elements from the game, including shopping carts to be like karts, the entrances being like the finish line complete with Fishin' Lakitu, and the red spheres having Mario and Luigi's faces.

The Wade Shows, Inc. traveling carnival has a ride based on the Mario franchise, titled "Marioland". Images of Mario and Luigi are painted on the sides of certain parts, along with other Mario decals like Bullet Bills and a Beanstalk. The bulk of the attraction does not seem to be based on the Mario franchise beyond its visual motif.