List of references in third-party video games

A list of references to the Mario franchise in third-party video games.

Ace Combat: Assault Horizon Legacy + (3DS)
This rerelease of Ace Combat: Assault Horizon Legacy adds custom planes themed after various Nintendo characters. The planes can be unlocked by scanning the relevant amiibo or by finding Question Blocks hidden in the missions. When a Question Block is destroyed, a Power Star emerges from it and the Super Mushroom collection sound plays. The Mario-relevant planes are:


 * Mario: An F-22 Raptor with averaged-out stats, in a reference to Mario's status as the "balanced" character in most Mario games.
 * Luigi: An F-35 Lightning II with increased speed but poor mobility, likely in reference to Luigi's inertia-heavy physics in games such as ''Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels.
 * Bowser: An A-10A Thunderbolt II with improved armor and attack power.
 * Donkey Kong: An F/A-18 Hornet with increased mobility and stability but lower speed. Its missiles leave yellow trails.
 * Princess Peach: A Eurofighter Typhoon with increased speed and mobility but lower defense.

The Adventures of Quik & Silva (Amiga/Atari ST)

 * One of the in-game enemies is a robotic Mario head on a spring.

The Adventures of Willy Beamish (Multiplatform)

 * The main protagonist, Willy, at one point plays a "Nintari" game entitled "Monster Squad", appears to be a spoof of Super Mario Bros.. Nintari is also a portmanteau of Nintendo and Atari.

Advent Rising (Xbox/PC)

 * One of the levels has a secret area which leads to a Warp Zone similar to that of the Mario series, complete with three different pipes.

Alex Kidd in Shinobi World (Sega Master System)

 * During development, the first boss of the game was intended to be a character based on Ken-Oh, the first boss of the Shinobi arcade game, named "Mari-Oh", who bore a striking resemblance to Mario (likely to mock Nintendo, as the Alex Kidd games were all made by Sega, Nintendo's business rival at the time) By the final game, however, Mari-Oh was replaced with the unrelated "Kabuto" boss.

(//PC/Mac)

 * The second Eggsteroid is an homage to World 1-1 of Super Mario Bros., with rocks in the place of ? Blocks and wood in the place of Brick Blocks. The upper "? Block" contains a Bad Piggy which moves in a similar manner to the Super Mushrooms. Unlike in the original game, the ground can be broken and the pig representing the mushroom comes out of the top block, which contained a coin in Super Mario Bros.

(iOS/)

 * At some points in the game, the birds will battle a Foreman Pig donning a red cap and a moustache, highly resembling Mario. He also holds a small Warp Pipe, covered in colored mushrooms.
 * Chef Pig's role in this game is named "WizPig". His name is also similar to the villain of the same name in Diddy Kong Racing.



(Web//)

 * The 2015 Retro Game tournament of Angry Birds Friends featured six levels, each designed after a vintage video game. In this respect, the second level of the tournament borrowed elements from levels World 1-1 and World 1-2 of the classic Super Mario Bros., such as boxes that acted exactly like Question Blocks, coins, a flagpole preceded by a block stairway, a fortress, and a double Warp Pipe.


 * One of the Golden Egg levels in the twenty-seventh episode, "Piggywood Studios", has a heavy Flappy Bird influence in its design, containing several Warp Pipes the birds would have to dodge in order to reach and defeat a Bad Piggy.

Angry Video Game Nerd Adventures (PC/Wii U/3DS)

 * The stars on the Christmas trees in the Blizzard of Balls stage resemble stars.

Angry Video Game Nerd 2: Assimilation (PC)

 * In the tutorial level at the start, a poster from Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest can be seen.
 * The first level of Browntown is called "Dookie Dookie Panic", which is a parody of Doki Doki Panic.

Assassin's Creed II (Multiplatform)
In Mario Auditore's debut cutscene, he introduces himself with "Don't you recognize me? It's a-me, Mario!", referring to Mario's catchphrase.

Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood (Multiplatform)

 * One of the game's achievements/trophies is called "Principessa in Another Castello", referencing the Mushroom Retainers' quote: "Thank you Mario! But our princess is in another castle!" from Super Mario Bros..
 * In the mission "Femme Fatale," after Ezio has killed all of the guards and dragged Lucrezia Borgia towards Caterina Sforza's cell, she commented "Rescuing princesses from castles now?"
 * The achievement "Plumber" shows a picture of a Warp Pipe.

Astal (Sega Saturn)

 * A sprite of Mario is present in the game's code.

Asterix & Obelix XXL 2: Mission Las Vegum (PS2, PC)

 * One of the most common enemies is a Roman dressed in a Mario costume who uses the F.L.U.D.D. device from Super Mario Sunshine to blast water at Asterix and Obelix. His likeness also appears on the Eiffel Tower decorations and the statues on the side of the Arc de Triomphe. Additionally, Romans that resemble other video game characters such as Sonic the Hedgehog and Pac-Man appear.
 * There is an area accessed through a Warp Pipe in WCW Arena named "Internetus" which is somewhat of a tribute to the Mario games. There are POW Blocks, Thwomps, Mushroom platforms, Piranha Plant designs on the floor, and more. The music also sounds like that of a Mario game.
 * In the secret entrance to Las Vegum, there is a menhir painted white with green spots, resembling a Yoshi Egg.
 * The wall behind the Eiffel Tower in Lutetia is designed to look like the background of a Mario level.
 * Near the boss in WCW Arena, there are wall tiles made to look like blocks from Mario games.
 * In the night-time area of Venetia, there are giant statues of Donkey Kong, Princess Peach, and a Shine Sprite. Additionally there are two more Shine Sprites in an underground tunnel in the same room.
 * Some flag decorations in Venetia feature Super Mushrooms and Yoshi Eggs.
 * Upon entering the Obelisk area of Lutetia, there are barrels rolling down a slope with Donkey Kong's logo on them.
 * In WCW Arena there is a massive scaffolding which looks and plays just like the first level of Donkey Kong. There is also one on Pirate Island with a giant statue of Donkey Kong on top (the same one seen in Venetia, but wearing an eye patch).
 * On Pirate Island there are carvings of Donkey Kong's face on the ground at one area.
 * In Venetia there are fountains featuring Donkey Kong's face, with the water flowing from his mouth.
 * Beside the merchandise stand on the shores of Pirate Island there is a red towel with a Sidestepper on it and Super Stars on the ground nearby.

Back to the Future: The Game (Multiplatform)

 * During "Episode 1: It's About Time," Marty must make arrangements for Edna to deliver soup (which is actually alcohol) to the Stay Sober Society. At one point, Marty mentions that he's delivered soup to charities before, and Edna asks him which ones they were. Marty responds by telling her "The... um... Mario Brothers...", and Edna goes on to comment that "the Italians do so many good works".

Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts (Xbox 360)

 * For the Banjo-Kazooie games published by Nintendo prior to Microsoft's acquisition of Rare, see List of Mario references in Nintendo video games § Banjo-Kazooie series.


 * To show the power of the vehicle editor in the game, an 8-bit Mario on wheels is shown in the trailer in Nutty Acres. It then gets destroyed by Banjo and Kazooie. The trailer was later edited to remove the portion when the 8-bit Mario is destroyed. However, the shot of it prior to the destroying remains.
 * In the opening sequence, when Banjo, Kazooie, and Gruntilda encounter the Lord of Games for the first time, Kazooie at one point remarks that they have been in several games already, and Lord of Games responds by saying that they've been in "nowhere near as many as that Italian gentleman."
 * In the Jiggoseum level, on a balcony in the south end of the main area is a pile of giant, metallic dice that Kazooie can pick up and move. Hidden behind them is a large, golden cube with a metallic white question mark on the side of it.
 * In one of the missions for the L.O.G.'s Lost Challenges DLC, Banjo mentions that he once was in a race with "a genie and a giant pig", referring to Diddy Kong Racing.
 * The achievement unlocked for opening the Terrarium of Terror, an outer-space forest themed world, is called "Super Banjo Universe," a parody of Super Mario Galaxy.
 * One of the questions given by Lord of Games in the quiz at the end of the game is "Which game featured a Banjo appearance but wasn't a Banjo title?" The correct choice is Diddy Kong Racing.

The Battle Cats (iOS/Android/3DS)

 * To celebrate the game's recent arrival on the Nintendo 3DS, a new Cat was released for all versions alongside "The Battle Cats POP!" event, named Cat Kart R. The Cat's name is a reference to the Mario Kart series, with the "R" referring to the red color of the cat's cap. This cap is also a reference to the Mario Cap, only with an "N" instead of an "M". It rides around in a kart and throws Cat Food (the game's in-game currency) at enemies, which is again a reference to Mario Kart and the ability to throw various items. Its description includes, "Other hobbies: Parties, Tennis, Medicine," which is a nod to the Mario series Mario Party, Mario Tennis, and Dr. Mario. Cat Kart R can be upgraded to become Cat Kart G, with the "G" referring again to the green color of the Cat's cap. The Cat's new description includes the phrase, "Has a complex thanks to his popular brother." Both the cap and the description are a reference to Luigi and his behavior with Mario.
 * The upgraded form of the Vengeful Cat, Groucho Cat, rides around in a cloud while holding a fishing rod, which is a reference to the Fishin' Lakitu/Fishing Boo enemy. However, the fishing rod is attached to a pair of Groucho glasses, referencing Groucho Marx.
 * The upgraded form of the Meowla Meowla, Catorpedo, is in the shape of a Bullet Bill, with a bullet-esque shape and two white arms whose hands are curled into fists. Its description also includes, "Hates being stepped all over. Stop it!!!" which refers to Bullet Bills being defeated when jumped on.
 * The true form of the Jurassic Cat, Catasaurus, features a Cat riding a dinosaur that bears a close resemblance to Yoshi. It attacks by jumping in the air and fluttering while moving his feet, and it sticks out its tongue when knocked back, which are both abilities of Yoshi. Its description also reads, "Discovered a cute dinosaur in a magical land of fungi. Features extra seating for the kids!" The first phrase is a reference to the Mushroom Kingdom, which the second phrase is a reference to Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island, where Baby Mario rides on Yoshi's back.

Bayonetta (Wii U)

 * The Wii U version of the game features costumes for Bayonetta inspired by various Nintendo characters, including ones based upon Princess Peach and Princess Daisy called "Mushroom Kingdom Princess" and "Sarasaland Princess" respectively. The costumes feature ribbons on the arms that have various Mario power-ups on them, and on her waist is a Mario trinket for the Peach costume, and a Luigi one for the Daisy costume. While the costumes are equipped, the Halos enemies drop are replaced with coins, which when collected make the sound effect heard in Super Mario World. Also, instead of summoning demons, Bayonetta summons Bowser's foot or fist. When doing so, Bowser's voice (provided by Kenny James) can be heard.

Bayonetta 2 (Wii U)

 * A Chain Chomp appears as an equippable weapon. It can be obtained by collecting the Angelic Hymns Gold LP "Super Mario 64" During the cutscene of Rodin going to Inferno to make the weapon, a piano rendition of Bob-omb Battlefield's theme plays.
 * The Ubran Elegance for the Chain Chomp gives Bayonetta Mario's hat (with a "B" instead of an "M") and mustache. She also gains a unique taunt in which she takes the hat off (a la one of Mario's taunts in Super Smash Bros. Brawl) while saying "Mamma Mia!". If Jeanne equips the Ubran Elegance, she will gain Luigi's hat and mustache instead.
 * The Nintendo costumes that appear in the port of the original game also appear in this game, including the Peach and Daisy costumes.

Bejeweled Stars (iOS/Android)
One of the Daily Challenges in the game is called "D.Kong", which refers to the original Donkey Kong.

Ben Jordan: Paranormal Investigator (PC)

 * In the seventh game in the series, Ben enters a person's house by disguising himself as a plumber. He does this by putting on a colorful shirt and pair of overalls making him look like one of the Mario Bros.

The Binding of Isaac / The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth (Steam)

 * The Magic Mushroom, 1up!, and Mini Mush items resemble several mushroom power-ups from the Mario games. Also, the Magic and Mini Mushrooms change Isaac's size, much like the Super Mushrooms and Mini Mushrooms do.
 * The item "Bobby-Bomb" greatly resembles a Bob-omb, and gives Isaac's bombs windup keys.
 * The item "Gnawed Leaf" strongly resembles a Super Leaf, and its effect is similar, granting Isaac invulnerability when standing still.
 * The description of the Liberty Cap trinket says: "Touch Fuzzy, Get Dizzy" - referencing World 1-7 from Yoshi's Island.
 * One of the fortune teller's messages is: "Your Princess is in another Castle", referencing the Mushroom Retainer's line in Super Mario Bros..
 * The item "How To Jump", which allows Isaac to jump across obstacles and pits, features a boxart very similar to the boxart of Super Mario Bros.
 * After picking up three mushroom-type items, Isaac gains a transformation known as "Fun Guy", which grants him a heart container and changes his appearance to vaguely resemble a Toad.
 * Mario, Luigi, Wario, Waluigi, Princess Peach, Princess Daisy, Bowser, Toad, Toadette, Yoshi, a Goomba, a Chain Chomp, the Fire Flower, Tanooki Suit, Hammer Suit, and Frog Suit appear as playable normal babies in the game's Co-op mode.

(WiiWare)

 * The high score initials in Warp Mode of the second era, named Bit Boy 2, mention Mario, Luigi, Yoshi, Bowser, Toad and Donkey Kong.

Bitcoin Billionaire (iOS/Android)

 * One of the email bonuses received in the game is from The Princess, which reads "I'm in another castle, enjoying this bonus." This is a reference to the Mushroom Retainer's line from Super Mario Bros.
 * One of the unlockable room items is a Goal Pole from Super Mario Bros. It can be unlocked by reinvesting.

Borderlands (Multiplatform)

 * There is an achievement in the game titled, "My Brother Is An Italian Plumber", which is earned by stomping enemies.

Borderlands 2 (Multiplatform)

 * A race of enemies called "Bullymongs" are four-armed ape-like creatures; there is a rare subspecies called "Donkey Mongs" which wear red ties and throw barrels, a reference to Donkey Kong, if the player successfully defeats a Donkey Mong, they are awarded with an achievement entitled "Definitely An Italian Plumber", a reference to Mario.

Braid (Xbox Live Arcade/PSN/Steam/Mac App Store)

 * One of the game's levels is named "Jumpman" (referencing Mario's original name), which resembles 25m from the original Donkey Kong arcade game. In Indie Game: The Movie, it is shown that the gorilla in said level was originally a sprite of Donkey Kong from the arcade game in the prototype.
 * At the end of most worlds, a ragdoll-like dinosaur character appears and says, "Sorry, but your princess is in another castle."
 * There are plant enemies which come out of pipes very similar to Piranha Plants.

Bowmasters (iOS/Android)

 * There's a character in the game who resembles Mario and attacks with shells.

Bram Stoker's Dracula (NES/SNES/Genesis)

 * There are blocks in the game that look similar to ? Blocks.

Bravely Second: End Layer (3DS)

 * The in-game description of the item Enopu Mushroom alludes to Mario's plumbing career, along with saving the princesses and preference of mushrooms. This item's name is an anagram of the "One-Up" portion of the 1-Up Mushroom. Its effect is similar in that it grants the target the auto-revive effect. Item description: "Eisenberg legends tell of an affable plumber with a love for mushrooms. This particular one was his favorite, and its power brought him back from the brink of death-by-overwork on many an occasion. While he performed no acts of derring-do such as the saving of princesses, he did nearly single-handedly construct Eisenberg's impressive sewage system."

Breath of Death VII (PC/Xbox Live Arcade)

 * A part of the game has the player searching for a prince named Erik in a castle. If the player speaks to a certain guard, he states "Perhaps the Prince is in another castle.".

Bugs Bunny in Rabbit Rampage (SNES)

 * Bomb-like enemies in Level 2001 resemble Bob-ombs.

Bully: Scholarship Edition (Wii/Xbox 360)

 * The minor character Ray Huges says "They say kids imitate video games. But I have yet to turn into a mustached plumber!".

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 (Multiplatform)

 * In multiplayer in both games, reaching a 10-kill killstreak with no killstreak rewards equipped nets the player a callsign emblem of Price patterned after the Super Mario Bros. small Mario sprite.
 * In Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, a video game console called a "Gamestation" can be found in a house. One of the video games lying around it is named "Italian Plumber Princess Rescue".

Castlevania: Lords of Shadow - Mirror of Fate
The terrible state of the pipes down here would peturb even my brother Mario. Some parts have rusted terribly, While others are covered with fungus due to the high humidity. Not all the Mushrooms look good to eat either, Who knows what might happen if I eat one?
 * A message from a skeleton says the following:

Catch the Rabbit (iOS/Android)

 * The rabbit in this game resembles Nabbit.

Cave Story+ (PC/Steam)

 * If the player plays the game on Halloween, Sue can be seen dressed up as Princess Peach.

(3DS/PC/PS4/Vita/Wii U)

 * One of the collectible party members is a plumber. When the Vice President first meets him, he says that he looks like a plumber, to which the Plumber asks him if he was expecting "a raccoon or a man in a cape". The VP replies that he was simply commenting on the Plumber's plunger, though he also says that the plumbers that he is familiar with use "shells and fireballs to solve their problems". The Plumber worriedly says that those kinds of plumbers should not be fixing someone's pipes, and offers to print his phone number for the VP. The VP then jokes that he had his phone number but that he lost track of it, meaning that his "print's in another castle". Beyond wearing a stereotypical set of overalls, the Plumber's appearance and abilities do not otherwise reference the franchise.

Crash Bandicoot (PS1/PS4)

 * In early levels there are enemies resembling Piranha Plants and wandering turtles who retract into their shell once jumped on, a parody of Koopa Troopas. These enemies reappear in later installments in the series.
 * In the Toxic Waste level, there are some bear-like enemies that throw nuclear canisters similar to Donkey Kong.

Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back (PS1/PS4)

 * In some ruin levels, there is a log-throwing gorilla enemy which is a parody of Donkey Kong.
 * There are Lab Assistants in the beehive levels who are dressed in Mario outfits and wield hammers, a reference to Mario's role in Donkey Kong.

Crash Bandicoot 3: Warped (PS1/PS4)

 * Crash being able to ride Baby T, a baby dinosaur, is most likely inspired by Mario being able to ride Yoshi in several Mario games. Baby T is even found from breaking his egg and runs away when it touches an enemy, just like Yoshi (except the player cannot chase down Baby T after he is hit and must find another egg).

Crash: Mind Over Mutant (Multiplatform)

 * The FMV cutscene after defeating the brainwashed Crunch Bandicoot is named "Crunch Get!" in the cutscene viewer, likely after the phrase "Shine Get!" in the Japanese version of Super Mario Sunshine.

Crash of the Titans (Multiplatform)

 * The Ratnicians can be heard sometimes saying "You thought he was an Italian plumber or something?" when they notice Crash.

Crash Twinsanity (Multiplatform)

 * In the level "High Seas Hi-Jinks", a large rhinoceros throws barrels at the player, just like Donkey Kong.

Crash Bandicoot: The Wrath of Cortex (Multiplatform)

 * In the level "Crash and Burn", there is an area that resembles 25m from the original Donkey Kong arcade game.

Createrria (iOS)

 * There is an achievement named "The Italian Plumber" a reference to Mario.
 * In one of the signposts from the level Beginner's Path there is a line saying "...like an Italian plumber!" another reference to Mario.

Croc: Legend of the Gobbos (Multiplatform)

 * The game was originally pitched to Nintendo as Yoshi Racing, a 3D platformer starring Yoshi, before being retooled into an original IP after Nintendo rejected the offer.
 * An advertisement poster of this game depicted Croc after apparently eating three video game characters: Mario, Crash Bandicoot, and Lara Croft. Their accessories can be seen: Mario's cap, Crash's sneakers, and Lara's gun.

Cuphead

 * The floating platforms used for the boss fight against Cagney Carnation resemble Piranha Plants.
 * There's a segment in the music for the level "Funfair Fever" that sounds extremely similar to the beginning of the Athletic theme from Super Mario World.
 * During the Queen Bee boss fight, she fires missiles that resemble Banzai Bills.

Dai Gyakuten Saiban (Nintendo 3DS)

 * Two characters that appear in the fifth case "The Adventure of the Unspeakable Story," called Nemmy Tinpillar and Tully Tinpillar, are brothers, and they are visually similar to Luigi and Mario. Both of them worked on the same occupation, as an "average Joe".
 * Nemmy, which is similar to Luigi, is taller, skinner and younger than Tully, wears a green smoking and flat cap, and has a mustache like him.
 * Tully, which is similar to Mario, is smaller, fatter and older than Nemmy, wears a wine smoking and flat cap, and has a mustache like him.

Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc (Multiplatform)

 * Yasuhiro Hagakure makes a reference to Piranha Plants when talking about the giant flower during the game's fifth chapter.

Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony (Multiplatform)

 * The letter cubes from the Psyche Taxi minigame resemble Item Boxes.
 * In the fourth Class Trial, Himiko Yumeno mentions a Warp Zone as a possible way for the victim to move around.

Dig Dug: Digging Strike (Nintendo DS)

 * One of the stages in the game is a reference to Mario Kart. Item Boxes are not included since they are Mario exclusive.
 * The boxart on the back also features Susumu in a kart resembling the style from Mario Kart Arcade GP 2.

Disney Infinity (Multiplatform)

 * A Toy Box is based on Super Mario Bros..

Drill Dozer (GBA)

 * The player can unlock various of costumes for the playable character Jill to wear using Password codes. By using the code 5854, the player unlocks a pair of blue overalls, which is based on Mario's clothes.

DX-Ball 2 (PC)

 * The ninth level in the "Tribute Set" expansion pack for this game was apparently styled to resemble a classic Starman sprite, consisting of yellow bricks (which is indestructible) in the outer structure with explosive tiles covering the entire inner part. The player is required to hit one explosive tile at the top left to remove the outer bricks and complete the level in a few more hits.

Dying Light (PC/PS4/XOne)

 * The game features an easter egg in a form of a secret corridor which resembles a 3D recreation of World 1-1 from Super Mario Bros., playable from a first-person view. The secret room features Goomba-like enemies, explosive zombies, large green pipes, brown and yellow blocks, and large flag pole at the end. The main platform is only one block wide, and floats parallel to the corridor on a vast pool of blood. The corridor's blue walls are decorated with the extruded decals of pixel-like mountains and clouds. The secret corridor is accessible by squatting on a building's chimney that has a green pipe lodged inside it. The player will be instantly warped to the secret corridor, and exit using another pipe at the end of the main platform.

Earthworm Jim Special Edition (Sega CD)

 * The enhanced Sega CD version of this game includes several secret masks for the character, including one of Donkey Kong with an arrow through his head. This is supposedly to spite Nintendo as the release of Donkey Kong Country around the same time prevented Earthworm Jim from making more of an impact.

Epic Mickey: Power of Illusion (3DS)

 * The spiked stone enemies with Pete's face are based on Thwomps, as they resemble and attack in a similar manner to them.

Eversion (PC, Steam)

 * An achievement for the Steam version of this game is titled "The Princess Is In Another Castle", which is unlocked when the player reaches the normal ending without collecting all 240 gems. This is a reference to the line that the Mushroom Retainers say when Mario saves them in Super Mario Bros.

Evolution series (iOS/Android)

 * One of the available hats in the game resembles Peach's crown.

FaceBreaker K.O. Party (Wii)

 * The back of the boxes' screenshot of the Punch-O-Matic minigame has the players listed as Mario, Peach, Yoshi, and Wario with the images being a pair of lips, a raptor, and a skull and crossbones. (Mario's image isn't shown.)

The Fairly OddParents: Breakin' Da Rules

 * An enemy's file name is called "PiranhaPlant.gcp", referencing its namesake.

Family Feud: 2010 Edition (Multiplatform)

 * One of the families played against in the game's 1P mode includes two brothers named Marco and Luis who are plumbers. They are references to Mario and Luigi. Marco's wife is named Patricia, she may be a reference to Princess Peach. Patricia has a nephew named Ted, a reference to Toad. Ted's afro is likely a reference to Toad's cap. These characters somewhat look like their Mario counterparts and do similar poses.

Family Guy: The Quest for Stuff (iOS/Android)

 * One of Anime Peter's activities has him jumping and punching an ! Block.
 * The "Quahog's Not-So-Silent Night" update adds some references to the Mario franchise:
 * The "Italian Plumber Chris" costume is based on Mario.
 * The "Princesses Against Kidnapping" building is a reference to how Peach is often kidnapped.
 * Peaches and Monkey Kong are based on Peach and Donkey Kong, respectively.
 * The "Crowning Castle" building is based on the end-of-level castles from Super Mario Bros.
 * The "Scaffold Tower" building is based on 25m from Donkey Kong
 * The "Scrapped Levels Scrapyard" features Coins, Warp Pipes, a Spiny Shell, purple Mushrooms, an Empty Block, and a Piranha Plant.
 * The "Killer Greens Nursery" features Warp Pipes housing carnivorous plants similar to Piranha Plants.
 * Week 2 of the update requires the player to tap Barrels in order to obtain turtle shells.

Fez (Multiplatform)

 * Gomez can enter wells similar to how Mario enters Warp Pipes.

Flappy Bird (iOS/Android)

 * The pipes used as obstacles in the game heavily resemble Warp Pipes.

(Multiplatform)

 * One of the categories a player can choose is "Mario and Luigi", which gives the clue, "The New York Times was forced to issue a correction after they incorrectly identified the Nintendo characters Mario and Luigi as _______ instead of plumbers." The correct answer is "janitors".

Geometry Dash (iOS/Android)

 * In update version 2.0, one of the backgrounds closely resembles the hills found in Super Mario Bros. 3. Similarly, the checkered floor ground also resembles the floor of the kings' chambers in the game.
 * The "Thief! Thief!" cube resembles a Shy Guy.
 * The "Nice shot!" cube resembles a Rotating Block from Super Mario World.
 * The "Ultimate ToE2" cube resembles a Boo.
 * The "The journey begins..." cube resembles a Mushroom sprite from Super Mario World.
 * The "I R Unstoppable!" UFO resembles a Koopa Clown Car.
 * In the level Fingerdash, there are obstacles that bear a strong resemblance to the Fire Bars and Lava Bubbles.
 * In the level Deadlocked, there are some moving obstacles that resemble Thwomps.
 * Additionally, the cube unlocked for collecting 15 Lava Shards also resembles a Thwomp.
 * The ship unlocked for collecting 35 of each type of shard resembles a Chain Chomp.

Gex: Enter the Gecko (PS1/N64)

 * In the level Fine Tooning, one of the random quotes Gex can say is, "I guess Bowser's on vacation?" This quote is not found in the N64 version of the game.

Gex 3: Deep Cover Gecko (PS1/N64)

 * In the "Marsupial Madness" Secret Level, the sections of the level that lead to higher points have creatures throwing coconuts at Gex and the kangaroo he's riding in a manner similar to Donkey Kong.

Giana Sisters series
===The Great Giana Sisters (Amiga/Amstrad CPC/Atari ST/MSX 2/C 64)===
 * The first level of The Great Giana Sisters is nearly identical in layout to the first stage found in Super Mario Bros., and the game plays almost identically. The immediate similarity to Super Mario Bros. ensured that The Great Giana Sisters was quickly noticed by both the public and the video game industry itself. Nintendo pressured the makers of The Great Giana Sisters with warning of legal action should they not take appropriate action, and the game was voluntarily withdrawn from sale. The difficulty in obtaining copies of the game has led to them being sought out as collector's items.

An unofficial sequel called Giana Sisters II was released on the Commodore 64 in 1993, originally with commercial purpose plans though later released for free on the Internet. In 2008, another unofficial sequel was released, entitled Giana's Return.

Giana Sisters DS (Nintendo DS)

 * A sequel/remake to The Great Giana Sisters, this game also has similar levels to Super Mario Bros..

Giana Sisters (iOS/Android)

 * A remake of Giana Sisters DS and sequel to The Great Giana Sisters, this game also has very similar levels to Super Mario Bros..

Giana Sisters: Twisted Dreams (PC/Xbox 360/PS3/Wii U)

 * The Fire Wheel, based off the Super Mushroom returns in this game.

Goat Simulator (PC)
In Goat Simulator, one of the Mutators is called "Italian Dinosaur Goat". With this mutator, the goat can swallow physics objects and turn them into eggs, which can be thrown. This is a reference to Yoshi's ability to swallow enemies and turn them into eggs. In the Android/iOS version, there is a Warp Pipe in Goatville. If players grab a black oval with the tongue and carry it to the pipe, players can enter it. Doing so brings players to a pipeline area. The icon in the Android/iOS version used to activate your Goat's attack looks like a Red POW Block.

Grand Theft Auto IV (Multiplatform)

 * An 8-bit character jumping in the same way as Mario is seen on the wall of the Videogeddon arcade among other 8-bit sprites.

Guacamelee! (Multiplatform)

 * A poster in the game says "Tag Team #1 Los Super Hermanos". They have mustaches and their masks are red and green. One of them has an L on their mask and the other has an M.
 * At the beginning of Desierto Caliente, there is a large obstruction resembling barrels with Donkey Kongs on top.
 * At the end of the Temple of Rain, Juan must run from the Alebrije that is chasing him. At the end of the area is a bridge over lava with a gold axe on the other side; collecting it causes the bridge to collapse under the Alebrije as it falls into lava. Afterward, Juan is greeted by X'Tabay, who says, "Sorry Luchador, but your princess is in another castle."
 * On a wall in Santa Luchita, the outline of Mario's sprite from the original Super Mario Bros. can be seen.

Guitar Hero Live (Multiplatform)

 * The song Better Than It Ever Could Be from The Preatures found in the GHTV mode contains some notes from the Ending Theme of Super Mario Bros. 2.

Hard'n Heavy (Amiga/C 64)

 * Originally meant to be a sequel to the famous Super Mario Bros. clone The Great Giana Sisters, this game was originally known as Giana 2: Arthur and Martha. This changed due to a lawsuit, as Nintendo threatened to take legal action due to the game's deliberate similarity to their flagship franchise. Just like the The Great Giana Sisters, Hard'n Heavy features two heroes (Heavy and Metal) who make their way through a Mario-styled, vertically-scrolling futuristic world.

A Hat in Time (PC/Mac)

 * The backer-exclusive hat is called the Time Sisters hat, which resembles the Mario Cap. A promotional artwork of the game shows Hat Kid wearing said hat, with the name "Time Bros" written underneath, but with "Bros" crossed out and replaced with "Sisters".

The Haunted Mansion (PS2/GCN/Xbox)
After collecting the lost souls in the observatory, the player can interact with the ghost of a drunken king who says the line "The princess is in another castle" while attempting to recite a fairy tale.

Hitman (Multiplatform)

 * In episode two, Sapienza, a red plumber and a green plumber can be found working in the sewers; they are referred to as Mario Saltatore and Luigi Saltatore respectively.

Icon Pop Quiz (iOS/Android)

 * In the credits, the lead designer Erna Chai's name has an emblem of a Mushroom above it.
 * On the Weekend Specials menu screen, the Game Characters category panel shows a Super Star sprite from Super Mario World. Among the Game Characters icons are Mario (Mario's overalls), Donkey Kong (Donkey Kong's tie) and Bowser (Bowser's shell).
 * Another Weekend Specials category, Game Titles, has an icon of Super Mario Bros. (A ? Block sprite from said game).

The Incredible Machine: Even More Contraptions (PC)

 * In the "Easy" contraption lineup, there is a puzzle named "Super Mel Brothers". In said contraption, Mel has a younger brother named Angus, referencing how Luigi is Mario's younger brother.

Jersey Devil (PS1)

 * A large, purple and green enemy will throw toxic waste barrels at Jersey Devil when he gets near them, an obvious reference to Donkey Kong.

Jet Grind Radio (DreamCast)
One of the songs that play in the game seem to reference Super Mario Bros. C'mon goin' to rescue Peach We're the Super Bros. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 We like the Mushroom

Jill of the Jungle (DOS)

 * A "News Bulletin" announces Mario, at age 72, is giving up superhero status because of Jill's "incredible" popularity. "We are not cool enough. We just did not stand a chance." states the newsflash. It also says that he will return to his old job, cleaning gorilla cages at the local zoo.

Jurassic: The Hunted (Multiplatform)

 * A turret based boss fight in a swamp features combat against two Tyrannosaurus Rexes, one a lime green and the other a pinkish color. The pallet choices were based on the Nintendo characters Yoshi and Birdo, who are often paired up by fans as a couple to match other characters in the Mario franchise.

Just Dance series

 * In ' for the Wii, Mario appears on track called "Just Mario" with the artist credited as "Ubisoft meets Nintendo". The track returns in ' for the Nintendo Switch as part of the "Just Dance Unlimited" service.

Kart Sweetie (App Store)

 * Four of the T1 karts highly resemble some karts from the Mario Kart franchise. There are 7 T1 karts, the 4th resembling the Sprinter from Mario Kart Wii, the 5th resembling the Standard Kart from Mario Kart Wii, the 6th resembling the Standard Kart from Mario Kart 7 with Standard tires and the 7th resembling the Cloud 9 with Sponge tires, also from Mario Kart 7. The Cloud 9 is called "Cloud" in this game.

League of Legends (PC)

 * One of the Rammus' skins, King Rammus, is based on King Bowser.

LEGO City: Undercover (Wii U, NS)
Due to this Lego game being published by Nintendo on the Wii U, the game has many Mario references.
 * Chase McCain, the game's protagonist, can build a Warp Pipe out of Lego bricks and enter it just like Mario, complete with the Super Mario Bros. sound effect. In the remaster, this was replaced with a Space Launcher.
 * Five ? Blocks appear. The player can jump up and hit them, producing the same sound effect as if a Coin had been collected (though nothing comes out of them aside from several Lego studs after they've been hit three times). In the remaster, the boxes were edited with a Rex Fury theme.
 * There is a parade with floats of stars, and one of them looks like a Super Star. In the remaster, the star remains but with the eyes removed.
 * Super Stars can be also built around the city, and when all five are built, the Pop Star character token is unlocked.
 * To unlock the fisherman, the player must fish at the Wharf, catching a Lego Cheep-Cheep.
 * Under one of the tunnels is an aquarium where another Cheep-Cheep can be seen. A shark will eventually come to eat the Cheep-Cheep, but will instead be eaten by a larger Cheep-Cheep.
 * There is a Lego Wiggler wandering back and forth over an ivy-covered tunnel entrance.
 * A buildable Bob-omb is used to break the cage containing the Chan Chuang token.
 * In an area of downtown, there are cannons that fire Lego Bullet Bills, which act like they did in Super Mario Galaxy.
 * A Large Lego version of Dry Bones can be built in the museum once Rex Fury has been unlocked. This was removed entirely in the remaster.
 * A Venus Fire Trap can be built behind the dojo in Bluebell National Park once the farmer costume is unlocked. It is hostile and will spit fireballs.
 * A Flagpole can be interacted with at the top of the castle in Fort Meadows. It does the exact same thing it does in New Super Mario Bros., complete with fireworks and the original sound effect.
 * One Red Brick enables Chase to wear Mario's hat. This was the only red brick not to make it into the remaster, including the Switch version.
 * In the "Miner Altercation" level, the player comes across an area with multiple ladders and boulders falling down ramps. As the player traverses the area, Chase remarks, "I hope there isn't a giant ape at the top of this thing!" This is a reference to Donkey Kong in his debut game.

In the multi-platform remaster of the game, all these references were replaced with non-Nintendo references due to copyright, but in an update for the Nintendo Switch version, these references were brought back.

LEGO Marvel Super Heroes (Wii U)

 * Right before the level Bifrosty Reception, the Human Torch will make reference to the Mario Kart series by saying the following:

Human Torch: Something about that big rainbow road... Looking at it, I just feel like... I wanna RACE!

LISA (PC)

 * In Area Two, a man dancing has a man dressed in red resembling Mario on his left with a man dressed in green resembling Luigi to his right. The man in green will talk about how much he hates his life, a possible reference to how Luigi is constantly picked on by other characters. The man in red, however, will talk about how he used to chase after females, a reference to how Mario is constantly rescuing Princess Peach.

LittleBigPlanet 2 (PS3)

 * When bouncing on a Bounce Pad, Sackboy will occasionally strike Mario's classic jumping pose.

Looney Tunes: Duck Amuck (DS)

 * After clearing Level 5 of Exploding Piano, Daffy will say "Goombas ate my lunch, my dear plumber."

Magic Touch: Wizard for Hire (iOS/Android)

 * Characters which are not unlocked yet wear a ? Block on their heads.
 * The background "Flame" appears to be based off Bowser's Castle, and it also contains an enemy resembling a Chain Chomp. ! Blocks are on the ground.

Maniac Mansion (NES)

 * When the player turns on a "video game," some music is played, and the player hears the first five notes of the famous Super Mario Bros. theme.

MapleStory (PC)

 * King Croopa, a character that appears during Mushroom Castle quest, is a parody of Bowser.

McPixel (Android/PC)

 * Mario appears as a patient in the hospital of Chapter 2, Round 3.
 * At Chapter 2, Special Round, Mario and Raphael from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles appears in a level. In the level, the three are in a bridge with lava underneath it. A mushroom is found in the bridge, and a Fortress and a Toad are seen in the level. If McPixel picks the mushroom and gives it to Raphael, he will spit a fireball which will hit Mario, causing him to get smaller.
 * Mario appears in the hub of Chapter 3.

Mega Jump (iOS/Android)

 * An unlockable playable character called "Super Redford" is the game's protagonist Redford but sporting a mustache and cap similar to those of Mario. This character was only available for a limited time during November 2011 to support Movember. Super Redford's name come from Mario's neutral form, Super Mario.

Mega Man Battle Network 3 (GBA)

 * Mario's clothes appear on the wall in Yai's room.

Mega Man ZX (DS)

 * Two brothers in Area C, named Yu and Lou, resemble Mario and Luigi.

Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes (GCN)

 * Mario and Yoshi dolls can be found in Otacon's Lab. Shooting the Mario statue plays the 1-up jingle and awards Snake with a small health boost, and shooting the Yoshi doll simply makes it say "Yoshi!". Additionally, there is also a Nintendo GameCube that can be found in the same place.
 * Psycho Mantis may mention Super Mario Sunshine ("You've been playing Super Mario Sunshine, haven't you?") and Super Smash Bros. Melee ("Oh, so you've played Super Smash Bros. Melee before.") if the player has save data for those games on their memory card.

Metal Gear Solid: Snake Eater 3D (3DS)

 * Yoshi dolls appear as collectible items, replacing the Kerotan dolls found in the original PlayStation 2 game. Their presence in the game is explained by Para-Medic as being due to Yoshi's popularity in the Soviet Union increasing. The game takes place in the 1960s ― before the Mario franchise, Nintendo as a game/toy manufacturer, or video games in general even existed.

Minecraft (Multiplatform)

 * The first known Minecraft sprite art was made two and a half hours after the game was first made available for download. The sprite was an image of Mario.
 * One of the 4x3 paintings that the player may get is 100m from the Donkey Kong arcade game. The picture the painting is based off is "Kong" by Kristoffer Zetterstrand.
 * An item called Elytra (used for gliding) that was added in 1.9 update was inspired by the Wing Cap from Super Mario 64.
 * A free content pack based on the Super Mario series, called the "Super Mario Mash-Up Pack," was released as part of a game update for Minecraft: Wii U Edition as part of a collaboration between Nintendo and Mojang, and was later released physically as well. The mash-up pack was later included in the Nintendo Switch edition.

Mirror's Edge (PS3/Xbox 360)

 * A secret achievement/trophy called "Hey, it's-a-me!" can be unlocked by executing a Stomp on an enemy, which is a reference to Mario's catchphrase.

Monster Hunter 4 (3DS)

 * Mario appears as a downloadable skin in the game.

Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks (PS2/Xbox)

 * The area where the player rescues Kabal from a cage is a homage to the Donkey Kong arcade game. Nameless Shokan soldiers throw boulders at Liu Kang and Kung Lao and they must climb up several cliffs while avoiding them until they reach Kabal and free him from the cage.

Motoko-chan no Wonder Kitchen (Super Famicom)

 * The Viruses make a cameo appearance.

N (PC) / N+ (XBLA/PSP/DS)
"According to legend, in pre-robotic times there existed a race of large, spiky stone dolts whose complete invulnerability and hereditary hatred of heroic Italian plumbers led to their persecution, and eventually to extinction. Thankfully they've been recreated, in robot form, and 3 of their 4 sides have been rendered harmless."
 * In N+, two of the selectable player skins strongly resemble Mario and Luigi, named "Player 1" and "Player 2" respectively.
 * A Thwump, a reference to Thwomps, is introduced in both games. The official description for this enemy is as follows:

Need For Speed: Most Wanted U (Wii U)

 * In the Wii U version of the game, there are three green pipe structures scattered throughout the map resembling Warp Pipes. Positioning the player's car on top of one of these pipes correctly causes the car to be lowered inside Mario-style, and the player is taken to one of three secret rooms. Within all three rooms is stylized text on the wall reading either "Level 1-1," "Level 2-1," or "Level 3-1"; green pipes scattered throughout the room, yellow Warp Pipe structures marking the exits; and construction beams painted on the walls positioned in a similar manner as Donkey Kong.
 * Within the "Level 1-1" room is an 8-bit stylized "?" on the wall above an Ariel Atom 500 V8 in red with blue trim, the colors of Mario.
 * The "Level 2-1" room features an 8-bit crown above a Caterham Superlight R500 colored pink with white stripes, referencing Princess Peach.
 * The "Level 3-1" room contains an 8-bit egg on the wall above a BAC Mono painted light green, Yoshi's colors.
 * Revealing each of the rooms unlocks three special license plates: one with the red Ariel Atom with "Plumber" inscribed upon it, one with the pink Caterham on it with "Princess" inscribed on it, and one with the green BAC Mono with the word "Dinosaur" on it.

Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors (DS)

 * While a group of characters (Junpei, Ace, and Santa) are exploring the ship's engine room, they come across a group of barrels stacked underneath a set of stairs. Santa jokes that they should get Seven (a large, heavyset character) to throw the barrels down the stairs, "like that old game." Ace reinforces the reference by describing the "gorilla who threw barrels" and how one needed to avoid the barrels as they made their way to the top.

One Piece: Super Grand Battle! X (3DS)
The game is compatible with certain amiibo. If the player scans a compatible amiibo, they unlock a costume of that character for one of the Straw Hat Pirates. The compatible Mario-related amiibo are Mario, Luigi, Donkey Kong and Yoshi, which unlock their costumes for Luffy, Franky, and Usopp respectively.

Petit Computer (DSiWare)

 * If the pre-made games, Dot-Racer or Simple STG are played and lost, a song similar to the Super Mario Bros. Game Over theme plays.

Phineas and Ferb: Across the 2nd Dimension (Wii, PS3)

 * Some of the weapons can be modified with Sound Chips. One of them plays the fireball sound effect from Super Mario Bros.

Pixel People (iOS)

 * The quote for Peter Piper or Mary Piper (Plumber Gene) says: "My princess is on another planet," which is a pun on Toad's line in Super Mario Bros., "Thank you Mario! But our princess is in another castle!".

Plants vs. Zombies (Multiplatform)

 * The Chomper is thought to be based off either Audrey II from Little Shop of Horrors, the Venus Flytrap, or the Piranha Plant.
 * The Sun-shroom's initial design is thought to be based on that of a Mushroom from the Mario series.
 * The Digger Zombie has overalls and a red shirt, similar to Mario.

Plants vs. Zombies 2: It's About Time (iOS/Android)

 * In the Chinese version, the Coconut Cannon when it is costumed and used Plant Food on it, it shoots a bullet that looks very similar to the Banzai Bill.
 * The Melon-pult has a costume that resembles the Mario Cap albeit without the 'M' emblem, it was used in the Chinese version, but it was found in the files of the international version albeit without the Plant Food upgrade.

Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare (Multiplatform)

 * The Chomper variant Fire Chomper is thought to be a reference to the Fire Piranha Plant.
 * The fire variant of the Sunflower is called the Fire Flower, which may be referencing the Fire Flower.

Platform Panic (Browser/iOS/Android)

 * ! Blocks, neon-models of Super Stars, and in-background panels featuring hills with eyes can be seen in most backgrounds.
 * As of Update 2, Piranha Plants also appear in backgrounds exclusive to the new level layouts.
 * Warp Pipes appear as gimmicks in the game, as of Update 2. They can be entered instantly, however giant spiked balls can also go through them.
 * An unlockable character, Plumber, is based around Mario.
 * Certain robot-like enemies that bounce play a sound that strongly resembles the one when Mario kicks a Shell.
 * Collecting a Coin makes a sound similar to the one heard in Super Mario Bros., but higher in pitch.

PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale (PS3/PS Vita)

 * One of Fat Princess's alternate costumes resembles Daisy's color scheme.

Pocket Card Jockey (3DS)

 * One of the horses' names is "One-up Mush", a reference to the 1-Up Mushroom.

Pocket Planes (iOS/Android)

 * Being a NimbleBit game, the Plumber A (Mario) and Plumber B (Luigi) costumes from Tiny Tower reappear in this game.

Pocket Trains (iOS/Android)

 * The Pipes cargo strongly resembles green Warp Pipes.
 * While costumes from previous NimbleBit games don't appear in this game, passengers wearing the Plumber A and B costumes can be seen.

Poker Night at the Inventory (PC)

 * Tycho remarks that he enjoys playing Tetris Attack and asks the Heavy if he has played it. He also tries to get the Heavy interested by making it seem more dangerous than it really is.
 * Tycho also references the phrase "on like Donkey Kong" and the fact that it has been copyrighted by Nintendo.

Pop'n Music 14 FEVER (Arcade)

 * One of the playable songs is a Super Mario Bros. medley. The song is not included in the PS2 home port due to Nintendo's policies on not allowing Mario content on a non-Nintendo console.

Project Spark (Xbox One/PC)
In the quest that comes with the Conker's Big Reunion DLC pack, while running through the Tediz brewery, Conker must take a series of slopes with giant barrels rolling down to reach the second floor. The similarity to the Donkey Kong setting is commented on by Conker: "What's going on? [The barrels] never stop coming. Is there some big ape throwing all these barrels down or what?" He will later chime in, "Can someone call a plumber?", in reference to Mario.

Project X Zone 2 (3DS)

 * The character Xiaomu makes multiple references to the Mario universe, and sometimes Mario himself. After the enemy, Saya, destroys her ship, Xiaomu will compare it to Mario ditching Yoshi, saying "You have as much moral integrity as an Italian plumber!"
 * During the Phoenix Wright-esque trial, Xiaomu will exclaim "Uh oh, guys, I think Ouma's got triple red shells and they're out for blood."
 * During her post-battle dialogue with Aty, Xiaomu mentions a Poison Mushroom.
 * During the Goblin chase sequence, when capturing the first one, it will say "Sorry, but our prin-I mean, your key is with another goblin!" referencing Toad's line in the original Super Mario Bros.

Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time (PS3)

 * During the Plumber's sole appearance in Clank's subconscious, he is seen searching through a Warp Pipe, which he later drops Clank into to awaken him from his mind trip; he refuses to go in because, in his words, "plumbers don't go diving down strange pipes all willy nilly. That'd be ridiculous!" (While not completely related to Mario, also noteworthy is that Charles Martinet has a major voice role as Orvus, Clank's father.)

Ratchet & Clank (PS4)

 * When unlocked, the Metal Currency appearance cheat turns all bolts that Ratchet & Clank collect into coins.

Rayman Legends (Wii U/NS)

 * In the original Wii U version, Rayman can wear a Mario costume and Globox can wear a Luigi costume. The Mario costume is called "Ray Plumber" and the Luigi costume is called "Glob Plumber". When Rayman glides with the costume, wings appear, making him look like Wing Mario. The costumes return in the Nintendo Switch expansion, Rayman Legends: Definitive Edition.

Rayman Raving Rabbids 2 (Wii & DS)

 * In a Nintendo Power preview of this game, there is art of a rabbid decked out in Mario's clothes holding a Nintendo Power that has had its name changed to "Nintendo Plunger". This costume does not appear in the final game, however.
 * In the DS version, the player has to avoid Warp Pipes in the mini-game Lunch Time.

(Nintendo Switch)

 * Exclusive to the Nintendo Switch version, two of the Nintendo-themed battle-cars are designed after Mario and Luigi, named "Mario NSR" and Luigi NSR" respectively.
 * Two of the customizable options for the battle-cars are the Mario topper. and Luigi topper.

Runbow (Wii U)

 * One of the victory lines that can randomly appear after a player wins a match is, "Your +1 is in another castle."

Sam & Max Save the World (Wii, Xbox 360, PC)

 * During the fifth episode: Reality 2.0, Sam & Max need to collect 5 gold coins (which looks identical to Mario's coins) in order to buy a Wooden Sword from Bosco's. After enabled low gravity, if the player clicks on the coins outside, Sam will say "Look, Max! It'sa me, Sam!" and then jumps like Mario to grab the three gold coins.

The Sandbox (iOS/Android/Steam)

 * After completing Day 9: Breaking Bad in "SandMix Vol.2", the completion message warns the player that if he crawls into a pipe, he could "end up in the lair of a big green turtle", which refers to Bowser.

Scooby-Doo! First Frights
During the funhouse area of Episode 2, Level 2, there are several drawings of Chain Chomp-like monsters on the walls.

Scott Pilgrim vs. the World: The Game (PSN & XBLA)

 * The "Subspace Highway" bonus areas are a reference to Rainbow Road, and the blocks in the areas are based on the Mario blocks.
 * When Stephen Stills finishes a level, he jumps into a Warp Pipe.

Scribblenauts (DS)

 * If the player typed "Weegee", a plumber will appear. This is not a direct mention to Luigi; it comes from the internet meme, which was spawned from the missaying of Luigi's name in the PC version of Mario is Missing!.
 * 4-1 is a parody of a typical Mario level. There are parodies of Piranha Plants, Koopa Troopas, Super Mushroom, the flagpole, and the Fire Flower.

Scribblenauts Unlimited (Wii U/3DS/Steam)

 * The Wii U version of this game has Mario, Luigi, Peach, Yoshi (in several colors), Toad, Bowser, Tanooki Suit (called Tanuki Suit), Frog Suit, Goombas, Koopa Troopas (in red and green), Bob-ombs, Boos, Shy Guys, Mushrooms, Fire Flowers, Coins, and Stars spawnable. The characters can interact with these items, as most characters will become invincible when they touch a Star, coins can be collected (but for no real reward), Peach runs away from Bowser, Goombas can be stomped, Mario fights with Bowser and his minions, Toad attacks Shy Guys, Bob-ombs explode, Boos near the player when they look away from them, Mario and friends ride Yoshis and Karts,etc.
 * The Exclamation Point stage's Starite mission has hikers trying to reach the peak of a mountain. This maintain has its paths slanted and short vertical paths that function identical to ladders in the game, much like 25m from Donkey Kong. Additionally, there is a yeti on the peak of the mountain throwing barrels stopping anyone from continuing, identical to what Donkey Kong does in the aforementioned game. Maxwell must find a way to calm the yeti down without killing it.

Scribblenauts Remix (iOS/Android)

 * 8-9 is similar to 4-1 in the first Scribblenauts game, meaning once again it is a parody of a typical Mario level.

Shantae: Risky's Revenge (DSiWare)

 * One of the residents of Scuttle Town says "When I moved to this town, I owned a monkey, but a couple weeks after arriving, he was gone. I wonder what ever happened to little Chewbonky Kong?"

Shovel Knight (Multiplatform)

 * The map style is based on that of Super Mario Bros. 3.

Simple DS Series Vol. 44: The Gal Mahjong (DS)

 * Sprites of Yoshi and a Shy Guy can be found in the game's files.

The Simpsons Game (Multiplatform)

 * Mario can be seen working in the video game factory (although, with a few changes to avoid copyright issues).
 * One of the lines in the video game factory is "Did you ever meet Bowser? Terrible guy."
 * Players can use Warp Pipes to travel around, complete with a similar sounding sound. When characters exit Warp Pipes, they adopt the pose that Mario does in various logos for the series.
 * An ape uses barrels to attack, similar to Donkey Kong.
 * A cut-scene shows Professor Frink marrying a female Koopa Troopa.
 * Before the last part of the thirteenth level (Big Super Happy Fun Fun Game), Homer and Lisa can be seen running towards a flying boat, which loosely resembles the flying ship from Super Mario 64. Additionally, if the player opens the to-do list, it will say the flying boat is an airship.
 * In the cutscene before Episode 16, as the video game world collapses, Mario, alongside other video game characters flee to the Simpson's house. In the house, Homer asks what's for dinner, and the Mario-like character says "I hope it's-a spaghetti! Here we go!" In the next cutscene, Mario is one of the characters seen running to Heaven.

The Simpsons: Tapped Out (iOS, Android)

 * The quest for building Luigi's is called "It's A-Me, Luigi!", a reference to Luigi's catchphrase. Luigi Risotto says the phrase himself after the quest is completed.
 * During the Halloween 2013 update, Homer has a new option, "Deal with Ghosts". Homer will eat a Donut, Grow, and eat the ghost. He will then run around with his arms back like Mario and Luigi, eating donuts that are appearing like the way Mario and Luigi collect coins.

The Sims series

 * For SimCity developed by Nintendo for the SNES, see List of Mario references in Nintendo video games § SimCity (SNES).

MySims Kingdom (Wii)

 * If the player listens closely to Hopper in The Forest of the Elves, he'll sometimes make sounds similar to Yoshi.

MySims Agents (Wii)

 * When investigating the sewers in the Industrial District, if the player examines a pipe, he will hope that nothing will come out of it and that no turtles live in it.

SimCity DS (DS)

 * Bowser's Castle makes a cameo as a unlockable landmark for the player's city.



The Tower DS Classic (Nintendo DS)

 * There is a building called Mario Tower (マリオタワー), which the player can enter a minigame to gain more money when they are short of funds. The tower is a statue of Mario posing. The minigame also features music taken from Super Mario Bros.

Skullgirls

 * The character Peacock features multiple references to other forms of media, especially old cartoons, but among the references are an attack involving the Goomba's Shoe, and another attack involving a sword with a similar design to a Banzai Bill. Additionally, a voice pack for Peacock gives her a quote for the former move, in which she exclaims "Kuribo!".

Skylanders: Giants (PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii, Wii U, 3DS)

 * One of the Cutthroats in Cutthroat Carnival is named "Bowsers", a reference to Bowser.

Skylanders: SuperChargers (Wii U, Nintendo 3DS)

 * Turbo Charge Donkey Kong and Hammer Slam Bowser figures can be used in the Wii U and Nintendo 3DS versions of the game. They drive Barrel Blaster and Clown Cruiser vehicles, respectively. Donkey Kong drives the Barrel Blaster with Diddy Kong, while Bowser's Clown Cruiser resembles the Hurricane from Mario Kart DS. This is a result of a collaboration between Activision and Nintendo.

Skylanders: Imaginators (Wii U)

 * Turbo Charge Donkey Kong and Hammer Slam Bowser figures are compatible in the Wii U version of the game, which makes them playable. Their moves and abilities remain the same as its predecessor.

Smule Magic Piano (iOS)
The following Mario-related songs are playable:
 * Ground Theme from Super Mario Bros.
 * Underwater Theme from Super Mario Bros.
 * Chill from Dr. Mario
 * Jungle Theme from Donkey Kong Country
 * King K. Rool's Theme from Donkey Kong Country
 * Main Theme from Super Mario Bros. 2

Sonic the Hedgehog (Genesis)

 * In the level Marble Zone, the statues on the temple's roof in the background resemble Mario.

Sonic Lost World (Wii U)

 * Yoshi's Island Zone is a DLC level which features Sonic in a Yoshi's Story themed level. This DLC level was part of Sonic Lost World because of Sega's collaboration with Nintendo.

Spelunky

 * One of the items is a yellow cape resembling the Cape power-up from Super Mario World. It allows Spelunkers to descend slowly, similar to the power-up. Additionally, one random name a Shopkeeper can have is "Yoshi".

Splashy Fish (iOS, Android)

 * The player controls a fish resembling a Cheep Cheep through pillars.
 * The Arcade Elements in the Splashy Fish store add Warp Pipes to the game.
 * If the player taps the screen three times quickly, the jump sound will change to the 8-bit sound from Super Mario Bros..

SpongeBob SquigglePants (Wii/3DS)

 * Super Mario Bros. and many other NES games are spoofed in an individual "nanogame".

Spore (Multiplatform)

 * In the Creature Creator chapter of the Prima Games guide, one of the creatures is called "Sloshi", a reference to Yoshi. Its description also references Mario (as Miguel, a Spanish carpenter), Princess Peach (as Princess Apple), and Bowser (as Growser, a terrapin). The Mushroom Kingdom is also spoofed as the "Ivy Kingdom". Finally, the Koopa Troop is also spoofed via a reference to Growser's "tortoise minions".
 * In the Space Stage, creatures from other empires or the player's empire can offer a mission to destroy one colony of an opponent empire. If the player accepts the request, the creature says, "Ho, yeah, buddy! It's on! It's on like Tronkey-Kong!"

Spyro: A Hero's Tail (Multiplatform)

 * There is a robot character named Mergatroid with a red shirt, blue overalls and a red cap with the letter 'M' on it who is a parody of Mario.
 * There is an enemy that looks like a Piranha Plant. Some of these enemies also spit fireballs much like a Fire Piranha Plant.
 * There is a Yeti enemy in the cave levels who throws barrels, similar to Donkey Kong.
 * While trying to recall the name of the collectible items of the game, Light Gems, the Professor mentions Power Stars and Red Coins.

Spyro: Year of The Dragon (PS1)

 * The Rhynocs in Seashell Shore throw barrels at Spyro, similar to Donkey Kong.
 * The slides in the Crystal Island and Haunted Tomb levels in Midnight Mountain are strikingly reminiscent to the slides in Cool, Cool Mountain and The Princess's Secret Slide from Super Mario 64 and were most likely inspired by them.

(Android)
One of the levels, named "Monkey Business", is modeled after Donkey Kong, specifically the 25m stage. A gorilla-like model grabs barrels that are dropped down above it and rolls them down the platforms. While the player can't use them, there are also ladders lined along the platforms. Some blocks are also scattered along the bottom of the stage.

SteamWorld Dig (Multiplatform)

 * A hidden area leads to Mario's castle. Inside the castle, there is an area that contains coins and blocks from the Super Mario series.

(Multiplatform)

 * One of the hats in the game is a Red Cap, which resembles the Mario Cap with a letter "L" instead of the letter "M". The description reads, "When hanging out with mushrooms and reptiles, you oughta show who's king of the piping. A real go for the big bro."

(Multiplatform)

 * At the end of the Trial of Flight, the player runs down a corridor towards approaching fireballs cast by a robot, who is defeated by pulling a lever on the other side of him, collapsing the bridge and causing him to drop into the lava below, similar to the end of the castle stages in Super Mario Bros.

Strong Bad's Cool Game for Attractive People (PC/WiiWare)

 * In Episode 5, the real world is merged with the video game world, and many of the people of Free Country, USA think that they are video game characters. Marzipan, who was previously helping Bubs fix his Concession Stand, thinks she is "Lady Crate Ape". She kidnaps Bubs and goes to the top of the stand. She then jumps and causes the scaffolding around the stand to collapse and begins throwing crates around. This is a spoof of Donkey Kong. The box art for Lady Crate Ape also appears in the game, depicting a female ape that bears a strong resemblance to Donkey Kong.

Stunt Race FX (SNES)

 * Mario and Luigi appear on some of the billboards all around some of the courses.

Subway Surfers
In the game, a character named Lee has a green jacket that has a Mushroom and a Star on it.

Superhot (PC)
There is an achievement called It's a me, Mario! It is a call back to Super Mario 64 where the game boots up with its logo and Mario says that line.

Super Meat Boy (Xbox 360/PC/Wii U)

 * The game's title has the same initals as Super Mario Bros..
 * Warp Zones, secret portals to an 8-bit world, appear four times in every world: Two of them in the Light World and two of them in the Dark World.
 * When entering a Warp Zone or a Glitch World level, the screen is a parody of when entering in a level in Super Mario Bros..
 * The names of the Glitch Worlds are references to the Minus World glitch in Super Mario Bros..
 * The character selection screen is very similar to the Super Mario Bros. 2 character selection screen.
 * When Meat Boy finishes a Warp Zone or a Glitch World, a character says "Sorry Meat Boy, but Bandage Girl is in another Warp Zone," a reference to the Mushroom Retainer's line from Super Mario Bros. Similarly, the endings of the Game Boy-like Warp Zones are a reference to the fake Daisy from Super Mario Land.
 * After defeating a boss, a flag and fireworks appear, which are a reference to clearing a stage Super Mario Bros..
 * The way Dr. Fetus is defeated is a reference to how Mario defeats Bowser in Super Mario Bros..
 * The Glitch World of The End is a reference to the Airship levels in Mario games.
 * One of the Game Boy-themed Warp Zones is titled Sky Pup, a possible reference to the Sky Pop from Super Mario Land.
 * In Cotton Alley there's a level called "Bullet Bob". This is probably a reference to Bullet Bill, because this level is focused on bullets.
 * In this game there's an enemy called Oob, which name is reversed Boo and they act similarly to them.

Super Play Action Football (SNES)

 * On the coin that is tossed before the game, Mario's head is the Head side and Raccoon Mario's tail is the Tail side.

Super Stickman Golf 3 (iOS/Android)

 * There are four hats titled Red Plumber, Green Plumber, Red Mushroom and Green Mushroom that greatly resembles Mario Bros. (lacking the M and L letters) and the Toad species. Red Plumber and Green Plumber also appear as golfer outfits, which captioned as the pun of the two famous quotes "It's-a me, Mario!" and "Lets-a go!"

(Multiplatform)

 * While this game is in the style of Super Mario Bros., the twenty-first level of the main story (the fifth level of the cave) - which is entitled "Miyamoto Monument", referencing Shigeru Miyamoto - begins with a layout similar to that of World 1-2 of Super Mario Bros.

Taiko no Tatsujin DS: Touch no Dokodon! (DS)

 * The Super Mario Bros. theme is one of the available songs that the player can interact with playing the correct rhythm.

Taiko no Tatsujin Wii: Kettei-Ban/Taiko no Tatsujin Wii: Chogouka-Ban (Wii)

 * Mario, Luigi, Yellow Toad, and Blue Toad appear on the New Super Mario Bros. Wii medley track, as well as several enemies and the Koopalings.

Tales of the Abyss (PS2/3DS)

 * When Mieu finds a mushroom in the Mushroom Road (Malkuth Empire's north, near of Grand Chokmah), he asks Luke if eating it would make him bigger, referencing Mario's ability to power-up upon eating a Super Mushroom.

T-Blocks Puzzle New Generation Jigsaw Puzzle (iOS)

 * A picture of Princess Peach was one of the levels. A broken-up picture of Princess Peach was the app's icon.

Team Fortress 2 (PC)

 * The May 15, 2017 update adds a hat from the Rainy Day Cosmetic Case for the Engineer class based on the Mario Cap called the Plumber's Cap.

Tekken Tag Tournament 2: Wii U Edition (Wii U)

 * Among the several Nintendo-related elements, characters in battle can collect Super Mushrooms and Mega Mushrooms to grow bigger, Poison Mushrooms to shrink, and Super Stars. The power up/down sound effects from Super Mario Bros. can also be heard. Characters can also wear Mario, Luigi and Bowser costumes. Later on, additions of Toad and Peach costumes were also revealed for the characters.

Terraria (Multiplatform)

 * A weapon known as a "Flower of Fire" appears in the game, which is a reference to the Fire Flower. Similarly, there is also a weapon known as a "Flower of Frost", which is most likely a reference to the Ice Flower.
 * The "Plumber's Clothes" look like Mario's Outfit, though blue in the console and mobile versions.

Thomas Was Alone (Steam)

 * When the player jumps a total of 2,400 times in the game, an achievement called "Mario" is unlocked, most likely referencing Mario since he is often associated with jumping.

Tiny Tower (iOS/Android)

 * On Bitbook, a spoof of Facebook, one of the many Bitizens' posts says that he or she needs a plumber to unclog his or her sink and save a princess. Another post says, "With our new roommate , we can finally play Mario Party."
 * There are Plumber A and Plumber B costumes, which are based on Mario and Luigi, respectively.
 * In the plumber commercial floor, a seemingly wilted Piranha Plant in a Warp Pipe and a Mario Cap and overalls hung on a coat hanger stand can be seen in the background.
 * The costume shop commercial floor has a Luigi Cap as the symbol for the custom hat item. Also, the cap as well as his overalls can be seen in the shop's background.
 * A series of connected Warp Pipes can be seen below the tower itself.
 * Additionally, one of the many Bitizens' quests involves tapping loose Warp Pipes to collect them.

Tiny Tower Vegas (iOS/Android)

 * One of the many Bitbook posts that may appear says, "Sometimes life sends you a blue shell."

Toontown Online (PC/Mac)

 * At Goofy Speedway, there is a Mario Kart-esque racing game complete with items, item boxes and bananas used as obstacles.

Touhou 2: Story of Eastern Wonderland (PC-98)

 * The Bakebake enemies bear a striking resemblance to the Boo enemies. Surprisingly, the Duplighost's Japanese name shares the same name as the enemy from the same game.

Touhou 3: Phantasmagoria of Dim. Dream (PC-98)

 * Two of the in-game objects the player can shoot resemble objects from the Mario series; Hoshikazos are stars and the Crescent enemies are 3-Up Moons.

Uniracers (SNES)

 * One of the tracks is named "Wario Paint", a portmanteau of "Wario" and "Mario Paint".

Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines (PC)

 * When the player passes by the arcade at the Santa Monica pier, sound clips from Donkey Kong can be heard.

Viewtiful Joe (GCN/PS2)

 * If the player holds down the X button, Joe will throw up a bomb, jiggle it on his knee, and whistle the first 6 notes of the Super Mario Bros. theme. If player does it in mid-air, he'll whistle another part. If the player does it in Slow Motion, he'll whistle another part. This has been removed from the later PS2 release.

(iOS/Android)

 * The Lost Levels (a collection of event-based levels from the free version of the game including previous Levels of the Week) references the title Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels.

World Gone Sour (XBLA, PSN, PC)

 * Upon encountering the gum enemies in the first level, the narrator says "You can jump on these to kill 'em? What? Like mushrooms!" No doubt referencing Goombas.

World of Warcraft (PC)

 * Mario and Luigi appear and both carry giant hammers, however they have the names Larion and Muigin, if the "n" is removed from the end and swap round the L and M it will say Mario and Luigi.
 * An item known as "red white-spotted mushroom" can be obtained, which is a reference and resembles a mushroom. It bears resemblance to the mushrooms that appear in Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars.

Zero: Tsukihami no Kamen (Wii)

 * The Luigi costume for Misaki Asou (one of the main characters), is available after completing the game.

Zoda's Revenge: StarTropics II (NES)

 * The guy holding the pizza which the player must deliver to Cleopatra rides a Koopa Troopa.

Miscellaneous apps
Numerous unauthorized apps based on the Mario franchise have appeared; many are subsequently removed because of copyright issues, although others have retooled the basic Super Mario platformer premise (i.e. new graphics, power-ups and backstories, etc.) enough to remain active. These sorts of games include:
 * 3D Cartoon Land Safari, a slightly altered version of Super Mario 3D Land
 * Barrels!, similar to Donkey Kong
 * Cloud Run, starring a stick figure wearing Mario's hat, among other parallels
 * A Kaizo World, featuring Mario-styled levels
 * Lep's World, a Super Mario Bros.-like platformer
 * Mario Parody, just as the title suggests
 * MineKart 64, a supposed combination of Minecraft and Mario Kart 64
 * Mobile Andrio, based on Super Mario World
 * Mobile Jario, based on Super Mario Bros.
 * Rufio Adventures, another Super Mario-esque platformer
 * Stardash, a sped-up version of Super Mario Land
 * Super Androix, based on Super Mario Bros. 3
 * Super Monster Bros., based off Super Mario Bros. with Pokémon as the playable characters and sounds copied from Super Mario World
 * Secret Maryo Chronicles, a game inspired by Super Mario World
 * Banana Kong, an endless runner heavily inspired by Donkey Kong Country and Donkey Kong Country Returns.

The Android game Era's Adventure used a Yoshi as the titular character, causing controversy among many Mario fans and Nintendo contacting the developer, causing him to change the character model to resemble a Yoshi less. The developer did not actually intend to copy Yoshi, for he was not familiar with the Mario series and just got the model off a stock site.

As well as platformer games, other types of apps also arise, such as Mokus Line up, a match-3 game using Mario series Mushrooms as the icons. Another example is iRwego, which used the iPhone's accelerometer to detect a person's movements and play the appropriate Mario sound effect, such as the Mario jump sound for jumping, the Warp Pipe sound for crouching, as well as hitting brick blocks, and stomping Goombas, among other noises, tunes and a few choice Mario catchphrases (such as "Here we go!", which is the inspiration behind the app's title). However, due to iRwego's unexpected popularity, its creator decided to remove the app to avoid any copyright conflicts with Nintendo.