List of references in animated television
The following is an alphabetical list of Mario-related sightings and references in animated television shows and movies.
- For animated shows starring Mario, visit the TV & Movies page.
American Dad!
Episode 58: "Spring Breakup" (originally aired May 18, 2008)
At Roger's spring break party, there is a brief scene involving a gorilla that resembles Donkey Kong, who is standing atop a mounain of beer kegs. The gorilla proceeds to toss a keg down to two frat boys in a similar manner to Donkey Kong throwing a barrel from the original Donkey Kong game.
Arthur
In the "A Word from Us Kids" segment for the episode "Arthur's Dummy Disaster", a certain child has a dummy which he calls "Mario". He describes the dummy, which is quite obviously a crudely drawn Mario, as being very athletic.
Also, the episode "Meek for a Week" features a heart-shaped watch known as the "Princess Peach Watch". Despite its name, though, it has nothing to do with Princess Toadstool; the names of the watch and princess may be coincidental.
In the TV movie "Arthur's Perfect Christmas", Muffy, during a line in a song, describes that presents mean nothing if her friend Francine isn't by her side. As she says this, she appears in a Mario outfit, on the end of World 1-1, and is hit by a Koopa Troopa.
Chowder
In the episode Chowder and Mr. Fugu, Chowder tries to find a place where he and Mr. Fugu can find food for themselves without Mr. Fugu eating his. He finally stops at a place where "every dish is different". The two men that take Chowder's order greatly resemble Mario and Luigi, though they only appear on-screen for seconds.
In the episode Sniffleball, Chowder must run 14 bases in a game of sniffleball so that he can leave the game. One of the bases features him, Gorgonzola, and Panini in an area that resembles a castle in Super Mario Bros. Chowder jumps on Gorgonzola's head and into a Warp Pipe, and Gazpacho declares him "safe". The scene is even pixelated. In addition, a song similar to the underground theme plays.
In the episode Big Ball, Chowder and Mung Daal joined Team Macadamia when Truffles became coach to Team Goulash to win the game. In some scenes of the episode, Chowder's Macadamia cap looks similar to Mario's cap. There is even a Bowser look-alike at the end.
Class of 3000
In the episode Funky Monkey a gorilla escapes from the class and takes refuge at the top of a construction site. Li'l D climbs the platforms to reach him, and the gorilla throws barrels at him in the process like in Donkey Kong. Li'l D even uses a large mallet to knock the barrels away.
Darkwing Duck
Episode 84: "The Frequency Fiends" (originally aired Oct. 17, 1992)
During the climax of the episode, Darkwing, Launchpad, Gosalyn and Megavolt build a life-sized level of the video game Son of Whiffle World to distract the Frequency Fiends (energy-based clones of Gosalyn). Although the Whiffle Boy series is more of a spoof of the Mega Man series, the level had a similar design to the first level of Donkey Kong. Darkwing, dressed as Whiffle Boy, had to leap over drums thrown down from the top level by Launchpad in order to rescue Gosalyn, who was dressed like a princess.
DuckTales
Episode 61: "Once Upon a Dime" (originally aired Dec. 24, 1987)
Near the beginning of the episode, Huey, Dewey and Louie try to convince Scrooge that they have a lucky quarter of their own in contrast to Scrooge's lucky dime. Huey goes on to tell Scrooge that they won six rounds of a game called Ducky Kong with it, and that the arcade machine gave them back their quarter every time.
El Tigre: The Adventures of Manny Rivera
In the El Tigre episode "Mother of All Tigres", at the end, they show two plumbers who look very much like Mario and Luigi, both with M's on their hats. The Luigi look-alike shouts "It's the zombie plumbers", which might be Wario and Waluigi, since one of them has a W on his hat.
The Fairly OddParents
"Fairy Fairy Quite Contrary" (originally aired Sep. 13, 2002)
In this episode, Timmy challenges his rival, Remy Buxaplenty, to a fairy duel. In the first portion of the duel, the fairies must save their respective godchildren from a gorilla, who throws barrels down girders at them, ala Donkey Kong.
Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends
"The Buck Swaps Here" (originally aired May 18, 2007)
In the episode, there are two men carrying a large mirror - one is tall in green overalls and a blue shirt, the other short and plump with red overalls and a blue shirt. This makes the two resemble the Mario Brothers. Also, when attacking the robber, they shout with Italian accents.
"Destination Imagination"
The fosters gang enters a game very similar to Super Mario Bros. with snails replacing the koopa troopas and garlic/onions replacing stars and mushrooms.
Futurama
Episode 1ACV01: "Space Pilot 3000" (originally aired Mar. 28, 1999)
At the very beginning of the series' premiere episode, a spaceship is seen flying through space, with Fry providing a voiceover. It is then revealed to the audience that Fry is actually playing an Asteroids-style arcade game, just as he encounters a gorilla similar to Donkey Kong, except with overalls. Although Fry attempts to blast the gorilla with lasers, the gorilla throws barrels at the spaceship, causing Fry to lose. A later shot of arcade cabinet then reveals that the game is entitled Monkey Fracas Jr., probably as a throwback to Donkey Kong Jr..
Episode 2ACV09: "A Bicyclops Built for Two" (originally aired Mar. 19, 2000)
A Donkey Kong-esque character appears behind a pile of crates and is subsequently blasted by Fry while playing a virtual reality video game; additionally, Fry makes the same noise Mario does when he jumps in this episode.
Episode 3ACV18: "Anthology of Interest II" (originally aired Jan. 6, 2002)
This episode centers around the show's various characters using the Professor's "What If?" machine to show them various alternate realities. In the second act of the episode, Fry wants to know what life would be like if it was more like a video game. The machine shows a world where Earth goes to war with the Planet Nintendu 64.
At the start of the scenario, President Nixon is signing a peace treaty with Donkey Kong, who is the Nintendian ambassador to Earth. The Planet Express crew watches on TV, leading to a mild argument between Fry and Professor Farnsworth about Donkey Kong.
Fry: Wait a second. I know that monkey. His name is "Donkey"!
Prof. Farnsworth: Monkeys aren't donkeys! Quit messing with my head!
DK turns on Nixon, however, and Mario, who is part of the Earth U.N. (for Italy), expresses fear: "Mamma mia! The cruel meatball of war has-a rolled onto our laps, and-a ruined our white pants of peace."
Donkey Kong then stomps atop the United Nations building, slanting the ledges across the side of the building diagonally, similar to the girders in the first level of the original Donkey Kong game.
Later on in the episode, the characters exit a Pac-Man-inspired maze through a Warp Pipe.
Towards the end of the episode, Donkey Kong demands for the citizens of Earth to hand over a million dollars in quarters over to the Nintendians. Lrrr then explains that the Nintendians need the quarters to do their laundry, and implies that Donkey Kong's loincloth needs washing.
The Devil's Hands are Idle Playthings (aired August 10, 2003)
A kid used a holophoner (an instrument that when played, creates holograms) and plays "a stranger in the night". In the hologram, a man plays a piano, and stairs appear, and the man and a woman climb them. A barrel rolls down and the woman jumps over it, the number 500 appears and the "jumping over a barrel" sound effect from Donkey Kong plays. The man then also jumps over the barrel to the same effect.
Futurama: The Beast with a Billion Backs (released June 24, 2008)
A Honkey Kong cabinet can be seen at the arcade Fry visits.
Later on, the sound effect of Mario being defeated in Donkey Kong can be heard when a ship is destroyed by Yivo.
Futurama: Bender's Game (released November 4, 2008)
During the opening sequence, a pixelated Bender can be seen beating his chest in the same manner as the original Donkey Kong.
The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy
"Bearded Billy"
Mandy says "My method is on like Donkey Kong!".
"Billy and Mandy's Big Boogey Adventure"
The Warp Pipe sound effect is used at one point.
Haré+Guu
In one episode, Haré is seen in a world of Video-Game parodies. He is punched up, and is sent flying through the air. Sonic the Hedgehog jumps out, hits his head, which sends him flying down, only to be punched to the side by a Mario figure.
Histeria!
Episode #43: "Communuts!" (originally aired May 8, 1999)
One sketch in this episode centers around Joseph Stalin speaking with his agent (played by Chit Chatterson). At the beginning, when the secretary asks if he has an appointment, Stalin demands, "Do you know who I am?!" The secretary replies, "Well, you look a little like that Super Mario guy."
Keroro Gunsou
Episode #126: "Keroro & Natsumi, Who's the real hero?"
To demonstrate a new "Reality-avoiding" device, Kururu and Saburo transported themselves into a Mario-esque game. It should be noted that various elements from Super Mario Bros. are used, including various bricks, a ? Block, a Warp Pipe, a Poision Mushroom look-alike, and a Bullet Bill knock-off. Also to note is that Kururu is dressed as Mario (Albeit with a diffrent hat and slightly edited overalls) and that Saburo is dressed as Luigi (Again, with the diffrences listed previously.)
Kappa Mikey
In the episode "Ship of Fools", the LilyMu company gets their own game which is a spoof of the game Donkey Kong. In it, Gonard is Cranky Kong, Lily is Pauline and Mikey is Mario.
The Legend of Zelda
"Doppelganger" (originally aired Oct. 20, 1989)
Near the beginning of the episode, Link can be heard whistling the Mario theme.
Megas XLR
Episode 18: Thanksgiving Throwdown (First aired: Saturday November 27, 2004)
The "Fabio Brothers" in this episode are very similar to the known Mario Brothers. In this episode there are another allusions to other fictional characters as Sonic the Hedgehog.
Muppet Babies
Episode 85: It's Only Pretendo (Originally aired December 2, 1989)
Throughout the entire episode, the babies play several "Pretendo" video games, and imagine themselves as characters in them. During the first part of the episode, Gonzo pretends to be "Super Bario Weirdo" in a Donkey Kong-style game, which has a dragon named King Copacabana throwing green balls in place of barrels. He then imagines himself in an area similar to the game's third level, where he hops across moving platforms to reach a cupcake. Gonzo then finds himself back in the first level, where Piggy has taken the place of the King Copacabana, although she's actually just disconnected the system in reality.
Piggy then attempts to play Donkey Kong Jr., but fails miserably. Going back to the original Donkey Kong, Piggy pretends to be a "Baby Mutant Ninja Piggy", scares off the real Mario, climbs up to King Copacabana and defeats him.
After Piggy's play session, Gonzo goes through his Pretendo cartridges, three of which are titled Super Bario Bros., Son of Super Bario Bros. and Second Cousin of Super Bario Bros..
A little later, Gonzo and Piggy imagine themselves in a The Legend of Zelda-inspired game entitled The Legend of Emelda: The Quest for the Golden Key. Strangely enough, the music that plays at the start sounds very similar to the cavern music from Super Mario Bros. 2.
In addition to spoofing the games, actual footage of the games themselves is shown briefly.
My Life As a Teenage Robot
Two mustachioed, Italian brothers dressed in red and green clothing similar to that of Mario and Luigi, are recurring villains on the show. Additionally, they are named "the Mad Hammer Brothers."
Ouran High School Host Club
In episode 9, Karou is playing a Nintendo DS game, that has a dinosaur like creature, which looks a lot like Bowser.
The Ren and Stimpy Show
Episode 1: Stimpy's Big Day / The Big Shot This episode starts off with a fake commercial, showcasing a boy who is offered a bicycle, which he rejects. The boy is then offered a video game, which he also rejects. But when "Log" is offered to the boy, he graciously accepts. The video game, although only a still shot of it is shown for a few seconds, clearly resembles Super Mario Bros.
Robot Chicken
On a certain episode of Robot Chicken, they show Spartans from the Halo series beating up Mario and Donkey Kong. They still rescue Pauline.
One of the segments featured a parody of the "Fast and the Furious" movie trilogy. Competing in the segments street race are Mario, Luigi and Wario along with several other pop-culture icons. Despite cheating by using the "blue tortoise shell" of the Mario Kart series, the bros. and Wario still lose. Additionally, Yoshi can be seen in the background during part of the race.
A "bloopers" segment in the episode "Massage Chair" had people attempting stunts similar to those featured on MTV's Jackass. One clip had a fight with people dressed as Donkey Kong and Mario.
Another segment features Mario and Luigi going on a series of misadventures in Vice City, which is among the ones featured prominently in the Grand Theft Auto video game series (though the setting resembles more Liberty City from GTA III, GTA: Liberty City Stories and GTA IV). After committing several crimes such as animal abuse (killing a turtle thought to be a Koopa Troopa), destruction of property, hit and run and possession of illegal substance (originally thought it was a Mushroom), Luigi ends up being killed by being shot multiple times by the police and Mario gets blown up by the military, after going on a fit of rage to the sight of his dead brother (he kills some soldiers before being shot to death while yelling "You'll never take me alive, you mother--"). It is to be noticed that, as the brothers rampage through the city, their wanted level rises to five stars, while in GTA the maximum wanted level is actually six stars.
The short ends with Yoshi going down the same road the bros. did but instead going left at the fork in the road. He ends up in Raccoon City, the setting of various Resident Evil games. While driving through the destroyed city, Yoshi ends up being decapitated by several zombies.
Seth McFarlane's Cavalcade of Cartoon Comedy
Seth McFarlane, famous for creating American Dad and Family Guy, has made a series of internet cartoons called "Seth McFarlane's Cavalcade of Cartoon Comedy", which first episode had a spoof of Super Mario.
The Simpsons
Episode 3F07: "Marge Be Not Proud" (originally aired Dec. 17, 1995)
In this episode, Bart wants the new extremely violent video game Bonestorm, but is having trouble getting it. After Jimbo and Nelson brag to him about their shoplifting, Bart observes that the display case housing Bonestorm has been left open. As he contemplates stealing the game, some video game characters pop up in his mind, the Mario Bros., Donkey Kong and Sonic among them.
- Luigi: Go ahead-a, Bart, take-a the Bonestorm.
- Mario: The store, she's so rich. She'll-a never notice.
- Donkey Kong: Duh, it's the company's fault for making you want it so much.
- Lee Carvallo: Don't do it son. How's that game going to help your putting?
- Sonic: Just take it! Takeittakeittakeittakeittakeit TAKE IT!
Notably, in this cameo Mario and Luigi's heights are switched.
Episode 3G01: "The Springfield Files" (originally aired Jan. 12, 1997)
At the Noiseland arcade, Donkey Kong is shown sitting under a banner declaring that on Friday he can be met in person, but no one seems to be coming to see him. The Manager walks by and says, "Sorry Donkey Kong, you're just not a draw anymore." DK responds by throwing a barrel at him, to which he replies, "Hey, he's still got it!"
Episode HABF20: "Please Homer, Don't Hammer'Em"
An arcade machine depicting what appears to be the first level of Donkey Kong can be seen in the background of the arcade Bart enters at the beginning of the episode. Additionally, when Marge and Homer are in their carpentry clothing, Marge wears overalls and a green shirt while Homer wears overalls and a red shirt, the respective colors of Luigi and Mario.
Episode GABF02: "Homer and Ned's Hail Mary Pass" (originally aired Feb. 6, 2005)
Shortly after Homer's showboating makes him a laughingstock, a bus full of Italian-Americans shows up in front of the house while he's taking out the trash. Mario comes out of the crowd, stands next to Homer, and says, "Fast-a, fast-a, take-a my picture with-a the Internet marmalok!" Homer then starts throwing trash cans at him in the style of Donkey Kong until he finally knocks him out.
Episode GABF09: "The Father, the Son, and the Holy Guest Star" (originally aired May 15, 2005)
At the beginning of the episode, when Skinner is introducing the school play, he says, "Now kids, since the Middle Ages had no compact discs or Super Mario Men..."
South Park
Episode 1110: Imaginationland (originally aired Oct. 17, 2007)
In several shots, a character resembling Mario, except with an "E" on his hat, can be seen among the residents of Imaginationland.
Episode 1111: Imaginationland Episode II (originally aired Oct. 24, 2007)
In several shots, a character strongly resembling Wario, except with an "V" on his hat, can be seen among the evil residents of Imaginationland.
Episode 1112: Imaginationland Episode III (originally aired Oct. 31, 2007)
In several shots, Mario, Wario, and a green Bowser can be seen among the residents of Imaginationland.
Spider-Man
In one episode of the new animated Spider-Man TV show, the viewer could see a person playing what seemed to be a handheld video game. While he was playing, you were able to hear both the Mario jump sound and coin collect sound from Super Mario Bros. on the NES.
SpongeBob Squarepants
Atlantis Squarepantis
In the part when Sandy Cheeks is in a videogame, she goes down a Warp Pipe and into a room that has the same frame and background as the used during game play of Dr. Mario. Also, she kills bacteria by stomping them, when she does so, the Jump sound is used. When the gang are rescued, the, "Too bad" noise from Donkey Kong plays .Finally, when SpongeBob, Squidward, and Patrick get kidnapped by a large virus, they shout, "HELP!", which appears on the screen. It is the same style as when Pauline shouts "HELP!" in Donkey Kong!
Super Robot Monkey Team Hyper Force Go!
In one episode, Otto gets a hologram and turns Chiro into Mario from Super Mario Bros., Link from Wind Waker, and Donkey Kong from Donkey Kong.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Fast Forward
In the episode "The Gaminator," Michelangelo comments that a certain videogame he and the other turtles are sucked into is the greatest platformer since Super Fabio Bros., a clear parody of Super Mario Bros.
Tiny Toon Adventures
Episode W-165: K-ACME TV
Halfway through this episode, a fake commercial plays, advertising "the brand new hit video game, Super Plucky-o Bros.!" The game parody features Plucky-o and his brother Linguini (two Plucky Ducks) being guided through Fungoworld, where they must rescue Princess Loon (Shirley the Loon) from the Toadstool Tower by picking a magic kumquat from a tree. Linguini tries to do so, but is then chased away from said tree by the Dizzy Doofus (Dizzy Devil), and then Pluckyo eludes various enemies larger than himself, until finally he finds "The Giant Nyah Nyah of Power" (a magic egg) that turns him into an invincible giant who defeats the enemies and plucks Loon from the tower. The game then ends, and we find Plucky playing it in an arcade. "It's more than a game, it's an obsession!" he says, right before a set of false teeth come out of the game and begin chasing him around as the segment ends.
Yin Yang Yo!
Episode 122: Attack of the Vidiots/Fit to be Tried
In the Attack of the Vidiots segment, Yang is sucked into his videogame by The Lesson, which forces him to play endlessly (or, at least, until he has learned how bad it is to play too much videogames). At a certain point, when Yang saves the princess, she says "Thank you, but the real princess is in another castle", in the same fashion of the Toads up until World 7-4 in Super Mario Bros..
Sound Effect Hearings
Sound effects from Mario games are also fairly common in modern animated series, particularly those with scenes that involve arcades, video game systems, or computers. Here is a list of animated TV shows where Mario sound effects can be heard (listed in alphabetical order).
- Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog
- American Dragon: Jake Long
- Batman: The Animated Series (used as sound effects for the "Maze of the Minotaur" game)
- Danny Phantom (The Mushroom sound effect has been used during "Teacher of the Year" and "Micro-Management")
- Dave the Barbarian (as well as the "Barrier" sound from Sonic)
- Fairly OddParents Odd Ball (The Mushroom sound effect is used.)
- Invader Zim (sound effects from Mario Bros. are used for a scene in an arcade)
- Kim Possible (in one episode, they are in an arcade. Sounds from Sonic and Pac-Man are also heard)
- Lloyd in Space
- Curious George "Doctor George" (George tries to investigate a mysterious noise that sounds exactly like the sound when mario goes down a warp pipe.)
- The Mighty B! "Doppelfinger" (The sound from Fire Mario when throwing fireballs can be heard in a segment)
- Mucha Lucha!
- Oruchuban Ebichu ep. 9 (The coin sound affect is used)
- Phineas and Ferb ("Gaming the System")
- Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1987 series)
- Techer's Pet
- Teamo Supremo
- The Weekenders
