Mario

Mario (Japanese: マリオ, Mario) is the eponymous main character and protagonist of the long-running and highly successful Marioseries. He was created by Japanese video game designer Shigeru Miyamoto and also serves as the main mascot of Nintendo. Mario made his first appearance as the protagonist of the arcade game Donkey Kong, released in 1981. Since ''[http://www.mariowiki.com/Super_Mario_Bros. Super Mario Bros.]'', his trademark abilities have been his jumping and stomping powers, with which he defeats most of his enemies, and his ability to change size and gain powers with a plethora of items, such as the Super Mushroom and Fire Flower. Games have usually portrayed Mario as a silent character without a distinct personality (Fortune Street is a notable exception). According to Nintendo's philosophy, this allows Mario to fit in many different genres and roles. In most games, he is the hero that goes on an adventure to save Princess Peach from the evil Bowser, but he has been shown doing other activities besides adventuring, such as racing and sporting.