Yesterday was a big day for Nintendo, as the latest Nintendo Direct dropped all manner of news for both 1st and 3rd party titles. However, Shigeru Miyamoto kicked off the event by paying tribute to the Super Mario Bros 40th Anniversary, which is officially today! For forty years, Mario, Luigi, and the others of the Mushroom Kingdom have done all manner of things for the gaming culture, including reviving the game industry in the US after the crash of ’83. Today, it remains one of the biggest gaming franchises out there, with almost a billion software units sold.
Nintendo is celebrating in various ways, as the Direct showed, and on Twitter, they highlighted a certain sound that many of us know by heart:
2025 is the 40th anniversary of the original Super Mario Bros. game! Even after 40 years, this melody never gets old. pic.twitter.com/17ToOEbTsX
— Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) September 13, 2025
That sound effect is so iconic that we use it in the Nintendo Entertainment Podcast as our ending music! But beyond simple sound effects, Mario’s impact on the world is undeniable. When Tokyo was announced as the host of the 2020 Olympic Games, Mario had a huge cameo in that reveal.
Plus, the 2023 animated film made in conjunction with Illumination led to Mario having one of the highest-grossing animated movies ever! Oh, and its sequel arrives next year! Just when you think Mario can’t get any bigger, he does, and that’s why the Super Mario Bros 40th anniversary has many things tied to it, from a special exhibit and tickets at the Nintendo Museum, to key game releases tied to Mario and company coming out in bulk in early 2026, etc. And according to Insider Stealth, the official website for the anniversary is teasing even more announcements…
The Super Mario Bros. 40th anniversary website hints at more game reveals beyond what Nintendo showed in the Direct. pic.twitter.com/Y84XU6ypSF
— Stealth (@Stealth40k) September 13, 2025
Nintendo doesn’t go small when it celebrates anniversaries, so let’s see if more things are to come! In the meantime, tell us your favorite Mario games and memories!
Source: Twitter, 1, 2. Nintendo Museum
