Mario was made by Shigeru Miyamoto , the Japanese video game designer at Nintendo. Mario first appeared in Donkey Kong and later became the star of the Mario series.

Quick Scoop

  • Creator: Shigeru Miyamoto
  • First major appearance: Donkey Kong
  • Why the name “Mario”: He was named after Mario Segale, a real person connected to Nintendo of America’s early days

Extra context

Miyamoto originally created the character during Nintendo’s early arcade era, and Mario’s look was shaped by the hardware limits of the time, which helped explain the hat, mustache, and overalls. Over time, Mario became Nintendo’s most famous mascot and one of gaming’s most recognizable characters.

TL;DR

Shigeru Miyamoto made Mario. Mario debuted in Donkey Kong before becoming Nintendo’s signature hero.