Mario Changed the (Gaming) World

The face of an industry, and the moustachioed mascot for millions of childhoods -- Mario is gaming. But as the hyper-competitive world of videogames grows ever more mature, how has Nintendo's cartoonish mascot endured as an emblem for the very best the medium has to offer? Hit play to see CNET go in search of the secret to Mario's success.

Originally dubbed "Jumpman", Mario made his first appearance in Nintendo's 1981 Donkey Kong arcade game, but it was his starring role in the groundbreaking Super Mario Bros. for the Nintendo Entertainment System -- which this year celebrated its 30th anniversary -- that made Mario a star.

   

The game proved to be a quite literal blockbuster, going on to sell over 40 million units, and rescuing the gaming industry from a catastrophic crash that had occurred just a few years earlier.