Mario is dying on March 31, according to trending Tweets. However, that's only half of the story. The fictional character didn't die in the video game story or due to their franchise closing down. Instead, Mario is ending this month's sales for "Super Mario 3d All-Stars." A perfect prank to start April Fools.
The internet lamented over the "death" of the iconic red Italian plumber who has been the face of video games for close to four decades now. To this day, gamers could still recognize the great castle in the sky, red growth mushrooms and fireball-spitting flowers. First released in September 1985, Nintendo is ending its 35th-anniversary celebration by saying goodbye to Mario.
Is Mario Dying?
Not really. Fans are jokingly lamenting the loss of Mario in relation to Nintendo permanently ending their sales for "Super Mario 3D All-Stars" for Nintendo Switch and the Super Mario Bros themed "Game & Watch" handheld console on March 31. These merchandises are currently limited-edition products. Nintendo also ends their service for the battle royale game based around the original "Super Mario Bros." interface called "Super Mario Bros.35."
Fans are saying goodbye to these stuff, leading to some misunderstanding that gave birth to "Mario's Death" rumors. Twitter accounts such as @NathanielBandy1 and @MarioPlushNet have made exceptionally convincing threads about Mario's death. This tweet currently has 100 comments, 2.5K likes, and 193 retweets at the time of writing.
Nintendo is ending the line for a Mario-themed game, console, and accessory. This assortment of merchandise ironically worked in favor of the meme being misunderstood as the end for all Mario merchandise.
Nintendo's Decision about Mario
Whether it is intentional or not, the internet is in chaos over Mario's death rumor. However, the fact stands that Nintendo plans on ending these sales permanently.
The games are shutting down in the online store, which was previously accessible to Nintendo Switch Online subscribers. Nintendo will also stop its sales of "Super Mario 3D All-Stars" in its online store. The physical version of the game should still be available to various retailers until supplies last, so collectors should grab their copy now!
Read Also : Nintendo Switch Welcomes Two Legendary 'Super Mario' Games; Latest Updates On Specs, Price And More Unveiled
What Happens Now?
Mario and his legacy are going to be just fine. In fact, Mario is getting bigger and even more popular. Polygon reported that Mario recently got his own theme park in Japan. Mario is also getting his heavily-themed Super Nintendo World built in Orlando and Los Angeles in the coming years. Mario is far from over!
It is worth noting that April Fools' Day is just around the corner. The whole agenda is a collaborative effort between the company and its fans in celebrating "Super Mario Bros" 35th Anniversary with regards to a few jokes and memes along the way. Fans could still grab their tissues and join the bandwagon. However, Mario isn't going anywhere because our iconic red plumber man still has many games to offer in the years to come.