While gamers loyal to Mario of Mario Bros. fame anticipated his demise on Wednesday, there's no evidence yet that the character has been killed off.
The internet went into a state of panic earlier this week when rumors began to circulate that the beloved character, who made his debut 35 years ago in "Super Mario Bros," was going to die on March 31. The franchise has been cryptic about the date for months, but as of Thursday there is still no word about whether Mario is alive or dead.
It all began in September, when the "Super Mario Bros" franchise released two remastered classic games, "Super Mario 3D All-Stars" and "Super Mario Bros 35" in celebration of its 35th anniversary. Nintendo, the owner of the franchise, also released several 35th anniversary Super Mario products, according to CNN.
The new products were to be available until March 31. Fans could not understand why sales would all be stopped on that specific date and soon a theory emerged that Mario was going to be killed off. Fueling the speculation, Nintendo posted a note on its website reminding fans that the games and products released in recognition of the 35th anniversary of Super Mario Bros. would end or be removed from sale.
"All I wanna know why you guys r taking them down bc I grew up with Mario and friends and all of a sudden y'all just "killing them" without giving an explanation it just sounds fishy," one fan tweeted to the franchise.
"Now let’s enjoy the execution of Mario for his war crimes and mass murder," a second fan replied.
"Thinking about how many times mario has died across the world in 35 years. thousands of times. maybe more. mario has experienced pain you couldn’t even fathom," another Twitter user wrote.
Despite the rumors, there is a good chance that Mario lives. Nintendo recently announced that "titles such as 'Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury,' 'Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit,' and the Super Nintendo Entertainment System -— Nintendo Switch Online version of 'Super Mario All-Stars' will continue to be available on Nintendo eShop and at local retailers beyond March 31st, 2021," CNN noted.
"As previously announced, the physical version of the Super Mario 3D All-Stars game will not be shipped to retailers beyond the Super Mario Bros. 35th anniversary period, ending March 31, 2021," Nintendo of America said Wednesday in a statement. "Units shipped during the anniversary period will remain available for purchase at various retailers, while supplies last. In-store availability should be confirmed with each retailer."
Zoe Papadakis ✉
Zoe Papadakis is a Newsmax writer based in South Africa with two decades of experience specializing in media and entertainment. She has been in the news industry as a reporter, writer and editor for newspapers, magazine and websites.
© 2026 Newsmax. All rights reserved.