Game Over: Mario’s Voice Retires After Three Decades, Nintendo Announces | Super Mario

The Japanese gaming company announced that Mario’s voice is “stepping back” in the role after 27 years as a Nintendo character.

Charles Martinet, 67, was the original voice of the Italian plumber, starting with the 1996 version of Super Mario 64. He also provided other voices in the game series including Mario’s twin brother Luigi, Wario, and the evil Waluigi.

“Charles is now moving into the brand new role of Mario Ambassador,” Nintendo said in a statement released Monday on Twitter, which has recently been rebranded as X. “With this transition, he will step back from recording character voices for our games, but will continue to travel the world sharing the joy of Mario and interact with all of you!

“It has been an honor to work with Charles to help bring Mario to life for so many years and we want to thank and celebrate him.

Please keep an eye out for a private video message from Shigeru Miyamoto and Charles himself, which we will publish at a later date.”

Martinet wrote: “My new adventure begins! You are all Numba One in my heart! Woohoo!!!!!!!”

The announcement came after fans began speculating online that the American actor had been replaced as Mario for the upcoming game Super Mario Bros. Wonder, with some noting that the character’s voice sounded different in promotional videos. Nintendo has confirmed that Martinet does not hear Mario’s voice in the new game, but has yet to reveal who the new voice is.

Martinet once said he based his voice for Mario on Petruchio, a character from Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew.

“I want to voice Mario till I’m dead,” he once said during a Game 2021 conference. “If I ever thought I could no longer do this, I would tell Nintendo to look into finding someone else.”

Martinet did not voice Mario in the 2023 animated film The Super Mario Bros. Movie. Guardians of the Galaxy star Chris Pratt voiced the title character, opposite It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia actor Charlie Day as Luigi. But Martinette voices two minor characters, including the brothers’ father, in the film, which has grossed over $1.357 billion (£1.06 billion, AU$2.11 billion) worldwide and has become the highest-grossing video game adaptation of all time.

Martinet has also voiced characters in games including The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim and Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack In Time.