Mario turned 40 this year. An incredible accomplishment by any standard, but one that's made even more impressive when you consider how much more popular Mario is at 40 than he has been at pretty much any other point during his four-decade run. But can the world's most famous plumber keep that run going until he turns 100?
It's a question you've probably never pondered before, particularly when you realize Mario won't be celebrating his centenary until 2085, a year that most of us have never even thought about, and probably won't live to see. Some of Mario's creators were recently asked whether they think Mario has what it takes to still be popular when he hits triple digits, though, providing some fascinating insight in the Nintendo Museum's new book (thanks, VGC).
Takashi Tezuka, who worked on the original Super Mario Bros. and is still with Nintendo today, believes the key to Mario's continued longevity is as simple as creating games that don't run the risk of making players bored. The long-time Nintendo director also noted that while Mario games are very different today from what they were 40 years ago, the key is to make those changes gradually....
