Nintendo on whether Mario feels pain

Have you ever wondered if Mario feels pain? Takashi Tezuka, who has been working on the Super Mario series since the very beginning, was recently asked that very question.

The Verge recently spoke with Tezuka, who weighed in – kind of. He first started out by simply stating: “It may be that Mario does feel pain.”

Takashi went on to explain is that what really matters are the emotions players feel while playing the game. He noted:

“If the player feels that Mario is feeling pain, that’s a better experience, rather than talking about whether Mario actually does feel pain. For us, if Mario hits an enemy and the person playing goes ‘ow!’ that’s ideal.”

The Verge’s question came about given what Mario experiences throughout his adventures. Whether it’s falling into a pit or taking on Bowser’s fire, there’s a lot the character has to deal with.

Many Mario games are currently available to play on Switch. These include Super Mario Odyssey, Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury, and Super Mario Bros. Wonder.