Where would video games be without a certain mustachioed plumber? Mario completely redefined the platforming genre of video games, while proving that turtle shells are VERY dangerous on a go-kart track. He taught us how to save princesses from another castle, how to shoot fireballs at Goombas, how to fly using nothing more than the tail of a raccoon and, most importantly, he taught us that touching a star turns you invincible. (Note that not all of those lessons apply to real life.) Of course, if you're just starting out in your journey to become the Nintendo icon, then you might need a few pointers. Well, don't worry, since we've played every Mario game to date—even those weird Game & Watch ones—so we know exactly how to create the perfect look for your outfit. Let's start by checking out some of the best Mario Bros. themed costumes available.
Super Mario Costumes for Adults
The Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) came out in North America back in 1985. Those revolutionary games paved the way for modern faves like Minecraft and Five Nights at Freddy's. All of the kids who grew up playing Mario, Zelda, and Donkey Kong may have grown up, but their love of Nintendo certainly hasn't dwindled. In fact, most fans have only become more loyal, due to Nintendo's ability to charm and surprise us. It makes perfect sense that the kids who were smashing bricks in Mario games would grow and want to dress up as their favorite Italian plumber! Super Mario costumes for adults were designed with those old school fans in mind, and with plenty of classic characters to choose from, everyone can find the look that they've been dreaming about.
Mario Costumes
Although we have plenty of characters to choose from, the cast of characters from the Nintendo series starts with the main man himself, Mario! There are tons of reasons to love Shigeru Miyamoto's little plumber. He might be the most recognizable video game character on the planet, he's always got one chipper attitude, and he's the best there is at what he does. (Defeating Bowser and saving Princess Peach from danger, that is.) Just plan on getting spotted in a crowd immediately when you wear a Super Mario deluxe outfit, since wearing it will bring up the memories of smooshing your first Goomba and kicking your first turtle shell. It might even bring up that magical moment when you first rescued Princess Peach! (*sniff* we're getting a little teary-eyed just thinking about it).
Luigi Costumes
Of course, the award for best little brother in the entire universe goes to...Luigi! Why? Well, because the guy never bails on Mario when he has to save the Mushroom Kingdom and he can jump really, REALLY high. (Anyone who's played Super Mario Bros. 2 knows all about that.) Yes, if we could sign up to have anyone to be our bro, it would definitely have to be Luigi! Unfortunately, that just won't happen, but you can always decide to be the best bro ever with this awesome costume. Our Luigi costumes bring you the classic blue overalls and green top that makes Luigi stand out from his bro, so you can make sure that Mario has the backup he needs to take on Bowser. And the best part about these costumes is that you can totally do the Luigi Death Stare if you wear it while cruising around the neighborhood.
Princess Peach Costumes
Princess Peach has come a long way. She's no ordinary princess! She used to spend most of her time getting kidnapped by Bowser and his cronies, but these days she a bit feistier! She battles it out in Super Smash Bros., she races past the competition in her motorbike in Mario Kart, and she's clearly one of the best players in Mario Tennis. Yes, she's not quite the helpless princess that she was during the original games and that's why one of our Princess Peach Costumes is a great choice for any woman who's a take charge kind of leader!
Mario Tanooki Costume
Pop Quiz! How did Super Mario Bros. 3 revolutionize the Mario franchise? Easy. He finally got the ability to fly like a bird by growing a raccoon tail. Now, why a raccoon tail grants anyone the gift of flight is beyond our expertise—we think it has something to do with ancient Japanese folklore—but hey, if Mario gets to take to the skies because of it, we're not going to ask too many questions. You don't have to run around collecting leaves just to get this look either. All you have to do is use this officially licensed Tanooki-tail inspired Mario costume.
Mario and Luigi Couples Costumes
Let's talk about Mario and Luigi couples costumes. Most great things always come in pairs. It's a well-known fact! We have peas and carrots, Batman and Robin, and of course, Mario and Luigi! There are plenty of great ideas cooking in the Mushroom Kingdom when it comes to finding an outfit for you and your special someone. Just take a look at some of our couples costume ideas below.
Mario and Princess Peach Costume
It's the classic couple from gaming! Ever since the first Super Mario Bros., Mario ditched his old gal, Pauline, for the crowned Princess of the Mushroom Kingdom. If you're looking for a classic couples look, then going with a Mario and Princess Peach costume seems like a pretty safe bet.
Luigi and Daisy Costume
Luigi and Daisy are a more recent couple. Princess Daisy made her appearance back in the first Super Mario Land for the original Game Boy. Hints of their romance arose in games like the Mario Tennis series and Mario Kart series. Official sources say that they're just friends…but we think they make a pretty cute couple. We'd ship them! Going with a Luigi and Princess Daisy couples costume is a unique way to do couples cosplay.
Mario and Luigi Couple Costume
Everyone recognizes the iconic duo! Mario and Luigi are siblings in the game series, but you can bend the rules a little when crafting a Mario and Luigi couple costume. We have various sizes and styles for each character, including plus sizes, styles for both men and women, and even some fun gender-bending versions of the classic duo. All of these make creating your own unique couples look a cinch!
Mario Costumes for Kids
Girls' Mario Costume
People have been reinventing Mario ever since he first made his way to arcade machines back in the 1980s. We think that putting your own, unique spin on the classic character is a way to make your look your own. That's why we like some of these Mario costumes for girls. With creative styles that include skirts, it just gives you one more way to dress up like the character. They pair up great with any of our petticoats!
Toad Costume
Now, he's the real unsung hero of the Mushroom Kingdom! Toad has made his way into plenty of the games, where he's always ready to lend a helpful hand. He always has a stash of power ups to give Mario and he's down for some Mario Kart action. In Super Mario Bros. 2, he even helped his favorite plumber by digging up radishes and throwing them at baddies. Dressing up in a Toad Mario Costume is perfect for kids who are always trying to be a perfect little helper and we have plenty of costumes based on the little dude from the games.
Tanooki Mario Costume
The year was 1990. The very first season of The Simpsons began airing on television. The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles live-action movie hit the silver screen. But, of course, most importantly, kids across the U.S. were introduced to a little video game called Super Mario Bros. 3. Quite possibly the best Nintendo game of all time, it really broke expectations…especially ones involving raccoons. This Tanooki Mario Costume is truly a piece of video game legacy and it's every gaming parent's duty to show their child the ways of the Tanooki!
Boys’ Mario Costume
What kind of costume site would we be if we didn't offer a Mario costume for kids? It's a no-brainer as a solid costume idea for kid gamers. Just be careful if you take him to the go-kart track while wearing this deluxe kids’ Mario costume, since there's a good chance he'll try to smuggle a few red shells with him! And don't worry about the mustache. We know your little one probably hasn't quite been able to grow that perfect facial hair just yet, which is why this costume comes complete with a fake mustache.
Mario Kart Costumes
Super Mario Bros. may be the most well-known games features Mario and Luigi, but there's another game that holds a close place in our heart: Mario Kart! Yes, around the office here, Mario Kart is a pretty big deal. Tournaments are held on the regular. Champions are born and legacies are put to the test. It's a thing of beauty. Of course, that also means that we're pretty big fans of Mario Kart costumes and we have a handful of selections for gamers who want to dress like their favorite karting competitor (we all know that Shy Guy is secretly the best).
Evolution of Super Mario
Video games have evolved over the years, and so has Mario. From humble beginnings inside Shigeru Miyamoto's head to saving the galaxy, we don't think anyone could have predicted how many different roles Mario would assume over the years. He's been a carpenter that chases after a giant gorilla, to plumber and everything in between. Let's take a look at how he's changed over the years.
Evolving Mario
Shigeru Miyamoto wanted to emulate Mickey Mouse when designing Mario to be ready for evolution. He knew that digital technology would change, so he wanted Mario to be able to change too.
1981 Donkey Kong
Mario's origins start with Popeye. Donkey Kong was originally supposed to be a Popeye game, but they were never able to get it to work, so Shigeru Miyamoto ended up creating an original character and Mario was born.
1983 Mario Bros.
He became a plumber in Mario Bros. and he got a slight redesign with some brown hair and a color swap on his overalls.
1985 Super Mario Bros.
The Super Mario Bros. version had him wearing a brown shirt to match his boots. Although we haven't seen him sporting those colors since then, we think he looks pretty sharp!
1985 Super Mario Bros.
Of course, 1985 also began Mario's use of Super Mushrooms to a "super" size.
1988 Super Mario Bros. 2
Once Super Mario Bros. 2 hit, he went back to blue and red in his sequel! This marks the beginning of the look that we really know as the modern Mario.
1990 Super Mario Bros. 3
He finished his time on the NES by switching to some darker overalls, along with many new power ups.
1991 Super Mario World
1990's brought even more Mario! He began wearing gloves on his SNES debut and his overalls got brightened. Also, you can now see his little emblem on his hat.
1996 Super Mario 64
The Nintendo 64 saw the plumber taking the plunge into 3D, filling out his new look for the 3D age!
2002 Super Mario Sunshine-Now
As graphic capabilities increased, Mario's rough edges smoothed out into the classic character we know today! But he's still ready to jump into a new look any time the occasion requires it!
Illustrating Mario
Shigeru Miyamoto really can do it all, can't he? When coming up with the iconic character, he made rough sketches of Mario, which he handed off to external illustrator to polish up. The ending result gave the world Mario!
1981
The first iteration of Mario might not quite look the same as the way we imagine him today, but he still has his classic red and blue color scheme and beefy mustache!
1982
In 1982, the little plumber began looking a little bit more cartoonish, which would be an ongoing change for the character.
1983
Mario's overalls switched in 1983, giving him the color scheme we know him by today.
1985
By 1985, he started to look like his modern self! His overalls and shirt did yet another color swap for Super Mario Bros., but that wouldn't last too long. We also see the iconic "M" on his hat at this point.
1990
Once 1990 hit, he was back to blue suspenders and a red shirt. Other than that not much has changed about Mario.
1996-Now
The 3D age seemed to transfer the illustrated page to 3D design with relative ease. Mario remains an immediately recognizable character in video games to this day!
