Mario is anything but your average plumber. Instead of rescuing lint from his exposed butt crack, Nintendo's most recognizable mascot saves the Mushroom Kingdom from the nefarious Bowser, all the while earning the love of the his fair maiden, Princess Peach. But come February 10, the white gloves come off as Mario does battle with his girlfriend as well as scores of other characters. Unfortunately for them, he packs a series of devastating attacks that'll make him a favorite among gamers the world over.

Created by video game mastermind Shigeru Miyamoto, Mario has grown into the most popular video game character in history. With over 100 games to his credit, the portly Italian plumber has done it all, from stomping goombas to shooting hoops and kicking soccer balls. But it all began in 1981 with a starring role in the arcade classic, Donkey Kong. After a big ape captures his first love, Pauline, Mario (known then as Jumpman) must rescue her, all the while avoiding barrels tossed by the rampaging DK. From there, him and his brother, Luigi, were tossed into the arcade game Mario Bros. before their big break, the NES pack-in Super Mario Bros. This 1985 blockbuster made Mario a household name and helped launch his superstar career. Before long, fans were treated to the vegetable tossing antics of Super Mario Bros. 2, and of course, the super popular Super Mario Bros. 3.

Since his humble 8-bit beginnings, Mario's grown into a plumber with personality. The 64-bit mega hit, Super Mario 64 expanded on his character, instilling him with a high-pitched, Italian accented voice and various mannerisms. And it's this version of him that adorns t-shirts, holiday decorations and video games, most recently, the fast-selling Wii adventure, Super Mario Galaxy, an adventure in which Mario explores the depths of space.

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