Super Mario Bros. was the game you had to play when I was a kid. There were plenty of other games on the system that were good, but Super Mario was the first game you played and the first one you showed to friends. It served the same purpose as Wii fit. It was what let you try out your new system and understand it. Super Mario world did the same thing, showcase the system. Mario 64 showcased the system and introduced 3d gaming.
There was also the merchandise and Cartoon. I remember those fondly, yet I bet trying to rewatch the old show would be ... disappointing.
Maybe you had to live it to understand the growth of his appeal. Several of the biggest advances in gaming from my childhood were ushered in by Mario, so to me he is gaming.
"But as always, technology refused to be dignity's bitch."--Vance DeGeneres
