The simplest answer?
Because Mario games are still, and have always been, consistently GOOD. You cannot say that about all Sonic, or Pac-Man, or Jak, or Crash, etc. etc. games.
Also, it just so happens that Mario rose above just being a popular game character, to being a pop icon. He's burned into the public consciousness in a way that other cartoon game characters simply are not. Sonic came close, a lot of people who have never touched a video game are aware of a "Blue Animal Guy" named Sonic. But EVERYONE knows who Super Mario is. In the 90s, it was stated that Mario was more recognizable worldwide at that point than Mickey Mouse, and that's saying something, because Mickey Mouse, despite not really (sadly) being used by Disney anymore, is STILL one of the most recognized pop icons of all time.
For Mario to even be in the conversation with Mickey Mouse, really says something. For as many other great "cartoon" game characters, or game characters period, as there has ever been, none of them really come close to Mario in terms of appeal and popularity, with the young and the old.
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