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Super Mario Bros (1993) - Easter Eggs
Rory Joscelyne • Jan 23, 2024
VGMP: Come on it's time to go! Reference Mario!
You'll be hooked
on the brothers! UH!
Super Mario Bros 93 was the first major Hollywood production based on a single existing game franchise, and it gained a reputation that tainted video game adaptations for the next 30 years!
Many negatives thrown at the film were the tech-noir aesthetic, adapting the cutesy games into such a hardened sci-fi (and even not sticking the landing with that) and - largely - the lack of game references the film includes. Many took the film at face value and failed to notice just how SMB 93 is dripping
in references to the Mario franchise.
So join us on a journey, as we showcase all the confirmed connections to the game series. If you want to see more connections, you can visit the official fansite for the movie here;
https://www.smbmovie.com/SMBArchive/specials/references.htm
MARIO MARIO
Let's start with the basics, the main man himself - Mario!
Played beautifully by Bob Hoskins (who infamously hated this movie), Mario's first big-screen adventure comes with a slice of Who Framed Roger Rabbit in Hoskin's eccentric performance. This is also the movie that canonised the name Mario Mario for the first time (since confirmed by Mario creator Shigeru Miyamoto).
LUIGI MARIO
Played by emerging lead, John Leguizamo, Luigi Mario is played as an adopted brother to Mario in this movie. Much younger, more hot-headed and brash.
This film, as with Mario, established Luigi's full name as Luigi Mario. Very different to modern portrayals of Luigi as a coward, because that element to his character didn't materialise until several years after this film was released, the only downside is he is lacking his iconic moustache.
KING KOOPA
King Koopa is a strange redesign in this movie. Played by the legendary Dennis Hopper, the infamous turtle-dragon is missing his reptilian features for most of the film and acts as more of a President Trump figure (decades prior to that infamous Presidential term). His hair is slicked back into bleached-blonde spikes and his outfit is black lizard-skin in design. This was because the costume and set designers bore in mind that mammals didn't exist in this universe, so there are no mammal skins anywhere across Dinohattan.
This odd design for Dennis Hopper's Koopa is not completely without merit, however. The first several artworks for Koopa/Bowser for the original Super Mario Bros game included a grey skin and blonde mohawk look for the character. This was soon changed to the more recognisable Bowser design we know of today, but it's likely Hopper's Koopa is based more akin to this early design.
PRINCESS DAISY
Well excuuuuse me, Princess! Daisy's character design in this is an amalgamation of the Princess Peach and Princess Daisy designs. In the West, Peach was still known only as Princess Toadstool - so it's possible that this name was considered either too on-the-nose or ridiculous for the leading lady. Super Mario Land on the Gameboy was released in 1989 and included Princess Daisy.
There are multiple other references to Super Mario Land in this film, including some locations name-dropped in the film itself. Could we have potentially seen a Princess Peach in the sequel that the film hinted at, but never got made?
TOAD
Toad is an oddity in this film, as he has two forms. Firstly he appears as a guitar-playing musician, singing for Koopa's overthrow. The second he is transformed into a Goomba - assumedly representing his "mushroom" form akin to Goomba's. This might have worked if the Goomba's in this film actually looked anything like the original characters. Still, his pre-devolved form looks pretty awesome and even includes his blue waistcoat!
As a bonus reference, in early drafts of the script this character was named Lemmy - likely a dual-reference to the Motorhead vocalist and Lemmy the Koopaling from Super Mario Bros 3.
IGGY and SPIKE
This villainous duo are based on two unconnected characters from Super Mario Bros 3. Iggy is one of the Koopa Kids/Koopalings and Spike is just a random enemy from that game. I don't know why these two in particular were chosen to be paired up, especially as their character designs never resemble the original characters. Iggy never gets the multicoloured mohawk or the swirly eyes. Spike is a little closer, only insofar as his hair (shaven at the sides) sometimes resembles that of the original character.
Two cool references, even if the pairing itself makes relatively little sense. Why not two Koopa Kids?
BIG BERTHA
She's a man-eater! Based on the big fish from Super Mario Bros 3, the game character returns multiple times in the games (Including Super Mario 64 after this). In the film, her man-eater credentials are played in a very different way, with Mario having to use his mouth to untangle a meteorite necklace from betwixt her bosom.
Like Iggy and Spike, she eventually turns good and helps the Mario Brothers when they need to escape the Boom Boom Bar.
YOSHI
The dinosaur of legend appears in SMB 93 as an absolutely incredible animatronic puppet. SMB 93 would have won awards for it's effects if it weren't for the unfortunate arrival of Jurassic Park that same year. However, Yoshi is an entire puppet - far more complex than any of the dinosaur props seen in Jurassic Park.
Is he much like the game character? Well, he's the same shape. But he's smaller than the game character, and while he uses his extending tongue on villain Lena, he never converts anything into an egg.
DANIELLA / PAULINE and SCAPELLI / DONKEY KONG
Pauline was Mario's kidnapped girlfriend in the original Donkey Kong arcade game. In early versions of SMB 93's script, Mario's film girlfriend Daniella's middle name was Pauline. This was because she was intended to be kidnapped by Scapelli once he had been de-evolved into a huge monkey - Mario would then have to save her by scaling a construction site.
Where this scene now sits in the movie, adding a Donkey Kong re-enactment would delay the main narrative. Scapelli's construction site remains, as does his de-evolution into an ape - but this time he's a small monkey. Both a shame for the loss of the original plan, but also an understandable one.
THE MUSHROOM KING
Trust the Fungus! Yes, Lance Henrickson appears for all of twenty seconds in this film, apparently a favour to the producer. The fungus of the city magically transforms back into the Mushroom King, not dissimilar to transforming the Mushroom King back to humanoid form in Super Mario Bros 3.
LARRY LAZARD
Koopa again? Yes, but also a bit no. The first time Koopa meets the Mario Brothers in SMB 93, he conceals his identity and pretends to be their lawyer - naming himself Larry Lazard. Larry was the name of another Koopa Kid/Koopaling from Super Mario Bros 3.
BOB-OMB
The most famous/infamous character in the film, due to the blatant product placement from it's Reebok shoes. The Bob-Omb in this is a massive explosive bomb, that moves based on a platic toy walking mechanism. Despite the short length of it's fuse, it takes about 5 minutes for it to actually go off!
BANZAI BILL
Named as a Bullet Bill in the movie, the open mouth design actually lines up more with the shape of a Banzai Bill. Bullet Bill's often include arms in their designs, whereas both this bullet and the Banzai Bill's do not.
These are used to fuel the Thwomper Stomper boots, allowing the wearer to jump large distances.
FAKE MARIO
Just an odd aside - only when Mario, Luigi, Iggy and Spike enter the Boom Boom Bar together, you can spot a fake Mario standing at the bottom-right of the frame for just a few seconds. Kind of funny there's a more game-accurate Mario costume in the movie, even if Hoskins isn't the one to wear it.
FIRE SNAKE and BULLET BILL
When the Brothers first enter Dinohattan, we get this beautiful panning up shot of the city. We see the entrance to a place called Bullet Bills (shame we never get to see it's interior) and a neon sign for FireSnake. To the left of the image I have overlaid images of the two enemies these reference. Firesnake was a jumping "snake" of fireballs in Super Mario Bros 3, whereas Bullet Bill's have been seen across the Mario series. As mentioned in the Banzai Bill section, they have always included arms in their design.
HAMMER BROS
Another long-time staple of the Mario series, the Hammer Bros are immortalised in this movie as a tattoo parlour on the main promenade.
SHYGUY
Barely visible until the Blu-Ray release, the word ShyGuy (as well as Toad) appears.
There has been an argument made previously that the fungus cleaners at the police station also resemble Shyguy's somewhat - although their faces more resemble gas masks. But this graffiti is an undeniable connection.
WART / FROG MARIO
This could be either, or neither. Across Dinohattan there is this green neon frog symbol. It is never connected to anything specific. This could either be a reference to Wart from Super Mario Bros 2 (he was a known character, as he had a cameo appearance in an earlier draft of the script), or to the Frog Suit worn by Mario in Super Mario Bros 3.
FRY GUY FLAMETHROWERS
Based on the living flame enemy in Super Mario Bros 2. It is uncertain if these refer to the flamethrower guns we see Koopa using throughout the film, or different weapons - but it's a cool easter egg nonetheless.
REX / REXX
A blink-and-you'll-miss-it neon sign from the police car chase. This sign could be a typo, considering the enemy is actually called Rex, however it is cool to see this Super Mario World enemy appear in the movie in some small capacity.
OSTRO
The Shyguy's of Super Mario 2 didn't just come after you on foot, sometimes they came in riding a big bird. What was the name of that bird? Ostro.
As you can see in the background of this shot (and visible in the main area of the film sometimes too) Ostro is immortalised as a red neon sign in the movie.
BIRDO
This includes a confirmed reference, and a theoretical one.
The mother who shouts at a punk "Don't touch my baby!" is theoretically considered to be a reference to Birdo. She has facial markings and carries an egg.
The confirmed reference wasn't seen until the Blu-Ray and 4K Theatrical Trailer remasters, where we can just make out that the taxi service across Dinohattan is called BIRDO TAXI's. Interestingly, the bird head that is just barely visible in the bottom left is more akin to the original Ostro art than Birdo.
SNIFIT
Snifit was seen in Super Mario Bros 2, and seems to have heavily inspired the design of the sludge-gulper crews working around Dinohattan. The one above was subdued with a toilet plunger, and finished off with a wrench to the back of the head by Mario - pretty sure that would have killed him.
WIGGLER and BOWSER'S CAVE
Wiggler Malt Liquor is seen across this film, including advertised atop a taxi and on a big sign as the Mario Bros escape the Boom Boom Bar (just before jumping in the sludge gulper). Wiggler was an enemy caterpillar first seen in Super Mario World and just after this film in Super Mario 64.
Another cool reference is the projected dance videos behind the dancers. For this brief scene, it plays an animated sequence of growing and shrinking Bowser's Cave sprites from Super Mario World. It's a great visual effect and an oft-missed reference to the game series.
FISHBONE
An enemy fish skeleton first seen in Super Mario World. This is most visible just after Mario and Luigi exit the sludge gulper (just after the Boom Boom Bar escape) and look up at the Koopa Tower.
THWOMP
Thwomp gets a lot of references in this film, not least because of the Thwomp Stomper shoes that allow characters to jump large distances.
These shoes are immortalised across the film in signage too, including a marble-effect wall art and a large yellow & red neon sign in the main shopping district of Dinohattan.
The best reference is briefly visible when Lena enters the train station with the rock (to betray Koopa). We get a close-up shot of this large Thwomp sign (which looks like paper or cardboard in HD). This artwork also shows that the film designers used the official Thwomp artwork from Super Mario World in the heel of the sole. A wonderful additional touch.
GOOMBA, KOOPA TROOPA and COBRAT
The only clear shot of all three, and the Koopa Troopa head is still a bit concealed by the first Goomba. In the film these are all collectively called Goomba's.
It's also worth noting that Koopa knocks all these guys over in one-punch, similar to how you can kill multiple enemies with one shell in Mario games.
Famously Goomba's have huge heads and tiny bodies. In this film, they have huge bodies and tiny heads.
The Koopa Troopa design includes a snout, more akin to the Koopa Troopa design.
Cobrat was a single-headed red snake from Super Mario Bros 2 and usually appeared in sand levels, likely inspiring the snake-headed "Goomba's" seen here.
SPARK
Various sources call the black electronic orb Spark, Sparks or Sparky. Either way, it's clear which one the production designers went with in this film. Clearly visible above Lena as she crosses Dinohattan in search of the meteorite piece. The red sign next to SPARKY was impossible to make out before. Using Photoshop to increase contrast and decrease brightness reveals that this text simply is stylish font for the word Lil'
ROTO-DISC
Even this Super Mario Bros 3 enemy made an appearance in the movie - it doesn't even have a face!
According to production designer David L. Snyder, the Roto-Discs are reimagined as the energy-conversion engines used in Dinohattan's cars.
BOO DIDLEY
Sometimes called Boo Diddley, or Boo Diddly - this was one of the first Boo appearances from Super Mario Bros 3.
This was a reference to the rock star Bo Diddley. It is only really visible in the HD release from this one shot - also gives us an alternative sign for Ostro.
BOOM BOOM
The famous Boom Boom Bar from the movie, there aren't many shots where the entire sign is visible - also none of the big neon text inside the bar. While trying to capture it for this, I realised that they turn the big pink bar sign of BOOM BOOM BAR off when the Mario Bros' are throwing the rock to one another (likely to make it easier to see the rock in motion).
Boom Boom was a villain introduced in Super Mario Bros 3.
CLOWN COPTER
A clear Clown Copter reference is seen with this industrial machine in Dinohattan. The first part of Mario and Koopa's fight sequence takes place on here, and it is also the place Koopa eventually fully de-evolves into a dinosaur and then into slime.
BRIDGE BOSS FIGHT
Following the first fight on the Clown Copter, Mario and Koopa showdown on a bridge in the middle of Dinohattan. This is a very clear reference to the boss fights seen in the first Super Mario Bros game. If only there had been a moment Mario jumped over him and used an axe to drop Koopa into lava.
TITLE LOGO
This may be coincidental, however the title logo for in-movie TV Show "Our Miraculous World" bears a striking resemblance to the Super Mario Bros logo from the first game. Though the basic nature of the design could make this coincidence instead of intended.
KOOPA SPIKED WALLS
The iconic spiked walls of Bowser's castles in Super Mario Bros 3 were brought into the set design for SMB 93, and they look fantastic!
QUESTION MARK BLOCK
The question mark block gets a small cameo appearance inside the police car, when Luigi tries to hack the internal computer.
SNES SUPER SCOPE
The SNES' main lightgun was a large rocket-launcher shaped device, called the Super Scope.
SMB 93 took several Super Scopes and modified them to make them longer, darker in colour and added a sniper scope. This is a really cool redesign of the original peripheral! These are used as portable de-evolution guns later in the film.
MARIO'S CEMENT FACTORY
I concede that this is purely coincidental. SMB 93 was filmed at a location called Ideal Cement Factory, a disused cement plant. This is why the sets look so good, they're all real! By chance, Mario had released a portable Game & Watch game called Mario's Cement Factory in the 80's.
SARASA LAND
Sarasa Land was the country Mario visits in Super Mario Land, when he first meets Princess Daisy. It's fitting, then, that we should be in Sarasa Land during the events of SMB 93, although it is slightly altered to SaurasaLand because of Dinosaurs in the film's scripts.
KOOPAHARI DESERT
Further adding to the Sarasa Land roots of the film, during the police car chase we see several road signs leading to Koopahari Desert - the second world of Super Mario Land. I'm not sure if Koopa River Parkway is a reference, but I couldn't find anything when I looked.
That's a rundown of the over 40 main references I could find in SMB 93 that relate to the video games. We hope you've enjoyed this look back through time, and please join our Discord to let us know if there's anything we missed!
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