In an unexpected turn of events, fans of the beloved Nintendo Co. Ltd “Super Mario” games were met with news that Charles Martinet, the iconic voice actor behind the famous turtle stomping plumber, announced his decision to step down from the role.
Nintendo announced the move in a tweet acknowledging his contribution to the decades-long role. In their statement, the video game giant announced that Martinet will be taking on a new role related to the “Super Mario” franchise.
“Charles is now moving into the brand-new role of Mario Ambassador,” Nintendo said. “With this new transition, he will be stepping back from recording character voices for our games. It has been an honor working with Charles to help bring Mario to life for so many years and we want to thank and celebrate him.”
Martinet took to social media to respond to speculation about his departure from the role.
“My new Adventure begins! You are all Numba One in my heart! #woohoo !!!!!!!” Martinet said.
News of Martinet’s departure as Mario arrived amid speculation about why the plumber’s voice sounded different in promo material for the new “Super Mario Bros. Wonder” game, due out on October 20 began spreading online.
Many fans took to social media to express their feelings regarding the Nintendo shake-up.
With a tenure spanning over three decades, Martinet’s distinctive voice and infectious enthusiasm have become synonymous with the character, leaving the Nintendo playing community both nostalgic and concerned about the future of Mario’s voice.
While promoting ”The Super Mario Bros. Movie,” Chris Pratt, who voiced the character in the film said he understood the fandom’s reaction to his role.
“There’s a passionate fan base and I’m one of the fans. I get it,” Pratt said to Gizmodo. “Mostly, people don’t want something like this to get screwed up, They’re precious about it.”
Although Martinet first appeared as the voice of Mario in the 1994 CD-ROM game “Mario Teaches Typing,” most players were introduced to Martinet’s iconic voice in 1996’s “Super Mario 64” for the Nintendo 64 console.
The upcoming release of “Super Mario Bros. Wonder” and the recently successful “Super Mario Bros. Movie” are the two roles where Martinet does not play the titular character, although he voices Mario and Luigi’s father in the movie.
The news of his departure marks the end of an era, as fans recall the memorable lines and catchphrases that have become synonymous with the character.
Martinet’s contributions to the Mario franchise extend beyond the core games, with him lending his voice to various spin-offs, animated adaptations and even theme park attractions. His work has not been limited to just the Italian plumber.
Martinet has voiced other iconic characters. From Mario’s heroic brother, Luigi, to his archrival Wario, Martinet’s versatile voice has left an indelible mark on gaming history.
Martinet’s career goes beyond video game voice acting. Martinet stated once that he had roles in both theater and television but knew nothing about video games. He gained the Mario role when he “crashed an audition” in 1990, CNN reported in 2017.
Despite the recent news about his separation from the voice acting role, Martinet told fans at a Canadian gaming expo over two years ago that he wanted to voice Mario till he “drop[s] dead,” the Associated Press reported.
Nintendo has not publicly released the reasoning behind Martinet’s departure as Mario or who will replace him as the voice of Mario.
