After nearly three decades, Charles Martinet, the iconic voice behind Mario, announces his retirement from the role, but will continue promoting Nintendo as its global ambassador.
The world-renowned gaming company, Nintendo sets the dawn of a new era as Charles Martinet, the iconic voice behind its most cherished character, Mario, bids adieu to the signature role which he has held since 1996. After nearly three decades, Martinet has announced his decision to step into the role of a “Mario Ambassador”, focusing on promoting Nintendo globally while continuing to bring happiness to legions of fans.
Martinet’s involvement with the plumber protagonist doesn’t just include the titular Mario. His unique and versatile voice has also brought to life other Nintendo stalwarts including Luigi, Wario, and Waluigi. Yet, it’s widely agreed – it was Mario that solidified his standing as one of the defining voices of the gaming community.
Interestingly, he didn’t lend his voice to Mario in this year’s record-breaking film, ‘Super Mario Bros’, where Hollywood actor Chris Pratt took over. However, Martinet didn’t miss out on the film fun, making a cameo as the father of the on-screen brothers Mario and Luigi.
Speculations about Martinet’s future with Nintendo sparked after his voice was noticeably absent in the recent Nintendo Switch game, ‘Super Mario Bros. Wonder’. Nintendo, however, has been reserved about who will be stepping into the famous plumber’s shoes in the recall of Martinet’s retirement announcement.
Commencing his Mario journey in an educational PC game, ‘Mario Teaches Typing’ back in 1994, Martinet has been involved in numerous flagship Mario games including ‘Super Mario 64’, ‘Super Mario Odyssey’, and ‘Super Mario Galaxy’. His vibrant contribution to the Mario universe extended beyond the main series, also appearing in popular spin-off titles like the Mario Kart series.
Nintendo, in an official statement, feted Martinet’s substantial contributions in bringing the character to life, shaping Mario from a mere game character into a global sensation. Although details are sparse, fans can anticipatively hold on for a special video message featuring Martinet alongside renowned video games director, Shigeru Miyamoto.
Martinet himself has expressed his love for the role multiple times, even jokingly stating at a gaming expo that he wished to voice Mario “until he dropped dead”. However, he was open to the idea of a successor, stressing that if the time came where he felt he couldn’t do the role justice, he would support a replacement.
Nintendo’s ambassadorial role for Martinet will allow him to continue his passionate relationship with the company and its fans – signing autographs, performing character voices, and further promoting the Mario brand.
Despite a veil of mystery hanging over who will be the next voice of Mario, one thing is certain: Martinet’s legendary contribution to the charismatic character of Mario won’t be easily forgotten and his legacy will undoubtedly live on in the hearts of fans and gamers alike.
