"The classic platform game was first released in 1985 and has since become one of the biggest selling ever with more than 40 million copies flying off the shelves worldwide.

In the game brothers Mario and Luigi - now recognised the world over - try to conquer the Mushroom Kingdom in a bid to save Princess Peach.

Super Mario Bros 2 was released in 1988, and Super Mario Bros 3 in 1990. The third version was considered by many as the best, and has sold 18 million to date.

The poll of 2,0..."

"Brian Brinegar, a 29-year-old web developer from Lafayette, Indiana, and two of his avid gamers friends, Dan May and John Groth, decided to get together and play seven Super Mario Brothers games straight through the weekend for a good cause, the Child’s Play Charity.

The trio have been playing the original Super Mario Bro. all the way through to Super Mario Galaxy. Check out the fun while it lasts at Super Mario Marathon; and please give what you can, if you’re apt to do so! To date they’v..."

"We love Mario, but Nintendo's plumber always hogs the spotlight. Sure, he's got a cute outfit and we giggle like school children whenever he shouts "mamma mia", but there's more to the Mushroom Kingdom than a hairy Italian guy. With that, here are some of the characters Mario stepped on to reach the top."

"Do you ever find yourself humming a tune from a video game days after you last played it? We do. Some of these melodies are so catchy, they’re memorable years later. And the songs can become icons for the games themselves."

"What better to go with your Mushroom Kingdom bed sheets, light shade, wallpaper, alarm clock, dressing gown, posters, stationary, rugs and clothes (that's enough of describing Editor Stevie's prized possessions) than a Mushroom Lamp? It's not official Nintendo merchandise, but the red, blue, or green illuminated fungi are a definite playful nod to the adventures that take place in the world of Super Mario."

"According to the Guinness Book of World Records, the touching ballad "Yesterday" by The Beatles is the most covered song of all time.

That might be true, but it's quickly losing ground to an equally catchy jam from a much different musical era.

We're speaking, of course, about the most recognizable series of notes in video game history -- the Overworld theme song from Nintendo's classic 1985 platforming great, Super Mario Bros. Penned by legendary game bard Koji Kondo (who was also resp..."

"If you have a thing for the grim and morbid, then you'll feel right at home as we've dug up 100 deaths of our beloved Mario. You should know, however, that these deaths do not make up every death Mario's succumbed to in the last 26 years. That would just be too much for us - the bereaved - to handle. Grab a hanky and enjoy."

"Deep in the basement of an ancient house in Sonobe (tucked in the fields of Kyoto, Japan), an amazing discovery has been made: real 1up Mushrooms. We know this sounds unbelievable, and we laughed when we were contacted by an exporter about them two months ago. But then we were sent a sample, and that's when our lives changed forever.

The instructions are pretty simple. All you do is add potting soil to the green sewer-pipe-shaped flower pot, and push the spores deep into it. Soak the soil ..."