Charles Martinet, the wizard behind the microphone who gave life to our beloved plumber extraordinaire, Mario, is hanging up his vocal overalls after a whopping three decades of “It’s-a me, Mario!”
This isn’t your run-of-the-mill retirement plan. Charles isn’t just swapping his sound booth for a hammock on a digital beach. Oh no, he’s donning a new hat – and it’s a global one. Prepare to welcome the ‘Mario Ambassador’ to the stage. Instead of warp pipes and warp zones, he’ll be exploring real-world destinations, spreading Mario’s infectious joy to every corner of the globe.
Remember that moment when Mario made the leap from 2D to 3D stardom in “Super Mario 64”? Yep, that’s Charles’s masterpiece right there. He injected more Italian flavour into Mario’s lines than a pizzeria crammed into a game cartridge. “Let’s-a go!” became the rallying cry, “Mamma mia!” turned into a pixelated exclamation mark, and “Wahoo” echoed through the ages like a joyful anthem.
Now, let’s talk numbers – Charles’s voice acting credits read longer than a list of power-ups. He breathed life into Mario’s moustached character in over 150 Nintendo games, adding his charismatic touch to everything from high-speed “Mario Kart” races to gravity-defying escapades in “Super Mario Galaxy.” And hey, he even made a cameo appearance in “The Super Mario Bros. Movie,” where Chris Pratt took the lead.
We have a message for fans of the Mushroom Kingdom. Please take a look. pic.twitter.com/U1ASicOuTO
— Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) August 21, 2023
Now, if you’re worried about missing Charles’s iconic voice in the upcoming “Super Mario Bros. Wonder” game, breathe easy. While he won’t be part of the action when it hits Nintendo Switch on October 20th, let’s just say Mario might be enjoying his own vacation while Charles embarks on his ambassadorial journey.
Charles Martinet shows us that even in retirement, he’s still the ultimate “Numba One”.
