It has been 35 years since Mario began his never-ending journey to save Princess Peach from Bowser, King of Koopas, travelling along green pipes and under skies of smiling clouds, collecting coins and stomping on Goombas along the way.
And though the pudgy Italian plumber became an international sensation with the release of the first Super Mario Bros on September 13, 1985, it wasn't actually the first time the moustachioed favourite was featured in a video game.
But he wasn't called Mario in his debut in the 1981 arcade game Donkey Kong, rather he was known as 'Jumpman' and he didn't have the sunny "Let's-a-go" personality we've come to know and love today.
Most of the plot around Donkey Kong revolved around the fact that Jumpman – who is a carpenter, rather than a plumber – mistreats his pet ape, who escapes and kidnaps his love interest, who at that point was only known as 'The Lady'. Yeah, I know.
Jumpman first became known as Mario in the 1982 sequel to Donkey Kong, known as Donkey Kong Jr. The game is the only one to have Mario portrayed as an antagonist, with twirled moustache ends and sideburns.
Mario got a mild makeover for the 1983 arcade game Mario Bros and was given a younger brother, Luigi. In the game, the two Italian-American plumbers fight to save New York City from creatures that have been emerging from the city's sewers.
The Mario we know today, with bushy moustache and the red overalls and cap, came into being with the 1985 release of Super Mario Bros. With the NES (Nintendo Entertainment System) game came our first dive into Mushroom Kingdom and the beginning of the legendary rivalry between Mario and Bowser.
Since then Mario has come a long way from his sprite-animated beginnings. Check out the gallery for a deeper look on how the Mario games have evolved in the last 35 years.
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
Traits of Chinese zodiac animals
Tiger:independent, successful, volatile
Rat:witty, creative, charming
Ox:diligent, perseverent, conservative
Rabbit:gracious, considerate, sensitive
Dragon:prosperous, brave, rash
Snake:calm, thoughtful, stubborn
Horse:faithful, energetic, carefree
Sheep:easy-going, peacemaker, curious
Monkey:family-orientated, clever, playful
Rooster:honest, confident, pompous
Dog:loyal, kind, perfectionist
Boar:loving, tolerant, indulgent
MATCH INFO
Uefa Nations League
League A, Group 4
Spain v England, 10.45pm (UAE)
Essentials
The flights
Whether you trek after mountain gorillas in Rwanda, Uganda or the Congo, the most convenient international airport is in Rwanda’s capital city, Kigali. There are direct flights from Dubai a couple of days a week with RwandAir. Otherwise, an indirect route is available via Nairobi with Kenya Airways. Flydubai flies to Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo, via Entebbe in Uganda. Expect to pay from US$350 (Dh1,286) return, including taxes.
The tours
Superb ape-watching tours that take in all three gorilla countries mentioned above are run by Natural World Safaris. In September, the company will be operating a unique Ugandan ape safari guided by well-known primatologist Ben Garrod.
In the Democratic Republic of Congo, local operator Kivu Travel can organise pretty much any kind of safari throughout the Virunga National Park and elsewhere in eastern Congo.
If you go...
Fly from Dubai or Abu Dhabi to Chiang Mai in Thailand, via Bangkok, before taking a five-hour bus ride across the Laos border to Huay Xai. The land border crossing at Huay Xai is a well-trodden route, meaning entry is swift, though travellers should be aware of visa requirements for both countries.
Flights from Dubai start at Dh4,000 return with Emirates, while Etihad flights from Abu Dhabi start at Dh2,000. Local buses can be booked in Chiang Mai from around Dh50
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Sri Lanka Test squad:
Dimuth Karunaratne (stand-in captain), Niroshan Dickwella (vice captain), Lahiru Thirimanne, Kaushal Silva, Kusal Mendis, Kusal Janith Perera, Milinda Siriwardana, Dhananjaya de Silva, Oshada Fernando, Angelo Perera, Suranga Lakmal, Kasun Rajitha, Vishwa Fernando, Chamika Karunaratne, Mohamed Shiraz, Lakshan Sandakan and Lasith Embuldeniya.
Other workplace saving schemes
- The UAE government announced a retirement savings plan for private and free zone sector employees in 2023.
- Dubai’s savings retirement scheme for foreign employees working in the emirate’s government and public sector came into effect in 2022.
- National Bonds unveiled a Golden Pension Scheme in 2022 to help private-sector foreign employees with their financial planning.
- In April 2021, Hayah Insurance unveiled a workplace savings plan to help UAE employees save for their retirement.
- Lunate, an Abu Dhabi-based investment manager, has launched a fund that will allow UAE private companies to offer employees investment returns on end-of-service benefits.
Januzaj's club record
Manchester United 50 appearances, 5 goals
Borussia Dortmund (loan) 6 appearances, 0 goals
Sunderland (loan) 25 appearances, 0 goals
Scoreline
Al Wasl 1 (Caio Canedo 90 1')
Al Ain 2 (Ismail Ahmed 3', Marcus Berg 50')
Red cards: Ismail Ahmed (Al Ain) 77'
