Miyamoto gives 35-year-old Mario advice, despite his forever age being 26

(Image credit: Nintendo)

With celebrations underway for Mario’s 35th Anniversary, a recent interview revealed the advice creator Shigeru Miyamoto would give to Mario if he was actually 35-years-old. 

In an interview with CCN, Miyamoto said that if Mario was as old as the franchise itself, he would tell the famous plumber to keep “living in a way that’s true to yourself” since it’s “more enjoyable than being in competition with others.” It’s definitely good advice to live by. 

According to Nintendo, Mario’s forever age in-game is actually 26 - no really, it’s true - but if he could age further to reach his 35th birthday, Miyamoto also offers some advice about staying in shape and looking after his trademark facial hair.

“You’ll be keeping plenty busy, so don’t forget to work out and keep your mustache well groomed,” Miyamoto said. 

Aside from the fact that I’m still reeling over the news that in Nintendo canon Mario will always be in his mid-twenties, with all of the shenanigans Mario has found himself caught up in throughout the years, Miyamoto gives some very sound (and sweet) advice. From climbing up ladders and avoiding the barrel-throwing Donkey Kong on arcade machines, to sailing through the sky on a ship with Cappy in Mario Odyssey, the plumber has come a long way. 

As part of the 35th Anniversary milestone, Nintendo recently announced Super Mario 3D All-Stars which brings back Super Mario 64, Super Mario Galaxy, and Super Mario Sunshine in a limited-time bundle for the Switch. Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit was also announced for release on October 16, along with Super Mario 3D World and Bowser’s Fury that’s set to launch in 2021.  

Keep track of the latest releases with our upcoming Switch games roundup. 

Heather Wald
Senior staff writer

I started out writing for the games section of a student-run website as an undergrad, and continued to write about games in my free time during retail and temp jobs for a number of years. Eventually, I earned an MA in magazine journalism at Cardiff University, and soon after got my first official role in the industry as a content editor for Stuff magazine. After writing about all things tech and games-related, I then did a brief stint as a freelancer before I landed my role as a staff writer here at GamesRadar+. Now I get to write features, previews, and reviews, and when I'm not doing that, you can usually find me lost in any one of the Dragon Age or Mass Effect games, tucking into another delightful indie, or drinking far too much tea for my own good.