The Super Mario Bros. Movie Pays Tribute To A Forgotten Nintendo Mascot
It's no surprise that "The Super Mario Bros. Movie" is packed with Easter eggs and references to characters, objects, and settings from across the Nintendo universe. These range from easy layups that even the most casual Mario fan can spot to deep-cuts bordering on the esoteric and absurd. Perhaps the deepest cut of them all is to a mascot for a 1980s console that was never released outside of Japan.
Viewers of the new film might have spotted a storefront in the Brooklyn setting where the adventures of Mario (Chris Pratt) and Luigi (Charlie Day) begin before their trip to the Mushroom Kingdom. The store is called Disk-kun. The store name is the same name as a forgotten Nintendo character and the mascot for Famicom Disk System. Whether or not one appreciates the reference or even recognizes it at all depends on how well-versed they are in deep Nintendo history.
The Disk-kun mascot has popped up here and there in various Nintendo projects
A peripheral that used floppy disks for the Nintendo Family Home Computer released only in Japan, the Famicom is a key part of the history of Nintendo. Disk-kun, the mascot created to promote the device, has even made a few appearances in a handful of games as a little treat for fans.
For the general audience of "The Super Mario Bros. Movie," the reference likely comes and goes without notice. Still, Disk-kun appears to have a bit of a cult following. On Twitter, a few fans of the mascot are enthusiastic about his brief appearance in the movie.
"My review is it's an automatic 10/10 just because Disk-kun was in it," @Lorange27 tweets. Another video game enthusiast, @earthbound64, has similar praise but keeps it simple, posting "DISK-KUN REFERENCE."
Seeing Disk-kun on the big screen is clearly a treat for a select group of hardcore Nintendo fans. Perhaps if the cameo gets enough attention, they'll be able to see Disk-kun in his own big screen adventure; although, this will likely not happen before several other Nintendo franchises get the "Super Mario Bros. Movie" treatment first.