Illumination has released another trailer for its Super Mario Galaxy Movie and, in doing so, has subtly revealed that Nintendo is canon in the film's world. The upcoming animated sequel is an adaptation of Nintendo's classic mascot games, starring Chris Pratt as the voice of Mario and Charlie Day as his brother Luigi. The Super Mario Bros. films have been a feast for gaming fans thanks to their many Easter eggs and references, but now a reference to the company that started it all, Nintendo itself, has been sighted in the newest teaser.
Ahead of the Super Bowl, Illumination dropped a short teaser for The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, showing off some of the stunning and diverse new worlds Mario and his friends will be visiting.
In the corner of one scene, depicting a futuristic neon cityscape, fans can spot a holographic "N" logo atop one of the buildings.
This "N" is a reference to none other than Nintendo itself, as it mirrors the logo the company used for the Nintendo 64 console. The Nintendo 64, released in 1996, was home to iconic Mario games such as Super Mario 64, Mario Kart 64, and Super Smash Bros.
The inclusion of this logo marks the first acknowledgement from the Super Mario Bros. Movie franchise that its creator, Nintendo, exists in its movie universe. While it seems likely to be just a subtle Easter egg for fans and not a crucial plot point, the Nintendo 64's inclusion in the new Mario movie is a fun shout-out.
This isn't actually the first time that the Mario movies have shouted out Nintendo. In the first Super Mario Bros. Movie, the Mushroom Kingdom toads are gathered around a map showing a peculiarly shaped island. It's a blink-and-you'll-miss-it deep cut reference for fans, but the island is shaped like an N64 controller.
There will no doubt be more references like this one to discover when The Super Mario Galaxy Movie releases in April.
Nintendo has been sparingly referenced in-universe, even in its own games - although it has happened.
In Super Smash Bros. Melee, the player's trophy screen features a shelf full of Nintendo consoles, including the Nintendo 64 and its controller. Various generations of the Game Boy and the SNES can also be spotted, paying tribute to years of Nintendo's hard work.
The iconic Mario character, Diddy Kong (who is absent from the Super Mario Galaxy Movie), also once wore a Nintendo logo on his cap in-universe before receiving a redesign that removed it.
Nintendo and Illumination's The Super Mario Galaxy Movie releases in theatres on April 1, starring the voices of Chris Pratt, Charlie Day, Anya Taylor-Joy, Jack Black, and Brie Larson.
You can watch the new Mario Galaxy Movie trailer below:
What Other Nintendo Secrets Is the Super Mario Galaxy Movie Hiding?
The new Super Mario Bros. movie sequel has already proven it is expanding the animated Nintendo universe in every way. After introducing Mario, Luigi, and Princess Peach in the first film, the sequel introduces other legacy characters, like Bowser Jr. and Rosalina.
Along with that, the second film draws on the Super Mario Galaxy games, taking the action to new worlds that are full of possibilities (and plenty of references for fans of the Nintendo franchise). The cyberpunk-style world featured in the latest trailer is just one of the exciting new locations fans will experience in Illumination's sequel.
Another exciting addition to the sequel is Mario's loyal sidekick, Yoshi. The trailers have already revealed several of Yoshi's iconic mannerisms, such as his egg-producing powers, but including the green dinosaur in the movie also opens the door to several of Nintendo's Yoshi games being referenced and incorporated into the movie's lore.
