What happens if you call 929-55-Mario?
Video game fans know Mario as the beloved mascot of Nintendo and star of many classic games like Super Mario Bros., Super Mario Kart, and Super Mario Odyssey. But did you know that dialing 929-55-Mario on your phone leads to a special treat from the iconic plumber himself?
Calling the “Mario Phone Number” will play a prerecorded voicemail greeting from none other than Mario. Nintendo set up this creative Easter egg back in 2020 to celebrate Mario’s 35th anniversary. Fans who discover the number are delighted to hear Mario’s cheerful voice on the other end of the line.
History
The 929-55-Mario phone number was first set up and announced by Nintendo in September 2021, soon before the release of the Super Mario Bros. film. Nintendo released a cryptic tweet on September 23, 2021 that simply contained the phone number and nothing else. This immediately sparked curiosity and speculation among Mario fans about what would happen if they called the number.
After the first fans called the number and spread the word online, it quickly went viral as people rushed to dial the number themselves. Nintendo soon confirmed that calling the number would allow fans to hear special voice messages ‘from Mario himself.’ The phone line was initially set up as a creative marketing promotion in anticipation of the upcoming Mario film.
Who Created It
The 929-55-Mario phone line was created by Nintendo in partnership with partners Voicetrax and Kontraband. The creative team behind bringing the iconic video game character to life through the phone line included several key individuals:
Charles Martinet, the voice actor who has voiced Mario and other Nintendo characters like Luigi and Wario since the 1990s, provided the voiceover work for Mario’s voicemail recording. Martinet helped bring Mario’s familiar Italian accent and enthusiastic tone to the phone line.
Ben Peck and John McDaniel of Voicetrax worked to adapt Martinet’s Mario voice for the phone system. They are experienced in creating interactive phone entertainment.
The Kontraband creative team also helped shape the phone line experience. Kontraband has created other pop culture phone lines before, like ones for the Minions from Despicable Me.
Together, Nintendo’s creative team and their partners built an interactive phone experience that allowed fans to hear a voicemail recording from Mario himself when calling 929-55-Mario. They brought the iconic Nintendo mascot to life through a real phone number.
Sources:
https://retrododo.com/call-or-text-the-mario-bros/
How it Works
Nintendo created the 929-55-Mario phone number as part of a promotional campaign for Super Mario’s 35th anniversary in 2020. The number utilizes an interactive voice response system that is triggered when the number is dialed. Here are the technical details behind how it works:
The phone number is routed to a server owned by Nintendo or an IT services provider they’ve partnered with. This server runs IVR (interactive voice response) software that takes the incoming call and plays a pre-recorded voicemail message voiced by Charles Martinet, the voice actor who has portrayed Mario since the 1990s.
The IVR system detects and answers the incoming call, then uses text-to-speech software or pre-recorded audio snippets to play a short message welcoming callers to Mario’s voicemail inbox. It then seamlessly transitions to playing the full pre-recorded voicemail audio file.
The voicemail message itself is high quality audio that was recorded in a studio environment in order to sound clean and clear. It was likely recorded by Charles Martinet and then sent to Nintendo to integrate into their telephone servers and IVR system.
The IVR software allows the pre-recorded voicemail to be delivered dynamically in response to incoming calls in real-time. This creates the illusion that Mario is actually picking up the phone and leaving you a voicemail message.
So in summary, the 929-55-Mario phone number uses telephony connectivity, IVR software, high-quality audio recordings, and text-to-speech technology to trigger a fun and interactive Mario voicemail message.
Mario’s Message
When you call 929-55-MARIO, you are greeted by an enthusiastic Mario with his iconic “It’s-a me, Mario!” followed by upbeat Italian music. Mario goes on to deliver a lighthearted voicemail message:
“Thank you for calling the Super Mario Bros. Super Plumbing Service. I wanted to let you know that we are currently closed for the season. Don’t-a worry though, we’ll be back soon to unclog those pipes, exterminate pesky turtles and squash Bowser’s minions like Goombas! Remember, video games don’t-a cause violence, I do! Wahoo! It’s-a me, Mario!”
The message gives fans a taste of Mario’s cheerful personality. His joking references to classic Mario gameplay elements and the controversy around video game violence add humorous touches. Overall, the voicemail captures Mario’s endearing innocence and playful spirit that has made him an iconic character.
Fan Reactions
The 929-55-Mario phone number has delighted Mario fans around the world. Many have recorded and shared their reactions after calling the number. In one popular TikTok video with over 4 million views, a fan calls the number and laughs in amusement as he listens to the pre-recorded Mario messages (https://www.tiktok.com/@nanosecondgaming/video/7199436957829795118). The comments are filled with others sharing how much they enjoyed calling the number themselves.
Other fans have posted reaction videos on YouTube, gleefully showing their smiles and laughter upon hearing Mario’s surprising phone greeting. It’s clear that this Easter egg phone number has brought joy to Mario fans of all ages. Hearing Mario’s iconic voice on the other end of the line is a novelty that fans can’t get enough of.
The comments on these reaction videos show just how much this simple phone number has delighted Mario fans. Many write about how calling the number made their day and brought back fond childhood memories of playing Super Mario video games. While a phone number may seem like a small detail, it has provided immense nostalgic joy for the Mario fan community.
Easter Eggs
Mario’s voicemail message contains several hidden secrets and fun surprises for fans. According to Reddit users who have called the number, if you wait on the line after leaving a message, Mario will return and leave a voicemail for you. In this return message, he says phrases like “Thank you so much for calling Princess Peach’s castle. This is Mario returning your call” and “Mamma mia! Thank you for calling. This is Mario.”
There are also reports on Reddit and YouTube of calling back repeatedly to hear slightly different messages each time. Mario has several pre-recorded messages that seem to play at random when fans call back. Fans have heard different variations, indicating the Easter eggs are intended for callers to discover.
According to this fan video, Mario’s voicemail even makes different noises like jumping and coin sounds at various points. There are likely many hidden audio Easter eggs waiting to be discovered through repeated calls.
Impact
The Mario phone line quickly became a viral trend on social media as people shared their experiences calling the number. Videos of people’s reactions spread across platforms like TikTok, Twitter and YouTube. The hashtag #CallMario gained popularity as fans posted about their calls.
Part of what made the phone line so shareable was the novelty and surprise factor. People didn’t expect to hear Mario’s voice when they called a random number. Hearing the iconic video game character deliver a personalized voicemail message was exciting and amusing for fans.
The interactivity of the experience also contributed to it going viral. Instead of passively viewing Mario in a game, fans could have a quasi-two-way interaction by calling the number. This created a sense of participation that inspired people to record their reactions and pass the number along to others.
Within days, calling the Mario line became a popular internet challenge. Fans competed to be the first among their friends to discover the easter eggs hidden in Mario’s message. The viral spread turned the phone line into both a fan experience and online event.
Try It Yourself
After reading about the funny reactions and hidden references that await those who dial 929-55-Mario, you probably want to experience it for yourself. There’s something undeniably nostalgic and entertaining about hearing Mario’s voice on the other end of the line. So don’t just take my word for it—go ahead and dial 929-55-Mario right now to hear the iconic plumber’s message! The call only takes a minute or two, but it’s sure to put a smile on your face and remind you of carefree afternoons spent playing Super Mario games. With video game-themed phone numbers becoming more popular lately, it’s worth giving this one a try for some lighthearted nostalgia. So put down your phone for a second as you finish reading this article, then pick it back up again to dial 929-55-Mario. You won’t be disappointed!
Conclusion
In summary, calling 929-55-Mario is a fun Easter egg hidden inside advertisements for the Super Mario Bros. Movie. When fans call the number, they’re treated to a special voicemail message recorded by Charles Martinet, the voice of Mario. Though Nintendo did not officially create the phone line, they allowed the use of Mario’s voice to surprise and delight fans. The message contains jokes and references to the Mario universe, showing Nintendo’s willingness to engage with pop culture. Fans have embraced the phone line, sharing reactions across social media. This simple promotion has clearly succeeded in generating hype and excitement leading up to the movie’s release. It’s a clever way to let Mario himself give fans a taste of what’s to come. So if you want a laugh, give 929-55-Mario a call and see for yourself! It’s sure to put a smile on your face.
