Does Mario Feel Pain? Nintendo Finally Spills the Beans

Does Mario feel pain? This is something many have wondered since first playing Mario Bros. back in the arcade in 1983 or doing all type of abominable things to the poor plumber while playing Mario Party. We've also all seen Mario brutally mauled by a chain chomp while racing with his friends in Mario Kart. That looks like it hurts. But does Mario feel it? When he stubs his toe does he fall to the ground and scream Bloody Mary for 8.7 seconds? Feeling pain is part of the human experience. Is Mario human?

In classic Nintendo fashion, when someone recently asked it if Mario feels pain, they danced around the question in order to maintain the arcane secrets of the character. 

"It may be that Mario does feel pain," said Takashi Tezuka, an industry vet who has been working on the series since its inception, while speaking to The Verge. "If the player feels that Mario is feeling pain, that's a better experience, rather than talking about whether Mario actually does feel pain. For us, if Mario hits an enemy and the person playing goes 'ow!' that's ideal."

So, does Mario feel pain? It sounds like he kind of does. What's more important to Nintendo is whether players feel pain. And anyone who has been smashed by a punk AI who throw a blue shell right before you cross the finish line to victory has definitely felt pain. Lots of it. Does Mario feel it with players? We may never truly know. If it took over 40 years just to get this, there is a good chance we will be waiting another 40 before we get a clear cut definitive answer. 

For more Nintendo coverage -- including all of the latest Nintendo news, all of the latest Nintendo rumors and leaks, and all of the latest Nintendo speculation about whether Mario feels pain or not -- click here. Meanwhile, and as always, feel free to leave a comment letting us know what you think. Do you think Mario feels pain or is he an absolute unit who has never felt pain in his life?