How about we do something a little different right now? Instead of talking about video games or developers or publishers, we talk about just one man and the impact he’s trying to have on gamers. That man is Charles Martinet, whom you might know as the legendary voice of Mario, among other characters. For decades, he was the one who shouted “Let’s go!” and all the various other iconic Mario catchphrases. Then, in 2023, it was announced that he was stepping down as Mario’s voice actor and instead stepping into the role of “Nintendo Ambassador.” We didn’t really know what that meant at the time, but now, we have a better picture of things.
You see, PAX West has been going on for a while, and one of the things that The Big N did at the event was host a Nintendo Live session, where Charles Martinet took part. He did a Q&A where he noted some things about certain topics, and then he dropped this rather inspirational quote that everyone should hear:
That just about says it all, doesn’t it? This world that we live in may seem to be the harshest thing around, especially with all the chaos and confusion going on in 2024. However, if we stick true to what we believe, be true to ourselves, and attempt to help others in the process, then we will be the heroes of our own story and do good in the process.
In many ways, that’s just like how Mario is in many of his adventures. Think about it: it doesn’t take much for Mario to go on his journeys. Oftentimes, he’s going after Princess Peach because something has happened to her, and he wants to save her. Or, he gets asked to do something, and he happily steps up to do it. Sometimes, he’s even beaten up at the beginning of his games by someone like Bowser, and he has to brush himself off and get right back into things. Mario is the epitome of never giving up and trying to push forward to the next goal, whatever it may be.
Perhaps after all those years of being Mario, Martinet wants to ensure that people learn this true life lesson, and as the new Nintendo Ambassador, he wants to ensure that people see the beauty of video games isn’t just enjoying them as you play, but learning things from them as you go.
We’re lucky to have him.
