It's been nearly three decades since Nintendo first introduced Mario to the gaming public in the original Donkey Kong arcade game. Since then, the jovial plumber with a spring in his step has gone on to video game stardom, becoming Nintendo's de facto mascot, with appearances in more than two hundred different titles. With a list of credits that any A-list actor would kill for and more endorsement deals than a superstar athlete, Mario's easily one of the biggest names in the entertainment industry today, and the best choice to debut The Clik's Character Spotlight.

Mario was first thrust into the spotlight back in 1981, when the intrepid hero was scaling buildings and jumping barrels to rescue poor Pauline from the clutches of an oversized ape by the name of Donkey Kong. Of course, back then we didn't know a thing about Mario ... even his name. When the first Donkey Kong cabinets hit arcades, Mario was simply known as "Jumpman". It wasn't until his return a year later, as the "bad guy" in Donkey Kong Jr., that "Jumpman" was christened "Mario", after Mario Segale, the landlord of Nintendo of America's office building at the time. And so, the legend was finally given his proper name.

While most people are quick to identify Mario's trade profession as being a plumber, that hasn't always been the case. In fact, during his Donkey Kong days, Mario was originally a carpenter. It wasn't until 1983, when Mario teamed up with his younger brother Luigi in the Mario Bros. arcade game, that he found his natural talent with a pipe wrench. In the years since, though, Mario's had a heck of an impressive occupational background. Mario has been a referee (Tennis, Punch-Out), a race car driver (Mario Kart), an archeologist (Mario's Picross), an Olympic level athlete (Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games), and even a doctor (Dr. Mario).

Mario's not just the hardest working man in video games, though. He's also a trendsetter. While Mario's fashion sense might never see the light of day on a show runway in Milan, he's got a closet full of clothing that Tim Gunn would be proud of. Sure we're used to seeing him in his classic red and blue overalls, but Mario's got an outfit for each occasion you could imagine. Starting with Super Mario Bros. 3, Mario built up his wardrobe with frog suits and raccoon tails, and even a suit swiped from his enemies, the Hammer Bros. Later games saw Mario decked out in a shiny (and heavy) metal suit, a jumpsuit with a propeller-equipped helmet, and even a penguin suit. Heck, one time he was even jumping around in an oversized boot with a wind-up key.

While being the lead spokesperson for one the world's biggest video game companies generates a fat paycheck for Mario, he hasn't been above shilling for different merchandising opportunities over the year. We're not just talking the usual t-shirts and baseball caps either. Back in 1988, Mario teamed up with his Nintendo co-worker Link and Ralston Cereals to hock the Nintendo Cereal System, essentially two different cereals packed into one box. While the cereal has long since been replaced on store shelves, nostalgic video game fans have been snapping up boxes of the twenty-two year old breakfast on eBay for as much as $200 a pop.

At the height of his popularity, you couldn't turn a corner without seeing something Mario related. The video game superstar was looking to spread his wings into other media. In 1989, DiC Animation brought Mario and his little brother to the small screen with the debut of the Super Mario Bros. Super Show. The show included live action segments, with former wrestler "Captain" Lou Albano filling Mario's overalls between animated adventures. By 1993, Mario was ready for his close-up, convincing some of the folks over at Cinergi Pictures Entertainment and Hollywood Pictures to put his exploits onto the big screen. Bob Hoskins and John Leguizamo played the roles of Mario and Luigi this time around. Unfortunately, the movie was panned by critics and gamers alike, leaving Mario to rethink his career path.

Mario left Hollywood behind and returned to the video game industry with a vengeance. In 2002, Mario jumped back into gamers' lives with Super Mario Sunshine for the GameCube. Mario was back in his prime and fans couldn't be happier. After his trip to paradise in Sunshine, Mario went 2D in Paper Mario and again in Super Paper Mario. He also jumped back behind the wheel with a few friends in new Mario Kart games released for the GameCube, DS, and Wii. He even took a trip to outer space in Super Mario Galaxy, before ultimately returning to his roots in the Mushroom Kingdom with New Super Mario Bros. Wii.

So what does the future hold for our intrepid hero? Well, Mario is scheduled to launch to the stars once again in Super Mario Galaxy 2, due out for the Wii this May. Beyond that, who knows? The sky might be the limit for most characters, but when it comes to this lovable plumber, he's always got a knack for finding a foothold and leaping to all new heights.