Here’s all the Easter eggs we spotted in the new trailer for the Super Mario Bros movie, whether it’s Rainbow Road or a nod to one of the best games in the franchise. Let’s a-go!
The Super Mario Bros. Movie is fast-becoming one of the major motion picture events of 2023. Nintendo’s mascot is finally coming back to the big screen, and with Illumination teaming with the gaming giant, it’s set to be something special.
Bar some reservations around Chris Pratt’s voice, the response to the second trailer has been overwhelmingly positive, with many swooped up and sold by its nostalgia.
From the first poster, showing Mario standing before the Mushroom Kingdom, it was clear the movie would be jam-packed with details for fans – so, here’s the Easter Eggs we noticed in the new trailer.
Easter Eggs in the Super Mario Bros movie trailer
First of all, check out the new trailer below and see what you can spot:
Below, we’ve listed all the Easter Eggs in the second Super Mario Bros movie trailer. Some are minor references to smaller titles in the franchise, while others probably had you pointing and Wahoo-ing at the screen.
1. Donkey Kong Country Returns temple
In the opening seconds of the trailer, take a look around the arena Mario and Donkey Kong are fighting in: it’s clearly inspired by the temples found in Donkey Kong Country Returns, right down to the arching bananas atop the doorways.
2. All the Super Smash Bros nods
The Super Smash Bros. Movie #supermariobrosmovie pic.twitter.com/suxO3L8Xbm
— IGN (@IGN) November 29, 2022
You don’t need to be much of a gamer to recognize the first segment of the trailer is aping (sorry) Super Smash Bros, from Mario’s jump attack and the setting to Donkey Kong slapping Mario about – all that’s missing is a triple-figure-percentage knockout.
3. Donkey Kong 1981 platforms and ladder
While the arena evokes the feel of playing Super Smash Bros, the actual platform itself is reminiscent of the original 1981 Donkey Kong game, in which Mario runs and jumps along red platforms with ladders just like the one in the trailer.
4. Bowser’s Army
Bowser’s army is briefly seen in the trailer, made up of Koopas, Shy Guys, Piranha Plants, Hammer Bros, Swoops, Goombas, Bob-ombs, and more.
5. The World Map
In the trailer, we see a group of Toads standing over a map showing six different worlds in the movie, including Bowser’s Dark Land, the Penguins’ Ice World, the Mushroom Kingdom, Donkey Kong’s Country, Yoshi’s Island and a desert location. The latter world is suspected to be Sarasaland, home to Princess Daisy.
6. Super Mario 64 paintings in Peach’s Castle
A brief shot of Princess Peach arming herself with a spear shows her walking past two paintings. While they’re not exact copies of the ones seen in Super Mario 64, which you jump into to access the level, they may be based on Tall, Tall Mountain, Whomp’s Fortress, or Tiny-Huge Island.
7. Princess Peach’s Mario course
We see a training course devised by Peach for Mario, presumably after Bowser steals her Power Star. If you pause the trailer, you can see fake Piranha Plants, rotating fire balls, canons, and question blocks. This doesn’t appear to be inspired by any one course, instead borrowing lots of details from the games.
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6. Cheep Cheep Bridge from Super Mario Bros
After the quick montage of the course, we see Mario, Peach, and Toad walking across a bridge, where a Cheep Cheep sucks Mario’s face. This bridge is definitely a nod to the Cheep Cheep bridges in World 2-3 on Super Mario Bros. on the NES.
7. Tanooki Mario
One of the big “ooh look at that!” moments is Mario gliding through the Mushroom Kingdom in his Tanooki suit, first introduced in Super Mario Bros. 3 and appearing in several titles across the series.
8. Chain Chomp
You were probably too distracted by the Tanooki suit to notice, but Mario is actually gliding away from a Chain Chomp, one of the most famous villains of the Mario franchise. While they were introduced in Super Mario Bros. 3, they’re perhaps most known for guarding the Power Star gate in Bob-omb’s Battlefield in Super Mario 64.
9. Fire Flowers
Mario and Peach can be seen in a garden of Fire Flowers. These plants have a long history in the Mario franchise, from giving Mario the ability to throw fire balls (and turn his suit red and white, as seen with Peach) or being used for mayhem in Mario Kart.
10. Yoshi’s Island
Now, we don’t actually get to see Yoshi, but we do get a sneak peek of the island he’s from, with lots of his species running from something. The world first appeared in Super Mario World 2, and is available to explore and play in other titles such as Super Smash Bros. and Mario Golf.
11. Super Mario Galaxy
Princess Peach says to Mario: “There’s a huge universe out there… with a lot of galaxies.”
You can’t just say this line without it having any significance – this is a reference to Super Mario Galaxy, one of the most acclaimed games in the franchise that sees Mario fly through space and restore power to Rosalina’s observatory.
Will she appear? We’ll have to wait and see, but the trailer shows Mario and Luigi flying through some sort of rift or portal… perhaps they used a Launch Star?
12. Mario Kart
The trailer ends with the biggest Easter egg of the lot: Mario in his signature kart, which appears to be a mix of different designs, from the pipe frame to the standard kart design in Mario Kart Wii. Princess Peach is also wearing and riding a similar designed outfit and bike from the Wii game.
13. Rainbow Road
Then comes the greatest wahoo: Rainbow Road, with Mario and hundreds of other characters driving their carts along it. If you’re unfamiliar, Rainbow Road is the most iconic track in all of Mario Kart, with awe-inspiring and devilish design throughout the franchise.
We also hear Chris Pratt’s first “Wahoo!” as Mario, one of the character’s several catchphrases.
That’s it, those are all the Easter Eggs we spotted in the Super Mario Bros movie trailer. You can find out more about the movie here.