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MAR10 Day: Why March 10 is Mario Day

1612 words | Reading time : 8 minute(s)

AnalysisMAR10 DayNintendo

Write the date as "MAR10" and read it out loud. Every March 10, MAR10 Day celebrates the plumber. This article tells how a pun born among fans in the early 2010s turned into an official celebration adopted by Nintendo, what the company does with it each year, and what the 2026 edition holds for the 40th anniversary.

Every March 10, Nintendo fans celebrate MAR10 Day (or simply "Mario Day"). Behind that slightly cryptic name hides one of the cleverest puns in gaming: the date, written "MAR10", quite simply reads "MARIO".

But where does this day come from, why did Nintendo adopt it, and what does the company do with it each year? Here is a quick tour of an event born among players and now celebrated worldwide.

Contents

March 10, when a date becomes a name

Write March 10 the American way, month first and then the day, and you get "MAR10". In capital letters, the digit "1" passes for an "I" and the "0" for an "O": MAR10 then reads as "MARIO". The whole charm of the day rests on that typographic wink, as simple as it is unbeatable, and grasped at a single glance.

The pun only works with the American date format (month/day), and not with the French notation (day/month). Yet it has become international: all over the world, fans and Nintendo alike celebrate Mario every March 10. You also come across the name "Mario Day", but it is the stylised spelling "MAR10" that serves as the event's signature. And for good reason: no other date of the year spells out the name of the world's most famous moustachioed plumber quite so naturally.

From a fan joke to a Nintendo-branded celebration

Originally, MAR10 Day had nothing official about it. It was a find by the fan community, spotted on social media in the early 2010s, who had fun making the date match the name of their hero. The idea circulated, caught on, then spilled far beyond the inner circle of enthusiasts until it became a shared reflex.

Nintendo eventually picked it up. The company first relayed the day on its official accounts in the mid-2010s, before sealing the tradition in 2016 with an in-house video ("Celebrate Mar. 10 – Mario Day!") in which an employee dressed as Mario gradually turns the offices into the Mushroom Kingdom. From that point on, March 10 secured its place on Nintendo's calendar.

Today, Nintendo France uses the official term "MAR10 Day" in its communications, with recurring headlines such as "March 10 is MAR10 Day!". The loop is complete: born among players, the idea has become a brand event, reproduced identically from one country to the next.

Official MAR10 Day artwork, the date stylised into a name
Born from a fan pun, the date has become an official event.

What Nintendo does with it every year

MAR10 Day is no longer a mere hashtag: it has become a commercial and editorial highlight for Nintendo. From one edition to the next, you find more or less the same ingredients, measured out according to the news of the moment:

  • Discounts on a selection of Mario games (Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2), most often running for a few days around March 10.
  • Announcements and trailers: new titles, updates and release dates revealed for the occasion.
  • Additions to Nintendo Switch Online, often Mario classics slipped into the retro catalogues (NES, Super NES, Game Boy…).
  • Rewards and gold points through the loyalty programme, along with contests and prize draws.
  • In-game and in-store events: online competitions and meet-ups with Mario at the Nintendo Store.

The result: players now watch for March 10 like a small surprise showcase, where the company doles out both new reveals and good deals. Nothing in the line-up is set in stone, but the formula is now perfectly honed.

MAR10 Day 2022 promotional artwork
Every year, Nintendo lines up discounts and announcements around the date.

MAR10 Day 2026: 40 years of Mario and all eyes on the big screen

The 2026 edition had a special flavour: it was part of the celebrations for the 40 years of Super Mario Bros., the founding game released in Japan on September 13, 1985 on Famicom. A useful reminder to avoid the classic trap: this Super Mario Bros. must not be confused with Mario Bros., the 1983 arcade game that came before it.

Above all, Nintendo used the day to put the spotlight on Super Mario Galaxy The Movie, unveiling its final trailer ahead of a theatrical release announced for April 1. Alongside it, the Nintendo Today app offered collectible cards and exclusive content built around the feature film.

On the games side, three classics joined Nintendo Classics for Nintendo Switch Online subscribers: Mario vs. Donkey Kong (Game Boy Advance), along with Mario Clash and Mario's Tennis (Virtual Boy). All of it came with discounts on a range of Mario titles playable on Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2, plus in-game events.

From 2016 to today: an event that has taken root

Since the 2016 video, each MAR10 Day has brought its share of surprises, on a growing scale as Mario grew into a transmedia franchise in its own right — games, films, theme parks and merchandise.

In France, for instance, Nintendo ran dedicated loyalty offers, such as the "2x gold points" highlighted during MAR10 Day 2019. Other years served instead as a showcase for major releases or for new retro additions to the online service.

What do all these editions have in common? They turn a symbolic date into a genuine communication campaign, without ever losing the good-natured tone inherited from its community roots.

Should you mark March 10 on your calendar?

In a decade, MAR10 Day has gone from private joke to key date on the Nintendo calendar. For fans, the right reflex is simple: keep an eye on March 10, between one-off discounts, possible announcements and small loyalty gifts.

Nothing is ever guaranteed from one edition to the next — Nintendo commits to no fixed format. But the regularity of the event makes it a moment worth watching, just as much as a Nintendo Direct for anyone following the company's news.

The moral is rather lovely: a simple typographic coincidence, spotted by players, has become Mario's worldwide celebration, now carried by Nintendo itself. Proof that, sometimes, it is the fans who write the calendar.

MAR10 Day at a glance

Name (FR) MAR10 Day
Name (EN) MAR10 Day / Mario Day
Date March 10, every year
Type Themed day and Nintendo event
Origin Fan pun (early 2010s)
Official adoption Mid-2010s, Nintendo video in 2016
How the name reads "MAR10" reads as "MARIO" (US date format)
Standout edition 2026: 40 years of Super Mario Bros. + Super Mario Galaxy The Movie

🍄 Want to keep the adventure going? Discover our Mario figurines in the shop.

FAQ

  • Why does MAR10 Day fall on March 10?
    Because the date written the American way gives "MAR10", which reads as "MARIO" (the 1 standing in for an I, the 0 for an O). The pun only works with the month/day format.
  • Is MAR10 Day a Nintendo invention?
    No. It started out as a fan joke, spotted on social media in the early 2010s. Nintendo then took it over and made it official.
  • How long has Nintendo officially celebrated MAR10 Day?
    The company began relaying it in the mid-2010s and marked the occasion in 2016 with a dedicated video. Nintendo France has used the official term "MAR10 Day" ever since.
  • What happens during MAR10 Day?
    Discounts on Mario games, announcements and trailers, classics added to Nintendo Switch Online, loyalty rewards and in-game events.
  • What was special about MAR10 Day 2026?
    It was part of the 40 years of Super Mario Bros. (1985) and served to promote Super Mario Galaxy The Movie, with classics such as Mario vs. Donkey Kong added to Nintendo Switch Online.

Beyond the consoles

Cinema, television, the composers and the theme parks: what Mario has become away from the controllers.

🎬 Mario in film and culture →
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