13 Video Game Characters You Didn't Realise Were Based On Real People
7. Super Mario - Mario Segale
It's hard to think of gaming's most iconic hero as being based on anyone. It's easy to just perceive him as an entirely original being that no one would dare suggest could be have taken cues from real-life figures . Well, get ready for a bombshell, because Super Mario is based on an actual person, and that person isn't a chubby, moustachioed plumber, but a wealthy, multi-millionaire real estate developer called Mario Segale, who used to rent a warehouse to Nintendo before they were famous. When Nintendo fell behind on their rental payments, Segale turned up demanding answers. Nintendo promised they'd pay up as soon as they had the cash, banking on a certain soon-to-be-released game called Donkey Kong to help them out of their predicament. Segale accepted, and Nintendo immortalised him by naming the greatest video game icon after him.
Gamer, Researcher of strange things.
I'm a writer-editor hybrid whose writings on video games, technology and movies can be found across the internet. I've even ventured into the realm of current affairs on occasion but, unable to face reality, have retreated into expatiating on things on screens instead.
