I hereby nominate "mario" as a generic noun, like "bandaid". Inspired by similar use of phrases like "a sandwich", "a waldo", "a frankenstein", "an SCP", etc.
mario n. a player-controlled game character who can typically run, jump, and use items or power-ups.
Rayman is a mario. Peppino is a mario. Madaline is a mario. Hat Kid is a mario. Games such as Pong, Tetris, and Balatro do not have a mario. In minecraft you can customize your mario. In fortnite you can choose from several unique marios.
Just like "sandwich", there are edge cases to debate! Is Frisk Undertale a mario? If Chell is a mario, does that make potato GLaDOS a power-up? Can an npc be a mario? These are subjective, because "mario" is a cultural concept and not a rigorous definition.
Perchance.
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