Mario Bros first appeared as a 1983 Nintendo arcade game starring plumbers Mario and Luigi, and the franchise grew into one of the most recognisable in gaming with Super Mario Bros in 1985. Its bright chiptune sound became shorthand for Nintendo itself as the games spread to home consoles, cartoons and merchandise around the world. Decades later, the melody still circulates in memes, streams and short videos because almost everyone recognises it within a second, even without seeing the characters on screen.