Everyone knows May The Fourth is Star Wars Day, while significantly fewer folks know June 9 is Bill & Ted Day (get it… 6/9… “69 dudes!”). However, our favourite calendar-themed celebration might be March 10… Mar10… Mario.
This year Google is going above and beyond to commemorate everyone’s favourite red-overalled, princess-chasing Italian plumber by integrating Mario Kart into Google Maps.
Mobile app users on iOS and Android are already seeing a pop-up giving them the option to use Mario the position marker, replacing the usual compass arrow.
Once you tap “Let’s-a-go!” your position within turn-by-turn navigation will be represented by Mario. Before you ask whether you can choose characters like Donkey Kong? Remember whose day it is.
The feature, added in partnership with Nintendo, even has an Easter egg, The Verge reports. If you tap the question mark 100 times in a row, you’ll hear the familiar 1-UP tone.
Google is no stranger to this type of stunt. It turned Google Maps into a Pac-Man screen last year, while the position marker also became a TIE Fighter to commemorate the release of Star Wars: The Force Awakens in 2015.
Nintendo also teamed up with Google in 2014 to hide Pokemon among Maps, a move turned out to be a precursor to Pokemon Go.
Have you taken Mario Maps for a spin? Drop us a line @TrustedReviews on Twitter.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
