Saturday, March 10, is Mario Day, and Nintendo teamed up with Google to celebrate it by putting Mario on the map - Google Maps, that is.
Mario is already an iconic character and it's still popular even if many years have passed since it first hit the scene. Mario Day is an exciting day for fans, and this year a special treat is in tow.
Mario Time
Google calls this special occasion Mario Time, and to celebrate Mario will be on Google Maps. A new yellow question mark will now appear next to destinations in the Google Maps apps for Android and iOS, enabling Mario to accompany users on their commute by becoming the navigation arrow in his kart.
The trick won't involve any bananas or red shells on the roads, but Mario will be a position marker worldwide in the Google Maps apps for a whole week.
"To celebrate our favorite mustachioed plumber-turned-racer on his special day-MAR10 Day-we've collaborated with the team at Nintendo to let Mario accompany you on all of your driving adventures on Google Maps this week," says Google.
Google Maps Mario Easter Egg
Google has also included a hidden Easter egg in Mario Time: tapping the yellow question mark icon 100 times will trigger the familiar 1-UP sound of Nintendo's Games.
To take advantage of this special MAR10 Day, which is actually a week of Mario Time, users need to update their Google Maps app for Android or iOS, from the Google Play Store or the App Store, respectively.
From there on, tapping the yellow question mark icon at the bottom of the Google Maps app will trigger a prompt to kick off Mario Time. Mario will then replace the navigation arrow and join users on their commutes for the next seven days.
#MarioMaps
Google is encouraging users to take screenshots of their routes with Mario Time enabled and share them on Twitter and Instagram, tagging @GoogleMaps and using the #MarioMaps hashtag. At the same time, the company reminds users to stay safe and make sure they don't share private details such as their work or home address.
Google has previously customized Google Maps to celebrate other such special occasions, such as the launch of Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Last year, Google Maps also featured Ms. Pac-Man on April Fool's Day.
Are you looking forward to having Mario accompany you in his kart on your routes? Let us know in the comments section below.
