Nintendo Modifies ‘Super Mario Bros’ Character's ‘Offensive' Name Ahead of Movie Release in Japan

Nintendo renamed its "Super Mario Bros" character, initially named "Blackie," in Japan, which some find "offensive" and "racist."

The Japanese gaming giant recently announced that one of the characters of "Super Mario Bros" now flaunts a new name, which applies to the game and the record-breaking box-office firm, "The Super Mario Bros Movie."

Super Mario Bros Movie — LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 01: (L-R) Sebastian Maniscalco, Jack Black, Seth Rogen, Charlie Day, Anya Taylor-Joy, Chris Melendandri, CEO of Illumination, Chris Pratt and Nintendo's Shigeru Miyamoto attend a Special Screening of Universal Pictures' "The Super Mario Bros. Movie" at Regal LA Live on April 01, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. Amy Sussman/Getty Images

Nintendo's Super Marios Bros' Character 'Blackie' Renamed

According to The New York Post, Nintendo named one of the villains in its massive "Super Mario Bros" franchise "Blackie" three decades ago or during the 1980s. But this time, the Japanese firm decided to amend his name to stay away from any racist slur.

The Japanese behemoth revised the name of the "Mario Bros" villain in time for the movie's release based on the massive gaming franchise in Japan.

Fox News reports that the blockbuster film features iconic characters like Donkey Kong and Princess Peach, and of course, none other than Mario. The trio has been widely known for gamers for a couple of decades already.

But apart from these household characters from the Nintendo franchise, the movie also highlights other players, including a construction worker who sports long black facial hair.

In the movie, he was introduced as "Spike." Yet, he was previously known as "Blackie" despite being a white man. Fox News notes that his name is actually a racial slur for Black people in Western countries like the United States (US). And as such, some find the name of the "Mario" character outright offensive.

With that, Nintendo took to Twitter to confirm a slight modification in the "Mario" franchise. The villain previously named "Blackie" had a name change. He will be known as "Spike."

The name change applies to Japan, as well as in the US and the United Kingdom, for the games. The Japanese account Nintendo disclosed that the "name in 'The Super Mario Bros. Movie' released on Apr. 28, is also 'Spike.'"

An employee wearing a face mask stands next to a screen displaying a character of Nintendo game Super Mario at a store for Japanese games giant Nintendo in Tokyo on February 3, 2022. BEHROUZ MEHRI/AFP via Getty Images

Meet 'Spike,' Formerly 'Blackie'

Some might not be familiar with "Spike," but he has been in the "Mario" franchise for quite some time now. In fact, the villain first saw the light of day in the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) gaming title, "Wrecking Crew," which debuted long ago in 1985, Kotaku reports.

Spike is back in action in "The Super Mario Bros. Movie" as the boss of Luigi and Mario before their transition as plumbers.

The blockbuster film based on the massive gaming franchise is quite impressive in the box office scene. For three weeks, it consistently took the top spot at the box office with gross earnings to the tune of a staggering $400 million, the New York Post notes.