Papa (as referred to by his children, Mario and Luigi) is a very minor fictional character in the Super Mario series and its spin-offs. He has made at least four one-time appearances throughout a variety of media, one of which, Yoshi's Island: Super Mario Advance 3, was a re-release of one of his earlier appearances, Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island. Papa lived with their mother, Mama Mario, in all these appearances, and The Super Mario Bros. Super Show episode "Fake Bro" revealed that Mama Mario had a maiden name, suggesting that they are married.
Papa's personality remains relatively unestablished, having but one speaking role: Super Mario Issun-bōshi. Here, he was shown to be a caring and understanding father figure, cautious for Mario's safety, yet recognizing of his son's need for independence. Across his three unique appearances, his physical features have varied slightly. With the exception of Issun-bōshi, he is portrayed as a skinny man, and in all of his appearances where the color of his clothes are visible, he wears blue and yellow. While his face has always been concealed or obscured (apart from an unconfirmed appearance in merchandising), what could be seen of it in Super Mario Issun-bōshi shows that Papa's face resembles Mario's, as does his mustache. In the documentary about the Super Mario Bros. movie, The Making of... Super Mario Bros., it is said that Mario and Luigi come from a long line of plumbers. Then, in the film itself, it is revealed that the Mario brothers' tools had been passed down from their father's side of the family.
Mama Mario (referred to as Mama and Mama Mia by her children, maiden name Rigassi), the fictional mother of Mario and Luigi, is a recurring minor character throughout the Super Mario series and its spin-offs, particularly in The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!, where she was both referenced throughout the television series' run and made two appearances in the live-action segments.
A version of Mario's mother made her first appearance in Super Mario Issun-bōshi. The Super Mario Bros. Super Show! was responsible for the expansion of the character; to date it is the only source that has shown her face or explored her personality, developing her as a comically strict parental figure who ultimately cared very much for her boys. Though Mario and Luigi fear her temper and punishments on the show, both boys return their mother's love. Mama Mario's connection to Mario and Luigi's father is unclear. The two are shown to live with each other in all of Papa's appearances, and the fact that Mama has a maiden name implies that she is or was married, but their relationship and backstory remain unexplored.
Mama Mario's appearance is relatively inconsistent across the series: The Super Mario Bros. Super Show! portrayed her as a portly, masculine woman, while the Nintendo Comics System artists drew her as a dainty, blonde-haired, young woman. However, one consistency across all appearances save "Mama Mia Mario" is the concealing of her face by objects and camera angles.