Mario! Mario!! Mari- oh… For gamers and excitable kids alike, it’s a curious feeling to spot one of your fictional heroes on the street, only to realise that it’s a little more than a clever knock-off. You’re at once drawn to them and want to dive in with your phone to take a quick selfie, yet a little bit saddened that it’s not the real deal and wrestle with a sense of betrayal.
The above Super Mario clone was spotted on the streets of Myeong-dong, Korea last week. Even with the subtle, lawyer-placating aesthetic changes, however, the character was still generating a lot of excitement among passers-by.