The Japanese version of MARIO KART 64 included Mario-brand cigarettes and Yoshi-brand motor oil

[thomdunn]

Originally published at: https://boingboing.net/2020/11/12/the-japanese-version-of-mario-kart-64-included-mario-brand-cigarettes-and-yoshi-brand-motor-oil.html

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[howaboutthis]

I’ve been playing Mario Kart 64 (including the Japanese version - I get a kick out of Wario’s Japanese vocalizations) on emulators for a couple of years now.

I find the Marioro billboard amusing, although of course it would never fly in the U.S.

Lately though, the giant red & white “M” cap on the Mario Raceway track reminds me too much of a MAGA cap. Ugh.

(Something about the “M” I guess, since the pro baseball team in my fair-to-middling city wears red caps which I have no problem with.)

[Rafa_85]

It might look quite puzzling for Americans to see such kind of sponsorship in a Mario Kart game, since those are influences from some of the main Formula One sponsors at the time.