Miyamoto: This is Why Mario is so Popular

In an interview this week, Shigeru Miyamoto was quizzed on why he thinks Mario has become so popular.

The porky plumber instantly became the face of the company after the massive success of Super Mario Bros., but just what about a bloke in a cap and dungarees resonates well with the public?

Miyamoto said that the "actions in the Mario game are something that are innate to humans everywhere," using an example of falling from a height as something that people are afraid of. "If there is a gap that you have to cross, everyone is going to try to run to jump across the gap."

He believes that the "simplicity of these experiences as well as the interactive nature of controlling the character and seeing the response on the game screen - that's what really resonated with people and made Mario such a popular character."

What do you think it is about Mario that has made him so popular?