Our princess is in another castle!
"Thank you Mario! But our princess is in another castle!" is a quote from Super Mario Bros., a 1985 platform game for the Nintendo Entertainment System. It is stated by a non-player character after the player character (either Mario or Luigi) defeats what appears to be the game's antagonist, Bowser. This informs the player that the damsel in distress Princess Peach is elsewhere and the game is not over yet. The quote is repeated at the end of every castle level until the real Bowser is defeated in the final stage.
The line became one of the most famous quotes in video game history as well as an Internet meme. It has been referenced in multiple subsequent Mario games, either unironically or humorously. The quote has also been used ironically by critics to highlight the damsel in distress cliché in video games.
Appearances
[edit]Mario franchise
[edit]The quote first appeared in Super Mario Bros., when Mario fails to find Princess Peach. It is repeated for each of Bowser's castles, except the final one.[1]
In the English version of Super Mario Bros. 3 released in 1988, Peach says the line upon being rescued by Mario, admitting it is a joke.[2]
The line is referenced in the role-playing video game Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time (2005), in which a Toad character assures the player that the princess is not in another castle.[3]
As an Easter egg in the 2023 film The Super Mario Bros. Movie, the Toads guarding Peach's Castle utter the line to Mario as a joke.[4]
Others
[edit]The sixth and final track on Black Pear Tree, a 2008 collaborative extended play by the band The Mountain Goats and American guitarist-composer Kaki King, is titled "Thank You Mario but our Princess Is in Another Castle".[5][6]
Development
[edit]The line is depicted in English in the Japanese version of Super Mario Bros. This is due to the pervasive use of English in modern Japan, and due to the English alphabet conserving more cartridge space compared to Japanese kana.[7]
Reception
[edit]Meghan Sullivan of IGN called it an unforgettable quote in video game history, and a "super effective metaphor for life". She noted that, metaphorically speaking, there is "always another castle" that needs the hero, but also stated that each life can be rewarding nonetheless, and that with enough perseverance, the princess can actually be rescued.[8] Josh Straub of Game Informer also described it as an iconic moment in games, saying that the line "continues to haunt gamers". He cited its repetition throughout the game as evidence of the Nintendo designers' delight at "yanking" away the player's hope, evidencing its use in Super Mario 3D Land that "the message is still the same 29 years later".[1]
In the 2012 book Super Mario: How Nintendo Conquered America, author Jeff Ryan highlights the use of the word "our" rather than "the" or "your", saying that it includes the player within the quest, and that its constant repetition turns Mario into an analog for Odysseus.[9] Gabrielle Trepaniér-Jobin, writing in Gaming Representation, argued that Princess Peach's use of the line as a prank in Super Mario Bros. 3 depicts her as less dependent and subordinate than in previous games, going against the notion shown in the original Super Mario Bros. that a woman is indebted to her rescuer.[2]
See also
[edit]- "It's dangerous to go alone!", quote from The Legend of Zelda (1986)
- "I am Error", quote from Zelda II: The Adventure of Link (1987)
References
[edit]
- ^ a b Straub, Josh (August 22, 2012). "Moments: Failing To Find Peach". Game Informer. Archived from the original on December 18, 2023. Retrieved February 10, 2024.
- ^ a b Malkowski, Jennifer; Russworm, Treaandrea M. (2017). Gaming Representation: Race, Gender, and Sexuality in Video Games. Bloomington: Indiana University Press. p. 93.
- ^ Pacitti, Tony (August 14, 2007). "Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time". The Standard-Times. Retrieved May 14, 2025.
- ^ Russell, Bradley (April 5, 2023). "The Super Mario Bros Movie Easter eggs: 85 Mario and Nintendo references you may have missed". GamesRadar+. Archived from the original on June 23, 2023. Retrieved February 10, 2024.
- ^ Stosuy, Brandon (September 8, 2008). "New Mountain Goats & Kaki King – "Thank You Mario But Our Princess Is In Another Castle"". Stereogum. Retrieved May 14, 2025.
- ^ Thompson, Paul (September 5, 2008). "The Mountain Goats Team With Kaki King for New EP". Pitchfork. Retrieved May 14, 2025.
- ^ Mandelin, Clyde. "Legends of Localization: Super Mario Bros. Translation Comparison: Gameplay". Legends of Localization. Archived from the original on January 27, 2024. Retrieved February 10, 2024.
- ^ Sullivan, Meghan. "Top 100 Unforgettable Video Game Moments: "The princess is in another castle."". IGN. Archived from the original on October 13, 2022. Retrieved February 10, 2024.
- ^ Ryan, Jeff (2012). Super Mario: How Nintendo Conquered America. Penguin. p. 73. ISBN 978-1-59184-563-8.