Mario and Luigi's father (called Papa by Mario) 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. While Mario and Luigi's father was living with their mother, Mama Mario, in all these appearances, it has never been confirmed that the two were ever married. However, The Super Mario Bros. Super Show episode "Fake Bro" revealed that Mama Mario had a maiden name, implying that she had been married at one time, and currently shares the last name "Mario" with her boys. Conversely, Mario and Luigi's father's name has never been revealed, his only official title being Mario's affectionate "Papa".
The father's personality remains relatively unestablished, having but one speaking role, Super Mario Issunboshi, in which 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 appearance has varied slightly, but with the exception of "Issunboshi" he has appeared as a skinny man, and in all of his appearances where the color of his clothes are visible, he wears blue and yellow. In each of his appearances his face has been covered by objects and camera angles, but Super Mario Issunboshi has shown the most of his face so far, opting to portray him with a face and mustache much like Mario's.
Appearances
Original Video Animation Appearances
"Super Mario Issunboshi"
Mario and Luigi's father first appeared in Super Mario Issunboshi, a retelling of the Japanese fairy tale Issunboshi with Super Mario characters. Though he is not given a name, Mario refers to his father as, "Papa." Through the camera angles used, the father's face is obscured at all times. However, viewers can see that his face is similar to his son's: pudgy with a large nose and identical moustache. Also like his son, Papa wears his brown hair in the same style and wears blue overalls. However, his undershirt is yellow instead of red, and he does not wear gloves or a hat.
He and his wife lived in a futuristic house on top of a hill. One day, they produced a son, Mario, who was small enough to fit in his father's hand, even after he had reached adulthood. When Mario grew up, he asked Papa for permission to explore the world on his own. Agreeing that Mario was capable, Papa fashioned his son a motor boat made out of a kitchen bowl, a spoon to row the boat, and a sword made out of a needle. Mario's father saw him off on his first trip, carrying him in the boat to the river's edge.
Comics Appearances
Nintendo Comics System
"Family Album "The Early Years""
The character's next, yet much smaller role came in "Family Album "The Early Years"." In the third photograph, a young, concerned Mario is being chased by his father, who is shaking his fist and holding a smoking pipe with bubbles coming out of it. The caption of the photograph reveals that Mario "fixed" his father's pipe. Mario and Luigi's father appears slightly skinnier than in "Super Mario Issunboshi" and is wearing a light yellow shirt, blue pants, and dress shoes. The father's face is hidden, cut off by the pictures edge.
Video Game Appearances
Yoshi Series
Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island
At the end of Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island, Mario and Luigi's father made his first video game appearance. The video game's artists portrayed him as a skinny man in a nightshirt of indeterminate color. Only his lower half and hands are seen. Once Yoshi rescued the stork and Baby Luigi, the stork took Baby Mario and Baby Luigi and continued on his way to deliver them to Mama and their father. The video game's narration states that the boys' delivery has been, "long awaited." Flying to a small, unnamed town surrounded by mountains where "mom and dad live", the stork leaves the bundles on the doorstep of Mama's house, which resembles a Mushroom. The parents awake, turn on a light, open the door, and are pleasantly surprised to see their twins have arrived. Luigi is picked up by his father and Mario by his mother.
Yoshi's Island DS
The introduction to Yoshi's Island DS features a short retelling of Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island. Baby Mario and Baby Luigi are seen in the hands of one of their parents. Additionally, the introduction shows various children from around Mushroom World being kidnapped by Kamek and his Toady minions. Mario and Luigi are taken from their parents, who are not shown, during the night. The lights are on and red marks indicating commotion are emerging from the house. Whether Mario and Luigi's father is one of the people making the commotion is unknown.
Family
In the games, "Papa" has two sons: Mario and Luigi. Their mother, Mama Mario, is presumed to be his wife. Earlier sources (such as Family Album "The Early Years" and the game Super Mario Bros.) implied that Mario was older than Luigi, however as of Yoshi's Island, they are usually recognized as twins.
The Super Mario Bros. Super Show! introduces many more members of the Mario family. Mario and Luigi's father has a pair of nieces named Marianne and Luigeena, and two nephews called Mario Joe and Luigi Bob. As it is not revealed which sides of the family any of the relatives hail from, it is unknown whether Grandma Mia is "Papa's" mother or mother-in-law, and whether Aunt Luigeena is his sister or sister-in-law. The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3 mentions a second sister/sister-in-law named Aunt Maria.
Also, according to the Saturday Supercade's Donkey Kong segment, Pauline is Mario's niece, which would make Mario and Luigi's father her grandfather. However, this contradicts the continuity of the Mario series, in which she is Mario's ex-girlfriend, and thus of no relation to his parents.