Miyamoto myth-busts Mario in new video

Double celebration: The arrival of Super Mario Maker on Wii U coincides with Super Mario's 30th birthday.

You might know who Nintendo mascot Mario was named after, but do you know which of his games was all just a stage play, or who Bowser Jr.'s mom is? Creator Shigeru Miyamoto plays "true or false" in a new video promoting Super Mario Maker.

Good ol' Super Mario turns 30 on Sept 13, 2015, and some of the myths that have grown up around him are so well established that it would have been a real shocker if they'd turned out to be false.

For example, there has been no better explanation for the origin of Mario's name than that it was a reference to a warehouse landlord leasing space to Nintendo of America.

Knowing the company was behind on rent just as 1981 breakout Donkey Kong was about to launch, Mario Segale gave Nintendo a little more time to pay; as an homage, the game's dungareed, red-capped player character was then named after him.

Nintendo has never confirmed it – until now.

But that's the origin of 1981's Mario, and not Super Mario, who first appeared in 1985, hence this year's anniversary, so let's dig a little deeper into Mario lore.

There have been recurrent suggestions that Super Mario Bros. 3 was supposed to be a cleverly staged theatrical performance rather than straightforward action game.

Little hints led credence to the idea, such as a curtain that opens up on the SMB3 title screen, and the bolts, shadows, and hanging platforms that imply each level is a stage backdrop.

Though Miyamoto didn't speak about the later Paper Mario franchise, which more obviously indulges theatrical motifs, he confirmed for the first time that the SMB3 theory was indeed true.

Other questions put to the Mario man included one about the parenthood of Bowser Jr., the only child to Mario's turtle-shelled giant of an enemy. Who was his mom? Was it Princess Peach? Surely Miyamoto would know. Surely no-one expected his answer, as he pointed to himself.

Mario doesn't bash blocks with his head but rather punches them with his fist, the designer confirmed, but quashed one theory about the cover of the original Super Mario Bros. – it doesn't show Mario falling into lava, he maintained.

And of course there was time to remind viewers that Super Mario Maker is not only releasing close to Super Mario's 30th anniversary – Sept 10 in Japan, 11 in the US and European regions, 12 in Australia – but also that it hinges upon the ability to play, make and share Mario levels among friends and fellow players.

"[My original levels are] not in there, but I will definitely post something," Miyamoto said when signing off. — AFP Relaxnews