On the occasion of Mario Day 2018, Google has turned the famous Nintendo plumber into a navigator of excellence for its Maps. Here’s how to use it
What better way to celebrate a dear friend by making him the star of one of the company’s flagship products? So, Google engineers, who for years have accustomed us to funny easter eggs in their software and online services, have decided to turn Super Mario into an exceptional navigator for Google Maps.
On the occasion of Mario Day celebrated last March 10 (in English, the date can also be written (MAR10, ie Mario), the Mountain View giant has decided to release a special version of Google Maps, satellite navigator among the most used ever. In the new release, all it takes is a simple trick for Maps to let you be guided on the road by the most famous plumber in the world of video games and his iconic go-kart. It will be the protagonist of Nintendo video games to show you the shortest route to your destination, tell you when to turn and when, instead, you’d better change route.
How to use Super Mario in Google Maps
In order to turn Google Maps into a sort of go-kart track, you must first make sure that your app is updated to the latest version available on the Google Play Store. If it isn’t, download the update and install it. Once you’ve completed this preliminary step, using Mario as a navigator will be child’s play.
You’ll just have to search for directions to the desired destination (by entering the starting and ending point) and wait for the “usual” results window to load. You’ll notice, however, that next to the “Start” button, a new one appears, with the typical question mark of Super Mario Bros. Pressing it, the road indicator will take on the appearance of the famous Nintendo plumber, who with his kart will guide us along the road, giving us directions to get as soon as possible to our destination.
In short, try Super Mario within Google Maps is easier than you can imagine, but the fun will not last forever. Since this is a celebratory “appearance”, it is likely that Mario will disappear with the next update of Google Maps, although we will not have to wait long to see him appear again on our smartphones. According to the usual well-informed, in fact, Mario in Google Maps could also be a publicity stunt in view of the launch, now imminent, of Mario Kart on Android and iOS. In short, a sort of appetizer waiting for tasty tastes much more tasty.