Everyone loves Elephant Mario and it’s (mostly) wholesome

Wednesday’s Nintendo Direct was packed with pleasant surprises, from a Super Mario RPG remake to the return of Detective Pikachu. Another notable announcement was a new Mario game, Super Mario Bros. Miracle, which looks like a fun and trippy take on the usual 2D platformer formula. The trailer showed Mario and the gang going on an adventure, and at the end of the trailer, Nintendo gave us a sneak peek at a new wacky-looking fruit that turns Mario into an elephant.

Elephant Mario is still recognizable as Mario. He is two-legged, bright-eyed, and retains his usual moustache, cap, and overalls. (His shoes are gone, though; presumably they don’t match his new elephant feet.) When I woke up this morning, I didn’t expect to enter a world where Elephant Mario exists. But that’s just the way it is now and there’s no going back.

Discerning fans are already sharing their thoughts and fan art of Elephant Mario on social media, and this particular pachyderm seems to be a hit.

Absolutely delicious! I still have many questions. Can the other members of Mario’s friend group turn into elephants? Where does this elephant fruit come from and what does the upgrade actually entail? There was a similar hub bub about Kirby’s Mouthful Mode in Kirby and the Forgotten Land, but Kirby had to adapt to the shape of a car or traffic cone for practical reasons. What does Elephant Mario Doing?

I am also obliged to address the elephant in the room. Some fan artists have been inspired by Elephant Mario in a very different way, and searching for the stage turns up whole NSFW material. This isn’t the first time a Mario power-up has sparked hot buzz online. As a friendly PSA, if you’re not interested in that, maybe be careful when searching social media.