Meeting the original voice of Mario!

I finally crossed something off my video game bucket list in November 2023 - meet Charles Martinet, the original voice of Mario from more than 100 video games dating back more than 25 years.

Video game console museum

We attended the TORG Gaming Expo in Columbus, Ohio, on November 11, 2023, for the first time. It was a lovely convention! The staff clearly put a lot of time and effort into planning the show. There were historical games and consoles on display, door prizes, a kids' zone, free play arcade areas, tattoo artists and lots of vendors.

This N64 console table makes me miss the common 90s "see through" colors in electronics

But the thing I was looking forward to the most was the special guests. Specifically Charles Martinet. The man is a legend in the gaming world (which you obviously know if you're reading a video game blog post).

Mr. Martinet recently retired from the voice role of Mario and I wanted to show my appreciation for his work and how much of it I consumed throughout the years. So I made and gifted him a wooden replica of the Mario Party N64 cartridge.

I am a Patreon supporter of On Points Designs

I came across the perfect file to use in making my gift for Mr. Martinet. On Points Designs, a creator who provides premium laser engraving files, had the perfect file I could use as a Patreon supporter. After cutting and engraving the pieces with my Glowforge, it took a few evenings of gluing and clamping.

When the day finally came to meet Charles Martinet, the line never sunk below two hours long. It was a testament to the contributions he's had to the world of gaming. Plus, he's just a darn nice guy. He really liked my gift!

Front of the finished gift

Back of the finished gift (with a little message)

It was a wonderful day at the convention and I hope to be back next year, but as a vendor!

Charles Martinet signed my game

Thank you again, Charles!