Mascot of and ambassador to the best-selling video game franchise of all time, Mario is more than a gaming icon, but a worldwide legend.

The brave and gregarious Italian plumber has adventured through the decades, conquering numerous monsters and winning millions of princess hearts.

Is it any wonder he’s been spotted in equally memorable tattoo pieces?

Portly and courageous, Mario has seen a number of transformations throughout the years, but his persona has remained rock solid and unmistakable. Inked in the name of nostalgia or present fandom, these Mario tattoo ideas speak of a place and aesthetic that has yet to be matched in the video game world. In his trademark red cap and blue overalls or more playful Tanooki suit, in the midst of one of his famous jumps or at at standstill awaiting the call to action, Mario is the hero we could all use more of in our lives.

A tattoo is more than just an accessory or homage to a current trend, it’s a stamp of individuality and the many things that make up our own personal legacies. It’s easy to dismiss Mario, as well as his friends and foes, as hardly the stuff worthy of permanent ink, but think again.

That brightly colored tattoo emblem is history that has already been made, and still in the making.