The award arrives just in time for the release of New Super Mario Bros. Wii.
The ASEFOSAM, a professional plumber's association located in Spain, has awarded Nintendo's mascot Mario the silver award of excellence. The character was created 28 years ago by game designer Shigeru Miyamoto.
Mario's first appearance was in the arcade title Donkey Kong, in which he battled the titular character in order to rescue his girlfriend Pauline. In Donkey Kong Mario was originally a carpenter, but his character eventually evolved into a plumber thanks to the many pipes used in the seminal 1985 NES classic Super Mario Bros. Since then, Mario has become Nintendo's mascot, appearing in many highly acclaimed titles.
The award was given just in time for the release of New Super Mario Bros. Wii, a new Mario adventure focused on multiplayer gaming for up to four players.