The 'Super Mario in Real Life' meme often traces its roots back to early YouTube parody videos and 'cursed' 3D renders of Mario characters designed to look hyper-realistic. It gained massive traction through the 'SuperMarioLogan' YouTube channel and various Vine-era clips featuring the phrase 'Mario in real life... SPAGHETTI!' accompanied by distorted music. The meme typically uses low-quality images of people in Mario costumes or unsettling CGI models to create a sense of surreal humor. Today, it is frequently used to highlight awkward or bizarre situations where video game logic meets reality, often serving as a nostalgic throwback to early internet shitposting culture.