If you're a gamer, you probably know that this year marks the 35th anniversary of Nintendo's classic platform Super Mario Bros. The game, which first came out for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) in 1985, features Mario and Luigi running, stomping, and jumping their way through warp pipes, goombas, koopas, and more, all in the name of rescuing Princess Peach from the big bad himself, Bowser. The game, with its now iconic characters, worlds, and soundtrack, was a landmark in gaming, popularizing the side-scrolling platform genre as well as video games themselves and has long stood as one of the best-selling and best-rated video games of all time.

Nintendo is throwing a huge celebration this year and early next in honor of everyone's favorite red-shirted plumber, but we thought, why not get in on the fun too? And what better way to celebrate than by throwing a virtual tea party? Whether you're gaming with your friends and family online or on zoom, we've got some great tips to get you started, including delicious tea treats and, of course, a tea pairing for every Mario fanatic (and character) on your list.

Mario

For Mario fans, we suggest Rooibos. Made from the rooibos (literally red bush) plant, Rooibos teas are also known as red teas for their unique color--perfect to match with a certain protagonist's favorite shirt and hat.

Bonus? Though Rooibos teas are frequently likened to black teas in flavor, they are naturally caffeine-free, making them a great caffeine-free alternative for late-night gaming.

Luigi

Though Luigi may be most well known for playing second fiddle to his older brother (unless we're talking about his own series, Luigi's Mansion, which we highly recommend), there's no reason he should get the lesser flavor when pairing teas! For Luigi fans, we suggest green teas or Matcha.

Green teas are famous for their health benefits, antioxidants, and more delicate flavors. With flavor profiles that range from grassy to bright, citrusy to smokey and more, there's a green tea for everyone on your guest list.

Matcha is made from ground tea leaves, offer another great way to get in your green. Impress your virtual guests with traditionally prepared Matcha using our chawan bowls and Matcha accessories or, for those who want to get to the gaming quick, try our shake-and-go Matcha sticks. Both come in a wide variety of flavors guaranteed to impress, including blueberry, peach, raspberry, traditional, and more.

Yoshi

Next up, we have Yoshi teas. Yoshi, who boasts a history almost as long as the famous Mario brothers themselves, has served both as a main character, side kick, and species within the Mario universe. Though he is usually green, yoshis can come in all kinds of colors, as showcased in his feature game Yoshi's Story and games like the Super Smash Bros. series. To celebrate Yoshi, we suggest Matcha or green teas like the ones above or, in honor of Yoshi's diet of choice, fruity teas.

Our catalog features dozens of fruity teas, including our Berry Blues, Berry Blast, Honeybush Banana Nut, Watermelon Cooler, or Melonberry Green.

Looking for a specific fruit? Use our Advanced Search feature to narrow down search results by ingredients, such as apple, peach, apricot, berries, banana, mango, coconut, pomegranate, dragonfruit, passionfruit, and more.

Princess Peach

Speaking of fruity teas, what Mario collection would be complete without Princess Peach in the mix? Princess Peach, the ruler of the Mushroom Kingdom, was originally introduced in Super Mario Bros., where she was kidnapped by Bowser. She's stayed at the center of Bowser's schemes ever since, though she's also become a playable character in many games since her original debut.

For Princess Peach teas, we, of course, recommend peach teas! We have a wide variety of peach-flavored teas, including Matcha Peach, Peach Bellini, and Peach Serenity, to name a few. Use our Advanced Search feature to try them all!

Bowser

And of course, what game would be complete without a villain? For those of you with a wild streak, we've got teas as fiery as King Koopa himself.

For those who want some heat, we've got favorites like our Chili Lime Green, Double Ginger, or Fiery Cinnamon Spice.

For those more interested in bringing out their inner dragon, we suggest our Black Dragon Pearls, Dragonwell, Dragon Fruit Dream, or Green Dragon Pearls.

Goomba

Last, but not least, we've got teas for Goomba. One of the first minions you'll encounter in almost any Mario game, Goomba has been a staple in the series for decades, faithfully serving Lord Bowser on the front lines and, occasionally, even teaming up with our favorite overalled duo.

For Goomba teas, we suggest something earthy, such as our semi-oxidized Oolongs or fermented Pu-Erhs. Pu-Erh Dante, with its woodsy, earthy notes in particular, is the perfect tea for your favorite mushroomy friend.

Treats

Of course, what party would be complete without snacks?

To keep your gaming squad fueled, we suggest treats from our TeaChef site. Check out the desserts tag to find some peachy treats like Peachy Mimosas, Peach Serenity Muffins, or Peach Lemon Cake Cups.

Or, if you're a Matcha fan, try a couple spins on some of our favorite Matcha treats. Use cutouts to create 1-Up Mushroom or Luigi hat cookies using this Matcha Cookie recipe, or add two tablespoons of your favorite Matcha to your favorite muffin recipe to make 1-Up Mushroom Muffins instead. Use a small amount of white chocolate or frosting for lettering or toadstool dots, or use a lot more to make Boo cookies or muffins instead!

So there you have it, friends. With these tips in mind, you'll be celebrating in no time. Have a nerdy recipe you'd like to share? Submit it to our [https://www.teachef.com/] TeaChef site, and don't forget to share your Mario tea party photos by tagging us on social at @adagioteas.

Congratulations to Mario for a great 35 years, and here's to the next 35. Happy gaming!