Nintendo Loses Trademark Battle to Costa Rican Supermarket Over Super Mario Name

Nintendo Faces Unexpected Setback in Trademark Dispute

In a surprising turn of events, gaming giant Nintendo has lost a trademark battle in Costa Rica against a small supermarket using the name "Súper Mario." The supermarket successfully defended its trademark, arguing the name was a legitimate combination of its business type and its manager's name, Mario.

The legal conflict began in 2013 when the supermarket's owner's son registered the "Super Mario" trademark. Nintendo challenged the renewal of this trademark in 2024, citing infringement on its globally recognized Super Mario brand.

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However, the supermarket's legal team, led by advisor Jose Edgardo Jimenez Blanco, successfully argued the name wasn't intended to capitalize on Nintendo's intellectual property. The court accepted their evidence that the name directly reflected the supermarket's nature and the manager's first name.

"I'm incredibly grateful to my advisor, Jose Edgardo Jimenez Blanco," stated the supermarket owner's son, Charito, expressing relief at the outcome. He admitted considering giving up the fight against such a large corporation, but ultimately persevered.

While Nintendo holds exclusive rights to the Super Mario trademark across various product categories in many countries, this case underscores the complexities of trademark disputes, particularly when established brands clash with smaller businesses with legitimate claims to a similar name. The ruling serves as a cautionary tale, even for industry giants, highlighting the challenges in comprehensively protecting intellectual property worldwide.