Nintendo’s Mario Coming to GameCube

He’s short. He’s fat. He’s not a snappy dresser, and he spends his day fantasizing about princesses. He’s also responsible for billions of dollars in global sales since the mid-1980s.

He is, of course, Mario the Plumber, star of stage, screen and the most successful video game franchise in history. Today he returns to stores in his first original console game in six years, “Super Mario Sunshine� for the GameCube.

The little man with the mustache and the red overalls has been the backbone of his corporate master, Japan’s Nintendo Co., since 1985’s “Super Mario Bros.,� which was his first starring role. .

“There’s a lot of memories and a lot of nostalgia tied to Mario,� said Mark MacDonald, executive editor of Electronic Gaming Monthly, a leading industry magazine.

The GameCube player made its debut last November with “Luigi’s Mansion,� a game based on Mario’s brother that has done relatively well at retail.

Decent sales aside, though, it was little comfort to rabid fans who have been shaking in withdrawal as they waited for “Sunshine� to hit retail shelves and provide the fix they’ve dreamed of since 1996’s “Super Mario 64.�