Super Mario optical illusion sparks debate over his direction on stairs

A new optical illusion featuring Super Mario has sparked debate online about his direction on a staircase. Viewers are divided, with some believing he is going up and others insisting he is going down. The image is a still from the 1999 animated series "Super Mario Bros. Super Show." The confusion arises from the animation's design, which makes it difficult to determine Mario's true movement. The answer is revealed at 13:33 in the episode: Mario is actually ascending the stairs. This illusion highlights how our brains can misinterpret simple visuals, creating uncertainty in perception.