Confusing Super Mario optical illusion just keeps giving

Super Mario is the subject of an optical illusion that's been baffling the internet for years now. Shared on Reddit, the image is of Mario running *on* a staircase, but the question is: is he running up, or down? 

With the angle of the stairs ambiguous, the Nintendo star could be running either way from this still image, which has caused untold debate. But luckily, since this picture is originally from an episode of Super Mario Bros Super Show, there's an easy way to find out – and we've shared below. But first, check out the illusion for yourself and see what you think (then head to our list of the best optical illusions ever).

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Georgia Coggan

Georgia is lucky enough to be Creative Bloq's Editor. She has been working for Creative Bloq since 2018, starting out as a freelancer writing about all things branding, design, art, tech and creativity – as well as sniffing out genuinely good deals on creative technology. Since becoming Editor, she has been managing the site and its long term strategy, helping to shape the diverse content streams CB is known for and leading the team in their own creativity.

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