Super Mario Birthday Cupcakes

I have been dying to do something "Super Mario" inspired for years, but never had the opportunity.  Well, finally the opportunity presented itself and I was like a kid in a candy store!!!

We'll get the basics down quick... the cupcakes were chocolate cake with vanilla buttercream, filled and topped.  Then came the fun part.  Circles of fondant to depict the background of each cupcake and then smaller pieces of multiple colors to turn little cupcakes into Super Mario's favorite characters, both enemies and friends!
Here is a top view of the bulk.  The only ones missing are duplicates  20 cupcakes, 10 characters done twice.

You can see the Mario and Luigi heads, the flying fish, the mushrooms and ghosts and squid.  A Goomba, some flower power, and the vicious pipe plants.

A close-up of the good stuff. A coin, flower power, and star power.

A scary Goomba looking to get squished.

A 1-Up mushroom on a question mark block.

A flying fish looking passive, but they are aggressive!

Marioooo... the name with the game. He was fun to make.

Luigi was more fun to make! haha... those eyebrows made it more fun!

The kids went nuts over them. The parents went nuts over them.. and I finally got to make my Super Mario treats (so yes, I went nuts over them too).

A highlight of my baking/decorating career! LOVE IT!! Every time I look at them I hear the theme song in my head! :-)