Mario and Luigi, Pikachu and more spotted wreaking havoc on the Metrolink – but why?

Mancunians using the Metrolink were left puzzled yesterday after a mischievous team of computer game characters renamed the city centre’s busiest tram stops.

Led by Mario, the horde of costume characters wreaked havoc on tram stops, replacing many of the Metrolink signs with famous game names and locations.

With the help of Mario and Luigi, Piccadilly Gardens was renamed Rainbow Road after the iconic Mario Kart level – considered by fans to be not just one of the hardest tracks on Mario Kart but also in racing game history full stop.

Meanwhile, St Peter’s Square was renamed Tetris Square, with onlookers stopping to capture the characters causing mayhem and take pictures.

And commuters at Shudehill were left in shock as they were greeted by the gory Nurse from Silent Hill leaving the tram during rush hour.

Other stops given the computer game treatment included Market Street which became Hyrule Castle from The Legend of Zelda and Exchange Square which was renamed Raccoon City from Resident Evil.

The activity was in celebration of the North’s biggest gaming event Play Expo, which takes place at Manchester Central on May 4 and May 5.

Play Expo will feature over 1,000 free to play gaming screens with a huge range of games to play from retro favourites like Pac Man and Mario right the way up to current blockbusters like Fortnite and Roblox.

The show also celebrates all elements of the gaming industry with a host of cosplayers, E-gaming competitions, meet and greets with famous gaming YouTubers and even careers advice for those looking to work in the world of gaming.

Think you know your computer games? Why not challenge your friends and see who can get the most locations right on the Play Expo Metrolink map?

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