Are they? If memory serves, each game's box has Mario exhibiting the main gimmick as best he can, and it's been that way for as long as I can remember. Holding a vegetable, flying with raccoon power, riding Yoshi while wearing a cape, riding Yoshi while being a baby, flying around the castle with a winged hat, being huge, flying in space, riding Yoshi while flying in space, riding Yoshi while hanging out with three other players, reading a map, holding onto a flying mailman... He's doing his trademark jump about as often as not but that's no more a crime than a Link posing dramatically while holding a sword or Samus pointing her arm cannon at something.