Depending on the day the CD-i's clock is set to, very brief messages will appear underneath the loading screen of the game's first level in place of the standard "HERE WE GO!" message:

• January 1st = "HAPPY NEW YEAR!"
• February 14th = "HAPPY VALENTINES DAY!"
• February 17th = "ITS HOLLIES BIRTHDAY!", celebrating the birthday of Play Consultant Hollie S. Lohff.
• May 8th = "DO NOT FORGET MOTHERS DAY!"
• July 4th = "HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY!"
• August 31st = "READY TO GO BACK TO SCHOOL?"
• October 31st = "BOOOOOOOOO!!!"
• November 24th = "HAPPY TURKEY DAY! GOBBLE GOBBLE!"
• December 25th = "HAPPY HOLIDAYS!"
• December 31st = "HAPPY NEW YEAR!"

In regards to the February 17th message, Hollie S. Lohff is the daughter of one of the game's engineers, Thomas Lohff. She was brought in to playtest the game and commented that Mario should be able to jump, as it was weird to play a Mario game without that mechanic. The developers took her advice and added her to the game credits as "Play Consultant."

The French version of the game features its own unique messages to indicate French holidays:

• January 1st = "BONNE ANNEE" ("Happy New Year.")
• Late January = "ALLONS CHERCHER LA FEVE" ("Let's find the charm." Displays in a time of year where in France the people eat some "Galette des Rois" (King's Pie) and there is a charm hidden in the pie.)
• February 14th = "C'EST LA SAINT VALENTIN" ("It's Valentine's Day.")
• Carnival celebration in France = "ON SE DEGUISERA POUR LE MARDI GRAS" ("We'll be dressing up for Mardi Gras.")
• Easter = "OU SONT CACHES LES OEUFS" ("Where are the eggs hidden?")
• Last Sunday in May = "BONNE FETE MAMAN" ("Happy Mother's Day, Mom!")
• May 31st = "L'ECOLE EST BIENTOT FINIE" ("School is almost over." Displays when most schools began Summer vacation at the time.)
• Third Sunday of June = "BONNE FETE PAPA" ("Happy Father's Day, Dad!")
• July 14th = "ALLONS ENFANT DE LA PATRIIIIEEE" ("Arise, children of the Fatherland." Displays on France's national celebration. Taken from the French national anthem "La Marseillaise", although "ENFANT" should be "ENFANTS" due to the plural grammar rule.)
• August 31st = "PREPAREZ VOS CARTABLES" ("Prepare your schoolbags." Referring to returning to school. Displays when most schools were ending Summer vacation at the time.)
• December 25th = "JOYEUX NOEL" ("Merry Christmas.")
• December 31st = "BONNE ANNEE" ("Happy New Year")