This page explains in detail the interactions between the Ghostbusters series and the Mario series.
The Super Mario Bros. Super Show! episode Slime Busters[]
September 08, 1989
Ghostbusters
Mario
Mario - Slime Busters
The fifth live action segment of the Mario TV show, broadcasted along with the first episode of the Zelda cartoon, is a parody of Ghostbusters guest starring Ernie Hudson, one of the actors from the original movie.
In the episode the Mario Brothers are facing an invasion from slime creatures, so Ernie Hudson, apparently starring as himself, since he's immediately recognised by Mario and called by name, goes in their help as a Slime Busters agent to fight the slime back. Luigi then walks out of the back room and is soon discoverd to be possessed by one of the sime ghosts, but is then saved by Ernie's raygun, that sends the slime away.
References to Ghostbusters are very obvious, starting from the name of the episode itself and the titular company, and the fact that these slime creatures are actually referred to as ghosts by Ernie Hudson. Additionally his equipment is clearly based on the Ghostbursters gadgets: he wears a cheaper version of the Proton Pack, that can be seen by the audience to be actually obtained from a backpack, he holds what appears to be a toolbox with black and yellow stripes on it, possibly based on the Trap, and later uses a device to monitor the ghosts' activity, acting like the P.K.E. Meter from the movie, but looking different. Lastly, the ghosts themselves being green slime may be a reference to the ghost Slimer from the movie.
License[]
DiC, that created the Mario TV show, holds no right over Columbia Pictures' Ghostbusters, in fact they only parodied the movie, while never directly referencing it. This was likely done to take advantage of Ernie Hudson guest starring in the episode.