diff --git a/mario/Makefile b/mario/Makefile
index c76cbce..f28b5ce 100644
--- a/mario/Makefile
+++ b/mario/Makefile
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ OUTPUTFLAG = -o
 endif
 
 COMMON_OBJECTS = blocks.${OBJEXT} global_vars.${OBJEXT} sprites.${OBJEXT} maploader.${OBJEXT}
-MARIO_OBJECTS = mario.${OBJEXT} mario_visitor.${OBJEXT} ${COMMON_OBJECTS}
+MARIO_OBJECTS = main.${OBJEXT} mario_visitor.${OBJEXT} mario.${OBJEXT} ${COMMON_OBJECTS}
 EDITOR_OBJECTS = editor.${OBJEXT} edit_box.${OBJEXT} tool_box.${OBJEXT} editor_visitor.${OBJEXT} ${COMMON_OBJECTS}
 
 ifeq ($(UNAME_S),Linux)
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ editor: ${EDITOR_OBJECTS}
 	$(CXX) $(CXXFLAGS) -o $@ $^ ${LDFLAGS} -L $(shell pwd) -lsdlpp
 endif
 
-mario.${OBJEXT}: main.cpp ../sdlpp/sdlpp.hpp sprites.hpp
+main.${OBJEXT}: main.cpp ../sdlpp/sdlpp.hpp sprites.hpp
 	$(CXX) $(CXXFLAGS) -c ${OUTPUTFLAG}$@ $<
 blocks.${OBJEXT}: blocks.cpp ../sdlpp/sdlpp.hpp blocks.hpp sprites.hpp
 	$(CXX) $(CXXFLAGS) -c ${OUTPUTFLAG}$@ $<
@@ -67,6 +67,8 @@ tool_box.${OBJEXT}: tool_box.cpp ../sdlpp/sdlpp.hpp sprites.hpp tool_box.hpp
 	$(CXX) $(CXXFLAGS) -c ${OUTPUTFLAG}$@ $<
 editor_visitor.${OBJEXT}: editor_visitor.cpp ../sdlpp/sdlpp.hpp sprites.hpp editor_visitor.hpp
 	$(CXX) $(CXXFLAGS) -c ${OUTPUTFLAG}$@ $<
+mario.${OBJEXT}: mario.cpp ../sdlpp/sdlpp.hpp mario.hpp global_vars.hpp objectids.hpp sprites.hpp ../sdlpp/sdlpp_rectrenderer.hpp
+	$(CXX) $(CXXFLAGS) -c ${OUTPUTFLAG}$@ $<
 libsdlpp.so: ../sdlpp
 	$(MAKE) clean -C ../sdlpp
 	$(MAKE) -C ../sdlpp
diff --git a/mario/main.cpp b/mario/main.cpp
index f99143c..4695aae 100644
--- a/mario/main.cpp
+++ b/mario/main.cpp
@@ -15,22 +15,12 @@
 #include "blocks.hpp"
 #include "maploader.hpp"
 #include "mario_visitor.hpp"
-
-#define SIDE_MOVEMENT 0.8
-#define FALL_MOVEMENT 1
+#include "mario.hpp"
 
 bool quit = false;
-std::shared_ptr< SDLPP::RectangleRender > mario = nullptr;
-std::shared_ptr< SDLPP::Texture > mario_texture = nullptr;
+std::shared_ptr< Mario > mario = nullptr;
 std::shared_ptr< SDLPP::RectangleRender > leftStop = nullptr;
 std::shared_ptr< SDLPP::Renderer > renderer = nullptr;
-bool mario_facing_right = true;
-
-void setMarioStanding() {
-    if ( mario->getMovement().getX() == 0 ) {
-        mario->pauseAnimation();
-    }
-}
 
 void handleKeyDown( SDL_Keycode key, SDLPP::Scene &scene ) {
     switch ( key ) {
@@ -38,20 +28,10 @@ void handleKeyDown( SDL_Keycode key, SDLPP::Scene &scene ) {
         quit = true;
         break;
     case SDLK_a:
-        mario->resumeAnimation();
-        mario->addMovement( -SIDE_MOVEMENT, 0 );
-        if ( mario->getMovement().getX() < 0 && mario_facing_right ) {
-            mario->flipHorizontally();
-            mario_facing_right = false;
-        }
+        mario->walkLeft();
         break;
     case SDLK_d:
-        mario->resumeAnimation();
-        mario->addMovement( SIDE_MOVEMENT, 0 );
-        if ( mario->getMovement().getX() > 0 && !mario_facing_right ) {
-            mario->flipHorizontally();
-            mario_facing_right = true;
-        }
+        mario->walkRight();
         break;
     case SDLK_SPACE:
     case SDLK_w:
@@ -69,20 +49,10 @@ void handleKeyDown( SDL_Keycode key, SDLPP::Scene &scene ) {
 void handleKeyUp( SDL_Keycode key ) {
     switch ( key ) {
     case SDLK_a:
-        mario->resumeAnimation();
-        mario->addMovement( SIDE_MOVEMENT, 0 );
-        if ( mario->getMovement().getX() > 0 && !mario_facing_right ) {
-            mario->flipHorizontally();
-            mario_facing_right = true;
-        }
+        mario->walkRight();
         break;
     case SDLK_d:
-        mario->resumeAnimation();
-        mario->addMovement( -SIDE_MOVEMENT, 0 );
-        if ( mario->getMovement().getX() < 0 && mario_facing_right ) {
-            mario->flipHorizontally();
-            mario_facing_right = false;
-        }
+        mario->walkLeft();
         break;
     case SDLK_w:
     case SDLK_s:
@@ -152,17 +122,9 @@ void doInput( std::shared_ptr< SDLPP::Scene > scene ) {
         if ( mv.isDead() ) {
             quit = true;
         }
-        if ( !mv.isOnGround() ) {
-            mario->setMovement( mario->getMovement().getX(), FALL_MOVEMENT );
-        } else {
-            mario->resetMovementY();
-            mario->setPos(mario->getPos().getX(), mv.getGroundY() - BLOCK_SIZE);
-        }
-        if ( mv.isStopped() ||
-             ( !mv.canGoLeft() && prevPos.getX() > mario->getPos().getX() ) ||
-             ( !mv.canGoRight() && prevPos.getX() < mario->getPos().getX() ) ) {
-            mario->setPos( prevPos.getX(), mario->getPos().getY() );
-        }
+        mario->handleVisitor(mv, prevPos);
+
+        // if player is > 0.7 of playground, move everything left
         auto playerX = mario->getRect().x;
         auto width = scene->getWidth();
         auto rightBarrier = width * 0.7;
@@ -199,26 +161,10 @@ int main() {
     bg->setStatic();
     bg->setId( 1 );
     scene->addObject( bg );
-    mario_texture = std::make_shared< SDLPP::Texture >(
+    g_mario_texture = std::make_shared< SDLPP::Texture >(
         renderer, "sprites/mario.png", MARIO_OVERWORLD_COLORKEY );
-    mario = std::make_shared< SDLPP::RectangleRender >(
-        0, 0, BLOCK_SIZE, BLOCK_SIZE, renderer, mario_texture,
-        MARIO_STANDING_SRC );
-    mario->setAnimationFrames( MARIO_WALK_ANIM );
-    mario->setId( 2 );
-    mario->setAlignment( SDLPP::OBJ_CENTER, SDLPP::OBJ_CENTER );
-    mario->setAnimationSpeed( 12.5 );
-    mario->pauseAnimation();
-    mario->setMovement( 0, 0 );
-    mario->setMovementSpeed( 0.4 );
-    mario->addCollision(
-        SDLPP::RectColider( 0.21, 0.85, 0.65, 0.25, MARIO_FLOOR_DETECT ) );
-    mario->addCollision(
-        SDLPP::RectColider( 0, 0.1, 0.1, 0.8, MARIO_LEFT_SIDE_DETECT ) );
-    mario->addCollision(
-        SDLPP::RectColider( 0.9, 0.1, 0.1, 0.8, MARIO_RIGHT_SIDE_DETECT ) );
-    mario->setStatic( false );
-    scene->addObject( mario );
+    mario = std::make_shared< Mario >(renderer);
+    scene->addObject(mario);
 
     auto defeat =
         std::make_shared< SDLPP::RectangleRender >( 0, 1.01, 0, 0, renderer );
@@ -256,7 +202,7 @@ int main() {
     while ( !quit ) {
         SDL_PumpEvents();
         SDL_framerateDelay( &gFPS );
-        setMarioStanding();
+        mario->setStanding();
         scene->renderScene();
         renderer->presentRenderer();
         frames++;
diff --git a/mario/mario.cpp b/mario/mario.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..39c0192
--- /dev/null
+++ b/mario/mario.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,60 @@
+#include "mario.hpp"
+#include "global_vars.hpp"
+#include "objectids.hpp"
+#include "sprites.hpp"
+
+Mario::Mario(const std::shared_ptr< SDLPP::Renderer > &renderer) : SDLPP::RectangleRender(0, 0, BLOCK_SIZE, BLOCK_SIZE, renderer, g_mario_texture, MARIO_STANDING_SRC) {
+    setAnimationFrames( MARIO_WALK_ANIM );
+    setId( MARIO_ID );
+    setAlignment( SDLPP::OBJ_CENTER, SDLPP::OBJ_CENTER );
+    setAnimationSpeed( 12.5 );
+    pauseAnimation();
+    setMovement( 0, 0 );
+    setMovementSpeed( 0.4 );
+    addCollision(
+        SDLPP::RectColider( 0.21, 0.85, 0.65, 0.25, MARIO_FLOOR_DETECT ) );
+    addCollision(
+        SDLPP::RectColider( 0, 0.1, 0.1, 0.8, MARIO_LEFT_SIDE_DETECT ) );
+    addCollision(
+        SDLPP::RectColider( 0.9, 0.1, 0.1, 0.8, MARIO_RIGHT_SIDE_DETECT ) );
+    setStatic( false );
+}
+void Mario::walkLeft() {
+    resumeAnimation();
+    addMovement( -side_movement, 0 );
+    if ( getMovement().getX() < 0 && faces_right ) {
+        flipHorizontally();
+        faces_right = false;
+    }
+}
+
+void Mario::walkRight() {
+    resumeAnimation();
+    addMovement( side_movement, 0 );
+    if ( getMovement().getX() > 0 && !faces_right ) {
+        flipHorizontally();
+        faces_right = true;
+    }
+}
+
+void Mario::setStanding() {
+    if ( getMovement().getX() == 0 ) {
+        pauseAnimation();
+    }
+}
+
+void Mario::handleVisitor(MarioVisitor &visitor, SDLPP::Vec2D<double> previous_position) {
+    // handle gravity
+    if ( !visitor.isOnGround() ) {
+        setMovement( getMovement().getX(), fall_movement );
+    } else {
+        resetMovementY();
+        setPos(getPos().getX(), visitor.getGroundY() - BLOCK_SIZE);
+    }
+    // make sure Mario isn't stuck inside a wall
+    if ( visitor.isStopped() ||
+         ( !visitor.canGoLeft() && previous_position.getX() > getPos().getX() ) ||
+         ( !visitor.canGoRight() && previous_position.getX() < getPos().getX() ) ) {
+        setPos( previous_position.getX(), getPos().getY() );
+    }
+}
diff --git a/mario/mario.hpp b/mario/mario.hpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9d60eb5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/mario/mario.hpp
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+#ifndef MARIO_H
+#define MARIO_H
+
+#include "../sdlpp/sdlpp_rectrenderer.hpp"
+#include "mario_visitor.hpp"
+
+class Mario : public SDLPP::RectangleRender {
+public:
+    Mario(const std::shared_ptr< SDLPP::Renderer > &renderer);
+    void walkLeft();
+    void walkRight();
+    void setStanding();
+    void handleVisitor(MarioVisitor &visitor, SDLPP::Vec2D<double> previous_position);
+private:
+    bool faces_right = true;
+    double side_movement = 0.8;
+    double fall_movement = 1;
+};
+
+#endif