Characters in the Mario franchise facts for kids
The Mario games are a super popular video game series made by Nintendo. Nintendo usually creates and publishes these games. But sometimes, other companies like Hudson Soft and Intelligent Systems help out too!
Most Mario games are about the hero Mario and his adventures. Often, the big bad guy, Bowser, kidnaps Princess Peach. Then, Mario has to rescue her! Other characters have their own stories. For example, in the Luigi's Mansion games, Luigi explores haunted places to get rid of ghosts. And Wario stars in games where he chases after money and treasure.
The Mario world started way back in 1981 with the game Donkey Kong. This is where Mario, Donkey Kong, and Pauline first appeared. A famous Japanese game designer named Shigeru Miyamoto created them. Because Donkey Kong was a huge hit, Mario came back in Mario Bros. in 1983. This game introduced Mario's twin brother, Luigi. Then, in 1985, Super Mario Bros. arrived. It brought us Toad and many enemies, with Bowser and Princess Peach taking the places of Donkey Kong and Pauline.
Each game series has added many new characters. Lots of them appear again and again. Some characters even get their own games! The games usually share common enemies too.
Hero Characters
Mario
Mario (voiced by Charles Martinet) is the main character of the Mario games. He is also the mascot for all of Nintendo! He first showed up in 1981 in Donkey Kong. Back then, he was called "Jumpman" and was a carpenter. Later, he became a plumber, which is what he is known for today.
In most of his games, Mario saves a princess (usually Princess Peach) from a bad guy (usually Bowser). Mario's younger brother is Luigi. His greedy rival is Wario. Yoshi is often Mario's trusty dinosaur friend in many games, like Super Mario World.
Mario is famous for his jumping skills, which he uses to stomp on enemies. He also uses cool power-ups! The Super Mushroom makes him bigger. The Super Star makes him invincible for a short time. And the Fire Flower lets him throw fireballs. Some power-ups even let him fly, like the Super Leaf from Super Mario Bros. 3. Mario is one of the most famous video game characters ever!
Luigi
Luigi (voiced by Charles Martinet) is Mario's younger twin brother. He sometimes feels a bit jealous of Mario, but he also looks up to him. Luigi first appeared in the 1983 game Mario Bros. as the second player.
At first, Luigi looked just like Mario. But in later games like Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels (1986), he started to get his own style. He could jump higher and further, but he was a bit harder to control. In the North American Super Mario Bros. 2 (1988), Luigi became taller and thinner. This look helped shape his modern appearance.
Luigi's first main role was in Mario Is Missing! in 1993. But his big moment came in 2001 with Luigi's Mansion. In this game, he's a scared but funny hero who has to save his brother from ghosts. In 2013, Nintendo celebrated the "Year of Luigi" to mark his 30th anniversary. Many Luigi games were released that year!
Princess Peach
Princess Peach Toadstool (voiced by Samantha Kelly) is the princess of the Mushroom Kingdom in the Mario games. In the main games, she is often captured by Bowser. Then, Mario has to rescue her!
When you can play as Peach, she usually has the special ability to float in the air. She is also taller than Mario. Her first time being playable in a main Mario game was in Super Mario Bros. 2 (1988). She also starred in Super Princess Peach (2005), where she rescued Mario, Luigi, and Toad. She used a parasol named Perry and special powers based on her emotions. Peach often appears in other Mario games too, like Mario Kart and the Mario sports games.
In Super Mario Odyssey (2017), after being rescued from Bowser, she decides to go on a trip around the world by herself. Mario eventually joins her on her journey.
Princess Daisy
Princess Daisy (voiced by Deanna Mustard) is the princess of Sarasaland. This is where the game Super Mario Land (1989) takes place. Since then, she has mostly been a playable character in other Mario games, especially the sports games.
Daisy made her first playable appearance in a main series game in Super Mario Run (2016). In that game, she can do a double jump. She is known for being more tomboyish than Princess Peach. Many fans think she and Luigi might be a couple!
Yoshi
Yoshi (voiced by Kazumi Totaka) is a friendly green dinosaur character. He has a super long tongue that he uses to eat enemies. When he eats enemies, he can turn them into eggs. These eggs can give you power-ups or be thrown at other enemies!
Yoshi is often a character you can ride on or play as in many Mario spin-off games. He even has his own series of games!
Rosalina
Rosalina (voiced by Laura Faye Smith) is a princess character who first appeared in Super Mario Galaxy (2007). As a child, she traveled into space and became the adoptive mother of the Lumas. Lumas are mysterious and friendly star-like creatures that live in space in the Mario games.
Rosalina lives in the Comet Observatory, a special starship that travels through the Mario universe. In later games, she is usually a supporting character. She often appears in spin-off games like the Mario sports games, Mario Kart series, and Super Smash Bros. series. In Super Mario 3D World (2013), she is a playable character that you can unlock.
Toad
Toad (voiced by Samantha Kelly) is a mushroom-like character. He first appeared in Super Mario Bros. (1985). His first main role was in Wario's Woods (1994), where you could control him to solve puzzles.
Toad became playable in a main Mario game in Super Mario Bros. 2 (1988). He often appears as a helpful character in Mario role-playing games. Toad is part of the Toad species, which includes characters like Captain Toad, Toadette, and Toadsworth. Keegan-Michael Key voices Toad in The Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023).
Toadette
Toadette (voiced by Samantha Kelly) is a pink Toad character. She first appeared in Mario Kart: Double Dash!! (2003) as a playable driver. Toadette has two long pigtails with white spots and wears a dress, which makes her look different from Toad.
Since Super Mario Odyssey, Toadette works as an archivist in the Toad Brigade. She can be a supporting character or a main hero, and you can play as her in most Mario spin-off games. In New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe, a power-up called the Super Crown lets Toadette turn into Peachette. This form looks a lot like Princess Peach and lets her float and double jump!
Toadsworth
Toadsworth (voiced by Scott Burns) is an older Toad character. He is Princess Peach's loyal helper and caretaker. He always worries about the princess's safety and looks after the other Toads.
He first appeared in Super Mario Sunshine for GameCube. In that game, he goes on vacation with Mario, Peach, and the other Toads. In Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time, we learn that he has taken care of the princess since she was a baby!
Captain Toad
Captain Toad (voiced by Samantha Kelly) is an explorer and the leader of the Toad Brigade. He first appeared in Super Mario Galaxy. He also shows up in Super Mario Galaxy 2 and Super Mario Odyssey as a "treasure tracker".
Captain Toad makes appearances in Super Smash Bros. and became a playable racer in Mario Kart Tour. He is the main hero in special levels in Super Mario 3D World called Captain Toad's Adventures. He also stars in his very own game, Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker.
Birdo
Birdo, also known as Birdette, and in Japan as Catherine (voiced by Kazumi Totaka), is a pink, dinosaur-like character. She wears a red bow on her head and has a round mouth that can shoot eggs.
Birdo first appeared in Super Mario Bros. 2 as a recurring boss. Since then, she has been a playable character in many Mario spin-off games. Early descriptions of Birdo mentioned her identity, and she is now widely seen as a female character. Some fans believe Birdo is one of the first transgender video game characters.
Pauline
Pauline (voiced by Kate Higgins) first appeared in Donkey Kong (1981) as Lady. She also appeared in Donkey Kong (1994) for Game Boy and the Mario vs. Donkey Kong series.
She was created by Shigeru Miyamoto. Pauline is known as one of the earliest female characters in video games to have a speaking role. She is also a famous example of a "damsel in distress" (a character who needs to be rescued). In Super Mario Odyssey, she is the mayor of New Donk City!
Kong Family
Donkey Kong
Donkey Kong (voiced by Takashi Nagasako) is a male gorilla who stars in the Donkey Kong games. He is the leader of the Kong Family, a group of different primates.
Diddy Kong
Diddy Kong (voiced by Katsumi Suzuki) is a monkey character. He is Donkey Kong's nephew, helper, and best friend. He appears in both the Donkey Kong and Mario games. Diddy is the main hero of Diddy Kong Racing and its remake. He is known for being a cheerful and kind character.
Cranky Kong
Cranky Kong is an older Kong. He first appeared in the 1981 game Donkey Kong. In that game, he was the bad guy who kidnapped Pauline. But Mario stopped him!
Other Supporting Characters
Poochy
Poochy is Yoshi's helpful dog. He first appeared in Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island and continued to appear in the Yoshi series, like in Poochy & Yoshi's Woolly World. In the games, Poochy can do things Yoshi can't. He can sniff out hidden items, cross dangerous areas, and help Yoshi jump higher. In 2023, Poochy became a playable character in Mario Kart Tour.
Professor E. Gadd
Professor Elvin Gadd (voiced by Kazumi Totaka), or Professor E. Gadd, is a smart scientist and inventor. He mostly appears in the Luigi's Mansion games. He invented cool gadgets like Luigi's Poltergust 3000 and Gooigi from Luigi's Mansion 3. He is also mentioned in Super Mario Sunshine as the inventor of Mario's F.L.U.D.D., a device that sprays water. Professor E. Gadd has also made small appearances in games like Mario Party and Mario & Luigi.
Lumas
The Lumas are friendly star-like creatures. They first appeared in Super Mario Galaxy. They can change into different game objects, small planets, and even whole levels! Lumas come in many colors, but they are usually yellow. One special Luma, called Baby Luma, is important in the Super Mario Galaxy games. It gives Mario or Luigi the power to do a Star Spin.
In The Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023), Juliet Jelenic voices a blue Luma named Lumalee. This character first appeared in Super Mario Galaxy as a salesman. In the movie, Lumalee is a prisoner of Bowser. He talks cheerfully about the pain and suffering that awaits all prisoners, which makes the other prisoners very sad.
Nabbit
Nabbit is a rabbit-like creature who likes to steal items from Toad. He was first introduced in New Super Mario Bros. U (2012). In New Super Luigi U and New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe, you can play as Nabbit!
Villain Characters
Bowser
Bowser or King Koopa (voiced by Kenneth W. James) is the king of the turtle-like Koopa race. He is a selfish troublemaker who wants to take over the Mushroom Kingdom. He is known as Mario's main enemy and is usually the final boss in most Mario games. You can play as Bowser in most Mario spin-off games.
Dry Bowser is a recurring bad guy in the Mario series. He first appeared as a form of Bowser after losing his flesh in New Super Mario Bros.. Since Mario Kart Wii, he has appeared as his own character. Dry Bowser is in Mario Party: Island Tour and is a playable character in many Mario spin-off games.
Bowser Jr.
Bowser Jr. (known as Koopa Jr. in Japan; voiced by Caety Sagoian) is Bowser's son. He first appeared in the 2002 game Super Mario Sunshine. He is often the second main bad guy in the Mario series.
In the games, Bowser Jr. looks up to his dad. He shares Bowser's goal to defeat Mario and take over the Mushroom Kingdom. Bowser Jr. is playable in most Mario spin-off games and in Super Smash Bros.. He is the main hero of Bowser Jr.'s Journey (2018), which was part of a remake of Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story.
Wario
Wario (voiced by Charles Martinet) is a big, strong, hot-tempered, and greedy man. He is Mario's yellow-and-purple clad arch-rival. He started out as a bad guy, but over the years, he has become more of an anti-hero. You can even play as him in some games!
Wario is the main character of the Wario series. He is playable in most Mario spin-off games, where he is often partners with Waluigi. His name comes from "warui," the Japanese word for "bad," and "Mario." Wario's favorite food is garlic, which often helps him regain health in games.
Waluigi
Waluigi (voiced by Charles Martinet) is a tall, thin, and mischievous man. He was introduced in Mario Tennis as Wario's partner. He is Luigi's black-and-purple clad arch-rival. Waluigi often teams up with Wario to carry out their plans.
He is playable in most Mario spin-off games and makes appearances in the Super Smash Bros. series. Like Wario, his name comes from "warui" (Japanese for "bad") and "Luigi."
Koopalings
The Koopalings are seven siblings who first appeared as bosses in the 1988 game Super Mario Bros. 3. Their names are Ludwig, Lemmy, Roy, Iggy, Wendy, Morton, and Larry.
The Koopalings were first thought to be Bowser's children. Older Mario games and their updated manuals still refer to them this way. However, since New Super Mario Bros. Wii in 2009, they have been shown as Bowser's loyal helpers. In 2012, Shigeru Miyamoto said that "our current story is that the seven Koopalings are not Bowser's children. Bowser's only child is Bowser Jr."
The Koopalings have also been playable characters in Mario spin-off games and the Super Smash Bros. series. They have even appeared in Mario cartoons like Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3 and Super Mario World.
Kamek
Kamek (voiced by Atsushi Masaki) is a wizard-like Magikoopa. He was Bowser's caretaker when Bowser was a child. Now, Kamek is one of Bowser's top helpers. Kamek is the main bad guy in the Yoshi series.
In games, Kamek uses magic to make copies of himself, teleport, shoot magic blasts, and change the size of other creatures. He often rides a broom, which helps tell him apart from other Magikoopas. In Japan, his species is also called Kamek, but outside Japan, they are called Magikoopas.
Kamek appears in New Super Mario Bros. Wii (2009) and New Super Mario Bros. U (2012) as a recurring bad guy and boss. He also makes appearances in Mario Party and Paper Mario games. Kamek became a playable character in Mario Party 9 (2012) and Mario Golf: World Tour (2014). He has also made small appearances in the Super Smash Bros. series.
Kamek was originally planned to be a playable character in Mario Kart 64 but was replaced by Donkey Kong. He later became playable in Mario Kart Tour in 2021 and was added to Mario Kart 8 Deluxe in 2023.
Kamek also appears in The Super Mario Bros. Movie, voiced by Kevin Michael Richardson.
King Boo
King Boo (voiced by Toru Asakawa) is the king of the Boos. He is the main bad guy in the Luigi's Mansion games. He plays smaller roles, sometimes even playable, in other Mario games, like the Mario Kart and Mario Party series.
King Boo's first big role was as the final boss of Luigi's Mansion, where he pretended to be Bowser. He is much bigger than the regular Boos. He wears a crown with a large ruby and has glowing, sunken eyes in the Luigi's Mansion games.
Petey Piranha
Petey Piranha, known as Boss Pakkun in Japan, (voiced by Toru Minegishi) is a large, strong Piranha Plant. Normal Piranha Plants usually grow from pipes. But Petey has foot-like leaves and arm-like roots, which let him use things like tennis rackets and golf clubs when he's playable in the Mario sports games. He can sometimes use his leaves to fly.
He first appeared as the main boss of Bianco Hills in Super Mario Sunshine. Similar Piranha Plant bosses later appeared in Super Mario Galaxy and its sequel. Petey Piranha made his Mario Kart debut in Mario Kart: Double Dash as a playable driver. He also appears in Mario Kart Tour and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe.
Fawful
Fawful (voiced by Nami Funashima), known in Japan as Gerakobits, is a recurring bad guy in the Mario & Luigi series. He is known for being "insane" and speaks in a very strange way. He was a secondary bad guy in Superstar Saga and the main bad guy in Bowser's Inside Story.
Fawful was created by Masanori Sato. His Japanese name, Gerakobits, comes from "geragera," a Japanese sound for a scornful laugh. His English name is a mix of "awful" and "guffaw" (a loud laugh). Because Fawful was a new character, the team that translated the games for North America had a lot of freedom to make his dialogue unique. In English versions, Fawful speaks in broken English and uses strange phrases. His famous saying is, "I have fury!"
Fawful is very popular with critics and fans. He is loved for his quotes and humor. His "I have fury!" quote was even included in a collection of classic Nintendo game quotes.
Enemy Characters
- Blooper – A squid that chases after you. It first appeared in Super Mario Bros.. Some Bloopers, called Blooper Nannies, can shoot smaller versions of themselves.
- Bob-omb – A bomb enemy with a wind-up key and a fuse. It explodes after a short time or when thrown. It was introduced in Super Mario Bros. 2. King Bob-omb (also called Big Bob-omb) was introduced in Super Mario 64 as a boss.
- Boo, known in Japan as Teresa – A round ghost enemy that sneaks up on you when you're not looking. It first appeared in Super Mario Bros. 3. Boos are very popular Mario enemies and appear on toys and other merchandise.
- Bullet Bill – A bullet with angry eyes that shoots out of a cannon called a "Bill Blaster." There are bigger ones called Banzai Bills that look like sharks.
- Chain Chomp – A metal ball-and-chain creature that lunges at you when you get close. Its design was inspired by a childhood experience of Shigeru Miyamoto's with a fierce dog.
- Cheep Cheep – This round, usually red, fish first appeared in Super Mario Bros.. Cheep Cheeps mostly live in water, but some can jump or fly. Giant ones like Boss Bass and Big Bertha try to swallow you. Porcupuffers are giant, spiky versions. Fish Bones are skeletons that charge at you.
- Dry Bones – A walking Koopa Troopa skeleton. It puts itself back together after being hit, unless defeated by certain power-ups.
- Fuzzy – A spiky creature that floats in the air and sometimes moves on rails. It first appeared in Super Mario World.
- Goomba – A living mushroom-like creature. It's usually the first enemy you meet in the games. Goombas were added late in the making of Super Mario Bros to be a simple, easy enemy. Some Goombas have wings (Paragoomba). Others like the Galoomba flip over when stomped on. The Goombas even have their own king, King Goomba (also called Goomboss), who was the first boss in Paper Mario.
- Hammer Bro – A type of helmet-wearing Koopa who throws hammers at you. There are variations that throw other things, like the Boomerang Bro and the Fire Bro. A bigger version, the Sledge Bro, can stun you.
- Koopa Troopa – A soldier for Bowser. It hides in its shell when stomped on. Then, you can use its shell to attack other enemies. Some Koopas have wings (Paratroopa or Koopa Paratroopa). There are many other types of Koopa Troopas, like red, yellow, and blue ones.
- Buzzy Beetle – A black or blue beetle-like creature with a hard, fireproof shell. It can crawl on ceilings and drop down.
- Chargin' Chuck – A Koopa wearing football gear that charges at you. It can also use items like baseballs.
- Mechakoopa – A robot with a wind-up key. It stops moving when stomped on and can then be thrown. Some can breathe fire.
- Spike Top – A red, wall-crawling beetle-like creature. It's immune to fire and can't be jumped on normally.
- Spiny – A red, beetle-like creature with spikes. It hurts you if you touch it from above. Lakitus often throw them.
- Lakitu – A Koopa who rides a cloud and wears aviator goggles. It drops endless supplies of Spinies. Lakitu also appears in Mario spin-off games. It acts as a track marshal in Mario Kart and a camera operator in Super Mario 64.
- Magikoopa – A wizard Koopa that can cast magic spells. It can turn blocks into enemies, power-ups, or coins. Magikoopas first appeared in Super Mario World. Kamek and Kammy Koopa are well-known Magikoopas.
- Monty Mole – A mole-like enemy that digs underground. It pops out when you get close. A similar enemy, the Rocky Wrench, pops out of airship manholes and throws wrenches.
- Piranha Plant – A leafy, meat-eating plant with sharp teeth. It usually lives inside pipes. It has appeared in many games outside of Mario, even as a playable character in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.
- Podoboo – A fireball that jumps out of lava and can bounce off walls. It's also called a Lava Bubble. A Blue Podoboo chases you and jumps out of blue lava.
- Pokey – A spiky cactus with detachable green or yellow body parts. It first appeared in the international Super Mario Bros. 2.
- Shy Guy – A shy, masked creature wearing a robe. It comes in many colors and types. It was introduced in the international Super Mario Bros. 2, but is often an enemy to Yoshi. Some types include the Snifit, which shoots bullets from its mask, and the Fly Guy, which has a propeller on its head and can fly.
- Spike – A green Koopa creature that attacks with spiked balls. It throws them out of its mouth. It first appeared in Super Mario Bros. 3.
- Thwomp – A large stone block with an angry face. It is mostly found in castles. It tries to crush you, usually from above. There is a smaller version called a Thwimp.
- Whomp – A stone slab that slams its face on the ground when you get near. You can only defeat it by ground pounding its back. It was inspired by a Japanese mythical wall monster.
- Wiggler – A caterpillar enemy introduced in Super Mario World. It changes color and charges at you when stomped on. It is a playable character in Mario Kart 7, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, and Mario Kart Tour. Some Wigglers, called Flutters, have butterfly wings.
See also
In Spanish: Anexo:Personajes de la franquicia de Mario para niños
- Bowsette — a fan-made character based on Bowser and Peachette
