It seems like every new game in theMariofranchise needs to introduce a new character to go along with the aesthetic and gameplay of the title. While some characters have become major mainstays, likeDonkey KongandYoshi, others have fallen by the wayside and have seemingly been forgotten by Nintendo since their first introduction.
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On the flip side, there are more than a few characters in the series that have overstayed their welcome and are used more as padding in an already overstuffed roster of characters, rather than bringing anything new or interesting to the table.
10Disappeared: Mouser
Mouser appeared twice inSuper Mario Bros. 2as an early-game boss, once in World 1-3 and a second time in World 3-3. Both boss battles require the same strategy to defeat him: throwing the bombs he launches at Mario back at him.
This made him an enjoyable although simple boss in the game. SinceSuper Mario Bros. 2, however, he hasn’t been seen in anyMariogame, and his role was even reduced in the GBA remake,Super Mario Advance, taking away his second battle in favor of Robirdo.
9Should Disappear: Rosalina
Let’s get one thing clear: female representation in video games is an important topic of discussion in this day and age, but re-skinningPeachand Daisy is not a good way to go about it.
Rosalina was introduced as a powerful figure inSuper Mario Galaxy, but her character never really went anywhere and now just sticks around because of how much she looks like Peach and Daisy. She didn’t even do that much in the sequel, where she arguably should have been front and center in the story.
8Disappeared: Toadsworth
From his first appearance inSuperMario Sunshine, Toadsworth was able to stand out from the crowd of Toads that plagues the Mushroom Kingdom. Unlike the rest of his species, his look and mannerisms are more elderly and wise, which makes him unique among even the human characters in theMarioseries.
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Unfortunately, his role now has been reduced from a potentially interesting side character to an old forgotten mushroom, only appearing a few times in theMario & Luigiseries and as a spirit or trophy inSmash Bros.
7Should Disappear: Toads
No, not THE Toad, he can stay in the franchise as long as he wants. His copy-paste species of citizens that flood the Mushroom Kingdom though, it’s high time they were shown the door.
It was fine in the days of more primitive gaming when it was difficult to have many characters on screen, especially to make them all individual and recognizable, but now it’s just a bore to watch. It doesn’t even make that much sense that a human is in charge of the kingdom when barely a handful of its citizens are the same species.
6Disappeared: Birdo
Like Mouser, Birdo was introduced inSuper Mario Bros. 2as an early-game boss and has largely been forgotten about since then, with some minor appearances is spin-off titles. What makes this such a shame is that her character had one line of information in the user manual that made her a more interesting character, especially in modern gaming.
The North American user manual states, “He thinks he is a girl and he spits eggs from his mouth. He’d rather be called Birdetta”, making her one of the few opening transgender characters in gaming, which is a feat in and of itself considering how long agoSuper Mario Bros. 2has been available.
5Should Disappear: Daisy
In much the same way as Rosalina should disappear, Daisy also needs to be shown the door. Her character boils down to a simple reskin of Peach, with much of the same characteristics and mannerisms as the original princess, but with less screen time.
Before her first time as a playable fighter inSmash Bros. Ultimate, Daisy was nothing more than a color change option for Peach, highlighting how unnecessary she is in the franchise as a whole.
4Disappeared: Tatanga
Tatanga first debuted inSuper Mario Landas the central antagonist, kidnapping Daisy and hypnotizing the citizens of Sarasaland to do his bidding. After his defeat at the hands of Mario, he returns inSuper Mario Land 2as a side villain, with Wario taking over his role from the first game.
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Tatanga could have been an interesting mainstay villain in the series, as he was the first extraterrestrial villain introduced in the series and could have made for some interesting dynamics in the likes ofSuper Mario Galaxyhad he stuck around.
3Should Disappear: Fly Guy
Shy Guy is a fan-favorite side character in theMarioseries, with his signature look and quirky noises making him stand out in a crowd of bad guys. Fly Guy, on the other hand, is just a Shy Guy with a propeller on his head and doesn’t need to exist as a separate group of characters.
At least in the case of Koopas, each has its own design and coloration to differentiate them between one another, but Fly Guy didn’t get this treatment and somehow still gets his own unique name.
2Disappeared: Geno
Not to be confused with thecyborg with a very similar name, Geno the wooden doll made his debut inSuper Mario RPGon theNintendo 64as a valuable team member, as well as being instrumental in informing Mario of the role and importance of the Star Pieces.
Aside from making a cameo appearance in a few laterMariotitles, Geno hasn’t been seen much in the years since, aside from being a Mii outfit inSmash Bros.forWiiU.
1Should Disappear: Baby Characters
Protecting Baby Mario inYoshi’s Islandmade for a unique way to play aMariogame, as he was still one of the main characters despite the player not controlling him.
It seemed like Nintendo thought this meant that every other human character needed a baby form, and now character rosters are bloated with unnecessary baby additions, particularly in theMario Kartseries. Had they just been skin changes on the original characters, they might not feel so unwelcome on the character select screen.
