Pom Pom

As the Game Cube gave way to the Wii, so too did the Nintendo DS, give way to the Nintendo 3DS. With its launch, came a brand-new game that combined the linear levels of Mario’s 2D platformers with 3D layouts, rather than just the open worlds of previous Mario 3D games. This game brought with it the return of the boss character Boom Boom, alongside a brand-new female companion/alternate to take turns fighting Mario.

This is Pom Pom, a pink and red female Koopa of the same type as Boom Boom. While Boom Boom seemed to rely entirely on his muscle, Pom Pom seemed to have a bit of magic up her sleeve, using tricks and spells to mix things up. She would go on to reappear alongside Boom Boom in Super Mario 3D World, and even see a few playable appearances.

As a character, she will be an echo fighter of Boom Boom, their move pool being a conglomeration of both of their boss fighters. As an echo, she will be a bit lighter and quicker than Boom Boom, with better mastery over the magic-using spells, but still heavy and strong overall.

Likelihood rating: Piranha Plant clause

Captain Toad

As Mario journeys through the galaxy, he eventually reunites with his Toad friends, who have built a spaceship to go after Bowser and assembled themselves into a crew called the Toad Brigade. At their head is the red-spotted Toad, now sporting a pith helmet with a flashlight, a heavy backpack, and a cargo vest.

He is now Captain Toad, leader of the Toad Brigade and brave adventurer. This distinct version of Captain Toad would go on to appear in multiple games, often as an easter egg for Mario to find, but eventually getting himself his own spinoff in Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker.

As a playable character, he is much slower and heavier than his normal form, his big backpack weighing him down and severely hampering his aerials. He will make up for it with his strength, which remains high. His moves will almost entirely pull from Treasure Tracker, though will some references from other appearances as well.

Likelihood rating: Could happen

Honeybee

With Rosalina’s help, Mario traverses the galaxy in pursuit of Bowser and Peach, visiting strange new worlds in search of power stars to power the ship. Among the first of these worlds is the Honeyhive Galaxy, a world inhabited by friendly worker bees, ruled by their queen, the Honey Queen.

These are the Honeybees. They wouldn’t see much life outside of the Galaxy games, probably preferring to stick to their own planet, though their queen would see one random spot of playability in Mario Kart 7. Their design would contribute heavily to an important power-up for Mario in the Galaxy games though, allowing him to fly, walk on flowers, and climb around on patches of honey.

As fighters, the Honeybees will be small and fast, with stinging moves that don’t do much flashy damage. Their queen will help them out in various moves, most especially their final smash. Most of their moves will pull from the Bee Suit, as well as the general gimmick of the worlds they appear in.

Likelihood rating: Piranha Plant clause

Rosalina & Luma

After the Game Cube, Nintendo’s next big system was the Nintendo Wii, which made heavy use of the new motion control technology with its new remote and nunchuck controller design. No game made better use of the technology than the next major mainline Mario game, Super Mario Galaxy. The game saw Bowser once again kidnapping Princess Peach, but this time taking off with her into space. Mario tries to follow but fails, until he encounters a mysterious space princess, traveling the stars on a comet spacecraft and accompanied by a race of friendly star creatures.

This is Rosalina, and the stars that accompany her are the Lumas. Rosalina first encountered the Lumas as a child, running away from home to go on an adventure with them, only to find herself unable to return to those she left behind ever again. The Lumas took her in, and she became their mama, loving and caring for them as they grew to become planets and stars and other celestial bodies. Her role in the Galaxy games would propel her to instant stardom, becoming a permanent fixture in most sports and party games and even cropping up in other adventure games here and there.

As a playable fighter, Rosalina works in tandem with the Lumas, able to send them out and fight their battles on two fronts. She will be on the heavier side but still quite floaty given her unearthly nature. Her moves pull almost exclusively from Super Mario Galaxy and Super Mario Galaxy 2, almost acting as a representative for both games.

Likelihood rating: Already in

MC Ballyhoo and Big Top

Although the first seven entries in the Mario Party series tended to follow the same formula, things started to change with 2007’s Mario Party 8. The Koopa Kids disappeared, never to be heard from again, and much of the core mechanics and board designs were changed up here. The game’s story revolved around a carnival, the various minigames being hosted by a grinning emcee and his talking hat.

This is MC Ballyhoo and his faithful companion Big Top. They only appeared as the hosts of this game, but they left enough of an impression that they are still remembered as the faces of Mario Party to this day.

As characters, they will be jumpy and erratic, with good speed and jumping ability that will likely require some skill to master. Their moves will pull from the unique mechanics only seen in their home game, such as the magical candies that replaced the items of games past.

Likelihood rating: Piranha Plant clause

Mini Donkey Kong

Though it didn’t make too much of a mark, Mario vs. Donkey Kong saw a sequel in 2006’s March of the Minis. This time, Mario and Donkey Kong’s feud would once again be ignited by the return of Pauline. Donkey Kong would watch as Mario presented Pauline with a Mini Mario as a gift, leading the jealous ape to present his own miniature version of himself in competition.

These were the Mini Donkey Kongs, wind-up toys designed to look like the big ape that acted as the core enemies of the Mini Marios as they set out to rescue Pauline. They had many different varieties, including some that threw you up to another level, some that would stuff you in bags on their backs, and some that would charge straight forward when they saw you.

As fighters, they will be light and speedy, being toys, but significantly heavier and slower than their Mini Mario counterparts. Their movesets would pull from all the different Mini Donkey Kong variations, almost being an amalgamation of them all.

Likelihood rating: Probably not

Dry Bowser

As the Nintendo DS hit stores and replaced the Game Boy Advance as Nintendo’s handheld system, Nintendo took notice that it had been a long time since Mario’s last 2D sidescroller, 3D gaming having effectively taken over the market. So, they released New Super Mario Bros., a return to the old retro format with enhanced 3D graphics. A standard adventure, you as Mario fought your way through your first world in pursuit of Bowser Jr. and a captive Princess Peach, only to come face to face with Bowser as the first boss. No biggie. You simply hop over him, flip the switch, and drop him into the lava, just like the original game. This time, however, he emerges from the lava, his flesh burned off, leaving him nothing more than an undead skeleton.

This is Dry Bowser, Bowser’s skeletal undead form. Though he would be resurrected by the end of the game, Dry Bowser would prove a popular addition to the series, appearing multiple times as an unlockable player across the sports titles and as a secret bonus fight at the end of many adventure games, a second boss to face after your initial defeat of Bowser.

As a fighter, he will be identical to Bowser and act as an echo fighter, except lighter than his living self, thanks to his lack of flesh, and more powerful, unhindered by any concern for his own life. His moves will likewise pull from across the gamut of Bowser boss battles throughout the series.

Likelihood rating: Could happen

Ace & Clay

While the Mario series was trying new sports on for size, the tennis and golf series were still going strong. A new tennis game was produced for the Game Cube, and with it came a handheld companion for the Game Boy Advance. Like its predecessor, this handheld came with an RPG mode, complete with two new kids seeking to become champions.

These are Clay and Ace. They are students of the Royal Tennis Academy like Alex and Nina before them, except that, instead of a doubles partner being assigned to them, they act as each other’s doubles partner. As they work their way up the ranks, they even get the chance to meet their predecessors face to face.

As fighters, they will function identically to Alex and Nina, being their echo fighters. However, they will be each other’s doubles partner, simply switching who is in the lead with each color swap. Their moves will likewise pull from across the tennis series.

Likelihood rating: Probably not

Super Team

While kart-racing, tennis, and golf had all served the Mario series well, Nintendo still wished to try out other sports with Mario’s name on them. First they tried baseball, with Mario Superstar Baseball, and then immediately followed up with football in Super Mario Strikers. To give the players a threat to fight against in the game’s story, a race of alien robots were invented to act as their opponents.

These are the Super Team. They would sadly not appear again, only with one cameo in the game’s sequel, but they are key options to represent Mario’s short foray into football as a whole.

As fighters, they will be heavy but fast, with electricity constantly being discharged from them that will cause area of effect damage to their opponents. Their movesets will pull from both Super Mario Strikers and Mario Strikers Charged, both the basic mechanics of the game and the fantastical elements added to heighten the experience.

Likelihood rating: Probably not

Perry

Even more spinoffs came along as Nintendo tried more and more things with their golden goose. One idea was a game where Princess Peach became the hero and had to be the one to save the Mario brothers from Bowser. Along the way, she came into possession of a strange, talking umbrella who had once been a little boy with magical powers.

This is Perry, Peach’s faithful companion throughout the game. He would never appear again, leaving his story sadly unresolved thanks to the game’s poor reception. This came in some part due to the game’s emotion mechanic, that gave Peach special abilities based on her emotions, which many found problematic to say the least.

As a fighter, Perry seems the perfect choice to inherit the unique mechanics of the game, allowing Peach to use the moves she uses elsewhere. He will be among the lightest and floatiest of the fighters in the game, being an umbrella, and he will be able to alter his stats using his emotion-based system.

Likelihood rating: Probably not

Robo Mario

It’s no question at this point that Mario Kart earned its place as Mario’s most profitable spinoff series. While it saw plenty of life on both consoles and handhelds, Nintendo felt it worth their time enough to work together with Bandai-Namco and develop a version to be played in arcades. Both Mario and Pac-Man characters would appear as players, and rather than a grand prix, it had a short one-player mode that ended in a race with a strange robotic duplicate of Mario.

This is Robo Mario, who only appears in the Mario Kart arcade games. He will race the player one-on-one, and if they can beat him, they will move on to the final boss.

As a character, Robo Mario will play more or less just like Mario Kart, though not quite a clone. The arcade series came with its own items and logic behind the way they work, so Robo Mario will represent that as a whole, his moves pulling from those items and other features of the arcade series.

Likelihood rating: Probably not

Brighton & Twila

The Mario Party series saw continued success on the Game Boy, releasing multiple titles under its banner. The sixth entry set up a framing story about the sun and the moon getting into an argument, and coming down to Mario and his friends to help settle the dispute.

Brighton and Twila are the names of the sun and moon in question here. They are anthropomorphized spirits of the two celestial bodies who act as referees in the game, both with their own versions of the different boards with different hazards and features. They would never appear again, but they left just enough of an impression to join Tumble and the Koopa Kid.

 As a fighter, they will take turns with the color swaps. They will be about moderate in their stats, though with strong power indicative of their heavenly nature. Their moves will likewise pull heavily from the Mario Party games, but especially from their own and especially anything having to do with space.

Likelihood rating: Never gonna happen

Mini Marios

As more and more spinoff titles received new entries, there was always room for more spinoffs. For the Game Boy Advance came a brand-new title that reawakened the old rivalry between Mario and Donkey Kong. Mario has opened up a brand-new toy store, selling tiny wind-up mini-figures of himself. The moment Donkey Kong sees them, he wants them all, grabbing them and taking off into the factory, forcing Mario to follow.

These figures are the Mini Marios. Although in the first game of the series, they were mere damsels-in-distress, if you will, later games would give them the starring role, Mario sending them in his place to get through areas he is too big to pass through.

As fighters, you will control a line of five, with a leader and four followers. They will be light and quick, and their movesets will pull from all over the Mario vs. Donkey Kong series, utilizing every figure in the party to pull off strong combo maneuvers.

Likelihood rating: Could happen

Toadette

With a mainline adventure game firmly established for the Game Cube, the next order of business was to make sure that all of Mario’s most popular spinoffs found representation on the system as well. First was the Mario Kart series, with a brand new entry with the fun gimmick of having two drivers per car. Most of the characters had built-in partners: Mario with Luigi, Peach with Daisy, Wario with Waluigi, and Bowser with his fresh new partner Bowser Jr. In all of this, Toad still needed a good partner.

Along came Toadette, a small female Toad, with a pink head and mushroomy pigtails coming off of it. Sometimes referred to as Toad’s sister, though not quite firmly established, as tends to be the case in the Mario series. Toadette would soon prove incredibly popular, becoming a permanent fixture of most sports titles and even cropping up as a playable character in several adventure games.

As a playable fighter, she will take up a spot as the echo fighter to the soon-to-be-introduced Captain Toad, owing to her role as Player 2 in Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker. Her moves will pull largely from that game, but will also have plenty of her own flair to them and pull from many of her other appearances.

Likelihood rating: Strong

Bowser Jr.

Mario fights his way across the island, cleaning up all of Shadow Mario’s mess and coming face to face with the figure in the middle of an amusement park. After a roller coaster fight with a giant robotic Bowser, the shadowy being finally decides to reveal his true identity.

He is, in reality, Bowser Jr., Bowser’s son and heir who believes Peach to be his mother. After this first game, he becomes a permanent and constant presence in the Mario series, a built-in partner for Bowser in sports games, and a natural mini-boss throughout most adventure games. Although his relationship with the Koopalings has yet to be truly nailed down, he even found himself a nice niche working with them in the series as well.

As a character, Bowser Jr. will be constantly piloting a Klown Kar, as many of his boss battles make use of the vehicle or other vehicles like it. He will be lighter and more floaty as a result, and his moveset will pull from all of his boss battles, as well as the abilities demonstrated by the Klown Kar itself.

Likelihood rating: Already in

Petey Piranha

Accused of Shadow Mario’s crimes by the island government and sentenced to clean up all the mess, Mario sets out with FLUDD in tow to get it done. His journey leads him first to a pristine mountain village called Bianco Hills, currently under threat by a monstrous Piranha Plant that has taken over the village windmill.

This is Petey Piranha, who would soon firmly establish his place as the Mario series’ favorite boss fight, seeing appearances in adventure games, RPGs, and sports games, in playable and non-playable appearances alike. Unlike many of his species restricted to pipes, he spends all of his time walking around on land, with large leaves that let him fly and a big head with a mouth full of teeth.

In game, naturally he is a big, strong bruiser, with lacking speed but decent aerials. His moveset pulls from all over the Mario series and from every boss battle he has ever taken part in.

Likelihood rating: Could happen

FLUDD Mario

Befuddled by the mysterious slime destroying the island, Mario searches for a solution only to encounter a strange contraption used to contain and fire water at high speed. With no time to waste, Mario strapped the device on his back and set to work cleaning up the mess.

The device introduces itself as F.L.U.D.D., or the Flash Liquidizer Ultra Dousing Device. It can fire water forward in a powerful stream, spray two streams downward to lift itself into the air, and can fire off a blast like a rocket. Mario will rely heavily on the device for the remainder of the game, making it a distinctly different experience from most other Mario games.

As a playable fighter, FLUDD Mario will be a bit heavier and slower than regular Mario, weighed down by the weight of the pack. His moves will make use of the water from his pack and the various nozzles that grant him different abilities.

Likelihood rating: Could happen

Shadow Mario

As the video plays out, Peach can’t help but notice a strange shadowy figure moving around in the background. She doesn’t have too much time to wonder about it though, as the landing strip her plane is supposed to land has been covered in some sort of toxic goo sapping the light from the island.

The perpetrator behind all of this is Shadow Mario, a strange figure that looks nearly identical to Mario, and has been busy using his goo to pollute and desecrate the island. His true identity, we will come to in a minute, but as a result, has not seen too much life of his own outside of his game of origin.

As a playable character, his attributes will be similar to Mario, though more fast and agile thanks to his slippery nature. His moves will pull heavily from the goop he spread all over the island and the paintbrush he used to do it all, as well as the multitude of other tricks he pulled throughout the game.

Likelihood rating: Probably not

Pianta

As Peach’s plane approaches its destination, Mario, Peach, and Toadsworth are greeted by a welcome video from their tropical island’s inhabitants, a group of rather rotund creatures with palm trees on their heads and hula skirts around their waists.

These are the Pianta, the primary residents of Isle Delfino and Mario and Peach’s hosts during their stay. Following this game, Pianta won’t see too much life, though just enough to have regular appearances at least in the background of many games alongside their fellow island residents, the Noki.

As playable characters, they will be large and slow, with fluid movements that pack a surprising amount of power behind them. Their moves will pull from both their own actions within Sunshine as well as all the many features of Isle Delfino that they take part in, including their companions, the Noki.

Likelihood rating: Probably not

Toadsworth

One year later, Nintendo put out their next mainline Mario game, a unique departure from the standard formula by the name of Super Mario Sunshine. The game begins with a shot of Princess Peach’s personal jet flying through the air, taking Mario and Peach to a tropical vacation. Inside the plane, we see the pair relaxing, accompanied by an older Toad with a mustache and a walking stick.

This is Toadsworth, Peach’s personal steward and caretaker. Immediately following this game, he would see frequent appearances all over the series, filling a distinct role within Peach’s hierarchy. Sadly, his appearances seem to have petered out, I fear in part due to the developers digging in their heels on “de-complicating” the series, most notably seen in its effects on the RPG series.

In game, he will be an echo fighter of the regular Toad character. He will be heavier and slower, but with far more powerful magical attacks. His moves will pull from the same pool as the Toads.

Likelihood rating: Probably not

King Boo

Having fought his way through the mansion and eradicated every ghost inside, Luigi finally comes face to face with the mastermind behind it all. Inside a golden shrine hidden in the basement, he finds a large Boo with a crown upon his head, cackling with glee as he stares at a portrait with Mario trapped inside.

This is King Boo, the leader of the Boos and the creator of the mansion. He will go on to be the main villain of the Luigi’s Mansion series, and will see enough popularity to earn a place in multiple sports games and boss battles in multiple adventure games.

As a fighter, he will have many of the same general attributes as his Boo minions, but with heavier weight and much more power behind his attacks. His moves will pull a little from the abilities of his subjects, but also from his numerous battles both within the Luigi’s Mansion and in the larger series.

Likelihood rating: Strong

Vacuum Luigi

Equipped with E. Gadd’s technology, Luigi heads back into the mansion to clear out all the ghosts and rescue his brother.

Rather than rely on his usual tricks and power-ups, Luigi makes use of the Poltergust 3000, which allows him to suck up ghosts and fire elemental blasts. In later games, E. Gadd would also supply him with a flashlight capable of more easily stunning his opponents, and a shapeshifting goo that would take his form and allow him to be in two places at once.

In game, Luigi’s vacuum form will be slower and heavier than his normal form, with weaker aerials, but he will make up for that with strong close-range combat abilities and the ability to keep his opponents close. His moves will pull from all over the Luigi’s Mansion series, and make use of all of E. Gadd’s gadgets.

Likelihood rating: Could happen

Professor E. Gadd

Luigi runs from the Gold Ghost, terrified out of his mind. Before the ghost can do any serious damage, however, it is accosted from behind by an elderly scientist wielding a high-tech vacuum cleaner of some kind.

This is Professor Elvin Gadd, an eccentric inventor who has spent his life studying ghosts. He was drawn to the mansion when it mysteriously appeared out of nowhere. In order to learn more about it, and to help Luigi rescue his brother, he supplies the plumbers with his Poltergust 3000, a vacuum cleaner designed to suck up ghosts and contain them.

As a playable character, E. Gadd will be an echo fighter of Luigi’s vacuum-wielding variant, being the inventor and first user of all said equipment. He will be slower than Luigi, with less power behind him. His moves will pull from the entire Luigi’s Mansion series and utilize all equipment he provides Luigi with.

Likelihood rating: Piranha Plant clause

Ghost

In 2001, Nintendo released their next console, the Game Cube. Along with it came a brand new chapter in the Mario series, a spinoff starring Mario’s brother Luigi. In it, Luigi wins a mansion in a contest he didn’t enter. When he arrives, he finds the place dark and deserted, his brother who’d arrived earlier nowhere to be found. Searching everywhere for him, Luigi soon finds himself accosted by an orange ghostly apparition.

This is a Gold Ghost, the most common and generic enemy of Luigi’s Mansion. Ghosts fill the mansion, coming in all shapes and sizes. In subsequent sequels, more ghosts would menace Luigi, the Greenies being the most common in Luigi’s Mansion: Dark Moon, and Goobs in Luigi’s Mansion 3.

In game, the different color swaps will take the different forms of the various ghosts of the franchise, Gold Ghosts, Greenies, and Goobs taking the first three. They will be light and floaty, with high defense, much like their Boo allies, and their moves will pull from all variants, heavily focused on sneak attacks and scaring your opponent.

Likelihood rating: Probably not

Tumble

With the Mario series branching out in so many different directions, those that saw success carried on, putting out more and more sequels. The Mario Party series saw two sequels on the Nintendo 64, and even more were to come later. In Mario Party 3, it included a story mode about a magical star that fell from the sky, shrinking the Mario characters down to fit inside a toy box and challenging them to compete in mini-games to determine who was worthy to receive its power.

To help referee the competition, the star created Tumble, a living dice block who carried the true star’s power inside him. He would only appear once more, as a referee in Mario Party Advance, but his design and role in the game make him a key option to represent the whole of the Mario Party series.

As a playable fighter, Tumble is small and quick. His moves pull from all over the Mario Party series, but most especially the early games. As would be expected from a Party game character, his moves rely heavily on luck and randomly selected options that will heavily affect how the character plays.

Likelihood rating: Never gonna happen

Alex & Nina

After golf, tennis was the next easy fit. A tennis game was produced and released in 2000, starring the Mario characters competing with each other. Although no generic human characters would appear in that game, Nintendo would follow its strategy with Mario Golf, releasing a handheld version alongside it, complete with an RPG mode following a young rookie as they work their way up through the ranks.

These are Alex or Nina, students of Princess Peach’s royal tennis academy. On their first day, they are paired up with a doubles partner, Harry for Alex and Kate for Nina. Alex and Nina would again reappear in a cameo in Mario Tennis: Power Tour, congratulating their successors who we will touch on later.

As a playable character, they will have two modes: Singles or Doubles. Alex and Nina will switch color swaps, with Harry and Kate acting as their doubles partner. In singles, they will be light and fast, able to move around a bit more freely. With their doubles partner activated, they will be a bit slower, but will have the added power and defense of their partner to rely on. Their moves will pull from all across the Mario Tennis series, changing slightly depending on whether they are in Singles or Doubles mode.

Likelihood rating: Probably not

Kid

If you’re going to make a golf game, why limit yourself to just consoles. Nintendo released by a Nintendo 64 version of Mario Golf and a Game Boy Color version that same year. The trouble with a handheld version, unfortunately, was that it couldn’t be a multiplayer game. So, to give players something to do, Nintendo added in an RPG mode, where you played as a young rookie working your way up through the ranks to challenge the champion, who else but Mario.

These characters you could choose from were Kid, Sherry, Joe, and Azalea, with four opponents who would challenge them in the league, being Putts, Grace, Tiny, and Gene Yuss. All eight of these characters would return in the next console generation in Mario Golf: Advance Tour, as challengers to the new pair of rookies, Neil and Ella.

In game, I would like all ten of these characters to be represented, though if we stick to eight, two will have to sit out. They will be echo fighters of their console counterparts, their moves pulling from across the Mario Golf series as well. Possibly in reference to being handheld characters instead of console characters, they might be a bit lighter but slower than the others.

Likelihood rating: Probably not

Plum

After party games, golf was the Mario brothers’ next big foray. A 3D golf game was developed starring the Mario series cast and released in 1999. Although it starred most of the Mario series regulars, the game also came with five human characters who played right alongside them.

These were Plum, Charlie, Sonny, Harry, and Maple. Plum, being the most recognizable among them, would take the first color swap, while her four companions will take the subsequent four slots. They would never appear again in any Mario game, but their presence in that original game make them key options to represent the series as a whole.

As players, their whole gimmick will revolve around the Mario Golf series and everything that comes with it. They will be light, with decent speed, albeit a bit slower than the fastest characters. They won’t have much in terms of power, and their movesets will pull from across the golf series as a whole, not just their own home game.

Likelihood rating: Probably not

Koopa Kid

Firmly established in 3D, the Mario brand continued to grow even larger, this time branching out into party games where friends could come together and compete in a series of lighthearted mini-games using familiar Mario characters. While Mario, Luigi, Peach, Yoshi, Donkey Kong, and Wario took up the role of players, Bowser acted as a hazard in the game, frequently dropping in to challenge characters to his own brand of minigames with higher stakes. In this role, he needed a henchman to do some of his dirty work.

In the minds of the developers, the role should have fit the Koopalings all too well. The trouble was, there were seven of them, and they likely didn’t want to just single one out. So, instead, a generic version of their design was created, simply entitled the Koopa Kid. The Koopa Kid would go on to be an integral part of the Mario Party series, acting as Bowser’s faithful henchman for the first four games, before finally getting to be playable in the fifth and sixth. After that the character all but disappeared, his role swallowed up either by Bowser Jr. or overhauls in game design.

As a character, he will mostly function as an echo to the Koopalings, nodding to his origins. Unlike them, however, he will have one base stat count, being on the lighter and speedier side but with solid defense. His moves will mirror the Koopalings, but will use Mario Party versions of said moves.

Likelihood rating: Probably not

Mr. Blizzard

As Mario, you keep making your way through the paintings inside of Peach’s castle, finishing up Whomp’s Fortress, exploring the water level of Jolly Roger Bay, and finally unlocking an ice world called Cool Cool Mountain. As you traverse the snowy landscape, you find yourself menaced by snowmen that like to pop up out of the snow beneath you, patrol icy bridges, and lob snowballs at you.

These are Mr. Blizzards, who would become the key staples of any good ice world moving forward. Though they don’t move around a lot, they pick up a good assortment of tricks here and there, the final clincher coming from the giant version that acted as the final boss of Mario Golf: Super Rush.

In game, Mr. Blizzards will be a bit on the slow side, but not too badly, with good defense and decent aerials. All around, pretty average. Their moves will come both from their own demonstrated abilities, as well as from the icy Mario worlds they tend to frequent.

Likelihood rating: Probably not

Whomp

The king of kabooms thrown from his mount, he rewards you with a castle star. This allows you access to the next world, a towering city level called Whomp’s Fortress. This world is filled with giant walking slabs of concrete, formerly the paving stones of the Mushroom Kingdom, fed up with being walked all over and joining forces with Bowser to get their revenge.

These are the Whomps, distant cousins of the Thwomps with similar abilities, best known for slamming themselves facedown if anyone stands in front of them. Though they don’t end up being as pervasive in the Mario series as their cousins, Whomps still see regular occurrence here and there, especially within the Mario Party series.

As fighters, they are echo fighters of the Thwomps, slightly faster and less heavy than their cousins, with slightly more mobility thanks to their small legs. Their moves mimic the Thwomps’ moves, their slamming facedown having been lent to the Thwomps and will carry on in prominence to their moves as well.

Likelihood rating: Never gonna happen

King Bob-Omb

In 1996, things were changing for the video game industry. The secret to making fully 3D games had been uncovered, and every game company was jumping on the bandwagon. Nintendo released the Nintendo 64, a system that could handle the extra processing power, and with it came a full 3D Mario game called Super Mario 64. This time, Peach’s Castle itself had been taken over, its residents trapped inside paintings. In order to free them, Mario had to jump into the paintings himself, each one a portal to a brand-new world. The first of these was Bob-Omb Battlefield, a hectic warzone filled with Bob-Ombs, a mountain in the very center where the Bob-Omb’s ruler watched from on high.

This was King Bob-Omb, the magnanimous ruler of the Bob-Omb race and an ally of Bowser. Though he wouldn’t see much life outside of Super Mario 64 for some time, he often cropped up as small easter eggs or boss battles in the Mario Party games. He finally saw a resurgence in his popularity when he became playable in such games as Mario Kart Tour and Mario Golf: Super Rush.

As a playable fighter, he will play nearly identically to his Bob-Omb minions, acting as an echo fighter for them. Unlike them, however, he will be much heavier and slower, with much higher defense than his underlings. His moveset will mimic the Bob-Ombs, using cannons and explosions for most of his offensive capabilities.

Likelihood rating: Could happen

Wanda

Shortly after the debut of the first Mario Kart game, a sequel to Super Mario Land was produced, bringing with it a brand new villain in the form of Mario’s rival and antithesis Wario. Wario’s popularity was immediate, with the character immediately getting a handful of spinoff games, including one wherein he gets a bucket stuck on Mario’s head, blinding the hero and forcing him to rely on the help of a friendly fairy to guide him through a maze to his brother Luigi.

This fairy was named Wanda. She only appeared in two games throughout the series, first in Mario & Wario, and then later in a similar game called Wario’s Woods. She mostly acted basically as your cursor, tapping stage elements or Mario to make sure he didn’t fall into a pit or get stuck or anything like that. In Wario’s Woods, she hung at the top of the stage, creating the bombs used to clear out the stage’s monsters.

In game, Wanda will be light and floaty, her wings allowing her good aerial maneuvers and ability. Her moveset will pull entirely from both Mario & Wario and Wario’s Woods, making her almost the representative for both games in many ways.

Likelihood rating: Probably not

Mario Kart

Super Mario World a success, the Mario franchise continues to expand, pumping out more and more games in as many different genres as you can imagine. One that proves to be insanely popular is Mario’s foray into racing games, as, in 1992, Super Mario Kart is released to the world.

Mario Kart has since proven to be one of the Mario series’ most profitable secondary line of games. Though starting with merely Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach, Toad, Bowser, Yoshi, Donkey Kong Jr., and Koopa Troopa, the series has seen nearly every major character in the series get behind the wheel and make a mad dash for the finish line.

In game, Mario Kart will be one of the fastest character in the game, its speed being its highest priority in terms of stats. Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach, Toad, Yoshi, Donkey Kong, Wario, and Bowser will make up the color swaps, all riding around in the pipe frame carts seen in Mario Kart 64. Their moves will pull from the items familiar to the series, from shells in red, green, and blue to boosting mushrooms and banana peels and super stars.

Likelihood rating: Probably not

Mechakoopa

The battle is won, the Koopalings are beat, and every level has been seen through to completion. You make your way to the final boss battle atop Bowser’s castle, where he fights you inside of a giant floating cup with a clown face on it. As the battle begins, he unleashes the first of his many weapons: a wind-up robotic toy designed to look like a Koopa Troopa.

This is a Mechakoopa, robotic Koopa Troops seen almost exclusively in the final levels of the games in which they appear. Sometimes they are weapons used exclusively by Bowser, sometimes they wander independently, breathing fire and discharging electricity at nearby opponents.

As a fighter, Mechakoopas are light and quick, but with lacking aerials. Its moves will pull from the various attacks shown throughout the games: fire breath, electric discharge, booster rockets, and so on; mostly using its robotic parts to its advantage.

Likelihood rating: Never gonna happen

Wiggler

You’ve fought long and hard around the island that is Dinosaur Land, defeated four of the seven Koopalings, and now you’ve come to a dense forest fraught with peril. One of the most dangerous obstacles you will face are the giant caterpillars walking around everywhere. The ones that look friendly, until you make the mistake of stepping on one.

These are the Wigglers, gigantic caterpillars known for their anger management issues. Depending on the game, they have gone on to be regular enemies you have to avoid stepping on, or they play the role of bosses. Sometimes, they’ll even be friendly allies you have to work with in RPG settings.

As a character, Wigglers will have two distinct versions. Below 100% damage, Wiggler will be slower and do only moderate damage with its attacks, but the second it reaches 100, it will gain a sudden burst in speed and higher power to all of its attacks. Its moves incorporate elements of various boss battles throughout the series, additions the Yoshi games made, and the wings of its flying counterpart Flutter.

Likelihood rating: Could happen

Monty Mole

As you fight your way through Dinosaur Land, fighting off dinosaurs and Koopalings and football players of all sizes, you will soon come to rougher areas of the island, full of rocky hills and cliffsides that line your path. Be careful where you step though, as you might find a big, furry mole suddenly bursting from the earth to your left and slashing you with its big old claws.

This is a Monty Mole, a burrowing resident of Dinosaur Land and the Mushroom Kingdom. They have a more mechanically inclined cousin, the Rocky Wrench, that appeared before as the crew of Super Mario Bros. 3’s airships, but this is where Monty’s make their first proper appearance. They will soon become staples of most Mario games, popping up in the most inconvenient of locations and causing trouble from below, sometimes even commandeering tanks and using Bob-Ombs and Bullet Bills to their advantage.

In game, Monty Moles will likely be driving around these tanks, giving them solid speed and a good line of defense at the cost of speed and weight. They will make use of the Bullet Bills that did not see a place on the roster, as well as their cousins’ throwing wrenches and their own propensity to tuck down and hide when times get rough.

Likelihood rating: Piranha Plant clause

Chargin' Chuck

Dinosaurs won’t be the only hazards roaming Dinosaur Land. Bowser and his Koopa Troops are here too, fresh with a few brand new variants on the Koopa formula. Most prominent here are big heavyset Koopas dressed in football uniforms who like to charge blindly at you the moment you enter their line of sight.

These are the Chargin’ Chucks. Although charging is their attack strategy of choice, they often prove themselves the truest of sports fans with a number of moves featuring baseballs, footballs, and defensive maneuvers to keep you and Yoshi from reaching the goal line. Expect to see them as regular players across numerous Mario games, finally seeing their playable debut in Mario Golf: Super Rush.

In game, they are heavy and strong, but also quite fast. Charging headlong at opponents is a given here, but their moveset will also pull from their other sports-based moves most prominently seen in their debut game.

Likelihood rating: Piranha Plant clause

Rex

Technology kept moving forward, rival companies started putting out their own consoles, and Nintendo naturally had to keep up. In the Christmas season of 1990, they released their new, more powerful console, the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. With it came a launch title in the form of Super Mario World, Mario’s next big adventure in the Mushroom Kingdom. This time, he was exploring a world of dinosaurs accompanied by his own personal dinosaur companion named Yoshi. As they head in, one of the first and most prominent of all these dinosaurs were basic purple T-Rexes that would crumple and flatten when jumped upon.

This is a Rex, the most common unfriendly dinosaur inhabiting Dinosaur Land. Outside of Super Mario World, they won’t see too much life, but will crop up here and there in random games. They did see a larger role, however, in the animated series based on Super Mario World, where they frequently acted as minions of King Koopa and carried out his bidding.

As playable fighters, Rexes will likely be about medium in terms of speed, weight, power, defense. Generally speaking, they will be middle-of-the-road characters. Their movesets will pull from many of the other dinosaur enemies who couldn’t be here, such as Dino Rhinos and Reznors, as well as their appearances in the Super Mario World television series.

Likelihood rating: Probably not

Dr. Mario

Riding high off the consistent success of so many games, Nintendo likely felt Mario could do no wrong, and so felt comfortable enough to start branching out the franchise and plastering Mario’s name across various new titles to help them sell just that little bit better. Among these was a brand-new puzzle game, similar in style to Tetris, where you starred as a doctor version of Mario and had to drop multicolored pills into a bottle filled with little gremlin-looking viruses, matching them up color by color to eliminate them all.

This is Dr. Mario, one of Mario’s more notable spinoff forms. His game would see great success among the puzzle game community and would frequently see re-releases in Puzzle collections alongside its contemporaries like Tetris and Puyo Puyo. Numerous sequels would also crop up here and there, all with more or less similar gameplay, and the character would even see playable appearances across three different Super Smash Bros. titles.

As a character, Dr. Mario would have more or less similar stats to ordinary Mario, if a little bit heavier and slower. He is a doctor after all, not a fighter. His moves will pull from all aspects of the Dr. Mario series, making use of his pills, the viruses he contends with, and even the bottle they are contained in.

Likelihood rating: Already in

Princess Daisy

You fire the winning shot, and Tatanga and his spaceship go down, leaving you free to pass him by and rescue his captive princess, who greets you with an elated “Oh, Mario! Mario!”, joining you in your plane and returning to the ground and her kingdom.

This is Princess Daisy, ruler of Sarasa-Land and close friend of Princess Peach. Though she would never again see a strong presence within the main adventure games of the Mario series, she would become a staple in the sports games, often acting as a doubles partner for Princess Peach and developing a romance with Luigi. She would also make an appearance in the 1993 movie, mostly replacing the role Peach would have played.

As a fighter, Daisy will be more or less similar in stats to Princess Peach, albeit hitting harder and being generally more physically active than her more demure counterpart. Her moveset will pull from all across the sports games, a little bit here and there from Peach’s moves, and make multiple references to her game of origin.

Likelihood rating: Already in

Tatanga

Having made your way through a short but fun handheld adventure, you reach the end of the Chai Kingdom, flying a small biplane through a cloudy skyscape, coming face to face with your final boss, the alien Tatanga.

Tatanga is an alien invader who conquered the Mushroom Kingdom’s neighboring nation of Sarasa-Land and took its princess Daisy hostage. He would appear once more in game as a boss working under Wario in Super Mario Land 2, but would not see any further life outside of appearances in comics produced around that time.

In game, he will be perpetually flying in his spaceship, probably based upon his smaller craft from Super Mario Land 2, making him floaty but powerful. His moves will pull from both of his boss battles across the Super Mario Land series, with some elements pulled from his comic book appearances as well.

Likelihood rating: Could happen

Pionpi

Their first three games a success, and the NES firmly establishing Nintendo as the current kings of games, they soon branch out into the newly developing technology of handheld gaming, releasing the brand-new Game Boy system players could take on the road. With it came Super Mario Land, a Mario game but in the palm of your hand. Rather than rescuing Bowser from Peach however, this time you were tasked with saving a new princess from an evil alien invader. You fought your way across four different worlds, each based heavily on an ancient civilization, each with enemies fitting of the theme. As you reached the fourth world, a world heavily based on ancient China, you found it populated by strange purple zombies dressed in stereotypical Chinese tunics.

These were Pionpi, the most prominent minions of the alien Tatanga and invaders of the Chai Kingdom. Though they will not see much life past Super Mario Land, they do enjoy a significant presence in the comics released around the time, most of which followed the game’s story in order to advertise for it. Most significantly, Pionpi played the role of Tatanga’s lead enforcer and right hand man in the Herman Smirch trilogy of comics.

In game, Pionpi will be moderately slow and a bit on the medium side in terms of weight, but with solid jumping and aerial abilities. Their movesets will pull from their appearance in the game, the comics they starred in, and the other enemies that appeared around them and followed their commands.

Likelihood rating: Never gonna happen

Spike

Finally, first appearing in World 3, you will encounter yet another new unique enemy. Standing at the top of a slope, a small green frog-looking thing will stand, waiting for you to approach. The second it spots you, it will open its mouth and cough up a large spike ball far too large for its body and throw it down the hill. You will have to climb that hill, timing your jumps carefully to avoid its barrage and get past it.

This is a Spike, one of the more odd recurring enemies in Bowser’s army. They will appear time and time again, sometimes with variants such as the blue Spikes coughing up snowballs and the Clubbas of the RPGs, represented by two major villains Tubba Blubba and Grubba. They will eventually even pop up in sports games like Mario Tennis Aces.

As a fighter, Spike will be middling to light in terms of weight and speed, its most prominent feature being its strong attacks with lots of power behind them. Its moves will draw heavily from the spike balls it produces from its gullet and all of their variants, as well as moves performed by such characters as Tubba and Grubba, who will both be represented here.

Likelihood rating: Piranha Plant clause

Chain Chomp

As you continue your journey through Super Mario Bros. 3, you will continue to encounter strange new enemies that bring a brand-new challenge to your adventure. In this desert world, you might encounter what seems like a ball and chain, like in those old prison moves, except this one has a mouth full of sharp teeth and behaves more like a rabid dog on a chain, lunging at you as you come close and forcing you keep yourself at a safe distance.

This is a Chain Chomp, a fun little pun of an enemy that will find consistent life as guard dog enemies blocking your progress that you will have to think and strategize your way around without getting close enough for them to take a bite. Although pretty one note in many of their appearances, the Yoshi series was kind enough to add a few abilities like the ability to launch themselves into the air and cause earthquakes by hopping up and down.

In battle, the Chain Chomp will be on the heavy side, though with decent speed only held back by its dragging chain. Its moves will incorporate both its tendency to lunge at enemies and bite them, as well as those moves introduced by the Yoshi series, giving it a bit more freedom than one might expect.

Likelihood rating: Piranha Plant clause

Boo

Thwomps are not all you will have to contend with in this second fortress, as you soon discover the tower to be haunted. Here and there around every corner, you might spot a bright white ghost lurking. If you are looking right at it, the ghost will have its face covered, unable to move due to its crippling shyness. The moment you turn your back, however, these spooky fiends will close in for the kill.

These are the Boos, or Boo Diddlies as they were once known. They are ghosts who prefer to attack their enemies when their backs are turned, hiding away once seen. They have since seen heavy prominence across the entire series, starring in major playable roles in numerous sports and party titles, and even getting a heavy focus in their own haunted spinoff series, each time bringing an air of horror and fright to the proceedings.

In game, they will be light and floaty, with high defensive capabilities and low offense. Their moves will pull from all over their appearances in the Mario series, but mostly with a high focus on their own personal self-preservation, making themselves intangible to harm or attacking from a distance.

Likelihood rating: Good possibility

Thwomp

Larry defeated, the adventure continues into the next world, a desert world. Once again, the world features a fortress in the middle and an airship at the end. As you tentatively make your way through this new fortress, you suddenly look up to see a giant stone block with an angry face crashing down on top of your head.

This is a Thwomp, a giant living cinderblock that sometimes acts more like an obstacle than an enemy. These creatures can be found in most castles and fortresses, creating hazardous booby traps for anyone who dares trespass. Although nearly universally known for hanging in one space and moving up and down, they have shown other abilities in various RPGs and other random games, including spitting up large boulders, being followed around by smaller Thwimps, and even showing the ability to move along the ground, albeit a bit slowly.

In battle, Thwomps will be among the slowest and heaviest in the entire game, made up for by intense power and a staunch refusal to be launched by all but the most powerful of attacks. Their moves will pull from all of their random appearances, and even a little from their cousins, the Whomps, but most especially their familiar and iconic up special.

Likelihood rating: Probably not

The Koopalings

Boom Boom defeated, Mario and the player continue their way through World One, finally reaching the end where an airship awaits. Fighting their way through the airship, they will come to the bridge where they encounter a small Koopa with a spiky shell like Bowser’s, with a large blue mohawk on top of his head and a magic wand in his hand.

This is Larry Koopa, the first of the seven Koopalings, children and/or generals of Bowser who carry out his bidding across the Mushroom Kingdom. Together, Larry, Morton, Wendy, Iggy, Roy, Lemmy, and Ludwig would take their place as the standardized bosses of each world across multiple Mario games, some relying on magic and trickery like Lemmy and Iggy, others relying on brute strength, like Morton and Roy. While none having quite enough to justify a spot on their own, together they are more than a force to be reckoned with.

In game, their stats will likely either be a happy medium between the seven, or one might find a way to incorporate the different stats to each different color swap, making Morton slower and stronger and Lemmy lighter and more speedy. Either way, their movesets will pull from all of their boss battles, making use of the magic and muscle of all the siblings, and some of their more specialized moves, like Lemmy’s ball and Wendy’s ring.

Likelihood rating: Already in

Boom Boom

Having fought your way through the fortress of the undead, you finally approach your first boss battle of the game. A huge Koopa appears before you, swinging his arms rapidly as he charges at you, extending spikes from his back if you get too close.

This is Boom Boom, one of the most recurring bosses in all of Bowser’s army. Although he would disappear for a time following this initial game, he would later find life and revitalization in the Mario series’ New Super Mario Bros. series and the Super Mario 3D series, even leading to his appearance in a handful of sports titles.

In game, he will be heavy and strong, but surprisingly fast for his size. His moveset will pull from all of his boss battles across the entire series, and will even incorporate a few moves from his female counterpart Pom Pom, who will act as his echo fighter.

Likelihood rating: Piranha Plant clause