Funky Kong

Saving isn’t the only quality-of-life option the game provides you with. Most levels will also have a spot called Funky’s Flights, where players can board a plane made out of wood to fly back to a previous world they want to revisit, run by a cool Kong wearing shades and carrying a surfboard.

This is Funky Kong, one of the more popular characters of the Donkey Kong series. He would go on to be a supporting character in nearly all later games and in the television series, even becoming playable once or twice in games like Tropical Freeze and the Mario Kart series.

As a fighter, he will be fast and strong like Donkey Kong, though a bit more laidback in both of these stats. He will have great defense and good aerials as well, mirroring his easy mode in Tropical Freeze. His moveset will pull from his playable appearances as well as the support he provides here and there.

Likelihood rating: Strong

Mushroom Gorge

Another frequent feature and level type seen throughout the Mario series are stages set high in the sky atop a field of giant mushrooms: some bouncy, some expanding and shrinking, and some stationary.

This stage will be set on an assortment of mushrooms, each one acting as a platform. It will be a medium-sized stage, with at least one bouncy shroom and one that moves up and down.

Potential theme: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sKU40Ahiofg

Grumble Volcano

One of the most challenging stage themes in most Mario stages is the lava theme. Lava covers the ground, giving you a near insta-death or at least heavy-damage hazard to be on constant watch for. On top of that, volcanoes often appear as features or in the background, spewing ash and pumice into the air and making the ground shake. Often, malicious lava creatures lurk, waiting to strike as well.

As a stage, it will certainly not see any tournaments. That’s for sure. It will be medium-sized, with lava hazards that send the fighters launching into the air when touched. A volcano will appear in the background, frequently erupting and causing hazards to fall from the sky and the stage itself to shake.

Potential theme: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HgzaGnGSx8I

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

Mario Kart Wii

 MARIO KART WII

And now for, what seems to be lately at least, one of least well-like Mario Kart games. I don't know. I guess it seemed a bit buggy, and I couldn't use the wheel attachment to save my life, but it was still pretty okay. Mario Kart Wii was the Nintendo Wii's installment in the series, a game featuring twenty-five characters as well as new mechanics like bikes instead of karts and doing tricks off ramps. Let's get right into it shall we.

As for our cast of characters, most of those from Double Dash return, though not as partners anymore, including Mario, Luigi, Peach, Daisy, Yoshi, Birdo, Baby Mario and Luigi, Toad, Toadette, Koopa sans Paratroopa, Donkey Kong, Diddy Kong, Bowser, Bowser Jr., Wario, Waluigi, and King Boo (sadly no Petey this time). Dry Bones also joins in from DS. For our newcomers, we have Baby Peach and Baby Daisy added in as well (the start of a somewhat controversial trend), as well as Rosalina fresh off Super Mario Galaxy, Funky Kong, and Dry Bowser. This is also the first time Miis have entered the equation as well. For items used by the karts, we now gain the Mega Mushroom to make the player gigantic, the Thundercloud, a personalized lightning bolt that has to be passed off before it strikes, and the POW Block that causes three earthquakes to send opponents spinning.

As for background and obstacle characters, Chain Chomps, Fire Snakes, Goombas, Piranha Plants, Moo Moos, Monty Moles, Pokeys, Shy Guys, Spiky Topmen, Swoopers, Thwomps, Wigglers, and Piantas all appear in original tracks, with some others showing up on the retro tracks they appeared on before.

Speaking of tracks, this game follows after DS and includes both sixteen new courses and sixteen old courses. The new courses include Luigi Circuit, the generic starter; Moo Moo Meadows, a farm; Mushroom Gorge, a hilly track with a bunch of mushrooms that bounce you; Toad Factory, set in a factory; Mario Circuit, the standard Peach's Castle stage; Coconut Mall, set in a mall; DK Summit, a snowy stage with a snowboarding course; Wario's Gold Mine, set in a gold mine naturally; Daisy Circuit, a simple track set at sunset; Koopa Cape, a mountainous track set partially underwater; Maple Treeway, imagine if the season of Autumn vomited all over a course; Grumble Volcano, a volcanic course naturally; Dry Dry Ruins, a desert course; Moonview Highway, a busy street; and this game's rendition of Bowser's Castle and Rainbow Road.

As for our battle courses, we have five new courses and five retro. The five new are: Block Plaza, a second successor to Block Fort; Delfino Pier, a shipping yard; Funky Stadium, a huge skateboarding rink; Chain Chomp Wheel, a huge roulette table; and Thwomp Desert, a giant sand pit with a Thwomp making sand waves. There was also Galaxy Colosseum, which was only available during online tournaments.

Here's what we've got so far:

Characters:

Mario Kart: drive, brake, jump, turn, skid, etc., Banana Peel, Green Shell, Red Shell, Feather, Mushroom, Star, Ghost, Coin, Lightning, Egg, Fireball, Poison Mushroom, Triple Mushroom, Super Mushroom, Fake Item, Banana Bunch, Triple Green Shells, Triple Red Shells, Spiny Shell, dual driver, Blooper, Bob-Omb, Bullet Bill, Mega Mushroom, Thundercloud, POW Block

Mario: fireballs

Luigi: fireballs

Peach: heart

Yoshi: giant egg

Bowser: Bowser shell

Donkey Kong Jr.

Toad: golden mushroom

Koopa: triple shells

Donkey Kong: giant banana

Wario: bob-omb

Daisy: heart

Birdo: giant egg

Baby Mario: Chain Chomp

Baby Luigi: Chain Chomp

Toadette: golden mushroom

Paratroopa: triple shells

Diddy Kong: giant banana

Bowser Jr.: Bowser shell

Waluigi: bob-ombs

Petey Piranha

King Boo

Dry Bones

ROB

Shy Guy

Baby Peach

Baby Daisy

Rosalina

Funky Kong

Dry Bowser

Mii

Lakitu

Toadsworth

Kamek

Boo

Piranha Plant

Cheep Cheep

Monty Mole

Thwomp

Chain Chomp

Penguin

Mr. Blizzard

Bob-Omb

Hammer Bro

Little Mouser

Mechakoopa

Pianta

Goomba

Pokey

King Bob-Omb

Wiggler

Spiky Topman

Bosses:

Big Bully

Eyerok

Goomboss

King Boo

King Bob-Omb

Chief Chilly

Wiggler

Stages:

Mario Circuit

Donut Plains

Ghost Valley

Bowser's Castle

Choco Island

Koopa Beach

Vanilla Lake

Rainbow Road

Luigi Raceway

Moo Moo Farm

Koopa Troopa Beach

Kalimari Desert

Toad's Turnpike

Frappe Snowland

Choco Mountain

Mario Raceway

Wario Stadium

Sherbet Land

Royal Raceway

Bowser's Castle (64)

DK's Jungle Parkway

Yoshi Valley

Banshee Boardwalk

Rainbow Road (64)

Peach Circuit

Shy Guy Beach

Riverside Park

Mario Circuit (SC)

Boo Lake

Cheese Land

Luigi Circuit

Sky Garden

Cheep Cheep Island

Sunset Wilds

Snow Land

Ribbon Road

Yoshi Desert

Lakeside Park

Broken Pier

Bowser's Castle (SC)

Rainbow Road (SC)

Big Donut

Block Fort

Double Deck

Skyscraper

Luigi Circuit (DD)

Peach Beach

Baby Park

Dry Dry Desert

Mushroom Bridge

Mario Circuit (DD)

Daisy Cruiser

Waluigi Stadium

Sherbet Land (DD)

Mushroom City

Yoshi Circuit

DK Mountain

Wario Colosseum

Dino Dino Jungle

Bowser's Castle (DD)

Rainbow Road (DD)

Cookie Land

Block City

Nintendo Gamecube

Pipe Plaza

Luigi's Mansion

Tilt-a-Kart

Figure-8 Circuit

Yoshi Falls

Cheep Cheep Beach

Luigi's Mansion (DS)

Desert Hills

Delfino Square

Waluigi Pinball

Shroom Ridge

DK Pass

Tick Tock Clock

Mario Circuit (DS)

Airship Fortress

Wario Stadium (DS)

Peach Gardens

Bowser's Castle (DS)

Rainbow Road (DS)

Nintendo DS

Twilight House

Palm Shore

Tart Top

Luigi Circuit (Wii)

Moo Moo Meadows

Mushroom Gorge

Toad Factory

Mario Circuit (Wii)

Coconut Mall

DK Summit

Wario's Gold Mine

Daisy Circuit

Koopa Cape

Maple Treeway

Grumble Volcano

Dry Dry Ruins

Moonview Highway

Bowser's Castle (Wii)

Rainbow Road (Wii)

Block Plaza

Delfino Pier

Funky Stadium

Chain Chomp Wheel

Thwomp Desert

Galaxy Colosseum

Thanks for reading! Next up, we will cover Mario Kart 7 on the 3DS!