InSuper Mario Bros. Wonder, you can play eight different characters including the obvious inclusion of Mario. The other playable characters include Luigi, Peach, Daisy, Toad, Toadette, Yoshi, and Nabbit. Some of those characters have colored variants, like Yoshi, but other than that there are no surprise characters in the game.
There have been a lot of multiplayer-based Mario games by this point, soSuper Mario Bros. Wonderis technically not that special. This is the first game to include this many characters though. The big question then is this. Why stop now? Nintendo should add more characters from the series and beyond into this new adventure.
8Geno
First Appearance: Super Mario RPG: Legend Of The Seven Stars (1996)
What better way to promote the remake ofSuper Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Starsthan with a cameo spot from Geno inSuper Mario Bros. Wonder? He’s the character the Internet has been dying to see in Super Smash Bros. for years.
While that dream didn’t become a reality, a costume was at least added. Also, the fact that his game is getting a full-on remake, coming soon, is pretty hype. Nintendo is pretty good about creating synergy across its games, so Geno almost feels like a shoo-in.
7Wario
First Appearance: Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins (1992)
Wario is an antagonist like Bowser, but unlike Bowser, Wario has had a lot of side projects. FromWario LandtoWarioWare, Wario has his hand in many gaming pies. It’s easier to accept Wario as a guest character than Bowser because he is more like a scoundrel than a hardcore villain.
If Wario makes it in then his lanky partner Waluigi should make it in too. Waluigi is another character that Nintendo fans have been dying to see inSuper Smash Bros., so this could be like a make-good for that failure.
6Rosalina
First Appearance: Super Mario Galaxy (2007)
Rosalina, fromSuper Mario Galaxy, seemed like a shoo-in for this game. Princess Peach needs some more females to back her corner in a largely male-dominated roster. Maybe she could come in with her racing gear fromMario Kart 8though to avoid another female character with a dress.
Rosalina does have a wand so perhaps she could also have a gimmick like the Yoshi and Nabbit characters. The wand could transform enemies into peaceful creatures or it could just be an aesthetic choice and Rosalina could play like most others.
5Pauline
First Appearance: Donkey Kong (1981)
Pauline is another great female character and one who has not gotten the spotlight she deserves. Originally, she was Mario’s damsel in distress in Donkey Kong. She was eventually replaced by Princess Peach and then made a return as the mayor of New Donk City inSuper Mario Odyssey.
She has made guest appearances in other games since then likeMario Golf: Super Rush. More roles for her would be even better. If Nintendo doesn’t want to add her permanently to the roster, then maybe she could get a themed level where she sings “Jump Up Superstar” also fromSuper Mario Odyssey.
4Professor E. Gadd
First Appearance: Luigi’s Mansion (2001)
Professor E. Gadd is from theLuigi’s Mansionspinoffs which are light-horror experiences. He is the creator of the equipmentthat Luigi usesto find, fight, and catch ghosts with. Professor E. Gadd has made appearances in other games too likeMario and Luigi: Superstar Sagawherein he could brew powerful coffee to upgrade the plumbing duo.
He has not had many opportunities to star in games on his own or even be playable in a large amount. Professor E. Gadd could suck up enemies inSuper Mario Bros. Wonderwith his patented Poltergust 3000 like Yoshis can with their tongues.
3Donkey Kong
Donkey Kong mightsound like a weird pick but he technically belongs in theMariofranchise. Now is as good a time as any to include Donkey Kong in a majorMariorelease because of his ties toThe Super Mario Bros. Movie.
It’s one of 2023’s biggest movies and it helped prove to Nintendo that an audience was hungry to see Mario and his pals back on the big screen. It is also responsible for showcasing, for the first time, Donkey Kong wielding classic power-ups like the Fire Flower. Donkey Kong is primed and ready for his debut inSuper Mario Bros. Wonder.
2Bowser
First Appearance: Super Mario Bros. (1985)
Bowser is probablyan even stranger choice than Donkey Kong as Bowser is the main villain ofSuper Mario Bros. Wonder. However, since this game does play with alternate realities there are ways to include Bowser in the game.
He could, for example, go with his bandit disguise from the aforementioned RPG spinoff,Mario and Luigi: Superstar Saga. Fans have been itching to see Bowser be a hero in a major platformer entry or even star in his own platformer spinoff like Princess Peach is getting soon. When will that solo time be for Bowser? Who knows but DLC will be good enough for now.
1Link
First Appearance: The Legend Of Zelda (1986)
Link is the wildest pick of the bunch and he probably has less than a 0% chance of making it in. Here are some reasons why it could happen though. Link was a costume inSuper Mario Maker. He didn’t play differently than Mario as he was just a skin, but players could live out their fantasies by playing Link in a Mario level. Link also appeared as a guest character inMario Kart 8which was a big change for the series.
Since Link’s franchise is hotter than ever thanks toThe Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, it would be prudent for Nintendo to capitalize on the hype. Again, like the case with Bowser,Super Mario Bros. Wonderis a game that showcases the odd via alternate realities. Link is just the tip of the Nintendo iceberg as far as possibilities go.
