Summary
It has been almost 40 years sinceSuper Mario Bros.was released on the Nintendo Entertainment System, and since then, the franchise has managed to introduce countless waves of memorable characters. Much of the series’ personality comes from the faces that inhabit theMariouniverse.Super Mario Bros. Wondertakes place in the Flower Kingdom, which neighbors the well-known Mushroom Kingdom. Most importantly, tons of vibrant characters exist within this new land.
The kingdom is predominantly populated by Poplins, a species that look strikingly similar to the Toads of the Mushroom Kingdom. Talking Flowers also inhabit the land, and audibly speak to the player in English, a rarity for the series. The main new supporting character is the highlight of all new faces introduced inSuperMario Bros. Wonder,however.
The Leader Of The Flower Kingdom, Prince Florian
Prince Florian is the central new side character introduced inSuper Mario Bros. Wonderand plays a huge role in both the plot and gameplay. The Prince is the teammate of Mario and his friends, helping guide them throughout his Flower Kingdom by applyingSuper Mario Bros. Wonder’s new mechanic, badges, on his flower-like crown.
The Prince’s combination of royalty and charm has allowed him to fit seamlessly into theMariouniverse. His and Mario’s shared desire to take down Bowser makes the ruler of the Flower Kingdom an easily likable inclusion. Unfortunately, Nintendo tends to completely scrap its one-off characters immediately after introducing them. TheMarioseries has a long history of unique characters that only appear in the game they debuted in (excluding representationinSuper Smash Bros.in the form of Spirits, moves, or Trophies.)
The One-Hit Wonders Of The Mario Universe
Super Mario Sunshine’s Eccentric Inclusion, F.L.U.D.D.
F.L.U.D.D. set a precedent for theMariouniverse, acting as an entity that is both an item and a personable character. Debuting on theNintendo GameCube’sSuper Mario Sunshine,the water-filled backpack was invented by Professor E. Gadd, the same man who invented Luigi’s iconic ghost-busting vacuum cleaner in theLuigi’s Mansionseries. Although a machine, F.L.U.D.D. has an artificial personality and speaks with Mario throughout their adventures together on Isle Delfino. Despite how pleasantly unusual the character is in the franchise, it hasn’t appeared in any other mainlinegames sinceMario Sunshine. However, F.L.U.D.D. has been fighting alongside Mario in theSuper Smash Bros.series sinceBrawl.
“Power-up complete. Thank you for purchasing this item from Gadd Science, Incorporated. Preparing to register customer information. Scanning and classifying subject data… Subject identified as Mario, resident of the Mushroom Kingdom. Data storage complete. I am FLUDD - a Flash Liquidizer Ultra Dousing Device. I hope to be of assistance.”
The Cap Kingdom’s Cappy
Another part of Mario’s arsenal inSuper Smash Bros. Ultimate,Cappy is also his primary ally inSuper MarioOdyssey.He gives the iconic plumber the powerto possess enemies and items around him, giving him more abilities than ever present in a mainline game. Cappy is essentially a ghost, or a Bonneter, to be precise. He takes form in the plethora of hats that Mario can wear throughout his journey. Despite a brief cameo in the mobile gameSuper Mario Run,Cappy did not return to any future franchise titles.However,his return toMario Wonderwould likely have been difficult for developers to implement.
Goomba Village’s Biggest Mario Fan, Goombario
ThePaper Marioseries is known for its in-depth storytelling. As such, charismatic characters emerge, includingthe Nintendo 64 game’s Goombario. It’s common knowledge that Mario doesn’t have the best relationship with Goombas, but this is precisely where Goombario stands out.
Mario is one of Goombario’s role models and is fortunate enough to be the first character to accompany him in this game’s adventure. He looks to help out wherever he can, whether it’s through providing information or fighting alongside Mario in battle. Unfortunately, besides a fleeting cameo inSuper Paper Mario,Goombario does not appear in other franchise games.
Why Prince Florian Should Return To Future Titles
Prince Florian’s obvious ties to the Mushroom Kingdom are hopefully a sign that the character will return alongside Mario in future games. For starters, he looks very similar to a Wiggler, mainly differing in color and size. Furthermore, his royal subjects, the Poplins, look related to Toads. Their anatomical similarities are likely because the Mushroom and Flower Kingdoms are neighbors, meaning that Prince Florian’s return toupcomingMariogamescould very well happen.
Super Mario Bros. Wonder
WHERE TO PLAY
The next evolution of Mario fun: Classic Mario gameplay is turned on its head with Wonder Flowers in the Super Mario Bros. Wonder game! These game-changing items can make some wonderfully weird stuff happen. Witness pipes coming alive, wreak havoc as a giant Spike-Ball, and lots more!Loca: Up to 4 players can tackle courses together, share power-ups, and revive each other. Yoshis can also carry other players on their back to help each other overcome challenging courses!Online: With a Nintendo Switch Online membership**, you can share your adventure with players from all over the world or play online with up to 12 friends in a Friend Room, with 4 players per course. Help each other out or see who can finish first! If you place a standee while you’re playing online, other players can use them to revive!
