My 5 Favorite Mario World Characters

With tomorrow being the release date of the highly anticipated “The Super Mario Bros. Movie,” and it arriving theaters, I thought it’d be a good chance to list some of my all time favorite Mario characters from the Mario universe. I’ve grown up with the Mario games, playing it on NES as a small child, and religiously playing his games on SNES, N64, and even the Nintendo DS.

What are some of your favorite Super Mario World characters, and or villains?

Donkey Kong
I don’t know if it’s common knowledge or not, but in the original “Donkey Kong” game, Mario was the villain. These days, the roles have reversed somewhat with Donkey Kong sometimes being a villain, and sometimes being an anti-hero. In either case, I’ve enjoyed most of Donkey Kong’s iterations over the years, right down to his solo games for the SNES. Or is that Donkey Kong Jr.? Either way, Donkey Kong in general is great.

Mario Mario
Although many fans have fallen over in to Luigi’s corner over the years, I’ve always remained a fan of Mario’s. I just enjoy the character, and have always found him to be a fun superhero. Even in spite of him being the weakest character in “Super Mario 2,” I think there’s a reason he’s been so widely celebrated and has kept Nintendo afloat even in its darkest times.

Wario
Many superheroes have Bizarro versions of themselves, so it stands to reason that Mario would have one of his very own. Wario is a twisted evil version of Mario whose colors are comprised of yellow and purple rather than red and blue. And rather than a mustache, he has a twisted wiry tusk of hair above his lips. Wario has obtained his own popularity since his introduction in 1992 and even garnered his own games that are absolutely entertaining in their own rights.

Bob-Ombs
The Bob-Ombs have maintained their near top spot as some of my favorite elements/ characters in the Mario games. They’re fun weapons and lethal obstacles whenever playing the games. With their near conscious movements, they waddle up to you, blink a few times, and you have to flee before it explodes and takes your ass with it. I used to love activating them, and chucking them at other players in Mario Kart.

Shy Guys
The Shy Guys originally made their first appearance in 1988’s “Super Mario Bros. 2” which, as many know, is just a re-skin of the game “Doki Doki Panic.” But in spite of the game merely just being a different coating of paint on an old game, the Shy Guys have prevailed as one of the more recurring Super Mario villains and characters. Their multiple colored robes, along with their white faces that resemble masks have become familiar imagery in the Mario universe, and I’ve always personally been a big fan of theirs. They’re also the most fun to draw among many of Mario’s nemeses.