Summary
Nintendo’sMariofranchise has introduced players to a variety of characters over the years. From reoccurring bosses across titles to an assortment of characters players can choose to control in theMariofranchiseparty games, players have been given plenty of time to garner their favorites and represent who they are most loyal to.
While the human characters are quite popular, such as Mario, Luigi, or Princess Peach, the non-human characters are also just as popular in the fandom that surrounds theMariofranchise. Therefore, these are by far the best non-human characters, from both the playable characters ofMarioto the various villains, ranked.
8Petey Piranha
A Much-Loved Returning Villain
Starting off the best non-human characters ofMariowith a villain, Petey Piranha made his debut as a reoccurring boss inMariowhen he first arrived as an enemy inSuper Mario Sunshinein 2002. Since then, this mutant Piranha Plant has returned as not only a boss for players to defeat in variousMariotitles, but also being an option for the player to control in variousMarioSport and other spin-off titles.
Hislarge and powerful statureputs him on par with the likes of Bowser or Doneky Kong, though many players are fond of his stubby little legs that make him much slower than the other characters inMario.
7King Boo
One Of The Greatest Ghosts
Some of the best non-human characters inMarioaren’t just those that are animals, but also those that are ghosts. King Boo is the leader of themischievous ghoststhat tend to torment Luigi most of all in theMariofranchise.
Besides being the biggest of the Boos and wearing a crown to show his king status, King Boo is another villain fromMariothat has become a playable character in various other spin-off titles. Not much else is known about King Boo, as he has always been seen as quite a mystery, but this has only made players love him more.
6Birdo
The Pink Dinosaur Icon
Birdo is an iconic character in theMariofranchise as she has been the center of plenty of controversies over her time as a pink dinosaur-like creature in the franchise. Ever since her first appearance inSuper Mario Bros 2,Birdo’s gender has been quite controversial, as the instruction manual of the game mentioned that Birdo thinks that they’re a woman.
This has led many to accept Birdo as an openly trans woman that many fans have fallen in love with. Even if recent games of the franchise simply refer to Birdo being a woman, she still continues to be a trans icon for many.
5Donkey Kong
A Title As Old As Mario With His Very Own Franchise
Donkey Kong is just as old as Mario is in the franchise, as the first games to include the plumber saw Donkey Kong to be his enemy, not Bowser. Whilst that version is now Cranky Kong, the youthful tie-wearing Donkey Kong has gone on to make quite a name for himself as he has his own abundance of spin-off titles, such asDonkey Kong Country.
In these games, Donkey Kong is shown to bea powerful leaderwho just wants to protect his family and, therefore, many players admire him so much that they then proceed to play as this Kong in various other titles, such asMario KartorMario Party.
4Bowser
One Of The Most Loved Villains In Gaming
While Donkey Kong may be the first enemy of Mario, Bowser has been the longest-running villain of the franchise, with this ginormous Koopa always finding some sort of way to kidnap Princess Peach or take control of another kingdom.
Even though he has done all these horrendous things, fans simply can’t stop loving him and using him as their player character in the various other games in the franchise. As a villain, players have enjoyed encountering Bowser and are hopeful to see how he will continue as one of the greatest bosses of the franchise.
The Biggest Menace Of The Mario Franchise
First Appearance:Super Mario World 2: Yoshi’s Island(1995)
While Bowser may be the face that is attached to all the bad things that happen in not only the Toadstool Kingdom but also the entirety of theMariofranchise, a lot of the bad things that happen are caused by Kamek’smagic cast. He is more than just the advisor to Bowser, as in many situations he has been the one to cause the issues himself.
Players tend to respect this Magikoopa and some even favor him over Bowser himself due to how surprisingly caring Kamek is for the King of the Koopas. Not to mention how he has been the one to primarily look after Bowser Jr too.
2Bowser Jr.
Small Yet Deadly
Surprisingly, the son of Bowser is commonly deemed more of a fan favorite than Boswer himself. This is likely due to the small mischievous Koopa being quite the adorable menace that is trying so hard to be exactly like his dad.
When Bowser Jr. isn’t helping his dad kidnap Princess Peach, he is instead being a villain by himself where he continues to torment Mario just as much as his dad has. It doesn’t matter what Bowser Jr. does, many fans of the franchise will still love this bandanna-wearing Koopa and his cheeky laugh.
1Yoshi
The Unrivaled Favorite Of The Franchise
Unsurprisingly, theMariofranchise sees the bright green dinosaur known as Yoshi as being one of the best non-human characters available in the franchise. In some cases, Yoshi is even more popular than the plumber mascot himself, Mario.
Players love Yoshi not only because of his adorable design and cute noises, but also because he is one of themost reliable charactersin the franchise. Yoshi is more than willing to allow Mario on his back to take him on adventures, as well as being the one to save Baby Mario inYoshi’s Island.
