Mario Characters Who Appear In The Most Games

Summary

There’s no gaming IP as iconic and influential as Nintendo’sMarioseries. And not only are these video games incredibly important for the medium, but the characters themselves too, like Bowser, Peach, Luigi, and even the one and only, Mario. Their legacies are so huge that most of them have even gone on to star in spin-off series.

All of this would never have been possibleif it wasn’t for the fact theMariofranchise is made up of over 300 different video games, which include mainline titles, sports games, RPGs, and much more. As a result, every single one of those aforementioned characters has made multiple appearances throughout the years, but, there’s only one question left. How do they stack up against each other?

As expected, Mario’s first-ever enemy,Donkey Kong, was not immediately forgotten, but he has also made a huge number of appearances in subsequent titles. He, of course, kept his iconic status as Mario’s rival in sequels likeDonkey Kong Jr.and in the critically acclaimedMario vs. Donkey Kongsubseries, which released a brand-new entry as recently as February 2024.

But Donkey Kong is better known for starring in his own series of video games, of whichDonkey Kong Countryis the one that catapulted him to fame more than anything else, and his new design by Rare even became a staple of theMariofranchise. These excellent adventures helped DK become a heroic platforming mascot alongside Mario, and not just another one of the plumber’s countless enemies. Because of this newfound reputation, Donkey Kong reclaimed his title of recurring guest in other spin-offs, likeMario PartyorMario Kart.

With the release ofSuper Mario Bros,Mario began his long-lasting rivalry with yet another fierce beast:Bowser, the King of the Koopas. After that, he became the franchise’s quintessential villainous character, as he acted as the main antagonist of mainline games likeSuper Mario 64,Super Mario Galaxy,Super Mario Odyssey, and even in multiple spin-offs, like theMario Partyseries. However, it seems that things are quite amicable in the Mushroom Kingdom, seeing as Bowser has also made many harmless appearances as a playable character in sports games likeMario KartorMario Tennis.

But if there’s one genre in which the King of the Koopas has shined more than ever, it’s RPGs. Bowser not only appears in excellent games likeSuper Mario RPG,Super Paper Mario, orMario & Luigi: Bowser’s Inside Story, but he has also been a party member and crucial ally to the heroes in many of these titles, further expanding his personality in ways that were never possible before. It’s quite surprising that Bowseris one of the very few main characters in theMarioseries that still hasn’t starred in his own video game.

Sometimes it’s easy to forget that, unlike many of the otherMariocharacters here,Yoshihasn’t been there since the beginning. Even though the series’ creator Shigeru Miyamoto dreamed of letting Mario ride a dinosaur for years, he could finally achieve this with the technology of the Super Nintendo when he was developingSuper Mario World. But it’s quite evident that he and the rest of Nintendo quickly became fond of Yoshi, as he hasn’t stopped popping up in games since his debut.

This is completely understandable, as Yoshi is an adorable character with mass appeal only comparable to Kirby. Immediately after his debut, he also starred inSuper Mario World 2: Yoshi’s Island,an amazing and unique 2D platformer that spawned its own franchise of great games, likeYoshi’s StoryorYoshi’s Wooly World. But this didn’t stop this adorable egg-spewing dinosaur from appearing in mainline Mario installments (likeSuper Mario SunshineorSuper Mario Galaxy 2) and becoming an important staple of other franchises likeMario Kart,Mario Golf, and evenSuper Smash Bros.

Princess Peachused to be quite a bland character, as she was mostly relegated to being Mario’s damsel in distress who had to be rescued over and over. This is one of the main reasons why she has appeared in so many games since most mainlineMariogames are centered on her kidnapping by Bowser, as was seen in games likeSuper Mario World,Super Mario 64,Super Mario Galaxy, and more.

Fortunately, Nintendo worked hard to rectify this over the years, and eventually, they managed to transform Peach into an interesting heroine of her own. First, she was featured as an optional playable character in great titles likeSuper Mario Bros 2,Super Mario 3D WorldorSuper Mario Wonder. After that, she had prominent and complex roles in RPGs, likeSuper Mario RPGorPaper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door.And lastly, she starred in video games of her own, likeSuper Princess PeachorPrincess Peach: Showtime!,further cementing Peach as the important feminine icon that she is.

Even though the franchise is globally known asMario, a fair share of people also refer to it by the nameSuper Mario Bros. And that’s because Mario’s loyal brother,Luigi, is just as important as he is. This green plumber has been by his brother’s side for almost every single one of his appearances, and he usually holds the role of the Player 2 character in multiple games, likeSuper Mario Bros,Super Mario Bros 2, or theNew Super Mario Brossubseries.

Sadly, Luigi was somewhat left behind for a few years, seeing as he was omitted fromSuper Mario 64and had minor appearances in other games, likePaper Mario. This has not only been rectified ever since, but Mario’s little brother has even managed to star in his own successful series that made him even more beloved by fans,withLuigi’s Mansionbecoming a great trilogy of solid action-adventure video games. However - and despite his newfound success - Luigi remains by his brother’s side to this day and has made multiple appearances in countless spin-offs, likeMario Kart,Mario Party, andMario Golf. He’s such a charming character that these games wouldn’t be the same without him.

It should be no surprise to absolutely no one thatMariois the character from theMarioseries that appears in most games. After all, not only is the entire franchise named after him,but he’s also one of gaming’s biggest icons, making him Nintendo’s go-to character every time they are trying to market an experimental and/or innovative game to a new audience.

Mario’s biggest strength as a character is how versatile he truly is. He can be the likable protagonist of either a fun 2D adventure (likeSuper Mario BrosorSuper Mario World) or a whimsical 3D experience (likeSuper Mario GalaxyorSuper Mario Odyssey), he can be the friendly host of a fun sports game (LikeMario KartorMario Tennis) and he can even be a seasoned RPG hero who goes through many troubles to save the day (like inSuper Mario RPG,Paper MarioorMario & Luigi).

Furthermore,Mario has also been the face of weird games likeMario Paint, has made cameos in other Nintendo games likePunch-Out!, and has even become the main character of theSuper Smash Brosfranchise. There’s no video game character as adaptable and legendary as Mario, and he’ll likely keep appearing in more and more games for many years to come.