Best Mario Villains Who Arent Bowser

As a seasoned gamer and scholar of all things Mario, I can’t help but feel a deep sense of admiration for Fawful, the chortling, sinister villain who has caused so much mischief for our beloved plumber brothers. His journey from Cackletta’s right-hand man to the mastermind behind his own schemes is nothing short of fascinating.

The timeless Super Mario franchise is marked by several notable elements, including its distinctive power-ups, melodies, and characters. Among these, Bowser consistently serves as the main adversary. Boasting a versatile array of personalities ranging from friendly to cruel, and a unique appearance that lingers in memory, he undeniably ranks as Mario’s most formidable foe.

Despite his frequent portrayal as the main antagonist in many Mario games, there are instances where developers choose not to cast him as the villain. Characters from the Mario universe are often seen as players on a stage, and occasionally, Bowser assumes a supporting role rather than being the primary adversary. In some Mario-centric games, Bowser isn’t even depicted as the antagonist at all. Here are some formidable foes of Mario outside of King Koopa.

5 Wart

Super Mario Bros. 2

Best Mario Villains Who Arent Bowser

Debuted in Doki Doki Panic
Appeared in Super Mario Bros 2, a reskin of Doki Doki Panic released for western audiences
Leads a group called the 8 Bits, which consists of every enemy fought in Subcon

Initially, this green-skinned, frog-like character wasn’t part of the traditional lineup of Mario antagonists, but he seamlessly integrated into the growing world of Super Mario. Taking control over Subcon, a realm linked to the Mushroom Kingdom, he stirred up trouble that eventually reached Mario and his companions in their dreams. The inhabitants of Subcon warned Mario about Wart’s vulnerabilities and urged him to put an end to this menace. Following a few vegetable attacks, Wart was finally defeated.

Interestingly, Wart, or Mamu as he is known in the Japanese version of the Legend of Zelda series, notably appears less antagonistically in Link’s Awakening. In this game, he teaches Link the “Frog’s Song of Soul” for 300 rupees. Similar to the games Super Mario Bros 2 and Doki Doki Panic, Link’s Awakening is set in a dreamland, specifically Koholint Island.

4 Smithy

Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars

First appeared in Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars
Leads the Smithy Gang, which is made up of most villains who are original to the game
Has not appeared in any subsequent game since

Originating from a ruthlessly mechanized realm saturated with weaponry, I, Smithy, harbor ambitions of expanding my dominion to include Mario’s vibrant world too. I position my loyal minion, Exor, within Bowser’s fortress and obliterate the Star Road, the lifeblood and wish-granter of this realm. In a twisted turn of events, I am confronted deep within my factory, a place only accessible after being swallowed by Exor, whose mouth serves as a portal between our worlds. As a final boss, I manifest in various forms, each with distinct strengths and weaknesses. My head can morph into anything from an armored tank to a cloaked sorcerer. Yet, Mario and his comrades valiantly defeat me and restore the Star Road to its former glory.

Smithy’s aspirations align him with the destructive intentions typical of Square antagonists, yet his cartoonish appearance and factory enable this type of villain to fit harmoniously within or near the realm of Mario’s universe.

3 Wario

Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins

Introduced as a proper antagonist to Mario in Super Mario Land 2
Although occasionally an antagonist since then, he is more commonly a rival or ally to Mario instead
Most commonly involved with Mario in spin-off games at present, otherwise sticking to his own series

In a somewhat surprising twist for fans who only casually follow the series, Wario appears so different from his original character that some might not even recognize him as the main antagonist initially. However, he was intentionally created to be Mario’s arch-nemesis. In the game Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins, Wario, who used to know Mario from their childhood days, steals Mario’s castle and casts a wicked spell on it, turning it into his own domain. During the final stage of the game, he faces off against Mario, charging at him in his first attack. After his initial defeat, he transforms into Bunny Wario and Fiery Wario, which must also be defeated. Once both these forms are vanquished, Wario is reduced to a smaller size and the spell cast on him is broken.

Over the years, games featuring Wario as a true antagonist have been scarce. More often than not, he is depicted as an anti-hero, even though his greed remains unchanged. In series like “WarioWare” and “Wario Land”, which are successors of “Super Mario Land”, Wario takes the leading role. Occasionally, he demonstrates heroic or benevolent actions in these games, but it’s important to note that his intentions may not always be pure. In the majority of cases, Wario appears in spin-offs such as “Mario Kart” and “Mario Party”. Interestingly, if a spinoff has a storyline, Wario is usually considered the hero. Despite being conceptually an intriguing villain, his character shines brightest when contrasted with his role as the protagonist.

2 Fawful

Mario & Luigi Series

First introduced as a supporting villain in Mario and Luigi: Superstar Saga
Makes a cameo in Mario and Luigi: Partners in Time
The main antagonist in Mario and Luigi Bowser’s Inside Story

In the game “Mario and Luigi: Superstar Saga”, Cackletta’s trusted ally, Fawful, is a mischievous character known for his peculiar speech and devious actions. He and Cackletta frequently play tricks on Mario and Luigi, such as feeding Queen Bean a Belly Blech to divert their attention from Fawful stealing the Beanstar. Fawful even went so far as to possess Bowser, offering his body for Cackletta to take control of. However, the brothers were able to outsmart them both and defeat the pair. Later in “Mario and Luigi: Bowser’s Inside Story”, Fawful is back, this time tricking Bowser into consuming a vacuum mushroom, leading to the events that unfold throughout the game.

Eventually, the character transforms into Dark Fawful, a formidable adversary and one of the game’s final antagonists, by drawing power from the Dark Star. His actions culminate in a self-destructive act, similar to a suicide bombing, while infected with a virus that turns him into a stomach bug. However, his plan backfires, causing the vacuum shroom’s effects to reverse instead of destroying the Mario Bros. Alongside himself. Despite this failure, Fawful is intriguing as a villain due to his evolution between his two significant appearances. Initially, he’s content playing a supporting role to Cackletta, but in the subsequent game where he’s the main antagonist, it’s revealed that he’s been manipulating events from behind the scenes. More intriguingly, Cackletta’s defeat in Bowser’s Inside Story appears to have minimal connection with Fawful’s motivations. He only makes a casual reference to her, specifically in the French version of the game.

1 Count Bleck

Super Paper Mario

First appeared in Super Paper Mario
Has four major minions of note: Nastasia, O’ Chunks, Mimi, and Dimentio
Brainwashed Luigi into becoming Mr. L

Previously called Count Blumiere, Bleck used to belong to the Tribe of Darkness. Defying his father’s orders to stay away from humans, he fell in love with a woman named Timpani. However, when their relationship was discovered, Bleumire’s father placed a curse on Timpani, causing her to lose her memory and exiling her from their realm. It was during this period that Bleumiere changed his name to Bleck and started plotting the destruction of all worlds with the Dark Prognosticus.

As I, the gamer, control Mario, Bleck dispatches his minions to handle us at a distance, hoping they might thwart his scheme once they confirm my fairy companion, Tippi, could secretly be Timpani. But alas, upon their defeat, he’s betrayed by Dimentio who yearns to wield the Chaos Power and ascend to godhood. Yet, it’s Blumiere and Timpani’s heartfelt love confession that triggers the Pure Hearts, weakening Dimentio, leading ultimately to his downfall at our hands and those of my companions.

2024-08-16 09:05