Highlights
- Mario's success lies in its ability to create memorable characters, including iconic villains like Bowser and Wario, who have become just as recognizable as the Mario brothers themselves.
- Relying on long-standing feuds and creating distinct personalities and appearances for villains like the Koopalings helps solidify them as great rivals to Mario.
- While not the most identifiable Mario rivals, villains like Mega Bug and Cursa bring original design and concept to the franchise, ranking high on the menacing scale and providing unique challenges for Mario to overcome.
Mario is one of the most recognizable franchises in the entire world. With hundreds of games including several incredibly successful spin-off series as well as a blockbuster movie, there's no denying the success of the brave Italian plumber. A crucial aspect of Mario's success is its ability to produce memorable characters that gamers can get to know. Mario is usually careful about introducing new characters, and it's rare for Nintendo to debut one they don't intend to keep around.
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Among these characters are rivals and villains that many players have grown fond of. Today, the likes of Bowser and Wario are just as identifiable as the Mario brothers themselves. What's the secret to Mario's brilliant enemies, then? It's tough to make a good villain, and sometimes relying on decades-old feuds is the key to keeping them around. It takes a combination of design, motive, background, and - of course - audience popularity.
1 Waluigi
King of the Spin-Offs
- First Appearance:Mario Tennis (2000)
Most gamers may not think of Waluigi as a villain; it's true that almost all of his appearances have been in spin-off games. He was created as an "evil" counterpart to Luigi, and companion to Wario, allowing them to truly mimic the iconic brothers. First introduced in Mario Tennis, Waluigi's only real rival role was in Dance Dance Revolution: Mario Mix.
Unfortunately, Waluigi wasn't even that popular upon launch. Very few Mario characters debut in a spin-off, and was clear he was created to be a partner for Wario. However, Waluigi has substantially grown in popularity since. His constant appearance in all major Mario spin-offs combined with his hapless love of the spotlight makes him difficult to dislike. Together, Wario and Waluigi make an entertaining, bad-luck rival duo for the Mario brothers.
2 Koopalings
Minions of Chaos
- First Appearance:Super Mario Bros. 3 (1988)
The Koopalings were first introduced in Super Mario Bros. 3 in 1988, a lot sooner than many players may expect. Although initially described as Bowser's children, presently they are not thought to be related to him, but often work under him or Bowser Jr. Most gamers will likely recognize them from New Super Mario Bros Wii in which they are bosses for seven of the worlds.
This rambunctious bunch is so ridiculous that they're incredibly fun enemies. Despite there being seven of them, they each have distinct personalities and appearances, so much so that they've since been featured in Mario Kart 8 as playable characters. Their boss fights are creative and interesting, and their repeated cameos in Mario games solidify them as great rivals to the plumber man himself.
3 Mega Bug/Cursa
A Space-Bending, World-Ending Villain
- First Appearance:Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle (2017), Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope (2022)
Not all gamers will be familiar with Mega Bug and Cursa, the respective villains from Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle and Sparks of Hope. Those who don't recognize them are certainly missing out on two very fun games and two brilliant Mario rivals. Mega Bug is an epic pixel-dragon-vortex creature responsible for morphing Bowser into MegaDragonBowser, and its residual existence takes the form of Cursa, a creepy, interstellar, power-hungry creature.
Although they might not be the most identifiable Mario rivals, Mega Bug and Cursa are by far some of the coolest. In both design and concept, they're original and draw on their space-based creation for their characteristics. Of all the villains Mario has gone up against, these two rank high on the menacing scale.
4 Bowser Jr
Chip Off The Old Thwomp
- First Appearance:Super Mario Sunshine (2002)
Bowser Jr is Bowser's devious, if dopey, son. He first appeared in Super Mario Sunshine in 2002, making him a relatively new addition to Mario's rivals. Although Bowser Jr does appear to have evil motives, usually he's either working under the direction of his father or in pursuit of his approval.
Compared to other Mario villains, Bowser Jr doesn't rank very high on the intimidation scale. However, for a child, Bowser Jr has been a boss-level enemy in a lot of different Mario games, and it's clear that mischief runs in the family. He's always been relatively popular with audiences and has appeared in many spin-offs. He may not be the most frightening boss fight, but he's certainly earned his place as a memorable rival.
5 Wario
A Wival to Rival Them All
- First Appearance:Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins (1992)
Wario was created in 1992 as the villain for Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins. He's one of the few rivals to have a successful set of spin-off games, which began as early as 1994 - only two years after his debut - in Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3. He was specifically created as an "evil," inverted version of Mario which is evident in his name literally being Mario with the "M" flipped.
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Since his creation, Wario has been popular among Mario fans. Compared to early versions of Mario and Luigi, Wario had more character and style. He quickly grew into an icon of the franchise, allowing him to be the figurehead of both the Wario Land and Wario Ware series. His consistent appearance in almost all spin-off series easily solidifies him as one of the most recognizable Nintendo characters ever and outlines how unique he is compared to any other Mario characters.
6 Count Bleck
The Heart-Broken Bringer of Darkness
- First Appearance:Super Paper Mario (2007)
Count Bleck is the primary antagonist of Super Paper Mario, released in 2007. His central goal is to use the Dark Prognosticus book to end all existence. Of all Mario's rivals, Count Bleck has one of the most solid and understandable backstories, detailing his father banishing his one true love and his subsequent corruption via the Dark Prognosticus.
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Although Super Mario RPG games are not as widely known to casual Mario fans, they're nonetheless home to some of the best storytelling and interactions of the whole franchise. Even though he begins a villain, eventually Count Bleck comes to realize that his love is still alive, and consequently wishes for his evil plans to be thwarted. In the end, it is Count Bleck's - or Blumiere's - genuine affection and love that saves the gang from destruction. His character arc is a truly touching and wonderful experience. Even if he isn't quite evil incarnate, he's still one of the best-written rivals to ever exist.
7 Fawful
The Most Furious Bean To Ever Live
- First Appearance:Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga (2003)
Fawful is a recurring antagonist from the Mario & Luigi RPG series. He may be unfamiliar to some gamers since his appearances outside of it are very limited. He was the secondary villain in Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga and the primary villain in Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story. Fawful is an intelligent character who is often bested by his anger and sense of self-importance.
Fawful is largely considered to be one of the most iconic Mario rivals of all time. His unwavering self-confidence coupled with his hilarious dialogue makes him extremely memorable, with his catchphrase "I HAVE FURY" quickly becoming one of the most famous among fans. Fawful is nonetheless a worthy opponent, proving himself to be resourceful and smart with his plans - even if a lot of them revolve around food. It's no surprise this wacky guy ranks so high among Mario's rivals.
8 Bowser
The Ultimate Arch-Rival
- First Appearance:Super Mario Bros. (1985)
Bowser is undeniably Mario's greatest rival, appearing as the primary antagonist in almost every main Mario game to date. This drastically angry, very large koopa can't help but try to rule the Mushroom Kingdom - if not the whole galaxy - and kidnap Princess Peach. Typically, Bowser is very intimidating and threatening, and in most Mario games his self-centered and boastful nature comes through. Occasionally, Bowser's evil limits can be seen, particularly when he condemns King Olly's plans to kill all Toads in Super Paper Mario: The Origami King.
Although Mario may feature villains with more motives than Bowser seemingly has, every good franchise needs a consistent, malevolent presence. Part of Bowser's charm is the enjoyment he seems to take in enacting his evil plans, and it's easy to interpret that (in a very Batman-Joker fashion) the destruction of either Bowser or Mario would make the other miserable. His character design is iconic and instantly identifiable, adding to his already looming presence in the franchise.