Highlights

  • Mario and Sonic are iconic video game franchises with hundreds of characters, with Mario's RPG games adding some interesting figures to the mix.
  • The charm of Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door lies in its characters bringing the world to life, including characters who haven't been seen in a while, like Toadsworth.
  • The return of Toadsworth in the Paper Mario remake may spark interest in his character and potentially lead to his return in future Mario games, as the old Toad stands out among Mario's cast and deserves to make a comeback.

There are many video game series' with tens of hundreds of characters to their name, with the Mario and Sonic franchises being prime examples, although it feels like a given with how long those two have been running and jumping for. The number of familiar faces in the Mario series is only extended a fair amount, thanks to the plumber's RPG adventures, like Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door. Each of these beloved entries adds a good hundred new characters to Mario's ever-growing list of acquaintances and friends.

It's not exactly a bad thing for Mario to know so many people, though, as Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door is immensely charming due to the way its characters help make the world come alive. Of course, this is possible due to mainline Mario game mainstays also making appearances, such as Princess Peach and Bowser, who are in almost every Paper Mario game to date. However, The Thousand-Year Door has established a rare opportunity for future Mario games to bring back a classic character that has been re-introduced in the remake: Toadsworth.

A screenshot from Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door showing Mario and Luigi.
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Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door Should Lead to the Return of Toadsworth

Toadworth is most certainly a Mario character that requires the knowledge of the past decade of Mario titles to understand, mostly because he hasn't appeared in a game as a proper character since 2013, trophies and cameos aside. Toadsworth's most recent appearances, outside other very small roles, can be found below with their years attached.

  • Mario Party 7 (2005)
  • Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time (2005)
  • New Super Mario Bros. (2006)
  • Mario Super Sluggers (2009)
  • Mario Power Tennis (2009)
  • Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story (2009)
  • Mario & Luigi: Dream Team (2013)

As seen in the list above, Toadsworth used to be a regular side character for the Mario series, until suddenly he rarely appeared before vanishing completely. At the time he appeared, he was written and acted with such a personality that players got attached to him, appreciating the dynamic of Toadsworth being Peach's support and protection when she just wants to have fun without stressing over tiny details. Just as players got comfortable with Toadsworth being around, he was suddenly never seen in a new Mario game again, only showing up in re-releases like Bowser's Inside Story + Bowser Jr.'s Journey.

While there doesn't necessarily need to be an explanation as to why Toadsworth hasn't been around lately, fans have been curious about his disappearance for years. It's likely that Nintendo just doesn't see a use for Toadsworth as a character anymore, but the fact that he's been missing from all recent material has left fans to think he has passed away, as that would at least explain his absence in terms of Mario lore.

Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door Will Tell Players Toadsworth Still Exists

Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door on Switch is once again another rerelease appearance for Toadsworth, but it's one that has the potential to impact his future. Older fans will be happy to see Peach's steward again, while newer fans will have a higher chance of knowing who he is, as TTYD is likely to sell rather well. Not only is TTYD one of the most popular Mario RPGs, but Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door suffered from being sold at incredible prices for decades. As a result, there are likely plenty of longtime fans who will be experiencing the game for the first time, and will be glad to see Toadsworth for the first time in ages.

Fans who are excited about seeing the little elderly toad might use this appearance to once again ask questions about where he is, showing Nintendo that he's still missed in the supporting character line-up of Mario's friends. It may help show the company that he's still a beloved character no matter how small his role is, and it might at least explain where he's been, if not bring him back into the spotlight.