One of the first true video game characters of all time, Mario made his pixelated debut in 1981, in the arcade classic Donkey Kong. Following that, the Italian plumber brought his brother Luigi along for the ride in 1983's Mario Bros., and started collecting a cast of villains and allies. Over the last few decades, that collection has only continued to grow, with some of the most iconic gaming characters of all time being included in the roster. But for every Bowser, Peach, Toad, and Wario, there's also a handful of characters that don't reach the halls of fame, and Super Mario's Foreman Spike is certainly one of them.
Despite debuting all the way back in 1985, and having various appearances in the years since, Super Mario's Foreman Spike is character that not even die-hard fans are likely to recognize. A bearded man with shades, brown overalls, and a long nose, Foreman Spike resembles the Mario brothers quite a bit, but he's made it his lifelong mission to impede any ventures they may have.
Super Mario's Foreman Spike
The obscure Foreman Spike made his first debut in 1985's Wrecking Crew, one of the earlier titles for the Nintendo Entertainment System. The general gameplay loop of Wrecking Crew sees the player assume the role of Mario as he attempts to break down a series of walls. In the game's first bonus stage, Foreman Spike makes his first, groundbreaking appearance. While the player attempts to find a coin hidden in one of the breakable walls, Foreman Spike does the same in the background of the stage, adding a timed element to the game.
Upon completing the bonus stage, Foreman Spike will then become a main feature of Wrecking Crew's remaining missions. While Mario tries to break down each mission's walls, Spike will launch objects at the player from the background of the stage, each of which can knock Mario all the way down to the start of the level. However, if the player acquires a Golden Hammer item, then they can do the same to Spike, knocking them out of the stage for a few moments.
Foreman Spike makes another appearance in the Japan-exclusive Wrecking Crew '98, where sports a new muscled appearance. Now looking like a buff Wario, Foreman Spike acts as the game's fourth boss. Much like the Puyo Puyo series, Wrecking Crew '98 tasks players with joining colored blocks together in order to clear a stage, all while an opponent on the right side of the stage attempts to do the same.
In 2001, the Japan-exclusive Mobile Golf for the Game Boy Color released. Rather interestingly, Mobile Golf was just one of two Mario titles that used the Mobile Adapter GB, a cable that connected the user's phone to the Game Boy Color. Using this peripheral with Mobile Golf would add Foreman Spike as a playable character, sporting his original, larger appearance.
Jumping forward all the way to 2015, Foreman Spike made his next appearance as a costume in Super Mario Maker. The brown overalls, beard, and long nose can all be unlocked by gaining a Mystery Mushroom. In the Super Smash Bros. series, Mario's third skin is widely believed to be a reference to Foreman Spike's original Wrecking Crew appearance. In WarioWare Gold, during the Wrecking Crew microgame, Foreman Spike can occasionally be seen after a block has been broken by the player.
It was also confirmed during a Nintendo Direct in September 2021 that Foreman Spike is set to appear in the upcoming Chris Pratt-led, animated Mario movie by Illumination. Here, Spike will be voiced by Sebastian Maniscalco, best known for his work as a stand-up comic. According to the leaker Zippo, Foreman Spike will also apparently show up in an unannounced new 2D Mario game, though, of course, this is just speculation as of now.