Mario and the In-Game Characters

The main characters of the Super Mario Bros. series are Mario, Luigi, Bowser, the Goomba, the Koopa Troopa, Princess Peach Toadstool and Yoshi. Here is a closer look at each one.

Mario

Mario first appeared as "Jumpman" in the 1981 arcade game Donkey Kong, originally shown as a carpenter with a pet ape. He began life as a simple 2D sprite and later became a fully three-dimensional model. Today he is a cheerful plumber who lives in the Mushroom Kingdom alongside his younger, taller brother Luigi, and he is the hero the player controls in most games.

Luigi

Luigi is Mario’s taller, younger brother, usually dressed in green overalls. He is a plumber too, though his personality shifts from game to game: often nervous and timid, but good-natured and slower to anger than his more famous sibling. A younger version, Baby Luigi, debuted in Super Mario World 2: Yoshi’s Island and later joined Baby Mario as a playable character in Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time. Like his adult self, he is voiced by Charles Martinet.

Princess Peach Toadstool

Princess Peach Toadstool has long blonde hair, blue eyes and a warm, cheerful look. She usually wears a pink gown with frilly trim, short puffed sleeves and an overskirt, finished with red high heels, white gloves, a sapphire brooch and earrings, and a gold crown set with sapphires and rubies. As ruler of the Mushroom Kingdom she is most often the one Mario sets out to rescue.

Yoshi

Yoshis come in a range of colors, which is usually just a way to tell individuals apart. In some games, though, color grants extra abilities: in Super Mario World, red Yoshis breathe fire, blue Yoshis sprout wings and yellow Yoshis kick up damaging dust clouds when they land. In other titles, eating certain fruit changes a Yoshi’s color and powers.

Bowser

Bowser is the leader and mightiest of the turtle-like Koopa race, and he has been Mario’s arch-rival ever since his first appearance in Super Mario Bros. As the main villain of the series, his goal is almost always to kidnap Princess Peach and seize control of the Mushroom Kingdom.

Goomba

In the 2D games, Goombas simply march from side to side and are most easily beaten by stomping on them. They debuted in Super Mario Bros. and have returned in nearly every game since. Unlike their 2D behavior, Goombas in Super Mario 64 (and in Galaxy and the 3D Land/World games) will chase Mario once they spot him. Notable variants include the winged Paragoomba and the tiny Microgoomba, both introduced in Super Mario Bros. 3.

Koopa Troopa

Koopa Troopas — or simply Koopas — are a fictional race of turtle-like creatures from the Mario and Yoshi series. While "Koopa" broadly covers the whole family (including Lakitu, the Hammer Bros. and even Bowser), the name is often used casually for this particular foot soldier. First appearing in the 1983 arcade game Mario Bros. (where they were called Shellcreepers), they are among the oldest recurring enemies in the series. When stomped, a Koopa retreats into its shell, which can then be kicked and used as a weapon.