Throughout the lifespan of the Mario franchise, so many characters have been handed their own games. Luigi got a series, as did Wario. Donkey Kong (who is, truthfully, the originator but has obviously been replaced by Mario since) has his own series. Princess Peach got a game, too. Yoshi has starred on his own a couple of times, too. Several already have, but there are still many iconic Super Mario characters who deserve their spot in the limelight.
5. Bowser
Bowser should have had his own full game by now. He’s been an integral part of the Mario universe for a very long time, pretty much being the exclusive big bad for decades. How he hasn’t gotten his own spinoff is beyond me. Playing as the villain is not a super common video game trope, so it would be pretty revolutionary, especially using perhaps gaming’s most familiar and iconic bad guy.
This could be an opportunity to do one of two things. Either Nintendo could humanize Bowser by giving him a tragic origin story or by explaining why he does what he does. A more relatable version of his side of Super Mario Odyssey could be an option. The second thing Nintendo could do is just go full tilt and let this be the tale of a brutal, ruthless villain, which could be pretty fun and action-packed. He did somewhat lead Bowser’s Inside Story, but this could and should be a game excluding Mario and letting the big bad shine all on his own.
4. Waluigi
If Mario, Luigi, and Wario can have their own games, there’s no reason Waluigi can’t. Mario and Luigi might be the most iconic brothers in gaming history, but Wario is not, and he has a series of games, so there’s really no excuse for Waluigi. He is easily one of the most popular characters who has not yet been given his own title.
He’s definitely on the more villainous side of things, but Nintendo could easily position him as a relatable anti-hero. The current perception of Waluigi is that he’s kind of weird, the standoffish, awkward member of the main four relatives. The game could reflect that, being a weird, strange video game that stands out for that very fact. Or it could try to reverse the stigma and make him a little more personable. Either way, since he was glaringly omitted from Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, it’s time he got some love from Nintendo.
3. Rosalina
There is perhaps the most potential for a great game with Rosalina. Her abilities would make for the most unique gameplay out of this entire franchise. Plus, the Super Mario Galaxy series is beloved and critically acclaimed, so spinning off of that would be a pretty smart business endeavor, too.
A game starring Rosalina would easily have the best aesthetic of any of these because it would follow in the footsteps of Galaxy and its sequel, two of the best-looking 3D platformers out there. Plus, Rosalina’s story and her setting are rife with lore that would play well with audiences. It could be a fantastic way to explore the origin of Mario’s world and connect things in a brand-new way as well.
2. King Boo
King Boo would be another fantastic character to explore. The boos are a pretty interesting enemy in general, and they’re a rare one that has an unexplored leader (other than the Koopas since Bowser is the leader of them). King Boo is to Luigi as Bowser is (almost) to Mario, so if a Bowser game would work, then so would this one.
There have been successful games starring ghosts before, so there’s no reason this couldn’t be done. Furthermore, the gameplay as a ghost would stand pretty far apart in a game series that’s been populated almost entirely by platforming people who jump around.
1. Shy Guy
There is untapped potential with a Shy Guy game because he’s a virtual unknown in the Mario universe. He showed up near the beginning and has remained a pretty crucial part of the games, especially the spinoff series like Mario Kart or Mario Party. But still, we just don’t know much about Shy Guy.
This is the chance to peel back the curtain, to unmask the guy and see what’s behind it all. If nothing else, the origins and explanation of what a Shy Guy is would be enough to grab people’s attention.
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