Mario Characters Who Appear In The Most Games

There’s no gaming IP as iconic and influential as Nintendo’s Mario series. And not only are these video games incredibly important for the medium, but the characters themselves too, like Bowser, Peach, Luigi, and even the one and only, Mario. Their legacies are so huge that most of them have even gone on to star in spin-off series.

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By  Kenneth Rasmussen

All of this would never have been possible if it wasn’t for the fact the Mario franchise is made up of over 300 different video games, which include mainline titles, sports games, RPGs, and much more. As a result, every single one of those aforementioned characters has made multiple appearances throughout the years, but, there's only one question left. How do they stack up against each other?

6 Donkey Kong

115 Appearances

As expected, Mario’s first-ever enemy, Donkey Kong, was not immediately forgotten, but he has also made a huge number of appearances in subsequent titles. He, of course, kept his iconic status as Mario’s rival in sequels like Donkey Kong Jr. And in the critically acclaimed Mario vs. Donkey Kong subseries, which released a brand-new entry as recently as February 2024.

But Donkey Kong is better known for starring in his own series of video games, of which Donkey Kong Country is the one that catapulted him to fame more than anything else, and his new design by Rare even became a staple of the Mario franchise. These excellent adventures helped DK become a heroic platforming mascot alongside Mario, and not just another one of the plumber’s countless enemies. Because of this newfound reputation, Donkey Kong reclaimed his title of recurring guest in other spin-offs, like Mario Party or Mario Kart.

5 Bowser

156 Appearances

With the release of Super Mario Bros, Mario began his long-lasting rivalry with yet another fierce beast: Bowser, the King of the Koopas. After that, he became the franchise’s quintessential villainous character, as he acted as the main antagonist of mainline games like Super Mario 64, Super Mario Galaxy, Super Mario Odyssey, and even in multiple spin-offs, like the Mario Party series. However, it seems that things are quite amicable in the Mushroom Kingdom, seeing as Bowser has also made many harmless appearances as a playable character in sports games like Mario Kart or Mario Tennis.

But if there’s one genre in which the King of the Koopas has shined more than ever, it’s RPGs. Bowser not only appears in excellent games like Super Mario RPG, Super Paper Mario, or Mario & Luigi: Bowser’s Inside Story, but he has also been a party member and crucial ally to the heroes in many of these titles, further expanding his personality in ways that were never possible before. It’s quite surprising that Bowser is one of the very few main characters in the Mario series that still hasn’t starred in his own video game.

4 Yoshi

181 Appearances

Sometimes it’s easy to forget that, unlike many of the other Mario characters here, Yoshi hasn’t been there since the beginning. Even though the series’ creator Shigeru Miyamoto dreamed of letting Mario ride a dinosaur for years, he could finally achieve this with the technology of the Super Nintendo when he was developing Super Mario World. But it’s quite evident that he and the rest of Nintendo quickly became fond of Yoshi, as he hasn’t stopped popping up in games since his debut.

This is completely understandable, as Yoshi is an adorable character with mass appeal only comparable to Kirby. Immediately after his debut, he also starred in Super Mario World 2: Yoshi’s Island, an amazing and unique 2D platformer that spawned its own franchise of great games, like Yoshi’s Story or Yoshi’s Wooly World. But this didn’t stop this adorable egg-spewing dinosaur from appearing in mainline Mario installments (like Super Mario Sunshine or Super Mario Galaxy 2) and becoming an important staple of other franchises like Mario Kart, Mario Golf, and even Super Smash Bros.

3 Princess Peach

199 Appearances

Princess Peach used to be quite a bland character, as she was mostly relegated to being Mario’s damsel in distress who had to be rescued over and over. This is one of the main reasons why she has appeared in so many games since most mainline Mario games are centered on her kidnapping by Bowser, as was seen in games like Super Mario World, Super Mario 64, Super Mario Galaxy, and more.

Fortunately, Nintendo worked hard to rectify this over the years, and eventually, they managed to transform Peach into an interesting heroine of her own. First, she was featured as an optional playable character in great titles like Super Mario Bros 2, Super Mario 3D World or Super Mario Wonder. After that, she had prominent and complex roles in RPGs, like Super Mario RPG or Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door. And lastly, she starred in video games of her own, like Super Princess Peach or Princess Peach: Showtime!, further cementing Peach as the important feminine icon that she is.

2 Luigi

210 Appearances

Even though the franchise is globally known as Mario, a fair share of people also refer to it by the name Super Mario Bros. And that’s because Mario’s loyal brother, Luigi, is just as important as he is. This green plumber has been by his brother’s side for almost every single one of his appearances, and he usually holds the role of the Player 2 character in multiple games, like Super Mario Bros, Super Mario Bros 2, or the New Super Mario Bros subseries.

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Sadly, Luigi was somewhat left behind for a few years, seeing as he was omitted from Super Mario 64 and had minor appearances in other games, like Paper Mario. This has not only been rectified ever since, but Mario’s little brother has even managed to star in his own successful series that made him even more beloved by fans, with Luigi’s Mansion becoming a great trilogy of solid action-adventure video games. However - and despite his newfound success - Luigi remains by his brother’s side to this day and has made multiple appearances in countless spin-offs, like Mario Kart, Mario Party, and Mario Golf. He’s such a charming character that these games wouldn’t be the same without him.

1 Mario

282 Appearances

It should be no surprise to absolutely no one that Mario is the character from the Mario series that appears in most games. After all, not only is the entire franchise named after him, but he’s also one of gaming’s biggest icons, making him Nintendo’s go-to character every time they are trying to market an experimental and/or innovative game to a new audience.

Mario’s biggest strength as a character is how versatile he truly is. He can be the likable protagonist of either a fun 2D adventure (like Super Mario Bros or Super Mario World) or a whimsical 3D experience (like Super Mario Galaxy or Super Mario Odyssey), he can be the friendly host of a fun sports game (Like Mario Kart or Mario Tennis) and he can even be a seasoned RPG hero who goes through many troubles to save the day (like in Super Mario RPG, Paper Mario or Mario & Luigi).

Furthermore, Mario has also been the face of weird games like Mario Paint, has made cameos in other Nintendo games like Punch-Out!, and has even become the main character of the Super Smash Bros franchise. There’s no video game character as adaptable and legendary as Mario, and he’ll likely keep appearing in more and more games for many years to come.

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