With a whole host of characters making up the Mario universe, many of them come in different shapes and sizes. Characters such as Petey Piranha, Bowser, and Donkey Kong are the largest in the entire series. Rosalina and Walugi are some of the tallest humans in Mario, standing over 7' tall.
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But what about the shortest characters in Mario? A whole host of characters are shorter than some larger characters. You don't have to look very far to find them in the Mario series, with many known for their short stature but famous nonetheless.
10 Goomba
Estimated Height: 2'5
- First Appearance: Super Mario Bros. (1985)
The Goomba is one of the most iconic Mario enemies in the franchise and one of the key races in the series. Brown in color and resembling a mushroom, Goombas are short stubby creatures that have large eyes, feet, and no arms. Interestingly, Goombas are not inherently evil, with some not on the side of Bowser - unlike most of their race.
Goombas are the shortest characters in the series, at 2'5, with Mario and the crew easily able to defeat them by stomping on their head and staying just out of reach, on account of these characters lacking arms.
9 Toad
Estimated Height: 3'6
- First Appearance: Super Mario Bros. (1985)
Another character that resembles a mushroom is Toad, one of Mario's confidants and protectors of Princess Peach's Mushroom Kingdom. Toad is a close companion of Mario, being playable in many of the series games.
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Toad stands at a short 3'6, taller than Goomba but far shorter than the other inhabitants of the Mushroom Kingdom. Although sometimes lacking courage, Toad has it in him when it matters most, standing side by side with Mario to protect the kingdom.
8 Toadette
Estimated Height: 3'6
- First Appearance: Mario Kart: Double Dash!! (2003)
Toadette is the female counterpart of Toad. The character was first introduced in Mario Kart: Double Dash, becoming a prominent companion of Mario in games such as Super Mario Bros: Wii. Toadette is another member of the Mushroom Kingdom, clocking in at the same height as Toad at 3'6. Toadette is often seen alongside Toad, and while their cute relationship is but a rumor, it's always nice to see them running parties and games as a duo in a world that just seems so big.
7 Bowser Jr.
Estimated Height: 3'7
- First Appearance: Super Mario Sunshine (2002)
Bowser Jr. Is just a tad taller than Toad, with a height of around 3'7. While short in stature, Bowser Jr. Is a master schemer, much like his father, Bowser, who assists his dad in kidnapping Princess Peach. While not particularly tall, Bowser Jr. Is a ferocious fighter, battling Mario in various machines, such as his clown car, to take down the hero plumber. The Prince of the Koopas is a famed character in the Mario series and one who loves his father enough to commit to his evil schemes against the Mushroom Kingdom.
6 Koopa Troopa
Estimated Height: 3'9
- First Appearance: Super Mario Bros. (1985)
Resembling a turtle, Koopas are part of the Koopa Tribe, a race aligned with Bowser in invading the Mushroom Kingdom. Much like the Goombas, not all Koopa are immoral, with some not being aggressive toward Mario. The Koopas are around 3'9 in height, although many different types of Koopa vary in terms of height, for example, Magikoopas and the Hammer Bros. However, the default standings for the Koopas have them dancing around and far shorter than their master, Bowser.
5 Diddy Kong
Estimated Height: 4'0
- First Appearance: Donkey Kong Country (1994)
Diddy Kong is the sidekick of Donkey Kong and a side character in the series. Diddy is a small monkey resembling a chimpanzee, standing around 4'0 tall. While nowhere near the height of his best friend, Donkey Kong, Diddy is a key protagonist and member of the Kong family. For what he lacks in height, he makes up for in speed and agility as the fastest ape in his family. Even with a Switch 2 redesign, Diddy Kong remains short and remains by Donkey Kong's side.
4 Mario
Estimated Height: 5'1
- First Appearance: Donkey Kong (1981)
Nintendo's mascot and the series' hero, Mario, is the next shortest on this list at 5'1. According to lore, Mario is significantly taller than many of his enemies, such as Bowser Jr., the Koopas, and Goombas. However, he also falls short of many. Mario's nemesis (outside of sport competitions), Bowser, is standing at 8'4, and even the mighty Petey Piranha is apparently 12'. Despite being shorter than most of the characters in the series, including Princess Peach and her brother Luigi, he punches far above his weight and height as a hero, defending the Mushroom Kingdom from the evil Bowser to prove that size matters not.
3 Yoshi
Estimated Height: 5' 6
- First Appearance: Super Mario World (1990)
The famed green Dinosaur, Yoshi, is Mario and Luigi's companion, who assists them on their journeys across the Mario world as a form of transportation that Mario rides in numerous series games. Yoshi stands at a pretty average 5'6, making him far shorter than other dinosaur-looking characters and creatures in the game. Despite the shell giving him an occasional hunch to his posture, Yoshi remains pretty standard and taller than Mario, which might be one of the reasons why he's stood on his own two feet enough to warrant a few spin-offs.
2 Birdo
Estimated Height: 5' 7
- First Appearance: Super Mario Bros. 2 (1988)
Birdo is another dinosaur-like Mario character, much like Yoshi. Unlike Yoshi, however, Birdo is not an ally; rather, remaining neutral and on the fence between Bowser and Mario. Birdo is in many Mario games as a character, such as being a popular playable character in the Mario Kart series. When Birdo isn't spitting eggs at Mario and preventing his progress in platformers, she's standing tall at 5'7 and doing laps on famous tracks.
1 Luigi
Estimated Height: 5' 9
- First Appearance: Mario. Bros (1983)
As the twin brother of Mario, Luigi is a prominent protagonist in the Mario series. Standing far taller than his twin at 5'9, Luigi makes his brother look diminutive. However, Luigi is proof that size doesn't make one braver, as Luigi is scared of most things, such as ghosts. While Luigi can often be seen quaking in his boots, there are plenty of opportunities for this tall and green plumber to prove himself when faced with challenging situations. Despite being the tallest character on this list, Luigi is still far shorter than other characters, such as Daisy, Rosalina, and Princess Peach, who are all taller than the iconic Mario Brothers.
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