The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is now in theaters, a sequel brimming with nods and references to 40 years of Super Mario video games and related characters. This article provides a comprehensive overview of the most notable cameos and absent characters in this new animated blockbuster.
Please be aware that this discussion contains spoilers, so we recommend reading only after you’ve seen the film. We’ll explore our favorite cameos and elements we felt were missing, many of which are likely being saved for future installments or spin-offs, as hinted by Donkey Kong’s situation.
The Best Cameos in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie
- Fox McCloud. Already spotted by fans and later confirmed, Fox McCloud delivers *the* cameo of the film. His design, dialogue, attitude, animations, and the newly four-seater Arwing all contribute to a perfect appearance. The animated sequence introducing his backstory and companions like Slippy Toad even serves as ideal promotion for a potential new Star Fox game or standalone animated series. It’s clear why he’s one of Miyamoto’s favorite creations.
- Daisy. It was high time! A favorite from games like Mario Tennis and a legend from Super Mario Land, Daisy steals the post-post-credits scene (the second one). While her future plans are unclear, she’s definitely here to stay. Canonically, and barring any new surprises, she’s the princess of Sarasaland, not Peach’s sister. Could she be the friend Luigi wanted Mario to introduce him to?
- Dry Bowser. We all knew it the moment Bowser started crossing the drawbridge, but that didn’t make it any less delightful. Nor did it diminish our laughter when it happened to the Dry Bones on the lava roller coaster. The legendary transformation from New Super Mario Bros. brought to the big screen, offering a fresh take on one of the film’s best characters, voiced by Jack Black.
- Mr. Game & Watch. While silhouettes and nods appeared in the first installment, here we get an unexpected appearance, almost like a Super Smash Bros. challenger. Luigi, despite his lack of painting skill, imagines this fantastic retro creature to give the villains a good beating.
- Peach’s Umbrella. While not a character, this is an iconic item, presented as a heartfelt ‘birthday’ gift from Mario. Princess Toadstool immediately puts it to good use!
- The Pikmin. Another deliberate reveal, but also one of the best-placed cameos, following the statue on wealthy Castellanos’ table in the first film. So, where is Olimar?
- R.O.B. This is one of the film’s best gags, paying homage to Zootropolis’s lazy bureaucrat. The Robotic Operating Buddy toy, which helped sell so many NES consoles in the US and later became a video game character in its own right, is so retro that simply turning his waist to give instructions to Peach and Toad takes him quite some time. It’s one of the few quiet moments in the film, and it works wonderfully.
- The Hammer Brothers. Not just for their expected appearance, but for its clever format. When “King” Mario and Luigi find themselves leading the Mushroom Kingdom, they undertake a series of missions on the map, accompanied by the “you’re going to die” SFX from Mario 64. In this gallery of nods, references, and bonuses, the Hammer Brothers hit you twice right in the heart.
- The Super Mario Odyssey Dragon. Ruined Dragon, boss of the Ruined Kingdom, Lord of Lightning, Heir of Isildur, makes a very stylish cameo in one of the film’s best scenes: the final battle between Bowser/Dry Bowser-Bowser Jr, and Mario-Luigi-Yoshi. The transformation is as impressive as it is dramatic, and stands out as one of the few well-executed references to the plumber’s Odyssey.
- Castellanos’ Dog. Already a minor character in the Mario universe from the first film due to its Illumination-esque role and connection to Luigi. Here, it has a moment during Yoshi’s New York trip, and the name of the wealthy family is finally revealed.
- Ukiki the Monkey. More than his appearance, we love how he enters the scene, looking very cute but then transforming into the slippery, irritating little rogue we remember from Yoshi’s Island and Super Mario 64.
- Wart, Birdo, and Mouser. Not to be confused with ‘Bowser’. We already knew that the utterly evil, mafia-like villains from Super Mario Bros. 2 – arguably the most ‘fake’ Mario Bros. game – would be present. And we love it because, precisely, how strange, different, and ridiculously well-suited for four characters that title was, it deserves this canonical recognition.
- The Piantas, the Queen Bee, and the inhabitants of the Sand Kingdom. Tostarenans, Moe-Eyes, and other creatures from the Mario universe make their screen debut amidst the succession of Kingdoms and Galaxies. It’s great that they highlighted the Queen Bee with her own prominent actress and a dedicated moment.
- Firework Power-up. Mushroom, Fire Flower, Star… Fireworks have accompanied Mushroom Kingdom celebrations since the very first game 40 years ago, but in more than one title (e.g., Super Mario Bros. 3, Super Mario RPG, and Super Mario 3D World), they appeared as power-up items. This reference is prominently featured during Peach’s birthday celebration in this film.
Notably, the Galaxy film’s specific 8-bit game references are limited to Excitebike, which Mario and Luigi play in their room, and little else.
The Great Absences in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie
- Donkey Kong. He’s a myth, a legend, the one who started it all. But he doesn’t appear. Even the Lumas revere and imitate him, yet he’s gone. He makes a small appearance in tourist Yoshi’s memories, but nothing more. He’s surely busy “filming” his own movie, but the void left by his beastly personality is only too noticeable.
- Toadette. If she was already the second most wanted three years ago, she couldn’t occupy another spot this time. We continue to see Toads of all styles, ages, and colors, but no sign of the beloved pink mushroom with two pigtails, a top Mario Kart racer.
- Wario and Waluigi. There was an allusion, but it was a false trail. The plot didn’t delve into the antics of these two, even though the Casino setting could have had a hint of Waluigi and his pinball, and Wart could easily have hired the greedy Wario. It will be interesting to see them as different antagonists in the future.
- The extra life power-up (1-UP Mushroom). We expect it to bring back someone we didn’t know had eaten one in future films. Want to bet? On this occasion, its incomparable sound is heard only just before the film begins, after the Minions hammered to Donkey Kong’s tune, alongside the Nintendo logo (transitioning from 39 to 40 lives for Super Mario).
- Charles Martinet. So, you give two roles (Giuseppe and Mario’s father) to the plumber’s most legendary voice in the first film and not a single moment in the second? And who used to say “Super Mario Galaxyyyy yahoo” in your home? It’s a shame that the very best cameo from three years ago has to end up on this other top list this time.
What were your favorite cameos, and what elements did you find missing after watching The Super Mario Galaxy Movie?