Over the years, theMario serieshas been home to some of the most diverse, quirky, and whimsical characters to have ever popped up. On the flip side, Mario has crossed paths with some of the most powerful characters in all gaming.
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You might have already realized this after ragequitting The Perfect Run from Super Mario Galaxy 2 for the tenth time, but the stakes are set pretty high for Mario. Kidnappings, stolen artifacts, kingdoms destroyed, you name it. And the stakes wouldn’t be as threatening without these powerful characters to set the bar so high. From beings who protect the cosmos to evil jesters who want to destroy it, these characters have challenged the very fabric of Mario’s existence.
11Cappy
One of the most innovative gameplay mechanics to ever be implemented came from a hat. InSuper Mario Odyssey,you plan as Mario and his companion Cappy. Cappy is a ghost, and if you’re a ghost in a Mario game, you better believe you have the power to possess people.
In Odyssey, Cappy gives Mario the ability to capture various enemies, giving Mario the autonomy to control them at his will to, once again, save Peach fromone of the most infamous love triangles. Cappy’s control ability gives him authority even over heavy items, dinosaurs, and electricity.
At one moment in Odyssey, Cappy even takes control over Bowser himself, showing off the King’s devastating power, which makes you wonder how on earth does Mario defeat a monster with such brute strength. There are limitations to Cappy’s power though; the bigger the object, the less time Cappy has control over it.
10Rosalina
Rosalina first appeared inSuper Mario Galaxy, and as you progress through the game, you quickly understand the Protector of the Cosmos doesn’t play the typical damsel in distress role.
She is often considered by the Mario community as one of the most powerful characters in the Mario universe. Why? Because she can control time and space, and once literally recreated the universe itself. InMario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope, she is even chosen as a host for the powerful entity Cursa, simply because of her connection with the cosmos.
9Smithy
The final boss fight inSuper Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Starswas complete nightmare fuel. It’s hard to determine what was worse, Smithy himself, or the eerie background of Smithy’s face while you fight. Both are equally scary. Smithy is the main antagonist of Super Mario RPG, a powerful machine with incredible strength and longevity.
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He is capable of manipulating metal and using various weapons and gadgets, and his main goal is to take over the Mushroom Kingdom and create a new world by turning everything into weapons. Though his ambition is not very clear, his ability to not only craft weapons of pure evil, but also shapeshift and remove Bowser from his castle earns him a place on this list.
8Cackletta
The main antagonist of Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga, Cackletta is a powerful witch with immense magical abilities. She is capable of creating illusions, manipulating reality, and possessing others. The fact that she can possess other characters makes her an extremely formidable foe, but she also has the ability to control lightning and make clones of herself.
Not to mention that her final form is complete nightmare fuel. After being devoured by a Cackletta-possessed Bowser, you have to go head-to-head with her soul, which is a physical entity with the ability to regenerate.
7Donkey Kong
Donkey Kong is a pioneer of theretro 2D platformers, and it’s completely fair to say that Donkey Kong is one of the strongest characters in the Marioverse. He has literally punched the moon down to earth inDonkey Kong Country Returns, is capable of tossing heavy objects with little effort and has been a general symbol of brute force in Mario games since his debut.
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Donkey Kong has shown himself to be a villain in various situations in early Mario titles as well. Including his titular game for the Game Boy, where we see Donkey Kong as a more than formidable foe as he takes the form of a giant, disembodied head, slamming his fist against the ground and causing it to shake.
6Culex
Before Cloud joined the roster in Super Smash Bros, Super Mario All-star was the closest you could ever get to a Mario andFinal Fantasycrossover.
Many people in the Mario community agree that this game was a complete masterpiece, and is definitely agame you wish you could play again for the first time. A Square game isn’t a Square game without having an over-the-top optional boss. Enter Culex - a mysterious intergalactic being, a dark knight who has been deployed to fight for the Dark Mage.
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He challenges Mario and his party looking to satisfy his desire to fight the “strongest knight”. From his design to even his battle theme, he is fresh out of a Final Fantasy game as he controls the elements and provides a true challenge for Mario and his team as the strongest boss in the game.
5Super Dimentio
Super Dimentio is an evil, magic-wielding jester that poses as the final boss ofSuper Paper Mario. He possesses immense power, and can manipulate not just other people, but also dimensions, time, and space. He can shoot lasers, summon powerful attacks, and create barriers to protect himself.
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With the power of the Chaos Hearts, Super Dimentio would have destroyed the universe, had it not been for Count Bleck and his deus ex machina-esque Pure Hearts saving the day.
4Count Bleck
Speaking of Count Bleck, he is a powerful wizard whose goal is to destroy everything with the use of the Chaos Hearts. At least he’s doing it for a somewhat good reason: as the result of losing a loved one, Lady Timpani. Love can make an omnipotent space wizard do wild things.
Count Bleck is considered dangerous because of his immense magical powers, as well as his willingness to destroy all reality in his quest to end his suffering. He is also aided by his minions, the Four Heroes, who are themselves powerful and dangerous individuals.
3Yoshi
Goombas, Koopas, Pirana Plants, footballs, boulders, Monty moles, Mega moles, Pokeys, Floating mines, even otherwise invincible Fuzzies. What do all of these things have in common? They’ve all been on Yoshi’s lunch menu at some point in time.
Just the fact that he’s able to down just about anything, and without much effort, earns him some rank. You can be an immortal space wizard with control over time and space, but if Yoshi gets his tongue around you, it’s over.
2Bowser
Bowser has pulled off some outrageous things over the years. Various kidnappings, destroying cities, creating his own galaxy by means of stealing and bullying. He rightfully deserves a place on this list.
At his worst he’s pathetic, but at his peak he is apocalyptically dangerous. He’s a user of dark magic, a cunning strategist, and a commander of a seemingly endless army. Not to mention he’s taken on countless forms: Dry Bowser, Giga Bowser, Dreamy Bowser, Fury Bowser, that Nerdy Bowser From The 2DS Commercials. Yet still, he’s a helpless romantic who simply can’t live without his “Peaches, Peaches, Peaches, Peaches, Peaches”.
