Summary
TheMariofranchise is known for many characters, the franchise being so wide-ranging that even some of the less notable characters have had their own spin-off media and surprisingly large fan bases. However, the franchise has only more recently started to give more focus to the various female characters that have long been major pieces of the series.
However, despite the focus coming a little late, there have been over the decades several female characters in theMariofranchise who managed to make their presence known far and wide. From heroines to damsels in distress and everything in between, these are some of the best females in the history of one of the best gaming franchises.
8Goombella
Number Of Appearances: 2
A character who hasn’t had many appearances, but made a huge impression, Goombella appearedas the first companion to join Marioin one of the bestMariogames of all time.Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Doorgave fans everything they desired in an RPG featuring Mario.
Goombella was the first companion to join Mario in his quest, and she was one of the faces of the game. Her sassy nature and hilarious interactions with other characters made her an instant fan favorite, but unfortunately, she hasn’t made many appearances outside thePaper Mariofranchise.
7Pauline
Number Of Appearances: 12
It would be remiss to forget about Mario’s original love interest, though she doesn’t appear as frequently in modern games. Introduced as “Lady” or “Beautiful Girl” inDonkey Kong, Pauline was the damsel that Mario attempted to save from Donkey Kong in his original arcade game appearance. While Peach took over the role of Mario’s primary love interest, Pauline has returned more recently.
Appearing again in theMario vs Donkey Kongfranchise as a damsel, Pauline then took on a larger supporting role as the Mayor of New Donk City inSuper Mario Odyssey. This and more recent appearances in games likeMario Kart 8have given her a new role and returned her to the modern roster of female characters surrounding Mario.
6Dixie Kong
Number Of Appearances: 16
Introduced through mostlyDonkey Konggames,but appearing in multiple different Mario gamesas well, Dixie Kong is known as the girlfriend of Diddy Kong and his partner in many adventures, including her first appearance inDiddy Kong’s Quest, where the two of them work together to try and save Donkey Kong.
Dixie was the first female Kong to be playable in any game, and she is the most major of the female Kong characters to cross over to Mario games. She has appeared inSuper Smash Brosgames and variousMario Sportsgames as well. Known as a light-hearted individual with some sass, Dixie is a lover of adventure and bubblegum.
5Birdo
Number Of Appearances: 21
First appearing as an enemy in one of the earliestSuper Mario Brosgames, Birdo has become a beloved favorite with fans. Romantically involved at times with Yoshi, this character is arguably the first transgender video game character, due to a mention of being “a male who thinks he is a girl” in a manual forSuper Mario Bros 2.
However, this mention was removed from later editions, andBirdo has been treated as a female charactersince. Apart from a smaller appearance inWario’s Woods, Birdo hasn’t appeared in many mainline Mario games since her inception but has been around plenty in spin-off games, with fans loving her design and character every step of the way.
4Rosalina
Number Of Appearances: 30
The most recently added princess of the franchise, Rosalina is a watcher of the cosmos and the adoptive mother of the Lumas, who appear significantly throughout theSuper Mario Galaxygames. Since her addition in the first of that series, she has become a more significant supporting character,as well as a playable onein many games.
Rosalina is a much more maternal figure, being an adoptive mother for an entire race than the other Princesses are usually shown to be in the games. She is known for being wise and kind and seems much more mature than the other princesses. She is playable in many spin-offMariosport and kart games and has been considered a fan favorite since her inception.
3Toadette
Number Of Appearances: 52
The character initially known as a “female version of Toad” was first seen in aMario Kartgame, introduced as a racing partner for Toad, andshe’s a great option as a racer. But she has since taken on a life of her own as a very fun character, appearing in several significant titles and even taking on a main role in spin-off games likeCaptain Toad: Treasure Tracker.
Toadette is known as a very creative character with an extremely happy, bouncy style of personality. She moved fromMario Kartcharacter to tutorial helper inPaper Mario: The Thousand Year Doorand has progressed through several roles in the mainline series before finally becoming playable inNew Super Mario Bros U Deluxewhile retaining a playable status over the years in many spin-off games.
2Princess Daisy
Number Of Appearances: 79
One of the primary female figures inMariofranchise history, Daisy first appeared inSuper Mario Landas the ruler of Sarasaland and eventually appeared inMario Tennis, marking her not only as a playable character but as a popular one who would go on to feature in most spin-off sporting, party and karting games in the series.
Daisy is a beloved character, one who has often been rumored to be with Luigi romantically, and she even made an appearance as a significant character in the 1993Super Mario Brosmovie, where Luigi did fall for her. Daisy has a friendly relationship with Peach and is known for being quite a feisty tomboy, who even became aplayable character in the recently releasedSuper Mario Bros Wonder.
1Princess Peach Toadstool
Number Of Appearances: 156
Easily the most significant and notable female character in the history ofMariogames is Princess Peach. Originally introduced in the firstSuper Mario Brosgame, Peach has appeared in the vast majority of Mario media since her induction. She hasgone from playable side characterto damsel in distress and back again several times over the years.
Appearing in almost everyMariospin-off game, as well as being the protagonist ofPrincess Toadstool’s Castle RunandSuper Princess Peach, this character has been given a lot of love and has become nearly as iconic in appearance as Mario himself. With her recent outing inThe Super Mario Bros Movie, Peach’s popularity on her own has surged once again, leading toPrincess Peach: Showtime, which will be released in 2024.
