7 Forgotten Mario Villains That Are Due for a Comeback

Wart

Wart made his gaming debut as Mamu in Doki Doki Panic, which was eventually released in the West as Super Mario Bros. 2. This toad (think jumpy, not mushroomy) big, bad, green, and has a gaudy sense of style. This forgotten Mario villain would at least match Bowser’s color scheme.

Even though his ego might clash with Bowser’s, there’s no getting around the fact that Wart would be a dangerous foe if he came back to join King Koopa. The only problem is that Wart may not technically exist in their world since Super Mario Bros. 2 was just a dream.

Still, Wart’s deadly bubble belches and the Dream Machine would be an asset to Bowser’s army. And maybe he could even use the Frog Song of Soul that he teaches to Link in Link’s Awakening. Wart would be able to restore Dry Bowser back to his full green self.

Smithy

Like many other characters from Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars, Smithy has been long forgotten. Smithy was the big boss in that title and he even put Bowser in his place when he took over Bowser’s Keep. There might still be some beef there, though.

Their past is the only reason why this might not happen since Bowser seems like the kind of guy who holds a grudge. But if they put their past behind them then they would be a dangerous duo. As long as he can keep his temper in check, of course.

But even once he loses it, Smithy would be a great ally for Bowser. All his different heads would force their enemies to think on their toes. Bowser has picked up a handful of new tricks over the years, but nothing like what Smithy will bring to the table.

Mouser

Big bulky bosses are always a solid option for taking on the likes of Mario and Luigi. But sometimes, you just need someone who is smaller and can be more shifty. That’s where the coolest forgotten Mario villain, Mouser, comes into play.

Just like Wart, the only Mario game we’ve seen Mouser in is SMB2. That brings up the question again if Mouser is just a dream or not. But for our convenience we’ll say that that his appearance in the Super Mario Bros. Super Show is good enough.

He doesn’t offer as much versatility as some of the big bosses, but his bombs are no laughing matter. If you don’t toss them away in time, then they’ll do a number on your health. Of course, you can always just toss them back.

Mr. L

Back in 2007, we were introduced to the oh-so mysterious Mr. L in Super Paper Mario. Oh, you think this is just Luigi with a mask, dark clothes, and a backward L hat? Sweet summer child, this is one of the most insidious Mario villains you’ll ever lay your eyes on.

I’m just kidding. Of course Mr. L is Luigi. A brainwashed Luigi, but he’s still the same big bro deep down. And that’s exactly why he would be a great addition to Bowser’s team of baddies. Even though he isn’t in his right mind he might still be able to use his knowledge of Mario and use it against him.

The Brobot is no Koopa Clown Car when it comes to classic enemy vehicles. But Mr. L’s machine seems to be a bit more capable than Bowser’s propeller-powered Clown Car. Maybe another ship or two could give Bowser’s posse aerial superiority over everyone in the Mushroom Kingdom.

Jr. Troopa

We’re reaching back into the Paper Mario well to pull out everyone’s favorite mini-boss, Jr. Troopa. He starts out as an adorably tiny partially-hatched Koopa Troopa. Then this forgotten Mario villain slowly grows up (kind of) throughout the game and gains new powers each time.

At the end he even became strong enough to take on the fearsome foursome known as the Koopa Bros all by himself. But just like all Koopas before him, Mario and Luigi were just too much for the little guy. You almost have to feel sorry for him.

Despite his failures, Jr. Troopa’s tenacity is what would make him a solid member of Bowser’s team. Humiliating defeats are a normal part of being a bad guy in the Mushroom Kingdom. But Jr. Troopa have the right mindest. Instead of giving up, he learns from defeat and comes back stronger each time.

Whomp King

In Super Mario 64 Whomp King had his own fortress. In Super Mario Galaxy 2 he even had his own galaxy. But oh how the mighty have fallen onto their face and gotten ground pounded on the back by Mario. Whomp King is essentially nothing but a memory at this point.

He may not be the smartest or the most agile enemy, but he certainly makes up for it in raw power. There’s almost nothing more dangerous than a stone wall falling on top of you at full force. The only problem is that Mario can just run between his legs. A bit of a fatal flaw for this beefy slab of stone.

Even though this guy is also a king, he doesn’t seem to be the kind of character who would mind working for Bowser. He’s just an honest hardworking slab of stone that wants to be appreciated for the hard work he does. Bowser needs more teammates like him.

Tatanga

Poor Tatanga hasn’t played a big villainous role since he showed up as one of the bosses in Super Mario Land 2. At least he was able to distract Mario long enough in Sarasaland during the events of Super Mario Land that Wario was able to take over Mario’s Castle.

Tatanga truly isn’t as big as some of the other final bosses you’ll run into in Mario games. But his space chip makes him a large and dastardly opponent for Mario. In the end, the Italian hero mans his very own flying ship to shoot Tatanga out of the sky. And now this forgotten Mario villain lives in relative obscurity.

Still, his ship can maneuver and fire faster than almost any other flying vehicle Mario has faced. If anything, Tatanga would act as a fantastic distraction again, even though last time it was unintentional. Imagine how many princesses Bowser could kidnap with Tatanga keeping Mario busy.

Source for final appearances: Super Mario Wiki