5 Super Mario Characters Who Should Get Solo Games After…

Summary

Princess Peach: Showtime! Is the first Peach-led solo game in 18 years and has generated excitement among fans, potentially making it a big hit for Nintendo.
The success of Princess Peach could pave the way for future character spin-offs, with popular characters like Wario, Waluigi, Rosalina, Bowser, and King Boo being potential candidates.
Fans have expressed interest in seeing a return to Mario Galaxy's cosmic setting with a Rosalina solo game, while a Bowser spin-off focused on tower defense gameplay or a King Boo spin-off with a role reversal of Luigi's Mansion have also been suggested.

With over 200 games under its belt, the Super Mario franchise is by far one the biggest and most beloved in the gaming industry, and while the titular plumber is obviously the star of the show, his series' extreme success isn't a solo effort. Over the last 40 years or so, Mario has been accompanied by an ever-growing cast of colorful and fun characters, and every so often they get their own chance to shine with a spin-off game. Princess Peach is the next to get that rare opportunity with Princess Peach: Showtime!

Announced pretty nonchalantly back in a Nintendo Direct back in June, and finally given an official reveal a few weeks ago, Princess Peach: Showtime! Is the first Peach-led solo game in 18 years, with the last being Super Princess Peach for the Nintendo DS back in 2005. Based on the last trailer, fans seem to really like the look of Princess Peach: Showtime!, and if that excitement ends up carrying through to the game's release, then it could end up being a big hit for Nintendo. And if Princess Peach is a success, then that means future character spin-offs could be on the cards, with a few well-deserving Super Mario staples already waiting in the wings.

Mario Characters Who Could Get Their Own Spin-Off Game - Wario

Promo art featuring Wario in Wario Land Shake It

One of the most popular Super Mario characters, Wario has already had a good few solo games to himself over the years, but it's been a while since the last one. While Wario technically has his WarioWare series, those party games aren't quite the solo spin-off that fans are looking for. Instead, fans would much prefer another entry in the Wario Land series, which hasn't had a new entry since 2008's Wario Land: Shake It! For the Wii.

Mario Characters Who Could Get Their Own Spin-Off Game - Waluigi

Another incredibly popular Super Mario character, Waluigi has still never appeared in his own solo spin-off game. Instead, Waluigi has been relegated to a lifetime of appearing in various Mario sports games, where he continues to be a fan-favorite despite not really getting any time to shine by himself. While a simple platformer would be a solid choice for a Waluigi spin-off title, it would be much more fitting for the character to get a weirder experience that really emphasizes the character's bizarre design and quirky sensibilities.

Mario Characters Who Could Get Their Own Spin-Off Game - Rosalina

Rosalina with a black Luma in the Comet Observatory

Making her debut in Super Mario Galaxy, Rosalina is one of the franchise's more recent additions, but became an overnight fan-favorite and has stayed that way ever since. With Princess Peach getting her own game, it seems like the perfect time for Rosalina to also get the spin-off treatment. Fans have been wanting a return to Mario Galaxy's cosmic setting for a while now, and a Rosalina solo game could be the perfect opportunity to revisit it.

Mario Characters Who Could Get Their Own Spin-Off Game - Bowser

A promotional image of Bowser from Super Mario, posing against a yellow and orange background.

Though he's usually the main antagonist of the series, Bowser has been slowly making more and more heroic appearances over the years, with the most recent example being in Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope. So, it wouldn't be too much of a leap in logic for Bowser to be the hero of his very own game. A great idea for a Bowser spin-off would be some kind of tower defense game, where players control Bowser as he sends off minions and sets traps to protect his castle, maybe in a similar vein to Super Mario Maker.

Mario Characters Who Could Get Their Own Spin-Off Game - King Boo

King Boo appearing on a TV screen in Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon

By far the most obscure character on this list, King Boo is only usually seen as a secondary antagonist in the Super Mario franchise, but that doesn't mean they shouldn't get their own spinoff game. A great option for a King Boo spin-off would be a role reversal of Luigi's Mansion, putting players in the role of the ghosts as they attempt to scare off Luigi.