Summary

• Super Mario Bros. Wonder DLC could open up a variety of playable character possibilities for more familiar friends from the Super Mario universe.
• Currently, there are eight playable character options in Super Mario Bros. Wonder, but other Mario games have added characters through DLC and updates, setting a precedent for more options in Wonder.
• Potential characters that would be great to play as in Super Mario Bros. Wonder include Toadsworth, Birdo, Wario, Waluigi, Rosalina, and Diddy Kong.

Super Mario Bros. Wonder doesn't have any announced DLC at this point, but with the multiplayer aspect and variety of playable characters, it is fun to think about what other familiar friends from the Super Mario universe would be great to have included in this 2D platformer. In the game, all characters play identically to each other with the exceptions of Yoshi and Nabbit. They are used to create more of an easy mode for the game, being invincible to damage but also not benefiting from power-ups.

Not counting color variants, there are currently eight playable character options in Super Mario Bros. Wonder. Other series' in the Mario franchise, such as Mario Kart and Smash Bros., have added additional character options with DLC and updates. Although this hasn't happened in a platformer before, the precedent is still there and with most characters sharing the same game mechanics and abilities, it could be possible to add more options. Here are some characters that would be great to play as in Super Mario Bros. Wonder​​​​​​.

10 Lumalee

First Appearance: Super Mario Galaxy (2007)

Lumalee is one of the cyan Lumas who are from the Super Mario Galaxy games. These adorable little star-like characters come in many colors and are friendly creatures. The cyan Lumas were known for being the shopkeepers and would sell mushrooms. Lumalee was the only Luma to appear in the Super Mario Bros. Movie and was shown as a very odd little creature, but would make for a hilarious crossover to Super Mario Bros. Wonder. Due to its star form, it might be best to have it play similarly to Yoshi and Nabbit, unable to use power-ups, although seeing an elephant form of a Luma would be wondrous indeed.

9 Toadsworth

First Appearance: Super Mario Sunshine (2002)

Toadsworth is an adorable elderly Toad who serves as Princess Peach's longtime steward. It would feasibly make sense that he would have accompanied the Princess to the faraway Flower Kingdom and would want to assist in saving the day. His use of phrases such as "Tally-ho!" and "Pip pip!" gives him a unique quality, and his addition would provide a fourth Toad for Super Mario Bros. Wonder multiplayer groups who wanted to be themed.

8 Birdo

First Appearance: Yume Kōjō: Doki Doki Panic (1987)

The strange little prehistoric dinosaur Birdo is a fan-favorite who has been around ever since Super Mario Bros. 2. Often considered to be a close friend of Yoshi, she has made many appearances in games over the years and would be a natural fit for the magical world of Super Mario Bros. Wonder. She was recently even added as a playable driver in Super Mario Kart 8 Deluxe.

7 Wario

First Appearance: Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins (1992)

Wario is the antithesis of Mario, even designed to be an arch-rival to the mustachioed plumber. He is greedy and hot-tempered but also has had his own series of platforming games over the years. In these games, he often ends up saving the day, simply by his desire to get a bigger castle than Mario.

Wario's presence in Super Mario Bros. Wonder makes perfect sense from his backstory. In the Wario Land series he was obsessed with a focus on getting a large castle, and now seeing Bowser magically become a castle would clearly catch his attention. Although his motives would not be as pure, he would absolutely be on Bowser's tail.

6 Waluigi

First Appearance: Mario Tennis (2000)

Despite being a best friend and counterpart to Wario, Waluigi has yet to appear in any platform game. This lanky anti-hero is just as familiar in the Mario universe and deserves a chance to make his own mark in a game like Super Mario Bros. Wonder. He would be an easy addition for developers as well, simply being a taller, alternate color variant of Luigi.

5 Rosalina

First Appearance: Super Mario Galaxy (2007)

Ever since her debut in Super Mario Galaxy, the princess Rosalina has been a popular enough character that it is somewhat surprising that she was not already included as a playable character in Super Mario Bros. Wonder from the start. She is generally presented on equal footing as Peach and Daisy, if not having more popularity than Daisy, and therefore seems likely that if anyone is added to the game in the future, Rosalina will be a top choice.

4 Geno

First Appearance: Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars (1996)

As the Super Mario RPG remake is on the horizon, set to be released on November 17, 2023, allowing Geno to cross over into Super Mario Bros. Wonder would be a fun tie-in between the two games. Geno is the Pinocchio-like partner to Mario in the RPG who is a highly confident character with a lot of enthusiasm.

3 Donkey Kong

First Appearance: Donkey Kong (1981)

The cheerful and beloved character of Donkey Kong (DK) has been around in a variety of forms since the very beginning. The large gorilla needs no introduction and has had several platforming adventures of his own. As Super Mario Bros. Wonder seems to be made up of a core cast of classic characters, DK would be a natural fit with the group. Besides, the thought of a giant gorilla transforming into an elephant sounds perfect.

2 Diddy Kong

First Appearance: Donkey Kong Country (1994)

Diddy Kong may not be as prominent as Donkey Kong in the Mario universe, yet this spunky little ape would work perfectly in adventuring through the Flower Kingdom. He has a lot of popularity and behind him, as well, with a strong following of fans. Super Mario Bros. Wonder's game mechanics of climbing walls, using a grapple hook type badge ability, and more are all things Diddy Kong would excel at, and look good doing it.

1 Baby Versions Of Mario, Luigi, Peach, And Daisy

First Appearance: Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island (1995)

The magical, mystical world that Super Mario Bros. Wonder introduces makes it a perfect environment to explain the leading characters of Mario, Luigi, Peach, and Daisy becoming baby versions of themselves. With Bowser's evil use of the magic unleashed upon the kingdom, he could easily have put a spell on these four characters in an effort to try and stop them. The adorable baby versions would ultimately be laughable and entertaining alternatives for playable characters in Super Mario Bros. Wonder.