Wario

The greedy treasure hunter who races for profit, not fame.

Wario is a greedy treasure hunter and the primary antagonist within Nintendo's Mario franchise, originally designed as a malevolent caricature of Mario. First appearing in the 1992 Game Boy title Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins, he serves as the final boss before evolving into an antihero protagonist of his own series. His name combines 'Mario' with the Japanese word warui, meaning 'bad,' symbolized by a 'W' on his hat that is an upside-down 'M.' Voiced by Charles Martinet from 1993 to 2023 in a mean-and-gruff tone, Wario is characterized by a large head, cleft chin, zig-zagging mustache, and a yellow-and-purple plumber outfit. While he often acts as a villain in crossover appearances, developers for games like Wario Land: Shake It! consider him a reckless character whose behavior alternates between good and evil rather than a pure antagonist.

Quick Facts

Series: Mario
First game: Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins (1992)
Designer: Hiroji Kiyotake

Lore & Background

Wario's origins trace back to his debut in Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins, where he displayed considerable magical power, turning island populations into minions and growing large. These powers were not featured in his next game, Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3, though they were not discontinued in a narrative sense. In that game, he was not rejuvenated by garlic; the garlic healing mechanic was introduced in Wario Land II. Later entries like WarioWare: Twisted! feature transformations into Wario-Man, but flatulence-based powers are more associated with Wario's moves in the Super Smash Bros. series. Early Nintendo guides described him as Mario's childhood friend, though this was later contested and the relationship is typically left ambiguous. His relationship with Waluigi remains ambiguous; while early European material portrayed them as brothers, voice actor Charles Martinet stated in 2008 that they are simply 'two nice, evil guys who found each other.' In Super Smash Bros., Waluigi is not a playable character and does not appear alongside Wario as a duo in any official capacity in that series.

Reader's Guide

Wario is a playable character in Mario spin-offs such as Mario Sports games, Mario Kart, and Mario Party, typically paired with Waluigi. In the Wario Land series, he utilizes unique abilities; for instance, Virtual Boy Wario Land (1995) allowed movement in and out of the background, while Wario Land 4 reintroduced vulnerability to standard attacks. His gameplay often incorporates specific motifs: in WarioWare: Touched!, consuming garlic transforms him into a superhero, and he uses bombs as visual motifs for microgame time limits. In Mario Strikers: Battle League, his special shot involves smashing his butt into the ball followed by devouring a giant clove of garlic. Although originally planned to be German with lines voiced by Thomas Spindler, this trait was dropped in favor of Martinet's performance. Director Shigeru Miyamoto noted that while movie adaptations avoid crude jokes, Wario retains his bodily function humor in games like Super Smash Bros., ensuring his chaotic energy remains intact across the franchise.

Frequently Asked Questions

When did Wario first appear?

His debut occurred in the 1992 Game Boy game Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins as the final antagonist. Since then, he has become a recurring character across various Nintendo titles including the racing series.

What is the meaning behind his name and design?

The name blends Mario with the Japanese word warui for bad, symbolized by his logo which is an inverted M on his hat. His physical features like the zig-zag mustache and large head distinguish him as a caricature of the plumber.

Who provided the voice for Wario?

Charles Martinet voiced the character from 1993 until 2023, delivering the mean and gruff tone associated with him. His vocal performance helped define Wario's distinct personality across multiple generations of games.