Mushroom Kingdom
![]() | This article describes a work or element of fiction in a primarily in-universe style. (December 2022) |
Mushroom Kingdom | |
---|---|
Mario location | |
File:Mushroom Kingdom.jpg A portion of the Mushroom Kingdom as it appears in Super Mario Odyssey, with Princess Peach's Castle | |
First appearance | Super Mario Bros. (1985) |
Created by | Shigeru Miyamoto |
Genre | Platformer |
In-universe information | |
Type | Principality |
Ruler | Princess Peach |
Race(s) | Various |
Locations |
|
Population |
|
The Mushroom Kingdom (キノコ王国, Kinoko Ōkoku) is a fictional principality in Nintendo's Mario franchise.[2] It is the franchise's primary setting and has appeared in the vast majority of Mario video games and related media since its first appearance in Super Mario Bros. (1985), though its presentation, geography, and included regions have never been formally established and vary between appearances.[citation needed]
Within the fictional universe of the Mario franchise, the Mushroom Kingdom is a principality ruled by Princess Peach (Princess Toadstool in older appearances).[3][4] However, the manual for Super Mario Bros., as well as other early Mario media from the 1980s and early 1990s, mentions Peach's father, known in said manual as the "Mushroom King", as the formal ruler of the Mushroom Kingdom.[3][5] Toadsworth appears as Peach's steward in later games,[6] though earlier media featured various other minor characters serving as retainers or assistants. The Mushroom Kingdom is often depicted as predominantly populated by Toads,[7] though other species from the franchise such as Yoshis, Goombas,[8] and Koopas (among others) are also often depicted as residents, though the latter two and other enemies generally vary between being depicted as wildlife or fully-fledged citizens. Only a small number Mushroom Kingdom citizens, namely Peach, Mario, and Luigi, are portrayed as humans.[5][7] The Kingdom's most prominent fictional currency is coins (usually gold) which are featured in nearly every Mario-related game.[9] Objects and entities from the video games, generally inert or helpful ones such as brick blocks, question-mark blocks, and warp pipes, are depicted as prevalent throughout the kingdom in various forms of media.
Locations
Princess Peach's Castle
Princess Peach's Castle is typically portrayed as a Central European-style, red-and-white castle. It is usually decorated with stained-glass above the main doors which represent the princess.[10] Inhabited by the princess and her Toad retainers, the castle first appeared in-game in Princess Toadstool's Castle Run (1990) but is more prominently featured in Super Mario RPG (1996) and is the central hub in Super Mario 64. Its design has remained relatively consistent.
Mario and Luigi's House
Mario and Luigi's House is the home of Mario and his brother Luigi in some games of the Mario series.[11] It is sometimes located near Princess Peach's Castle, and other times outside the entrance to the Mushroom Kingdom, such as in Super Mario Galaxy.
Bowser's Castle
Bowser's Castle is the lair of Bowser, most often the dastardly arch-nemesis of Mario. The castle has often been destroyed and rebuilt and appears differently in each game it is featured in. It is usually filled with lava pits and booby traps. Variations of Bowser's Castle appear in nearly every Mario game, and every Mario Kart game features at least one course titled "Bowser's Castle" or "Bowser Castle."
Landscapes
The Mushroom Kingdom has changed several times in different Mario games. In Super Mario Bros., for example, the Mushroom Kingdom encompasses 32 different levels of varying terrain. Super Mario Bros. 3 expands on this concept with a map screen to add a sense of topography to the kingdom. The games do not follow these landscape variants exactly, but still are recurring themes in the Mario series. For example, even though Super Mario World is set in Dinosaur Land, its geography is very similar to the Mushroom Kingdom. The paintings that lead to the different levels in Super Mario 64 follow this idea.
In other games and media
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/14/Peach%27sCastle_at_Universal_Studios_Japan_20220814.jpg/220px-Peach%27sCastle_at_Universal_Studios_Japan_20220814.jpg)
The Super Smash Bros. series includes four different stages based on the Mushroom Kingdom. The original Super Smash Bros. includes the unlockable stage "Mushroom Kingdom" which is graphically based on the original Super Mario Bros. Super Smash Bros. Melee includes a revamped "Mushroom Kingdom" which omitted Piranha Plants and warp pipes from the original stage, and its stage "Mushroom Kingdom II" is based on the Subcon setting of Super Mario Bros. 2. Super Smash Bros. Brawl includes the level "Mushroomy Kingdom," which primarily appears as an abandoned, derelict version of "World 1-1" of Super Mario Bros.[12]
Super Nintendo World at Universal Studios Japan and Universal Studios Hollywood feature areas themed to the Mushroom Kingdom.
The Mushroom Kingdom also makes an appearance and has a major role in The Super Mario Bros. Movie with an appearance similar to its Super Nintendo World form.
See also
References
- ^ 6,436,213 voters participated in the election depicted in "Princess Toadstool for President", an episode of The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3.
- ^ "You can play Mario Kart in virtual reality at the O2 this summer". Evening Standard. July 11, 2018. Archived from the original on February 2, 2021. Retrieved May 13, 2020.
It's a multiplayer experience, where up to four people can hop into specially designed 'Mario Karts' to race through the iconic Mushroom Kingdom.
- ^ a b "Learn more about Princess Peach!". play.nintendo.com. Archived from the original on January 20, 2020. Retrieved May 12, 2020.
This princess in pink rules over the Mushroom Kingdom.
- ^ "Super Mario Bros. Instruction Manual" (PDF). November 7, 2011. Archived (PDF) from the original on November 7, 2011. Retrieved May 12, 2020.
- ^ a b Hollander Cooper August 13, 2012 (August 13, 2012). "The Top 7... Most disturbing things about the Mushroom Kingdom". GamesRadar+. Archived from the original on September 28, 2023. Retrieved May 12, 2020.
Princess Peach Toadstool currently leads the Mushroom Kingdom.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ "Is Toad Nintendo's First Agender Character?". The Advocate. November 24, 2014. Archived from the original on May 26, 2022. Retrieved May 12, 2020.
There's also Toadsworth, the dignified mustachioed elder-stateman.
- ^ a b "Super Mario 64: The Game That Ushered In The 3D Era". 25YL. March 4, 2020. Archived from the original on August 3, 2020. Retrieved May 12, 2020.
We were able to see new iterations of longstanding enemies such as Goombas, Bullet Bills, and Chain Chomps, whose designs endure to this day.
- ^ "Super Mario: 10 Things You Didn't Know About The Goomba Enemy". TheGamer. April 20, 2020. Archived from the original on May 19, 2021. Retrieved May 13, 2020.
The Goomba creature actually originated within the Mushroom Kingdom
- ^ "#15 Princess Peach". Forbes. December 11, 2007. Archived from the original on November 20, 2009. Retrieved May 13, 2020.
Mario awarded her a fortune in gold coins.
- ^ July 2015, GamesRadar 13 (July 13, 2015). "How Nintendo's most famous castle changed Mario forever". GamesRadar+. Archived from the original on February 13, 2022. Retrieved May 12, 2020.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ Dennis, Thomas (October 23, 2016). "Paper Mario: Color Splash Review – Last Hurrah For The Wii U?". Daily Express. Archived from the original on August 10, 2022. Retrieved May 13, 2020.
You start the game as Paper Mario welcoming Paper Princess Peach and a Paper Toad into your home on a dark and rainy night.
- ^ "Official Site – Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U". Smashbros.com. Archived from the original on March 2, 2008. Retrieved November 12, 2017.