Birdo
Encyclopedia
Birdo, known in Japan as , is a fictional character in the Mario series
of video games, who first appeared in Yume Kōjō: Doki Doki Panic, which was localized for English audiences as Super Mario Bros. 2
and is an enemy to Mario. Since her appearance, Birdo has been a recurring character in the series, more frequently in the Mario sports games as a playable character, as well as Mario Party titles. She has also made several cameos, particularly in the Super Smash Bros. series and the Wii
video game Captain Rainbow
.
Birdo's gender in the original manual for Super Mario Bros. 2 asserts that Birdo is a boy who believes that he is a girl, and would rather be referred to as "Birdetta". Later releases of Super Mario Bros. 2 lacked any mention of her gender in either the game or the manual. Nintendo eventually established Birdo as female, first in Mario Tennis
which depicted Birdo and Yoshi
as boyfriend and girlfriend. However, several games portray her as male, such as Captain Rainbow, or refer to the gender confusion without assigning one, such as in Super Smash Bros. Brawl
. It has been suggested that Birdo is a post-op transsexual by transsexual video game developer Jennifer Reitz, while Wired
editor Chris Kohler felt that it was a way of retcon
ning her transgender status.
Birdo has received mostly positive reception for her role in the Mario series; IGN editor Lucas M. Thomas suggested that she was almost as well-known as Yoshi
, a frequent partner of hers, in the sports games, while author Sherry Tuckle used Birdo as a demonstration of how Birdo's battle in Super Mario Bros. 2 presents a complex appearance yet sustains an assuring, rule-based world. However, some negative press exists, such as MTV
Multiplayer editor Jason Cipriano, who criticized Birdo for being so popular over other Super Mario Bros. 2 characters. She has made several appearances in other media, including the Super Mario Bros. Super Show!, as well as promotional material such as figurines.
game Super Mario Bros. 2
for North American audiences. In early art of Birdo, the character had an orange tone. Birdo's name was mistakenly switched with another Super Mario Bros. 2 enemy, Ostro, both in the manual and in the end credits. The mistake persisted in the version of Super Mario Bros. 2 included in the Super Mario All-Stars
compilation, but was corrected in the Game Boy Advance
re-release titled Super Mario Advance.
Since the character's North American introduction, Birdo's gender has been an issue of discussion and speculation. The Japanese manual states the character's name is "Catherine", but it would rather be known as "Cassie." However, in the first edition manual for the North American release of Super Mario Bros. 2, Birdo is referred to as a male who believes he is female and would rather be called "Birdetta". In later printings, the second sentence was omitted, and no mention of Birdo being male was included in most later games featuring the character. In the Japanese version of Super Smash Bros. Melee
, Birdo, called Catherine, is described similarly to the original manual, though wanting to be called "Cathy". In Super Smash Bros. Brawl
, it is said that Birdo is of "indeterminate gender". Birdo appears in the Wii
Japan-only video game Captain Rainbow
, which delves into Birdo's gender. Birdo is often lauded as the first transgender video game character. The character was given a female voice actor in Super Mario Advance
, a remake of Super Mario Bros. 2. The Spanish language website for Mario Smash Football
, while describing Birdo, suggests that the character's gender is indeterminate. The European website for Mario Strikers Charged Football
refers to her as a male character.
and Super Mario Advance
(a remake of Super Mario Bros. 2
), the character was given a high pitched female voice provided by Jen Taylor
. However, in Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour
, Birdo uses a muttering noise which has been used in subsequent games.
conversion Super Mario Bros. 2
as a boss. The Super Mario Advance remake of Super Mario Bros. 2
features a large robotic version of Birdo called "Robirdo". Since the character's appearance in Super Mario Bros. 2, Birdo has made several cameo appearances, including an early one teaching players the rules of the video game Wario's Woods
. She has become a common staple in sports and racing games in the series. She has made frequent appearances in both the Mario Tennis and Mario Golf games, first appearing in the Mario sports games with the Nintendo 64
Mario Tennis
. Though, she was to be included in the Virtual Boy
video game Mario's Tennis
. She also made her first appearance in the Mario Kart
series in Mario Kart: Double Dash!!
. In both of the above-mentioned titles, Yoshi acts as her partner. She is an unlockable character in Mario Kart Wii
. She also has made appearances in the Mario Party series, first appearing in Mario Party 7
. She also makes appearances in multiple Mario role-playing games, including Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars
as a minor boss in Valentina's castle and Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga
as a decoy for Princess Peach
. Recently, she appeared in the Wii
video game Captain Rainbow
, which makes reference to the gender confusion. Birdo appeared in both Super Smash Bros. Melee
and Super Smash Bros. Brawl
in the form of collectible items (known as trophies).
kidnapping Toad due to being nearsighted, and believing Toad to be her son.
, Birdo has received mostly positive reception. Birdo has appeared several times in promotional items, including figurines, plush toys, and other collectibles such as a chess set. 1UP.com
editor Jeremy Parish described her as a favourite among fans. IGN
editor Lucas M. Thomas called her the "transgender question mark," stating that she was nearly as recognized as Yoshi in the Mario sports and racing games. GamePro
editor "The Watcher" praised the roster of Mario Superstar Baseball
, commenting that while "well-known" characters like Princess Peach and Yoshi
make appearances, so do "lesser-known" characters such as Birdo and Dry Bones. Fellow GamePro editor "The D-Pad Destroyer" called Birdo "everyone's favorite."
In the book Life on the screen: identity in the age of the Internet, author Sherry Tuckle uses the pattern Birdo uses in boss battles as an example of something that, while complex, sustains the sense of a reassuring, rule-based world. In Prima's Official Strategy Guide for Super Mario Advance, author Bryan Stratton describes Birdo as the hardest-working boss in video games due to her appearing more than a dozen times as a boss in Super Mario Bros. 2. N-Sider editor Anthony JC commented that Birdo was a "pushover" compared to the other bosses in Super Mario Bros. 2. GameDaily editor Chris Buffa listed her as one of the most unappreciated Nintendo characters, commenting that she had appeared across web sites "in less-than-flattering articles." Official Nintendo Magazine listed her as one of the "unsung heroes" amongst the Mario series, stating that while "Birdo does get more exposure than the other characters in this section (he's showed up in a few Mario spin-offs), but she/he's still not as popular as we'd like." In a poll by Official Nintendo Magazine on its users, Birdo tied for eighth best female character on a Nintendo platform along with Midna
and Kazooie. In their article about it, they express confusion at her being voted in. UGO Networks listed Birdo as the 20th "unsexiest sexy video game characters", questioning whether or not the various sexual features, such as her "O face", were supposed to be arousing. Birdo was ranked the ninth ugliest female video game character by ScrewAttack
, who described her as resembling a "retarded anteater". Games.net placed Birdo at #8 of their "Top Ten Disturbingly Sexual Game Characters" list. GameDaily
listed Birdo as one of the 10 worst Mario characters, stating that "if Birdo wants to dress like a chick, all power to him. Eggs from the mouth, however... that's nasty."
Birdo also appeared in one of the McDonald's Happy Meal promotion of Mario toys which starred Mario, Donkey Kong, Yoshi and others. Wired
editor Chris Kohler described her as well as other characters from Captain Rainbow
as "forgettable." IGN
editor John Tanaka found Birdo to be one of the more enjoyable guest characters in Captain Rainbow
, associating his enjoyment with developer Skip
's plot, which involves crossdressing and toilet humour. In an article on MTV multiplayer discussing the best birds in video games, Birdo tied for second place with the chickens from Chicken Run
. Tofuburger of the web site I Can Haz Cheezburger listed her as his favourite bird, calling Birdo the first transgender video game character and humorously praising her for her fearlessness about doing whatever she wants. MTV
Multiplayer editor Jason Cipriano questioned why Birdo and fellow Super Mario Bros. 2 enemy Shy Guy have been included in so many spin-off titles in the Mario series, commenting that they both "kinda suck", but enemies such as Wart and Mouser were not.
"Birdo", the first track of Horse the Band
's album The Mechanical Hand
, heavily references the character.
editor Simon Carless described Birdo as "infamously gender-confused." Birdo was praised by transsexual video game designer Jennifer Reitz. It is speculated by Wired
editor Chris Kohler that the gender issue was retcon
ned to make her female, while Reitz suggests that she received a sex change operation. In the book Vintage Games: An Insider Look at the History of Grand Theft Auto, Super Mario, and the Most Influential Games of All Time, the authors describe Birdo as the most notable character in Super Mario Bros. 2 due to being the first transsexual character in video games. GamesRadar
editor Chris Antista has discussed Birdo in several articles. He listed Birdo #1. in his top seven "That's a Dude?!" game characters. He cited her bow, mascara, her being pink, and her being able to lay eggs as the identifying features of Birdo being female, while using the manual insert as the sole evidence to her being male. In the article "10 things you didn't know about Super Mario Bros 2," Antista listed Birdo's gender confusion, stating that the revelation was similar to when "lead singer of Judas Priest
came out to a legion homophobic metalheads dressed to the nines in skin tight leather left wondering if their dicks will fall off." He also picked her as his first gaming crush, commenting that he worried that he would be outed once he read about her gender confusion in the manual.
In his article "Too Gay for the U.S.A.," editor Andrew Webster used the history of Birdo in the lead-in to his article, commenting on how Nintendo tried to hide Birdo's gender confusion, and how "He's just one of a long line of Japanese videogame characters forced to hide their true sexual identity". GamesRadar UK listed Birdo as one of "gaming's most repelling anti-babes," describing her as a "pink, egg blowing, transvestite dinosaur with a mouth like a burst fire hose," thereby describing her as "terrifying." Morgan Webb
of X-Play
created a video titled "Birdo WTF", commenting that everyone initially thought of Birdo as a "cute little dinosaur". She also describes her as a very feminine male character if she really is a transsexual. Nintendo Power
listed Birdo as one of three weirdos, citing her change from being male to being a love interest for Yoshi. They described her gender as one of life's biggest questions, commenting on how she shoots eggs out of her mouth as another oddity. IGN
editor Lucas M. Thomas commented in his article about Yoshi
that Birdo "almost worthy of a whole other article," stating that she is "the most gender-confused character in the history of Nintendo." He commented on the relationship Yoshi and Birdo formed in Mario Tennis
, stating that "Yoshi is supposedly a male, but lays eggs like a female. Birdo is supposedly a female, but was originally called a male. And now the two of them are a romantic couple? They were both sexually chaotic as individuals -- this new pairing just made your head hurt thinking about it."
Mario (series)
The video game series, alternatively called the series or simply the series, is a series of highly popular and critically acclaimed video games by Nintendo, featuring Nintendo's mascot Mario and, in many games, his brother Luigi. Gameplay in the series often centers around jumping on and...
of video games, who first appeared in Yume Kōjō: Doki Doki Panic, which was localized for English audiences as Super Mario Bros. 2
Super Mario Bros. 2
Super Mario Bros. 2, often abbreviated SMB2, is a platform game developed and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Entertainment System as a sequel to the 1985 game Super Mario Bros. The game was also remade as part of the Super Mario All-Stars collection for the Super Nintendo Entertainment...
and is an enemy to Mario. Since her appearance, Birdo has been a recurring character in the series, more frequently in the Mario sports games as a playable character, as well as Mario Party titles. She has also made several cameos, particularly in the Super Smash Bros. series and the Wii
Wii
The Wii is a home video game console released by Nintendo on November 19, 2006. As a seventh-generation console, the Wii primarily competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3. Nintendo states that its console targets a broader demographic than that of the two others...
video game Captain Rainbow
Captain Rainbow
is a video game developed by Skip Ltd. and published by Nintendo for the Wii. The game was released exclusively in Japan on August 28, 2008.The game puts players in the role of Nick, an ordinary guy whose alter ego "Captain★Rainbow", was once a popular TV superhero. In order to regain his...
.
Birdo's gender in the original manual for Super Mario Bros. 2 asserts that Birdo is a boy who believes that he is a girl, and would rather be referred to as "Birdetta". Later releases of Super Mario Bros. 2 lacked any mention of her gender in either the game or the manual. Nintendo eventually established Birdo as female, first in Mario Tennis
Mario Tennis
Mario Tennis, known in Japan as , is a sports video game developed by Camelot and Nintendo for the Nintendo 64 video game console. The game was released in North America and Japan in the summer of 2000, and released in Europe later in November. It is the first tennis-based game starring Mario since...
which depicted Birdo and Yoshi
Yoshi
, is a fictional dragon-like character who appears in video games published by Nintendo. His debut was in Super Mario World on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System as Mario and Luigi's sidekick , and he later established his own series with several platform and puzzle games, including Super...
as boyfriend and girlfriend. However, several games portray her as male, such as Captain Rainbow, or refer to the gender confusion without assigning one, such as in Super Smash Bros. Brawl
Super Smash Bros. Brawl
Super Smash Bros. Brawl, known in Japan as , often abbreviated as SSBB or simply as Brawl, is the third installment in the Super Smash Bros. series of crossover fighting games, developed by an ad hoc development team consisting of Sora, Game Arts and staff from other developers, and published by...
. It has been suggested that Birdo is a post-op transsexual by transsexual video game developer Jennifer Reitz, while Wired
Wired (magazine)
Wired is a full-color monthly American magazine and on-line periodical, published since January 1993, that reports on how new and developing technology affects culture, the economy, and politics...
editor Chris Kohler felt that it was a way of retcon
Retcon
Retroactive continuity is the alteration of previously established facts in a fictional work. Retcons are done for many reasons, including the accommodation of sequels or further derivative works in a series, wherein newer authors or creators want to revise the in-story history to allow a course...
ning her transgender status.
Birdo has received mostly positive reception for her role in the Mario series; IGN editor Lucas M. Thomas suggested that she was almost as well-known as Yoshi
Yoshi
, is a fictional dragon-like character who appears in video games published by Nintendo. His debut was in Super Mario World on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System as Mario and Luigi's sidekick , and he later established his own series with several platform and puzzle games, including Super...
, a frequent partner of hers, in the sports games, while author Sherry Tuckle used Birdo as a demonstration of how Birdo's battle in Super Mario Bros. 2 presents a complex appearance yet sustains an assuring, rule-based world. However, some negative press exists, such as MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
Multiplayer editor Jason Cipriano, who criticized Birdo for being so popular over other Super Mario Bros. 2 characters. She has made several appearances in other media, including the Super Mario Bros. Super Show!, as well as promotional material such as figurines.
Concept and creation
Birdo is a pink, anthropomorphic creature who wears a red bow on her head, and has a round mouth that can fire eggs as projectiles. She also wears a large diamond ring on her finger. Birdo was originally featured in the Family Computer Disk System video game Yume Kōjō: Doki Doki Panic before it was converted to the Nintendo Entertainment SystemNintendo Entertainment System
The Nintendo Entertainment System is an 8-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America during 1985, in Europe during 1986 and Australia in 1987...
game Super Mario Bros. 2
Super Mario Bros. 2
Super Mario Bros. 2, often abbreviated SMB2, is a platform game developed and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Entertainment System as a sequel to the 1985 game Super Mario Bros. The game was also remade as part of the Super Mario All-Stars collection for the Super Nintendo Entertainment...
for North American audiences. In early art of Birdo, the character had an orange tone. Birdo's name was mistakenly switched with another Super Mario Bros. 2 enemy, Ostro, both in the manual and in the end credits. The mistake persisted in the version of Super Mario Bros. 2 included in the Super Mario All-Stars
Super Mario All-Stars
Super Mario All-Stars, known as in Japan, is a collection of platforming video games that was developed and published by Nintendo for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System in 1993. It contains enhanced remakes of Super Mario Bros., Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels , Super Mario Bros...
compilation, but was corrected in the Game Boy Advance
Game Boy Advance
The is a 32-bit handheld video game console developed, manufactured, and marketed by Nintendo. It is the successor to the Game Boy Color. It was released in Japan on March 21, 2001; in North America on June 11, 2001; in Australia and Europe on June 22, 2001; and in the People's Republic of China...
re-release titled Super Mario Advance.
Since the character's North American introduction, Birdo's gender has been an issue of discussion and speculation. The Japanese manual states the character's name is "Catherine", but it would rather be known as "Cassie." However, in the first edition manual for the North American release of Super Mario Bros. 2, Birdo is referred to as a male who believes he is female and would rather be called "Birdetta". In later printings, the second sentence was omitted, and no mention of Birdo being male was included in most later games featuring the character. In the Japanese version of Super Smash Bros. Melee
Super Smash Bros. Melee
Super Smash Bros. Melee, known in Japan as , often abbreviated as SSBM or simply as Melee, is a crossover fighting game released for the Nintendo GameCube shortly after its launch in . It is the successor to the Nintendo 64 game Super Smash Bros., and the predecessor to the Wii game Super Smash...
, Birdo, called Catherine, is described similarly to the original manual, though wanting to be called "Cathy". In Super Smash Bros. Brawl
Super Smash Bros. Brawl
Super Smash Bros. Brawl, known in Japan as , often abbreviated as SSBB or simply as Brawl, is the third installment in the Super Smash Bros. series of crossover fighting games, developed by an ad hoc development team consisting of Sora, Game Arts and staff from other developers, and published by...
, it is said that Birdo is of "indeterminate gender". Birdo appears in the Wii
Wii
The Wii is a home video game console released by Nintendo on November 19, 2006. As a seventh-generation console, the Wii primarily competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3. Nintendo states that its console targets a broader demographic than that of the two others...
Japan-only video game Captain Rainbow
Captain Rainbow
is a video game developed by Skip Ltd. and published by Nintendo for the Wii. The game was released exclusively in Japan on August 28, 2008.The game puts players in the role of Nick, an ordinary guy whose alter ego "Captain★Rainbow", was once a popular TV superhero. In order to regain his...
, which delves into Birdo's gender. Birdo is often lauded as the first transgender video game character. The character was given a female voice actor in Super Mario Advance
Super Mario Advance
Super Mario Advance is a series of four platform games released for the Game Boy Advance. The games were enhanced remakes of Super Mario Bros. 2, Super Mario World, Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island and Super Mario Bros. 3 respectively...
, a remake of Super Mario Bros. 2. The Spanish language website for Mario Smash Football
Super Mario Strikers
Super Mario Strikers, known as Mario Smash Football in Europe and Australia, is a five-a-side football game developed by Next Level Games for the Nintendo GameCube. The game was released in Europe and North America in late 2005, and in Japan and Australia in 2006...
, while describing Birdo, suggests that the character's gender is indeterminate. The European website for Mario Strikers Charged Football
Mario Strikers Charged
Mario Strikers Charged, known in Europe and Australia as Mario Strikers Charged Football, is a sports video game developed by Canadian developer Next Level Games and published by Nintendo for the Wii. This game was announced at the 2006 Games Convention in Leipzig, Germany as the sequel to Super...
refers to her as a male character.
Voice
Birdo's voice has changed a lot over the years. In Mario TennisMario Tennis
Mario Tennis, known in Japan as , is a sports video game developed by Camelot and Nintendo for the Nintendo 64 video game console. The game was released in North America and Japan in the summer of 2000, and released in Europe later in November. It is the first tennis-based game starring Mario since...
and Super Mario Advance
Super Mario Advance
Super Mario Advance is a series of four platform games released for the Game Boy Advance. The games were enhanced remakes of Super Mario Bros. 2, Super Mario World, Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island and Super Mario Bros. 3 respectively...
(a remake of Super Mario Bros. 2
Super Mario Bros. 2
Super Mario Bros. 2, often abbreviated SMB2, is a platform game developed and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Entertainment System as a sequel to the 1985 game Super Mario Bros. The game was also remade as part of the Super Mario All-Stars collection for the Super Nintendo Entertainment...
), the character was given a high pitched female voice provided by Jen Taylor
Jen Taylor
Jennifer Lee "Jen" Taylor is an American voice actress best known for her role as Cortana in various Halo games and the Xbox 360 game "1 vs. 100".-Voice work:...
. However, in Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour
Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour
Toadstool Tour received a positive reaction from critics, although it was criticised for being too similar to its predecessor. Eurogamer's Tom Bramwell commented that "Mario Golf hasn't really grown much since its time on the N64", despite enjoying the game's course design and "sense of fun"...
, Birdo uses a muttering noise which has been used in subsequent games.
Appearances
Birdo first appeared in the Family Computer Disk System video game Yume Kōjō: Doki Doki Panic and its Western Nintendo Entertainment SystemNintendo Entertainment System
The Nintendo Entertainment System is an 8-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America during 1985, in Europe during 1986 and Australia in 1987...
conversion Super Mario Bros. 2
Super Mario Bros. 2
Super Mario Bros. 2, often abbreviated SMB2, is a platform game developed and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Entertainment System as a sequel to the 1985 game Super Mario Bros. The game was also remade as part of the Super Mario All-Stars collection for the Super Nintendo Entertainment...
as a boss. The Super Mario Advance remake of Super Mario Bros. 2
Super Mario Bros. 2
Super Mario Bros. 2, often abbreviated SMB2, is a platform game developed and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Entertainment System as a sequel to the 1985 game Super Mario Bros. The game was also remade as part of the Super Mario All-Stars collection for the Super Nintendo Entertainment...
features a large robotic version of Birdo called "Robirdo". Since the character's appearance in Super Mario Bros. 2, Birdo has made several cameo appearances, including an early one teaching players the rules of the video game Wario's Woods
Wario's Woods
is a puzzle game, developed and published by Nintendo, for both the Nintendo Entertainment System and Super Nintendo Entertainment System. The NES version was released in Japan on February 19, 1994, and both versions were released simultaneously in North America on December 10, 1994...
. She has become a common staple in sports and racing games in the series. She has made frequent appearances in both the Mario Tennis and Mario Golf games, first appearing in the Mario sports games with the Nintendo 64
Nintendo 64
The , often referred to as N64, was Nintendo′s third home video game console for the international market. Named for its 64-bit CPU, it was released in June 1996 in Japan, September 1996 in North America, March 1997 in Europe and Australia, September 1997 in France and December 1997 in Brazil...
Mario Tennis
Mario Tennis
Mario Tennis, known in Japan as , is a sports video game developed by Camelot and Nintendo for the Nintendo 64 video game console. The game was released in North America and Japan in the summer of 2000, and released in Europe later in November. It is the first tennis-based game starring Mario since...
. Though, she was to be included in the Virtual Boy
Virtual Boy
The was a video game console developed and manufactured by Nintendo. It was the first video game console that was supposed to be capable of displaying "true 3D graphics" out of the box. Whereas most video games use monocular cues to achieve the illusion of three dimensions on a two-dimensional...
video game Mario's Tennis
Mario's Tennis
is a sports game for Nintendo's Virtual Boy video game console. Also known by its working title Mario's Dream Tennis, it was the console's pack-in game in North America. The game features eight famous characters from the Mario series. Although a two-player function was announced, it was not...
. She also made her first appearance in the Mario Kart
Mario Kart
is a series of go-kart-style racing video games developed by Nintendo as a series of spin-offs from its trademark Mario series of platformer adventure-style video games...
series in Mario Kart: Double Dash!!
Mario Kart: Double Dash!!
Mario Kart: Double Dash!! is a racing game developed by Nintendo Entertainment Analysis and Development and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo GameCube in 2003. The game is the fourth installment in the Mario Kart series, following Mario Kart: Super Circuit from 2001...
. In both of the above-mentioned titles, Yoshi acts as her partner. She is an unlockable character in Mario Kart Wii
Mario Kart Wii
is a racing video game developed by Nintendo Entertainment Analysis and Development and published by Nintendo for the Wii video game console. It is the sixth installment in the Mario Kart series and the second Mario Kart title to use the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection. The game was released worldwide...
. She also has made appearances in the Mario Party series, first appearing in Mario Party 7
Mario Party 7
is the seventh in a series of board game style video games for Nintendo platforms and is the fourth and final title in the Mario Party series for Nintendo Gamecube. Mario Party 7 features popular Nintendo characters. It was released on the Nintendo GameCube in North America on November 7, 2005, in...
. She also makes appearances in multiple Mario role-playing games, including Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars
Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars
Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars, often shortened and officially known in Japan as , is an action role-playing game developed by Square and published by Nintendo for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System . It was originally released on March 9, 1996 in Japan and on May 13,...
as a minor boss in Valentina's castle and Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga
Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga
Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga, known in Japan as , is a role-playing game developed by AlphaDream and published by Nintendo for the Game Boy Advance in 2003...
as a decoy for Princess Peach
Princess Peach
is a character in Nintendo's Mario series of video games. She is the Princess of the fictitious Mushroom Kingdom, and often plays the damsel in distress role within the adventure series. In 2007, Princess Peach landed on Forbes magazine's Wealthiest Fictional People list, with a fortune upwards of...
. Recently, she appeared in the Wii
Wii
The Wii is a home video game console released by Nintendo on November 19, 2006. As a seventh-generation console, the Wii primarily competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3. Nintendo states that its console targets a broader demographic than that of the two others...
video game Captain Rainbow
Captain Rainbow
is a video game developed by Skip Ltd. and published by Nintendo for the Wii. The game was released exclusively in Japan on August 28, 2008.The game puts players in the role of Nick, an ordinary guy whose alter ego "Captain★Rainbow", was once a popular TV superhero. In order to regain his...
, which makes reference to the gender confusion. Birdo appeared in both Super Smash Bros. Melee
Super Smash Bros. Melee
Super Smash Bros. Melee, known in Japan as , often abbreviated as SSBM or simply as Melee, is a crossover fighting game released for the Nintendo GameCube shortly after its launch in . It is the successor to the Nintendo 64 game Super Smash Bros., and the predecessor to the Wii game Super Smash...
and Super Smash Bros. Brawl
Super Smash Bros. Brawl
Super Smash Bros. Brawl, known in Japan as , often abbreviated as SSBB or simply as Brawl, is the third installment in the Super Smash Bros. series of crossover fighting games, developed by an ad hoc development team consisting of Sora, Game Arts and staff from other developers, and published by...
in the form of collectible items (known as trophies).
In other media
Birdo was featured in the episode "The Bird! The Bird!" of The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!
The Super Mario Bros. Super Show! is an American television series based upon Nintendo's Super Mario Bros. and Super Mario Bros. 2 video games. It was originally broadcast via first-run syndication to mostly independent or Fox television stations from September 4, 1989, to December 1, 1989, with...
kidnapping Toad due to being nearsighted, and believing Toad to be her son.
Cultural impact
Since appearing in Super Mario Bros. 2Super Mario Bros. 2
Super Mario Bros. 2, often abbreviated SMB2, is a platform game developed and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Entertainment System as a sequel to the 1985 game Super Mario Bros. The game was also remade as part of the Super Mario All-Stars collection for the Super Nintendo Entertainment...
, Birdo has received mostly positive reception. Birdo has appeared several times in promotional items, including figurines, plush toys, and other collectibles such as a chess set. 1UP.com
1UP.com
1UP.com is a video game website owned by IGN Entertainment, a division of News Corporation. Previously, the site was owned by Ziff Davis before being sold to UGO Entertainment in 2009....
editor Jeremy Parish described her as a favourite among fans. IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
editor Lucas M. Thomas called her the "transgender question mark," stating that she was nearly as recognized as Yoshi in the Mario sports and racing games. GamePro
GamePro
GamePro Media was a United States gaming media company publishing online and print content on the video game industry, video game hardware, and video game software developed for a video game console , a computer, and/or a mobile device . GamePro Media properties include GamePro magazine and...
editor "The Watcher" praised the roster of Mario Superstar Baseball
Mario Superstar Baseball
Mario Superstar Baseball, known in Japan as is a sports game that was developed by Namco and NOW Production and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo GameCube in 2005. The game was created in the vein of other Mario sports games such as Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour and Mario Power Tennis. This game...
, commenting that while "well-known" characters like Princess Peach and Yoshi
Yoshi
, is a fictional dragon-like character who appears in video games published by Nintendo. His debut was in Super Mario World on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System as Mario and Luigi's sidekick , and he later established his own series with several platform and puzzle games, including Super...
make appearances, so do "lesser-known" characters such as Birdo and Dry Bones. Fellow GamePro editor "The D-Pad Destroyer" called Birdo "everyone's favorite."
In the book Life on the screen: identity in the age of the Internet, author Sherry Tuckle uses the pattern Birdo uses in boss battles as an example of something that, while complex, sustains the sense of a reassuring, rule-based world. In Prima's Official Strategy Guide for Super Mario Advance, author Bryan Stratton describes Birdo as the hardest-working boss in video games due to her appearing more than a dozen times as a boss in Super Mario Bros. 2. N-Sider editor Anthony JC commented that Birdo was a "pushover" compared to the other bosses in Super Mario Bros. 2. GameDaily editor Chris Buffa listed her as one of the most unappreciated Nintendo characters, commenting that she had appeared across web sites "in less-than-flattering articles." Official Nintendo Magazine listed her as one of the "unsung heroes" amongst the Mario series, stating that while "Birdo does get more exposure than the other characters in this section (he's showed up in a few Mario spin-offs), but she/he's still not as popular as we'd like." In a poll by Official Nintendo Magazine on its users, Birdo tied for eighth best female character on a Nintendo platform along with Midna
Midna
is one of the main characters in the 2006 Nintendo game The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess. She is member of the Twili, a fictional race of magic-wielders, who chooses Link to help her accomplish her goals. While appearing as a diminutive imp, her actual form is human-shaped. She was voiced by...
and Kazooie. In their article about it, they express confusion at her being voted in. UGO Networks listed Birdo as the 20th "unsexiest sexy video game characters", questioning whether or not the various sexual features, such as her "O face", were supposed to be arousing. Birdo was ranked the ninth ugliest female video game character by ScrewAttack
ScrewAttack
ScrewAttack . is a video game-related website that showcases original entertainment for an audience of video game enthusiasts. Its content is also shown on GameTrailers and IGN...
, who described her as resembling a "retarded anteater". Games.net placed Birdo at #8 of their "Top Ten Disturbingly Sexual Game Characters" list. GameDaily
GameDaily
GameDaily was a video game journalism website based in the United States. Launched in 1995 by entrepreneur Mark Friedler under the name Gigex and focused on free game demo downloads, The site changed its business model from a flat fee per download CDN distributed service network to an...
listed Birdo as one of the 10 worst Mario characters, stating that "if Birdo wants to dress like a chick, all power to him. Eggs from the mouth, however... that's nasty."
Birdo also appeared in one of the McDonald's Happy Meal promotion of Mario toys which starred Mario, Donkey Kong, Yoshi and others. Wired
Wired (magazine)
Wired is a full-color monthly American magazine and on-line periodical, published since January 1993, that reports on how new and developing technology affects culture, the economy, and politics...
editor Chris Kohler described her as well as other characters from Captain Rainbow
Captain Rainbow
is a video game developed by Skip Ltd. and published by Nintendo for the Wii. The game was released exclusively in Japan on August 28, 2008.The game puts players in the role of Nick, an ordinary guy whose alter ego "Captain★Rainbow", was once a popular TV superhero. In order to regain his...
as "forgettable." IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
editor John Tanaka found Birdo to be one of the more enjoyable guest characters in Captain Rainbow
Captain Rainbow
is a video game developed by Skip Ltd. and published by Nintendo for the Wii. The game was released exclusively in Japan on August 28, 2008.The game puts players in the role of Nick, an ordinary guy whose alter ego "Captain★Rainbow", was once a popular TV superhero. In order to regain his...
, associating his enjoyment with developer Skip
Skip Ltd.
Skip is a Japanese video game developer that has a close relationship with Nintendo of Japan. Nintendo has published all of their Japanese releases; with the only notable exception being LOL , which Skip Ltd. published independently. The company's staff includes prominent developers from Square...
's plot, which involves crossdressing and toilet humour. In an article on MTV multiplayer discussing the best birds in video games, Birdo tied for second place with the chickens from Chicken Run
Chicken Run
Chicken Run is a 2000 British stop-motion animation film made by the Aardman Animations studios, the production studio of the Oscar-winning Wallace and Gromit films...
. Tofuburger of the web site I Can Haz Cheezburger listed her as his favourite bird, calling Birdo the first transgender video game character and humorously praising her for her fearlessness about doing whatever she wants. MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
Multiplayer editor Jason Cipriano questioned why Birdo and fellow Super Mario Bros. 2 enemy Shy Guy have been included in so many spin-off titles in the Mario series, commenting that they both "kinda suck", but enemies such as Wart and Mouser were not.
"Birdo", the first track of Horse the Band
HORSE the band
Horse the Band is a band from Lake Forest, California who are best known for their 8-bit Nintendo-influenced sound combined with metalcore. Frontman Nathan Winneke once described their sound as "Nintendocore".-Biography:...
's album The Mechanical Hand
The Mechanical Hand
The Mechanical Hand is the third studio album by Horse the Band, released in 2005 through Combat Records.-Track listing:# "Birdo" – 3:21# "A Million Exploding Suns" – 4:03# "Manateen" – 5:06# "The House of Boo" – 3:59# "Heroes Die" – 3:22...
, heavily references the character.
Gender
Birdo has been the subject of discussion relating to her gender issues. GamasutraGamasutra
Gamasutra is a website founded in 1997 for video game developers. It is owned and operated by UBM TechWeb , a division of United Business Media, and acts as the online sister publication to the print magazine Game Developer...
editor Simon Carless described Birdo as "infamously gender-confused." Birdo was praised by transsexual video game designer Jennifer Reitz. It is speculated by Wired
Wired (magazine)
Wired is a full-color monthly American magazine and on-line periodical, published since January 1993, that reports on how new and developing technology affects culture, the economy, and politics...
editor Chris Kohler that the gender issue was retcon
Retcon
Retroactive continuity is the alteration of previously established facts in a fictional work. Retcons are done for many reasons, including the accommodation of sequels or further derivative works in a series, wherein newer authors or creators want to revise the in-story history to allow a course...
ned to make her female, while Reitz suggests that she received a sex change operation. In the book Vintage Games: An Insider Look at the History of Grand Theft Auto, Super Mario, and the Most Influential Games of All Time, the authors describe Birdo as the most notable character in Super Mario Bros. 2 due to being the first transsexual character in video games. GamesRadar
GamesRadar
GamesRadar is a multi-format video game website featuring regular news, previews, reviews, videos, and guides. It is owned and operated simultaneously in the UK and US by worldwide publisher Future Publishing...
editor Chris Antista has discussed Birdo in several articles. He listed Birdo #1. in his top seven "That's a Dude?!" game characters. He cited her bow, mascara, her being pink, and her being able to lay eggs as the identifying features of Birdo being female, while using the manual insert as the sole evidence to her being male. In the article "10 things you didn't know about Super Mario Bros 2," Antista listed Birdo's gender confusion, stating that the revelation was similar to when "lead singer of Judas Priest
Judas Priest
Judas Priest are an English heavy metal band from Birmingham, England, formed in 1969. The current line-up consists of lead vocalist Rob Halford, guitarists Glenn Tipton and Richie Faulkner, bassist Ian Hill, and drummer Scott Travis. The band has gone through several drummers over the years,...
came out to a legion homophobic metalheads dressed to the nines in skin tight leather left wondering if their dicks will fall off." He also picked her as his first gaming crush, commenting that he worried that he would be outed once he read about her gender confusion in the manual.
In his article "Too Gay for the U.S.A.," editor Andrew Webster used the history of Birdo in the lead-in to his article, commenting on how Nintendo tried to hide Birdo's gender confusion, and how "He's just one of a long line of Japanese videogame characters forced to hide their true sexual identity". GamesRadar UK listed Birdo as one of "gaming's most repelling anti-babes," describing her as a "pink, egg blowing, transvestite dinosaur with a mouth like a burst fire hose," thereby describing her as "terrifying." Morgan Webb
Morgan Webb
Morgan Ailis Webb is a co-host and senior segment producer of the G4 show X-Play, and host of the show G4 Underground...
of X-Play
X-Play
X-Play is a TV program about video games, known for its reviews and comedy skits...
created a video titled "Birdo WTF", commenting that everyone initially thought of Birdo as a "cute little dinosaur". She also describes her as a very feminine male character if she really is a transsexual. Nintendo Power
Nintendo Power
Nintendo Power magazine is a monthly news and strategy magazine formerly published in-house by Nintendo of America, but now run independently. As of issue #222 , Nintendo contracted publishing duties to Future US, the U.S. subsidiary of British publisher Future.The first issue published was...
listed Birdo as one of three weirdos, citing her change from being male to being a love interest for Yoshi. They described her gender as one of life's biggest questions, commenting on how she shoots eggs out of her mouth as another oddity. IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
editor Lucas M. Thomas commented in his article about Yoshi
Yoshi
, is a fictional dragon-like character who appears in video games published by Nintendo. His debut was in Super Mario World on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System as Mario and Luigi's sidekick , and he later established his own series with several platform and puzzle games, including Super...
that Birdo "almost worthy of a whole other article," stating that she is "the most gender-confused character in the history of Nintendo." He commented on the relationship Yoshi and Birdo formed in Mario Tennis
Mario Tennis
Mario Tennis, known in Japan as , is a sports video game developed by Camelot and Nintendo for the Nintendo 64 video game console. The game was released in North America and Japan in the summer of 2000, and released in Europe later in November. It is the first tennis-based game starring Mario since...
, stating that "Yoshi is supposedly a male, but lays eggs like a female. Birdo is supposedly a female, but was originally called a male. And now the two of them are a romantic couple? They were both sexually chaotic as individuals -- this new pairing just made your head hurt thinking about it."