Toad (Mario)
Encyclopedia
Toad, known in Japan as , is a fictional character
belonging to an anthropomorphic
mushroom
-like species of the same name in the Mario series
, created by Shigeru Miyamoto
. A citizen of the Mushroom Kingdom, Toad is one of Princess Peach
's most loyal attendants and is constantly working on her behalf. He is usually seen as a non-player character
(NPC) who provides assistance to Mario and his friends in most games, but there are times when Toad takes center stage and appears as a protagonist
, as seen in Super Mario Bros. 2
and Wario's Woods
.
Toad's original role as a helper has been increasingly taken over by Toadsworth, causing Toad to appear less frequently than he once had in the main series. However, recently in New Super Mario Bros. Wii
, two Toads (Yellow and Blue) were featured as playable characters along with Mario and Luigi.
While Toad is actually an individual, there is also in an entire species of the same name based on him named as the Toads or Mushroom People (much like Yoshi
and his species). The majority of Toads have white mushroom caps with red spots and look completely identical to him; however, there have been Toads with caps of different colors (e.g. Toadbert
).
where the species was revealed to comprise the majority of the population of the Mushroom Kingdom. Toad's design was made directly from the power up, the Super Mushroom as well as the game's general association with mushrooms. Shigeru Miyamoto
, the creator of the Mario series, reasons that Toad's creation was that of being a character that has a simplistic design; yet, still appears cute and lovely and pleases to everybody. In the game, the peaceful Toads of the Mushroom Kingdom had been turned into various objects such as bricks and pipes by the evil King Bowser; however, some of Princess Toadstool
's loyal servants, known as the "Mushroom Retainers" were simply kidnapped.
During the development of New Super Mario Bros. Wii
, the developers at Nintendo decided between four characters to be playable in the game: Princess Peach, Toad, Wario
and Waluigi
(all suggestions made by fans). Two Toads (Yellow and Blue) were eventually included as playable characters in New Super Mario Bros. Wii
due to their physical similarity to Mario
and Luigi
.
. Sometimes, Toad appears with a red vest, though he is most often seen with his blue vest.
In the Mario cartoons, Toad has on occasion removed his mushroom cap, revealing three strands of hair; however, the games have never confirmed or refuted this. Toad appears as a mix between a mushroom
and a rather small human. However, Toad can grow to about a normal human's height if he consumes a Super Mushroom, as seen in Super Mario Bros. 2
and New Super Mario Bros. Wii
.
At most times, Toad is portrayed as a rather cowardly character, but the fact that he actually knows about his cowardice makes him one of the more innocent and humbler characters in the series. Despite his fears, Toad is usually one of the few people that tries his best to support Mario
when he is on his adventures, from providing items to actually adventuring alongside with the hero on his quest. Despite the fact that Toad is usually seen as a cheerful character, he can get extremely distressed when a major event occurs, such as the kidnapping of the Princess
. He has been mentioned to being a hard working Toad with a strong loyalty to his Princess and friends.
, he has a combination of being the strongest and fastest character in the game with 5 out of 5 stars each. However, he has horrible jumping ability (rated at 2 out of 5 stars). In Wario's Woods
, Toad has the unique ability to run up walls and give strong kicks as well. Toad is once again given superhuman strength in the game, as he was able to lift and throw enemies around; however, these abilities have not been seen since this game. In New Super Mario Bros. Wii
, Toad shares many of the moves and abilities that Mario
and Luigi
are able to use such as the ground pound and wall jumping as represented by the Yellow and Blue Toads. He has access to Mario's Power ups, but unlike the other games Toad has starred in, this game gives him all round stats (such as average/balanced jumps instead of weak ones) similar to the Mario Bros. His signature ability to pick up, carry and throw large items (such as barrels) and other characters via his superhuman strength also returns in New Super Mario Bros. Wii.
In the Super Smash Bros. series, Toad is shown to emit spores like real mushrooms whenever he is attacked as shown when Peach uses her standard special move. However, this has never been actually seen in the main Mario series games. However, Toad does exhibit this technique in Mario Sports Mix
where he is capable of using the spores to cause mushrooms to sprout from the ground (additionally, his special move is also based on this skill). He is also capable of using his emitted spores as a shield against various attacks in this game.
where he plays a minimal role in the game. He appears at the end of every fourth stage as one of the Mushroom Retainers (Toads who serve the princess) once Mario
or Luigi
defeats Bowser, rewarding the heroes with the famous message: "Thank you Mario! But our princess is in another castle!" (Toad maintained this role in the Japanese Super Mario Bros. 2
). In the American Super Mario Bros. 2
, he was given a bigger role, and was one of the four playable characters. Out of the four characters, Toad was the strongest as well as the fastest, but had the worst jumping ability out of the group. In Super Mario Bros. 3
, Toad appears in the Toad houses where he provides items and extra lives for Mario to take on his journey. Toad, however, is the main protagonist of Wario's Woods
, where he is trying to prevent Wario
from taking over the woods. Eventually with the help of a fairy named Wanda and Birdo
for support, Toad fights Wario and in the end he saves the woods from the clutches of the evil antagonist, restoring peace to the area.
The 3D Mario games introduced Toad's role as a helper who would provide assistance to Mario if he needed it, thus making him one of Mario's major allies. In Super Mario 64
, Toad explains the backstory to Mario, as well as telling him what he has to do to proceed in the game. In its remake Super Mario 64 DS
, Toad appears with the same role; however, he is given character-specific remarks (such as mistaking Luigi for Mario in green clothes or thinking that Wario
would betray the rest of the group). In Luigi's Mansion
, Toad appears in various parts of the mansion as a save point. Different colored Toads appear in Super Mario Sunshine
as Peach's attendants. In Super Mario Galaxy
, Toads appear at the beginning of the game as some of the citizens of Toad Town. Later on, a group of Toads appear as the Toad Brigade (with Toad being the captain of the brigade), who attempt to help Mario or Luigi to retrieve the Power Stars. Toad himself also appears in the intro of the game where he is holding hands with Toadette as the two look at the night sky. Toad makes a reappearance in the sequel, Super Mario Galaxy 2
once again as the trying, but cowardly captain of the Toad Brigade. Like in the first game, he and his brigade would attempt to help Mario retrieve the Power Stars in order to save Princess Peach. In New Super Mario Bros. Wii
there are two playable Toads, one blue and one yellow. The Blue Toad has an appearance very similar to that of Toad in Super Mario Bros. 2 and even shares the same voices as Toad in New Super Mario Bros. Wii (the yellow toad has a higher pitched voice). Despite the Blue Toad's color difference, however, it should be noted that in most Mario games Toad's signature color is a standard blue as Mario occupies the red color. There are also Toads strewn throughout different levels that Mario must bring to the finish to save and there are also mini-game levels which are hosted by Toads in the Toad houses.
Throughout the Mario RPG series, Toad is featured as more of a minor character due to the large amounts of generic toads which appear in the games who seem to replace his role as a helper. Regardless, in the times he does appear, Toad is once again a minor character who just gives backstory to Mario and the others. In Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars
, Toad appears as a major NPC character who teaches Mario about the different skills to use in battles in the beginning as the duo heads to the Mushroom Kingdom (though Toad had to be saved by Mario along the way as he got kidnapped frequently by enemies). Toad appears more throughout the game, for example as part of Mario's nightmare. Toad appears as a playable character in Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga
for a short time when the player is exploring around Mario and Luigi's house. In Super Princess Peach
, Toad is kidnapped earlier in the game along with Mario and Luigi by the Hammer Bros.. However, Toad appears as a playable character in two of the minigames in the game. Toad appears in Super Paper Mario
in three aspects of the game. He appears in the intro, telling Mario and Luigi that Princess Peach has been kidnapped, and later appears in the Arcade mini-game Mansion Patrol. Additionally, Toad is one of the 256 Catch Cards in the game. In Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story, a mysterious infection
called "The Blorbs" causes the Toads to inflate to many times their normal size and roll around uncontrollably.
series that he is most well known for, as he is one of the main characters for the series. Toad is usually featured as a lightweight driver with good acceleration to compensate for his speed. His own partner Toadette was created in Mario Kart Double Dash and together they shared the special item, the Super Mushroom which allowed them to take multiple boosts for a short while. The item reappears in later Mario Kart games, but is renamed the Golden Mushroom. He appears in his own tournament for Mario Kart Wii
, where the player goes through Mushroom Gorge backwards using Toad as their character. He appears in every Mario Party game, however it is only from Mario Party 5
and on that he is playable (excluding Mario Party Advance
) as he was a host for the earlier games in the series. Toad appears in the various Mario sports games. In Mario Superstar Baseball
, Toad appears as a team member whose chemistry refers to his background; for example, he has good chemistry with Princess Peach
and Toadette but bad chemistry with Wario. Toad also appears in the sequel, Super Mario Sluggers, again as a team member along with other differently colored toads. He also appears as a team member with good techniques in Mario Strikers and he also appears in its sequel Mario Strikers Charged
with the same role. His sidekick role is retained in Dance Dance Revolution: Mario Mix
, where he accompanies either Mario
or Luigi
to help get back the musical keys from the villains of the game. Mini Toads (toy versions of Toad) are included as playable characters throughout the Mario vs. Donkey Kong series, starting from Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis
. Mini Toads make a returning appearance the in 2010 release of Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Mini-Land Mayhem! as playable characters who assist Mario on his journey to rescue his friend Pauline from the clutches of Donkey Kong.
In Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games
he is a referee along with Cream the Rabbit, a Lakitu, and other Mario and Sonic characters. In its sequel, Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games
, Toad appears in the adventure mode and as well as a host. He appears in Super Smash Bros. Melee
and Super Smash Bros. Brawl
as a sticker, trophy, and a counter-attack for Princess Peach.
In Kirby Super Star
and Kirby Super Star Ultra, Toad appears as an audience member in the Megaton Punch minigame along with Mario, Luigi, and Birdo. He also appears in Dedede Stadium along with Mario, Luigi, Wario, and Peach. Toad appears as a main protagonist in the Game & Watch masterpieces in the Game & Watch Gallery series
as well. Toad appears as one of the eleven Mario series characters that are playable in the Japan only game, Itadaki Street DS which was developed by Square-Enix. Toad had also appeared as a playable character in the Japanese sattellaview game Mario Excite Bike. Toad makes a playable appearance in the Nintendo Wii game Mario Sports Mix
, and is classified as a speedy character in this game.
in 1989. Although he usually tagged along with Mario and Luigi in cases where King Koopa had kidnapped Princess Peach, he sometimes got captured as well. Toad's role in the show was to be the sidekick to the Mario Bros. (as Luigi was a major character rather than a sidekick). He remained on the show when it spun off into The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3, allowing them to live in his house. During the show he got alternate forms such as The Toad Warrior, Fire Toad and even Baby Toad; however, these forms of Toad have not made an appearance outside of the show. Due to his absence in the Super Mario World
game, Toad did not make an appearance in the Super Mario World Show with Yoshi
and Oogtar (the latter having the same voice actor as Toad) instead taking his place. Toad appeared in the Super Mario Bros. comic books
published by Valiant
as well. In these comics, Toad often followed Mario on his adventures, seemingly replacing Luigi as the hero's sidekick. He was a regular companion for King Toadstool, and even indulged in the King's activities. Played by Mojo Nixon
, Toad appeared as a street musician in the non-canon Super Mario Bros. film
. In the film, Toad is arrested for singing a song that badmouths Koopa, who punishes him by having him turned into a Goomba
. Despite this, the Goomba-fied Toad (portrayed by John Fifer) still manages to help Princess Daisy escape and distract the other Goombas by playing his harmonica
.
Toad had appeared in the Robot Chicken
sketch called "Due to Constraints of Time and Budget". In the sketch, Toad appears as the getaway driver for a group of robbers following a bank heist and had outrun the cops using his own kart from the Mario Kart series
, however he was sent over a cliff after a blue shell was activated. Black Pear Tree
, an EP
by The Mountain Goats
and Kaki King
, features a song titled "Thank You Mario But Our Princess is in Another Castle," sung from the perspective of Toad.
Toad appeared in the Annoying Orange
Episode Annoying Super Mario and Daneboe's My Roommate Mario episode "Super Mario Wee".
Toad appears in much of the Mario merchandise in products ranging from toys to plushies and keychains. Toad is featured in Nintendo
's board games such as being on the protagonist side in the Mario themed chess set, as well as being a purchasable character in the Nintendo-themed monopoly
game. In Animal Crossing: City Folk, Toad's hat is available after getting 3000 points in Tom Nook's Point Tracking system. The American Club Nintendo website currently offers a special reward featuring Toad and some other major Mario characters in a folder set reward named as the "Toad & Friends Set with Bookmarks". GameDaily
listed the "neglected guy" on its list of top 25 video game archetypes, listing Toad as an example. The quote repeated by the Toads in Super Mario Bros., "Thank you Mario! But our Princess is in another castle!", was ranked one of the most repeated video game quotes.
Toad ranked in the seventh slot on Game Daily's top 10 Nintendo characters that deserve their own games list; the site explained that he has a strong appeal that Nintendo has yet to tap into. Toad is listed as number 2 in the most neglected Mario Bros. characters list as he has been described by the site to have been ignored by Nintendo for quite a while due to his lack of starring roles in the more recent games. In an Oricon
poll from 2008, Toad was voted as the eighth most popular video game character in Japan. IGN
editor Matt Casamassina
criticized Nintendo for including the two generic Toads over more notable characters (including Toad himself) in the Mario series for New Super Mario Bros. Wii
, arguing that the developers were being lazy to not include other characters because the Toads were easier to make. IGN also listed Toad as one of the top 10 characters needing a spin-off. Toad has also been credited for being one of the celebrated characters in the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Super Mario Bros. games. UGO.com listed Toad on their list of "The Cutest Video Game Characters" stating "Once you get over his misleading name, you’ll find Toad to be quite the adorable mushroom."
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
belonging to an anthropomorphic
Anthropomorphism
Anthropomorphism is any attribution of human characteristics to animals, non-living things, phenomena, material states, objects or abstract concepts, such as organizations, governments, spirits or deities. The term was coined in the mid 1700s...
mushroom
Mushroom
A mushroom is the fleshy, spore-bearing fruiting body of a fungus, typically produced above ground on soil or on its food source. The standard for the name "mushroom" is the cultivated white button mushroom, Agaricus bisporus; hence the word "mushroom" is most often applied to those fungi that...
-like species of the same name in the Mario series
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...
, created by Shigeru Miyamoto
Shigeru Miyamoto
is a Japanese video game designer and producer. Miyamoto was born and raised in Kyoto Prefecture; the natural surroundings of Kyoto inspired much of Miyamoto's later work....
. A citizen of the Mushroom Kingdom, Toad is one of 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...
's most loyal attendants and is constantly working on her behalf. He is usually seen as a non-player character
Non-player character
A non-player character , sometimes known as a non-person character or non-playable character, in a game is any fictional character not controlled by a player. In electronic games, this usually means a character controlled by the computer through artificial intelligence...
(NPC) who provides assistance to Mario and his friends in most games, but there are times when Toad takes center stage and appears as a protagonist
Protagonist
A protagonist is the main character of a literary, theatrical, cinematic, or musical narrative, around whom the events of the narrative's plot revolve and with whom the audience is intended to most identify...
, as seen in 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 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...
.
Toad's original role as a helper has been increasingly taken over by Toadsworth, causing Toad to appear less frequently than he once had in the main series. However, recently in New Super Mario Bros. Wii
New Super Mario Bros. Wii
is a 2009 side-scrolling platform video game published and developed by Nintendo for the Wii video game console. The game was released on November 12, 2009 in Australia, November 15, 2009 in North America, November 20, 2009 in Europe and December 3, 2009 in Japan...
, two Toads (Yellow and Blue) were featured as playable characters along with Mario and Luigi.
While Toad is actually an individual, there is also in an entire species of the same name based on him named as the Toads or Mushroom People (much like 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...
and his species). The majority of Toads have white mushroom caps with red spots and look completely identical to him; however, there have been Toads with caps of different colors (e.g. Toadbert
Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time
Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time, known in Japan as , is a role-playing game developed by AlphaDream and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo DS handheld game console in 2005. It is the second game in the Mario and Luigi RPG series, and is the sequel to Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga for the Game...
).
Concept and creation
Toad and the Toad species were first seen in the game Super Mario Bros.Super Mario Bros.
is a 1985 platform video game developed by Nintendo, published for the Nintendo Entertainment System as a sequel to the 1983 game Mario Bros. In Super Mario Bros., the player controls Mario as he travels through the Mushroom Kingdom in order to rescue Princess Toadstool from the antagonist...
where the species was revealed to comprise the majority of the population of the Mushroom Kingdom. Toad's design was made directly from the power up, the Super Mushroom as well as the game's general association with mushrooms. Shigeru Miyamoto
Shigeru Miyamoto
is a Japanese video game designer and producer. Miyamoto was born and raised in Kyoto Prefecture; the natural surroundings of Kyoto inspired much of Miyamoto's later work....
, the creator of the Mario series, reasons that Toad's creation was that of being a character that has a simplistic design; yet, still appears cute and lovely and pleases to everybody. In the game, the peaceful Toads of the Mushroom Kingdom had been turned into various objects such as bricks and pipes by the evil King Bowser; however, some of Princess Toadstool
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...
's loyal servants, known as the "Mushroom Retainers" were simply kidnapped.
During the development of New Super Mario Bros. Wii
New Super Mario Bros. Wii
is a 2009 side-scrolling platform video game published and developed by Nintendo for the Wii video game console. The game was released on November 12, 2009 in Australia, November 15, 2009 in North America, November 20, 2009 in Europe and December 3, 2009 in Japan...
, the developers at Nintendo decided between four characters to be playable in the game: Princess Peach, Toad, Wario
Wario
is a fictional character in Nintendo's Mario series. The character was designed as another antagonist to Mario , and first appeared in the 1992 Game Boy title Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins as the main antagonist and final boss...
and Waluigi
Waluigi
is a fictional character in the Mario series of video games. He accompanies Wario in spin-offs from the main Mario series, oftentimes for the sake of causing mischief...
(all suggestions made by fans). Two Toads (Yellow and Blue) were eventually included as playable characters in New Super Mario Bros. Wii
New Super Mario Bros. Wii
is a 2009 side-scrolling platform video game published and developed by Nintendo for the Wii video game console. The game was released on November 12, 2009 in Australia, November 15, 2009 in North America, November 20, 2009 in Europe and December 3, 2009 in Japan...
due to their physical similarity to Mario
Mario
is a fictional character in his video game series, created by Japanese video game designer Shigeru Miyamoto. Serving as Nintendo's mascot and the main protagonist of the series, Mario has appeared in over 200 video games since his creation...
and Luigi
Luigi
is a fictional character, featured in video games and related media released by Nintendo. Created by prominent game designer Shigeru Miyamoto, Luigi is portrayed as the slightly younger fraternal twin brother of Nintendo's mascot Mario, and appears in many games throughout the Mario series,...
.
Characteristics
Toad bears a similar appearance to the rest of his species with his large mushroom head and clothes. He is very small in size, and has no legs visible, with just his shoes showing. Unlike other Toads, he features five red polka dots on his mushroom head and wears a blue waistcoat; however, his coloration will change if he gets a fire flower, as his cap's colors will be reversed while his clothes turn red. A yellow outline was added to his vest in the recent Mario games starting from Super Mario SunshineSuper Mario Sunshine
is a platforming video game developed by Nintendo Entertainment Analysis and Development and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo GameCube. It was released in Japan in July 2002, in North America in August 2002, and in Europe and Australia in October 2002...
. Sometimes, Toad appears with a red vest, though he is most often seen with his blue vest.
In the Mario cartoons, Toad has on occasion removed his mushroom cap, revealing three strands of hair; however, the games have never confirmed or refuted this. Toad appears as a mix between a mushroom
Mushroom
A mushroom is the fleshy, spore-bearing fruiting body of a fungus, typically produced above ground on soil or on its food source. The standard for the name "mushroom" is the cultivated white button mushroom, Agaricus bisporus; hence the word "mushroom" is most often applied to those fungi that...
and a rather small human. However, Toad can grow to about a normal human's height if he consumes a Super Mushroom, as seen in 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 New Super Mario Bros. Wii
New Super Mario Bros. Wii
is a 2009 side-scrolling platform video game published and developed by Nintendo for the Wii video game console. The game was released on November 12, 2009 in Australia, November 15, 2009 in North America, November 20, 2009 in Europe and December 3, 2009 in Japan...
.
At most times, Toad is portrayed as a rather cowardly character, but the fact that he actually knows about his cowardice makes him one of the more innocent and humbler characters in the series. Despite his fears, Toad is usually one of the few people that tries his best to support Mario
Mario
is a fictional character in his video game series, created by Japanese video game designer Shigeru Miyamoto. Serving as Nintendo's mascot and the main protagonist of the series, Mario has appeared in over 200 video games since his creation...
when he is on his adventures, from providing items to actually adventuring alongside with the hero on his quest. Despite the fact that Toad is usually seen as a cheerful character, he can get extremely distressed when a major event occurs, such as the kidnapping of the Princess
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...
. He has been mentioned to being a hard working Toad with a strong loyalty to his Princess and friends.
Abilities
Through the various games that Toad is playable in, he has been shown with different unique abilities that differ from the other characters in the series. 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...
, he has a combination of being the strongest and fastest character in the game with 5 out of 5 stars each. However, he has horrible jumping ability (rated at 2 out of 5 stars). In 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...
, Toad has the unique ability to run up walls and give strong kicks as well. Toad is once again given superhuman strength in the game, as he was able to lift and throw enemies around; however, these abilities have not been seen since this game. In New Super Mario Bros. Wii
New Super Mario Bros. Wii
is a 2009 side-scrolling platform video game published and developed by Nintendo for the Wii video game console. The game was released on November 12, 2009 in Australia, November 15, 2009 in North America, November 20, 2009 in Europe and December 3, 2009 in Japan...
, Toad shares many of the moves and abilities that Mario
Mario
is a fictional character in his video game series, created by Japanese video game designer Shigeru Miyamoto. Serving as Nintendo's mascot and the main protagonist of the series, Mario has appeared in over 200 video games since his creation...
and Luigi
Luigi
is a fictional character, featured in video games and related media released by Nintendo. Created by prominent game designer Shigeru Miyamoto, Luigi is portrayed as the slightly younger fraternal twin brother of Nintendo's mascot Mario, and appears in many games throughout the Mario series,...
are able to use such as the ground pound and wall jumping as represented by the Yellow and Blue Toads. He has access to Mario's Power ups, but unlike the other games Toad has starred in, this game gives him all round stats (such as average/balanced jumps instead of weak ones) similar to the Mario Bros. His signature ability to pick up, carry and throw large items (such as barrels) and other characters via his superhuman strength also returns in New Super Mario Bros. Wii.
In the Super Smash Bros. series, Toad is shown to emit spores like real mushrooms whenever he is attacked as shown when Peach uses her standard special move. However, this has never been actually seen in the main Mario series games. However, Toad does exhibit this technique in Mario Sports Mix
Mario Sports Mix
is a sports video game developed by Square Enix for Wii. It was released on November 25, 2010 in Japan, and was released in early 2011 in other regions. It features volleyball, both field hockey and ice hockey, dodgeball, and street basketball...
where he is capable of using the spores to cause mushrooms to sprout from the ground (additionally, his special move is also based on this skill). He is also capable of using his emitted spores as a shield against various attacks in this game.
Appearances
Toad made his debut appearance in Super Mario Bros.Super Mario Bros.
is a 1985 platform video game developed by Nintendo, published for the Nintendo Entertainment System as a sequel to the 1983 game Mario Bros. In Super Mario Bros., the player controls Mario as he travels through the Mushroom Kingdom in order to rescue Princess Toadstool from the antagonist...
where he plays a minimal role in the game. He appears at the end of every fourth stage as one of the Mushroom Retainers (Toads who serve the princess) once Mario
Mario
is a fictional character in his video game series, created by Japanese video game designer Shigeru Miyamoto. Serving as Nintendo's mascot and the main protagonist of the series, Mario has appeared in over 200 video games since his creation...
or Luigi
Luigi
is a fictional character, featured in video games and related media released by Nintendo. Created by prominent game designer Shigeru Miyamoto, Luigi is portrayed as the slightly younger fraternal twin brother of Nintendo's mascot Mario, and appears in many games throughout the Mario series,...
defeats Bowser, rewarding the heroes with the famous message: "Thank you Mario! But our princess is in another castle!" (Toad maintained this role in the Japanese Super Mario Bros. 2
Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels
, also known as Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels, is a platforming video game developed and published by Nintendo for the Family Computer Disk System...
). In the American 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...
, he was given a bigger role, and was one of the four playable characters. Out of the four characters, Toad was the strongest as well as the fastest, but had the worst jumping ability out of the group. In Super Mario Bros. 3
Super Mario Bros. 3
, also referred to as Super Mario 3 and SMB3, is a platform video game developed and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Entertainment System , and is the third game in the Super Mario series. The game was released in Japan in 1988, in the United States in 1990, and in Europe in 1991...
, Toad appears in the Toad houses where he provides items and extra lives for Mario to take on his journey. Toad, however, is the main protagonist of 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...
, where he is trying to prevent Wario
Wario
is a fictional character in Nintendo's Mario series. The character was designed as another antagonist to Mario , and first appeared in the 1992 Game Boy title Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins as the main antagonist and final boss...
from taking over the woods. Eventually with the help of a fairy named Wanda and Birdo
Birdo
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...
for support, Toad fights Wario and in the end he saves the woods from the clutches of the evil antagonist, restoring peace to the area.
The 3D Mario games introduced Toad's role as a helper who would provide assistance to Mario if he needed it, thus making him one of Mario's major allies. In Super Mario 64
Super Mario 64
is a platform game, published by Nintendo and developed by its EAD division, for the Nintendo 64. Along with Pilotwings 64, it was one of the launch titles for the console. It was released in Japan on June 23, 1996, and later in North America, Europe, and Australia. Super Mario 64 has sold over...
, Toad explains the backstory to Mario, as well as telling him what he has to do to proceed in the game. In its remake Super Mario 64 DS
Super Mario 64 DS
is an enhanced remake of the 1996 Nintendo 64, platform game Super Mario 64, produced by Nintendo for the Nintendo DS handheld game console. The game was a launch title for the Nintendo DS, released in North America and Japan in 2004; it was later released in Europe and Australia in 2005.Nintendo...
, Toad appears with the same role; however, he is given character-specific remarks (such as mistaking Luigi for Mario in green clothes or thinking that Wario
Wario
is a fictional character in Nintendo's Mario series. The character was designed as another antagonist to Mario , and first appeared in the 1992 Game Boy title Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins as the main antagonist and final boss...
would betray the rest of the group). In Luigi's Mansion
Luigi's Mansion
Luigi's Mansion, known as in Japan, is an action-adventure game published by Nintendo for the Nintendo GameCube. It was released in Japan on September 14, 2001, in North America on November 18, 2001, and in Europe on May 3, 2002. The game was a launch title for the GameCube...
, Toad appears in various parts of the mansion as a save point. Different colored Toads appear in Super Mario Sunshine
Super Mario Sunshine
is a platforming video game developed by Nintendo Entertainment Analysis and Development and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo GameCube. It was released in Japan in July 2002, in North America in August 2002, and in Europe and Australia in October 2002...
as Peach's attendants. In Super Mario Galaxy
Super Mario Galaxy
is a 3D platform game developed by Nintendo EAD Tokyo and published by Nintendo for the Wii. It was released in most regions in November 2007, and is the third 3D original platformer in the Mario series, after Super Mario 64 and Super Mario Sunshine. The game follows the protagonist, Mario, on a...
, Toads appear at the beginning of the game as some of the citizens of Toad Town. Later on, a group of Toads appear as the Toad Brigade (with Toad being the captain of the brigade), who attempt to help Mario or Luigi to retrieve the Power Stars. Toad himself also appears in the intro of the game where he is holding hands with Toadette as the two look at the night sky. Toad makes a reappearance in the sequel, Super Mario Galaxy 2
Super Mario Galaxy 2
is a platforming video game developed by Nintendo EAD and published by Nintendo for the Wii. It was first announced at E3 2009 and is the sequel to Super Mario Galaxy. It was released in North America on May 23, 2010, in Japan on May 27, 2010, in Europe on June 11, 2010, and in Australia on July 1,...
once again as the trying, but cowardly captain of the Toad Brigade. Like in the first game, he and his brigade would attempt to help Mario retrieve the Power Stars in order to save Princess Peach. In New Super Mario Bros. Wii
New Super Mario Bros. Wii
is a 2009 side-scrolling platform video game published and developed by Nintendo for the Wii video game console. The game was released on November 12, 2009 in Australia, November 15, 2009 in North America, November 20, 2009 in Europe and December 3, 2009 in Japan...
there are two playable Toads, one blue and one yellow. The Blue Toad has an appearance very similar to that of Toad in Super Mario Bros. 2 and even shares the same voices as Toad in New Super Mario Bros. Wii (the yellow toad has a higher pitched voice). Despite the Blue Toad's color difference, however, it should be noted that in most Mario games Toad's signature color is a standard blue as Mario occupies the red color. There are also Toads strewn throughout different levels that Mario must bring to the finish to save and there are also mini-game levels which are hosted by Toads in the Toad houses.
Throughout the Mario RPG series, Toad is featured as more of a minor character due to the large amounts of generic toads which appear in the games who seem to replace his role as a helper. Regardless, in the times he does appear, Toad is once again a minor character who just gives backstory to Mario and the others. In 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,...
, Toad appears as a major NPC character who teaches Mario about the different skills to use in battles in the beginning as the duo heads to the Mushroom Kingdom (though Toad had to be saved by Mario along the way as he got kidnapped frequently by enemies). Toad appears more throughout the game, for example as part of Mario's nightmare. Toad appears as a playable character in 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...
for a short time when the player is exploring around Mario and Luigi's house. In Super Princess Peach
Super Princess Peach
is a platform video game published by Nintendo for the Nintendo DS handheld game console. It was released in Japan in October 2005, the United States in February 2006, Australia in March 2006, and Europe in May 2006....
, Toad is kidnapped earlier in the game along with Mario and Luigi by the Hammer Bros.. However, Toad appears as a playable character in two of the minigames in the game. Toad appears in Super Paper Mario
Super Paper Mario
is a platform style console role-playing game developed by Intelligent Systems and published by Nintendo. Originally developed for the Nintendo GameCube, it was released for the Wii in 2007. The style of gameplay is a combination of the previous Paper Mario titles and Super Mario Bros. titles...
in three aspects of the game. He appears in the intro, telling Mario and Luigi that Princess Peach has been kidnapped, and later appears in the Arcade mini-game Mansion Patrol. Additionally, Toad is one of the 256 Catch Cards in the game. In Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story, a mysterious infection
Infection
An infection is the colonization of a host organism by parasite species. Infecting parasites seek to use the host's resources to reproduce, often resulting in disease...
called "The Blorbs" causes the Toads to inflate to many times their normal size and roll around uncontrollably.
Other appearances
Toad has appeared in many of the various Mario spin-off games; however, it is the Mario KartMario 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 that he is most well known for, as he is one of the main characters for the series. Toad is usually featured as a lightweight driver with good acceleration to compensate for his speed. His own partner Toadette was created in Mario Kart Double Dash and together they shared the special item, the Super Mushroom which allowed them to take multiple boosts for a short while. The item reappears in later Mario Kart games, but is renamed the Golden Mushroom. He appears in his own tournament for 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...
, where the player goes through Mushroom Gorge backwards using Toad as their character. He appears in every Mario Party game, however it is only from Mario Party 5
Mario Party 5
is a party video game published by Nintendo and developed by Hudson Soft. It is the second game in the Mario Party series for Nintendo Gamecube. It was released in North America on November 10, 2003, in Japan on November 23, 2003, and in Europe on December 5, 2003...
and on that he is playable (excluding Mario Party Advance
Mario Party Advance
Mario Party Advance had generally mixed reviews. While the game contains a large number of minigames and unlockables, reviewers decried the game's tendency to punish players based on random chance, rebuked the game for lack of innovation in the minigames, and expressed concerns about the game's...
) as he was a host for the earlier games in the series. Toad appears in the various Mario sports games. In 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...
, Toad appears as a team member whose chemistry refers to his background; for example, he has good chemistry with 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...
and Toadette but bad chemistry with Wario. Toad also appears in the sequel, Super Mario Sluggers, again as a team member along with other differently colored toads. He also appears as a team member with good techniques in Mario Strikers and he also appears in its sequel Mario Strikers Charged
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...
with the same role. His sidekick role is retained in Dance Dance Revolution: Mario Mix
Dance Dance Revolution: Mario Mix
Dance Dance Revolution Mario Mix, known as Dancing Stage Mario Mix in Europe and Dance Dance Revolution with Mario in Japan, is a 2005 music video game by Nintendo and Konami for the Nintendo GameCube, and is the first Dance Dance Revolution game to be released on a Nintendo console outside of Japan...
, where he accompanies either Mario
Mario
is a fictional character in his video game series, created by Japanese video game designer Shigeru Miyamoto. Serving as Nintendo's mascot and the main protagonist of the series, Mario has appeared in over 200 video games since his creation...
or Luigi
Luigi
is a fictional character, featured in video games and related media released by Nintendo. Created by prominent game designer Shigeru Miyamoto, Luigi is portrayed as the slightly younger fraternal twin brother of Nintendo's mascot Mario, and appears in many games throughout the Mario series,...
to help get back the musical keys from the villains of the game. Mini Toads (toy versions of Toad) are included as playable characters throughout the Mario vs. Donkey Kong series, starting from Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis
Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis
Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis is the sequel to the Game Boy Advance game Mario vs. Donkey Kong, a follow up to the Game Boy Donkey Kong game, though it is more puzzle-oriented, now that the player controls several Mini Marios with the touch screen instead of Mario himself...
. Mini Toads make a returning appearance the in 2010 release of Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Mini-Land Mayhem! as playable characters who assist Mario on his journey to rescue his friend Pauline from the clutches of Donkey Kong.
In Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games
Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games
Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games, known in Japan as , is a sports video game developed by the Sega Sports R&D Department of Sega Japan. It was published by Nintendo for Japan and by Sega for North America, Europe and all other regions. The game is officially licensed by the International Olympic...
he is a referee along with Cream the Rabbit, a Lakitu, and other Mario and Sonic characters. In its sequel, Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games
Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games
is a 2009 sports video game developed by Sega. It was published by Nintendo for Japan and by Sega for North America and Europe. The game is officially licensed by the International Olympic Committee through exclusive license International Sports Multimedia...
, Toad appears in the adventure mode and as well as a host. He appears in 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...
as a sticker, trophy, and a counter-attack for Princess Peach.
In Kirby Super Star
Kirby Super Star
Kirby Super Star, known as Kirby's Fun Pak in Europe and as in Japan, is a 1996 platforming video game developed by HAL Laboratory and published by Nintendo for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System video game console. It was first released in Japan on March 21, 1996, in North America on...
and Kirby Super Star Ultra, Toad appears as an audience member in the Megaton Punch minigame along with Mario, Luigi, and Birdo. He also appears in Dedede Stadium along with Mario, Luigi, Wario, and Peach. Toad appears as a main protagonist in the Game & Watch masterpieces in the Game & Watch Gallery series
Game & Watch Gallery series
The Game & Watch Gallery series, known in Japan and Australia as the series, is a series of compilations of some of Nintendo's original Game & Watch titles in two styles: original and remade with characters from the Super Mario Bros. series....
as well. Toad appears as one of the eleven Mario series characters that are playable in the Japan only game, Itadaki Street DS which was developed by Square-Enix. Toad had also appeared as a playable character in the Japanese sattellaview game Mario Excite Bike. Toad makes a playable appearance in the Nintendo Wii game Mario Sports Mix
Mario Sports Mix
is a sports video game developed by Square Enix for Wii. It was released on November 25, 2010 in Japan, and was released in early 2011 in other regions. It features volleyball, both field hockey and ice hockey, dodgeball, and street basketball...
, and is classified as a speedy character in this game.
Appearances in other media
Toad appeared in the animated series 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...
in 1989. Although he usually tagged along with Mario and Luigi in cases where King Koopa had kidnapped Princess Peach, he sometimes got captured as well. Toad's role in the show was to be the sidekick to the Mario Bros. (as Luigi was a major character rather than a sidekick). He remained on the show when it spun off into The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3, allowing them to live in his house. During the show he got alternate forms such as The Toad Warrior, Fire Toad and even Baby Toad; however, these forms of Toad have not made an appearance outside of the show. Due to his absence in the Super Mario World
Super Mario World
, subtitled Super Mario Bros. 4 for its original Japanese release, is a platform video game developed and published by Nintendo as a pack-in launch title for the Super Famicom/Super Nintendo Entertainment System , and is the fourth game in the Super Mario series...
game, Toad did not make an appearance in the Super Mario World Show with 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...
and Oogtar (the latter having the same voice actor as Toad) instead taking his place. Toad appeared in the Super Mario Bros. comic books
Nintendo Comics System
The Nintendo Comics System was a series of comic books published by Valiant Comics in 1990 and 1991. It was part of a licensing deal with Nintendo, featuring characters from their video games and the cartoons based on them.- The comics :...
published by Valiant
Valiant Comics
Valiant Comics is a comic book imprint published by various publishers since its inception with Voyager Communications, Inc. in 1989, later Acclaim Comics, Inc. Its assets were purchased from the bankruptcy of the Acclaim Entertaintment by Valiant Entertainment, Inc. in 2007.-Voyager...
as well. In these comics, Toad often followed Mario on his adventures, seemingly replacing Luigi as the hero's sidekick. He was a regular companion for King Toadstool, and even indulged in the King's activities. Played by Mojo Nixon
Mojo Nixon
Mojo Nixon is an American musician, known for playing psychobilly music...
, Toad appeared as a street musician in the non-canon Super Mario Bros. film
Super Mario Bros. (film)
Super Mario Bros. is a 1993 American action film directed by Rocky Morton and Annabel Jankel. Based on the Super Mario Bros.video game and its entire franchise, the film features Bob Hoskins, John Leguizamo, Dennis Hopper and Samantha Mathis. It tells the story of the Mario brothers, Mario and...
. In the film, Toad is arrested for singing a song that badmouths Koopa, who punishes him by having him turned into a Goomba
Goomba
Goombas, known in Japan as , are fictional species from Nintendo's series of Mario video games. They first appeared in the NES video game Super Mario Bros. as the first enemy players encounter. They have appeared outside of video games, including in film, television, and other media...
. Despite this, the Goomba-fied Toad (portrayed by John Fifer) still manages to help Princess Daisy escape and distract the other Goombas by playing his harmonica
Harmonica
The harmonica, also called harp, French harp, blues harp, and mouth organ, is a free reed wind instrument used primarily in blues and American folk music, jazz, country, and rock and roll. It is played by blowing air into it or drawing air out by placing lips over individual holes or multiple holes...
.
Toad had appeared in the Robot Chicken
Robot Chicken
Robot Chicken is an American stop motion animated television series created and executive produced by Seth Green and Matthew Senreich along with co-head writers Douglas Goldstein and Tom Root. Green provides many voices for the show...
sketch called "Due to Constraints of Time and Budget". In the sketch, Toad appears as the getaway driver for a group of robbers following a bank heist and had outrun the cops using his own kart from the Mario Kart series
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...
, however he was sent over a cliff after a blue shell was activated. Black Pear Tree
Black Pear Tree EP
Black Pear Tree is an EP by The Mountain Goats and Kaki King, released in 2008 as a vinyl only and tour only EP. Track 6's title is a reference to Super Mario Bros.-Track listing:#"Black Pear Tree" – 3:46#"Mosquito Repellent" – 2:49...
, an EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
by The Mountain Goats
The Mountain Goats
The Mountain Goats is an American indie rock band formed in Claremont, CA by singer-songwriter John Darnielle. For many years, the sole member of the Mountain Goats was Darnielle himself, despite the plural moniker....
and Kaki King
Kaki King
Kaki King is an American guitarist and composer. King is known for her percussive and jazz-tinged melodies, energetic live shows, use of multiple tunings on acoustic and lap steel guitar, and her diverse range in different genres.In February 2006, Rolling Stone released a list of "The New Guitar...
, features a song titled "Thank You Mario But Our Princess is in Another Castle," sung from the perspective of Toad.
Toad appeared in the Annoying Orange
Annoying Orange
The Annoying Orange is a comedy web series created by Dane Boedigheimer. The first episode of the series was uploaded on October 9, 2009. The first few episodes were uploaded to Boedigheimer's YouTube channel under the name Daneboe, each getting more than ten million views...
Episode Annoying Super Mario and Daneboe's My Roommate Mario episode "Super Mario Wee".
Promotion and reception
Since his debut in Super Mario Bros., Toad has been met with mainly positive reception. As a character who appears frequently in the series, Toad is considered to be one of the major Mario series characters.Toad appears in much of the Mario merchandise in products ranging from toys to plushies and keychains. Toad is featured in Nintendo
Nintendo
is a multinational corporation located in Kyoto, Japan. Founded on September 23, 1889 by Fusajiro Yamauchi, it produced handmade hanafuda cards. By 1963, the company had tried several small niche businesses, such as a cab company and a love hotel....
's board games such as being on the protagonist side in the Mario themed chess set, as well as being a purchasable character in the Nintendo-themed monopoly
Monopoly (game)
Marvin Gardens, the leading yellow property on the board shown, is actually a misspelling of the original location name, Marven Gardens. The misspelling was said to be introduced by Charles Todd and passed on when his home-made Monopoly board was copied by Charles Darrow and thence to Parker...
game. In Animal Crossing: City Folk, Toad's hat is available after getting 3000 points in Tom Nook's Point Tracking system. The American Club Nintendo website currently offers a special reward featuring Toad and some other major Mario characters in a folder set reward named as the "Toad & Friends Set with Bookmarks". 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 the "neglected guy" on its list of top 25 video game archetypes, listing Toad as an example. The quote repeated by the Toads in Super Mario Bros., "Thank you Mario! But our Princess is in another castle!", was ranked one of the most repeated video game quotes.
Toad ranked in the seventh slot on Game Daily's top 10 Nintendo characters that deserve their own games list; the site explained that he has a strong appeal that Nintendo has yet to tap into. Toad is listed as number 2 in the most neglected Mario Bros. characters list as he has been described by the site to have been ignored by Nintendo for quite a while due to his lack of starring roles in the more recent games. In an Oricon
Oricon
, established in 1999, is the holding company at the head of a Japanese corporate group that supplies statistics and information on music and the music industry in Japan. It started as , which was founded by Sōkō Koike in November 1967 and became known for its music charts. Oricon Inc...
poll from 2008, Toad was voted as the eighth most popular video game character in Japan. 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 Matt Casamassina
Matt Casamassina
Matt Casamassina is a video game journalist who worked for IGN until April 23, 2010. In his time at the site, he was the author of many reviews and previews of Nintendo games. He resides in Los Angeles, California, is married and has two daughters, Zoe and Fiona Jade, and a son named Rocco Archer...
criticized Nintendo for including the two generic Toads over more notable characters (including Toad himself) in the Mario series for New Super Mario Bros. Wii
New Super Mario Bros. Wii
is a 2009 side-scrolling platform video game published and developed by Nintendo for the Wii video game console. The game was released on November 12, 2009 in Australia, November 15, 2009 in North America, November 20, 2009 in Europe and December 3, 2009 in Japan...
, arguing that the developers were being lazy to not include other characters because the Toads were easier to make. IGN also listed Toad as one of the top 10 characters needing a spin-off. Toad has also been credited for being one of the celebrated characters in the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Super Mario Bros. games. UGO.com listed Toad on their list of "The Cutest Video Game Characters" stating "Once you get over his misleading name, you’ll find Toad to be quite the adorable mushroom."