Top 10 Best Video Game Characters of All Time

Think back to those characters who made your heart race during epic battles, the ones who made you laugh with their witty one-liners, or perhaps the silent protagonists who let their actions speak louder than words.

From mustachioed plumbers hopping across mushroom kingdoms to armored warriors saving galaxies, each of the great video game characters brings a unique flavor to the gaming world.

The Top Ten

Mario (Super Mario)

Mario, originally named Jumpman, is the main character of the Super Mario Bros. franchise and was created by Nintendo of Japan's game designer Shigeru Miyamoto. Mario appears in nearly every game in the series, including many spin-off titles, with a few exceptions such as New Super Luigi U, the Luigi's... read more

As much as I am still a Sonic fan, I love Mario, too. His personality is what I really love about Mario. He's real cheerful with his "Woo-Hoo's" or "Let's-a-go's"! What's not to love about this iconic plumber?

People don't like him because he's not cool. Those people are dumb. Mario is much more creative than their Master Chief and whatever.
He's an Italian guy with a stylish mustache who breaks blocks with his fist in mid-air, eats mushrooms to grow, but dies when touching a turtle, and saves a princess from a spiky fire-breathing turtle who surrounded his castle with lava even though he dies when he touches lava. Other characters are just buff guys with huge guns and scars with tragic backstories.
Sonic (Sonic the Hedgehog)

Sonic the Hedgehog is the title character and protagonist of the video game series of the same name released by SEGA. He has since appeared in numerous spin-off comics, several television shows, an animated OVA, and a live-action movie trilogy. Known for his incredible speed and signature blue color... read more

As a true Sonic fan, I absolutely love almost any Sonic game and any Sonic show (except for Boom and Underground). Sonic is awesome and one of the best video game mascots I ever grew up with. And he is my first video game exclusive mascot I grew up with since the SEGA Pico. Go, Sonic!

Mario may have saved the video game industry, and to that, I applaud him, because without him there would be no Sonic the Hedgehog. Sonic burst onto the scene in 1991 with Sonic the Hedgehog for the SEGA Genesis and hasn't quite left yet.
In his early years, he was popular around the globe for his speedy platforming, something most games couldn't provide at the time. While his venture into 3D hasn't gone as smoothly as he would have liked, his legacy lives on. With the arrival of Sonic Colors and Generations, as well as Sonic 4, people are starting to realize that the Blue Blur is finally back!
Kirby (Kirby)

Kirby is a fictional character and the protagonist of the Kirby series of video games, owned by Nintendo and developed by HAL Laboratory. His first appearance was in Kirby's Dream Land, released in 1992 for the Game Boy. The pink, spherical hero is known for his ability to inhale enemies and copy their... read more

I absolutely adore Kirby. With his cute looks and unique powers, this puffball is one of the most powerful and cute video game characters of all time. Although he is stubborn, you can't blame him. He's a kid.
Kirby did both good and bad things in the Kirby series: he killed off Nova, defeated guardians of pieces of artifacts containing evil entities that he later also destroyed, destroyed countless planets, and killed innocent civilians. However, he also defeated beings like Dark Nebula, Dark Matter, Nightmare Wizard, Marx, and Magolor. But his motives are... questionable. He does it all for pieces of cake and a nap.
That's the only reason Kirby is not my favorite video game character.
Luigi (Super Mario)

Luigi is a major character in video games and related media produced by Nintendo. He was originally introduced as a green-colored palette swap of Mario and is portrayed as Mario's younger, taller fraternal twin brother.
Created by legendary game designer Shigeru Miyamoto, Luigi appears in many... read more

Best character to live. He's such a good brother. He has a heart of gold and is lovable to the very end. Heck, he's even the best ghost wrangler out there.
His kindness is unmeasurable. Daisy found the right man. He deserved the Year of Luigi (I was so happy that year). Luigi is not in Mario's shadow. He is so generous as well. Mario could use more kindness.
Luigi gets a hot-air balloon for Mario and Peach and how does Mario thank him? He gets in and leaves Luigi by himself. So mean! This guy should be number 1 by far.

Luigi might play second fiddle in almost every Mario game, but this quirky plumber still manages to differentiate himself from his brother.
While Mario is your run-of-the-mill protagonist, Luigi has a ton more personality and character development. Luigi is a little cowardly, but that only makes him more likable and relatable to players. He's funny and especially kind and loyal to his friends. He's an underdog that every player ends up rooting for.
Yoshi (Super Mario)

Yoshi, once romanized as Yossy, is a fictional anthropomorphic dinosaur featured in video games published by Nintendo. He often appears as a sidekick and helper to Mario, playing key roles in many of Nintendo's most popular titles. Yoshi is especially well known for his appearances in the Yoshi's Island... read more

Yoshi is not just the best video game character. He is just the best character from anything! He has the likable personality of Mario and Luigi. He is the cutest video game character, and he is the coolest.
He saves crying babies and islands every day. He also is relatable because he likes to eat like everybody. He isn't afraid to have a different body size, and he doesn't follow any anorexic fads.

Yoshi is my favorite Nintendo character. Yoshis are really cute, and they can fly and eat stuff to help you. Baby Yoshis can do a bunch of awesome stuff too.
My cousins and I used to often fight about who gets the Yoshi if there is only one, or who gets the pink Yoshi. Yoshi is an awesome character and, like I said before, my favorite character in Nintendo.
Master Chief (Halo)

Master Chief Petty Officer John-117, better known as Master Chief, is a SPARTAN-II commando of the UNSC Naval Special Warfare Command. He is the main protagonist of the Halo video game series. Master Chief is featured prominently in both the original trilogy and the Reclaimer Saga.

Uncompromising, heroic, epic. His flaws are his struggle with his own humanity. You can feel it through a simple nod of this helmeted demigod of a man. He is the true definition of a hero.
Some might call him the closest thing to Hercules that has ever taken the body of a man. Others might call him Jesus with a gun. Mario and Sonic are laughable next to this guy. And Link has no real character of his own, no personality, no "that's so Link" moments.
So play with your fairies, eat mushrooms, wear catsuits, hang out with two-tailed creatures while spinning to battle against cheesy bosses. The Chief is going to be saving the universe from genocidal aliens, parasitic zombies, ancient transcendent beings, and he'll do it all himself if necessary. So yeah, hail to the Chief.
Link (Legend of Zelda)

Link refers to several different incarnations of the same protagonist in Nintendo's The Legend of Zelda series. Each incarnation of Link is typically chosen by the gods to protect the land of Hyrule from evil forces, often wielding the Master Sword and bearing the Triforce of Courage. His main goal is... read more

Why is Link this low? That is absolutely outrageous. He's only number 9, barely even in the top 10. Come on, he's Link. He should definitely be in the top 3, if not number 2.
We can compare him to other characters. Mario, an Italian plumber, wears blue overalls and a red hat with a white M on it. Sonic, a literal hedgehog, can only run fast. Kirby, a little pink guy with a high-pitched voice. Come on, seriously? Compared to a brave knight of Hyrule, wielding the Triforce of Courage, who saves Hyrule time and again from Ganon, he has the legendary Master Sword and Hylian Shield. Meanwhile, Mario jumps on top of his enemies' heads.

How dare you rank Link under 10! Mario is a fat plumber who battles turtles, while Link is a Hylian who fights things that will absolutely murder you. Consider Deadhand vs. Baby Bowser. Deadhand is just creepy, while Baby Bowser is a little kid! Link would beat Mario too.
Oh, and also, Link saves Zelda, who in Breath of the Wild is holding back Ganon. Peach is helpless by comparison. Mario normally just jumps on Koopa heads, while Link actually uses a sword to cut down enemies. I'm not saying he should be number one. I just think he should be in the top ten.
Bowser (Super Mario)

Bowser is the main antagonist of the Mario Bros. franchise. From kidnapping Princess Peach to disrupting games in the Mario Party spinoff series, this king of the Koopas has become a recurring enemy in the series. He first appeared in the 1985 video game Super Mario Bros., in which he kidnapped Princess... read more

I don't like the Mario series, but I do think he is an awesome villain because his entire being is basically two halves of the same coin. If I saw his design without knowing anything about the franchise, I'd say he is a powerful and merciless embodiment of all evil that exists in the world and torments you in the most painful ways possible if you dare to doubt or laugh at him.
But for the most part, he is nothing more than a comical villain, isn't much more of a threat than the Team Rocket trio, yet he is also badass enough to not only survive being thrown into lava, but also come back as an awesome skeleturtle. He rocks!

Everybody loves a good villain, and there isn't a more recognizable one in gaming than the Koopa King himself. Nintendo originally created him as the final obstacle to jump over to rescue the princess, but Bowser's character has become much more interesting in the decades since then.
In the Mario RPGs, he is often comical. In Super Mario Sunshine, we see him having a heartfelt moment with his son. And in Super Mario Odyssey, he reminds you why he's Nintendo's biggest baddie.
Pikachu (Pokemon)

Pikachu (Japanese: ピカチュウ) is a species of Pokémon that appears in video games, animated television shows and movies, trading card games, and comic books licensed by The Pokémon Company. It is the mascot of the Pokémon franchise and is widely considered the most iconic Pokémon. Pikachu is well known for... read more

I don't understand why you wouldn't choose Pikachu. It is obviously the most known (besides Mario and Luigi) game character on the list. Personally, I hate all the other characters on the list, so I choose this guy.
Still, he is very popular and has won so many challenges with Ash Ketchum (spoilers if you don't know) and has gone through so much with him. I thought Pikachu would at least be top 5, but you people had to ruin it and choose someone else (unless you chose Pikachu like I did, laugh out loud).

I voted for Yoshi for personal reasons, but Pikachu is the most well-known mascot from all video games.
When you think of Nintendo, one of two characters comes to mind: Mario and/or Pikachu. He is also Ash's companion in the anime, making him that much more lovable.
Shadow the Hedgehog (Sonic the Hedgehog)

Shadow the Hedgehog is a character in the Sonic the Hedgehog video game series released by Sega. He is an artificially created black and red hedgehog with hover shoes that enable him to move at extreme speeds, rivaling those of Sonic.... read more

My favorite video game character, he brings darkness and edginess to the table, something no other Sonic character could. As for the game, it's underrated. I think people expected too much from the game.
They mostly hated it because it was different from most Sonic games. But if you think about it, it actually shows what anti-heroes are about. Sometimes they pick good, sometimes they pick bad, sometimes they are neutral, but no matter what, they almost always fight for something if it means they get what they want.
Shadow the Hedgehog is better than people think. The game was completely underrated. Shadow for life.

The Newcomers

?
Peppino Spaghetti (Pizza Tower)

Honestly, Peppino seems like a fun character. I don't know much about him, but he reminds me of myself, being the nervous wreck that he is.
?
Mr. Grizz (Splatoon)

One of my favorite villains. He also hosts one of the best modes in the game, Salmon Run.

The Contenders

Solid Snake (Metal Gear)

Solid Snake is a fictional character and one of the main protagonists in the Metal Gear video game series created by Hideo Kojima. He is a legendary soldier cloned from Big Boss's DNA, tasked with infiltrating and destroying Metal Gear weapons to prevent global warfare. The character is widely recognized... read more

Solid Snake is the epitome of what all gaming protagonists should be based upon. He's as flawed as he is witty, a soldier who believes in right over wrong. I've never been more engrossed in gaming dialogue than when Otacon rings you up for small talk or just for advice when you get your rear handed to you in a boss fight.
Snake has demons too, and it's subtly displayed in those dialogue moments with the game's NPCs. I even wish Kojima had brought him back for The Phantom Pain.

I was going to vote for Cloud, but Solid Snake is one bad SOB. Snake is a total badass. He is tough, courageous, charismatic, and sacrifices so much to save the world.
I don't understand how people are voting for such vague and shallow characters like Master Chief, Mario, and Link. I love Legend of Zelda games more than Metal Gear, but Link is a mute. Solid Snake has a lot of character depth, so he is the definite winner in my eyes.
Samus Aran (Metroid)

Samus Aran is the protagonist of the science fiction action-adventure video game series Metroid, developed by Nintendo. She is a galactic bounty hunter who typically wears the Power Suit, a piece of advanced armor that provides her with enhanced abilities and access to a variety of weapons. Samus made... read more

She's like Master Chief, except that she extinguished two breeds of dangerous predators, she blew up an entire planet, and she was able to sneak into the mothership of the space pirates only with a paralyzer (without her armor). She's just so cool.
She decided not to give a damn about the Space Federation sending reinforcements and to blow up the whole place she was in because there was a major threat inside. She was about to sacrifice herself.

Samus is really cool and intelligent. She has a super fast gunship and has really good items, such as her suit, which has an arm cannon. Before anyone screams at me saying Samus is a boy, then open your eyes, folks, because Samus is really a girl.
She is one of my favorite Super Smash Bros characters. She is also the best female character in Smash or what Nintendo has to offer.
Ezio Auditore (Assassin's Creed)

Ezio Auditore da Firenze is a fictional character in the video game series Assassin's Creed. He first appeared in Assassin's Creed II (2009) and became one of the series' most iconic protagonists. His story arc spans three games and numerous appearances in other media within the franchise.

Ezio's story is more interesting than any of these characters in the top ten. Mario's story is about fighting a giant turtle on steroids. Link's is about saving a princess, which is cliché. Sonic's is about running or something? Master Chief's story is really good, but it still can't compare to the depth and emotion of Ezio's. I don't even know what Solid Snake is, and Lara Croft is just known for being the girl in Tomb Raider.
The thing that sets Ezio apart from these other characters is the pain that he feels throughout his journey. His emotions in Florence when he witnesses his father and two brothers being hanged are unmatched by other characters. Then the transformation from a cunning teenager to a master Assassin is one that I'll personally never forget.
Ezio Auditore da Firenze is, without a shadow of a doubt, the greatest video game character in video game history.
Princess Peach (Super Mario)

Princess Peach is a major character in the Mario Bros. franchise. She is the lead female character in the series. She is usually the character who needs to be rescued in most Mario games, but she has also appeared as a playable character in main-series Mario games, including Super Mario 3D World, Super... read more

Peach is a great character. She has a cute design and is a really good character in Super Smash Bros. I love using her in Mario Kart 8 and in Mario Party. She also plays a crucial role in Mario.
Peach haters can shove it because Peach is a good character. They're all just salty because their friend got to Peach in Smash before they could, and then beat their asses. Boom.

Peach gets way too much hate. She's made to be kidnapped, guys. That's her purpose in the franchise. Also, she's made to show girls that they can be heroes too. Mario was my childhood and still is, so I'm not afraid to say I'm a Peach fan. Please stop hating for no reason, like the voice - because you know there's a volume button.
John Marston (Red Dead)

John Marston is a central character and the main protagonist of Red Dead Redemption and its expansion, Undead Nightmare. He is portrayed by actor Rob Wiethoff. Marston is a former outlaw seeking redemption and a new life for his family in the American frontier.

He did bad things. He tried to right his wrongs. All that motivates him in the whole game is his family.
As John says it himself to Bonnie, "No one gets forgiven, and nothing's ever forgotten." No matter what he did, the consequences of his bad deeds caught up with him, and he suffered for them. I won't spoil the game, but in the end, he finally gets redeemed. Karma is finally enacted. He pays for his wrongdoing, and his sins are finally absolved, but at a heavy price.
After all, redemption always comes at a heavy price. This brings a whole new light to the name "Red Dead Redemption." Blessed are the peacemakers, Mr. Marston.
Miles "Tails" Prower (Sonic the Hedgehog)

Miles Prower, more commonly known by his nickname Tails, is a fictional character in Sega's Sonic the Hedgehog series. He is a significant main character after Sonic, who is also his best friend. Tails is a two-tailed fox who can use his tails to fly and is known for his skills in mechanics and aviation... read more

Tails is Sonic's sidekick and should really be higher on this list. For starters, Tails is one of the only characters who can catch up to Sonic, unless Sega brings back Mephiles or makes a new character. But Tails should at least be higher than Luigi.
This dude should get his own game where he saves Sonic and at least brings back Super Tails.

Sonic wouldn't be alive if it wasn't for Tails. Also, Tails can actually get a girlfriend, unlike Sonic and Mario. Watch Sonic X if you don't know what I am talking about.
Tails also has had some of his own games. What do you think of that, Mr. Resetti? Tails for Smash! Okay, I'm done.
Pac-Man (Pac-Man)

Pac-Man is the main character of the video game franchise created by Namco. He made his debut in the Japanese arcade game Pac-Man on May 22, 1980. The game was later released in the United States in October of the same year and became a cultural phenomenon.

Pac-Man is obviously the best video game character of all time. Almost everyone knows about Pac-Man, and many of us grew up with this simple character who was just a little yellow dot that kept on beating and getting beaten by ghosts. His design is so simple and yet so amazing. Although he has grown to wear gloves and some shoes, he is still that simple yellow dot that we loved as a child.
To be honest, I think Mario and Zelda are a bit overrated. They are both about princes saving princesses and being held back by evil villains. Pac-Man was before Mario and Zelda and still has a more original plot than them. He doesn't need a green plumber or a shiny fairy to tell him what to do. Also, he is taking on four villains that can all kill him in one shot.
While Mario has unreal jumping abilities, Sonic can run really fast, and Pikachu can literally shoot lightning, Pac-Man is stuck in a maze with ghosts chasing him. The only way he can get out is by eating. Instead of saving a princess or catching them all, Pac-Man's goal is to stay away from the ghosts as long as possible, until the code devours him up. This simple and somewhat sad story is way better than the saving someone cliché. He is independent, and you've got to feel for the guy. Running away from four murderers until he dies.
The controls play a big part in this, too. Anyone can play Pac-Man with its simple left, right, up, down controls. With almost any other game, the controls need to be understood fully to have a good gaming experience.
In conclusion, Pac-Man is an individual, brave guy with a better backstory than Mario and Zelda and should be number 1 on this list.
Arthur Morgan (Red Dead)

Arthur Morgan is the central character and main protagonist of Red Dead Redemption 2. He is portrayed by Roger Clark. Arthur is a senior member of the Van der Linde gang and plays a critical role in the game's storyline, which is set in the late 19th-century American frontier.

He is THE greatest video game character of all time. He just is. Once you discover him, you'll love him forever. There's no going back. His redemption arc is awesome. No other characters are full of life like him. He has a sense of humor and pretty much every feeling a human has. He's not just a monotone and serious character like all other characters from action and shooting games, like Niko Bellic. Every RDR2 player remembers his quotes in his iconic voice.

Best character in video game history. Nintendo characters don't hold a candle to Arthur Morgan. He has more personality and charisma than all of them combined! Don't get me wrong, playing a Mario game is fun, but I never feel anything toward the characters, unlike in more complex games like Red Dead Redemption 2, where the game does a great job of making the player care for every character in the game.
Meta Knight (Kirby)

Meta Knight is a fictional character from the Kirby series of video games created by Nintendo and HAL Laboratory. He is often portrayed as one of Kirby's rivals, although he sometimes allies with Kirby to battle common enemies.... read more

I had a full-on obsession with this character about a year ago. I've started playing the Meta Knightmare minigame on Super Star Ultra again a few days ago, and the obsession is returning.

I like how he trained Kirby to become a better warrior. He's determined to become the strongest warrior in the galaxy, to the point where he faced Galacta Knight multiple times. His fights are cool, and he's badass.
When he fights Kirby, he always gives Kirby a sword to make it a fair fight, except in Squeak Squad, where his respect for Kirby was lowered by the fact that Kirby does all this just for a cake. In Revenge of Meta Knight, the only reason he wanted to rule over Dream Land is because he finds the citizens to be lazy. Taking that into account, it explains why he respects Kirby. It's because Kirby puts in so much effort to save the world and is not as lazy as others. I find Meta Knight overall very interesting.
Steve (Minecraft)

Think about it. He has it so right.
What the hell is wrong with you? It's thanks to Minecraft Steve that we even have skins at all.
The Minecraft fanbase is not bad. It's much better than other games. The songs are beautiful, scary, and legendary. Steve is more powerful than even Asura. Yes, the true Steve, with or without Creative Mode, is extremely strong. He can be overpowered by Creative Mode or by enchanting diamond armor and a sword. Okay, in a fight between Mario and Steve, Steve would easily win, even against Star-Mario, by using just a lava bucket. And in a fight between Asura? No, you have it wrong. The easiest way for Steve to win is to destroy the universe they are in. Did you know that Steve can do that? He's not bad. He's cute, cool, strong, awesome, and Steve is almost a god.
Kratos (God of War)

Kratos is a fictional character and the main protagonist and anti-hero of the God of War video game series. He is a demi-god who seeks vengeance on Ares and later the Olympian gods after being deceived into killing his own family. In later entries of the series, Kratos enters the realm of Norse mythology... read more

Kratos is always angry, basically bad, and practically unstoppable. He rescues oracles, undead Pandora, and those who would rather die, which Mario can't compare to.
He's smart, solving every puzzle and trial in Pandora's, Helios's, and the Fates' temples. Even Aphrodite was eager to take him in, rage, gore, and all. Don't tell me you never wished you were the one being made to swing those flaming blades by another bloodthirsty human who wouldn't ease up on the square button.

Man, Kratos should be on top. Yeah, maybe he slaughtered his own family with his hand, but then he repaid it by killing Ares.
After that, he was the one who got betrayed by the Gods of Olympus. I mean, he should be at the top because he does many badass things like killing hydras and slaughtering gods. You know what I mean, right?
Spyro (Spyro)

Spyro is a series of platform video games that primarily features Spyro the Dragon and his companion Sparx the Dragonfly. The series debuted in 1998 on the PlayStation console. It has since expanded to include remakes and sequels across multiple gaming platforms.

Spyro is a classic character and a rare form of hero because he's not an anthropomorphic animal, but an animal nonetheless. He's a super awesome character by himself, and even though you can't really play as many other characters in his games, why would you want to? He's brilliant, witty, and is just way too adorable to handle. And yet he pulls off being totally rad. Cool beans.

Spyro the Dragon is probably one of, if not the greatest, video game characters of his generation. I literally grew up on Spyro, and I believe he is one of the best. The plotlines of most of his games were so well-written, and the games themselves were just amazing.
Except for Enter the Dragonfly. Don't talk about Enter the Dragonfly!
Donkey Kong (Donkey Kong)

Donkey Kong is an arcade game released by Nintendo in 1981. It is an early example of the platform game genre, as the gameplay focuses on maneuvering the main character across a series of platforms while dodging and jumping over obstacles. The game marked the debut of both Donkey Kong and Mario (originally... read more

Donkey Kong will always be a part of my childhood. I've grown up with him for years, and so have my dad and uncle.
Donkey Kong is a strong, cool ape. He's actually quite deadly and badass, to be honest.

No way in hell this guy should be ranked lower than Waluigi.

Well, DK is a great character, but isn't it kind of strange that he's a Mario character, yet in his own series, it doesn't feel like a Mario game? (Well, except for the old arcade ones.)
Sans (Undertale)

Sans, or Sans the Skeleton, is a character in the 2015 RPG Undertale, created by Toby Fox. He is a lazy, pun-loving skeleton who serves as a supporting protagonist in the "Pacifist" and "Neutral" routes of the game, and a heroic antagonist and final boss in the "Genocide" route. Sans is known for his... read more

Oh boy, if you know me, you know that I love Undertale. However, at the time I'm doing this comment, I didn't really talk about this game. But now here I am, and this is my first comment related to Undertale.
At the moment I make this comment, Sans is considered on TheTopTens to be the most overrated video game character of all time. Even though I understand why people find him overrated because of all the memes, I think being THE most overrated character is exaggerated. Unlike characters, like Mario or Link, who are popular only because they are the protagonists of very good games, Sans became extremely popular because he is a very good character. After all, Undertale doesn't have a mascot, so yeah. And while I like having different opinions than others to make very good discussions, I have to agree that Sans is very good. I would even go as far as saying he is my second favorite Undertale character and my third favorite video game character.
So why do I love Sans? First off, he is very funny. I love when he makes bad puns, trolls you with his powers, or just acts super lazy. Second, I like that the reason he helps you out in this game is because of a promise he made to a girl next to a big door that he made knock-knock jokes with, which is Toriel, by the way. However, after killing everyone in the genocide route, he decides that you went too far and that he should teach you a lesson. And that lesson is by giving you one of the most intense battles in video game history.... read more
Waluigi (Super Mario)

Waluigi is a tall, self-centered, and rough-around-the-edges character who is often portrayed as Luigi's rival. He frequently causes chaos in various Mario spinoff games, usually paired with Wario. While he acts antagonistically, Waluigi is not truly evil and often shows loyalty and affection, especially... read more

If you've watched any of my Mario character remixes, you know the song. From what we've seen, Wario's personality is exactly the same. He hasn't done anything interesting to be unique. At least I love his design.
I agree that placing him in a game where he could shine, like what they did for Bowser Jr in Bowser Jr's Journey, could make him amazing. Nintendo, please make a new Wario Land with Waluigi as a second player or as an alternate character with different abilities, like in Super Mario 64 DS or The Lost Levels.

He's my third favorite video game character, after Mario and Daisy. I was really upset when I found out he wasn't in SSBU as a playable character, but I later found out he was a pretty good Assist Trophy. He's also an amazing character in Mario Kart as well.