Because of the vast library of Mario spinoffs, as well as the universe being featured in Smash Bros., there are many, many opportunities to play as Mario and his friends in a wide variety of games. The amount of characters to choose from can vary, from a smaller selection in most Mario Party games, to the huge roster of Mario Super Sluggers, but staple characters like the Mario brothers themselves, Princesses Peach and Daisy, Yoshi and Toad can be selected in dozens of games.

These games pose a choice. Is there one Mario character that you call your favorite that you choose anytime you are given the choice? Are you so loyal to this beloved individual that you look past how they play in a specific game and go to war with them no matter what? Or do you view the characters as mercenaries, to take to battle when it suits you and then cast aside when they are no longer useful to you?

I have no loyalty. I play as Bowser in Mario Kart, because when I first started playing Mario Kart 64, I liked that I could bully people and relieve them of their balloons without even needing an item. But Bowser's slow and unwieldy nature makes me steer clear from him in Smash Bros. and Mario Tennis. In fact, I generally ignore the Mario characters in general in Smash Bros. In Mario Tennis, I roll with Birdo in the original, but in the Gamecube version I was unimpressed with her skills and went with the hated Bowser Jr. instead. The only game where I really go with my heart and pick my favorite character is Mario Party, where each character is exactly the same. There, I usually pick the lovable Toad if he is available.

My brother is on the other side of the coin. He always picks Luigi. Always. Luckily for him, Luigi is a pretty solid character in most games so it works out pretty well for him.

Are you like me or like my brother? Who do you use in different games and why? If you have one character, what is it about them that you like so much?

Image courtesy of MachRiderz

I dunno. Luigi, I guess. But I'm not tied to him. In 3D World I'd switch between everyone.

Koopa if possible. If not I cycle through Luigi, Boo, and Yoshi.

No, I'm not loyal to any of the Mario characters. I was quite fond of driving as Dry Bones in Mario Kart, but that was mostly because of how he handled.

Good question. In general, I like being Koopa Troopa and/or Paratroopa, Rosalina (Galaxy represent!) and unsung heroes Daisy and Waluigi (WAAAAAA).

More specifically, though, it does vary by game. I like the Koopalings in MK8 (right now, especially Larry), I like Peach in SSBM, I like Wario in SSBB.

It's a pretty varied cast and it's kind of tough to pick a permanent fave.

Daisy is my cup of tea, so positive and motivated, I'll pick her when I can (although she has been ditched in MK8 for the heavier Rosalina, "Winner!".)

I've put the hours in with all of the characters though.

I have characters I favor (Rosalina, Waluigi, Daisy, Mario, Wario) but I don't stick with one. I prefer to sample, because that's more fun.

I generally don't like playing with generic creatures like Koopa, Shy Guy, Yoshi, et al.

For the platformer games where there is a choice of characters, I am always loyal to Mario. I always feel like that's how it was meant to be done, it just feels right.

For Mario Kart and others, certainly no loyalty to any specific character. I'm very much in the same boat as @kriswright on this one, it's fun to sample but I also don't usually like playing as the generic characters either.

I'd fight a giant fire breathing turtle dragon for:

I always use Yoshi in Mario Kart, but otherwise not really.

For the main series, I will always want to play as Luigi when available, otherwise I pick Rosalina.

Probably Toad.

I also liked having DK as a CPU in Mario Party. He was such an asshole. Why did they take him out?? Doesn't feel like Mario Party without DK in the gang.

@TheBigG753 Yeah but Mario is usually the "well rounded" character which makes him sort of... boring. And in games like Smash and Mario 2, straight up inferior.

Loyal? They're fictional characters, ha ha. My fave would be Toad, but I like variety so I choose from a wide array of characters. I don't usually pick by stats and just choose one who seems fun at the time. The one I choose the least would be Mario, only because he's the only option in most Mario platformers (or the only option in single player) so I use him enough from that.

Jargon said:

In Mario Tennis, I roll with Birdo in the original, but in the GameCube version I was unimpressed with her skills and went with the hated Bowser Jr. instead.

Birdo is not a playable character in the GameCube Mario Tennis, which is probably the reason you went with a different character.

@Zero

Well, for Smash Bros. (NOT a platformer! ) I am certainly not loyal to Mario. I don't find him boring at all in the platforming games, though (I guess it helps that the games themselves aren't boring)

The "mains", yes.

I always wanna play as Mario in 3D World and usually in MK8 as well. For the latter I switch it up, but nothing gives me more joy than destroying with my main man Mario.

After that I'm extremely partial to Luigi, Yoshi, Toad, Bowser, Shy Guy, Larry, and Koopa.

I have a soft spot for Luigi because I loved him in MK64 and also used him and Baby Bowser in Double Dash. But they made him a bit too much of a weirdo coward in later years. (what's with him sniffing his finger or whatever in his Smash poses?). I hate how he behaves in Smash. What's with all his weird as fuck mannerisms? He's cool again in MK8 though.

@carlosrox I agree, sometimes they make Luigi a bit too much of a coward. I didn't like his screechy voice in some of the games, like Mario Kart Wii for example. And yeah, Luigi was my best character in both Smash 64 and Melee, and I felt they ruined him in Brawl. What they did with him there didn't make sense to me.

Loyal to my King, Bowser. ...and Larry Koopa.

Princess Peach is so cool I love her!!

Mario of course!!!

I like Mario, 'cause he's balanced.

No, actually, I like Wario, because he's a big jerk. And Waluigi, because he's obnoxious.