There are few gaming characters that are as old as Mario.  Even fewer are the ones that are still as commercially viable today as they were back in the days of the Nintendo.  There is, without a doubt, something special about Mario.  He captures the imaginations of gamers and constantly gives overwhelmingly fun experiences that make even the most jaded gamer feel young at heart.  This can be contributed to the tight controls and gameplay, the imaginative level design, the quirky characters, and the villains of the Mario universe.  With the release of Super Mario Galaxy 2, the twelfth game in the main series, on the horizon, Mario will again bring all of these elements back.  In anticipation of this, we have decided to take a look back through his eleven previous games and highlight every single villain that he has come in contact with.  Each day will focus on the enemies premiered in each game and their legacy throughout the series.  That means every bad guy from the memorable Bowser to the often forgotten Gao.  Welcome to the Super Mario Dossier.

Super Mario Bros. 2 has a unique history.  It was the official sequel to Super Mario Bros. in the United States, but not in Japan.  Japan's Super Mario Bros. 2, known as The Lost Levels in the US, looked and played like the original game except that it was much harder, almost frustratingly so.  Players can see for themselves, as The Lost Levels are available to download on the Virtual Console.  The people in Nintendo's North American division felt that the game would be too hard for American gamers so they asked Nintendo to take Doki Doki Panic, another game developed by Shigeru Miyamoto, and skin it to put Mario inside.  The game, while different from the original in many ways, was still a success and when the Mario-skinned version of Doki Doki Panic came to Japan as Super Mario USA, some of the enemies were transferred to the main Mario canon.

The plot, such as there is one in Mario games, has Mario dreaming about a world in trouble with the inhabitants asking for his help, only saying that the enemy leader, Wart, hated vegetables.  Mario doesn't think much about it until, while on a picnic with Luigi, Princess Peach, and Toad, he discovers a cave with a long stairway and a door at the top.  Upon going through the door, Mario appears in the world of Subcon (Subconcious, get it?) and realizes the dream is true before setting out to defeat Wart.

Shy Guy

Out of all the characters to premier in Super Mario Bros. 2, Shy Guys are probably the most famous with the exception of one other character.  Much like the Goombas, Shy Guys are the basic enemies of Mario's second game.  They walk toward him, moving slowly enough that they are easily picked up and thrown.  Like other enemies, Shy Guys have to collide with another enemy in order to be killed.  Shy Guys have gone on to become a staple enemy of the Mario games though they have never again appeared in the main series.  Instead, they make most of their appearances in Yoshi's games, Mario sports games, and Mario's RPGs.  Like other popular enemies, Shy Guys have spawned variations though they're primarily outside the main series. 

Tweeter

Tweeters are bird-like creatures that lack the ability to actually fly.  They instead hop along the ground at varying levels though they are still easy to pick up and throw.  They have never made an appearance outside of Super Mario Bros. 2 though they were supposed to appear in Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island.  For some unknown reason, the Tweeters were removed, making it an unknown enemy outside of Super Mario Bros. 2.

Ninji

Ninjis are basically ninjas of the Mario universe.  They lack the tools of the trades though, preferring to run at Mario and jump at the last moment or jump in place to block his way.  Ninjis originally had a more menacing appearance with claws and sharp teeth.  Newer games depict them with a goofy expression and a lack of anything sharp though that look is mainly in the Paper Mario games as well as the Super Mario Advance remake of Mario 2.  Their only other appearance in the main series is in Super Mario World and even then it's only in the final level of Bowser's castle.  They hide in a darkened room, jumping in place.  Not the most threatening of enemies but certainly memorable to those who fought them. 

Hoopster

It's difficult to say whether Hoopsters are actual enemies or not.  These crosses between ladybugs and spiders spend most of their time crawling up and down vines.  They never actively try to hurt Mario but if he touches them the wrong way, he will take damage.  Hoopsters can either be ignored by going around them or jumping on their face and throwing them.  They have never appeared in later Mario games whether in the main series or in spinoffs.

Birdo

Birdo is the character gamers think of when they remember Super Mario Bros. 2.  The character is something of an oddity in that the original game's instruction book listed him(her?) as a male who liked to wear woman's clothing and preferred to be called Birdetta.  Birdo is also unique in that it is a single character as well as an entire species, much like Yoshi.  In Super Mario Bros. 2, three Birdos appeared.  The first fired eggs from its mouth at Mario, who had to jump on them and throw them back.  The second fired eggs and fireballs which made throwing the eggs back trickier.  The third only shot fireballs so mushroom blocks had to be thrown at it.  Birdo has never appeared in another primary Mario game though it is a regular in all of the spinoffs, from the sports games to the RPGs.  His(her?) most recent appearance was in the Skip developed, Japan-only game, Captain Rainbow, which further addressed the gender controversy.

Pidgit

Pidgit is most remembered for the magic carpet it rides than its abilities as an enemy.  It mainly stays in the air, dropping down only to ram Mario.  If Mario can time his jump right, he can throw Pidgit off the magic carpet and ride it himself.  After a short time, the magic carpet would disappear.  Pidgit has reappeared a few times throughout the years though mainly as cameos.  The only time it came back as an enemy is in Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time. 

Beezo

Beezos are a related enemy to Shy Guys.  They look much the same except they have insect wings and a pitchfork.  Beezos rarely appeared alone, instead preferring to cover the skies and constantly charge at Mario.  Sections like these had an infinite number of Beezos on the attack and the only way to get rid of them was to make it past their area.  Often the Beezos would cover the air while other enemies attack Mario from the ground, making these areas some of the trickiest in the game.  Beezos have only reappeared once, in Super Mario RPG where they were renamed Shy Aways. 

Phanto

One of the most hated and feared enemies of Super Mario Bros. 2, Phanto was absolutely relentless.  It always remained motionless until the key it was guarding was picked up.  At that point, Phanto would fly around Mario, always trying to kill him.  Players had to be quick and alert to stay out of his way as he would fly off-screen and appear elsewhere.  If Mario dropped the key, Phanto would leave him alone but that was only a temporary fix.  The key was always needed to get to the next section so when Mario picked it back up, Phanto would be on him again.  The only permanent way to get rid of Phanto was to use the key to unlock the door.  It has never appeared again which is both a shame and a relief.

Snifit

Another cousin to the Shy Guys, Snifits look much the same except they fire projectiles from their mouths.  Different Snifits had different strategies.  Some would chase after Mario, while others would jump in place constantly firing bullets.  The Snifits have proven popular enough to garner their own variations which fire different projectiles though they're only present in the Yoshi games and the Mario RPGs.  They haven't appeared in another main Mario game but the Megaleg from Mario Galaxy originally had the name Snifit Bot.

Trouter

Mario never swam in Super Mario Bros. 2 and falling in water meant instant death.  This meant that players didn't swim around Trouters but actually had to avoid them as they jumped from the water.  Oftentimes they were used as temporary platforms that had to be jumped across to reach another section of a level.  If Mario was hit by the side of one or stayed on a Trouter until it went underwater, he would die.  Though it wasn't a hard enemy, the sections involving Trouters were often some of the trickiest.  They haven't appeared in any Mario games since.

Spark

Sparks are near invincible enemies that can only be defeated by a properly timed mushroom block throw.  Otherwise players couldn't even touch them without being damaged.  They often circled floating platforms, making them more of an obstacle than anything else.  Sparks have rarely appeared in later games with the only instance being Mario Vs. Donkey Kong 2.  Interestingly, Super Mario Bros. 2 wasn't the Sparks' premier appearance.  Instead they were used by Mario to prevent Donkey Kong Jr. from rescuing his father in the second Donkey Kong game.  Ironic that they reappeared as an enemy of their original user.

Mouser

Mouser was one of the bosses of Super Mario Bros. 2.  He preferred throwing bombs at Mario and could only be defeated if they were thrown back at him.  He makes two appearances in the game.  The first time he throws a few bombs at a time and only takes a few hits to defeat.  The second he throws double the amount of bombs and has double the health.  Mouser never had much of a role after this game though an enemy known as Little Mouser would appear in Super Mario World 2.  Later games would rename them Squeeks, but the two are related as far as design. 

Cobrat

Cobrats mainly stayed confined to vases and would jump out in the same manner as Piranha Plants though they don't stay down if Mario is near.  They would also spit projectiles at Mario.  The Cobrats are easily thrown but if they don't collide with another enemy, they run along the ground in a similar manner to the Goombas.  Some Cobrats automatically jump out of the sand in desert areas and do this anyway.  They have never appeared in another Mario game though they are related to the boss, Tryclyde.

Panser

Pansers were some of the most annoying enemies in Super Mario Bros. 2.  Acting much the same as Piranha Plants, Pansers weren't confined to pipes.  Their main method of attack was shooting three fireballs into the air, making it difficult to jump over them.   Some would still stay in one place, making the time easier, but others would patrol an area or even give chase to Mario which made jumping over them much trickier.  The only way to take them out was to throw something at them.   While Pansers have never appeared in another Mario game, variations of them have been created for Super Mario Bros. 3 and Super Mario World.

Pokey

Of all the enemies in Super Mario Bros. 2, Pokey has made it into perhaps the most other Mario titles.  Its cactus appearance made it impossible to jump on so throwing enemies or vegetables at it to take out the five separate pieces of its body was the only way to defeat it.  Super Mario World kept Pokey mostly the same though it changed its color from green to yellow, which is now the standard.  Pokey has had a presence in every main Mario game with the exception of Super Mario Bros. 3.  In every appearance, it cannot be jumped on and must be taken out with power-ups or special strategies.  Pokey has also been featured in the Mario Kart, Mario Party, and Mario RPG series.

Tryclyde

Another boss character, Tryclyde was based off the Greek legend of the Hydra though Mario didn't attempt to cut off its head.  Instead, he had to avoid Tryclyde's constant fireballs while throwing mushroom blocks at it.  The mushroom blocks could also protect against the fireballs.  Tryclyde was not a difficult boss but it required good dodging capabilities and well-placed block throws as there was only limited ammunition.  Tryclyde has never again appeared in a Mario game.

Ostro

Ostros were more like cavalry then actual enemies.  Always ridden by Shy Guys, the Ostros would charge at Mario and force him to throw something or jump over the bird.  If the Shy Guy was dislodged, the Ostro would act like a bucking bronco and run and hop across a stage.  In this state, Mario could jump on top of it and ride it across treacherous terrain.  It could also be killed by thrown objects like every other enemy.

Porcupo

There's nothing too remarkable about Pocupo.  A porcupine like enemy, Mario had to either avoid it or throw something at it.  They often often covered the ground in tight areas but were mostly an uncommon enemy.  Sadly, the Porcupos lack much of a legacy.

Albatoss - http://media.giantbomb.com/uploads/1/17166/970855-albatoss_thumb.jpg
Albatosses are the last aerial enemy of Super Mario Bros. 2.  Albatosses rarely swooped down on Mario, instead preferring to drop Bob-ombs on him.  Sections of the game featured Albatosses constantly sending in more Bob-ombs which made getting through those sections troublesome.  However, if an Albatoss did fly low enough, Mario could jump on its back and ride it over levels.  This was actually a requirement to make it through a level.  Albatosses are the only non-boss enemy who cannot be picked up and thrown in the game.     

Bob-omb

Bob-ombs are iconic these days.  So iconic that many attribute their first appearance to Super Mario Bros. 3 where it has taken on many of its present features.  But the original appearance of the Bob-ombs was the second Mario game.  Bob-ombs were either dropped by the Albatosses or sometimes hidden in the ground like vegetables.  In both cases, they had to be rid of quickly as their explosions would do major damage.  Later Mario games would add timers to the Bob-ombs once they were jumped on and changed the look to the one gamers recognize today.  The only major change to a Bob-omb was in Super Mario Sunshine where it was given a digital face that showed its countdown.  After that, Bob-ombs were returned to their classic look.  They have appeared in every main Mario game and are often featured in the Mario spinoffs. 

Flurry

Flurries were the only ice enemies of the game and skated along icy areas to collide with Mario.  They were defeated like any other enemy but their high speed and the slippery nature of their levels made grabbing them tricky.  Sometimes they would slide off platforms due to their lack of traction.  Flurries have only made a cameo appearance since Mario 2, showing up in the background of a level in Super Princess Peach.

Autobomb

Autobombs were used in the same way as Ostros by the Shy Guys.  They were ridden and would fire projectiles to slow Mario's progress.  Also, like the Ostros, if the Shy Guy pilot was thrown off, Mario could ride the Autobomb.  This was mandatory in some sections to cross spike-filled gaps.  

Fryguy

Fryguy was one of the more difficult bosses of Super Mario Bros. 2.  A living ball of fire, he would shoot pieces of his body at Mario while trying to run into him.  The only way to defeat Fryguy was to throw mushroom blocks at it.  It only took three hits to defeat it but each time it would become faster.  The final hit didn't finish Fryguy off either; it actually spit its body into five Mini Fryguys.  Once these were crushed by the mushroom blocks, Mario was victorious.

Clawgrip

Clawgrip is another boss which throws boulders at Mario.  Much like Mouser's bombs, the boulders had to be caught and thrown back at it in order to defeat Clawgrip.  Interestingly, Clawgrip didn't exist in Doki Doki Panic.  Instead this battle was with a third Mouser who was deemed too difficult for North Americans and was subsequently taken out and replaced by Clawgrip.

Hawkmouth

Hawkmouths are doors throughout most of Super Mario Bros. 2 and indicate the end of an area or level.  They can only be opened by picking up the crystal balls just outside them.  However, just outside of Wart's throne room, the Hawkmouth leading to him is actually alive.  When the crystal ball is touched, the Hawkmouth will begin chasing Mario much like a Phanto.  Players have to grab mushroom blocks and hit it with them until it becomes stunned, allowing access to the final battle with Wart.  It is a devious trick as by this point, the Hawkmouths were seen as a sign of safe haven.  Players had to be on their toes when dealing with Wart.

Wart

Wart was the final boss of Super Mario Bros. 2.  Having conquered the world of Subcon, he tried to stop Mario from stopping his reign.  His attacks consisted of firing bubbles from his mouth which rained over Mario's area.  A machine would spawn vegetables every so often which Mario had to catch and throw in Wart's mouth.  If Wart's mouth was closed, the attack wouldn't count.  After four vegetables are thrown down Wart's throat, he passes out which allows Mario to rescue the inhabitants of Subcon.  As they thank Mario, Wart's passed out body is carried away never to be seen again. 

It's difficult to determine how much of Super Mario Bros. 2 is actual canon.  The game ends with Mario waking up in bed, making the entire game a dream sequence, but so many of the enemies have reemerged that it is difficult to just write it off.  In the end, it doesn't really matter as plot has never been a selling point to the Mario series.  Instead, Super Mario Bros. 2 is a good game that has given the rest of the series many memorable enemies. 

We hope you've enjyed part 2 of our Super Mario Dossier. Join us next time as we take a look at perhaps the most beloved game in the Mario series, Super Mario Bros. 3!