A number of important details could be easily missed in the new Super Mario Bros. Movie trailer. A full trailer for Nintendo’s upcoming Mario movie reveals a great deal about what’s in store for the video game icon when he takes on Bowser. In addition to teasing the plot, the trailer unveiled designs for a few of the movie’s confirmed characters, including Donkey Kong and Cranky Kong.
As expected, Super Mario Bros. Movie is promising a long list of callbacks to classic Mario video games. Arguably the biggest and most welcome surprise in the trailer was the movie’s core cast of characters racing down Rainbow Road. The obvious Mario Kart tribute in the trailer serves as a glimpse into how deep the movie will go with its references. But not all of its Easter eggs and big moments are being held back for the theatrical release. Here’s an overview of the major reveals in the new Super Mario Bros. Movie trailer.
Kiddy Kong Cameo On Rainbow Road
During the scene in which Mario is leading a group of racers on Rainbow Road, Donkey Kong and a handful of his allies can be spotted in the background. One in particular can be identified as Kiddy Kong. Spotted on the far left side of the screen at the 1:55 mark, Kiddy Kong is one of the two main protagonists of the 1996 SNES video game, Donkey Kong Country: Dixie Kong’s Double Trouble! In the game, Kiddy Kong was introduced as Dixie’s super-strong toddler cousin who has to help her rescue Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong when the pair get captured. It seems the young ape will have a small role in Super Mario Bros. Movie.
Mario & Luigi As Plumbers
Although it’s well-known that Mario and Luigi are plumbers, it’s not often that either is actually seen doing their actual jobs in the games. The trailer shows off Luigi with his plumbing tools and Mario getting ready to fix a dripping sink facet. Presumably, this is what the two will be up to before getting dragged into the conflict between Bowser and the Mushroom Kingdom.
Donkey Kong’s Design
The scene where Mario fights Donkey Kong in the trailer unveils the design for the latter character. Apparently, Super Mario Bros. Movie will combine D.K.’s modern and classic designs. For the most part, his look (including his physique and the red tie) matches how he’s been depicted in nearly every game since 1991’s Donkey Kong Country. What’s different about it is his face. The movie version of the character will sport a much larger jaw, which serves as a homage to his look from his video game debut in 1981’s Donkey Kong.
Raccoon Mario
The scene where Mario is flying through the air with ears and a tail confirms the introduction of his Raccoon form, which was first used in 1988’s Super Mario Bros. 3. Not to be confused with the Flying Squirrel transformation from New Super Mario Bros. U, Racoon Mario is one of many power-ups he can unlock in his adventures. After obtaining an object known as the Super Leaf, Mario acquires a special tail attack and the ability to glide through the air for short distances.
Fire Flower
The flower picked up by Princess Peach in the Super Mario Bros. Movie trailer is referred to as the Fire Flower in the Mario universe. In both the Mario games and the Super Smash Bros. franchise, the Fire Flower is a special item that projects flames at Mario’s enemies. The trailer hinted at the movie version of the plant possessing the same power by showing Peach creating a flame from the flower.
A Herd Of Yoshis (But No Green Yoshi)
A herd of Yoshis appeared at the 1:31 mark. The friendly, fruit-eating dinosaur is an iconic part of the Mario franchise, so it’s only fitting that he plays a role of some kind in the new movie. Typically, Mario rides a green Yoshi, who is a major character in the Mario universe and also the star of his own series of video games. However, it has been established that Yoshi isn’t a singular character; Yoshis of a wide variety of colors populate Yoshi Island. From the looks of things, the same will be the case with Super Mario Bros. Movie.
In the aforementioned scene, red, yellow, blue, light blue, and black Yoshis were shown stampeding through a jungle-like environment. Each of them exist in the video games and are playable in certain installments. Curiously, though, no green Yoshis were spotted amongst the herd included in the Super Mario Bros. Movie trailer. It’s possible that the green Yoshi won’t travel with the herd and will instead be ridden by Mario. If so, this missing Yoshi could serve as a key character in the story.
Classic Super Mario Bros. Minions
A handful of Bowser’s classic minions were confirmed in the Super Mario Bros. Movie trailer. The large gathering of creatures at the 0:32 mark included Bob-ombs, Goombas, red and green Koopas, Shy Guys, Piranha Plants, and Buzzy Beetles. All are among the minions Mario and Luigi encounter while on their way to save Princess Peach in the games.
Mario Isn’t Saving Princess Peach
Peach being in Mario’s company through most of the trailer indicates that instead of the character filling the role of the damsel in distress, the princess will actually be an ally to Mario. From all indications, Luigi will be the character Mario has to save from Bowser’s clutches in the new movie. That’s a massive pivot from the formula used by games in the Super Mario Bros. series.
Cheep Cheep
The red pufferfish that attaches itself to Mario’s face is a Cheep Cheep. In the Mario universe, the Cheep Cheep is the most common form of aquatic life. Though they don’t maliciously pursue Mario, they do serve as enemies for Mario and Luigi to avoid in underwater levels.
The 2D Level (& The Bullet Bills)
It’s now known that Chris Pratt’s Mario will have to get through an obstacle course of sorts based on the 2D levels from the classic NES and SNES games. The level shown in the Super Mario Bros. Movie trailer is complete with many of the same obstacles used in the games, such as the Piranha Plants. Also included in the scene are the green Warp Pipes that Mario uses to enter new areas. And finally, there’s the missile that hits Mario in the 2D level. That was none other than a Bullet Bill, which are giant projectiles with faces and arms that fly through the air.
Princess Peach’s Castle
After showing it from a distance in the first trailer, the Super Mario Bros. Movie has fully revealed Peach’s castle, the capital of the Mushroom Kingdom and one of the most important locations in the games. Adding to the accuracy of its appearance is the inclusion of the stained-glass image of Princess Peach on one of the castle windows. The window and this particular castle design was borrowed from Super Mario 64.
