Whenever a newSuper Mariomultiplayer spinoff likeMario Golf: Super Rushcomes together, fans want to know which Mushroom Kingdom characters will be playable. While there’s easy shoe-ins like Mario, Luigi, and Peach, there’s also supporting characters like the Koopalings that don’t always get to appear inSuper Mario’s supplemental games. One character who seems to have moved from one category to the other is Rosalina.Super Mario Galaxy’s mysterious magical stargazer was an instant hit back in the day and seemed like a good occasional guest for futureMariogames. On the contrary, Rosalina is now injust about everyMariospinoffthat Nintendo makes.
The same is true forMario Golf: Super Rush.Rosalina showed up in a DLC forMario Golf: World Tour,but she’ll be in the base game ofMario Golf: Super Rush.That’s only the latest in a long line of spinoffs that Rosalina has made an appearance in.Super Mariofans certainly don’t mind; she remains a beloved character, and Nintendo is also clearly happy to keep her a familiar face in the Mushroom Kingdom. That’s not the same as Rosalina getting to lead a game likeSuper Mario Galaxyagain, though. If Nintendo is determined to give her a permanent presence inSuper Mariogames, will she ever get to play a major role in a core game again?
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Rosalina’s Super Mario Appearances
It’s really amazing how many games Nintendo has allowed Rosalina to join in on. There’s lots of sports games that she’s appeared in sinceSuper Mario Galaxy.Aside from someMario Sportsgames, Rosalina is now a familiar face intheMario Kartseries, offering yet another racer in the franchise’s wide roster. She’s also a common player in theMario Partygames, including the recentSuper Mario Partyfor Switch. Rosalina even has an impact on Nintendo outside ofMariogames: she joinedSuper Smash Bros.as another playableMariocharacter before Princess Daisy did.
If Rosalina is such a mainstay in all these games, why doesn’t she have much of an impact on coreMariogames? She was a very minor character inSuper Mario Galaxy 2,and her planned appearance inSuper Mario Odysseywas cut. Her most major appearance afterSuper Mario Galaxyis probably inSuper Mario 3D Worldwhere she appears as an unlockable character, but it takes a long time to find her. The cognitive dissonance between her role in core games and spinoffs is striking. If she’s so well-loved by Nintendo and fans alike, it seems like she should be a main character in another core game.
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Restoring Rosalina’s Super Mario Influence
Rosalina was a big reasonthatSuper Mario Galaxyworked well. Her kind but quiet demeanor was a nice change of pace from the peppy characters that Mario usually gets paired with in games likeMario Galaxy,and she had a pretty compelling backstory for aMariocharacter. As a sorceress from outer space, she contributes a pretty unique character concept to theSuper Marioworld after all. Nintendo has a great character on its hands, and so it ought to make use of her to her maximum potential. Something likeSuper Mario Odyssey2could find a way to make Rosalina a major character, traveling between different worlds at Mario’s side and offering him guidance on new adventures. Alternatively, a traditional Mario platformer focusing on Peach, Daisy, Rosalina, and Toadette would be a fun way to celebrateSuper Mario’s female protagonists.
It’s hard to say whether or not Nintendo is planning something for Rosalina long-term. It’s been a long time sinceSuper Mario Galaxycame out, and it still hasn’t found a new recurring role for her. For the time being, games likeMario Golf: Super Rushare crucial in keeping excitement around Rosalina alive. Even if she’s not being used to her maximum potential, it’s fun to have a very magical character mixing things up in the rosters ofSuper Mariospinoffs.Rosalina is clearly part of theSuper Mariofamilyat this point, but she ought to play a bigger role. She’s a strong character, and she opens up the door to more exciting spacefaringMarioadventures.
Mario Golf: Super Rushreleases June 25 for Nintendo Switch.
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