Toad (character)

Toad, known in Japan as Kinopio, is a humanoid mushroom that is both a single character and the collective name of the "Mushroom People" found in the Mushroom Kingdom. The Toad species first appeared in Super Mario Bros. as seven guards that serve Princess Peach, called Mushroom Retainers. In games prior to Paper Mario, which features an entire race of Toad inhabiting Toad Town, the capital of the Mushroom Kingdom, manuals referred to them as Mushroom People, but they were always referred to as Kinopio in Japan.

History
Toad first appears as a singular character in Super Mario Bros. 2 as one of the four playable characters. He is stated to be the chief guard of the Mushroom Retainers (Toad who were kidnapped in the events of the previous game, Super Mario Bros.). The character then goes on to star in Wario's Woods, and appear in the Mario Kart series and various sports games. Toad also makes a brief appearance in Super Smash Bros. Melee, in which he can be seen running back and forth frantically in the first stage of adventure mode. He is also a collectible trophy. He is also one of Princess Peach's attacks in which she throws Toad in front of herself to take the blow of a foe's attack; this attack of Peach's will be reused in Super Smash Bros. Brawl. There, he will also appear as a sticker. In other games, he acts as an instructor, such as in the earlier Mario Party games, and helps guide characters in other games. As with the games, Toad plays a major supporting character in other forms of media starring Mario. He usually tags along with Mario in the various cartoons and comics as a sidekick.

Toad's voice is first heard in Mario Kart 64 (only American and PAL version), which features actor Isaac Marshall. By the advent of the GameCube, Jen Taylor has continued to provide the voice of Toad until 2005, when Kelsey Hutchison took over for games such as Super Mario Strikers. Recently, Nicole Mills voiced him in Mario Party 8. Samantha Kelly has recently been taking over the role of his voice as heard in Mario Kart Wii and New Super Mario Bros. Wii.

In the Super Mario Bros. live-action film, Toad (portrayed by Mojo Nixon) was reimagined as a street musician and one of the poor inhabitants of Dinohattan, all of whom were descended from dinosaurs; unhappy with King Koopa's rule, Toad was placed under arrest by King Koopa's police force for singing "anti-Koopa songs" and placed in custody, where he befriends Mario and Luigi. Toad is later forcibly devolved into a Goomba, but apparently retains his humanity, as evidenced by his kindness towards Princess Daisy and the fact that he aids Mario and Luigi, giving them the devolution gun that is ultimately used to end the threat of King Koopa.

He is well known for the quote "Thank you, Mario, but our princess is in another castle", from Super Mario Bros.

Other Toads
 Blue Toad is one of the four playable characters that appear in New Super Mario Bros. Wii alongside Yellow Toad, Mario, and Luigi. Blue Toad bears the same abilities as the Mario Bros. and Yellow Toad, and items affect him in the same way.

Yellow Toad is one of the four playable characters that appear in New Super Mario Bros. Wii alongside Blue Toad, Mario, and Luigi. Yellow Toad bears the same abilities as the Mario Bros. and Blue Toad, and items affect him in the same way.

Non-playable appearances

 * Super Mario Bros. (1985)
 * Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels (1986)
 * Super Mario Bros. 3 (1988)
 * Game & Watch Gallery 1 (1994)
 * Super Mario RPG (1996)
 * Super Mario 64 (1996)
 * Game & Watch Gallery 2 (1997)
 * Mario Party (1999)
 * Mario Party 2 (2000)
 * Mario Party 3 (2001)
 * Paper Mario (2001)
 * Game & Watch Gallery Advance (2001)
 * Luigi's Mansion (2001)
 * Super Smash Bros. Melee (2001)
 * Super Mario Sunshine (2002)
 * Mario Party 4 (2002)
 * Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga (2003)
 * Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour (2003)
 * Super Mario 64 DS (2004)
 * Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door (2004)
 * Super Mario Ball (2004)
 * Mario Power Tennis (2004)
 * Mario Party Advance (2005)
 * Dance Dance Revolution: Mario Mix (2005)
 * Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time (2005)
 * Mario Slam Basketball (2006)
 * Super Mario Galaxy (2007)

Playable Appearances

 * Super Mario Bros. 2 (1988)
 * Super Mario Kart (1992)
 * Wario's Woods (1995)
 * Mario's Tennis (1995)
 * Mario Kart 64 (1997)
 * Game & Watch Gallery 3 (1999)
 * Mario Golf (1999)
 * Mario Tennis (2000)
 * Mario Kart: Super Circuit (2001)
 * Mario Kart: Double Dash!! (2003)
 * Mario Party 5 (2003)
 * Mario Party 6 (2004)
 * Mario Superstar Baseball (2005)
 * Mario Kart DS (2005)
 * Mario Kart Arcade GP (2005)
 * Mario Smash Football (2005)
 * Mario Party 7 (2005)
 * Super Princess Peach (mini-games) (2006)
 * Mario Party 8 (2007)
 * Mario Strikers Charged (2007)
 * Mario Party DS (2007)
 * Mario Kart Wii (2008)
 * Mario Super Sluggers (2008)
 * New Super Mario Bros. Wii (playable in multiplayer; is portrayed in a color scheme of blue and yellow). (2009)

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