entire wikipedia page about toad?

Toad, known in Japan as Kinopio^[a], is a fictional character who primarily appears in Nintendo's Mario franchise. A humanoid with a mushroom-like head, Toad was created by Japanese video game designer Shigeru Miyamoto, and is portrayed as a citizen of the Mushroom Kingdom and is one of Princess Peach's most loyal attendants, constantly working on her behalf. They are usually seen as a non-player character who provides assistance to Mario and his friends in most games, but there are times when Toad takes center stage and appears as a protagonist, as seen in Super Mario Bros. 2, Wario's Woods and Super Mario 3D World.

While Toad is the name of an individual, it also refers to their entire race (much like Yoshi, Birdo and Kirby from the Kirby series). However, in early games, the species was called Mushroom Retainers, in Japan they were called Kinoko-zoku (キノコ族), literally "Mushroom People" (which is an alternate name used in earlier localizations, along with "Mushroom Retainers"). In the Mario franchise, there are also some other individual Toad characters (e.g., Toadette, Toadsworth, Toadbert, and Captain Toad). The most prominent trait of a Toad is its large head that resembles a mushroom in shape and color – historically speculated as them wearing a mushroom hat, as portrayed in The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!, but eventually ruled out by Japanese video game designer Yoshiaki Koizumi.^[6] Another common point of most Toads is their traditional vest.

The Toads usually play assisting roles in the Mario franchise and its action games, such as Toadsworth introduced in Super Mario Sunshine and the Toad Brigade association in Super Mario Galaxy, (they have not made a main game appearance since.) Despite this, Toads also play the role as heroes in some games. Such a case included the 2 Toads (yellow and blue) who were featured as playable characters along with Mario and Luigi in New Super Mario Bros. Wii. The 2 Toads (yellow and blue) return as playable characters later on in New Super Mario Bros. U as well as New Super Luigi U. Toad themself (in a blue palette in reference to his original sprite from Super Mario Bros. 2) returns as one of the playable characters in Super Mario 3D World. Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker cast Captain Toad into the spotlight, thus marking it as the first game in 20 years (since Wario's Woods) to have a Toad as the star of a game, as well as the first game to have Toad as the titular character.

Toad and the mushroom people were first seen in the game Super Mario Bros. where the species was revealed to comprise the majority of the population of the Mushroom Kingdom. Toad's design was made directly from the power-up, the Super Mushroom, as well as the game's general association with mushrooms.^[7] Shigeru Miyamoto, the creator of the Mario franchise, reasons that Toad's creation was that of being a character that has a simplistic design; yet, still appears cute and lovely and pleasing to everybody.^[8] In the game, the peaceful Toads of the Mushroom Kingdom had been turned into various objects such as bricks and pipes by the evil King Bowser; however, some of Princess Toadstool's loyal servants, known as the "Mushroom Retainers," were simply kidnapped.^[9]

During the development of New Super Mario Bros. Wii, the developers at Nintendo decided between four characters to be playable in the game: Princess Peach, Toad, Wario and Waluigi (all suggestions made by fans).^[10] Two Toads (yellow and blue) were eventually included as playable characters in New Super Mario Bros. Wii due to their physical similarity to Mario and Luigi.^[11]

Toad's English name appears to have been inspired by the word "toadstool", a word used to describe mushrooms, including those featuring umbrella-like cap-and-stem form characteristics, which Toad's design portrays along with the character's general resemblance to a mushroom. Toad's Japanese name, "Kinopio", appears to be a combination of the Japanese word for mushroom ("kinoko") and the Japanese name for Carlo Collodi's character, Pinocchio ("Pinokio"), which both roughly blend together to form the meaning of "a real mushroom boy" (as evidenced through Pinocchio's dream to become a real boy in his own tale).^[12]

Through the various games that Toad is playable in, he has been shown with different unique abilities that differ from the other characters in the series. In Super Mario Bros. 2, the game describes him as being the strongest and fastest character in the game with 5 out of 5 stars each, but with a weak jumping ability, rated at 2 stars. In Wario's Woods, Toad has the unique ability to run up walls and make strong kicks. Toad is once again given superhuman strength in the game, as he is able to lift and throw enemies around; however, these abilities have not been seen since this game. In New Super Mario Bros. Wii, Toad shares many of the moves and abilities of Mario and Luigi, such as the ground pound and wall jumping as represented by the yellow and blue Toads.^[16] Toad has access to Mario's power ups, but unlike the other games Toad has starred in, this game gives him all-round stats similar to those of the Mario Bros.^[17] In Super Mario 3D World, Toad is again the fastest playable character; however, his weakness includes his weaker jumps in comparison to the other playable characters.

In the Super Smash Bros. series, Toad is shown to emit spores like a real mushroom whenever he is attacked, as shown when Peach uses her standard special move.^[18] However, this has never been seen in the main Mario series games. Toad exhibits a similar technique in Mario Sports Mix where he is capable of using the spores to cause mushrooms to sprout from the ground, and his special move is also based on this skill. He is also capable of using these emitted spores as a shield against various attacks in this game.

Toad has appeared in many of the various Mario spin-off games. In the Mario Kart series, of which he has appeared in every installment, Toad is usually featured as a lightweight driver with good acceleration to compensate for his speed.^[33] His partner Toadette was created for Mario Kart: Double Dash!! and together they shared a special item, the Super Mushroom, which allowed them to take multiple boosts for a short while.^[34] The item reappears in later Mario Kart games, but is renamed the Golden Mushroom.^[35] Toadette, who has appeared in other spin-off games since her first appearance, was stated to be Toad's sister in an official Prima strategy guide for Mario Kart Wii (though this relationship between Toad and Toadette has yet to be confirmed by Nintendo itself).^[36] He appears in his own tournament for Mario Kart Wii, where the player goes through Mushroom Gorge backwards using Toad as their character.^[37] Toad even receives his own tracks throughout the installments such as his own circuit (named after himself) in Mario Kart 7.^[38] He appears in every Mario Party game; however, it is only from Mario Party 5 and on that he is playable (excluding Mario Party Advance), as he was a host for the earlier games in the series and Super Mario Party, and even a damsel in distress character for Mario Party 2 after several Baby Bowsers abduct him.^[39] Toad appears in the various Mario sports games. In Mario Superstar Baseball, Toad appears as a team member whose chemistry refers to his background; for example, he has good chemistry with Princess Peach and Toadette but bad chemistry with Wario. Toad also appears in the sequel, Mario Super Sluggers, again as a team member along with other differently colored toads. He also appears as a team member with good techniques in Mario Strikers and he also appears in its sequel Mario Strikers Charged with the same role.^[40] His sidekick role is retained in Dance Dance Revolution: Mario Mix, where he accompanies either Mario or Luigi to help get back the musical keys from the villains of the game. Mini Toads (toy versions of Toad) are included as playable characters throughout the Mario vs. Donkey Kong series, starting with Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis. Mini Toads make a returning appearance in the 2010 release of Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Mini-Land Mayhem! as playable characters who assist Mario on his journey to rescue his friend Pauline from the clutches of Donkey Kong.^[41] Toad makes appearances in Super Mario Maker. A Mystery Mushroom costume based on Toad can be unlocked, and Toad appears at the end of the 10-Mario challenge and the easy mode of the 100-Mario challenge, saying that Princess Peach has been taken to another castle (kind of like what happened in Super Mario Bros.). In Super Mario Run, Toad is one of six playable characters and it can be unlocked by connecting a My Nintendo account. In addition, he is the referee of Toad Rally if players use Toadette.

In Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games he is a referee along with Cream the Rabbit, a Lakitu, and other Mario and Sonic characters.^[42] In its sequel, Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games, Toad appears in the adventure mode and as well as a host. In Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games, Toad resumes his role as one of the main hosts; however, he plays a much larger role as a main protagonist within the story mode in the 3DS version of the game. He appears in Super Smash Bros. Melee, Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate as a sticker, trophy,^[43] spirit, and a counter-attack for Peach and Daisy.

In Kirby Super Star and Ultra, Toad appears as an audience member in the Megaton Punch minigame along with Mario, Luigi and Birdo. He also appears in Dedede Stadium along with Mario, Luigi, Wario and Peach. Toad appears as a main protagonist in the Game & Watch masterpieces in the Game & Watch Gallery series as well.^[44] Toad appears as one of the 11 Mario series characters that are playable in the Japan only game, Itadaki Street DS which was developed by Square-Enix.^[45] Toad is also playable in the international release of the Wii sequel Fortune Street.^[46] Toad had also appeared as a playable character in the Japanese sattellaview game Mario Excite Bike.^[47] Toad makes a playable appearance in the Nintendo Wii game Mario Sports Mix, and is classified as a speedy character in this game.^[48]

Appearances in other media[edit]

Toad appeared in the animated series The Super Mario Bros. Super Show! produced by DIC Entertainment in 1989.^[49] Although he usually tagged along with Mario and Luigi in cases where King Koopa had kidnapped Princess Peach, he sometimes got captured as well. Toad's role in the show was to be the sidekick to the Mario Bros. (as Luigi was a major character rather than a sidekick). He remained on the show when it spun off into The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3, allowing them to live in his house. During the show he got alternate forms such as The Toad Warrior, Fire Toad and even Baby Toad; however, these forms of Toad have not made an appearance outside of the show. Due to his absence in the Super Mario World game, Toad did not make an appearance in the TV show of Super Mario World with Yoshi and Oogtar (the latter having the same voice actor as Toad) instead taking his place. Toad appeared in the Super Mario Bros. comic books published by Valiant as well. In these comics, Toad often followed Mario on his adventures, seemingly replacing Luigi as the hero's sidekick. He was a regular companion for King Toadstool, and even indulged in the King's activities. Played by Mojo Nixon, Toad appeared as a street musician in the non-canon Super Mario Bros. film.^[50] In the film, Toad is arrested for singing a song that badmouths Koopa, who punishes him by having him turned into a Goomba. Despite this, the Goomba-fied Toad (portrayed by John Fifer) remains hating Koopa and still manages to help Princess Daisy escape and distract the other Goombas by playing his harmonica.

Toad also makes a cameo appearance in the Wii U version of Scribblenauts Unlimited, as a guest character from Nintendo's Super Mario series.^[51] A costume of Toad is also one of the exclusive Nintendo character costumes available to be equipped to various characters in the Wii U version of Tekken Tag Tournament 2.^[52]

Toad will be voiced by Keegan-Michael Key in the upcoming 2023 film adaptation.^[4]