Talk:Mega Mario

(First topic)

This article says that the Super forms in Super Mario 64 DS are similar to Mega forms. I think that those forms ARE Mega forms, although the mushroom is similar to a Super Mushroom. --Xeze 07:26, 6 February 2008 (EST)

Divergence?

It's fairly odd that a regular mushroom (actually a Super Mushroom) provides the Mega form in Super Mario 64 DS, and at around the same time, a Mega Mushroom appears in Super Mario Ball using Super Mushroom's design. I believe the origins of Mega Mario (and, to a lesser extent, Mini Mario) can really be traced to the Super Smash Bros. series, specifically how the Super Mushroom turns the character giant since Melee. In Brawl onwards, the giant status is even called Mega. I think the Mega Mushroom was made into its own item as a response to the Super Mushroom turning the character giant in the Super Smash Bros. series, and likewise for the Mini Mushroom with the Poison Mushroom sometimes turning the character tiny since Super Mario Kart. The reason the Super Smash Bros. series continues to use the Super and Poison Mushrooms when the Mario franchise eventually codified the Mega and Mini Mushrooms would have likely been due to legacy and gameplay reasons, since the point of the Poison Mushroom is that it can be easily confused for the Super Mushroom as a punishment. Basically, I say Mega Mario technically debuted in Super Smash Bros. Melee (possibly because the Super Mario form was initially interpreted as a bigger Mario, which is why it took until Super Mario Land to give Small Mario its own name and refer to Super Mario as regular Mario), and Mini Mario technically debuted as an alternative to powering down in games without power-up gameplay - the new mushrooms were designed after the Mega/Mini forms to keep the traits of the original mushrooms more consistent. LinkTheLefty (talk) 22:22, May 26, 2020 (EDT)

It wouldn't surprise me if the "Mega" form was indeed based on how early/mid-2000s games treated Super Mario (in a similar vein to how sometimes iterations of enemies in the Zelda games are reintroduced as variants when the original is present). That being said, whether we should draw the line on function or name is debatable. Doc von Schmeltwick (talk) 23:09, May 26, 2020 (EDT)

We're already not too particular about naming specifics of earlier appearances - aside from Mega Mushroom's inconsistent design (and Mini Mushroom's, although the Mario Party 4 design was retained in Super Mario Ball), the Japanese name kept changing. There is also the version of Mega Mario in Super Paper Mario, which may technically be "Dot Mario" going by the filenames and Mega Koopa's Japanese name (although Big Mario seems to be a reference to it, with the Super Mario Bros.-style Big Mushroom using Mega Mushroom's original Japanese name as a likely throwback). Though if the name "Mega Mario" coming from the mushroom makes a difference, we can go halfway and add a section about unnamed predecessors. However, if we do this, some of the existing appearances in the current article might be considered to move to that section, like potentially Super Mario 64 DS. LinkTheLefty (talk) 19:57, May 27, 2020 (EDT)

Scope?

What exactly is this article meant to cover?

Judging from the header, it looks like it's intended to focus on the form as seen in New Super Mario Bros. and onwards, but it also currently talks about multiple unrelated instances of Mario growing in size, such as Super Mario Kun, Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, or Super Mario Bros.: Peach-hime Kyūshutsu Dai Sakusen! (Which appears to be more like an early interpretation of Super Mario.)

Are we attempting to cover every giant Mario ever used in the series, or are we supposed to be talking about a specific, recurring power-up? 108.208.40.205 18:26, November 21, 2025 (EST)

Might be worth looking into how we cover Mega Mushroom but for the time being, where would the information for these big Mario forms outside of "transformation triggered by Super Mushroom/Mega Mushroom" go in? I know the anime one is an allusion to Super Mario, but the Mario Party transformation clearly alludes to a mega form before New Super Mario Bros.. Where would Super Smash Bros. go, given that it started as an allusion to Super Mario and changed to Giant/Mega in later entries? Mario^-HOHO! (Talk / Stalk) 15:08, November 22, 2025 (EST)

What qualifies as "Mega Mario?"

This talk page section contains an unresolved talk page proposal. Please try to help and resolve the issue by voting or leaving a comment.

Current time: Wednesday, December 24, 2025, 05:54 GMT

As noted by the above discussions, we are currently covering a bit too many Giant forms in the Mega Mario article. Several of these alleged "Mega" forms have varying degrees of overlap with Super Mario (form).

It appears "Super Mario" being depicted as Mario's regular state wasn't fully established until late into the Wii/DS era, and before then, it wasn't uncommon for the series to depict Super Mario as a giant, with his Super Smash Bros. and movie portrayals being leftovers from that era of the series. So I think it's time we narrow down what does and does not count as "Mega Mario" on this page.

Since this is a subject that would largely reshape this article (and possibly others) depending on how things play out, I've created this proposal to try and resolve it properly.

Proposer: Wandering Poplin (talk)
Deadline: January 4, 2026, 23:59 GMT

Super Mario 64 DS: Super Mushrooms in this game turn you into Mega Mario

Deadline: January 4, 2026, 23:59 GMT

Keep

1. Small Wandering Poplin (talk) While I'm certain this is meant to be an early 3D version of Super Mario, it does look and function near identical like the form from New Super Mario Bros., which was built on the engine for this game.

Move to Super Mario (form)

1. Wandering Poplin (talk) Secondary option.
2. PrincessPeachFan (talk) Never officially named.
3. Super Sophie (talk) As much as I wish it was a Mega Mushroom, it's not.

Remove

Mario Party 3: Super Mushrooms in Toadstool Titan turn you into Mega Mario

Deadline: January 4, 2026, 23:59 GMT

Keep

1. Super Wandering Poplin (talk) I guess this can stay, but only because of Mario Party: The Top 100/Mario Party Superstars.
2. PrincessPeachFan (talk) I was leaning towards move but the two games replacing the Super Mushroom with Mega Mushroom indicates it's an early apperance.

Move to Super Mario (form) Mario Party 3 only

1. Super Sophie (talk) Per my vote on Super Mario 64 DS. The Mega Mushroom is not in Mario Party 3. It is in the minigame's reruns, but that does not extend retroactively. Similarly, we do not cover Mario Party' Piranha's Pursuit under Petey Piranha. Keep in mind the Mario Party: The Top 100/Mario Party Superstars entries should stay.

Move to Super Mario (form) Mario Party 3/Mario Party: The Top 100/Mario Party Superstars

Remove

Super Smash Bros. (series): Super Mushrooms in this series turn you into Mega Mario

Deadline: January 4, 2026, 23:59 GMT

Keep

Move to Super Mario (form)

1. Big Wandering Poplin (talk) This is another early Super Mario. It's later appearances have done very little to group it with Mega Mario either, so it might just be a relic of the pre Wii/DS era that was never updated, like their designs for Turnips, or for Metal Mario.
2. PrincessPeachFan (talk) Never actually called Mega Mario.
3. Salmancer (talk) So I think the big problem here is the lack of the music override signature to Mega Mario. A key part of the form reprised almost every one of its Mega Mushroom induced appearances. Without it, I'm unconvinced that Super Smash Bros. Brawl actually updated Super Mushrooms to make the player Mega instead of Super. Sounds like they're just using the word "Mega" to describe the thing. Smash actually uses a lot of different words for this. Mega Smash, sure, but also "giant" and "huge" and I saw a "mega-sized" once. (It was the Mega Tourney pop up, and I failed to take a screenshot of it...) Either way, since the name choice is so variable I no longer think that Special Smash calling perma-Super Mushroom "Mega Smash" means anything, and that name is the primary reason its even on this page.
4. Super Sophie (talk) Per all.

Remove

Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door: Power Punches in this game turn you Mega Mario

Deadline: January 4, 2026, 23:59 GMT

Keep

Move to Super Mario (form)

Remove

1. Bigger Wandering Poplin (talk) It's just a bigger Mario. Absolutely no relation to Mega Mario at all.
2. PrincessPeachFan (talk) Agreed.
3. Ambiguously-sized Sophie (talk) It is literally called the Huge status effect. Not Mega. The fact that this isn't mentioned in this article's section makes it very misleading.

Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door: Meat in this game turns you into Mega Mario Bowser

Deadline: January 4, 2026, 23:59 GMT

Keep

1. Mega Wandering Poplin (talk) Looks to be yet another early Super Mario, but it does function similar enough to how Mega Mario would in later titles.

Move to Super Mario (form)

1. Megaflash Wandering Poplin (talk) Secondary choice.
2. Super Sophie (talk) Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door predates New Super Mario Bros. by two years. It is not referencing it.

Remove

Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door / Super Paper Mario: Princess Peach growing into a giant as a gag is Mega Mario Peach

Deadline: January 4, 2026, 23:59 GMT

Keep

Move to Super Mario (form)

1. Super Sophie (talk) See my vote above. Super Paper Mario is also likely just referencing its own series, not the mushroom either.

Remove

1. Megasparkle Wandering Poplin (talk) This is so obvious, it should go without saying. I'm only bothering to mention it for completeness sake.

Super Paper Mario: Mega Stars in this game turn you into Mega Mario

Deadline: January 4, 2026, 23:59 GMT

Keep

1. Giant Wandering Poplin (talk) This one is pretty difficult, but Super Paper Mario's "Mega" form functions almost identically to it's NSMBDS counterpart, and I don't know where else we'd be able to cover it.
2. PrincessPeachFan (talk): It came out the same year as New Super Mario Bros.

Move to Super Mario (form)

Remove

1. Ambiguously-sized Sophie (talk) Ok hear me out. The Sūpā Sutā item (which is not a Mega Mushroom) makes a character grow huge and become 8-bit, the latter of which the Mega Mushroom does not do. When a Koopa Troopa uses it, it does not become a Kyodai Nokonoko, nor does it become a Deka Nokonoko. It's neither of those things. The form should probably just be covered in Mega Star, or if it must be split then Mega Mario (Super Paper Mario) Even though that only applies to the Koopa Troopa. As far as I'm concerned that is the ドット (dotto) form, though.

Paper Mario: Color Splash: The Magnifying Glass in this game turns you into Mega Mario.

Deadline: January 4, 2026, 23:59 GMT

Keep

Move to Super Mario (form)

Remove

1. Giga Wandering Poplin (talk) It's a larger Mario, but I'm not entirely convinced this is Mega Mario.
2. PrincessPeachFan (talk): Never actually named.
3. Ambiguously-sized Sophie (talk) Now that we're getting into the post-New Super Mario Bros. games, it gets trickier. I think if this one was intended as a callback to the Mega Mario form it would be at least be accompanied by its theme that, at this point, was certainly well established. I am on the fence though.

Mario Super Sluggers: Super Mushrooms in Graffiti Runner turn you into Mega Mario

Deadline: January 4, 2026, 23:59 GMT

Keep

Move to Super Mario (form)

1. Fury Wandering Poplin X (talk) Yet another early portrayal of Super Mario, one of the last of its' kind.
2. PrincessPeachFan (talk): Agreed.
3. Super Sophie (talk) Per proposal. Unfortunately...

Remove

Super Mario Bros.: Peach-hime Kyūshutsu Dai Sakusen!: Super Mushrooms in this film turn Mario into Mega Mario

Deadline: January 4, 2026, 23:59 GMT

Keep

Move to Super Mario (form)

1. Colossal Dreamy Wandering Poplin-zilla (talk) One of the earliest examples of an early/stylized Super Mario. Mega Mario wouldn't exist in any form until a few years later.
2. PrincessPeachFan (talk) Rule of Cool.
3. Super Sophie (talk) Per proposal....

Remove

Super Mario-kun: Volume 1: Mario's transformation from the "Super Mario Bros. 5" section is an early Mega Mario.

Deadline: January 4, 2026, 23:59 GMT

Keep

1. Mega Sophie (talk) It is a gag form granted with Apollo's Gift of Prophecy, yes, but it is a form of Mario where he grows giant and is called Kyodai Mario. I don't think the modern Mega Mushroom was an intentional direct evolution of the Mario Party 4 item either, so this fits about as well as that here.

Move to Super Mario (form)

Remove

1. Supreme Ultra Megaflash Wandering Poplin the Great (talk) I've thought about this, and I don't think it needs to be covered in the main article. It's about as related as the Giant Mario from the Got Milk? commercial.

Super Mario (Kodansha manga): Super Mushrooms in this manga turn Dr. Mario into Mega Mario

Deadline: January 4, 2026, 23:59 GMT

Keep

Move to Super Mario (form)

1. Wandering Poplin at a somewhat-bigger-than-normal size (talk) One of the many, many, many early depictions of Super Mario.

Remove

Comments: Comments in this page (hopefully won't) turn you into Mega Mario

I think we could also use a proper disambiguation page for Mega Mario, considering all the different giant transformations that this series uses. Wandering Poplin (talk) 19:50, December 20, 2025 (EST)

All those hidden links are very annoying to click through. — Lady Sophie ^(T|C) 09:56, December 23, 2025 (EST)

Users may want to look at Discord. On #mariowiki, the topic of Mega Mario being in Super Smash Bros. or not came up on November 22nd, and there was a big discussion. Salmancer (talk) 09:35, December 23, 2025 (EST)

I need something clarified. The vote for Mario Party 3 only encompasses that game, right? Because as I said in my vote, I think it should be treated differently from Mario Party: The Top 100 and Mario Party Superstars — Lady Sophie ^(T|C) 09:56, December 23, 2025 (EST)

Wandering Poplin, the "movie" link in the proposal's body is a link to The Super Mario Bros. Movie, which has an uncontested Super Mario and not a Mega Mario. You probably meant for it to be a link to Super Mario Bros.: Peach-hime Kyūshutsu Dai Sakusen!. Salmancer (talk) 10:24, December 23, 2025 (EST)

When I mentioned The Super Mario Bros. Movie, I was specifically trying to bring up how it portrays "Super Mario" as a larger version of his normal state, which is not how the form has generally been depicted for some time, but clearly harkens back to when "Super Mario" could very frequently be portrayed as a giant, which is something we've seen all over this proposal. It seems to be one of the few modern examples of that role, whereas Super Mario is (usually) interchangeable with "normal" Mario everywhere else. Wandering Poplin (talk) 13:44, December 23, 2025 (EST)

Thank you for the clarification. Salmancer (talk) 16:12, December 23, 2025 (EST)