Mini Mario (toy)

Mini Marios are energetic Mario toys sold by the Mario Toy Company. They first appeared in Mario vs. Donkey Kong. They appeared in all of the installments of the Mario vs. Donkey Kong series.

Mario vs. Donkey Kong
When Donkey Kong is watching his television set, he sees a commercial for the toys, which persuades him to immediately buy some Mini Marios. However, he soon learns that there are currently none in stock. Put to great chagrin, DK invades the Mario Toy Company, kidnaps its Toad employees and steals the remaining toys for himself. Mario chases Donkey Kong around various levels, trying to get the toys back. In the end, he retrieves all the toys and scolds Donkey Kong for his actions. When Donkey Kong cries over the incident, however, Mario cheers him up by letting him have his own Mini Mario that actually likes him.

Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis
The toys reappear in Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis, where they have a bigger role than even Mario. In the game, Mario and Pauline open the Super Mini Mario World Theme Park. Donkey Kong sees Pauline and falls in love with her, attempting to give her a Mini Donkey Kong toy out of affection. At the same time, Mario gives her a Mini Mario toy. When Pauline chooses Mario's Mini Mario over the Mini Donkey Kong, Donkey Kong gets angry and kidnaps her. The Mini Marios, with some limited help from Mario, attempt to rescue her.

When a Mini Mario touches a Fire Flower in this game, it becomes a Fire Mini Mario. Additionally, the Mini Marios can touch hammers, which result in them beginning to wildly swing them around, destroying any foes in their paths. The game also introduced Gold Mini Marios.

As of Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis, Mini Mario spin-offs such as Mini Peachs, Mini Toads and the aforementioned Mini Donkey Kongs have been introduced. In Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis, on the Game Over screen, a Mini Mario can be heard mumbling about his dreams. This is likely meant to mirror Mario vs. Donkey Kong 's Game Over sequences, in which Mario himself dreamed about Italian food Super Mario 64-style, but differs in the fact that Mini Mario, unlike the actual Mario, mentions an affinity for chocolate while dreaming ("I want the chocolate! Mmmmmmmmmmmm!").

The fact that Mario has never openly expressed any love of things such as chocolate may imply that some, or perhaps all, Mini Marios may have different interests and personalities than the original Mario.

Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Minis March Again!
In Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Minis March Again! the minis play a similar role as in their previous appearance. Like in Mario vs Donkey 2: March of the Minis, the game is about guiding Mini Mario to a goal and not Mario. In this game, however, the player can not control the minis but rather has to control the objects in the level to make sure all the minis make it to the goal safely.

The game introduces the Key Mini Mario, which is a regular Mini but with a key. They appear on the Key level of the 8 Worlds with one Key Mini Mario per level. Unlike Gold Mini Marios, which go at the end of a chain to get bonus points, a Key Mini Mario has to be the first in a group in order to open the locked door.

Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Mini-Land Mayhem!
Mini Marios re-appear in the game Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Mini-Land Mayhem!. He appears alongside the other mini toys from Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis and a new toy, Mini Pauline.

Trivia

 * The hands of Mini Marios resemble, and are likely designed after, those of LEGO minifigures.