Cameos

Throughout the Mario series, many characters from other series made Cameos. The large majority of these cameos are from characters developed by Shigeru Miyamoto and Nintendo. Some non-Nintendo characters have appeared as well, such as Sonic or Earthworm Jim.

Pikmin
Pikmin are a species of small plant-like creatures that exist in the Pikmin series. They have also appeared in the Mario series on a number of occasions. Of the Pikmin that have appeared in the Mario series, only three varieties of Pikmin have appeared.

Pikmin made a cameo during the events of Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour. If certain flower beds were struck by a golf ball, Pikmin would pop out of the flowerbed and attempt to flee. These flower beds can be found in various stages. In WarioWare: Smooth Moves, Pikmin made an appearance in a Microgame where the player has to crush Pikmin with an Empress Bulblax.

Additionally, in the game Pikmin 2, a box of matches displaying Bowser's face and a Game & Watch game can be obtained as a treasure. The game Super Mario 128 was also converted into what is now known as Pikmin as well. Additionally, Captain Olimar and his partner, Louie, are named after Mario (Olimar is an anagram of Mario, with an L added) and Luigi (Louie sounds like Luigi with a G sound on the end).

Earthworm Jim
Earthworm Jim is a mutated humanoid earthworm wielding a red ray-gun. In Donkey Kong Country 2, Cranky Kong, created a challenge to see who could find the most secret DK coins on Crocodile Isle. As Cranky Kong announces the results, players can see the Earthworm Jim's ray-gun next to a garbage can labeled, "No hopers."

Ridley


Ridley is a large, dragon-like alien and a character and the main villain in the Metroid series of games. In Super Smash Bros., Ridley can occasionally be seen flying in the background of the Planet Zebes arena.

Ridley also makes a brief appearance in the opening cinematic of Super Smash Bros. Melee, where he can be seen battling his archenemy, Samus Aran. A trophy of Ridley can also be obtained in Super Smash Bros. Melee. A remix of Ridley's theme music from various Metroid series games has been confirmed as being used in Super Smash Bros. Brawl.

Trophy Description
''The head of the Space Pirates on Zebes, Ridley soars through space on wicked wings. Ridley may look like a mindless monster, but he's actually quite intelligent. After the SR-388 incident, where Samus captured the infant Metroid, Ridley took the Space Academy by storm, annihilating the complex and taking the Metroid back.''

Samus
In Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars, if the player looks at Booster's doll, the player can spot a Samus doll.

Also, Mario can talk to Samus in the game. When Mario first reaches Land's End, go back to the Mushroom Kingdom' castle. In the Guest Room he'll see Samus sleeping, resting for her battle against Mother Brain.

In Wario Land II, There is a Crystal Metroid that is one of the treasures the player collects.

In Super Smash Bros., on the Planet Zebes stage, Wavers appear in the background most of the time.

Sonic the Hedgehog
Sonic the Hedgehog makes a cameo appearance in Donkey Kong Country 2. Sonic competed in a contest to see who could find the most secret DK coins on Crocodile Isle. Like Earthworm Jim, Sonic didn't do very well, not even placing third. Filled with shame, he left behind his trademark shoes. Sonic is also in the game featuring both him and Mario, at the Olympics. Sonic later appeared as a playable character in Super Smash Bros. Brawl for the Wii.

Chao & Flickies
Flickies and Chao, two common species in the series, are also seen as audience members in the background of the game Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games.

Trophy Description in Super Smash Bros. Brawl
''A type of creature that can absorb and learn skills and traits from other life-forms, adapting its shape as it does. This results in vast variations in appearance, behavior, and personality. Chao are generally very cute, and their mannerisms are pleasant and relaxing. Chao Gardens are a good place to find them, but they also inhabit areas with freshwater.''

N&B Blocks
In the Mario Zone of Super Mario Land 2 features LEGO-like surfaces. They are not LEGOs, but N&B Blocks, a toy manufactured by Nintendo in the 60s.

The boss rooms for the SNES and GBA ports of Super Mario Bros. 2 also feature a N&B-style surfacing.

Legend of Zelda
In Super Mario Bros. 3, the tune the warp whistle plays is also found in The Legend of Zelda. The whirlwind is from the same game. The tune is later found in The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap although a bird sweeps you away, not a whirlwind.

In Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars, Link appears sleeping at the Rose Town Inn every time Mario sleeps there. If Mario tries to talk to him, the Zelda discovery tune plays. In Stages 2-3 and 2-4 of Yoshi's Story, the name "Zelda" appears in the newspaper in the background.

In Wario Land II, the Ocarina of Time is one of the treasures the player collects. In Mario Golf for the Nintendo 64, the names of various Zelda characters appear on the score board. In the Gameboy version, the last club is called "Link's Club" and uses the Triforce as its logo. In Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour, the player can also see Triforce shaped coins.

In  Mario Golf several names of characters found in The Legend of Zelda: Ocerina of Time appear on the Score Chart.

In Donkey Konga the main theme of The Legend of Zelda series is playable.

In Donkey Konga 2 Toon Link's face appears on a badge and more music from The Legend of Zelda'' series is playable.

In Tetris DS mission mode is based around The Legend of Zelda series, Link appears on the title screen and also in marathon mode.

Star Fox
When Mario visited Hinopio's Inn during the events of Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars, he saw a model of an Arwing in the lobby. The Arwing is a recurring line of ships used by the Star Fox team.

In Mario Golf for the Nintendo 64, the names of various StarFox characters appear on the score board.

F-Zero
If the player goes to the lobby of Hinopio's Inn of Super Mario RPG, the player can see a model of Captain Falcon's Blue Falcon and Samurai Goroh's Fire Stingray.

Samurai Goroh
Samurai Goroh is Captain Falcon's enemy and is a bounty hunter like him. Samurai Goroh is seen in the opening cinema of Super Smash Bros. Melee and the stage Mute City where he ends up crashing. He also appears as a trophy in the game.

Samurai Goroh's vehicle, the Fire Stingray appears in the opening cinema of Super Smash Bros. Melee and also appears in Hinopio's Inn, in Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars as a toy.

Samurai Goroh also appears as an Assist Trophy for Super Smash Bros. Brawl.

Trophy Description (Melee)
''A rival bounty hunter, Samurai Goroh has crossed paths with Captain Falcon in many a dark corner of the universe. He also goes head-to-head with Falcon in F-Zero races, so the threads of their fates seem to be deeply intertwined. Samurai Goroh is famous for his katana, and his signature T-shirt is instantly recognizable.''

Trophy Description (Brawl)
''A man who presents himself as a bounty hunter much like Captain Falcon but is also the boss of a notorious bandit group. He tries to collect criminal bounties but always fails to beat Captain Falcon to the collar. He considers himself Falcon's archrival and always tries to beat him in F-Zero races. His machine, the Fire Stingray (#05), has a high top speed.''

Kirby
Kirby appears on a poster for the movie, Kirby's Story, in Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga. Common Kirby enemies, Gordos, appear as enemies in Super Mario Land 2: Six Golden Coins and are thrown using King Dedede in Super Smash Bros. Brawl, and Bronto Burts appear in the background of the Dream Land stage in Super Smash Bros. and Super Smash Bros. Melee.

King Dedede also appears in the background of the Green Greens stage and is a playable character in Super Smash Bros. Brawl. Waddle Dees, Waddle Doos and Gordos appear in this game to acting as a part of one Dedede's attack.

Pop Star, Kirby's home planet, makes a cameo appearance in a cutscene of the Adventure Mode of Super Smash Bros. Melee. It is seen after Planet Zebes's explosion.

Stafy
Stafy appears on a poster for the movie, "Legend of Stafy", in Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga.

Fire Emblem
Marth and Roy, both from Fire Emblem, fought in Super Smash Bros. Melee. Later on, One Toad in Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door mentions that he enjoys Gameboy Advance games, especially Fire Emblem.

Currently, two Fire Emblem characters, Ike and Marth, are playable characters in Super Smash Bros. Brawl, and Roy was found as an unfinished character in its data files.

Bruce Lee
Bruce Lee is a real world martial artist who was briefly mentioned by Mallow, stating ''“Who do you think you are? Bruce Lee?”, in the game Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars''. The character Lee, a martial artist Duplighost from the game Paper Mario, is named after Bruce Lee.

Beijing Olympics
Various real world people have their own little bios in Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games. These people include Swedish shooter Oscar Swahn, Ethiopian sprinter Abebe Bikila and American swimmer Mark Spitz.

Killer Instinct
Chief Thunder, a character from the fighting game Killer Instinct, makes his cameo in Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest. He appears on a poster in Cranky's Cabin.

Sabrewulf
In the Game Boy Advance version of Donkey Kong Country his head is stuffed and mounted in Cranky's hut, yet it is still alive as it occasionally blinks.