Mushroom King: Difference between revisions

In the [[Nintendo Entertainment System|NES]] instruction booklet of ''Super Mario Bros.'', the Mushroom King is briefly mentioned in passing.<ref>"''The only one who can undo the magic spell on the Mushroom People and return them to their normal selves is the Princess Toadstool, the daughter of the Mushroom King.''" – ''Super Mario Bros.'' English instruction booklet, page 2.</ref> With few exceptions such as ''[[Super Mario Bros. Deluxe]]'',<ref>"''It is said that only the daughter of the Mushroom King, Princess Toadstool, can break the evil spell and return the inhabitants of the Mushroom Kingdom to their normal selves.''" – ''Super Mario Bros. Deluxe'' English instruction booklet, page 2.</ref> this is generally not included in subsequent releases as the Japanese manual does not mention him.<ref>[https://legendsoflocalization.com/super-mario-bros/manuals/ Legends of Localization] comparing the Japanese and North American storylines of ''Super Mario Bros.'' (Retrieved April 30, 2014)</ref> 1987's ''The Official Nintendo Player's Guide'' mentions that he ruled the kingdom with a [[List of implied characters#Princess Toadstool's mother|queen]].<ref>Tatsumi Yamashita, ''The Official Nintendo Player's Guide'', Tokuma Shoten, 1987, ISBN 999832369X. Page 28. "''The Mushroom people were ruled by a good king and queen.''"</ref> Although unmentioned in the games themselves and the Japanese manual for ''Super Mario Bros.'', he was mentioned in the Japanese guidebook ''[[How to win at Super Mario Bros.]]''.

At the end of the ''Super Mario Bros.'' chapter, [[Mario]] takes Princess Toadstool back home and then departs on his way while the entire kingdom, including the Princess, the King, and the Queen, bids him farewell. The King (like his daughter) is depicted with a mushroom head or headgear, much like how he will be depicted in the ''Nintendo Comics System''.

Based on the Mushroom King's role, it is likely that he was based on the [[kings]] from ''[[Super Mario Bros. 3]]'' as he plays a similar role in the comic strips (having a [[magic wand]] that is often taken by [[Bowser]]'s forces and being transformed into various animals). [[Cloud Nine (comic)|One story]] also implies that he is frequently kidnapped by [[Wart]].

The king appears in the ''[[Super Mario Kart]]'' arc of the ''[[Super Mario (Kodansha manga)|Super Mario]]'' manga, which stretches from volumes 15 to 17. After [[Mario]] and [[Luigi]] accidentally break one of his items while on the job, he sponsors a tournament with the winner being made king for a day. Mario ends up winning the cup but has to do a mountain of paperwork for a day.

'''''AS''' benevolent (and muddle-minded) leader of the Mushroom people, the King spends most of his time getting transformed into various creatures by his archenemy, King Koopa. That's when he's not bussy{{sic}} getting his tie unstuck from the peanut butter jar.''