While I’ve written several articles about potential Nintendo figure/toy ideas, I’ve been thinking about retooling that article format into something a little different.  This article is taking the same idea but putting a new spin on it.  In NF.com’s Most Wanted, each article will take one video game and come up with five(ish) new figure ideas for something that has never been made before but that Nintendo fans would love.  These articles are not meticulously researched like everything else is on the site and if there is a figure that exists like the author describes then that probably means it is obscure and really hard to get which makes the figure fit on this list all the same.

Super Mario Bros. 3 is my favorite Mario game and probably in my top five all time.  I know the game well and find it to be the perfect blend of challenge, cool power-ups and enemies, and very rewarding for anyone who knows its secrets.  So that is why I chose this game for the first ever Most Wanted article.  It is surprising that some of these figures do not exist because Super Mario Bros. 3 has always been revered among Nintendo fans.  Whatever the reasons are, I’m going to make the case that Super Mario Bros. 3 has a lot of potential figures that could be made and some specific figure companies should deliver them to us!

Honorable Mentions

Spike – A surprisingly tough enemy with a cute design.  This would make an interesting if a bit simple figure that Mario 3 fans would love to have.

Boss Bass – Easily one of the scariest enemies in Super Mario 3!  If Boss Bass catches you, you’re dead and that is something you don’t see in modern Mario games.  While he wouldn’t make a great figure since he is just a big fish who opens his mouth to eat you, an Amiibo or something like that would be much appreciated for this fearsome fish.

NF.com’s Most Wanted Super Mario Bros. 3 Figures

Hammer Suit Mario – This is one of the rarer power-ups in Mario history.  The Hammer Suit is not easy to get (and in fact, the world it appears in is very difficult and my least favorite in Mario 3) but it is an interesting and powerful suit.  I want this figure not only because it is a unique power-up but because I think it is perfectly for Nendoroid to tackle.  The simple design of the suit would fit a chibi-design and Hammer Suit Mario could come with hammers he can hold or that can be “suspended” in the air if you wish.  I’m sure Good Smile could come up with a couple of other cool accessories like different face plates to go with this.  This idea practically writes itself so I hope that we will one day see a figure for this obscure power-up!

Frog Mario – In a weird way, the Frog Suit is an incredibly fun power-up in Mario 3.  It makes some really tough underwater levels more manageable but using the Frog Suit on land is a fun challenge too.  The walking (or should I say hopping?) and jumping is way different with this on and it almost serves like a handicap for skilled Mario players.  One of the cool things about the Frog Suit is that it is pretty cute all on its own and you wouldn’t need a super articulated figure to get what you want from it as a toy.  Ideally, the figure could just do the on land pose you see in the game and have a few swimming poses.  Because a simple design and articulation is all that is needed, World of Nintendo would be a good fit for this figure and make it great for anyone collecting on a budget.

Kuribo’s Shoe – In case you were wondering, this is the item that inspired my screenname on this site!  While I would gladly take Mario or a Goomba in the shoe, this is another classic Mario 3 “power-up” that we need to see a figure of.  Being able to walk across surfaces that would normally kill you and being able to jump on spiky enemies is just really fun.  Kuribo’s Shoe is another very rare power-up that barely shows up in Super Mario 3 which makes you cherish it.  Since this would be a really simple figure and not really even need articulation, this would be a perfect fit for Amiibo.  No detail would be spared and having Mario or a Goomba in the shoe would be very cute.

Koopalings – This is kind of a cop-out choice because everybody likes at least one Koopaling but Nintendo fans would love to get a Koopaling figure, let alone one for each of the “Koopa Kids” as they were once known.  I personally don’t have a favorite Koopaling though I think Ludwig has the most interesting design and would probably be my choice for most wanted.  It is really confounding that nobody has released Koopalings as a full-sized figure.  Honestly, I think Amiibo, World of Nintendo, or even Nendoroid would sell and sell well.  Nintendo fans love these dastardly bosses and we need someone to make figures of them.

So those are my most figures in Super Mario Bros. 3.  While the game is very old now, you never know if we might see some of these figures in the future, especially considering many of these characters have been brought back in recent Mario games.  Are there any characters you’d like to see figures of for Super Mario 3?  What do you think of this new article format?  Let us know in the comments below and if you’d like to submit your own NF.com’s Most Wanted list please email me at: abercrombie_jeff@yahoo.com to get it published on NintendoFigures.com!