Toad (Japanese: ã‚ノãƒ"オ, Hepburn: Kinopio) is a fictional
character who primarily appears in Nintendo's Mario franchise. A
humanoid with a mushroom-like head, Toad was created by Japanese video
game designer Shigeru Miyamoto, and is portrayed as a citizen of the
Mushroom Kingdom and is one of Princess Peach's most loyal attendants,
constantly working on her behalf. He is usually seen as a non-player
character (NPC) who provides assistance to Mario and his friends in
most games, but there are times when Toad takes center stage and
appears as a protagonist, as seen in Super Mario Bros. 2, Wario's
Woods, Super Mario 3D World.While Toad is the name of an individual,
it also refers to an entire race (much like Yoshi, Birdo and Kirby
from the Kirby series). However, in early games, the species was
called Mushroom Retainers, in Japan they were called Kinoko-zoku
(ã‚ãƒŽã‚³æ— ), literally "Mushroom People" (which is an alternate
name used in earlier localizations, along with "Mushroom Retainers").
In other words, Toad (Kinopio) is a member of the Toads (Kinokos /
Mushroom People). In the Mario franchise, there are also some other
individual Toad characters (e.g., Toadette, Toadsworth and Toadbert).
The most prominent trait of a Toad is its large head that resembles a
mushroom in shape and color â€" historically speculated as them
wearing a mushroom hat, but eventually ruled out by Japanese video
game designer Yoshiaki Koizumi. Another common point of most Toads is
their traditional vest.The Toads usually play assisting roles in the
Mario franchise and its action games, such as Toadsworth introduced in
Super Mario Sunshine and the Toad Brigade association in Super Mario
Galaxy. Despite this, Toads also play the role as heroes in some
games. Such a case included the 2 Toads (yellow and blue) who were
featured as playable characters along with Mario and Luigi in New
Super Mario Bros. Wii. The 2 Toads (yellow and blue) return as
playable characters later on in New Super Mario Bros. U as well as New
Super Luigi U. Toad himself (in a blue palette in reference to his
original sprite from Super Mario Bros. 2) returns as one of the
playable characters in Super Mario 3D World. The Wii U title Captain
Toad: Treasure Tracker cast Captain Toad into the spotlight, thus
marking it as the first game in 20 years (since Wario's Woods) to have
a Toad as the star of a game, as well as the first game to have Toad
as the titular character.Toad and the mushroom people were first seen
in the game Super Mario Bros. where the species was revealed to
comprise the majority of the population of the Mushroom Kingdom.
Toad's design was made directly from the power-up, the Super Mushroom,
as well as the game's general association with mushrooms. Shigeru
Miyamoto, the creator of the Mario franchise, reasons that Toad's
creation was that of being a character that has a simplistic design;
yet, still appears cute and lovely and pleasing to everybody. In the
game, the peaceful Toads of the Mushroom Kingdom had been turned into
various objects such as bricks and pipes by the evil King Bowser;
however, some of Princess Toadstool's loyal servants, known as the
"Mushroom Retainers," were simply kidnapped.
character who primarily appears in Nintendo's Mario franchise. A
humanoid with a mushroom-like head, Toad was created by Japanese video
game designer Shigeru Miyamoto, and is portrayed as a citizen of the
Mushroom Kingdom and is one of Princess Peach's most loyal attendants,
constantly working on her behalf. He is usually seen as a non-player
character (NPC) who provides assistance to Mario and his friends in
most games, but there are times when Toad takes center stage and
appears as a protagonist, as seen in Super Mario Bros. 2, Wario's
Woods, Super Mario 3D World.While Toad is the name of an individual,
it also refers to an entire race (much like Yoshi, Birdo and Kirby
from the Kirby series). However, in early games, the species was
called Mushroom Retainers, in Japan they were called Kinoko-zoku
(ã‚ãƒŽã‚³æ— ), literally "Mushroom People" (which is an alternate
name used in earlier localizations, along with "Mushroom Retainers").
In other words, Toad (Kinopio) is a member of the Toads (Kinokos /
Mushroom People). In the Mario franchise, there are also some other
individual Toad characters (e.g., Toadette, Toadsworth and Toadbert).
The most prominent trait of a Toad is its large head that resembles a
mushroom in shape and color â€" historically speculated as them
wearing a mushroom hat, but eventually ruled out by Japanese video
game designer Yoshiaki Koizumi. Another common point of most Toads is
their traditional vest.The Toads usually play assisting roles in the
Mario franchise and its action games, such as Toadsworth introduced in
Super Mario Sunshine and the Toad Brigade association in Super Mario
Galaxy. Despite this, Toads also play the role as heroes in some
games. Such a case included the 2 Toads (yellow and blue) who were
featured as playable characters along with Mario and Luigi in New
Super Mario Bros. Wii. The 2 Toads (yellow and blue) return as
playable characters later on in New Super Mario Bros. U as well as New
Super Luigi U. Toad himself (in a blue palette in reference to his
original sprite from Super Mario Bros. 2) returns as one of the
playable characters in Super Mario 3D World. The Wii U title Captain
Toad: Treasure Tracker cast Captain Toad into the spotlight, thus
marking it as the first game in 20 years (since Wario's Woods) to have
a Toad as the star of a game, as well as the first game to have Toad
as the titular character.Toad and the mushroom people were first seen
in the game Super Mario Bros. where the species was revealed to
comprise the majority of the population of the Mushroom Kingdom.
Toad's design was made directly from the power-up, the Super Mushroom,
as well as the game's general association with mushrooms. Shigeru
Miyamoto, the creator of the Mario franchise, reasons that Toad's
creation was that of being a character that has a simplistic design;
yet, still appears cute and lovely and pleasing to everybody. In the
game, the peaceful Toads of the Mushroom Kingdom had been turned into
various objects such as bricks and pipes by the evil King Bowser;
however, some of Princess Toadstool's loyal servants, known as the
"Mushroom Retainers," were simply kidnapped.
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