Mario Movie Cast, Ranked By How ‘Game Accurate’ They Feel

I grew up with Mario in pretty much every era: chunky sprites on the SNES, late‑night Mario Kart sessions, and Switch marathons that eat entire weekends. So when The Super Mario Bros. Movie dropped, my brain did what every long‑time Mario player’s brain does.

It started matching every voice to the version of that character I have been hearing in games for years.

Not “who is the biggest celebrity on the poster,” but something way more specific:

• If I close my eyes, does this sound like the Mario universe I know from the games?

• Does the personality line up with how they act on a controller, not just on a cinema screen?

So that is what this is. A ranking of the Mario Movie cast by how game accurate they feel. Some of them could drop straight into a modern cutscene. Some feel like alternate‑universe takes that work for a movie but drift away from the cartridges and discs we grew up with.

Mario Movie Cast Ranked By Game Accuracy

Here is the quick scoreboard before we dive into each character.

Let’s go character by character.

1. Bowser (Jack Black)

Bowser is the easiest “yep, that’s him” in the whole film.

In the games, he sits in this weird pocket where he is a genuine threat but also a bit of a clown. He is the final boss who kidnaps Peach and wrecks kingdoms, but he is also the guy who gets dunked into lava, loses in party games, and occasionally teams up with Mario when the universe is at stake.

Jack Black leans right into that mix.

• The low growl and gravel in his voice line up with the deeper roars and grunts we have been hearing for years, just turned into full sentences.

• He snaps from menacing to pathetic in seconds, which fits how Bowser can go from “terrifying boss entrance” to “panicking in the lava again” in one cutscene.

• The musical bits exaggerate Bowser’s long‑running obsession with Peach, but it still feels rooted in the same goofy, lovesick villain we know from the games.

If Nintendo decided to fully voice Bowser in a future game and used this exact performance, it would not feel out of place at all. That is why he sits comfortably at the top.

2. Luigi (Charlie Day)

Luigi exists to be scared of everything, then somehow come through when it matters.

Charlie Day leans hard into the anxious side of Luigi, but it still feels like the character I recognise from decades of shaky jumps and nervous “waaaah” noises.

• The pitch and tone land close to modern Luigi, just with more full dialogue to play with.

• When Luigi panics, it fits that energy you get in the games when he is creeping through haunted mansions or sprinting away from enemies.

• When he finally stands his ground for Mario, it has the same “unexpected bravery” vibe that Luigi has in his best in‑game moments.

It is not a perfect voice match, but it lines up with how Luigi acts and reacts in the games. So in terms of game accuracy, Luigi lands very high.

3. Toad (Keegan-Michael Key)

Toad has always sounded like a tiny creature trying to yell at maximum volume with a throat made of sandpaper. High, scratchy, and constantly on the edge of losing his voice.

The movie version cleans that up a bit, but keeps the core feeling.

• Toad is still hyper, enthusiastic, and always ready to throw himself into danger while shouting advice.

• The pitch is lower than the really sharp game version, but you still get those quick, excited bursts that feel familiar.

• As Mario’s self‑appointed guide, he channels the same energy as the Toads who pop up in games to warn you about bosses, hand out stars, or drag you into side quests.

It is very much a “cinema‑friendly” Toad, but your brain links it with the games pretty fast, especially if you have spent time with Captain Toad or the newer 3D entries.

4. Princess Peach (Anya Taylor-Joy)

Princess Peach has been evolving quietly for years.

Older games mostly treated her as the goal at the end of the world map. You rescue her, she thanks you, and then Bowser grabs her again next time. But in more recent games, especially the 3D titles and spin‑offs, she has picked up more presence and agency.

The movie fast‑forwards that evolution and drops us into a world where Peach is already capable, tactical, and leading from the front.

Voice wise, Anya Taylor-Joy still feels close to the modern Peach we have in our heads.

• There is a light, gentle tone when she is talking normally that lines up with how Peach sounds in the games.

• She turns that same voice sharper when she is giving orders or stepping into danger, which matches how newer games let Peach be more than just the person getting rescued.

• The main difference is not the sound, but how often she is the one guiding Mario instead of the other way around.

If your mental Peach is “permanent hostage,” this version will feel like a leap. If your Peach is the one floating over everyone in Mario Kart and bonking people in Smash, this feels like a natural extension.

5. Donkey Kong (Seth Rogen)

Donkey Kong in the games is a big, loud mix of power and goofiness.

Sometimes he is smashing barrels and throwing punches, sometimes he is just vibing, eating bananas, and being a friendly rival in spin‑off titles. He is rarely subtle.

Seth Rogen’s take nails that personality, even if the voice itself is a noticeable shift.

• The attitude is perfect: confident, a bit smug, but still ultimately on the good side once you get past the bravado.

• The rivalry with Mario feels like a more talkative version of all those mini‑games and boss fights they share across the series.

• The trademark laugh is a big swing, but it does suit DK’s “big goofy tank” energy.

If you care strictly about matching the grunts and roars from the games, this is a step away. If you care about whether this feels like the same character in a different format, it works well, which is why DK lands in the middle.

6. Kamek & Cranky Kong

(Kevin Michael Richardson, Fred Armisen)

I am grouping these two because they both push the characters harder into comedy than what we typically get when we are playing.

Kamek

In the games, Kamek is the quiet, slightly eerie Magikoopa who appears to power up bosses, warp platforms, and generally ruin your day.

The film turns him into a full speaking role with a lot more screen time.

• Kevin Michael Richardson gives Kamek a slimy, scheming wizard energy that fits his role as Bowser’s right‑hand advisor.

• He still feels loyal and constantly in Bowser’s shadow, which matches the in‑game dynamic.

It works, and it is memorable, but it is a much louder and more theatrical take than the Kamek I am used to facing in boss rooms.

Cranky Kong

Cranky in the games is simple.

• He is old.

• He is annoyed.

• He will absolutely roast you for playing badly.

Fred Armisen’s version keeps the grumpy elder idea, but tilts it more into “fussy king” than “angry grandpa who yells from his rocking chair.”

It is funny, and it fits the movie’s version of the Kong kingdom, but it feels like a remix of Cranky rather than a direct lift from the games. So both Kamek and Cranky slide down the ranking when we are grading on closeness to the source material.

7. Mario (Chris Pratt)

Mario was always going to be the hardest character to cast.

Everyone else has had a bit more flexibility over the years. Mario, meanwhile, has lived in people’s heads for decades with one specific sound. Short, high‑energy bursts, a very distinct accent, and a ton of iconic little vocal stings.

The movie takes a different route on purpose.

• Chris Pratt’s Mario leans into a more grounded, Brooklyn‑style voice early on, then slowly settles into a slightly more neutral delivery.

• You still get the occasional familiar shout or exclamation, but most lines sound like an everyday guy reacting to a ridiculous situation.

• The idea clearly seems to be that this version of Mario has to carry full scenes of dialogue, not just one‑liners, so the voice is dialed back.

For the story they are telling, it works fine. Mario feels like a person with a family, a job, and a specific place in the world.

If we are talking pure game accuracy though, it is the furthest away from the Mario that has been stomping Goombas for generations, which is why he lands at the bottom of this particular ranking.

From Movie Voices To Game Controllers: How These Performances Hit As A Mario Fan

Watching the movie as someone who grew up on everything from Super Mario World to Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, the cast lands in an interesting balance.

• Bowser, Luigi, Toad, and Peach feel like they are only a small step away from being dropped straight into a modern game cutscene.

• Donkey Kong, Kamek, and Cranky feel like movie‑first versions that borrow the games as a base, then run in their own direction.

• Mario himself works as a character in this specific story, but if you are grading him against the in‑game voice everyone knows, he is the biggest departure.

The nice thing is that even with those differences, the movie still feels built for people who have spent way too many hours in the Mushroom Kingdom.

If hearing these characters talk on the big screen makes you want to swap cinema seats for Rainbow Road chaos, you might like my ranking of the top 5 Mario Kart games of all time, from the SNES original up to Mario Kart 8 Deluxe.