The camera fades in on a bright blue sky. A Lakitu, holding a camera on the end of a fishing pole, floats into view as
a familiar tune plays in the background. It floats down, revealing the top of a spire, and the camera pulls back to reveal a sweeping view of Princess Peach’s castle just as the tune starts to swell. The Lakitu flies under the bridge leading to the castle, floats back up, and descends onto a grassy clearing, where a Warp Pipe pops out of the ground. The camera changes to hovering over the pipe with a click…
“Yahoo!”
Our hero, Mario, leaps out of the pipe! After a moment, he looks around, as if waiting for something. He glances back at the pipe and taps his foot.
“Oh yeah!”
Luigi is here, too!
Both brothers look at the castle up ahead. They look at each other, nod, and rush off towards the castle, unaware of a dark shadow hiding among the clouds…
In the castle proper, Princess Peach personally welcomes Mario and Luigi inside (the brothers take off their hats as greetings). Peach claps her hands, and a table carrying an array of food is brought in (by whom, it is unclear). Peach removes a lid, and a wondrous, magnificent cake, five layers high is revealed, a heavenly choir singing in the distance. The Mario brothers drool and swoon over it, and Mario pulls on a bib. Just as they’re about to dig in, rumbling sounds off in the distance. Everyone looks around, confused, Luigi looking sideways at Mario for a moment—was he really that hungry? “Look!” Peach shouts.
The camera focuses on the stained glass window of Princess Peach. The rumbling grows louder and louder… Then, without warning, it shatters as Bowser crashes through in his Koopa Clown Car! Silverware goes flying! Plates fragment against the walls! The mighty King of the Koopas dismounts from his chariot and roars!
Mario and Luigi leap into action, Peach joining them a moment later, parasol at the ready. Both parties stare each other down in a tense moment. Luigi swallows loudly, a single bead of sweat rolling down his chin. From behind the wreckage of the table, the camera changes to a lone figure observing the upcoming battle…
Mario breaks first. He rushes at Bowser and jumps up, fist reared back. It’s an obvious move that Bowser easily blocks. The king’s mouth begins to glow with flame, but is stopped when Luigi stomps on his head from above. Mario drops to the ground and, with Peach by his side, rams a fist and parasol straight into Bowser’s gut.
Growling, Bowser tries to counter with his own punch aimed at the Mario brothers, but suddenly finds himself about to hit… a floating heart?! Peach is behind the heart, smiling a bit too sweetly. Bowser’s eyes widen for a brief moment as his fist connects, the heart responding with a blast of light magic on contact. That same figure continues to watch…
Bowser goes flying back, tucking into his shell to break his fall. The heroes approach, ready to finish the fight. Luigi goes first, and reaches for his tail, but leaps backward as the shell begins to spin. With a hop, Bowser pops out of his shell and uses the momentum to breathe fire in a circle, forcing the heroes to back off. The flames dissipate. Mario stands protectively in front of Luigi and Peach. Suddenly, Bowser grabs Mario and throws him at Luigi, sending both brothers crashing into the wall, knocking them out.
Bowser chuckles evilly and advances on the duo, only for Peach to smack him with her frying pan. It actually stops him for a moment, snapping his head back… but only for a moment. Bowser swats the frying pan out of her hands, and when she switches back to her parasol, he slashes it to ribbons with his claws!
Peach stumbles back and falls, eyes wide. Bowser grins wickedly. Back to the POV of the mysterious observer. They look down at their hands, which clench into fists. They look over to their left. A Golden Mushroom sits there, glowing softly.
Back to the fight, Peach looks over at the Mario brothers. Mario struggles to get up, to protect Peach, but can’t summon the strength…
Stomp, stomp, stomp. Bowser lumbers towards Peach, reaching towards her. It’s all over… Can nothing be done? Who can save her?
Quick as a flash, a golden glow, streaks towards the two of them, knocking the Koopa King off balance! Bowser’s head whips around, snorting angrily. Who dares?!
A high-pitched grunt of exertion sounds from behind him. Bowser’s eyes go wide. A pair of arms grab his tail.
Bowser is spun around one, two, three times before being tossed into the staircase. He’s down, but not out. Who is brave enough to challenge the great and terrible king of the Koopas?
The figure, cloaked in shadow, plucks two 1-Up Mushrooms from their person and tosses them to the Mario brothers. Back on their feet, they immediately rush to the princess to make sure she’s okay. But who…?
The figure takes Peach’s hand in theirs—it’s going to be okay. They turn back towards Bowser, who’s more than ready for round two.
Stepping out of the shadows, the figure reveals themself. A pair of soft brown shoes, round white pants, a blue vest with gold lining, and a white mushroom cap with red spots. Why, who could it be but…
Toad Causes Truffle!!
Familiar, bouncy music starts up as Toad lands on Mushroom Kingdom II and taunts. “Let’s do this!” He rushes off to the right. Cue gameplay montage!
Toad lands a 3-hit jab against Falco on Figure-8 Circuit. The scene switches to the Pirate Ship where Toad uses his forward smash, Super Hammer, on King Dedede. On Delfino Plaza, Toad uses his up tilt, hopping in Mario’s jump pose, three times on Bowser Jr. before Mario arrives and uses Super Jump Punch on the Koopa.
On Kalos Pokemon League, Ness and Olimar charge at Toad from either side, who launches the both of them with two boomerangs thrown from either side. Our brave mushroom hero rushes at Ganondorf in Smashville, a golden glow surrounding him, but the demon king dodges. But Toad quickly turns around as he runs past him, successfully ramming into Ganondorf on the second go, KOing him.
On PictoChat, Toad tosses out a Poison Mushroom, his neutral special. The camera zooms in on it, as it slides on the ground next to the item Poison Mushroom—Toad’s has a purple cap with pink spots, like in Super Mario 3D Land. It slides into Little Mac, where it explodes into spores on contact, stopping the boxer in his tracks.
Toad throws two Poison Mushrooms on the Coliseum. The first slides into Lucario, paralyzing it, while the second slides into Fox, paralyzing and shrinking him.
In Palutena’s Temple, Toad uses his up special move, Propellor Mushroom, to soar high, in between Peach and Daisy using their own up special moves. All three of them drift slowly down, but Toad quickly drills down to launch a waiting Mr. Game & Watch.
The scene changes to Mario Galaxy, where Toad runs to the left, then quickly runs back to the right, as some of Toad’s alternate colors follow him: blue, green, yellow, and purple.
On Mario Circuit, Toad grabs and pummels Marth before throwing him onto the ground and headbutting him. As Marth bounces off the stage, Toad gives chase and whips him away with a raccoon tail.
The scene changes again, with Toad falling in his Statue form, with Kirby’s Thwomp stone form following suit. Both characters change back at the same time, with Kirby being revealed to be sporting Toad’s Mushroom cap. Toad trips on the spot.
Toad next appears on Peach’s Castle, in front of his liege. Wolf hops up to attack, but Peach counters with her new neutral special: Heart Guard!
(visual reference)
Two hearts with eyes surround the princess for a brief moment. The move is demonstrated by it countering Shulk’s Back Slash, and reflecting Mewtwo’s Shadow Ball a moment later. It even catches a Bob-omb thrown by Ike, who flees—too late—as Peach throws the explosive right back. Both Toad and Peach taunt.
In the Garden of Hope, King K. Rool charges at Toad, who uses his down special: Mystery Block. The block appears and bestows upon him a Super Mushroom, causing him to grow. K. Rool quickly turns tail and flees, with Toad in hot pursuit. To the side, Toad’s blue color uses the same move, only to get a Poison Mushroom and shrink, forcing him to flee from the oncoming Peckish Aristocrab.
Finally, on Mushroom Kingdom U, Toad uses his Final Smash: Warp Whistle! Toad takes it out with a spin and plays that tune, summoning a massive tornado to scoop up Bowser, Ridley, and Wario, sending all three off the stage. The camera focuses on Toad as he taunts alongside Mario and Luigi, spinning a 1-Up Mushroom on his finger. Cue logo.
Back in the CGI trailer, Bowser is sent flying out of Peach’s Castle, complete with a twinkle where he disappears into the distance. Toad wipes his brow—a close one, indeed. A visibly tired Mario and Luigi hop up behind Toad and give him a hearty slap on the shoulder and a thumbs-up: “Way to go!” “You number one!” Toad bashfully waves away the praise. Ever the humble mushroom, he is. Princess Peach approaches him, smiling warmly, and Toad looks even more modest, somehow. She kneels down and kisses him, right on his little mushroom cap. Toad blinks and timidly scratches the side of his head, unused to being the hero. As the scene irises out, he does manage to flash the V sign: “I’m the winner!”
