Mario
Mario has a strange dream about a land in danger, and the very next day they find that land in a hidden mountain cave. Mario has an all-round average ability.
Luigi
Luigi has the very best jumping power - even better than Mario. However, he is a little slower at running and picking up items and enemies. The way he kicks his legs in the air is unique.
Princess Peach
Peach may be the slowest and weakest of the group, and third place for jumping power, but she can use her magic to hover through the air for short periods of time. She is ideal for reaching out-of-the-way platforms and secrets.
Toad
Peach's loyal Mushroom Retainer is the weakest jumper in the group, but he's also the fastest at picking up items, and his speed and jump power are unaffected when carrying an item.
Sub-con
The people of this land who have been imprisoned by Wart. Can you bring down the king of bad dreams and free the Sub-con people?
Shy Guy
A little robed guy who wears a mask to hide his true face. The pink variety walks back and forth, while the red variety will drop down when they reach the platform's edge.
Tweeter
A masked bird that hangs out with Shy Guy. It hops around, flapping its bat-like wings to try and fly.
Snifit
A Shy Guy wearing a gun-mask that fires bullets made of evil dreams. The pink variety walks back and forth, while the red variety will drop down when they reach the platform's edge. The gray variety jumps up and down in one spot, firing at you.
Ninji
A little devil that looks like a ninja. There are two kinds of Ninji: One kind will chase you around, while the other will stand in one spot and jump up and down.
Beezo
A Shy Guy with wings. The red variety swoops down and tries to hit you, while the pink variety will fly straight at you. You can use them as platforms to reach high-up areas.
Hoopster
A big beetle that resembles a ladybug and lives on vines. If you can't knock it off, then you can simply ride on top of it.
Phanto
It may seem like a harmless mask at first, but if you grab the key in its chamber it will spring to life and give chase. Drop the key to make it go away, or use the key to escape it for good.
Trouter
A floppy fish that leaps up waterfalls. If you use good timing, you can even use them as platforms to cross large chasms.
Porcupo
A mean little porcupine that shuffles along the ground. Its spines mean you can't ride on its back.
Bob-omb
A living bomb that walks around for a short time before exploding, taking out anything nearby. Be careful: sometimes Bob-ombs can also be found buried in the grass.
Albatoss
A soaring bird that has been sent by Wart to drop Bob-ombs on Mario and friends. If you can get on its back, you can ride it through the sky to new areas.
Pidgit
A mean, flightless bird with stubby little wings. To make up for them, he rides a magic carpet. If you can unseat him, you can steal the carpet for a short time.
Cobrat
Found in jars or sleeping beneath the sand, these snakes move back and forth, spitting poisonous pellets. Said to often appear in Toad's dreams.
Panser
A little walking flower that opens up and spits deadly fire. Time your movements carefully to sneak through the onslaught of fireballs it shoots at you.
Ostro
A rare, domesticated ostrich that the Shy Guys sometimes use to ride around on. If you can knock the Shy Guy off, you can also ride on it.
Pokey
A multi-segmented cactus that shuffles through the sand. If you knock off one body piece, it will keep moving around as if nothing happened. The only spot not covered in thorns is the very top of its head.
Autobomb
Dubbed the "Bad Dream Machine", this cannon-on-wheels is ridden by Shy Guys and can shoot deadly fireballs. Knock the Shy Guy off to go for a ride yourself.
Flurry
A little snow monster that lives in the chilly parts of the world of Subcon. It is unable to grip the ground, and will often slide around uncontrollable as it chases you down.
Spark
A living spark that moves around walls and floors. Some varieties move incredibly fast.
Birdo
The egg-spitting Birdo is the guardian of the Crystal at the end of almost every level. Grab its eggs (or anything else you have to hand) and hit it three times to win. It's said that Birdo is a boy who wants to be a girl named "Birdetta".
Mouser
The mad bomber of the land of dreams is the boss of World 1 and World 3. Catch his bombs and throw them right back at him to take him out. His pride means he doesn't accept that he is just a mouse.
Tryclyde
The cunning Tryclyde appears as the boss of World 2 and World 6. With three fire-spitting heads, he has massive offensive ability. Throw up a protective wall and toss Mushroom Blocks at him to take him out. It's said he was once an outsider until he impressed Wart.
Fryguy
A fireball that was given life by Wart appears as the boss of World 4. He swoops around the room, blowing fireballs in his icy cave. If you can drop Mushroom Blocks on him, eventually he will split into Mini-Fryguys.
Clawgrip
Wart gave this tiny little crab amazing size and strength. As the boss of World 5, Clawgrip pelts you with rocks. Grab them and throw them back to take him down.
Hawkmouth
At the end of every level, grabbing the Crystal will open the Hawkmouth gate leading to the next area. However, in the final palace, grabbing the Crystal will cause Hawkmouth to rip from the wall and chase you around. You will have to take it down to reach the final challenge.
Wart
The mischievous, self-proclaimed king of the world of dreams. He has taken control of the Dream Machine in order to create monsters, although now it's stuck on producing his least favorite thing of all: Vegetables. Avoid his toxic bubble breath and throw vegetables in his mouth to bring Wart to and end.
Small Heart
If you take out several enemies in a row, a Small Heart will appear. Grab it to refill your life meter by one point.
Unripened Vegetable
The most common kind of vegetable you will pull up from the ground. Throw them at enemies to take them out.
Vegetable
Fully grown vegetables are less common, and can also be used as weapons to take down enemies. However, if you pull up five fully-grown veggies, you will instead receive a Stop Watch.
Stop Watch
Pulling up five ripe vegetables will turn the fifth into a Stop Watch. This will temporarily halt all enemy movement for a short time.
Magic Potion
Find a Magic Potion and throw it to the ground to make a door appear. Enter this door to move into Sub-Space. Here, all grass becomes Coins, and you can find Mushrooms and Warp Zones if you're lucky!
Coin
Entering Sub-Space and pulling up vegetable patches will instead reveal Coins. You can spend these Coins during the Bonus Chance game after beating the level.
Mushroom
There are two location in every level where, if you enter Sub-Space, you will find a Mushroom. Grab it to increase your Life Meter by one bar for the rest of the level.
1-Up Mushroom
This rare, hidden item will grant you one extra life.
Turtle Shell
A shell that you can throw along the ground. It will take out any enemies in its path and you can even ride on top of it. If it hits a wall, it will break apart.
Bomb
An explosive that will detonate a few seconds after it is pulled out of the ground. Throw it at crumbling walls to break them down.
POW Block
This familiar item can be thrown at the ground, causing an earthquake that defeats any ground-based enemies on the screen.
Mushroom Block
These blocks come in many different patterns. You can stack them up to reach new areas, toss them at enemies and even take out bosses with them.
Cherry
These delicious fruits just hang in the air. Grab enough of them and the Starman will appear.
Starman
This glittering star rises up from the bottom of the screen when you gather enough Cherries. If you catch it, it will make you temporarily invincible, allowing you to take out enemies and even bosses just by touching them.
Key
This useful item can be used to open locked doors. However, Keys are always found in Phanto's chamber. If you're going to grab one, be sure to make a run for it!
Rocket
Sometimes, pulling up a patch of grass will cause you to fly away to a new area in a rocket. After dropping you off, the rocket explodes.
Crystal
At the end of every level, the Crystal opens the Hawkmouth gate. You usually have to take out Birdo to get it, but sometimes you will have to cross a dangerous area instead.
