Super Mario 3D World / Characters

Super Mario 3D World characters: abilities and Rosalina unlock

Compare all five heroes and the separate Captain Toad rules.

Edition covered

Original Wii U game. Switch movement changes, online co-op and Bowser’s Fury are excluded.

5 characters · one picture per entry · open a picture for full size.

Characters

Balanced movement

Mario

Learning unfamiliar stages.

Reference

Higher jump

Luigi

Tall platforms.

Reference

Brief float

Peach

Correcting landings.

Reference

Fast movement

Toad

Quick traversal with careful control.

Reference

Spin attack

Rosalina

Combat and an extra aerial option.

Reference

Quick notes

Match the hero to the route. Mario is balanced, Luigi jumps higher, Peach floats and Toad moves quickly.
Unlock Rosalina in World Star. Clear World Star-2, Super Galaxy, to add Rosalina.
Treat Captain Toad as a puzzle character. His dedicated courses use camera reading and route planning because he cannot jump.
Change characters when a task calls for it. Some switches and completion goals are character-specific.

Unlock Rosalina in World Star

Selection contexts
Context	Rule	Planning note
Standard course	Choose an available hero	Use the best movement for the target.
Local co-op	Up to four players	Coordinate around one camera.
Captain Toad course	Captain Toad cannot jump	Plan ramps, lifts and drops.
Character-specific task	Requires the matching hero	Return with that character.

Useful tip

His dedicated courses use camera reading and route planning because he cannot jump. A normal platforming solution may therefore be impossible for him.

References

Guide references
Reference	Website
Super Mario Wiki: Super Mario 3D World	www.mariowiki.com