Editing Toad (species)

{{about|the species Toad|other uses|[[Toad (disambiguation)]]}}

|latest_appearance=''[[Mario & Luigi: Brothership]]'' ([[List of games by date#2024|2024]])

|comparable=[[Goomba]]<br>[[Shelltop]]<br>[[Shroob]]

|notable=[[Action Toad]]<br>[[Attack Piece Toad]]<br>[[Baker (The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3)|Baker]]<br>[[Banktoad]]<br>[[Barista Toad]]<br>[[Battle Lab Toad]]<br>[[Battle Master]]<br>[[Battle T.]]<br>[[Bingo]]<br>[[Bloo]]<br>[[Caddie Master]]<br>[[Captain T. Ode]]<br>[[Captain Toad]]<br>[[Card Connoisseur Toad]]<br>[[Chancellor]]<br>[[Chanterelle (The Super Mario Bros. Movie)|Chanterelle]]<br>[[Chef Kinopio]]<br>[[Chef Spore]]<br>[[Chosen Toads]]<br>[[Cinder Toad]]<br>[[Club 64 bartender]]<br>[[Crybaby Toad]]<br>[[Daffodil Peak park ranger]]<br>[[Dane T.]]<br>[["Deep Cuts" Toad]]<br>[[Delivery Toad]]<br>[[DJ Toad]]<br>[[Doctor]]<br>[[Dr. Toadley]]<br>[[Dr. Toadley's intern]]<br>[[Doe T.]]<br>[[Earth Vellumental Temple curator]]<br>[[Excess Express conductor]]<br>[[Excess Express engineer]]<br>[[Excess Express waitress]]<br>[[Feelin' Fungi]]<br>[[Fice T.]]<br>[[Five Fun Guys]]<br>[[Forebear]]<br>[[Foreman]]<br>[[Fort Cobalt barista]]<br>[[Fortune Toad]]<br>[[Frost T.]]<br>[[Fun Gus]]<br>[[Game Boy Toad]]<br>[[Gardener]]<br>[[Gaz]]<br>[[George Washingtoad]]<br>[[Ghost T.]]<br>[[Gramma Red and Gramma Green]]<br>[[Gramps]]<br>[[Granny]]<br>[[Greenie (character)|Greenie]]<br>[[Guide Toad]]<br>[[Harry (Paper Mario)|Harry]]<br>[[Heff T.]]<br>[[Herb T.]]<br>[[Hint Toad]]<br>[[Hollijolli Mayor]]<br>[[Jack (character)|Jack]]<br>[[Mushroom Marauder and Jake the Crusher Fungus|Jake the Crusher Fungus]]<br>[[Jammin' Toad]]<br>[[Jolene]]<br>[[Kanchō Kinopio]]<br>[[Kinopio-kun]]<br>[[Kinoppe]]<br>[[Know-It-All Toads|Know-It-All Toads (''Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam'')]]<br>[[Know-it-All Toad (Paper Mario: Color Splash)|Know-it-All Toad (''Paper Mario: Color Splash'')]]<br>[[Legendary captain]]<br>[[Lighthouse keeper]]<br>[[Little T.]]<br>[[Lookout Toad]]<br>[[Love Toad]]<br>[[Mailtoad]]<br>[[Master Poet]]<br>[[Master Toad]]<br>[[Mayor Fettuccine]]<br>[[Minh T.]]<br>[[Minister of Massage]]<br>[[Mini T.]]<br>[[List of implied characters#Moldy|Moldy]]<br>[[Moleville Toad]]<br>[[Monologue Toad]]<br>[[Monstermama]]<br>[[Mort T.]]<br>[[Mr. E (Mario Party Advance)]]<br>[[Mr. E (Paper Mario)]]<br>[[Mr. Mayor]]<br>[[Mrs. Shroomlock]]<br>[[Mushbert]]<br>[[Mushroom Boy]]<br>[[Mushroom Marauder and Jake the Crusher Fungus|Mushroom Marauder]]<br>[[Mushroom Nanny]]<br>[[Mushroom Rebel]]<br>[[Mushroom Referee]]<br>[[Mushroom Shop clerk]]<br>[[Muss T.]]<br>[[Mustard Café Chef]]<br>[[Niff T.]]<br>[[Oarsman]]<br>[[Obi-Wan Toadi]]<br>[[Origami Craftsman]]<br>[[Outback mayor]]<br>[[Painter]]<br>[[Peddler Kinopio]]<br>[[Pine]]<br>[[Pine T. Jr.]]<br>[[Pine T. Sr.]]<br>[[Plenn T.]]<br>[[Pop Diva]]<br>[[Porter]]<br>[[Prince Hugo]]<br>[[Prince Mush]]<br>[[Prof. Kinopio]]<br>[[Professor Fungi]]<br>[[Professor Toad]]<br>[[Pronto]]<br>[[Puff]]<br>[[Purp]]<br>[[Raini]]<br>[[Raz]]<br>[[Redd]]<br>[[Rescue Squad]]<br>[[Rock Paper Wizard]]<br>[[Rose Town innkeeper]]<br>[[Russ T.]]<br>[[Scooter]]<br>[[Sea Captain Toad]]<br>[[Senchō Kinopio]]<br>[[Señor Mayor]]<br>[[Servant]]<br>[[Shroomlock]]<br>[[Starshade Bros.]]<br>[[Steward (Paper Mario: Sticker Star)|Steward]]<br>[[Sultan]]<br>[[Sunset Express conductor]]<br>[[Tangerino Grill Chef]]<br>[[Tayce T.]]<br>[[Tea Party Toads]]<br>[[The Master]]<br>[[Thriff T.]]<br>[[Toad]]<br>[[Toad doctor]]<br>[[Toad in the Desert]]<br>[[Toad mechanic]]<br>[[Toad salesman]]<br>[[Toad's BBQ Foodeatery caretaker]]<br>[[Toad's cousin]]<br>[[Toadbert]]<br>[[Toadette]]<br>[[Toadia]]<br>[[Toadiko]]<br>[[Toadman]]<br>[[Toadmaster General]]<br>[[Toadofsky]]<br>[[Toadster]]<br>[[Toadsworth]]<br>[[Toadsworth the Younger]]<br>[[Toce T.]]<br>[[Todojewski]]<br>[[Toodles]]<br>[[Trading Event Toad]]<br>[[Traveling Sisters Three]]<br>[[Traveling Toad]]<br>[[Truffle Toes]]<br>[[Vanna T.]]<br>[[Vault Guard]]<br>[[Violet Passage captain]]<br>[[Wooster]]<br>[[Wringer]]<br>[[Yella]]<br>[[Yellow Toad and Blue Toad]]<br>[[Yellow Toad (Toad Brigade)]]<br>[[Zess T.]]<br>[[Zip Toad]]

'''Toads''', also known as the '''Mushroom People'''<ref name=SMBstory>{{cite|date=1985|format=PDF|url=www.nintendo.co.jp/clv/manuals/en/pdf/CLV-P-NAAAE.pdf|title=''Super Mario Bros.'' instruction booklet|publisher=Nintendo of America|language=en-us|page=2}}</ref> (singular: '''Mushroom person''' or '''mushroom person''') or simply '''Mushrooms''',<ref name="SMB manual US">{{cite|title=''Super Mario Bros.'' instruction booklet|page=14}}</ref> are a peaceful race of mushroom-like, humanoid characters and the dominant species of the [[Mushroom Kingdom]]. Toads reside in many towns and cities throughout the entire kingdom and have a capital named after them called [[Toad Town]]. Most Toads are citizens of the Mushroom Kingdom, and many also work as loyal servants of the kingdom's ruler [[Princess Peach]].

The most recognizable member of the species is the character known as [[Toad]], who is typically depicted as Peach's loyal servant; regardless, Toad has also adventured directly alongside Mario on several adventures since his debut in ''[[Super Mario Bros. 2]]''. The character continues to appear as a playable representative for the species in various spin-offs in addition to his own starring roles in 1994's ''[[Wario's Woods (Nintendo Entertainment System)|Wario's Woods]]'' and 1995's ''[[Kinopio Live]]''. Other Toads such as [[Toadette]], [[Toadsworth]], and the [[Toad Brigade]] organization also make prominent appearances throughout the series. Members of this species other than the aforementioned main Toad character may also be referred to as simply "Toad" without the use of an indefinite article, one such instance being found in a [[Don't Fold Under the Pressure!|video]] by [[Nintendo|Nintendo of America]], where this name is used to refer to the [[Oarsman]] in ''[[Paper Mario: The Origami King]]''.<ref>{{cite|quote=Who was sitting the closest to Toad?|author=Nintendo of America|date=November 5, 2020|url=youtu.be/Dk0M2hJRm3Q|title=Test Your 5-Second Focus with Paper Mario: The Origami King|publisher=YouTube|language=en-us|accessdate=March 5, 2023}}</ref>

The only Mushroom People left in their original forms are Princess Toadstool's seven remaining servants, also called the '''mushroom retainers'''<ref name="SMB manual US"/> or simply '''Retainers''',<ref name=maid>{{cite|quote=At the goals of Worlds One through Seven, Retainer, Princess Toadstool's maid is awaiting Mario's rescue Help her! Princess Toadstool is imprisoned at the end of World Eight.|author=Yamashita, Tatsumi|date=1987|title=''The Official Nintendo Player's Guide''|publisher=Tokuma Shoten|language=en|isbn=999832369X|page=32}}</ref> who are found in the first seven of the game's eight [[castle]]s. While the English instruction booklet claims that they are under Bowser's spell,<ref name="SMB manual US"/> the Japanese version correctly states that they were merely captured.<ref name=Kinopio>{{cite|date=1985|publisher=Nintendo|quote=「お姫様に仕える7人のキノコ、魔王の人質になっている。」 (''Seven Mushrooms who serve the princess. The Demon King is holding them hostage.'')|url=www.nintendo.co.jp/clv/manuals/ja/pdf/CLV-P-HAAAJ.pdf|format=PDF|title=スーパーマリオブラザーズ (''Sūpā Mario Burazāzu'') instruction booklet|language=ja|page=14}}</ref> Additionally, an official guide describes them as female maids, but is missing the part mentioning seven of them, implying that they are instead a single character.<ref name=maid/> When rescued, the mushroom retainer informs Mario or Luigi that their princess is in another castle.

Toads make a minor appearance in ''[[New Super Mario Bros.]]'', appearing in the intro where they are seen panicking after the castle was attacked. In this game, [[Toadsworth]] takes the role of hosting the Toad Houses instead. Toads, however, make cameo appearances in the minigames available in this game, since most of them are the same minigames from ''Super Mario 64 DS''. The Toads in the opening in fact use Toadsworth's model, but due to the screen size and resolution of the original Nintendo DS, this cannot be easily seen without outside-game tools.<ref>{{cite|author=RiazorMC|date=October 21, 2017|url=youtu.be/QjsRFX-c4h8|title=Intro Secret in New Super Mario Bros DS {{!}} 1440p|publisher=YouTube|language=en|accessdate=June 27, 2024}}</ref> However, due to later systems with which the game can be played having larger screens, the brown caps can be noticed by sharp eyes when playing the game on those.

[[Toad]] returns in ''[[Super Mario Run]]'' as a playable character, once again with his high speed ability, this and ''Super Mario Bros. 2'' (and all its re-releases) are the only instances Toad is playable in a ''Super Mario'' series game while retaining his red spots. In addition, he serves as a guide in the game and the shopkeeper in the Kingdom Builder mode. [[Toadette]] also joins the playable roster, making her debut in the ''Super Mario'' series. Her ability applies to the Toad Rally mode. During the final tally, she causes some Toads on the opponent's side to join the player's side. This reduces the multiplier applied to coins of the opponent while increasing the player's multiplier. Toadette is normally the judge of the Toad Rally mode, but when she is being played as Toad substitutes for her.  

Two other Toads have key menu features. They can be found standing on stumps on the screen with Peach's Castle. The top left corner of the play area has a Toad that opens the Notifications menu. The bottom right corner of the screen has [[Jammin' Toad|a Toad wearing headphones]], who can toggle a mode where the in-game music is muted while letting the player play other songs on their device over the game.

When Bowser destroys the Mushroom Kingdom in the game, all of the Toads except for Toad run away. Repopulating the kingdom with Toads is one of the goals of the game. Toads come in five colors: Red, Blue, Yellow, Green and Purple. The total number of Toads collected, as well as the number of Toads of specific colors, are used to progress in the game. These values are used to unlock new [[List of Kingdom Builder items in Super Mario Run|item]]s in the Kingdom Builder mode, as well as gradually rebuild and [[level up]] Peach's Castle. Items with color variations in this game, such as Toad Houses, usually have a version for each of the five colors Toads have. Toads are seen across the Mushroom Kingdom, as well as alongside or on top of some of the buildings. Sometimes they are sitting, sleeping, rolling on their backs, stretching, waving at the player walking back and forth, talking to each other, running in circles around a building, or interacting with buildings in more specialized ways. When a Toad or a building they are near is tapped, the Toad pops into the air. Some Toads next to buildings hold a coin. Tapping them or the building adds coins to the player's total.

Toads are gained by playing the Toad Rally mode, in which players compete against "ghosts" of other players in one-minute runs through randomized courses, with the goal being to collect the most coins and impress the most Toads. During a match, the Toads cheering for the player appear on the bottom of their screen. After the match, the Toads appear on screen in a Toad Tally, a summary of the run. The player with the higher coin total wins, with every cheering Toad serving as a multiplier to the coins.

 

*[[stomp|jumping]] on more than one enemy without touching the ground in between

*[[Wall Jump|wall jump]]ing at least twice on two walls one opposite to the other

Being defeated causes all Toads on the screen to leave. While there’s no limit to the amount of Toads that can cheer for the player, only the first 30 Toads cheering for each of the two players are shown in the Toad Tally. After the winner is determined, the Toads cheering for the loser move over to the winning side. If the player won, this means all of the opponent's Toads join them and every Toad goes your kingdom via a red [[Warp Pipe|pipe]]. If the opponent won, some of the cheering Toads leave the player, which also counts against the Toads in your kingdom.

 

The colors of Toads that cheer for the player in Toad Rally depends on the environment. Red Toads are in the crowd for any course, but the other colors are more limited in their appearance. All Toad colors can appear in an Airship course.

(Note that this means players who have not purchased the game cannot obtain Yellow or Purple Toads, as none of the courses accessible to such a player are Airships, Deserts, or Ghost Houses.<ref>{{cite|quote=I can't receive Purple Toads or Yellow Toads even after clearing World 2-1 and beyond. You must purchase all the worlds in order to get Purple Toads and Yellow Toads.|url=https://support.supermariorun.com/en-US/faq|title=Help and Inquiries|publisher=Nintendo|accessdate=October 30, 2024}}</ref>)

 

Additionally, certain characters can change the mechanics of Toads. [[Yoshi]]s are popular with Toads of the same color, and thus are more likely to cheer for that Yoshi. This also allows for Toads of colors that normally do not cheer on that kind of course to appear. As stated before, if the player plays as Toadette, the player is able to attract Toads more easily and in the result screen some of the opponent's Toads switch to the player's side.

 

The player's level determines the maximum number of Toads their kingdom can have at once. If this limit is exceeded, some older Toads move out.<ref>{{cite|quote=Due to strict zoning rules, there is a limit to how many Toads can live in your kingdom at a time. If you win a Toad Rally after you've reached the maximum number of Toads, some old Toads will leave so that the new ones can move in. How nice!|url=https://support.supermariorun.com/en-US/faq|title=Help and Inquiries|publisher=Nintendo|accessdate=October 13, 2024}}</ref>

 

In Remix 10, four Toads spectate in the Bonus Game and Super Bonus Game, which occurs in a Toad House.

Toads reappear in ''[[Super Mario Odyssey]]'', where they are mostly found in the [[Mushroom Kingdom (Super Mario Odyssey)|Mushroom Kingdom]], with some being in the [[Lost Kingdom]] and [[Moon Kingdom]] as well. In this game, they always wear hats on their caps. Often, these hats are based on what other characters in the game wear. One Toad in the Mushroom Kingdom says that Peach brought hats as souvenirs from the [[Moon]]. The [[Toad Brigade]] also appears, and includes [[Captain Toad]], Archivist Toadette, and [[Hint Toad]]. There is also a Toad called [[Jammin' Toad]], who is seen wearing headphones and listening to music. A Toad with an red beret runs the [[Picture Match]] game in both the [[Cloud Kingdom]] and the Mushroom Kingdom.

Mushroom Shop Clerk.png|[[Mushroom Shop clerk]] in ''[[Mario Party]]''

Members of the Toad species typically appear as NPCs serving as spectators, line judges, camera operators, or referees on the court in their appearances in the ''[[Mario Tennis (series)|Mario Tennis]]'' series. In ''[[Mario Tennis Open]]'', several colored Toads run the options menu in this game, with Toad guiding players in the records, shop, and outfitter, while blue, yellow, green, and purple Toads handle other areas of the records. In ''[[Mario Tennis: Ultra Smash]]'', a Toad always waves the second player's flag when playing in Doubles. Additionally, the Toad sitting on the chair wears a black outfit to distinguish himself from the playable [[Toad]] character in the game. In ''[[Mario Tennis Aces]]'', a red and a blue Toad serve as commentators in the start and beginning of Adventure Mode, and a Toad follows the player making comments and remarks about what is currently happening in the story.<ref>{{cite|author=ZackScottGames|date=June 22, 2018|url=www.youtube.com/watch?v=dLANGHCtlSE&t=1293s|title=''Mario Tennis Aces'' - Gameplay Walkthrough Part 1 - Bask Ruins! Piranha Plant Forest (Nintendo Switch)|timestamp=21:33|publisher=YouTube|accessdate=June 27, 2024}}</ref> There is also an option to allow a blue Toad to commentate during multiplayer matches. A green Toad, blue Toad, and yellow Toad accompany the playable Toad in his entry to the court, and two purple Toads hand Peach her racket when she steps into the court.

In the [[Super Smash Bros. (series)|''Super Smash Bros.'' series]], Toad appears as Princess Peach's neutral [[Toad (move)|special move]], being held out in front of her and attacking any opponents if he is hit. If he gets attacked, he will release spores. Toad also appears as [[Trophy (Super Smash Bros. series)|trophies]] which can be unlocked if the players finish the All-Star mode. In Adventure Mode, two Toads appear in the [[Mushroom Kingdom (Adventure Mode)|Mushroom Kingdom]] stage. One appears on the platform where the player fights the Yoshis and the other appears just before the [[Goal Pole]] at the end. Both Toads are running back-and-forth in a panic, using the same animation as the Toad from Peach's move. Toad also appears as Stickers in ''[[Super Smash Bros. Brawl]]'' and as [[Spirit (Super Smash Bros. Ultimate)|spirits]] in ''[[Super Smash Bros. Ultimate]]''.

In ''[[Luigi's Mansion]]'' and [[Luigi's Mansion (Nintendo 3DS)|its 3DS remake]], Toads appear throughout the mansion and save the player's progress when Luigi interacts with them.<ref>{{cite|date=2001|title=''Luigi's Mansion'' instruction booklet|publisher=Nintendo of America|language=en-us|page=26}}</ref> One Toad followed [[Mario]] in from orders of [[Princess Peach]], where both end up lost. The same Toad is found crying in the [[Foyer (Luigi's Mansion)|Foyer]], and after talking to [[Luigi]] acts as the first save point in the game. The Toads also offer hints to Luigi depending on what part of the story the player has reached. A Toad can be found in the [[Balcony (2F)|second floor balcony]], the [[Washroom (1F)|first floor washroom]], and the [[Courtyard (Luigi's Mansion)|Courtyard]].

In ''[[Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon]]'', Toads have a bigger role than in the first game, serving as assistants for [[Professor E. Gadd]] by inspecting the different mansions in [[Evershade Valley]]: a red Toad inspects [[Haunted Towers]], a yellow Toad inspects [[Old Clockworks]], a blue Toad inspects [[Secret Mine]], and green and purple Toads both inspect [[Treacherous Mansion]]. E. Gadd tends to occasionally forget about them, and even states how "terrible it must be to work for him". In the game, the Toads are trapped in paintings by [[King Boo]] and his henchmen after the [[Dark Moon]] shattered. When a Toad assistant returns to the [[Lab|Bunker]], he provides a snapshot from E. Gadd's tridimensional security camera which can be used for clues in later missions.

In ''[[Mario vs. Donkey Kong]]'' and its [[Nintendo Switch]] [[Mario vs. Donkey Kong (Nintendo Switch)|remake]], three Toads (red, blue, and yellow) appear as employees of the [[Mario Toy Company]]. They can be also seen wearing hard hats when working inside the company's factory in the remake. In the game's intro cutscene, the factory is attacked by Donkey Kong, who steals the [[Mini Mario (toy)|Mini-Mario]] toys while the Toads are unable to do anything in the process. Although it is not clearly shown what happened to the Toads in the intro cutscene in the original version, the remake shows the Toads fleeing the factory in fear.

They later appear after Donkey Kong runs out of Mini-Marios following his defeat in World 6, where they, alongside Mario and some Mini-Marios, laugh at him. This enrages Donkey Kong and he captures the Toads, placing them in locked cages on top of a giant building. The three Toads are eventually rescued by Mario and decide to help him defeat Donkey Kong. During the battle, the Toads carry the large [[DK Barrel]]s that Donkey Kong had thrown previously back to the stage, which can be thrown at the boss to make him fall several times.

 

By the end of the first final battle, Mario and the three Toads succeed in defeating Donkey Kong. While he hangs off the building, the three Toads stomp on Donkey Kong's finger and make him fall off. Afterwards, they briefly celebrate his apparent defeat. However in the remake, since Donkey Kong accidentally loses his grip on the building when he is defeated, the Toads (alongside Mario) instead become worried about his supposed demise.

During the opening cinematic, a red Toad rides a yacht with Mario, Luigi, Yoshi, Birdo, and Daisy to the [[Baseball Kingdom]]. Upon arrival, they get a view of the island from a lighthouse. While at the [[Peach Ice Garden]], a red Toad is frozen by a [[Freezie]], while the blue Toad breaks the ice by colliding into his frozen teammate. Back at [[Mario Stadium]], Toads in red and blue watch from the bench and witness Luigi making the final out of the team before coming on to the field.

Some Toads, such as the [[Toad General]], are bespectacled and elderly.<ref>{{file link|TSMBM poster Peach 2.jpg}}</ref><ref>{{cite|author=Illumination|date=November 29, 2022|url=youtu.be/TnGl01FkMMo|title=''The Super Mario Bros. Movie'' {{!}} Official Trailer|publisher=YouTube|language=en|accessdate=March 21, 2023}}</ref>

Toads are fairly short humanoids with human skin tones. Possessing the appearance of young human children, Toads are among the smaller races of Mushroom Kingdom. They have dark and beady eyes while they also possess stubby feet with an unknown number of toes and typically possess almost no visible legs, although occasionally, some Toads may be depicted with visible legs, including in ''Super Mario Bros. 3'', ''Excitebike: Bun Bun Mario Battle Stadium'', and the Save Data Toad in ''Mario Party'''s village. Their most recognizable trait is their large mushroom caps and small bodies. Typically, Toads either have white caps with red, blue, green, yellow or purple spots. However, some games also introduced Toads with caps of inverse colors such as red, blue, green or pink caps with white spots or light brown caps with dark brown spots (in the case of Toadsworth). Although the Toad species resemble humanoid fungi, they may<ref>''Super Mario Bros.'' instruction booklet, ''Nintendo Comics System'' description, ''Super Smash Bros. for Wii U'' Toad trophy, etc.</ref> or may not<ref name=ToadGender>{{cite|author=Corriea, Alexa Ray|date=November 17, 2014|url=www.gamespot.com/articles/nintendo-reveals-the-toads-gender-secret/1100-6423610|title=Nintendo Reveals the Toads' Gender Secret|publisher=GameSpot|language=en|accessdate=June 27, 2024}}</ref> actually be mushrooms.

Toads generally wear simplistic clothing in the case of males wearing vests that typically reflect off the color of the spots on their mushroom caps; these also reveal a portion of their chest. Some female Toads are shown to also sport vests (such as Toadette); however, they also wear long dresses. Toads also sport tall, white, diaper-like or Arabian-like pants (with ridges on the top visible below their open chest) that resemble the base of a mushroom or toadstool stalk, and in the Japanese box art for ''[[Super Mario Bros.]]'', these pants are low enough to show their belly button. Most Toads also sport common brown-colored footwear. [[Dryite]]s from ''[[Paper Mario]]'' prove that some Toads possess different wardrobes based on the area they come from. These Toads wear tagelmusts and desert clothing while also possessing tanned skin. However, in some games, such as ''Super Princess Peach'' and ''Super Mario Odyssey'', Toads (or just red Toads) are depicted with said colored spots and wearing blue vests, making them appear identical to Toad himself. The ''[[Paper Mario (series)|Paper Mario]]'' games since ''[[Paper Mario: Sticker Star]]'' have multiple red Toads that wear either red or blue vests. However, some games, such as ''Mario Tennis Aces'' and ''Mario Kart 8'', have made attempts to differentiate the Toads from the playable character Toad by making the only Toads with purple/blue/yellow/red/green spots with the matching vests. This also applies in ''[[The Super Mario Bros. Movie]]'', where Toad himself is the only Toad that has red spots while wearing a blue vest, unlike the other Toad species in the movie that wear vests matching the colors of their spots, including red.

According to two 2014 interviews with [[Koichi Hayashida]] and [[Shigeru Miyamoto]], Toads were initially designed without specific genders in mind.<ref name=ToadGender></ref><ref>{{cite|author=iJustine|date=December 17, 2014|url=www.youtube.com/watch?v=dUkU6O4p7Lw&t=8m44s|title=Shigeru Miyamoto Interview (Creator of Mario!)|timestamp=08:44|publisher=YouTube|language=en|accessdate=June 27, 2024}}</ref> Many typical male Toads do not appear to have hair. However, many female Toads appear to grow hair under their caps as do some male Toads. Male Toads are shown to be able to grow facial hair. Toads generally have no noses or ears; however, the ''Super Mario Bros. Super Show'' proved to be an exception with some Toads appearing even more human-like by appearance. The [[Starshade Bros.]] are also Toads that have prominent noses and visible ears.

All Toads have special mushroom caps on the top of their heads, just like actual [[mushroom]]s. According to [[Yoshiaki Koizumi]], the producer of ''[[Super Mario Odyssey]]'', a Toad's mushroom cap is in fact not a hat but a part of the Toad's head.<ref>{{cite|author=Nintendo of America|date=February 5, 2018|url=youtu.be/EVNYfoFcrZY|title=''Super Mario Odyssey'' Dev. Talk - ft. Mr. Koizumi|publisher=YouTube|language=en-us|accessdate=June 27, 2024}}</ref> This is further implied in ''Mario Kart Tour'' where Toad characters who don't wear something on their cap cannot win challenges involving characters wearing hats. Shinya Hiratake, the director of ''[[Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker]]'', made a reference to Toad caps by mentioning "[[Captain Toad|Captain Toad's]] mushroom head".<ref>{{cite|quote=I always thought Captain Toad's mushroom head looks sort of like a turban, so I tried to give the world a bit of an Arabian Nights theme, which you don't really see a lot of in the Mario series.|author=Hiratake, Shinya|date=February 16, 2015|deadlink=y|archive=web.archive.org/web/20160911004113/https://miiverse.nintendo.net/posts/AYMHAAACAAADVHivJJYRCA|title=Interview by MariChan|publisher=Miiverse|accessdate=June 27, 2024}}</ref> Additionally in ''[[Super Mario Bros. Wonder]]'', when [[Blue Toad (character)|Blue Toad]], [[Yellow Toad (New Super Mario Bros. series)|Yellow Toad]], and [[Toadette]] use the Parachute Cap badge, they do not use their caps as parachutes, but rather pull out caps similar to those of [[Mario]] and [[Luigi]] like the other characters.<ref>{{cite|author=GameXplain|date=September 1, 2023|url=youtu.be/3FiaIIB3qG8|title=Toad's Hat is DEAD! (Long Live Toad's Head)|publisher=YouTube|language=en|accessdate=September 2, 2023}}</ref> A loading screen tip in ''Super Mario Bros. Wonder'', as well as an official Japanese news article for the same game, further confirms this by stating that their caps "are their heads–not big hats!"<ref>{{cite|quote=Toads are residents of the Mushroom Kingdom, and those are their heads–not big hats!|author=Loading screen tip|title=''Super Mario Bros. Wonder''}}</ref><ref>{{cite|deadlink=y|archive=web.archive.org/web/20230913170344/https://topics.nintendo.co.jp/article/6e4c7b40-bd33-4556-8ec3-0c865904ef13|title=キノコ王国の住人。 大きな頭は帽子ではない。|publisher=Nintendo|language=ja|accessdate=September 13, 2023}}</ref>

''[[The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!]]'' and ''[[The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3]]'' show that the cap is simply a type of hat (or at least that it can be safely removed). When Toad took off his mushroom cap in these cartoons, he revealed his round head with a few strands of hair. An unused design of a Toad conductor in ''Paper Mario'' depicts their hat (which itself is too small to house a mushroom cap) briefly coming off revealing what could be a bald head without a mushroom cap.<ref>{{cite|date=May 24, 2022|deadlink=y|archive=web.archive.org/web/20230913173403/https://www.suppermariobroth.com/post/685155565599621120/sprites-for-an-unused-train-engineer-or-conductor|title=Post|publisher=Supper Mario Broth|language=en|accessdate=June 27, 2024}}</ref>

In ''[[Mario Strikers Charged]]'', a Toad's skeleton is briefly seen when they are shocked, showing their cap is not a part of their skull. When Toads are hit, they seem to drop spores (as seen in ''Mario Tennis'' and the ''Super Smash Bros.'' series). Indeed, the [[Chancellor]] of [[Toad Town|Mushroom Kingdom]] claims to have "almost dropped [his] spores" after hearing [[Exor]] crash into [[Bowser's Keep]] in ''Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars''. Various Toads are also shown to have hair hanging down from underneath their caps, such as [[Toadofsky]] and [[Jolene]], or even from the cap itself, such as the [[Excess Express waitress]]. ''[[Super Mario Run]]'' and ''Super Mario Odyssey'' both depict Toads wearing headphones on their caps, implying they can hear through them.

{|style="text-align:center;width:80%;margin:0 auto"class=wikitable

|''[[Super Mario Bros.: Peach-hime Kyūshutsu Dai Sakusen!]]''

|Jpn=お姫様に仕える7人のキノコ、魔王の人質になっている。<ref>{{cite|date=1985|url=legendsoflocalization.com/media/super-mario-bros/manuals/Super-Mario-Bros-Manual-JPN.pdf|title=「スーパーマリオブラザーズ 取扱説明書」 (''Super Mario Bros. Toriatsukai Setsumeisho'')|format=PDF|publisher=Nintendo|language=ja|page=14}}</ref>

|JpnM=Seven mushrooms serving the princess, hostages of the demon king.

*'''Instruction booklet bio:''' ''Seven mushrooms who originally served in the court of Princess Toadstool but are now under the spell of the evil Koopa King.''<ref>{{cite|date=1999|url=www.gamesdatabase.org/Media/SYSTEM/Nintendo_Game_Boy_Color/Manual/formated/Super_Mario_Bros._Deluxe_-_1999_-_Nintendo.pdf|title=''Super Mario Bros. Deluxe'' instruction booklet|format=PDF|publisher=Nintendo of America|language=en-us|page=33}}</ref>

|Jpn=キノコ<ref>{{cite|title=スーパーマリオブラザーズ (''Sūpā Mario Burazāzu'') instruction booklet|page=4, 8, and 14}}</ref>

|JpnR=Kinoko

|JpnM=Mushroom

|Jpn2=キノコ{{ruby|一族|いちぞく}}<ref>{{cite|date=1986|title=''Super Mario Bros. 2'' Family Computer Disk System instruction booklet|language=ja|page=3}}</ref>

|Jpn2R=Kinoko-ichizoku

|Jpn2M=Mushroom People

|Jpn3=キノコ{{ruby|人|じん}}

|Jpn3N=''Super Mario RPG''

|Jpn3R=Kinoko-jin

|Jpn3M=Mushroom person

|Jpn4=キノピオ

|Jpn4R=Kinopio

|Jpn4M=Same as [[Toad#Names in other languages|Toad]] (initially used for the seven mushroom retainers<ref name=Kinopio/>)

|Cat=Toad

|CatN=''The Super Mario Bros. Movie''

|Jpn=きいろキノピオ (ピットクルー)

|JpnR=Kīro Kinopio (Pitto Kurū)

|JpnM=Yellow Toad (Pit Crew)

|Jpn=みずいろキノピオ (ピットクルー)

|JpnR=Mizuiro Kinopio (Pitto Kurū)

|JpnM=Light blue Toad (Pit Crew)

|Jpn=あかキノピオ (ピットクルー)

|JpnR=Aka Kinopio (Pitto Kurū)

|JpnM=Red Toad (Pit Crew)

|Jpn=みどりキノピオ (ピットクルー)

|JpnR=Midori Kinopio (Pitto Kurū)

|JpnM=Green Toad (Pit Crew)

|Por=Toad verde (boxes)

|Jpn=ピンクキノピオ (ピットクルー)

|JpnR=Pinku Kinopio (Pitto Kurū)

|JpnM=Pink Toad (Pit Crew)

|Jpn=むらさきキノピオ (ピットクルー)

|JpnR=Murasaki Kinopio (Pitto Kurū)

|JpnM=Purple Toad (Pit Crew)

*In ''Super Mario Sunshine'', a yellow Toad is placed in the death barrier underneath the ground.<ref>{{cite|date=January 2, 2021|url=www.suppermariobroth.com/post/639226660714053632/top-in-the-original-gamecube-version-of-super|title=Post|publisher=Supper Mario Broth|language=en|accessdate=June 27, 2024}}</ref> In the ''[[Super Mario 3D All-Stars]]'' version, this is fixed and he is found at his intended position at Pinna Park's entrance when Shadow Mario kidnaps Peach.

[[Category:New Super Mario Bros. Wii characters]]

[[Category:Super Mario Run characters]]