Here is a guide to the most significant Easter eggs, references, and cameos in the film.
The Comet Observatory and its game origins
The film’s central hub, the Comet Observatory, is lifted directly from the original Super Mario Galaxy game as both a location and a visual reference. Princess Rosalina’s storytime tradition carries over as well, though the movie redirects her readings toward Peach and the Mario brothers rather than the personal origin story told in the game. The sounds the Lumas make throughout the film are the actual audio from the original Nintendo game.
Fox McCloud takes a supporting role
The film’s most significant non-Mario cameo belongs to Fox McCloud from Nintendo’s Star Fox series, voiced by Glenn Powell. McCloud functions as a Han Solo-style supporting character for much of the film after being stranded when his Arwing’s warp drive sustained damage. His backstory confirms the existence of Team Star Fox, including Peppy Hare, Falco Lombardi, and Slippy Toad. A Luma eventually tells McCloud to do a barrel roll, a direct nod to one of gaming’s most enduring memes, born from how frequently players receive that instruction in the Star Fox games.
Classic villain trio at the casino
The Gateway Galaxy casino sequence introduces Wart, Birdo, and Mouser together, all three making their movie debuts from Super Mario Bros. 2. Wart is voiced by Luis Guzman. The casino itself draws heavily from Super Mario Odyssey in both visual design and background music. During a fight inside, Princess Peach attacks enemies using a turnip, a callback to her signature move in the Super Smash Bros. series.
Baby Mario, the Super Scope, and Yoshi’s Island
Bowser uses a weapon resembling the Super Scope, the light gun peripheral for the Super Nintendo, to transform Mario and Luigi into their baby forms. The characters originated in Super Mario World 2: Yoshi’s Island, and their appearance connects to a later sequence where Yoshi carries the babies on his back while fleeing a T. Rex, a direct visual callback to the Yoshi’s Island game.
Mr. Game and Watch debuts
Near the climax, Luigi uses Bowser Jr.’s paintbrush to summon Mr. Game and Watch, the minimalist character representing the generic player figures from Nintendo’s Game and Watch handhelds of the 1980s. The character has appeared in the Super Smash Bros. series for years and makes his movie debut here before a notably abrupt exit from the battle.
Background details worth catching
R.O.B., the Robotic Operating Buddy bundled with the NES in 1985, appears as the Gateway Galaxy’s information assistant. An 8-bit Bowser piñata at Peach’s birthday party references his original 1985 Super Mario Bros. appearance. A coffee mug bearing Professor E. Gadd’s logo from Luigi’s Mansion sits on Kamek’s desk. Pikmin board a small rocket in the Gateway Galaxy, and a pink Luma briefly mimics Kirby’s flying technique in the background.
Daisy’s post-credits debut
The end credits scene delivers Princess Daisy’s first movie appearance, catching Ukiki stealing from a traveler in the Gateway Galaxy. The moment pays off Luigi’s earlier hint about asking her out and positions Daisy for a larger role in future installments. The blue Luma from The Super Mario Bros. Movie also returns in a mid-credits scene, now serving as warden for the imprisoned Bowsers, as darkly comic as ever.
