Dinosaur
- This article is about dinosaurs in general. For the group of characters from the WarioWare series, see the Dinosaurs. For the microgame in Game & Wario, see Dinosaur (microgame).
| Dinosaur | |||
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 Illustration of Dinosaur Land from the Yoshi Shogakukan guide book, featuring various dinosaur characters and turtles. | |||
| First appearance | Yume Kōjō: Doki Doki Panic (1987) (overall) Super Mario Bros. 2 (1988) (Super Mario franchise) | ||
| Latest appearance | Mario Kart World (2025) | ||
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Dinosaurs are a clade of prehistoric reptiles that have often appeared in the Super Mario franchise. Birds, which are taxonomically considered dinosaurs, are typically excluded from non-scientific uses of the term "dinosaur", and are not covered in this article. In the Super Mario franchise, dinosaurs often appear in lush jungle or island environments, such as Dino Dino Jungle and Dinosaur Land. Dinosaurs have also often been conflated with dragons in the franchise, blurring the lines between the two types of creatures.[1][2] Some of the most commonly seen dinosaur species in the franchise are Yoshis, Birdos, and Rexes.
History
Super Mario series
Yume Kōjō: Doki Doki Panic / Super Mario Bros. 2
Super Mario Bros. 2 and its original release as Yume Kōjō: Doki Doki Panic, introduced the first dinosaur-like species in the franchise in Birdos, who appear as pink, red and green minibosses. While other colored variations have occasionally reappeared, the pink Birdo would go on to become a major recurring character in the Super Mario franchise, appearing in numerous spin-offs as a playable character, often paired with Yoshi.
Super Mario World
Taking place in the aptly named Dinosaur Land, Super Mario World introduces many species of dinosaurs, such as Rexes, Reznors, Blarggs, and Dino-Rhinos. Additionally, Super Mario World introduced the Yoshi species which, alongside a main green Yoshi character, has since become one of the most recurring species in the franchise, appearing across many games as playable characters, mounts or non-playable characters.
Super Mario Galaxy
Super Mario Galaxy introduces Dino Piranha, a species of large Piranha Plant bosses that resemble dinosaurs. Two of them appear in the game – a regular one in Good Egg Galaxy and a fiery black one in Melty Molten Galaxy.
Super Mario Galaxy 2
Similar to Super Mario Galaxy, Super Mario Galaxy 2 features Peewee Piranha, an infant Dino Piranha boss, in Sky Station Galaxy.
Super Mario 3D World / Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury
Plessie, a large orange dinosaur based on Yoshis, first appears in Super Mario 3D World, where he can be ridden by player characters in certain sections of levels. Plessie reappears in Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury reprising his role in the main game and being used by the player as a means to traverse Lake Lapcat in the game's side mode Bowser's Fury.
Super Mario Odyssey
Super Mario Odyssey features Cascade Kingdom, a land known to be inhabited by dinosaurs, including the T-Rex, which Mario can Capture in order to destroy boulders nearby. T-Rexes also appear in the Deep Woods of the Wooded Kingdom and in a sub-area of the Metro Kingdom. Additionally, the Cascade Kingdom features many spine-like fossils decorating the terrain, as well as an enormous Triceratops skull and ribcage sitting atop a large waterfall.
Super Mario Bros. Wonder
Bulrushes, enemies that resemble both ceratopsian dinosaurs and bison, appear in Super Mario Bros. Wonder. They appear mostly in levels set in Pipe-Rock Plateau.
Super Mario World television series
In the Super Mario World television series, dinosaurs appear throughout. Aside from the ones in the game it is based on, several others appear, notably the evil dinosaur.
Super Mario Bros. film
In the Super Mario Bros. live-action film, an alternate, unnamed version of Earth is revealed to exist. This parallel Earth was brought into creation when the meteorite struck the true Earth 65 million years ago, causing spatial and dimensional disturbances, resulting in the creation of the alternate Earth. Some dinosaurs were then flung into this parallel world, while their kin went extinct on Earth.
On this Earth, various types of dinosaurs evolved into humanoid creatures, though some, such as Yoshi, seemed to have retained their reptilian forms. Aside from one rundown city, Dinohattan, this Earth is a desert wasteland, lacking various resources.
Mario's Time Machine
In the NES version of Mario's Time Machine, a Dinosaur Egg is stolen from the Cretaceous Period by Bowser. When Mario travels back in time to return it, several sauropod dinosaurs can be seen in the background. Additionally, in other versions of the game, the good endings feature Bowser travelling back in time to the Cretaceous Period and getting flattened by a dinosaur's foot.
Wario's Woods (Super Nintendo Entertainment System)
Lizardon, a purple dinosaur-like creature, appears as a boss in VS COM mode of the SNES version of Wario's Woods.
Diddy Kong Racing
In Diddy Kong Racing, green sauropod dinosaurs appear as obstacles in tracks of Dino Domain, where they walk around a small area. Additionally, a yellow T-Rex appears exclusively in the intro, racing against Bumper. Tricky is also seen with two younger Triceratops in the ending: a pink one and a yellow one.
Mario Artist: Paint Studio
In Mario Artist: Paint Studio, six dinosaurs inhabit Dinosaur Land, where the player is able to take pictures of them. These dinosaurs include: a brachiosaurus, a Velociraptor, a Stegosaurus, a T. rex, a triceratops, and a Gallimimus.
Mario Kart series
Mario Kart: Double Dash!! / Mario Kart 7 / Mario Kart Tour
- Main article: Noshi
In Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, sauropods called Nossies appear in Dino Dino Jungle. They reappear in Mario Kart 7 and Mario Kart Tour, with their name now romanized as "Noshis".
Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit
In Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit, a gate customization called "Dino Roar" added in version 1.1.0 resembles the skeleton of a dinosaur. It lets out a large roar and will slow down any kart that is in its path.
Mario Kart World
In Mario Kart World, new dinosaurs appear in and around the Dino Dino Jungle course. These include T. rexes, brachiosauruses and triceratops.
Yoshi's Crafted World
In Yoshi's Crafted World, there are four yellow Tyrannosaurus crafts made of origami paper found on the flip side of Poochy's Magma Run.
Game & Wario
A dinosaur is seen chasing a car or one or two athletes with the intent of eating them, in the Dinosaur microgame that forms part of Gamer and as a souvenir in the Cluck-A-Pop collection.
Gallery
Dino Rhino in Super Mario World
Blargg in Super Mario World
A Rex and a Dino Rhino in "King Scoopa Koopa"
The evil dinosaur in "Mama Luigi"
Mario's Time Machine (SNES)
Mario's Time Machine (NES)
The green sauropod dinosaur from Diddy Kong Racing
The yellow T-Rex from Diddy Kong Racing
Mario Kart World
Mario Kart World
Mario Kart World
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Names in other languages
| Language | Name | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Japanese | Kyōryū |
Dinosaur | |
| French | Dino[4] | Abbreviation of dinosaure (dinosaur) |
See Also
References
- ^ "These are dragons from Chocolate Island. Jump on Dino-Rhino and it becomes Mini-Rhino. Watch out, they breath fire. – Dino Rhino and Mini-Rhino description. Super Mario World instruction booklet. Page 25.
- ^ Yoshi article § Nature
- ^ 1991. スーパーマリオワールド (Sūpā Mario Wārudo) instruction booklet. Nintendo (Japanese).
- ^ Mario Kart World in-game mission from French localization "Filez vers l'arrivée par le dos des dinos !". (Archived 6 Jun. 2025 via YouTube by JOSPLAY 2. Imgur version.)
