What Is Really Confirmed in the Mario Universe? And family, do you give it to certain people?
What Is Really Confirmed in the Mario Universe?
I tried to separate three things for these characters:
What Nintendo has actually confirmed.
What older sources presented differently.
What is unknown and therefore cannot be verified.
Similar voices or Mario Kart quotes are not proof of a family relationship. I am only comparing them because it is interesting to see how similarly or differently the characters speak.
Mario
Origin: Donkey Kong (1981), where he was still known as Jumpman.
Mario is Luigi’s brother. Nintendo explicitly describes Mario and Luigi as brothers.
Mario Kart Wii
Mario has many clearly spoken lines. These include:
character selection and starting lines
his name
victory lines
losing reactions
Red and Blue Team lines
passing opponents
getting hit
Super Star and Mega Mushroom reactions
Short examples include “Mario time!” and “Mario number one!”
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
Mario speaks during:
character selection
passing opponents
slipstreaming
getting hit
items
gliding
anti-gravity
using a Star
first place
middle placements
poor placements
“Mario number one!” is used again.
Mario Kart World
Mario is playable. Documented lines include starting, success and name-related phrases.
“Mario time!” returns again.
The public list is still incomplete.
Luigi
Origin: Mario Bros. (1983).
Luigi is Mario’s brother.
That is the simple and officially correct way to describe it.
Mario Kart Wii
Luigi has especially many spoken lines:
“Luigi time”
his name
being number one
winning
almost winning
losing
Red and Blue Team
his mama
vehicles
tricks
opponents
A typical line is:
“Luigi time!”
When losing, he sometimes calls for his mama.
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
He speaks during:
selection
tricks
Star use
passing
anti-gravity
victories
good placements
poor placements
His speaking style remains similar to Mario’s, but with typical Luigi reactions.
Mario Kart World
“Luigi time!” returns.
There are also starting, cheering and success lines.
The World list is still incomplete.
Wario
Origin: Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins (1992).
Wario was introduced as Mario’s opponent.
Nintendo currently describes him as Mario’s self-proclaimed archrival and says that Mario and Wario have known each other since childhood.
Mario Kart Wii
Wario:
says his name
praises himself
says “Wario time”
says he will win
mocks opponents
cheers for teams
gets angry after losses
boasts after victories
His style is loud, confident and boastful.
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
Wario continues to boast, react to opponents and describe himself as especially great or number one.
Mario Kart World
Wario again talks a lot about:
himself
winning
being the best
opponents
passing others
losing
“Wario time!” returns again.
Waluigi
Origin: Mario Tennis (2000).
This one needs careful wording.
Older material sometimes described Waluigi as Wario’s brother.
For example, historical material connected to Mario Tennis described him as Wario’s younger brother.
Nintendo’s current official character page, however, describes him as:
Wario’s pal and accomplice
Luigi’s self-proclaimed rival
Nintendo does not currently describe him there as the brother of Wario, Mario or Luigi.
So the safest current statement is:
Mario ↔ Luigi: brothers ✅
Mario ↔ Waluigi: no confirmed family relationship
Luigi ↔ Waluigi: no confirmed family relationship
Wario ↔ Waluigi: older sources are inconsistent; Nintendo currently describes them as pals/partners.
Mario Kart Wii
Waluigi:
says his name
uses “Waluigi time”
says he is going to win
accuses others of cheating
cheers for teams
jokingly threatens revenge
celebrates victories
complains after losing
reacts to Star and Mega Mushroom use
His lines are very exaggerated and competitive.
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
He:
laughs
says his name
talks about cheating again
warns opponents
reacts to anti-gravity
celebrates good placements
complains about poor placements
Mario Kart World
Documented dialogue includes statements about:
winning
being the best
success
starting races
The World list is still incomplete.
Donkey Kong
For his origin, two different Donkey Kongs have to be distinguished.
The original Donkey Kong appeared in 1981.
In the Donkey Kong Country storyline, that old arcade Donkey Kong later became Cranky Kong.
The modern Donkey Kong from Donkey Kong Country was established as the main character of that series in 1994.
However, Nintendo and Rare have not always described the exact generations consistently.
Mario Kart Wii
DK uses very little understandable speech.
He mainly uses:
Kong noises
cheering
trick sounds
hit reactions
One documented short call is:
“Wahey!”
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
According to the documented quote list, DK does not use understandable sentences here and instead uses noises or unclear vocalizations.
Mario Kart World
Donkey Kong is playable and again mainly uses characteristic Kong sounds and short reactions.
Cranky Kong
Origin as Cranky Kong: Donkey Kong Country (1994).
Cranky is presented in Donkey Kong Country as the old original Donkey Kong from the arcade games.
Is Cranky related to the modern Donkey Kong?
Yes, but the exact relationship has been described inconsistently.
Donkey Kong Country describes Cranky as Donkey Kong’s grandfather.
Donkey Kong 64, however, uses father-and-son wording.
Nintendo later even published material describing the modern DK as an adult Donkey Kong Jr.
Because of this:
Cranky ↔ Donkey Kong: related ✅
Grandfather or father: historically not completely consistent.
Modern Nintendo material sometimes avoids stating the exact relationship and simply presents Cranky as the elderly or experienced Kong.
Mario Kart Wii
Cranky is not a playable racer.
No Mario Kart Wii racer voice lines.
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
Cranky is not a playable racer.
No racer voice lines.
Mario Kart World
Cranky is currently not a playable racer.
No racer voice lines.
Funky Kong
Origin: Donkey Kong Country (1994).
Funky is a long-time member of the Kong group.
Nintendo describes him as a fun-loving surfer and ally.
An exact blood relationship to Donkey Kong is not stated in Nintendo’s current descriptions.
Therefore, claims such as:
Funky is DK’s brother
Funky is DK’s cousin
Funky is DK’s uncle
are not verifiable.
Mario Kart Wii
Funky has several clearly understandable short spoken phrases.
He:
says “Okay”
cheers during tricks
reacts to boosts
reacts to items
uses long celebration sounds
reacts strongly to losing
Short documented examples include:
“Okay!”
and
“Baby!”
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
Funky was added in Wave 6 of the Booster Course Pass.
Here, his recordings are mostly classified in documented quote lists as noises or unclear speech rather than clear dialogue.
Mario Kart World
As of the current roster, Funky Kong is not included as a normal playable racer.
Updates through 2026 added tracks and modes, but did not add Funky Kong as a racer.
Therefore:
No Mario Kart World racer voice lines.
Diddy Kong
Origin: Donkey Kong Country (1994).
Nintendo’s current character page describes Diddy as Donkey Kong’s trusted friend and partner.
Older sources sometimes described Diddy as Donkey Kong’s nephew.
Even the Donkey Kong 64 manual uses a humorous “nephew wannabe” description.
So the historical presentation has not been completely consistent.
Mario Kart Wii
Diddy mainly uses:
short cheers
Kong sounds
hit noises
trick reactions
One documented call is:
“Yeehaw!”
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
Diddy returned in Wave 6.
According to the quote list, he mostly uses noises or unclear vocalizations rather than clearly spoken sentences.
Mario Kart World
Currently not a playable racer.
No World racer voice lines.
Dixie Kong
Origin: Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy’s Kong Quest (1995).
Official Nintendo material describes Dixie as Diddy Kong’s girlfriend.
She is also Tiny Kong’s older sister.
Mario Kart Wii
Not playable.
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
Not playable.
Mario Kart World
Not playable.
Therefore, Dixie has no racer voice lines in these three games.
She has appeared as a playable character in other Mario Kart games, such as Mario Kart Tour, but that is a different Mario Kart title.
Tiny Kong
Origin: Donkey Kong 64 (1999).
The original official Nintendo manual explicitly says that Tiny is Dixie’s younger sister.
Wikipedia also documents this relationship.
So:
Dixie ↔ Tiny: sisters ✅
Mario Kart Wii
Not playable.
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
Not playable.
Mario Kart World
Not playable.
Therefore Tiny has no racer voice lines in these three Mario Kart games.
Bowser
Origin: Super Mario Bros. (1985).
Bowser is Bowser Jr.’s father.
Nintendo officially describes Bowser Jr. as Bowser’s only son.
Mario Kart Wii
Bowser uses little understandable speech.
Documented material includes short team calls and a losing reaction, while most of his voice consists of:
roaring
growling
other vocal noises
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
Bowser is specifically listed among the characters who mainly use non-verbal sounds instead of understandable dialogue.
Mario Kart World
Bowser again uses some short understandable words and victory reactions.
The documented list includes brief victory dialogue.
Bowser Jr.
Origin: Super Mario Sunshine (2002).
Nintendo confirms Bowser Jr. as Bowser’s only son.
Who is Bowser Jr.’s mother?
Unknown.
Shigeru Miyamoto explicitly explained that:
the seven Koopalings are not Bowser’s children under the current story
Bowser’s only child is Bowser Jr.
Bowser Jr.’s mother is not identified
So:
Bowser = father ✅
Bowser Jr.’s mother = unknown ❓
Mario Kart Wii
Bowser Jr.:
cheers
uses short starting phrases
says things like “Gotcha”
calls out team colors
reacts to losing
explicitly celebrates winning
One short documented victory line begins:
“Woohoo! I won!”
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
He has:
selection lines
passing lines
placement reactions
victory reactions
losing reactions
Mario Kart World
He has many short, childlike energetic vocal reactions:
laughter
roars
greetings
cheering
racing reactions
victory reactions
Wendy O. Koopa
Origin: Super Mario Bros. 3 (1988).
Wendy is one of the seven Koopalings.
Originally, the Koopalings were presented in Super Mario Bros. 3 as Bowser’s children.
However, Miyamoto later explained that in the current story they are not Bowser’s children.
Therefore:
Wendy = Koopaling ✅
Wendy = Bowser’s confirmed daughter ❌
Wendy = Bowser Jr.’s confirmed sister ❌
Mario Kart Wii
Wendy is not playable.
No Mario Kart Wii racer voice lines.
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
Wendy is playable and has actual voice lines.
Documented categories include:
greeting
tricks
jumps
airborne reactions
several victory reactions
reaction to places 2–6
disappointed reaction to places 7–12
One short victory example is:
“Yippee! Wow!”
Mario Kart World
Wendy is currently not available as a playable racer.
Therefore she has no racer voice lines there.
Rosalina
Origin: Super Mario Galaxy (2007).
Nintendo currently confirms Rosalina as the adoptive mother of the Lumas.
Rosalina’s original family
Rosalina’s Storybook in Super Mario Galaxy confirms:
her father
her mother
her brother
Rosalina remembers:
looking at the stars with her father
sledding down a hill with her brother
having picnics with her mother
In the Japanese version, her brother is described as younger.
Wikipedia also describes Rosalina as having grown up with two parents and a younger brother.
Their names and identities have never been revealed.
Therefore:
Rosalina’s father = unknown
Rosalina’s mother = unknown
Rosalina’s younger brother = unknown
There is no Nintendo source confirming:
Waluigi as Rosalina’s father
or
Pauline as Rosalina’s mother
or
Daisy as Rosalina’s mother
Those identities are therefore not verifiable.
Mario Kart Wii
Rosalina speaks during:
selection
tricks
boosts
interactions with opponents
items
getting hit
cannons
first place
places 2–4
poor placements
She generally sounds calmer than Daisy, Wario or Waluigi.
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
Documented situations include:
gliding
Star use
getting hit
victory
good placements
poor placements
Short example:
“Yes! Victory!”
Mario Kart World
Rosalina is playable.
Documented dialogue currently includes starting, winning and success phrases such as:
“Victory!”
The public list is explicitly still incomplete.
Pauline
Origin: Donkey Kong (1981).
Pauline was the woman Mario had to rescue in the original Donkey Kong.
Historically, she was presented as Mario’s girlfriend or love interest.
A family relationship between Pauline and Rosalina has never been confirmed.
Mario Kart Wii
Pauline is not playable.
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
Pauline was added in Wave 6.
She has much more understandable dialogue than DK, Diddy or Funky.
Her lines include:
selection
tricks
gliding
boosts
passing
throwing items forward
throwing items backward
hitting opponents
getting hit
victories
middle placements
poor placements
One well-known short victory phrase uses:
“one-up gal.”
Mario Kart World
Pauline is playable and has many clear lines:
says her name
“My turn”
starting races
winning
item reactions
successful actions
thanking people
cheering
Daisy
Origin: Super Mario Land (1989).
Nintendo confirms Daisy as the Princess of Sarasaland and describes her as cheerful, energetic and athletic.
A family relationship between Daisy and Rosalina has never been confirmed.
Mario Kart Wii
Daisy has a very loud and energetic voice.
She:
cheers
passes opponents
challenges racers
reacts to items
celebrates victories
reacts to losses
cheers for teams
One documented short line is:
“Comin’ through!”
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
She again has:
selection reactions
trick lines
passing reactions
victory lines
placement reactions
item reactions
hit reactions
Her speaking style remains much more energetic than Rosalina’s.
Mario Kart World
Daisy has many clearly understandable phrases.
She talks about:
starting the race
getting going
winning
successful actions
being the best
excitement and success
One documented short line ends with:
“I’m the best!”
Most Important Confirmed Relationships
Mario + Luigi: brothers ✅
Mario/Luigi + Waluigi: no confirmed family relationship.
Wario + Waluigi: older sources are inconsistent; Nintendo currently describes them as pals/accomplices.
Bowser + Bowser Jr.: father and son ✅
Bowser Jr.’s mother: unknown ❓
Wendy + Bowser: under the current story, Wendy is not considered Bowser’s daughter.
Rosalina: a father, mother and younger brother are confirmed, but their identities are unknown.
Waluigi as Rosalina’s father: not verifiable.
Pauline or Daisy as Rosalina’s mother: not verifiable.
Diddy + Dixie: Dixie is Diddy’s girlfriend ✅
Dixie + Tiny: sisters; Tiny is the younger sister ✅
Cranky + modern Donkey Kong: official material has described them as grandfather/grandson and sometimes father/son; the exact generation has historically been inconsistent.
Funky + Donkey Kong: exact blood relationship not confirmed.
For Mario Kart World, another important point is that the game has continued receiving updates through 2026. Those updates added tracks and modes, but the missing characters discussed here—such as Funky, Diddy, Wendy, Dixie, Tiny and Cranky—were not added as new playable racers.
Sources: official Nintendo character profiles and manuals; Shigeru Miyamoto’s interview about Bowser Jr. and the Koopalings; Super Mario Galaxy / Rosalina’s Storybook; Wikipedia for historical differences; and Super Mario Wiki for documented Mario Kart voice lines.
For conflicting information, official Nintendo sources should be given priority.