10 Awesome Video Game Characters REPLACED In Sequels
9. Bowser (Super Mario Bros. 2)
Anyone who's been a gamer for more than 5 minutes can immediately draw up a mental picture of Bowser. With his firey red mane, spikey shell and dragon's face, Mario's perennial nemesis is one of gaming's most immediately recognisable characters.
Wart - Bowser's replacement in Super Mario Bros. 2 - is not.
After Wart's one and only starring role, it's easy to see why Nintendo decided to bring Bowser back and cement his status as Mario's eternal rival. The Koopa King is a classic example of great character design - Wart, by contrast, is a fat toad in a cape and crown who looks like he was drawn up by an artist hurrying to beat the Friday bar queue.
To add insult to injury, many of Wart's underlings in SMB 2 would go on to become staples of future Mario games. Bob-ombs, Shy Guys and Birdo may have begun as Wart's henchman, but all have since surpassed him as iconic members of the Mario cast.
The Toad King is dead; Long live the Koopa King.