5. Toad
Toad actually already stars in a game, a little-known SNES puzzler named Wario Woods (which is quite addictive, especially 2 player, if you ever want to check it out on the virtual console). So if he already stars in a game (albeit a game very few people are familiar with), why did I include him? The answer is simple: Toad (and antagonist Wario) stick out in that game like a sore thumb. It literally has nothing to do with the Mario universe, which seems to have simply been tacked on in an attempt to sell more copies and/or avoid having to create a new protagonist. After years of playing second, or rather fifth fiddle to Mario (after Luigi, Peach and Yoshi), Toad deserves more than that. He deserves his own franchise. Its hard to think of a major character from that universe whos yet to receive one, and theyve all been relatively successful and enjoyable, with each characters quirks making their own game an individual one. So, what quirks does Toad have? Hes useless. I mean that in the kindest way possible; if Im going to spend hours battling my way through lava fields and vicious, hammer throwing turtles in order to save a mushroom masquerading as my girlfriend in a sack, Im glad its him. However, he has almost no combat ability to speak of (although he drives a mean go-kart). So lets work with that a game set in the Mario universe where the reluctant hero Toad has to face his fears and set off to confront a host of enemies a whole lot tougher than he is. Itd be interesting to see a Mario game where a Goomba represents a significant challenge, after all.
4. Murray
Guybrush: "How can you see without eyeballs?"Murray: "How can you walk around without a brain?" The hilarious megalomaniac talking skull Murray, from the Curse of Monkey Island series, is a no-brainer (feel free to work your own body/skull/brain pun in here). Murrays dreams of world domination are unfortunately hindered by his lack of arms, legs, or indeed anything belong the neck at all. Id love to see a quest for Murray to restore himself to corporeal form, after getting his hands on some kind of mind control device. He could spend the game taking control of enemies and using them to do his bidding, which would be appropriately evil. Consider the gameplay opportunities; each mind-controlled minion would have their own different abilities, necessary to progress. This could feature plenty of the quality puzzle solving the series is famous for, all the time with that familiar brand of Monkey Island humour. Click "Next" to read about another tropical island explorer...