Summary

FewMariocharacters can claim to have made as big a splash right from their inception as Waluigi when he first showed up in the Nintendo 64’s Mario Tennis. Bowser might also count, if you include the splash he makes when he falls into the lava and definitely doesn’t traumatize any kids playing.

However, while Bowser was just the main bad guy from the start, Waluigi was this lanky dude going “wah” and that was enough to shoot him into countless games since. But which Waluigi-starring titles have been the best of the best over the years?

Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games

While Waluigi has appeared inall of the Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games titles, many fans will point to the London 2012 entry as the best in the series. Waluigi is no more or less Waluigi than in any other game here, but you’ve got to go for quality, right?

His high “skill” stat in this game gives him an advantage in certain events like archery and shooting. But he’s no slouch on the track either, boasting just enough stamina to remain a threat and regularly prove exactly how gracious of a winner he is.

Mario Super Sluggers

Baseball has long been a sport that the Mario series doesn’t seem all that interested in. With only two games in the series revolving around the arguably great American pastime, it’s not all that difficult for Mario Super Sluggers on the Wii to edge out the competition.

In Mario Super Sluggers, Waluigi carries on with his signature swagger as a team captain or player, boasting oddly high defensive stats over offensive. Maybe it tracks, since those floppy arms seem more adept at reaching than hitting. Also, his team is called Waluigi Spitballs, so, you know, maybe keep your distance.

6Mario Party 3

Everybody has theirfavorite Mario Party game, and you’re never going to reach consensus on a single “best” entry. But perhaps the closest you might get is with Mario Party 3, the series' final hurrah on the Nintendo 64 released in the days where “oh, another Mario Party” was said with pleasant surprise.

Just like with every character in these virtual board games, Waluigi doesn’t have any advantageous stats. He’s just the same as everyone else, except taller. But he’s also got his own board in Mario Party 3. Do you have your own board? You should, because Waluigi seems to be having the time of his life with it.

Mario Strikers Charged

The Mario Strikers games are a bit of an anomaly in that they cover the sport of soccer/football with an intensity normally reserved for thriller movie trailers and monster truck rallies. But they earned their fans, and Mario Strikers Charged on the Wii may be the most wonderful of them all.

Waluigi is fully suited for the chaos of these games, a quality made particularly clear with his remarkably explicit gesture (for a Nintendo game, anyway) seen during one of his celebration scenes. But even aside from that, watching him dive into the arena and strut around to his bluegrass theme is just an incredible experience.

Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour

In a decidedly lower-octane sport than Mario Strikers Charged,the Mario Golf spinoff gamesdemonstrate the series' flexible ability to shift from intense competition to chill rich people activity. Naturally, things get more energetic than anything you’ll see from whichever golfer is popular now, and Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour is arguably the best at this.

Toadstool Tour is Waluigi’s first time in the Mario Golf series, and he chews that scenery for all it’s worth right from the opening cutscene. He’s as good as any golfer, but his dramatic reaction to a bad round may be worth taking a dive on a few shots.

Mario Kart: Double Dash

It’s a commonly held opinion thatMario Kart peaked with Mario Kart: Double Dash, and it’s hard to argue. It’s also Waluigi’s first foray into the racing sub-series, so is it unreasonable to assert that this contributes to the game’s quality? No, no it is not.

Waluigi’s own wild and chaotic nature lends itself well to Double Dash’s exaggerated and high-energy vibe. So, when he’s dangling off the back of his frankly incredibly cool-looking Waluigi Racer, just know that he’s not overreacting. He’s just keeping things consistent.

2Mario Tennis

Mario Tennis

Mario Tennis is a 2000 sports video game developed by Camelot Software Planning and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo 64 (N64). Following Mario’s Tennis, it is the second game in the Mario Tennis series. The game is known for being the introduction of Luigi’s arch-rival, Waluigi, and the re-introduction of Princess Daisy and Birdo.  The game uses a control system that differs from most other video tennis games. Shots are performed by pressing one, or both, of the two main buttons (A or B), which make the ball spin in different ways. Pressing a button twice strikes the tennis shot with more power and spin. Additionally, pressing the two buttons in a different order can result in a different type of shot altogether, such as a lob or drop shot. Both buttons can be pressed at the same time to hit a very powerful smash shot. The longer a button is pressed before contact is made with the ball, the stronger the shot will be.

Mario Tennis on the Nintendo 64 was Waluigi’s first ever appearance, and yes, it has been that long. He hadn’t quite achieved that signature “wah” factor just yet, so you’ll probably be a bit surprised to hear his Care Bears villain-like voice and watch him flail around far less than he rightly should.

Setting a trend going forward, Waluigi’s specialty is being a technical player, meaning he focuses more on style and precision than power or speed. Give him a try if you haven’t played this one before, for the novelty if nothing else. Besides, the game itself still holds up shockingly well, as does itsexcellent sports RPG versionon the Game Boy Color.

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is where prime Waluigi appearances and quality games simultaneously hit their peak. But don’t worry, that doesn’t mean the quality of either is going down. Have you even seen him in Mario Strikers: Battle League? The chaos remains strong.

While perhaps not the technical masterpiece of Double Dash, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is the most popular in the series for a reason. It includes so much from the previous games that it’s hard not to love.

Aside from Waluigi himself, who keeps things wacky and slightly disturbing, it also includes his signature track Waluigi Pinball from Mario Kart DS, which remains one of the best tracks in the series.