Rosalina (Mario)

Rosalina, known as Rosetta in Japan (ロゼッタ), is a fictional character in the Mario series of video games. She debuts in Super Mario Galaxy, where she acts as a non-player character who resides in the Comet Observatory, the game's hub world. She is the adoptive mother of the Lumas, a fictional species of star in the game, and also watcher of the cosmos. Rosalina has since appeared as a player character in subsequent Mario games, such as the Mario Kart series, and others like the Super Smash Bros. series. She came from 2007 and is over 100. She is a human and has 'Lumas' to help her around.

Rosalina
Mario character
Rosalina, as depicted in Mario Party 10 and Super Mario Party
First appearanceSuper Mario Galaxy (2007)
Created byYoshiaki Koizumi
Voiced byMercedes Rose (2007–2010)
Kerri Kane (2011–2014; 2017-2018)
Laura Faye Smith (2013–present)

Appearances

Super Mario series

In Super Mario Galaxy, Bowser kidnaps Princess Peach by removing her castle from the ground with Peach still inside, and also attacks the Comet Observatory, where Rosalina lives with her adopted Lumas, and steals its main source of fuel: Power Stars. Rosalina asks Mario to retrieve the lost Power Stars; in return she promises to help him save Princess Peach. Once Mario retrieves enough Power Stars, Rosalina is able to turn her Comet Observatory into a comet and drive Mario to the center of the universe, where Bowser keeps the kidnapped Princess Peach. After Bowser is defeated by Mario, Bowser's galaxy at the center of the universe turns into a supermassive black hole, devouring Princess Peach's castle and Rosalina's Comet Observatory. All of Rosalina's Lumas throw themselves into the black hole in order to stop it. After this, Rosalina appears to Mario, explaining to him about the circle of life and the death and rebirth of stars; it is implicit in her explanation that the universe and all the Lumas are to be reborn. Afterwards, Rosalina is gone and Mario, as well as Bowser and Peach, wake up back in the Mushroom Kingdom again. Once 120 Power Stars in the game are collected, Rosalina delivers a thank you message to the player, promising to watch over them.[1] In a backstory which is unlocked gradually as the game progresses, it is explained that Rosalina tells the story of how she was a young girl who went off in a spaceship in order to help a lost Luma find its parents, hiding the fact that she herself had lost her own mother. As Rosalina starts to feel lonely, numerous other Lumas soon come to join her, and she comes to know about their purpose in life to eventually transform into other things. Rosalina decides to build a house for her new family, which soon became the Comet Observatory.

In Super Mario Galaxy 2, throughout the game, a shadowy form named the "Cosmic Witch" or "Cosmic Spirit", strongly resembling Rosalina, appears to help in levels where the player has died multiple times.[2] Rosalina herself appears after Mario defeats Bowser and rescues Princess Peach in the final cutscene before the credits play. Rosalina also appears late in the game as well (by collecting 120 Power Stars), telling Luma the story of the "Green Stars", which opens the Green Star missions (additional optional missions in the game), and finally, with the game completed, she appears on the game's hub and thanks Mario.[3]

In Super Mario 3D World for the Wii U, Rosalina is featured as an unlockable fifth character. She possesses the ability to perform the Spin Attack that Mario could in the Galaxy games, using it as both an attack and a second jump. When asked why Nintendo chose Rosalina over other Mario characters, 3D World director Kenta Motokura responded, "I was thinking about what would be pleasing after the ending and wanted to bring in another female character in addition to Princess Peach. Rosalina has a following among the Super Mario Galaxy fanbase, and she's appeared in Mario Kart recently, so I think she is well known."[4]

In Super Mario Odyssey, she has a minor reference as hint art in the Dark and Darker side of the moon which can be hit by Cappy to collect 10 coins.[5][6]

Other games

Rosalina appears in Mario Kart Wii, Mario Kart 7, Mario Kart 8, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Mario Kart Arcade GP DX and Mario Kart Tour as an unlockable character. Mario Kart 8 sees the introduction of a baby version of Rosalina.[7][8][9] Rosalina also has a namesake racing track in Mario Kart 7 called Rosalina's Ice World.[10] Joystiq commented on her appearance, saying that it was nice to see that another "Nintendo character join the obscenely large roster of folks showing their faces in the game."[11] She also appears as a playable character in Mario Golf: World Tour, available via downloadable content.[12] Rosalina is a playable fighter in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, where she fights alongside various colored Lumas, as well as being in Mario Party 10, Mario Tennis: Ultra Smash, Super Mario Party and Mario Tennis Aces. She also joined the roster in Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, where she is clad in a leotard/swimsuit. Rosalina appears in Super Mario Maker as a Mystery Mushroom costume, which can be unlocked either through the 100-Mario challenge, or by scanning her amiibo figure. Rosalina also appeared in Super Mario Bros. U crossover Puzzle & Dragons Z.[13]

Character development
Concept character artwork for Rosalina (left) compared to the final artwork (right)

In an interview, Shigeru Miyamoto stated that he had planned the usual kidnapping of Princess Peach, but also "had another cast of characters, a princess from outer space and her family of talking stars, who had a deeper, sadder story that was revealed through elegant picture-book scenes throughout the game."[14] This storybook was known in-game as Rosalina's Storybook, which told Rosalina's backstory and was written by Yoshiaki Koizumi late at night so that no one would find out about it, saying that "for a long time, it really felt like telling a story in a Mario game was something that wasn't allowed" in an interview.[15] During an interview with Koizumi on the development of Super Mario Galaxy, he explained that Rosalina was originally meant to be related with Peach, but it was later decided against.[16] The character was voiced by Mercedes Rose until 2011's Mario Kart 7, in which she was voiced by Kerri Kane. Laura Faye Smith has provided the character's voice in all subsequent appearances, with the exception of Mario Golf: World Tour, Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U, Mario Kart Arcade GP DX, part of Mario Sports Superstars, Mario Tennis Aces and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, all of which still use Kerri Kane's work with Nintendo for Rosalina.

Reception
I would go as far as to argue that Super Mario Galaxy is, at its core, a game about Rosalina – or at least her worldview [...] Rosalina’s storybook may not formally alter the game system, but it certainly affects our perception of the game world, imbuing it with an additional aura of motivation and meaning. Much more than mere "bonus content," Rosalina’s storybook anchors an emotional heart of the game world.[17]

Douglas Wilson, GameSetWatch

Rosalina has received mostly positive reception. Chris Greenhough of Joystiq claimed that Super Mario Galaxy was the first Mario game to have an engaging story, and cited Rosalina as an example, saying that "although this narrative thread (Rosalina's Storybook) starts life as the kind of standard fare you'd expect from a Mario title, Rosalina's tale quickly becomes tragic".[18] Game researcher and designer Douglas Wilson opined in GameSetWatch that Super Mario Galaxy's most surprising moment did not involve new gaming mechanics, a plot twist, but rather the character Rosalina and her storybook, stating "The biggest shocker was a simple storybook tale told by a princess named Rosalina."[17] Furthermore, he wrote that "Super Mario Galaxy is a brilliant game, for reasons already covered in various reviews. Yet despite the largely positive coverage, I was disappointed that the gaming press so overwhelmingly ignored (or in one case, dismissed) Rosalina’s storybook", and compared it to The Little Prince and My Neighbour Totoro.[17] Siliconera called Rosalina's Storybook "bittersweet" as "the game could just as easily been a simple "save the princess" story and still have been a great game, but...the engaging story takes Super Mario Galaxy to an artistic level other Mario titles haven't approached."[19]

Destructoid reviewed Rosalina very positively, saying that she is a "celestial stunner", summing up that "Rosalina embodies style perfection" and thus is "out of this world", giving her an "A+" on their Gamer's Red Carpet.[20] Kotaku's Michael McWhertor called her an "attractive Peach replacement" in their Super Mario Galaxy impressions.[21] Shane Bettenhausen of 1UP.com labelled Rosalina as a "celestial hottie", and one of the better Mario Kart Wii characters in an otherwise disappointing roster.[22] Larry Hester of Complex listed Rosalina as one of the 40 "hot but forgotten" female video game characters.[23] Tom East of Official Nintendo Magazine listed Rosalina as the sixth best Nintendo "leading lady", saying that "she obviously made a big impression on you because after one appearance (not counting Mario Kart) she has made the top ten."[24]

References
  1. Super Mario Galaxy gameplay
  2. "Here's how Super Mario Galaxy 2's 'Super Guide' works". Destructoid. Retrieved 25 February 2012.
  3. Nintendo. Super Mario Galaxy 2. Nintendo. Rosalina: I would like to give you my thanks.
  4. "Iwata Asks: Super Mario 3D World: Time Solves All Things". Nintendo. Retrieved 25 September 2016.
  5. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ozahl_a6U-E. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  6. https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/boards/200275-super-mario-odyssey/75947549. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  7. "Rosalina will be in Mario Kart 7". Nintendo Everything. Archived from the original on 20 April 2012. Retrieved 24 February 2012.
  8. Official Game Bio: "Making her debut on the track, Rosalina shows her experience of space travel translates well to rocketing round the race course. With a friendly Luma by her side, Rosalina is right at home on the track!". Nintendo.
  9. "Rosalina – Mario Kart 7". IGN. Retrieved 8 April 2012.
  10. "Rosalina's Ice World". IGN. Retrieved 25 February 2012.
  11. Hinkle, David. "Jump Festa play sessions reveal new assist trophy, impressions". Joystiq. Retrieved 25 February 2012.
  12. "NoA PR – Mario Golf: World Tour Lets Players Expand Their Play Options". GoNintendo. Archived from the original on 2 May 2014. Retrieved 16 May 2014.
  13. Thomsen, Michael (9 June 2015). "'Puzzle & Dragons Z + Super Mario Bros. Edition' struggles to make free-to-play games worth a higher price of admission". The Washington Post. Retrieved 26 December 2019.
  14. Kohler, Chris (12 June 2009). "Miyamoto: Why I Spiked Mario Galaxy 2's Story". GameLife. Retrieved 25 February 2012.
  15. "History Lesson: Yoshiaki Koizumi". Retrieved 25 February 2012.
  16. Black, Fletcher. Super Mario Galaxy PRIMA Official Game Guide, page 346.
  17. "What Super Mario Galaxy's Rosalina Shows Us About Storytelling". GameSetWatch. Retrieved 25 February 2012.
  18. Greenhough, Chris. "The hidden emotional depths of Super Mario Galaxy". Joystiq. Archived from the original on 3 December 2013. Retrieved 24 February 2012.
  19. Golden, Geoffrey. "Super Mario Galaxy: Best Mario Story Ever". SiliconEra. Archived from the original on 14 August 2014. Retrieved 25 September 2016.
  20. Concelmo, Chad. "The Gamer's Red Carpet: Super Mario Bros". Destructoid. Retrieved 25 February 2012.
  21. Mcwhertor, Michael. "Super Mario Galaxy Hands On Impressions". Kotaku. Archived from the original on 14 July 2012. Retrieved 25 February 2012.
  22. Bettenhausen, Shane. "Mario Kart Wii Review for Wii from 1UP.com". 1UP.com. Archived from the original on 4 November 2016. Retrieved 25 September 2016.
  23. "40 Hot But Forgotten Female Video Game Characters". Complex. Retrieved 30 July 2012.
  24. East, Tom. "Nintendo Feature: Leading Ladies". Official Nintendo Magazine. Archived from the original on 15 June 2012. Retrieved 25 September 2016.
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