| Waluigi | |
|---|---|
| Mario character | |
 Promotional art by Shigehisa Nakaue (2017) | |
| First appearance | Mario Tennis (2000) |
| Created by | Fumihide Aoki |
| Voiced by | Charles Martinet (2000–2022) Kevin Afghani (2024–present)[a] |
Waluigi[b] is a character in the Mario franchise. He plays the role of Luigi's arch-rival and accompanies Wario in spin-offs from the main Mario series, often for the sake of causing mischief. He was created by Camelot employee Fumihide Aoki and was voiced from 2000 to 2022 by Charles Martinet, who described Waluigi as someone with a lot of self-pity. Waluigi's design is characterised by his tall stature, thin and lanky frame, and his purple and black outfit with purple hat, which displays an inverted yellow "L".
He was designed as Wario's tennis partner and sidekick, debuting in the 2000 Nintendo 64 game Mario Tennis. He has featured in over 50 video games, appearing in at least one game every year since his debut until 2022. He is a playable character in Mario sports games, most Mario Party games and also in the Mario Kart series. He has also made appearances in other video games, such as the Super Smash Bros. series.
Since his debut, he has received a polarized reception from the media, often being accused of having few defining characteristics and minimal backstory. Waluigi has attained a cult following, especially helped through his use as an Internet meme. Although he has never appeared in his own video game or any mainline Mario game, critics have described him as one of Nintendo's mascots and a cult hero.
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