Talking Flower
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| Talking Flower | |
|---|---|
| Mario race | |
 Depiction of a Talking Flower from Super Mario Bros. Wonder | |
| First appearance | Super Mario Bros. Wonder (2023) |
| Created by | Takashi Tezuka |
| Based on | Flower |
| In-universe information | |
| Home world | Flower Kingdom |
Talking Flowers, known in Japan as Chatty Flowers (Japanese: おしゃべりフラワー, Hepburn: Oshaberi Furawā), are a species in the Mario franchise. They resemble yellow flowers with large mouths and leaves that can act as wings. They originally appeared in the 2023 video game Super Mario Bros. Wonder as non-playable characters throughout the game's levels.
Created by the game's producer Takashi Tezuka, the Flowers were initially conceptualized a live commentary feature, reacting to the gameplay. Instead, the commentary attributes were given to a new character that would appear throughout multiple levels in the world of Super Mario Bros. Wonder, which became the Talking Flower. They have since gone on to appear in other Mario game installments such as Super Mario Party Jamboree – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Jamboree TV (2025) and Mario Tennis Fever (2026), as well as in various forms of merchandise. Voice actors Mick Wingert and Patrick Seitz have provided the voice for Talking Flowers in English.
In Super Mario Bros. Wonder, Talking Flowers have received a mixed response from critics. Some viewed their sassy personality, vocal performance, and dialogue as positive attributes, while others considered their inclusion to be annoying, describing the Flowers as a polarizing addition to the Mario universe. In Mario Tennis Fever, reception toward Talking Flowers was more negative, while the standalone Talking Flower toy was received more favorably. The species were also subject to controversy, speaking profanity in console modifications of their debut game prior to its release.
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Talking Flowers are a talkative species of flower that first appear in the 2D platform game Super Mario Bros. Wonder (2023) for the Nintendo Switch.[1] The Flowers are native to the Flower Kingdom, and bloom throughout multiple levels in the kingdom.[2][3] Its yellow body and mouth forms the shape of a gramophone or a sousaphone.[4][5] While many of the Flowers are grounded and stationary,[6] they have the ability to fly or hover mid-air by using their green leaves as wings.[7]
When creating Super Mario Bros. Wonder, the production team initially planned to incorporate a "live commentary" feature that would've reacted to the player's actions in-game, and they worked on its development for six months. Ultimately, this feature proved to be too complex and didn't quite resonate with those who worked on it. Two voices were planned to give commentary during gameplay, with one described as a generic voice to start with, and an option based on the "tsundere" personality type. Instead, the live commentary was adapted into a character that could appear in multiple stages, resulting in the Talking Flowers being implemented.[8][9] The game's director, Shiro Mouri, believed that the lines spoken by Talking Flowers were more believable for the Mario universe as opposed to the idea of disembodied live commentary. Their presence also allowed for experimentation in the level design, allowing players to search for hidden Flowers by having them speak.[10] According to Super Mario Bros. Wonder's producer Takashi Tezuka, the Flowers were designed to praise and motivate players in order to stop them from being dismayed as they played.[11] The development team had to brainstorm what players would be feeling in order to create lines for the Flowers that players would relate to, which they found to be difficult. Voice lines were also recorded before the level designs were completed, which proved to be an additional challenge, as they had to predict what the layout of the level might look like. In the end, almost every voice line recorded was used in the final release of the game, since Tezuka believed "it would be a waste not to use [them]".[12] The game's sound director Koji Kondo stated that the Talking Flowers were an example of how the development team used sound more than they had in prior entries.[13]
Appearances
Talking Flowers debut in the 2023 video game Super Mario Bros. Wonder as non-playable characters.[14] The Flowers comment on events occurring within the game, often by cracking jokes. Some flowers also give hints about nearby secrets hidden in the level.[13] Sometimes when approached by the player, a Talking Flower will provide unrelated one-liners, such as wondering what a Goomba tastes like.[3][15] When the player character touches a Wonder Flower, a power-up that dramatically changes the level by activating a Wonder Effect, Talking Flowers will react in a way that represents what the player's emotions would be.[4] The player can help Talking Flowers to receive coin by sprinkling them with water when the player is under the Elephant transformation.[3] Upon finding certain thirsty Talking Flowers, they reveal that they are sprouted randomly throughout the Flower Kingdom, as some complain about the locations they currently reside in.[16] Orange Talking Flowers appear during normal levels, whereas red Talking Flowers appear in Badge Challenge levels to inspire the player to complete them.[12]
To commemorate the release of Princess Peach: Showtime! on March 22, 2024, collectible spirits from the game and from Super Mario Bros. Wonder were added to Super Smash Bros. Ultimate (2018), including one for the Talking Flower and Wonder Flower.[17][18] Talking Flowers returned in the party spin-off title Super Mario Party Jamboree – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Jamboree TV, an expansion for the Nintendo Switch 2 system.[19] In a new game mode, Bowser Live, a minigame titled "Talking Flower Says" hosted by the Talking Flower uses the camera in a manner similar to simon says.[20] Another new mode, Carnival Coaster, features Talking Flowers commentating during a roller coaster ride.[21][22] In the sports video game Mario Tennis Fever (2026), a Talking Flower provides live sports commentary during tennis matches.[23] Their commentary is turned on by default, and can be turned off for other game modes, but remains turned on in the Adventure mode and during Tournaments.[24][25] Additionally, Talking Flowers return along with new features in Super Mario Bros. Wonder – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Meetup in Bellabel Park. One of the new competitive multiplayer modes, "Run, Hide! Phanto Tag", allows a team of hiders to disguise themselves among non-player Talking Flowers while the seekers try to find the real players.[26]
In Super Mario Bros. Wonder, the Flowers are capable of being toggled to only display text, only display voice, or turned off entirely. They can also be toggled to speak in various languages.[13] The ability to toggle the Flower's voice being on or off returned in future titles they appeared in.[27][28] The Flowers are the only characters in the game to feature full voice acting,[11] with the Flowers being voiced by actor Mick Wingert in English.[29] In Super Mario Bros. Wonder, multiple languages are offered for the Talking Flower,[30] with thirteen voice actors portraying the Talking Flower in different languages. Patrick Seitz, one of the game's voice directors,[31] would succeed Mick Wingert's role as the Talking Flower in English starting with Super Mario Party Jamboree – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Jamboree TV.[32] Additionally, Seitz would replace Wingert's lines recorded for the Talking Flower upon the release of Super Mario Bros. Wonder – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Meetup in Bellabel Park.[33]
Promotion and merchandise
When purchasing Super Mario Bros. Wonder on the My Nintendo Store, bundles contained a Talking Flower resign figure, as well as a pin set featuring an image of the character.[34][35] In November 2024, Japanese manufacturing company San-Ei Boeki released a Talking Flower plush toy. The toy is able to speak one of eighteen catchphrases when squeezed, being voiced in both English and Japanese.[36][37] An Amiibo figurine featuring a Talking Flower and Captain Toad released on March 26, 2026 to commemorate the launch of Super Mario Bros. Wonder – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Meetup in Bellabel Park.[38]
In a September 2025 Nintendo Direct, Senior Executive Officer Yoshiaki Koizumi announced that the Talking Flower would receive its own physical product in the Spring of 2026.[39][40] Sharing some functionality with Nintendo's digital alarm clock Alarmo,[41][5][42] it can be used as an alarm clock that speaks the current time of day and gives set reminders at night to go to bed.[43] However, the Talking Flower will occasionally say the wrong time and correct himself,[42] or will talk in a different language.[44] On its own, the Talking Flower will automatically say random phrases a few times every hour.[45][46] A button on the toy can be pressed to make it speak on command, and can be held to silence it for a while, but will remain quiet at night.[47] The toy is powered by batteries and includes a sensor to detect the room temperature, making comments based on both inputs. In addition to the Talking Flower's voice lines, it is capable of playing music from Super Mario Bros. Wonder upon activating "Wonder Mode".[42] It supports eleven different languages at launch,[45] and released on March 12, 2026.[48]
