Mario is one of the most iconic characters of all time, to the point that when you think of Nintendo, he's the first thing that comes to mind. No matter what story he's in, he's always the hero, and if it's not because of saving Princess Peach and the Mushroom Kingdom, it's due to helping other people or places that need it.
This is how he's portrayed in just about every game where he's the central figure, and it's easy to see why, given that he has the qualities people would want to root for. However, perhaps it's time to change things up and turn him into the villain of the story instead.
Nintendo somewhat already did this before, as he was the bad guy in Donkey Kong Jr., who took Donkey Kong captive. However, because it was an arcade game that focused primarily on high scores and progressing from one level to the next, it didn't really do much in terms of capturing Mario's villainous side.
Now, though, there is an opportunity to provide players with a game that can do it. Some may ask why it should happen at all, given that Mario is designed to be someone people can look up to. One answer I can provide is that it opens doors for interesting narratives.
In many of the Mario games, he's always out there looking for bad guys to beat, but some of the foes he goes up against can be considered victims of circumstance, as they have no choice but to fight the plumber. There could be a story where we take the perspective of those enemies, and how their friends and families' lives are ended by an unrelenting human who shows no remorse.
Something like that can really capture the interest of fans, as it provides a new perspective on the hero they've grown up with. With the right narrative, it can make Mario even deeper as a character, renewing interest in him and the franchise as a whole.
Another reason why there should be a game where Mario is the main villain is that it would finally grant fans the opportunity to fight the plumber. Other titles have leaned towards this before, but it's usually with the excuse of something like magic creating an evil version of him, and it's just not the same.
With a game where it's actually Mario that you have to fight, where he's clearly the bad guy without any other justification for being labeled as such, it would make for an amazing and memorable battle. He can be made so that he'll utilize all of the power-ups you've helped him learn in previous games, only this time, they'll be used on you, acting as an amazing love letter to the fans of the plumber and the franchise.
Having Mario become a villain may not be something everyone can get behind, but turning him into one has the makings for something fantastic. Hopefully, there will come a day when Nintendo creates such a game, and if it happens, the franchise and its fans will likely be better off for it.
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