Prince Mush
| Prince Mush | |
|---|---|
| Sprite of Prince Mush in the Nintendo Switch remake of Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door. Sprite from the Nintendo Switch remake of Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door | |
| Species | Toad |
| First appearance | Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door (2004) |
| Latest appearance | Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door (Nintendo Switch) (2024) |
- “Whoa... Is this... Am I back in the Glitz Pit?”
- —Prince Mush, Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door
Prince Mush is a character who first appeared in Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door . He was the first champion of the Glitz Pit during the game's storyline. He is also the younger brother of Jolene. In the Nintendo Switch remake, Prince Mush is added as a new superboss, and is also known under the title, The Returning Royal.[1]
History[edit ]
Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door[edit ]
Prince Mush is mentioned by several characters throughout Chapter 3 of Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door and appears at the end of it. Prince Mush was captured and had his power drained by Grubba's power-draining machine after he found out that Grubba was using a Crystal Star to drain fighters' powers. As such, Mush was missing for an extended amount of time. Afterward, his older sister Jolene went undercover in the Glitz Pit to look for him, and after accidentally seeing Grubba power up by using his machine, she carefully guided Mario to defeat Grubba. After Grubba's defeat, Grubba claimed to have sucked the life out of Mush with his machine to benefit himself, saddening Jolene before Mush suddenly appears out of the Gold Star. Now united with his sister Jolene, they rejoice.
Later in Mario's adventure, he receives an email from Jolene saying that Prince Mush is planning on making a comeback. However, he can never be fought in the game. Mush is also the answer to a question of the X-Naut Fortress Thwomp, who asks the name of the very first champion of Glitzville. Unlike other languages which give him a real name that differs from his stage name, Prince Mush's real name is simply Mush in the English version.
Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door (Nintendo Switch)[edit ]
This article needs Paper Mario improvement. Specifically:
- Add exactly how long it takes for both emails to appear. Adjust layout as needed.
Once the player completes Chapter 3 and Jolene's trouble "Help wanted!", after some time, they will receive an email from her regarding Mush's training. After some more time, the next time Mario exits Professor Frankly's house, he will receive another email, this time from Prince Mush, who challenges him to an Exhibition Match arranged by Jolene. The earliest possible time Mario can receive this email is between Chapters 3 and 4.[2] Prince Mush can be found in the backstage corridor near the red locker rooms and spoken with, but Mario can only initiate the fight by approaching a league terminal and selecting Exhibition Match to reserve a fight against him. During the battle, the audience is composed entirely of Toads.
Prince Mush has a unique stance mechanic in combat, and during the first phase will switch between two different stances every turn. Mush's hopping stance allows him to fully evade grounded attacks, while his sidestep stance allows him to fully evade aerial attacks, as well as Yoshi's Gulp technique. Initially, Mush will attack using a dashing punch and a flashing dropkick. A successful Superguard against these attacks will throw Mush off his stance, causing his Defense to drop to 0 for one turn. He also becomes vulnerable to damage from elemental attacks he would otherwise be immune to during his thrown off stance. As Mush's HP lowers, he will start to charge attack power (sometimes on multiple turns in succession), before unleashing a powerful kicking combo that can hit Mario or his partner for damage five separate times in one turn. His moves have an initial attack power of 6, becoming 9 and 12 after a charge or two, respectively. Some of his attacks may also drain Flower Points if connected.
Once his HP drops by half or less, Mush will be able to power up tremendously, either doing so right before executing a standard attack or three times in a row to deliver a devastating kicking combo on the next turn. During this phase, if Mush's techniques are not superguarded against, he will remain in a defensive stance for every turn, blocking every incoming attack while creating two duplicates of himself after his action. Superguarding a duplicate will still deal 1 damage to it just before it fades away, but without the star's visual damage indicator.[3] In this powered-up state, he has an attack power of 20-24.
Prince Mush is immune to all status effects, with the exception of the KO effect inflicted by Showstopper.[4] Additionally, he is immune to the damage of fire, explosion, and lightning attacks (preventing the Zap Tap badge or Volt Mushrooms from being effective), as well as counters through items that grant the Payback status such as Hold Fast or a Spite Pouch. However, the Return Postage badge still interrupts Mush's multi-hit attacks and prevents FP loss for Mario. The resulting counter damage will be blocked by Prince Mush and always appears as a "0" damage star (even during his powered up stance).[5] [6]
Once defeated, he can be rematched at any time. Mario can also talk to Prince Mush in the Glitz Pit hallway, where he gives Mario his belt as a token of appreciation. Goombella's Tattle suggests that Prince Mush once fell victim to Rawk Hawk's Poisoned Cake trick, and thus dislikes said food as a result. He can also be seen in the cutscene during the Shadow Queen battle, and in Rawk Hawk's training room, there is a photo of Prince Mush with Rawk Hawk and Jolene.
Prince Mush serves a similar role to The Master from Paper Mario and has many parallels to him: both are the only Toads to be fought as bosses in the entire Super Mario franchise, both are martial artists who attack using multi-hit combo moves, both boss fights are friendly competitions and are some of the only fights to not result in a Game Over, both are superbosses that in many regards are stronger than the final boss of their game, and both are younger brothers to an older sister.
Profiles and statistics[edit ]
Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door (Nintendo Switch)[edit ]
| Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door enemy | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prince Mush | ||||||||
| Sprite of Prince Mush in the Nintendo Switch remake of Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door. | Max HP | 96 | Attack | 6 | Defense | 6 | ||
| Location(s) | Glitz Pit | Role | Super-Boss | Level | 41 | |||
| Sleep? | 0% | Dizzy? | 0% | Confuse? | 0% | |||
| Tiny? | 0% | Stop? | 0% | Soft? | 0% | |||
| Burn? | 0% | Freeze? | 0% | Fright? | 0% | |||
| Gale Force? | 0% | KO? | 5% | Moves | ??? | |||
| Exp. points | ? | Coins | N/A | Items | Prince Mush's Belt | |||
| Tattle Log #: 134 |
Log | The original champ of the Glitz Pit and a squeaky-clean fighter. He was gone for a long time, but he's still super strong! If his stance changes, he's about to use a different battle style, so watch out! Outside the ring, he's Jolene's li'l brother...Mush. Just...Mush. | ||||||
| Tattle | That's Prince Mush, the original champion of the Glitz Pit! He's finally making his comeback! He's got a Max HP of 96, an Attack of 6, and a Defense of 6. You'd never guess that he was kept away from fighting for such a long time. He's still a powerhouse. He's known for being a clean fighter, so he'll come straight at you without relying on dirty tricks. He's also known to switch between different battle styles. Just keep an eye on his stance! When he changes it up, we'll have to think fast and come up with a good attack method. And if you're not sure you'll come out on top, try to rely on Superguards! Also, I've heard he's not a fan of cake. What's the story there, hm? Some cake-based trauma in his past? Whatever. If you can manage to beat this guy, you'll become the true, unrivalled champion! | |||||||
Field Tattle[edit ]
Prince Mush's field Tattle is exclusive to the Nintendo Switch remake. When his Exhibition Match becomes available, he can be found in the Glitz Pit hallway.
- "That's Prince Mush. He's Jolene's younger brother. Poor guy's been through a lot, so it's great that he's able to return to the ring like this... He's all set for the Exhibition Match. I bet he's a tough opponent... so be ready for a doozy of a fight!"
Gallery[edit ]
Prince Mush's sprite in the original game
Prince Mush in the Nintendo Switch remake
Prince Mush waking up in the remake
Prince Mush with his sister Jolene in the remake
Prince Mush, Jolene, and the other Glitz Pit fighters wish Mario luck in the Nintendo Switch remake
A photo (far right) of Prince Mush and Rawk Hawk making up as seen in Rawk Hawk's secret training room in the remake
Prince Mush powering up in the Nintendo Switch remake
Prince Mush defeated in the Nintendo Switch remake
Prince Mush with clones of himself in the Nintendo Switch remake
Prince Mush and the other Glitz Pit fighters supporting Mario in the final battle in the Nintendo Switch remake
Prince Mush and Jolene in the remake's credits
Glitz Pit fighter screen in the Nintendo Switch remake
Naming[edit ]
"Mush" is a diminutive of "mushroom".
Names in other languages[edit ]
Prince Mush[edit ]
| Language | Name | Meaning | Note(s) | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Japanese | プリンス・マッシュ Purinsu Masshu |
Prince Mush | [7] | |
| Chinese | 蘑力王子 Mólì Wángzǐ |
Pun on「蘑菇」(mógū, "mushroom") and「魔力」(mólì, "magical power") +「王子」 (wángzǐ, "prince") | [8] [9] | |
| Dutch | Prins Puik | From puik ("excellent") | [10] | |
| French (Canadian) | Le Prince Champi | The Prince Shroom | [11] | |
| French (European) | Dark Toadster | - | [12] | |
| German | Dark Toadster | - | [13] | |
| Italian | Re Mush | King Mush | [14] | |
| Korean | 프린스머시 Peurinseu Meosi |
Prince Mush | [15] | |
| Spanish | T. Rex | Reference to the dinosaur of the same name. "Rex" also means "king" in Latin, in reference to the original Japanese name. | [16] |
Mush[edit ]
| Language | Name | Meaning | Note(s) | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Japanese | キノシチョフ Kinoshichofu |
Portmanteau of「キノピオ」(Kinopio, "Toad") and "Хрущёв" (Khruschev, a common Slavic male surname) | [?] | |
| Chinese (Simplified) | 奇诺辛切夫 Qínuòxīnqièfū |
Transliteration of Japanese name | [?] | |
| Chinese (Traditional) | 奇諾辛切夫 Qínuòxīnqièfū |
Transliteration of Japanese name | [?] | |
| Dutch | Puikje | From puik ("excellent") and the Dutch name ending "-je" | [?] | |
| French | Banali T | Pun on banalité ("banality") | [?] | |
| German | Toadskov | Male form of "Toadskova" | [?] | |
| Italian | Toa Toa | Repeated clipping of "Toad" | [?] | |
| Korean | 키노시초프 Kinosichopeu |
Transliteration of Japanese name | [?] | |
| Spanish | T. Roonie | - | [?] |
The Returning Royal[edit ]
| Language | Name | Meaning | Note(s) | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Japanese | ふっかつの きこうし Fukkatsu no Kikōshi |
The Young Nobleman Resurrected | [7] | |
| Chinese (Simplified) | 复活的贵公子 Fùhuó de Guìgōngzǐ |
The Young Nobleman Resurrected | [8] | |
| Chinese (Traditional) | 復活的貴公子 Fùhuó de Guìgōngzǐ |
The Young Nobleman Resurrected | [9] | |
| Dutch | Zijne Herrezen Hoogheid | His Resurrected Highness | [10] | |
| French (Canadian) | Le premier champion | The first champion | [11] | |
| French (European) | Le champion originel | The original champion | [12] | |
| German | Das championale Original | The champion original | [13] | |
| Italian | Un ritorno regale | A regal return | [14] | |
| Korean | 부활한 귀공자 Buhwalhan Gwigongja |
The Young Nobleman Resurrected | [15] | |
| Spanish | La realeza que vuelve | The returning royalty | [16] |
References[edit ]
- ^ "The Returning Royal! Yes, a furious battle with Prince Mush!" – Jolene. Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door (Nintendo Switch). Nintendo Co. (English).
- ^ Fatguy703. Getting Trophies Early In Paper Mario Was Not Worth It. YouTube. Retrieved September 9, 2025.
- ^ Zebra Gamer. Prince Mush Boss Fight! - Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door Gameplay Walkthrough Part 35. YouTube. Retrieved March 26, 2026.
- ^ Spencer_PK. Paper Mario: TTYD Switch - Showstopping Prince Mush. YouTube. Retrieved December 20, 2024.
- ^ MCW UK. 5 Different Ways To Defeat Prince Mush On Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door!. YouTube. Retrieved March 26, 2026.
- ^ Sir Large Gaming. Paper Mario The Thousand Year Door Beating Prince Mush. YouTube. Retrieved March 26, 2026.
- ^ a b 「『ふっかつの きこうし』プリンス・マッシュとの バトルです!」– Jolene. Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door (Nintendo Switch). Nintendo Co. (Japanese).
- ^ a b ""复活的贵公子"蘑力王子之间的对决!" – Jolene. Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door (Nintendo Switch). Nintendo Co. (Simplified Chinese).
- ^ a b 「對上「復活的貴公子」蘑力王子!」– Jolene. Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door (Nintendo Switch). Nintendo Co. (Traditional Chinese).
- ^ a b "...prins Puik! Jaja! Een furieus gevecht tegen: Zijne Herrezen Hoogheid!" – Jolene. Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door (Nintendo Switch). Nintendo Co. (Dutch).
- ^ a b "et «Le premier champion»! Oui, une bataille féroce contre... Le Prince Champi!" – Jolene. Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door (Nintendo Switch). Nintendo Co. (Canadian French).
- ^ a b "et « Le champion originel »... Dark Toadster !" – Jolene. Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door (Nintendo Switch). Nintendo Co. (European French).
- ^ a b „das championale Original... Dark Toadster!" – Jolene. Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door (Nintendo Switch). Nintendo Co. (German).
- ^ a b «Un ritorno regale! Re Mush!» – Jolene. Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door (Nintendo Switch). Nintendo Co. (Italian).
- ^ a b "『부활한 귀공자』 프린스머시의 배틀입니다!" – Jolene. Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door (Nintendo Switch). Nintendo Co. (Korean).
- ^ a b "¡La realeza que vuelve! ¡T. Rex!" – Jolene. Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door (Nintendo Switch). Nintendo Co. (Spanish).