We're less than a month away from the release of The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, but one thing has continued to keep all of the Pocket Tactics team awake at night. A mystery so intriguing that the real answer couldn't possibly be satisfying? With so many rumors fueling who may be voicing Yoshi, Nintendo is putting the whispers to a stop. That's because our Yoshi is noneother than Donald Glover.
Yes, Childish Gambino is stepping into the vocal booth for The Super Mario Galaxy Movie's iteration of Yoshi. Since the character's debut appearance in 1990s Super Mario World, the loveable dinosaur companion keeps coming along for an adventure. He's in some of the best Mario games ever made, but I've got a soft spot for Yoshi's Universal Gravitation. Tilting my Game Boy Advance SP sure looked goofy at the time. However, there is probably one thing you're wondering.
Why Donald Glover? In the recent Nintendo Direct presentation, Illumination CEO Chris Meledandri tackles the speculation. "Since he appeared in our recent trailer, many of you have wondered who's voicing the character. Well, there is this incredibly talented actor who happens to be a Nintendo superfan," Meledandri shares before revealing Glover will be taking on the role.
Glover's love for gaming is evident in his music, but you'll have to rewind the clock a few years to find some cheeky references. Tracks like Bonfire include nods to ToeJam & Earl, which Nintendo added to its Nintendo Classics service in December 2021. Elsewhere, you can find a sample of Aquatic Ambience from Donkey Kong Country in the song Heartbeat. Outside of this, Glover's music is a treasure trove of Nintendo-themed remixes. It might as well be its own genre at this point.
Like previous Illumination movies, could he go down the Pharrell Williams route and provide some tracks or a tie-in song for the movie? Despicable Me 2's soundtrack is a collaboration between composer Heitor Pereira and Williams, resulting in the single Happy. Retail workers have never recovered from hearing it since.
Glover joins an all-star cast, with returning members Chris Pratt, Charlie Day, and Jack Black. Joining the roster this time around are Brie Larson as Princess Rosalina, Benny Safdie as Bowser Jr, and additional newcomers Luis Guzman and Issa Rae as Wart and Honey Queen, respectively.