Which Nintendo voices do you love or hate?

Some Nintendo characters speak eloquently, some squawk, and several say nothing at all. The sounds have become as familiar as old friends: With each new game, you know Mario’s going to charm and annoy you. You know Luigi will make you laugh. You know Yoshi’s going to sound constipated when he flutter-jumps. Some characters bring smiles when they open their mouths, and others just make you wince. Here are my #1 favorite and least-favorite Nintendo voices:

BEST ”“ MARIO AND LUIGI (In their handheld adventures)

Sometimes I wish Mario had a tougher voice: Bob Hoskins was the only positive element in the live-action film. But I can’t deny the quality of actor Charles Martinet’s work: He’s given the plumber a likeable, crowd-pleasing friendliness. His very best Mario performances, however, can be found in the Mario and Luigi handheld RPGs. The hysterical Italian-accented gibberish Mario and Luigi spout in these adventures is worth the price of admission.

Runner-Up ”“ Bowser. Whether roaring pompously or growling English (in Super Mario Sunshine), the Koopa King’s always fun to listen to.

WORST ”“ TOAD

Boy, this was easy. Toad’s a fun character, but police interrogators could play his voice samples to make suspects crack. I know for a fact that you can use his character-select in Mario Party DS to clear a room. Try it: It works!

Runner-Up: Navi. (Hey!)

I believe I’ve chosen well, but I’d love to see your picks for best and worst.