Perhaps Toad Mario could turn the tables on Bowser's minions by posing as an innocent Mushroom Retainer and reciting the inevitable "THANK YOU GOOMBA! BUT OUR MARIO IS IN ANOTHER LEVEL". We should just be grateful that Tanooki Mario's abilities had nothing to do with the actual creatures of Japanese folklore, which apparently crushed people with their disproportionately large set of... never mind. Google "Tanuki" for further enlightement.
EDIT: I suppose somebody beat me to the joke. Ah well.