Mario franchise strategy guide/Printable version


Mario franchise strategy guide

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Games/Donkey Kong

About the game

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Donkey Kong is a video game launched by Nintendo on July 19th, 1981 on the Japanese arcade scene. It was later released on the 31st for the North American export market, in Europe on August 2nd, and in Oceania on November 22nd. The game (originally developed by Shigeru Miyamoto and Gunpei Yokoi has since been ported to various home computer and video game console platforms. Here are listed the more "mainstream" versions, thus excluding the 1994 Game Boy remake or the dedicated electronic games.

Donkey Kong is famous as the first appearances of "Jumpman" (later renamed "Mario") and the titular giant ape.

Gameplay

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The player controls Jumpman/Mario inside an in-construction building, trying to rescue his girlfriend Lady/Pauline from Donkey Kong. Donkey Kong is usually at the top of a level, throwing objects at Jumpman. Jumpman loses a life when being hit by Kong's barrels and other obstacles.

The principal objective of the game is for Jumpman to reach the point of the screen where Lady is, usually forming the shape of a heart between the two, only for her to be grabbed by Kong and taken one stage further in the building.

Levels

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Level 22 is the highest level reachable in many versions of the game, and is impossible to beat for most human players.

List of versions

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In alphabetical order:

Amstrad CPC

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File:Donkey Kong flier.jpg

Sources

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Characters/FLUDD

 
FLUDD, equipped with the default Spray Nozzle

FLUDD (Flash Liquidizer Ultra Dousing Device) is a fictional, speech-capable, and portable water pump worn by Mario like a backpack in the video game Super Mario Sunshine for the Nintendo GameCube. Created by Professor E. Gadd, FLUDD is Mario's primary tool for saving Isle Delfino from evil. Mario uses this FLUDD to battle enemies, wash away graffiti, and hover himself across gaps to safety.

Nozzles

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Mario using FLUDD's Hover Nozzle in Bianco Hills.

FLUDD has four different nozzles that can be used. The Squirt Nozzle is always available, but secondary Nozzles must be switched by finding the appropriate color of Nozzle box.

  • The Squirt Nozzle is used to wash off graffiti or sludge, hurt enemies, and control certain levers. The squirt nozzle cannot be traded for any other nozzle.
  • The Hover Nozzle lets Mario float across gaps and access seemingly unreachable areas and is found in blue boxes.
  • The Rocket Nozzle is used to blast Mario high into the air to reach platforms inaccessible by normal jumps and is found in red boxes.
  • The Turbo Nozzle allows Mario to shoot forward on either ground or water at an immense speed and can be used to break some barriers. The Turbo Nozzle can be used indefinitely when on water and is found in gray boxes.


Origins

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Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

Little is known about where FLUDD came from, except that it was created by Professor E. Gadd, a paranormal scientist whose technology aided Luigi in Luigi's Mansion. Evidence of this includes the fact that E. Gadd's logo is depicted on FLUDD's funnel. FLUDD also seems to be quite shocked after Bowser Jr. explains how he obtained his magic brush (also depicting the professor's logo, indicating he made the brush as well) from "a strange old man in a white coat," which fits E. Gadd's description. Why the Professor created a back-mounted water gun and a magic brushing staff is unknown. The Professor can be considered a rather odd individual. It is also unknown as to whether or not Mario's FLUDD and Bowser Jr's magic brush are one of a kind. Some accounts state that they are both custom made, but the matter remains a mystery.

Mario first met FLUDD after a harsh landing on the Isle Delfino air strip. As there seemed to be a mass amount of dangerous graffiti on the landing strip (compliments of Shadow Mario), Mario decided to go get help. Once he came across FLUDD at the airport's shopping center, they got rid of the graffiti. After Mario was let out of jail, Mario used FLUDD again and again to clean up Isle Delfino.

Some claim that FLUDD has some relation to the "Poltergust 3000", an earlier creation which the Professor loaned to Luigi in Luigi's Mansion to help him capture ghosts. Under some circumstances (that is, if the player obtains the Water Medal and proceeds to capture a Water Ghost), the Poltergust could expel water, not unlike FLUDD.

Spoilers end here.

Build

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In keeping with the fantasy element of the Mario series, FLUDD is very advanced for a back-mounted water gun. Even though its primary function is to gather water in a tank and expel it for a number of uses, it also seems to have a built-in supercomputer as well. It can scan any one person to find out all sorts of information about them. During one part of the game it flashes back through some previous Mario games, showing him battling Bowser in Super Mario Bros., fighting Iggy Koopa in Super Mario World, and swinging Bowser by the tail from Super Mario 64. It is also capable of speech and independent thought, making it more of a character than just a tool used by one of the characters. It also appears to have a variety of built-in sensors, as it can be used to detect various toxic gasses before they affect Mario.

Based on what is seen in Super Mario Sunshine, FLUDD apparently is used by strapping the belt around one's waist, and pushing down on the FLUDD's two "arms". This will cause the nozzle to expel water until the arms are returned to their default position, or the tank runs out of water. If Mario (or anyone else for that matter) does this while in a body of water, the water export will be limitless. The same function works for the three other nozzles.

Character

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FLUDD's gender is unknown. As it is a machine, it may not even have one. Many see it as a female as it possesses a metallic feminine voice common among fictional machines. However, the game references it as a "he" at times. It constantly provides Mario with information about the Island, and tips about gameplay along the way. It seems to be very obedient and smart, typical for a robot, and seems much more interested in getting to the point and stopping Bowser than going around on unnecessary missions, which the more heroic Mario often finds himself in. In the end, they always end up with a Shine Sprite, which is necessary. During two missions, FLUDD gives public service announcements, stating "Remember to take good care of your teeth." and "Remember, always be kind to your pets" (the missions being to clean a Unagi's teeth and to cool off three Chain Chomp pups by 'taking' them to a spring, respectively).

FLUDD has appeared in Super Mario Sunshine and Mario Power Tennis. In Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time, a reference to FLUDD can be seen when Professor E. Gadd invents the "Hydrogush 4000", sending a high-powered blast of water back through time to douse a raging volcano so Mario, Luigi, and their baby selves can enter. The Hydrogush 4000 is similar to FLUDD's head. A primitive FLUDD based device may have also appeared in Donkey Kong 3 (the modern version from Game and Watch Gallery 4), suggesting that FLUDD has gone through many various adjustments. Additionally, FLUDD like devices appear in WarioWare: Smooth Moves and a promotional for the upcoming game Mario Kart Arcade GP 2.

Spoilers end here.

Real FLUDD History

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Nintendo is known for including in their games many historical references that may serve as extra treats for those who know a lot about history or mythology. The FLUDD is no different. A man named Robert Fludd (1574-1637), a Paracelsian physician, alchemist, astrologer, and hermetic philosopher who was known for his inventions and studies of perpetual motion machines, published a folio of his works in 1618. In this portfolio were models of many machine designs, practical and fanciful, including water pumps of various kinds.[citation needed]


Characters/Krunch

Krunch, one of the anthropomorphic crocodiles from the Donkey Kong games, was in Diddy Kong Racing as a playable character. As the story goes, he had been working on a spy mission to check for anti-Kremling plans. On Timber's Island, though, he ended up helping the creatures who were trying to kick Wizpig off of the island. He was going to reappear in the game Diddy Kong Pilot before the Rare Ltd. buyout occurred and the game was changed to Banjo-Pilot.


Kongs/Tiny Kong

File:Tiny Kong.jpg
Tiny Kong, as she appears in Diddy Kong Racing DS. She was re-designed from her childish Donkey Kong 64 form to her more mature teenage form.

Tiny Kong is a character in the Donkey Kong series, who first appeared in Donkey Kong 64 for the Nintendo 64. She is a Kong who has blonde hair and pigtails. She is officially known as Dixie Kong's younger but taller sister, and is a cousin to Chunky Kong and Kiddy Kong. She should also not be confused with the more common character, Dixie Kong.

Background

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Tiny Kong was a Kong who is depicted as ‘cool’ in a very 1960’s manner through her clothing (a beanie hat and flower-patterned overalls. She also inexplicably wears shoes) and is a member of the Kong family. Tiny is the sister of Dixie Kong. She aids Donkey Kong, Diddy Kong, Lanky Kong and Chunky Kong in their mission to defeat K. Rool and his Kremling army in Donkey Kong 64. Tiny’s most notable feature is her ability to shrink down to a mouse’s size with the aid of the magical Crystal Coconuts. She is fairly stumpy, but her small size allows for a rather quick running speed. Despite her ponytails and all of the tricks that she is able to perform, Tiny is actually the weakest Kong in the group.

In her final fight with K. Rool, Tiny Kong attacks the Kremling king by shrinking to her smaller size and tickling his toes. She does so by entering through a hole in his left boot, and shooting them with feathers. Tiny's major boss fight in the game is with Mad Jack, a giant evil Jack In The Box (although she can be used in the fight against King K. Kutout)

Cranky Kong states on Tiny – ‘‘"I thought this was Dixie Kong until she told me that she is Dixie's younger sister. Bah, kids these days all look alike! You'll probably recognize Dixie's trademark hair spin technique, but Tiny can also shrink in size--although I reckon that one's nothing more than a marketing gimmick and won't even be in the game!"’’ This shows her relations including the content of language.

Appearances

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In Donkey Kong 64, Tiny was rescued by Diddy Kong in the game’s second level, Angry Aztec. This was her first appearance in any game chronologically, but since other Donkey Kong Country games have been remade, she has appeared in positions set before this first appearance. Her outfit was a white T-Shirt, blue overalls, and white shoes.

Tiny's color is purple, she can make use of a crossbow firing feathers, and she plays the Saxophone. Tiny is extremely nimble, but quite weak in terms of attack power.

Tiny made a minor appearance in the Game Boy Advance version of Donkey Kong Country 2. In two of Funky Kong’s missions, players race to rescue Tiny from Zingers as she yells "Help!"

Tiny also appears in the Game Boy Advance version of Donkey Kong Country 3 in one of Funky Kong’s motorboat challenges.

In a trailer for the now-cancelled Donkey Kong Racing originally designed for the Nintendo GameCube, her appearance was redesigned with a different face, different fur and five fingers.

It is reported that she will appear in the upcoming racing games Diddy Kong Racing DS for the Nintendo DS and DK Bongo Blast for the Nintendo Wii. In Diddy Kong Racing DS, she appears to have a more teenager-like look and wears a spaghetti-strap shirt, sweat pants, flip flops, and some wrist wear. She is also portrayed as taller than Diddy (and, presumably, Dixie). The reason for this change is currently unknown.

DK rap verse

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This Kong’s got style, so listen up dudes
She can shrink in size to suit her mood.
She’s quick and nimble when she needs to be
She can float through the air and climb up trees.
If you choose her, you’ll not choose wrong
With a skip and a hop, she’s one cool Kong.


Enemies/Bandit

Bandit is a fictional enemy in Nintendo's Yoshi series of video games. Bandit looks like a grown up Shy Guy.

Bandit's most noticeable role was in Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island, where he, along with Shy Guy, were two of the most common enemies. But Bandit, however, was also available the enemy that Yoshi would verse in the unlockable mini games. Also, if the player uses a cheat to unlock the mini games, another person can use another controller to play as Bandit in certain mini games.

Bandit appears in the area Dry Dry Desert in Paper Mario.

A bandit steals half of the players coins at the beginning, there is also a Bandit at the Glits Pits called Bandy Andy.

Baseball Boy and Zeus Guy

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In the game Yoshi's Island, there are two enemies the look extremely a lot like Bandit. Baseball Boy is the first one you meet, unlike Bandit who steals Baby Mario, Baseball Boy chuks Yoshi Eggs and smashes Yoshi with his baseball bat when he gets close, he is defeated the same way Banidt is. Zeus Guy appears much later in the gane, he is able to fire powerful charged up energy shots, unlike the others, he cannot be defeated by ground pounds, he needs to be defeated a breath of fire or ice.


Enemies/Big Bertha

Big Bertha is the spiky fish that shoots little fish at Mario and Luigi in Super Mario Bros. 3 for the Nintendo Entertainment System. Big Bertha—a giant fish, and female counterpart to Boss Bass, that spouts small Cheep-Cheeps; appears in Super Mario Bros. 3, Super Mario 64, and Mario Kart 64.

In Super Mario Bros. 3, Big Bertha appears in levels 3-2, 3-4, and 7-4. It can also leap out of water and swallow Mario whole, in which case he dies instantly regardless of powerup status.

Big Bertha also appears in Super Mario 64 on one level, Tiny-Huge Island, and uses the same swallowing attack.

"Big Bertha" is also the name of a Blaster-like cannon enemy in Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars which appears as a golden Bullet Bill in the overworld. In Super Mario RPG, Big Bertha is a more powerful version of the Blaster enemy

Mario comic book (Stanley the Talking Fish)

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Stanley's next appearance was in "Love Flounders", where now he's dating Smookers, a pink Jelectro (an enemy seen in Super Mario Bros. 3). In this story, he sets up Mario, who's trying to fetch the rare Chuckberries for Princess Toadstool's breakfast cereal, with his (Stanley's) former girlfriend, a Boss Bass named Bertha. Since Mario is wearing a Frog Suit, Bertha believes him to be an actual frog and pursues him romantically. Mario manages to find the Chuckberries he's looking for, but then Bertha catches him, only to find out he's not really a frog. Bertha is quite saddened by this, but Mario offers to make it up to her by giving her the Chuckberries and telling her that they should have lunch sometime. In the meantime, Mario requests that Bertha hurt Stanley a lot. Meanwhile, Smookers ends up breaking up with Stanley. Ironically, the storyline with Mario and Bertha was somewhat mirrored in the Super Mario Bros. movie.

Stanley's third (and last) appearance was "Fins and Roses", in which he finds Wendy O. Koopa waiting with an arsenal of weapons to use against Mario. Being the flirt that he is, Stanley hits on Wendy and snatches a bomb from her, thinking it's a gift. He makes a few attempts to impress Wendy, during which Bertha continually boots Wendy back up to the surface. Finally, Stanley interferes with Wendy's attempt at shooting Mario with her missile launcher just to ask her what her name is so they could get married, which results in Wendy becoming so angry with Stanley that she shoots at him instead. The missile follows Stanley underwater and hits both him and Bertha. Bertha responds to this by booting up the bomb Stanley snagged earlier. It blows up right in front of Wendy, but Mario takes sympathy on her, considering she had to deal with Stanley as well

Super Mario Bros. (film)

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She made a cameo in the 1993 movie Super Mario Bros. as Mario's date in the nightclub scene when Mario tried to steal back the meteorite piece from her. She is shown as a large black woman wearing a spiky red suit, much like her counterpart.

Big Bertha is a big woman at the Boom Boom Bar, which, itself is named for an enemy. Big Bertha was the name used for the giant red fish in Super Mario Bros. 3, and likewise, this woman dresses in red.


Enemies/Blooper

File:Blooper.jpg
Blooper as he appears in New Super Mario Bros.

Blooper (ゲッソー, Gessō) is a fictional squid that appears as an enemy character in the Super Mario series of video games by Nintendo.

Outline

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Blooper first appeared in Super Mario Bros. for the Nintendo Entertainment System as a white squid with a black patch surrounding its eyes. It slowly pursued Mario through the underwater stages by bobbing up and down. Since their first appearance, they have become a staple Mario enemy, and have developed in both appearance and abilities. For example, in the Gamecube video game Super Mario Sunshine, Bloopers can travel on dry land and shoot balls of ink, and their appearance is closer to real squid.

In the instruction manuals for Super Mario Bros. and Super Mario Bros. 3, and the in-game text from Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars, Blooper is referred to as Bloober.

In Mario Kart DS for the Nintendo DS, Blooper can be collected and used as an item. Using the Blooper covers an opponents' screen with black ink, obscuring their visibility of the track.

In Mario Party 8, Blooper is a playable character for the first time. Before this, he made cameo appearances in the game.

Bloopers appeared in a cameo role as an underwater enemy in Dungeon 5 of The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening on the Game Boy.

Variants

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Flying Blooper (空中ゲッソー, Sky Gessō)
Appears in Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels (the Japanese Super Mario Bros. 2). It acts the same as a regular Blooper, only it swims through the air in over-ground stages.
Blooper Nanny (子連れゲッソー, Kotsure Gessō)
Appears in Super Mario Bros. 3. Blooper Nanny is followed by up to four tiny Bloopers. Periodically, the Blooper Nanny will flash and the children will scatter, causing damage to Mario.
King Calamari (たこつぼゲッソー, Takotsubo Gessō)
Appears as a boss character in Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars.
Electro Blooper (ビリビリゲッソー, Biribiri Gessō)
Appears as a boss character in Paper Mario. Electro Blooper can electrify its body and drop down onto Mario in order to attack.
Super Blooper (ビッグゲッソー, Big Gessō)
Appears as a boss character in Paper Mario. Super Blooper is a massive Blooper with powerful attacks.
Blooper Baby (チビゲッソー, Chibi Gessō)
Appears in Paper Mario. Super Blooper can create two Blooper Babies that drain Mario's energy.
Mecha-Blooper (メカゲッソー, Mecha Gessō)
Appears in Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga. A robotic Blooper that shoots torpedoes.
Gooper Blooper (ボスゲッソー, Boss Gessō)
First appeared as a boss character in Super Mario Sunshine, and again in Super Princess Peach. Gooper Blooper is a giant variation of the Blooper. It has four large tentacles on the front and four small tentacles on the side. Its skin is colored white with blue spots. At the end of the tentacles are blue-colored suction cups. Its tube-like snout begins with a cork stuck inside, which, when removed, allows Gooper Blooper to spit ink.
Gooper Blooper also appears as an obstacle in Mario Power Tennis and Mario Hoops 3-on-3.
Glad Blooper
Appears in Super Princess Peach. It swims in a somewhat crazed manner.
Big Blooper (ダイオーゲッソー, Daioo Gessō)
Appears as a boss character in Super Paper Mario.

Appearances

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Main Appearances

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Other Appearances

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Cameo Appearances

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Appearances in Other Media

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Recurring Mario enemies
Major villains
Bowser | Bowser Jr. | Cackletta | Donkey Kong | Fawful | Kamek | Kammy Koopa | King Boo | Koopalings | Shroob | Smithy Gang | Tatanga | Wario | Wart
Minor villains
Birdo | Chief Chilly | Donkey Kong Jr. | Eyerok | Fryguy | Goomboss | Gooper Blooper | Mouser | Petey Piranha | Raphael Raven | Tryclyde | Valentina | Waluigi
Enemies
Albatoss | Big Bertha | Blooper | Bob-omb | Boo | Bullet Bill | Buzzy Beetle | Cataquack | Cheep-Cheep | Chomp | Dry Bones | Fly Guy | Goomba | Hammer Bro | Koopa Troopa | Lakitu | Magikoopa | Monty Mole | Piranha Plant | Pokey | Shy Guy | Snapjaw | Snifit | Thwomp | Ukiki | Whomp | Wiggler


Enemies/Bob-omb

A Bob-omb (ボムへい, Bomuhei, Bomhei) is a robotic bomb character or item, featured in Nintendo's Mario series of video games. In some games they will follow the player until they explode, while in other games they stand still while exploding. Bob-ombs are mostly black, though in some games they're red or blue. They generally flash red when they are about to explode. Along with Goombas, Shy Guys, Piranha Plants, Snifits, and Koopas, they are the most common enemies in the Mario series.

Appearances

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The Bob-ombs were first introduced in Super Mario Bros. 2, where their general habits (walk around for a while, then explode) were made clear. Some were also hidden in the ground and would explode roughly 2 seconds after pulled up by the player. However, SMB2 was the only game where Bob-ombs had arms (although in Super Mario 64 and Mario Kart DS, it is revealed that the Bob-omb King has arms, and several Bob-ombs reveal their arms and wave in the victory parade at the end of Paper Mario). Bob-omb was the only enemy common to both Super Mario Bros. 2 and Super Mario Bros. 3, which, upon its late 1980s release, largely adopted the look, feel, and enemies of the original Super Mario Bros. In Super Mario Bros. 3, the Bob-ombs had the addition of small wind-up keys on their backs — if the key was attacked, they would explode after a few seconds; otherwise, they would peacefully wander back and forth. Like Koopa Troopas, they could also be carried and tossed when knocked out. In later worlds, cannons on tanks and ships continuously spawned them in great quantities. Bob-ombs later were the subject of many minigames in the Mario Party series. In Super Mario 64, the black Bob-ombs either tried to chase Mario down and explode, or man cannons and shoot water blasts at him. In the game, Bob-ombs can be picked up and thrown, but will explode if Mario holds them for too long. Also in the game is the Chuckya, an enemy who bears great resemblance to a Bob-omb (possibly a relative of it). Bob-ombs and their more powerful counterparts, Rob-ombs, also appeared in Super Mario RPG. Also, the Bob-ombs made a cameo appearance as helpful "gifts" from the Mushroom King in the motion picture based on the Mario series (one of these small machines was instrumental in the defeat of King Koopa, traversing a long bridge, a twenty-foot drop, and a long, vertical walk up a fungi-covered wall to explode right under Koopa's feet).

Paper Mario was the first appearance of an actual home of the Bob-ombs, known as the Koopa Bros. Fortress. The fortress was taken over by the Koopa Bros. Also in the game, a pink Bob-omb named Bombette joins Mario on his quest. Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door featured a Bob-omb partner, named Admiral Bobbery. The other Bob-ombs helped Mario reach the X-Nauts' moon base by launching him out of a giant cannon. The game also introduced a large enemy Bob-omb known as Bulky Bob-omb (and the more powerful counterpart, Bob-ulk). If not defeated quickly, they would explode and deal a lot of damage (obviously at the expense of their own HP).

In Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time, Bob-omb reappears along with Lethal Bob-omb, a more powerful version. On Star Hill, in the boss battle against Commander Shroob, his fellow Support Shroobs tote around a big giant purple Bob-omb with Shroob eyes called Shroob-omb. If the Mario Bros. get struck by it when the Shroobs toss it at them, or if it rolls at them if the middle or back Support Shroob is left, another one is brought in.

In Super Mario World and Super Princess Peach, some Bob-ombs parachuted from the sky as Para-Bombs (Para Boms in Japan), and in the case of SMW, also floated in bubbles. In Super Mario 64 DS and New Super Mario Bros., Bob-ombs appeared in several mini-games, including one that involves sorting red and black Bob-ombs in a factory of some sort.

Bob-ombs have also appeared in Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour, where golf balls impacting on a Bob-omb causes it to explode, sending the ball out in the opposite direction. In Mario Superstar Baseball they appear in the minigame Bob-omb Derby They also have appeared in Super Smash Bros., Super Smash Bros. Melee, Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, Mario Kart DS, Super Mario Strikers, and the Mario Party series as items.

In Super Mario Sunshine, the Bob-omb returns for a few episodes as a weapon of Monty Mole, receiving a tune-up with a more mechanical look, including the wind-up key,a timer face, and simplistic feet. If you spray them they will turn blue, enabling you to pick them up, however if they are left out too long they will still begin the countdown. Their traditional face is replaced by a digital display.

Bob-ombs have even appeared in various Legend of Zelda games, such as The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening and The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap. If you strike them with your sword once, they will run frantically around the room in a diagonal pattern, ricocheting off of walls and objects until they explode. If you manage to strike them again, they stop moving and explode. However, the foes in Link's Awakening have a different guise, named 'Bombites'. There exists a different variety as well (Countdown Bombites) that follow Link and count down from 3 before exploding.

The Bob-omb is also an item in the Super Smash Bros. game series. Bob-ombs in the series are an incredibly potent attack item - throwing a Bob-omb at an enemy packs incredible punch. If a Bob-omb is left alone for too long, it will start walking around with its fuse lit. Even touching a Bob-omb while it is in this state is lethal. The Bob-omb also appeared in the Super Mario Bros. film. Unlike its gaming counterpart, it was much smaller and not sentient, needing to be wound up to move and only walking in one direction. It could also walk up walls and was immensely more powerful than in the games given its size, so much so that the mere sight of a Bob-omb caused mass panic and even made King Koopa duck and cover. In an obvious display of product placement, Bob-omb's feet were festooned with the Reebok logo, visible for a split second before he explodes.[citation needed]

Au'some candies made container that looked like the bob-omb and was filled with candy powder. when 9/11 came along, they discontinued it. [citation needed]

Mezzo Bombs, Micro Bombs, and Rob-ombs

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Micro bombs are small bob-ombs found in Super Mario RPG that attack with a small explosion. They are basically just small versions of the original Bob-omb. Mezzo Bombs are on the other end of the spectrum. They are giant bombs with a much more powerful explosion. Both bombs, as well as the original Bob-omb, make appearances as allies to the boss Punchinello. Also in Super Mario RPG there are bob-ombs named Rob-ombs. They make their first appearance in Booster's Tower and the only difference between a Bob-omb and a Rob-omb in looks is a Rob-omb has purple shoes.

Big Bob-omb

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"Lord of all blasting matter, king of ka-booms the world over" as he describes himself, Big Bob-omb (Bomb King in Japanese) appears in Super Mario 64, Super Mario 64 DS, and Mario Kart DS- Mission Mode as a boss. He resembles a normal Bob-omb, but he has arms, a golden crown and an enormous white moustache. He fights by grabbing Mario and throwing him off the mountain top they fight on. Mario (or Luigi or Wario in SM64DS) must use this tactic against the king to grab and throw him around the mountaintop, but if the player throws him off the mountain, he jumps back up and accuses the player of cheating. When Yoshi first challenges him, he can't be thrown so he instead throws Bob-ombs at the dinosaur, which have to be spit at the Bob-omb King. He made cameo appearances in the numerous Mario Party games, notably in Mario Party Advance, where he reveals himself to be the leader of a Bob-omb mafia that defends Shroom City. He also is the boss of a set of missions in Mario Kart DS, where you must hurl Bob-ombs from a kart at him. He also made a cameo appearance in the minigame "Bob-omb Derby" in Mario Superstar Baseball as a Bob-omb you have to hit for points. Hitting him will earn you several extra bonus points. He made another cameo appearance in Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour. In that game he appeared in the Peach's Castle Grounds course on top of the mountain you battle him on in Super Mario 64. If your golf ball hits or comes very close to him, he will jump back and tumble down the mountain. Bulky Bob-ombs appear as enemies in Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, detonating after a set amount of rounds, or instantly if they are set on fire. Although theoretically this could wipe out the whole force just by exploding Admiral Bobbery next to one of them, the explosion hurts both allies and enemies. Since the explosion hurts enemies, it blows up the other Bulky Bob-ombs nearby, and could result in a lot of damage for your party.

Mario Kart

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In Mario Kart 64, the multiplayer "Battle-mode" features a unique system where, in a 3-or-4-person battle, when a player has been defeated, the player can take control of a Bob-omb, and perform a suicide-bomb attack on another remaining player. After this attack, the Bob-omb is destroyed and the player is no longer able to move around. Also, in "Versus mode" there were little Bob-omb carts which drove around in small circles at predetermined spots on the course. Driving into the Bob-omb would cause the player to be thrust up into the air.

In Mario Kart: Double Dash, the Bob-omb is a special weapon used by Wario and Waluigi (it can be also used by Petey Piranha and King Boo since they can use any special item). One of the battle modes in the game is called "Bob-omb Blast", where the one and only weapon is Bob-ombs. In Mario Kart DS, the Bob-omb can be thrown at other racers in a normal race. Bob-ombs can flip the player over in the blast because the blast is very big. The Mushroom Bridge and Mushroom City levels of Double Dash also have Bob-omb Cars on the roads, which explode on impact.

Bob-omb Buddies

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The pink Bob-ombs, called Bob-omb Buddies, were first introduced in Super Mario 64. These Bob-ombs were at war with the common black Bob-ombs. They are almost always portrayed as allies of Mario. They did not harm Mario, but instead helped him by opening up cannons so he could reach high places. In Super Mario 64 DS, some also show the locations of red coins in the lower touchscreen. They also appear in a minigame called "Sort or ‘Splode". The first Bob-omb Buddy to be given a starring role was in Paper Mario, where Bombette joins Mario in his quest for the Seven Star Spirits. Bombette helps Mario in Paper Mario, enabling Mario to toss her at cracked walls. Admiral Bobbery helps Mario in Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, doing the same job Bombette does: Mario can throw him to explode near cracked walls, except he'll walk a little before he explodes. Also in Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, a Bulky Bob-omb named Lucky ran the lottery in Rogueport. The Bob-ombs appear in the Fahr Outpost (with Russian accents) in the same game, helping Mario get to the moon and sending him their good luck wishes so he could defeat the Shadow Queen.

Recurring Mario enemies
Major villains
Bowser | Bowser Jr. | Cackletta | Donkey Kong | Fawful | Kamek | Kammy Koopa | King Boo | Koopalings | Shroob | Smithy Gang | Tatanga | Wario | Wart
Minor villains
Birdo | Chief Chilly | Donkey Kong Jr. | Eyerok | Fryguy | Goomboss | Gooper Blooper | Mouser | Petey Piranha | Raphael Raven | Tryclyde | Valentina | Waluigi
Enemies
Albatoss | Big Bertha | Blooper | Bob-omb | Boo | Bullet Bill | Buzzy Beetle | Cataquack | Cheep-Cheep | Chomp | Dry Bones | Fly Guy | Goomba | Hammer Bro | Koopa Troopa | Lakitu | Magikoopa | Monty Mole | Piranha Plant | Pokey | Shy Guy | Snapjaw | Snifit | Thwomp | Ukiki | Whomp | Wiggler


Enemies/Boo

Boo (テレサ, Teresa) is a fictional ghost that appears in the Super Mario series. Boos made their first appearance in Super Mario Bros. 3.

Characteristics

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Physically, Boos resemble classical Halloween spooks. They are round, puffy and balloon-like in appearance, and usually sport a pair of sharp vampirical canine teeth. Boos have beady eyes and a variety of facial expressions comparable to those of classical jack o' lanterns. Boos have flaps for arms as well as short tails. There are many Boo variations, as they vary in color and size. The most common Boo type is a generic, milky-white Boo, but other Boos can come in hues of blue, green, pink, orange, brown, red and black. One type of Boo, found in Paper Mario, is the Dark Boo, which is violet with glowing orange eyes and a blue tongue. Even though they are ghosts, there has been some controversy as to whether Boos are true ghosts or a species of ghost-like creatures. Judging from their dialogue in Super Mario 64, it is hinted that they are in fact dead Mushroom Kingdom residents. However, this has been contradicted in more recent games, mostly when one takes it into consideration that the ghosts of Mushroom Kingdom citizens have been seen, and they were not Boos. The ghosts in Luigi's Mansion resembled the people they were before they died. Also, Boos can be killed and created by Koopa magic. Boos are often evil, but this is not always the case. They also tend to have jobs and friends, and most Boos appear to have functional roles in society. This indicates that Boos are actually ectoplasmic creatures, not deceased spirits. However, it is possible that Boos are the ghosts of dead Bandits; Bandits wear masks resembling the face of a Boo, and they share with Boos the tendency to steal from people.

Appearances

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Boo first appeared in Super Mario Bros. 3, mostly in castles and fortresses. They won't move if Mario/Luigi faces them, but they'll give a chase when they turn their backs on them. In this game they were known as Boo Diddleys (perhaps a nod to Bo Diddley, an American singer).

Boos were given extended play in Super Mario World, which featured hundreds of them residing in various "ghost houses", with the ability to disappear, group together, rotate in impenetrable circles and make various faces. When Mario or Luigi look toward these creatures, they blush, flinch and stop moving. When the characters turn away, the ghost gives chase. In one level, there is a variant that turns to stone — stone which Mario can safely jump on — when Mario faces him. Eeries (Telesauls in Japan) appear to be a dinosaur version of Boos, but are not shy. Instead, they wander back and forth in groups. In Yoshi's Island, Yoshi cannot hit Boos with eggs unless he is facing away and the egg ricochets off of a wall while Boos are active.

Though Boos are, for the most part, minor antagonists, one is Mario's ally in Paper Mario; Lady Bow, who assists Mario in his battle against Bowser, by making him invisible or scaring enemies.

In Super Mario Bros. Deluxe, a secret set of levels could be accessed if a certain number of points were obtained. In these levels (called "You vs. Boo"), Mario/Luigi raced Boo to the end of the level. Boo acted like a literal ghost in You vs. Boo, finishing at your time (and changing in color) every time you challenge him again after beating him.

In Luigi's Mansion, King Boo is the main antagonist in Luigi's quest to rescue Mario. (He reappears in Super Mario Sunshine; Super Mario 64 DS, oddly named "Big Boo" like the non-crowned large ghost of that game, except he called himself "the" Big Boo; is playable in Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, and in Mario Party 8 as an NPC) Most Boos are shy but mischievous ghosts that love scaring others (especially Toad, as seen in Luigi's Mansion). Despite the fact that they are "ghosts", they do not seem to be the spirits of the deceased, but rather a separate type of creature.

Super Princess Peach introduced a reversal of this with the Mad Boo, a Boo that chased Peach whenever she looked at it, and cowered when she turned away. A larger boss version exists, known as "Big Boo" (who made its debut in Super Mario World) and a boss in Yoshi's Island is named "Bigger Boo." Other types include "Fishin' Boo" (Spook in Japan), who floats overhead dangling a lethal blue flame, and a Pink Boo from Super Mario Sunshine who, when sprayed by FLUDD, would turn into a platform for a short time.

New Super Mario Bros. features a Boo (called the Balloon Boo) which inflates itself to massive proportions when stared at, and when Mario or Luigi looks away, it expels the air, propelling itself forward. This game also features a Boo-like creature called a Broozer, a pale ghost with green eyes, a sinister, fanged smile and boxing gloves, which could punch through solid blocks. The Yoshi series of games introduced Boo Balloon, who is a balloon version of a Boo who does not freeze if looked at directly, and Boo Man Bluff (an obvious reference to "blind man's bluff"), a large orange blindfolded Boo, who does not freeze if looked at directly. In Yoshi's Story, a blind variation exists, which approaches on basis of sound rather than sight, as well as a Slime Boo. Boo Guys are the ghosts of Shy Guys that appear in Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island, and Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time. Two variations known as "Greaper" and "Glum Reaper" appear in Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars.

In Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time, Boos appear in Bowser's Castle. There, they attack simply, but they do not shy away from Mario and Luigi like in the platformers.

In Super Paper Mario, Boos haunt certain chambers in Merlee's Mansion, and Dark Boos inhabit parts of "The Underwhere", a realm where the dead spirits of sinners reside. This may lend evidence to Boos being the spirits of the dead, but it is also possible that they are merely a form of demon.

A recent trailer of Super Mario Galaxy has shown that, through the use of a power-up, Mario will be able to transform into a Boo.

Boos also appear briefly in The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening, haunting a single room in Bottle Grotto. These Boos seem to have gotten over their fear of facing opponents and float carelessly toward intruders. Many of the game's weapons are useless against them, as they disappear when struck by them and appear on the diametrically opposite side of the room. When light touches them, however, they turn into retreating shadows and are vulnerable to nearly everything. The Magic Rod remains the only item able to dispatch their ghost forms.

In Mario's Picross, Boo appears as one of the puzzle solutions.

Boos were commonly featured in the Mario Party series. They would have their own space where players could steal each other's coins and stars. In some Mario Party games, Big Boo made an appearance with the role of a regular Boo but was able to steal coins and stars from all players. Starting with Mario Party 5, it became a playable character. Replacing it in its job would be Chain Chomp, and later, a pink Boo.

A Pink Boo appeared in Mario Party 6. When a player landed on its space, it would steal coins or a star from chosen player for up to 40 coins. The Pink Boo wasn't a space in Mario Party 7, but was an orb that stole stars/coins and gave it to the player; it also appeared in mini-games like Mathemortician and Ghost in the Hall.

In Mario Party 4, Pink Boo appeared on Boo's board and when passed, he will cause the pink bridges to appear/disappear. When visible, in game events such as the Ghost Train will be unusable due to their presence.

Boo is also a playable character in Mario Party 8. There was also a board called King Boo's Haunted Hideaway Where you would give King Boo 10 coins in order to get a Star.

Boo appeared playable in Mario Party 5 and has appeared playable in every Mario Party game.

Some Mario Kart games feature Boo as an item that makes the user invisible and steals an item from a rival. In Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour, Boo is a playable character that must be unlocked by getting 50 best badges in tournaments. In Mario Tennis and Mario Power Tennis a Boo is a playable character; he possesses the ability to curve the ball a great distance and thus confuse opponents.

Boo is also a playable character in Mario Hoops 3 on 3, and, Mario Superstar Baseball, along with King Boo. Boo is an above average hitter with poor defense and speed, but is a surprisingly good pitcher.

Boo will also be a playable character in the game Mario Strikers Charged, where he is a Playmaker sidekick. In the new Mario Kart Wii Trailer, Boo is seen at 00.50.

Variations

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The enemy called Teresa in Japan has been translated with several names in English translations. The following are not variations: Boo Diddly in Super Mario Bros. 3 and The Big Boo in Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars.

Stretch (ネッチー, Netchi)
Appears in Super Mario Bros. 3. This Boo hides inside an elongated white block, and pokes its head out from time to time. Only the head is dangerous to Mario. Some white blocks contain more than one Stretch.
Eerie (テレサウルス, Teresaurus)
Appears in Super Mario World. It is the ghost of a dinosaur. Unlike Boo, Eerie moves straight ahead without stopping.
Boo Buddies (集団テレサ, Shoudan Teresa)
Appear in Super Mario World. These Boos travel in large groups and attack in a variety of ways. Some spin in circles, some fade in and out of the scenery and some travel in a snake-like pattern across the screen.
Big Boo / Atomic Boo (アトミックテレサ, Atomic Teresa)
First appeared in Super Mario World. A giant Boo.
Boo Block (ブロックテレサ, Block Teresa)
Appears in Super Mario World. When you face this Boo, it turns into a block that Mario can stand on.
Boo Balloon (バルーンテレサ, Balloon Teresa)
Appears in Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island. A blue Boo with a balloon string hanging beneath it. Each time Yoshi hits it with an egg Boo Balloon inflates. When it has been hit three times it pops.
Boo Man Bluff (めかくしテレサ, Mekakushi Teresa)
Appears in Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island. A peach-colored Boo wearing a blindfold that searches for Yoshi using sound. Yoshi can walk past them, but if he jumps or shoots eggs then Boo Man Bluff homes in on Yoshi's position.
Bigger Boo (びっくりテレサ, Fright Teresa)
Appears as a boss character in Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island. Kamek's magic has made this boo even bigger. Yoshi has to hit it with eggs, but it fades away when you face it. You have to bounce your eggs off the wall while facing away in order to hit Bigger Boo. Each time you do it expands in size even more, until eventually it explodes.
Li'l Boo (ハイテレサ, Hai Teresa)
Appears in Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars. A stronger version of the Boo.
Dark Boo (ダークテレサ, Dark Teresa)
Appears in Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door and Super Paper Mario. A stronger, purple Boo.
Dark Boo (テレテレサ, Tereteresa)
Appears in Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time. A strong Boo that steals Mario and Luigi's items and tries to escape. This is not the same enemy as the Dark Teresa of the Paper Mario games, which also has the name "Dark Boo" outside Japan.
Boolossus (ジャンボテレサ, Jumbo Teresa)
Appears as a Boss character in Luigi's Mansion. A giant Boo made up of many smaller Boos. You have to impale it on a unicorn statue in order to release the smaller Boos and capture each one individually.
King Boo (キングテレサ, King Teresa)
First appears in Luigi's Mansion. A large Boo wearing a crown. He is leader of the Boos that created Luigi's Mansion and even successfully captured Mario.
King Boo has gone on to appear as a playable character in Mario Kart: Double Dash!! and as a boss in Super Mario 64 DS (mistakenly called Big Boo).
Recurring Mario enemies
Major villains
Bowser | Bowser Jr. | Cackletta | Donkey Kong | Fawful | Kamek | Kammy Koopa | King Boo | Koopalings | Shroob | Smithy Gang | Tatanga | Wario | Wart
Minor villains
Birdo | Chief Chilly | Donkey Kong Jr. | Eyerok | Fryguy | Goomboss | Gooper Blooper | Mouser | Petey Piranha | Raphael Raven | Tryclyde | Valentina | Waluigi
Enemies
Albatoss | Big Bertha | Blooper | Bob-omb | Boo | Bullet Bill | Buzzy Beetle | Cataquack | Cheep-Cheep | Chomp | Dry Bones | Fly Guy | Goomba | Hammer Bro | Koopa Troopa | Lakitu | Magikoopa | Monty Mole | Piranha Plant | Pokey | Shy Guy | Snapjaw | Snifit | Thwomp | Ukiki | Whomp | Wiggler


Enemies/Bullet Bill

Bullet Bill (called Killer in Japan) is an enemy character from the Mario video game series. It is a huge, slow-moving bullet that is fired from a cannon. Bullet Bill first appeared in Super Mario Bros. The only way it could be destroyed was by jumping onto it or running into it after obtaining the star power up. Using fireballs has no effect on it and there is no way to destroy the cannon that it is fired from. Generically, "Bullet Bills," are used to refer to the plural. Bullet Bills generally have beady eyes and a fierce scowl painted on them, a clear reference to the shark-faced Flying Tigers of World War II. In most games, Bullet Bills are depicted with arms instead of a mouth, and sometimes they are depicted with both. As of New Super Mario Bros., only arms are exclusive to Bullet Bills, while mouths are only used for Banzai Bills.

Game appearances

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Super Mario Bros.: Bullet Bill first appears in World 5-1. It is usually discharged from a large cannon, known simply as a Bullet Bill Blaster (or, rarely, a Bullet Bill Dispenser). On occasion, Bullet Bills will be shot from random locations somewhere offscreen.

Super Mario Bros. 2: Bullet Bills did not appear in the American version of Super Mario Bros. 2 by name, but there are similar missile creatures that are shot from Autobombs, which are ridden by Shy Guys. However, Bullet Bills were abundant in the Japanese game that was later released in the U.S. as Super Mario Brothers: The Lost Levels.

Super Mario Bros. 3: Bullet Bills did not appear as much in Super Mario Bros. 3 as they did in previous games, mainly appearing in later worlds and on the bosses airships. A new type of Bullet Bill appeared in this game, the red Missile Bill, that follows Mario rather than flying in a straight line.

Super Mario Land: Starting in the third world, Bullet Bills appeared and acted in the typical manner, although the manual calls them "Gira" (which is probably a corruption of kiraa, its Japanese name).

Super Mario World: This game features the first appearance of Torpedo Ted (Torpedo in Japan), which is a Bullet Bill that is launched underwater. Banzai Bill (Magnum Killer in Japan) also makes its first appearance, which is a larger version of a Bullet Bill. The Pidgit Bill replaces Bullet Bill once the Special World is completed.

Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island: This game introduces a yellow Bouncing Bullet Bill that bounces and ricochets off walls after being fired. In the Game Boy Advance incarnation there are red Bullet Bills with gnashing fangs that home in on Yoshi.

Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars: In this game, Bullet Bills are fired by cannons or Snifits as an attack.

Super Mario 64: Bullet Bill was only found in one location in the level Whomp's Fortress. In the levels after the player defeats the big Whomp, a Bill Blaster will appear at the top of the fortress. The Bullet Bills shot out would home in on Mario. Bullet Bill can be defeated in the DS remake, but only by Mario (or any other character) eating a mushroom, becoming bigger and invincible , and able to kill him by running into him.

Paper Mario: Gold Bullet Bills known as Bombshell Bills are introduced in Paper Mario, and appeared again in Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door they also have upgraded cannons of the same colour being gold called B. Bill Blasters.

Mario Kart: Double Dash!!: The Bullet Blaster, which is the shape of a Bullet Bill, is Bowser Jr.'s Kart.

Super Mario Sunshine: This game contained a Monty Mole that manned a cannon, firing Bullet Bills at Mario. These Bullet Bills are purple, with a red nosecone. They homed in on Mario and exploded after a short time. They could be destroyed with a burst of water from FLUDD. Rarely, Monty Mole would fire a golden Bullet Bill, which when destroyed, would yield extra coins. Bullet Bills were also fired by Mecha Bowser, one of the bosses at Pinna Park. Finally, in the final battle against Bowser and Bowser Jr., Bowser Jr. would fire regular black Bullet Bills and the occasional blue Bullet Bills, which when jumped on, gave Mario a 1-Up Mushroom or a water bottle.

Super Smash Bros. Melee In the Peach's Castle stage, Banzai Bill would randomly shoot at the castle tower with a timer. It would explode, hurting players in a large radius. Bullet Bills were also present in the background of the Yoshi's Island stage but did not affect players within the match. There is also a Banzai Bill trophy which is found randomly within the game.

Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga: Bullet Bills and Bill Blasters returned as enemies at Stardust Field. The game also featured Sniper Bill, a large Bullet Bill that uses a Super Scope as a weapon. It is found in Bowser's Castle.

Mario Kart DS: Bullet Bills appear as items in this game, and would transform drivers into a large Bullet Bill, careening drivers through the course and into other characters for 4 to 7 seconds, but can only be obtained when the player is in 6th, 7th, or 8th position. They are also obstacles on the Airship Fortress level.

New Super Mario Bros.: Bullet Bills appear in some stages in this game as enemies. Banzai Bills also appear, slowly spinning as they are shot out of huge cannons.

Super Mario Galaxy: Bullet Bills (Although with red eyes) appeared in the demo playable at the E3 2006 Demo.

Cameo and other media appearances

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Bullet Bill has not appeared in many spinoffs, other than occasionally as an enemy in a Mario Party minigame, or in the form of a baseball bat in early screenshots for Mario Superstar Baseball (note that Bowser's Power Shot is also a Bullet Bill). He also appeared in Mario Power Tennis in a mini-game, fired by a giant Bowser robot. There is a Bullet Bill shaped hole in the Nintendo 64 version of Mario Golf.

Bullet Bills sometime appear in some Super Mario cartoon episodes, and a Banzai Bill in the background of a Wii tech demo. Bullet-bills are related to Bob-ombs. Bullet Bill also can be seen on the shirt of Fyer, (from Twilight Princess) the man who operates the cannon in Lake Hylia.

In the Super Mario Bros. film, the cartridges used to operate the "Thwomp Stomper" jumping boots are made to resemble Bullet Bills. In addition, one of the more prominent signs in the city of Dinohattan is for an establishment known as "Bullet Bill's."

Recurring Mario enemies
Major villains
Bowser | Bowser Jr. | Cackletta | Donkey Kong | Fawful | Kamek | Kammy Koopa | King Boo | Koopalings | Shroob | Smithy Gang | Tatanga | Wario | Wart
Minor villains
Birdo | Chief Chilly | Donkey Kong Jr. | Eyerok | Fryguy | Goomboss | Gooper Blooper | Mouser | Petey Piranha | Raphael Raven | Tryclyde | Valentina | Waluigi
Enemies
Albatoss | Big Bertha | Blooper | Bob-omb | Boo | Bullet Bill | Buzzy Beetle | Cataquack | Cheep-Cheep | Chomp | Dry Bones | Fly Guy | Goomba | Hammer Bro | Koopa Troopa | Lakitu | Magikoopa | Monty Mole | Piranha Plant | Pokey | Shy Guy | Snapjaw | Snifit | Thwomp | Ukiki | Whomp | Wiggler


Enemies/Buzzy Beetle

File:Buzzy Beetle.jpg

A Buzzy Beetle (メット, Metto, Met) is a common enemy character in several of Nintendo's Mario games. Despite their names, buzzy beetles are not actually beetles but rather Koopa Troopas with smooth black shells that cover their heads and bodies. If Mario jumps on a Buzzy Beetle, it will hide in its shell, which Mario can then kick aside to defeat other enemies or break through brick walls. Unlike Koopa Troopas, Buzzy Beetles are resistant to fireballs due to their hard shells. The only way to permanently dispose of Buzzy Beetles are to hit them with other shells, run them down while invincible, or kick them into pits. They were the precursor to the concept of nearly invulnerable enemies with certain weaknesses, popular in strafe and shoot games.

Appearances

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File:Buzzy beetle (smb1).png
The first appearance of a Buzzy Beetle in Super Mario Bros.

Buzzy Beetle appears first in the underground level of World 4-2 of Super Mario Bros., and appears in several levels afterwards. After completing the game, Buzzy Beetles appear in place of Goombas when a new game is started.

The Buzzy Beetle also appears in Super Mario Bros. 3, usually in underground levels. In this game, they not only hinder Mario from ground level, but can also walk along ceilings and drop, spinning quickly forward when they land. Although resistant to fire, Buzzy Beetles can be killed by a hammer thrown from Mario's Hammer Brother suit, similar to the Koopa Troopas. Buzzy Beetles have also appeared as enemies in the Paper Mario games. The most prominent in the first Paper Mario is Chan, a student at the local dojo. In Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, Spike Tops and Buzzy Beetles are shown to be kin. Spike Tops (whose Japanese name is Togemet, suggesting a cross between Buzzy Beetles and Spinys) have red shells, can crawl on any surface, and have a single spike sticking out of it. They first appeared in Super Mario World.

File:Buzzy beetle (smw).png
Buzzy Beetle in Super Mario World.

Relatives include Buster Beetle and Boney Beetle. Buster Beetles walk upright, moving faster than most Buzzy Beetles. In Super Mario Bros. 3 (their sole appearance), they grab and toss the blue blocks that Mario and Luigi are able to toss. This added speed and strength are compromised by their lack of protection. Any attack can defeat them (including fire), and they cannot be kicked around in their shells.

Parabeetles first appeared in Super Mario Bros. 3. Their shells were red (there are green-shelled ones in the Super Mario Bros. 3 "lost" levels) and they flew in flocks. They were content to fly in their own path and made no effort to harm Mario. Parabeetles could be destroyed via tailspin or perhaps invincibility, but it was inadvisable to do so since they could prove helpful as "stepping stones" on Mario's aerial journeys.

Bony Beetles (Hone Met in Japan) are the animated skeletons of Buzzy Beetles; being akin to what Dry Bones is to Koopa Troopas. They appear in Super Mario World and Paper Mario. Bony Beetles pace back and forth, occasionally ducking into their shells and exposing sharp spines. When jumped on (with spikes retracted), they would shatter, but quickly reform. A cape spin would defeat them outright.

They also appear in Paper Mario, Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, and Super Paper Mario.

Recurring Mario enemies
Major villains
Bowser | Bowser Jr. | Cackletta | Donkey Kong | Fawful | Kamek | Kammy Koopa | King Boo | Koopalings | Shroob | Smithy Gang | Tatanga | Wario | Wart
Minor villains
Birdo | Chief Chilly | Donkey Kong Jr. | Eyerok | Fryguy | Goomboss | Gooper Blooper | Mouser | Petey Piranha | Raphael Raven | Tryclyde | Valentina | Waluigi
Enemies
Albatoss | Big Bertha | Blooper | Bob-omb | Boo | Bullet Bill | Buzzy Beetle | Cataquack | Cheep-Cheep | Chomp | Dry Bones | Fly Guy | Goomba | Hammer Bro | Koopa Troopa | Lakitu | Magikoopa | Monty Mole | Piranha Plant | Pokey | Shy Guy | Snapjaw | Snifit | Thwomp | Ukiki | Whomp | Wiggler


Enemies/Cataquack

Cataquacks are creatures from the game Super Mario Sunshine.

They appear at Gelato Beach where they are an irritating pest. Once spotted, they follow you around until they throw you high into the air. A fun way to beat them is to lure one, and then run to a tree and quickly climb in it. The cataquack will slam headfirst into the tree and will immediately be capsized. Only the red cataquacks damage you. If you lure a Cataquack to a sand bud and capsize it followed by your watering of the sand bud, it will fly into the air, and die landing on it's back (It turns to sand upon impact).

In Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, the Cataquacks are obstacles in the Peach Beach course and they'll flip you in the air. They can be capsized by a powerful weapon.

Recurring Mario enemies
Major villains
Bowser | Bowser Jr. | Cackletta | Donkey Kong | Fawful | Kamek | Kammy Koopa | King Boo | Koopalings | Shroob | Smithy Gang | Tatanga | Wario | Wart
Minor villains
Birdo | Chief Chilly | Donkey Kong Jr. | Eyerok | Fryguy | Goomboss | Gooper Blooper | Mouser | Petey Piranha | Raphael Raven | Tryclyde | Valentina | Waluigi
Enemies
Albatoss | Big Bertha | Blooper | Bob-omb | Boo | Bullet Bill | Buzzy Beetle | Cataquack | Cheep-Cheep | Chomp | Dry Bones | Fly Guy | Goomba | Hammer Bro | Koopa Troopa | Lakitu | Magikoopa | Monty Mole | Piranha Plant | Pokey | Shy Guy | Snapjaw | Snifit | Thwomp | Ukiki | Whomp | Wiggler


Enemies/Cheep-Cheep

Cheep-Cheeps are fish-like enemies in the Mario franchise, first appearing in Super Mario Bros.. They are aquatic creatures that leap out of the water to attack Mario. The Cheep-Cheeps appeared in 2-3, 7-3, and a part in 8-4 (Bowser's Castle). To defeat a Cheep-Cheep on these levels, the player must simply jump on it and the player will gain 100 points. The Cheep-Cheeps were also found along with the [[../../Enemies/Blooper|Bloober]] jellyfish characters in the underwater levels 2-2 and 7-2, as well as the minus worlds and a part in 5-2. In these cases, they were immune to jumping attacks, but still vulnerable to fireballs.

One Cheep-Cheep, Sushie, was an ally to Mario in the game Paper Mario. She could shoot water out of her mouth, splash the enemies with a tidal wave, or temporarily increase Mario's defense.

Big Bertha was a giant Cheep-Cheep mother that spit out smaller Cheep-Cheeps on Levels 3-2, 3-4, and 7-4 of Super Mario 3. Its counterpart Boss Bass could leap out of water and swallow Mario whole, killing Mario instantly regardless of power-up status. Boss Bass also appears in Super Mario 64 on one level, Tiny-Huge Island, and uses the same swallowing attack.

Recurring Mario enemies
Major villains
Bowser | Bowser Jr. | Cackletta | Donkey Kong | Fawful | Kamek | Kammy Koopa | King Boo | Koopalings | Shroob | Smithy Gang | Tatanga | Wario | Wart
Minor villains
Birdo | Chief Chilly | Donkey Kong Jr. | Eyerok | Fryguy | Goomboss | Gooper Blooper | Mouser | Petey Piranha | Raphael Raven | Tryclyde | Valentina | Waluigi
Enemies
Albatoss | Big Bertha | Blooper | Bob-omb | Boo | Bullet Bill | Buzzy Beetle | Cataquack | Cheep-Cheep | Chomp | Dry Bones | Fly Guy | Goomba | Hammer Bro | Koopa Troopa | Lakitu | Magikoopa | Monty Mole | Piranha Plant | Pokey | Shy Guy | Snapjaw | Snifit | Thwomp | Ukiki | Whomp | Wiggler


Enemies/Chomp

The Chomp (ワンワン, Wanwan); nicknames: Chomps, Chain Chomps, Chain Chompers, Chomp Chomps; is a recurring species in the Mario franchise.

It is a black, spherical creature, dog-like in personality, often tethered to a block or post by a chain ('Wanwan' is a Japanese onomatopoeia for a dog barking. It can be translated to 'Bow-wow'.) It has sharp teeth and is constantly gnawing at the air and straining against its chain, as if eager to "chomp" on any passers-by. Under unusual circumstances, Chain Chomps can come loose — for example, in Super Mario Bros. 3, when the in-game timer for the level hits 160 seconds, or in Super Mario 64 and New Super Mario Bros. by ground-pounding the post it is chained to. Normally they are invulnerable, and in some games, Chomps can be beneficial. Like many icons from the series, these enemies are frequently referenced by gamers. Chain Chomps are known for being the precursors to common close combat video game enemies who can absorb a ridiculous amount of damage.[citation needed] In fact, the 'Pinky' demons in Doom 3 were nicknamed "Chomps" by some fans in reference to these vicious enemies.[citation needed]

Appearances

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Super Mario Bros. 3

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Chomps made their first appearance in level 2-5 of Super Mario Bros. 3 for the NES/Famicom as Chain Chomps, along with their cousins, the flying, fire-spitting, self-destructing Fire Chomps. They have since appeared in many Mario games. If left on screen for 160 game-seconds it will come off it's chain.

Super Mario Kart

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Chain Chomps appeared in the two-player match race mode of Super Mario Kart. Although they did not have a visible chain, they were confined to set paths.

Super Mario RPG

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In Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars, Bowser uses a Chain Chomp for a weapon, and Chain Chomps also appear as enemies. Additionally, a much more powerful form known as a Gold Chomp (called Chomp Chomps) appears. These creatures are about as powerful as the game's first true boss, Mack the Knife. In the Japanese version, it was a Piranha.

Yoshi's Island

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They also appear in Yoshi's Island, devoid of their chains and having increased to the massive size they retained in many future games (save one specimen, which remained chained and small, like in previous games). These Chomps appear waiting on distant cliffsides in the background and leap from their cliff to the foreground to attack, upon spotting Yoshi, eventually chomping huge rifts into the ground. Even larger chomps chase after Yoshi in certain levels, these are known as Chomp Sharks. Of course, when Yoshi makes it all the way, the Chomp Shark hits its teeth on a hard surface, breaks the teeth, sheds a tear, and falls down.

Super Mario 64 and Super Mario 64 DS

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In Super Mario 64, and its remake, Super Mario 64 DS, an enormous Chain Chomp appears as a mini-boss character. The Chain Chomp first acquired its distinctive bark in this game, which was used in most subsequent games. A star is located behind Chain Chomp's gate; acquiring it requires the solution of a puzzle.

Mario Kart 64

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In Mario Kart 64 Chomps appear on the Rainbow Road track where they travel at road level in the opposite direction of the racers in a regular zig-zag pattern. If racers run into a Chomp, it causes them to explode and fly up into the air.

Mario Party series

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Chain Chomps have made appearances in the Mario Party series with enough anger to make a player lose a star or many coins

Mario Power Tennis

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In Mario Power Tennis Chain Chomps appear in the mini-game "Chain Chomp Challenge", where players must hit tennis balls, Bob-ombs, or water balls into their Chomp's mouth.

Paper Mario

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In Paper Mario Chain Chomps (as well as the Stone Chomp variant) were unleashed by Tutankoopa and, like most of the other characters in the game, made no distinctive sound.

Super Princess Peach

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Chain Chomps behave in the same fashion in Super Princess Peach as in their previous appearances, attacking Peach at unpredictable moments. The game also includes the Calm Chain Chomp. It sleeps peacefully until disturbed.

Mario Kart: Double Dash!!

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In Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, a Chain Chomp is a usable item for Baby Mario, Baby Luigi, Petey Piranha, and King Boo that pulls the racers forward for a few seconds and bowls over other racers in its path. During this time, the player does not have to steer and will not go off the track. After a certain amount of time, it abandons the vehicle and goes off on its own for a short period. It is also an obstacle on the Luigi Circuit and Mario Circuit tracks.

Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour

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Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour features several holes where a Chain Chomp devours any ball that approaches it.

Mario Superstar Baseball

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In Mario Superstar Baseball, a Chain Chomp appears in the mini-game "Chain Chomp Sprint". They also appear in Wario Palace to knock outfielders down.

Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door

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Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door features two types of Chain Chomps: Red Chomps, which appear in Glitzville and the Pit of 100 Trials, and traditional Chain Chomps, appearing in the Palace of Shadow. Also a possible aquatic version of Chain Chomps were seen named Nibbles who would attack Mario if he entered any body of water (even fountains and swimming pools).

Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga

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In Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga, two Chain Chomps appear. In one battle at Woohoo Hooniversity, Mecha-Chomps, dog-like mechanical Chomps, appear. Chomp Bros, a variation of the Hammer Bros., swings Chomps at Mario and Luigi, and appear in Bowser's Castle.

Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time

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Chomps occasionally appear in Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time, mostly as agents of random chaos and mischief. For example, in one scene, the brothers are supposed to be traveling upwards through a complex pipe network. Suddenly, a Chomp slams into the most delicate part of the network, rearranging the connections so the brothers are instead sent down to a basement. In addition, one particular Bros. Item involves releasing a Chomp to chase after Mario and Luigi (or their baby selves) as the bros lead it into random enemies. On rare occasions, the Pocket Chomp, which is usually male, will have a pink bow, indicating that it's a female one instead. Also a Shroob variant of the Chain Chomp (Shromp) was used as a weapon by the Elder Princess Shroob.

Super Mario Strikers

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Super Mario Strikers featured a Chain Chomp as an item with which the player could attack. If used, the Chomp attacked all opposing players on the field, leaving them on the ground for a few seconds.

Super Mario Sunshine

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Small Chain Chomps called Chain Chomplets as well as a large one appear in Pianta Village in Super Mario Sunshine. They are portrayed as pets in this game. At first they appear on fire and red, apparently due to fever and their extreme rage. They have to be cooled down with water to return to normal. The large one has a scar and turns gold when pulled into a tub of water.

Mario Kart DS

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Chain Chomps appear in Mario Kart DS as obstacles on several courses. On the course "Peach Gardens", rather than a chain, they have item boxes for tails.

New Super Mario Bros.

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Chain Chomps and Fire Chomps both make appearances in New Super Mario Bros.. Chain Chomps appear in level 6-6, and are a bit larger than the Chain Chomps in Super Mario Bros. 3, but smaller than the ones typically found in later games. They make the barking sound first heard in Super Mario 64, and are chained to stakes which can be pounded into the ground for coins. Fire Chomps appear in level 7-1, and they look and behave much like their Super Mario Bros. 3 counterparts but are called Flame Chomps.

Yoshi's Island DS

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The Chomps return in their bigger forms from Yoshi's Island - as Shark Chomps and Background Chomps return. But this time, a new Giant Chomp returns with them too - a Giant Bouncing Chomp that can cause problems for Yoshi. These things are very hard to dodge, due to the fact you see them only in two levels - which are both side-scrollers.

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Some chomps appeared as enemies in dungeons such as Turtle Rock.

The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening

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Link's Awakening features a domesticated Chomp named Bow Wow (after its Japanese name Wan-Wan), who is owned by a kindly woman in Mabe Village named Madam MeowMeow. At one point Link is able to take Bow Wow for a walk, using his chain as a leash; Bow Wow then attacks Link's enemies. In addition, a few friendly, miniature Chomp-like creatures appear untethered inside a few buildings. One of these, Mini-BowWow, is portrayed as a female who, unusually, can speak and who enjoys wearing a ribbon in her hair. She gives Link a can of dog food in exchange for a hair ribbon as part of the game's "trading quest."

Other Titles

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The Chomps make many cameo appearances in The Legend of Zelda games. Four Swords Adventures and A Link to the Past had Chomps in the form of enemies to be avoided by Link.

Types of Chomps

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Chomps may be categorized based on behavior and appearance.

Chomp

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The generic term for any type of Chomp. It may also refer to Chomp that is not bound by a chain. Such chomps are found to be roaming about the game world or may freely attack the player.

Chain Chomps

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These Chomps are bound by chain to a post, block, or other object. In some cases, the Chomp may be set free if the object binding the chain is destroyed. Sometimes certain Chomps may escape, however.

Chomp Chomps

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A Golden-colored Chain Chomp. These are more powerful than regular Chain Chomps. Found in Super Mario Sunshine.

Red Chomp

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In Mario Party 7, A Red Chomp is introduced in the stage Pyramid Park. Most Chomps in the stage use two dice to tell how far it will take you on a ride to crush a Bandit, but the Red Chomp allows you to use three dice. They also appeared in Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door as enemies you battle in Glitzville's Glitz Pit. Their fighting name is "Chomp Country." They have a high defense and a high attack, but low HP. If the player chooses to Tattle on them using Goombella, she says that it's so angry because it was painted red while it was sleeping. If the partner eats a piece of cake before the fight, Mario will be forced to face the Red Chomps alone.

Fire Chomps

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These Chomps have completely free movement; not only are they not bound to a post or block, but they can also fly. They have three or four segments of fire for tails. They move extremely slowly in the general direction of Mario, stopping occasionally to shoot one of their fire segments at him. These do not replenish, and once a Fire Chomp is out of segments, it will try to catch Mario in its self-destruct explosion.

History

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The Chomp was inspired by a childhood experience of Mario creator Shigeru Miyamoto, where a dog tried to attack him. The dog lunged at him, but was jerked back by its leash just as the canine snapped at Miyamoto inches in front of his face.[1]

Trivia

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  • In the Japanese version of Mario's games, the Chomp is named Wanwan, the rough equivalent of "Woof Woof." This explains its dog-like personality, and also why it was called Bow Wow in the North American version of Link's Awakening.
  • The Pokémon Girafarig has a mini-chomp-like head at the tip of its tail. This may be why in the Pokédex it refers to its tail biting anything that comes near it.

References

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  1. Sheff, David (1993). Game Over. Random House. ISBN 0-679-40469-4.
Recurring Mario enemies
Major villains
Bowser | Bowser Jr. | Cackletta | Donkey Kong | Fawful | Kamek | Kammy Koopa | King Boo | Koopalings | Shroob | Smithy Gang | Tatanga | Wario | Wart
Minor villains
Birdo | Chief Chilly | Donkey Kong Jr. | Eyerok | Fryguy | Goomboss | Gooper Blooper | Mouser | Petey Piranha | Raphael Raven | Tryclyde | Valentina | Waluigi
Enemies
Albatoss | Big Bertha | Blooper | Bob-omb | Boo | Bullet Bill | Buzzy Beetle | Cataquack | Cheep-Cheep | Chomp | Dry Bones | Fly Guy | Goomba | Hammer Bro | Koopa Troopa | Lakitu | Magikoopa | Monty Mole | Piranha Plant | Pokey | Shy Guy | Snapjaw | Snifit | Thwomp | Ukiki | Whomp | Wiggler


Enemies/Dry Bones

File:Dry Bones.jpg
Dry Bones as it appears in Mario Party 7

Dry Bones (カロン, Karon, Karon) are a fictional species of undead koopa in Nintendo's Mario series of video games.

Dry Bones are the skeletal remains of Koopa Troopas that have been re-animated. They are immune to most of Mario's attacks and will fall apart when stomped on, only to reassemble moments later. However, they can be defeated with certain special attacks (such as with the Cape Feather, Hammer Bros. Suit or Starman). Dry Bones usually prefer dark places, mainly castles, but have been known to live in other areas like the desert or sunken ships.

According to Goombella's Tattle in Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, Dry Bones are former Koopas whose spirit animates its bones.

Appearances in the Mario series

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Super Mario Bros. 3

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Dry Bones' first appearance was in the NES game Super Mario Bros. 3. Much like Koopa Troopas, they walked on all four feet. Dry Bones could only be defeated by Mario with a Hammer Bros. suit, Starman, or shell. They were only found in fortresses.

Super Mario World

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Dry Bones' later appear in the SNES video game, Super Mario World. They walked like Koopa Troopas as in past Mario titles. Early on in the game, they only walked back and forth and regenerated, but later in the game, they would gain the ability to throw bones at you. They can only be defeated by the Cape Feather or a Starman, or by knocking the block that they are standing on from underneath (provided that said block is knockable).

Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars

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In Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars for the Super NES, Dry Bones appeared as an enemy in the Sunken Ship. It also had a more powerful version named Vomer, who is found inside the Barrel Volcano. Both enemies could only be defeated with Special Attacks or the "Pure Water" item, as normal attacks would inflict damage, but they would never kill them--their HP count in fact read as zero, and the game uses a unique script to produce the effect.[citation needed]

In addition to being an enemy, a Dry Bones was one of three members of the "Three Musty Fears", a trio of undead creatures which also included a Boo and a Greaper (a Shy Guy variant). The name, The Three Musty Fears, is a parody of The Three Musketeers.

Paper Mario

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Paper Mario for the Nintendo 64 featured Dry Bones as an enemy in Bowser's Castle. They would attack Mario by throwing bones at him, both in and out of battle. If a normal attack knocks out Dry Bones, it might revive itself a few turns later. However, a fire attack such as Kooper's Fire Shell can defeat them instantly.

Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga

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Dry Bones return in the Game Boy Advance video game Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga, although instead of being undead variations of the Koopa Troopa, they are undead versions of the Troopea, a bean themed Koopa Troopa. Unlike recent Mario games, Dry Bones went back to walking on all fours and attacked Mario and Luigi by throwing its head. There are two versions of Dry Bones in this game; the first is located on Hoohoo Mountain and appears to have a rib cage instead of a shell. The second version is found in Teehee Desert during Mario's second visit and looks similar to the original Dry Bones, but they can poison him if he receives a hit from its head.

Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door

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Dry Bones reappeared in the GameCube sequel to Paper Mario. Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door. There are now more variants of Dry Bones, including Dull Bones, Red Bones, and Dark Bones. Dry Bones is found in the Palace of Shadow (the final area of the game) and the Pit of 100 Trials, and fights similar to the previous Paper Mario game, but have gained the ability to build more Dry Bones. Dull Bones (the weakest version) are the victims of the Koopa-eating dragon Hooktail, and as such, are commonly found inside her castle. Both Red Bones and Dark Bones are minibosses at Hooktail's Castle and the Palace of Shadow respectively. In the Palace of Shadow, there is a puzzle where you must defeat the different variations of Dry Bones going from weakest to strongest (Dull, Red, Dry, and Dark).

Mario Superstar Baseball

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Dry Bones appeared in the game with a new, redesigned look. Dry Bones' were generally weak characters in the game, appearing on Bowser's baseball team in the Challenge mode of the game. They were also on Bowser Jr.'s team if you were to encounter him in the Challenge mode overworld.

Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time

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In the Nintendo DS sequel to Superstar Saga Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time, Dry Bones is an enemy inside the stomach of the Yoob. In this game, they stood on two feet again and threw bones at Mario and Luigi. They were also statues in the Gritzy Desert.

Mario Kart DS

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Dry Bones appeared in the Nintendo DS installment of the Mario Kart series as an unlockable player. It is the lightest of the LIGHT category players, with a high acceleration, but somewhat low top speed, and good handling.

Mario Party 7

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Dry Bones appeared in the seventh installment of the Mario Party series as a playable character.

Super Princess Peach

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Dry Bones reappeared in the Nintendo DS platformer Super Princess Peach. They have the ability to throw their bones at Peach, and can only be defeated by using the Rage and Joy Vibes or using the Poundbrella attack. Like several other enemies in the game, there is a special depressed, crying variation of the Dry Bones. It meanders forward with tears streaming from its eyes, and throws a trio of bones in one attack.

Mario Party 8

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It has returned from Mario Party 7 as a playable character.

New Super Mario Bros.

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File:Nsmbbowserskeleton.jpg
Dry Bones Bowser

The Dry Bones' next most recent appearance is in the Nintendo DS video game, New Super Mario Bros., which features two sizes of Dry Bones. The regular sized Dry Bones can be caused to fall apart by merely jumping on them, while the larger Dry Bones (called Big Bones) can only be caused to fall apart by using a Ground Pound on them. As usual, they will reanimate soon afterwards. Mario can permanently defeat either by using the Mega Mushroom, Blue Shell or Starman, or if it's dislocated head after jumping on it falls into lava or a bottomless pit.

Bowser is turned into a Dry Bones-like creature after he falls into lava at the end of World 1. Mario later fights him in this form. In this form, he is similar to Dry Bones, in that he is immune to flame and can throw bones. When he jumps up to meet Mario, he collapses into a pile of bones in a similar manner to Dry Bones, before reassembling. In the final boss battle, Bowser Jr. throws the broken skeleton Bowser into a magic cauldron, causing him to come back to life and grow bigger than he had been.

Mario Strikers Charged

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Dry Bones appears in the sequel to Super Mario Strikers, Mario Strikers Charged, as a playable sidekick like (most recently) Toad, Koopa Troopa, Birdo, Hammer Bro, Shy Guy, Monty Mole, and Boo. He is a fast character who has maximum defense. His special shot is charging the ball up with electricity.

Playable appearances

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In 2005, Nintendo began to put Dry Bones in a playable role in many of their spinoff titles. Its first role as a playable character was in the GameCube game, Mario Superstar Baseball. It was a technique character, meaning it was best used for pitching and fielding. They were also on Bowser Jr.'s team if you were to encounter him in the Challenge mode overworld.

Dry Bones later appears in the GameCube party game, Mario Party 7. It could be unlocked by collecting 1,000 mileage points and then bought at the Duty-Free Shop. Dry Bones was also Boo's partner in Mario Party 7.

Dry Bones became playable once again in the Nintendo DS racer, Mario Kart DS, as a light weight driver. It could be unlocked by winning a gold trophy on every cup in the Nitro Grand Prix on 50cc. Its Dry Bomber kart is very good at acceleration and handling, and is unlocked upon winning the 100cc Special Cup.

Dry Bones appears again in Mario Strikers Charged, as a playable sidekick like Toad, Koopa Troopa, Birdo, Hammer Bro, Shy Guy, Monty Mole, and Boo. He is a fast character who has maximum defense. His special shot is charging the ball up with electricity.

Other media

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File:CartoonDryBones.jpg
A Dry Bones from The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3.

Dry Bones made several appearances in the Super Mario Bros. television series under The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3 and Super Mario World.

A talking Dry Bones is also shown to be Bowser's helicopter pilot in the Nintendo Comics System story "It's Always Fair Weather".


Recurring Mario enemies
Major villains
Bowser | Bowser Jr. | Cackletta | Donkey Kong | Fawful | Kamek | Kammy Koopa | King Boo | Koopalings | Shroob | Smithy Gang | Tatanga | Wario | Wart
Minor villains
Birdo | Chief Chilly | Donkey Kong Jr. | Eyerok | Fryguy | Goomboss | Gooper Blooper | Mouser | Petey Piranha | Raphael Raven | Tryclyde | Valentina | Waluigi
Enemies
Albatoss | Big Bertha | Blooper | Bob-omb | Boo | Bullet Bill | Buzzy Beetle | Cataquack | Cheep-Cheep | Chomp | Dry Bones | Fly Guy | Goomba | Hammer Bro | Koopa Troopa | Lakitu | Magikoopa | Monty Mole | Piranha Plant | Pokey | Shy Guy | Snapjaw | Snifit | Thwomp | Ukiki | Whomp | Wiggler


Enemies/Fly Guy

File:Flyguys.jpg
Fly Guys as they appear in Yoshi Touch & Go.

Fly Guys are a fictional species in the Mario series of video games. They are mostly found in the Yoshi series and in Mario spin-offs. Fly Guys are often mistakened for Shy Guys, but the difference between them is that Fly Guys have propellers sticking out of their heads while Shy Guys don't.

Appearances in video games

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File:ME0000685701 2.jpg
A screenshot of Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach, Yoshi, Birdo, and Fly Guy in Mario Hoops 3-on-3.
Recurring Mario enemies
Major villains
Bowser | Bowser Jr. | Cackletta | Donkey Kong | Fawful | Kamek | Kammy Koopa | King Boo | Koopalings | Shroob | Smithy Gang | Tatanga | Wario | Wart
Minor villains
Birdo | Chief Chilly | Donkey Kong Jr. | Eyerok | Fryguy | Goomboss | Gooper Blooper | Mouser | Petey Piranha | Raphael Raven | Tryclyde | Valentina | Waluigi
Enemies
Albatoss | Big Bertha | Blooper | Bob-omb | Boo | Bullet Bill | Buzzy Beetle | Cataquack | Cheep-Cheep | Chomp | Dry Bones | Fly Guy | Goomba | Hammer Bro | Koopa Troopa | Lakitu | Magikoopa | Monty Mole | Piranha Plant | Pokey | Shy Guy | Snapjaw | Snifit | Thwomp | Ukiki | Whomp | Wiggler


Enemies/Goomba

The Goomba, or Little Goomba (クリボー, Kuribō) (kuri means "chestnut", means "kid") is a fictional species from Nintendo's series of Mario video games. Goombas are the first enemy character to appear in the original Super Mario Bros., for the NES. Alongside Koopa Troopas, Piranha Plants, and Lakitus, they are the most common enemies in the Mario series.

Name

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After Mario was given an Italian name, a number of other Mario characters were named following an Italian theme. Thus, the name "goomba" is believed to have come from the slang word "goombah" used by Italian-Americans to describe themselves; over time, it has gained a slightly derogatory connotation. The Italian-American slang term originates from the Italian word compare (akin to Spanish compadre), which was already (and still is) used in south Italy abbreviated in "compa'" and literally means "friend" and it is used colloquially mainly to address people living in the same town. Coincidentally, the Hungarian word gomba means "mushroom."

Characteristics

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Typically, Goombas are brown, round creatures with faces and feet. They are mushroom creatures that betrayed the Mushroom Kingdom. Most of them are in alliance with King Bowser's Koopa army.

According to the American version of the Super Smash Bros. Melee Goomba trophy, the Goombas once lived in peace in the Mushroom Kingdom, but they betrayed their homeland to side with Bowser, reinforcing the Super Mario Brothers manual. Mario games such as Paper Mario elucidate that not all Goombas are bad. They are, according to Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars, the lowest level of Bowser's army basically being nothing but cannon fodder.

Goombas can attack Mario by touching him from the side or (more rarely) falling upon him from above. However, they can be defeated by jumping or stomping on them. Goombas are typically the weakest enemies in Mario games; their only attack is walking slowly towards the player, and they can usually be dispatched in one hit. In the various Mario RPG titles, they are weak enemies encountered near the beginning of the game, but have stronger incarnations that appear later on in the games.

Goombas normally have bushy eyebrows formed into a scowl, and occasionally upward-pointing fangs. Goombas are blue or gray in the dark underground areas of the Mario video games and darker brown in night-time areas. This is probably intended to show lack of light while saving palette colors. "Little Goomba" is the name sometimes used for an ordinary Goomba in the games. The other distinct types of Goombas have their own names as well. When they are jumped on, they flatten.


Variants of the Goomba include the Microgoomba (マメクリボー; Mamekuribō meaning "Bean Kuribō") and the Paragoomba (パタクリボー; Patakuribō meaning "Wingbeat Kuribō"). The Microgoomba is a miniature, parasitic Goomba that either attaches onto Mario to reduce his jumping ability or hides under a brick and jumps whenever Mario approaches it (the latter is known as a Pile Driver Micro-Goomba.) To destroy the Micro-Goombas, Mario just simply has to dunk himself in water or vigorously repeat quick jumps and the Micro-Goomba will drop off. In New Super Mario Bros., the Microgoomba appears in several areas that can only be reached by Mini Mario. These Microgoomba simply act like a miniaturized version of their larger Goomba brothers. The Microgoomba first appears in Super Mario Bros. 3 along with the Paragoomba. According to the Super Mario Bros. 3 game manual (p. 35), Microgoombas are the children of the Paragoombas. In comparison with a regular Goomba, the Paragoomba has two wings which give it the ability to fly across the game screen. In Super Mario Bros. 3, it appears in two shades of brown: the lighter colored Paragoomba can fly and occasionally release Mugger Microgoombas, while the darker colored Paragoombas do not release Microgoombas, and merely hop along the ground like green Paratroopas. Paragoombas roughly correlate with the seagoing Blooper enemies, who sometimes lead a string of nuisance Baby Bloopers.

Appearances

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Super Mario 2D Games

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Goombas debuted as the first enemy encountered in Super Mario Bros.. Goombas are a very common walking enemy that disappears when Mario stomps on them. They often appear in groups of two or three, either forcing Mario to cautiously stomp on a single Goomba to avoid the nearby Goombas or, with the proper timing, it is possible to bounce from one to the next, defeating them all without touching the ground, gaining more points in the process. The original Goombas introduce the fundamental collision detection for a generic Goomba. When a Goomba collides with an obstacle or another Mario enemy, the Goomba will always walk away in the opposite direction. While certain Mario enemy sprites such as the Cheep-Cheep would pass through other Mario enemy sprites, the Goomba will react to other Mario enemies. This collision reaction is evident in later Mario games as well.

In Super Mario Bros., Goombas appear as blue in underground levels and grey in castles. However, this is actually due to the limited color palette of the game, which is why grey Goombas' appearances have been rare to nonexistent. The blue Goombas make a reappearance in Paper Mario as Gloombas in the Toad Town Sewers. Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door continues the use of the enemy, and places them in the Pit of 100 Trials.

In Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels (released in Japan as Super Mario Bros. 2), Goombas return with the same appearance and movements as the first game. In the North American and European Super Mario Bros. 2 (released in Japan as Super Mario USA, Goombas do not appear due to the game being a conversion of a non-Mario Japanese game entitled Yume Kōjō: Doki Doki Panic.


In Super Mario Bros. 3, the first variants of the Goomba were introduced, including the flying Para-Goomba, the tiny Micro-Goomba and the giant Grand Goomba. In level 5-3 you can find Goombas that jump around in a giant green boot called Kuribo's Shoe. If you attack the Kuribo's Shoe riding Goomba by jumping on it then it will be defeated, but if you hit the block they are standing on from underneath then the Kuribo's Shoe remains behind and Mario can jump inside. The Kuribo's Shoe allows Mario to jump on all enemies, including spiked enemies and Piranha Plants. The name for this power-up comes from the Japanese name for the Goomba, Kuribō, although the item was renamed "Goomba's Shoe" in subsequent Western Super Mario Bros. 3 remakes. Level 5-3 is the only time the Kuribo's Shoe appears in the original game, although several add-on stages in the Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3 remake on Game Boy Advance also feature the power-up.


In Super Mario Land, many of the enemies from Super Mario Bros. return with variations on their Japanese names, even in the North American and European manuals. The Goomba variation is known as Chibibo. They are essentially the same as the Goomba, and they behave exactly as they do in Super Mario Bros.

In Super Mario World for the SNES, the Goombas differ in appearance by having a roughly spherical head and no stem, instead having the feet attach directly to the base of the head. In Japan, this Goomba is a variant with a different name, Kuribon. When Mario stomps on them, they are knocked upside down and rendered immobile for a short period of time. When this happens, Mario can pick the Goombas up and carry them, until they resuscitate themselves. Also, some Goombas can come to Mario in different ways, such as dropping in with a parachute (which are known as Para-Goombas (Para Kuri in Japan) and the Goombas with wings are called simply Winged Goombas) or floating inside a bubble. In comparison to earlier versions, the Goombas of Super Mario World This version of the Goomba reappears in Mario Party Advance alongside the normal Goomba.

In Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins, Goombas return (rather than Chibibo) and look more like their Super Mario Bros. 3 design. A number of variations also appear, including the invincible ghost Boomba, and the underwater Aqua Goomba.

In Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island Goombas are a much less common enemy than in previous games, and act quite differently. When you jump on a Goomba it flattens, but continues to move around. You can ride around on top of the flattened Goomba. If left alone, the flattened Goomba will eventually right itself and carry on as normal.

Super Mario 3D Games

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The Goombas' physical appearance in Super Mario 64 is based on their Super Mario Bros. 3 design, albeit in a 3D-rendered form. Their behavior changes slightly in that instead of wandering back and forth they first perform a small hop when they spot Mario, as if to indicate surprise, and then give chase to him. Similar to most Mario games, the Goombas in Super Mario 64 can be killed by stomping. However, in this game Mario has additional physical attacks besides ordinary jumping, and Goombas can also be killed with these new abilities. The giant Goombas will yield blue coins if Mario performs the ground-pound attack on them.

In Super Mario Sunshine, there are no Goombas, but a creature similar to an orange Goomba called "Strollin' Stu," that wears spotted briefs, is one of the most common enemies. According to The Perfect Guide of Super Mario Sunshine, these are the Isle Delfino versions of Goombas. Its Japanese name is "Hamkuri".

Super Mario 64 DS, a remake of Super Mario 64 on Nintendo DS, has some modifications. One of them is the addition of an original boss called Goomboss. The Goomba complains to Yoshi that his junior siblings have been stomped on in previous Mario games. Goomboss looks virtually identical to King Goomba from Paper Mario. Goomboss returned as a Mission mode boss in Mario Kart DS.

In the E3 demo of Super Mario Galaxy, as well as several promotional images, it shows that goombas will, in fact, be featured in this next 3D Mario installment.

Mario RPG Games

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In Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars, Goombas are one of the lowest-level monsters. They have two attacks: a bite attack and a thorn-spitting attack. However, since this is a role-playing game, both attacks have the same effect: several points of damage to a character in the player's party. In addition to normal Goombas, there are two more difficult species in Super Mario RPG: Gu Goombas and Goombettes. Gu Goombas, distinguished by their light green hue, appear in Bowser's Castle. They sometimes jump out from behind statues to attack Mario, and may also appear in enemy parties. Being former minions of Bowser, however, they will flee in fear if Bowser is one of the three party members. The Goombette is a smaller version of Goomba, bearing a resemblance to a Micro-Goomba (see above). Goombettes can mainly be found hidden inside treasure chest monsters. Super Mario RPG also includes non-hostile Goomba characters. In Monstro Town, Mario can visit a store run by a Goomba family, which comprises a regular Goomba and three Goombettes. Like most of the monsters in Monstro Town, the Goomba family decided to quit the Koopa Troop and live a peaceful life.

In Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga, Goombas appear at the very beginning in the Koopa Cruiser as a battle tutorial. In Teehee Valley, there is a variation of Goomba called Gritty Goomba. It has a mummy-like bandage wrapped around it and a spear strapped onto its head that has a red flag. The Gritty Goombas will grab Princess Peach and run into a pipe if they get near her, or if she disappears off the edge of the screen. Usually, they call up a sandstorm to distort their enemy's vision. They can also be found in Gwarhar Lagoon, albeit stronger, and with a blue flag. Another form of Goombas resides in the Beanbean Kingdom, found in an area north of Beanbean Town. These Goombas, known as "Tanoombas", are Goomba-raccoon hybrids refer to the "Tanooki" ability found in Super Mario Bros. 3. They appear as regular Goombas with raccoon tails, and a leaf on their head. The leaf refers to the leaf power-up item needed to acquire the Raccoon ability in Super Mario Bros. 3. When they attack, Tanoombas transform into a duplicate of Mario or Luigi, similar to the "Tanooki" ability which allows transformation into a statue. Once transformed, the Tanoombas will always attack the opposite brother of their appearance. For example, a Tanoomba who appears as Luigi will attack Mario. Yet another form of Goombas appeared while traveling through the Seafloor. Those are called Goomdivers and they look like regular Goombas but with a scuba diving helmet. They attack by swimming toward Mario or Luigi.

In Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time, the Goomba was a common enemy that could be found in Bowser's Castle in the past. They attacked simply by charging into either Mario or Luigi and/or their younger selves. The same Goombas could also be found in the underground section of Princess Peach's Castle in the present. Curiously, they were slightly stronger, but still offered little EXP and money. The Tanoombas from Superstar Saga make a return appearance on the Thwomp Volcano, but with completely different moves. They change their forms into a balloon, a Thwomp, and a spiked shell in order to attack the brothers. If the Tanoomba jumps straight up before attacking, its first attack is directed at Mario/Baby Mario, but if it flips, it's going for Luigi/Baby Luigi. Another point of interest is that they will take on the forms of a Thwack, a Toad, a 100-Coin coin, and an item block in the overworld, but their true identity can easily be spotted through their tell-tale tails and/or leafs. The Shroob Castle also has a stronger, Shroob version of the Tanoomba known as the Tashrooba.

Paper Mario Games

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Paper Mario introduces a myriad of new Goomba types, and is notable for characterizing Goombas beyond enemies. There are various unique individual Goombas that play a part in the game's plot. There is the Goomba King (a giant Goomba who lives in a fortress), and a pair of Goombas called the Goomba Brothers, which consist of Red Goomba and Blue Goomba. However, the most prominent Goomba of the new Goombas is Goombario. He is an admirer of Mario, even having a blue hat similar to Mario's hat with a G symbol, who becomes a playable character and is the first ever playable Goomba, in addition to being the first in your party. Throughout Mario's journey, Goombario can help Mario by fighting enemies and providing information about their surroundings. He lives in Goomba Village with his family, which includes Gooma (grandmother), Goompa (grandfather), Goomama (mother), Goompapa (father), and Goombaria (sister). The village is located west of Toad Town and is the only place to find a kind of chestnut (which by no coincidence has relation with Goomba's Japanese name, see above) called Goomnut. However, there remain traditional Goomba enemies, including Spiked Goombas (equipped with spiked helmets to counteract Mario's jumping ability), Gloombas (a darker Goomba type that can be found mostly in the Toad Town tunnels; it also has a Paragloomba and Spiked Gloomba variant), and Hyper Goombas (a wild Goomba type that is stronger than a regular Goomba and can charge its attack; it also has a Hyper Paragoomba and a Hyper Spiked Goomba variant).

Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door introduces a playable, female college student Goomba named Goombella. She is studying about the legendary treasure beneath the city of Rogueport alongside her instructor, Professor Frankly (also a Goomba). After learning of Mario's ongoing search for the treasure, she joins his party. Like Goombario, she has the ability to use "Tattle" to get information on an enemy, revealing their health and information, but unlike Goombario, this information is cataloged. In place of Goombario's Charge ability (which now can be given to any party member via a badge), she has Rally Wink, which gives Mario the courage to take another turn. In Rogueport, Goombas are fairly common, wearing green hats, once again making a reference to Link's hat in the Legend of Zelda series, similar to another Zelda reference in the Kirby series, where the hat Kirby wears with his Sword ability looks like Link's with cotton attached to it.

Super Paper Mario showed the return of Goombas, as well as Paragoombas, Spiky Goombas, and Gloombas. However, this game also introdued Headbonk Goombas, which are grey-ish white Goombas that leap into the air and "headbonk" anyone near them (similar the Goombario and Goombella's Headbonk ability). There are also Dark versions of the forementioned Goombas.

Goombas in other games

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Goombas have appeared in three games outside of the Mario series: The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening, Super Smash Bros., and Super Smash Bros. Melee:

  • In The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening, Goombas appear in side-scrolling parts of a dungeon (and also in the top-down portion of the Eagle's Tower), sometimes with other Mario-based enemies (such as the Piranha Plant). Link can either slash at them with his sword or jump on them to defeat them and earn a small life heart. They are otherwise indistinguishable from Mario game Goombas.
  • In Super Smash Bros., Goomba sprites appear in the background of the secret Super Mario Bros. level, and in Super Smash Bros. Melee, Goombas are extremely rare items that sometimes come out of item-holding objects such as Party Balls and Crates. They are also commonly found in the first level of Adventure Mode, the Mushroom Kingdom stage. They are defeated by attacks or by being jumped on, and are otherwise like Mario game Goombas. Additionally, the game features a Goomba trophy that can be collected.
  • In Hotel Mario, four types of Goomba appear. The first two are normal Goombas and Paragoombas (the latter of which are called Flying Goombas in the manual). The normal Goombas walk around and open doors, while the Paragoombas can fly around within the floor they are on. The other two types of Goomba are Bellhop Goombas and Rhinestone Goombas, types exclusive only to this game.
  • In the Wario Land series, an enemy called the Goom appears. Gooms seem to be related to Goombas (the key difference is that Gooms have arms and are more round), as they are the common, easy-to-defeat enemies in Wario Land and have a similar name and appearance. In Super Mario Land 3: Wario Land, two types of Gooms appear: the Wanderin' Gooms and the Pirate Gooms. Wanderin' Gooms are pointless due to the fact that they cannot hurt you, but they are an easy way to get coins. Pirate Gooms, who wear bandanas, carry spears, and work under Captain Syrup, can hurt you, but only if you touch the side of them with the spear. Although Wario Land II took place in Kitchen Island, Wanderin' Gooms were nowhere to be found, but Pirate Gooms reappeared under the name "Spearman". A rare type of wizard Goom also appeared (actually two Gooms stacked atop each other) who could turn Wario into Small Wario. In Wario Land 3, none of the past Gooms appeared, but a new variant called the Para-Goom, who attacked with a parasol, showed up. Para-Gooms were vastly different than past Gooms, so they are probably only a distant relative. Para-Goom also appeared in Dr. Mario 64, which used several characters and elements from Wario Land 3. The enemy Spearhead, which was also featured in Wario Land 3, was called a Goom in the instruction manual.
  • In contrast to other Mario games, the Goomba is not a common enemy in Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island. Instead, the more common enemy is the Shy Guy. In this game, Goombas can only be found in the level "4-1: Go! Go! Mario!!". They follow their regular pattern, which is slowly walking towards Yoshi with the possibility of collision. They are more durable than usual here: a regular stomp merely flattens them, cartoon-style, and they keep walking until they pop up again. They can be defeated with a ground pound, or simply eaten and turned into eggs.
  • In the Mario Party series, Goombas have frequently appeared as shopkeepers, party hosts, events, and items. In the origanal Mario Party, a goomba was shown at a junction between Bowser and Toad. He plays a raffle game similar to the USA Lottery.
  • In Mario Kart: Double Dash!! and Mario Kart DS, Goombas appear as obstacles on certain tracks. In both games they may be defeated with an item, revealing a Mushroom for a racer to use. Goomboss from Super Mario 64 DS also returns as a Mario Kart DS Mission Mode boss whom you must race on the Double Dash!! Baby Park track.
  • A Goomba (as well as a Para-Goomba) appears as a playable character in Mario Superstar Baseball. In this game, the Goomba both uses a bat and glove in spite of the impediment of having no arms. This marks the third time that a Goomba is a playable character, after the two Paper Mario games.
  • In Super Princess Peach, Goombas can be defeated in three ways; throwing it at another enemy, hitting it with Perry, or having Perry eat it. Another wave of Goombas are also introduced in this game like the Sad Goomba, Mad Goomba, and the Red Goomba.

Goombas in other media

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In the 1989 television cartoon The Super Mario Bros. Super Show! Goombas are loyal soldiers in King Koopa's army. The general appearance of the Goomba resembles the sprites found in the Mario video games. In many of the episodes, the Goombas appear as zombies, pirates, or other thematical variations in accordance with the plot. (One episode, ironically, had both of the Mario Bros. fleeing like cowards from a single Goomba. [1]) When the show spun off into The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3, they continued their job as soldiers in the Koopa army in a few episodes. However, the Super Mario World cartoon only featured them twice. Sometimes the Goombas would talk.

In 1990, a few Mario characters became part of a series of McDonald's Happy Meal's toys, as part of a way to promote the release of Super Mario Bros. 3. The Mario toy set featured Mario (in his Raccoon form), Luigi, Paratroopa, and Little Goomba. The Goomba toy is spring loaded and has a hinge between its head and feet. There is a small suction cup at the front of the Goomba's head and sticks to the top of its feet when pressed down. Once pressed down, the toy backflips a few moments later by way of a compressed spring inside the casing of Goomba's head. Various forms of Goombas have also made appearances as plush dolls, largely from Asia.

In the film Super Mario Bros., (1993), the term Goomba refers to someone who de-evolves after being hit by King Koopa's de-evolution ray. As with most of the characters in the film, the Goombas are drastically different in appearance in comparison to their video game counterparts, represented as large (about seven feet tall) reptiles with extremely disproportionate bodies (tiny heads, and large bodies). They also, inexplicably, wear trench coats. There are two types of Goomba, one resembling a Koopa Troopa and the other resembling a Mushroom Goomba by the shape of their heads. The "goomba" Goomba has a rounded head, whereas the "koopa" goomba has a more reptilian shape (in addition to the obvious reptilian features upon their) head. They are played by human actors in costume and do not resemble the small Goombas seen in the video games at all. The actor who stars as the goomba in the movie is David Wrafter.

References

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  1. The Super Mario Bros. Super Show! episode "The Ten Koopmandments"
  • Duck Hunt/Super Mario Bros. Instruction Booklet, Nintendo, 1988.
  • Super Mario Bros. 3 Instruction Booklet, Nintendo, 1990.
Recurring Mario enemies
Major villains
Bowser | Bowser Jr. | Cackletta | Donkey Kong | Fawful | Kamek | Kammy Koopa | King Boo | Koopalings | Shroob | Smithy Gang | Tatanga | Wario | Wart
Minor villains
Birdo | Chief Chilly | Donkey Kong Jr. | Eyerok | Fryguy | Goomboss | Gooper Blooper | Mouser | Petey Piranha | Raphael Raven | Tryclyde | Valentina | Waluigi
Enemies
Albatoss | Big Bertha | Blooper | Bob-omb | Boo | Bullet Bill | Buzzy Beetle | Cataquack | Cheep-Cheep | Chomp | Dry Bones | Fly Guy | Goomba | Hammer Bro | Koopa Troopa | Lakitu | Magikoopa | Monty Mole | Piranha Plant | Pokey | Shy Guy | Snapjaw | Snifit | Thwomp | Ukiki | Whomp | Wiggler


Enemies/Hammer Bro

File:Hammer Bros SMBSS.jpg
Hammer Brothers as seen in The Super Mario Bros. Super Show.

Hammer Bros. (ハンマーブロス, Hanmā Burosu, Hammer Bros.) are enemy characters present in many of Nintendo's Mario series of video games. Their trademark distinction is that they appear in pairs, though there are instances where only one appears. Their trademark move is that they attack by throwing large hammers in an arcing path. Their appearance shows them having distinct beaks, classifying them as "Beaked Koopas." However, there are some games where they do not have the distinct beaks and look like normal Koopas.

Appearances in the Mario series

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Super Mario Bros.

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File:SMB1HammerBros.GIF
One of the numerous Hammer Brothers from Super Mario Bros.

The Hammer Brothers are one of the few Mario characters (its first appearance taking place in Super Mario Bros.) that still enjoys usage today. They often appear in pairs (hence the name "brothers"), but they sometimes appear separately.

They are usually found on parallel platforms and jump up and down and move back and forth. They are notorious for being one of the hardest enemies to defeat, making avoiding them the easier choice, because they move around so quickly and constantly throw a continuous torrent of hammers all over the place. Bowser moves much slower and the later Bowsers only send one to two barrages of hammers.

An interesting note is that while normally immobile, if the player waited long enough, the Hammer Brothers would charge towards them.

Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels

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Hammer Brothers behave the same in this game, but certain ones slowly charge the player instead of staying in one spot.

Super Mario Bros. 3

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In Super Mario Bros. 3, several variants of the Hammer Bros. were introduced:

  • Sledge Bros. are a large version of the Hammer Brothers, with giant hammers which they throw just like regular Hammer Bros. They are hammer brothers whose weight create earthquakes that immobilize Mario. They appeared in New Super Mario Bros..
  • Fire Bros. (extremely rare) spit fireballs instead of hammers, much like those from Fire Mario. They also appeared in The Thousand Year Door, Super Paper Mario, and New Super Mario Bros.. Fire bros. were first seen in Super Mario Bros. 3, and only found in world 2 and world 8. In world 2 if the player defeats the fire bro, they get a special item called a warp whistle.
File:Hammer Bros SMB3.PNG
A Hammer Brother from Super Mario Bros. 3, leaping up on to a ledge.

Hammer Brothers also appeared on the world map as patrolling police-like figures. When Mario ran into one of them, a battle would begin. After defeating the Hammer Brother, Mario would get a treasure chest that gave him an item. These map Hammer Brothers could be avoided by putting them to sleep with a Music Box item.

This game also had a Hammer Bro Outfit for Mario, which allows him to throw Hammers just like a Hammer Bro as well as use the armored back to protect himself from objects like piranha plant's fireballs when crouching.

A pair of Sledge Bros. were frequently featured in episodes of The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3 cartoon series, usually to serve as guards for King Koopa's (as Bowser is known in the cartoons) prisoners. One episode, "Tag Team Trouble", also had Koopa entering them in a tag team wrestling contest.

Super Mario World

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In Super Mario World, there was no mention of the Hammer Bros. or their variants from Super Mario Bros. 3. However, the game did feature two new variants:

File:CartoonSledgeBros.jpg
Sledge Bros. as seen in The Adventures of Super Mario Bros 3.
  • Amazing Flyin' Hammer Brother (Appare in Japan) flew on a platform and rapidly threw hammers down on Mario, but could be easily knocked off. The platform would still fly and Mario could jump on it afterwards to reach high areas unreachable by jumping. This particular variant also appeared in Super Princess Peach. In that game, Peach can knock them off by using the "rage" vibe.
  • Sumo Brothers (K. K. in Japan) mostly resided on the top of blocks. When Mario was close to them, one would stomp up and down, using his colossal bulk to send flaming shockwaves 4-5 spaces below. Their protective girth prevents them from being squashed, so they could only be taken out by jumping underneath them, using a star, or throwing a Koopa shell.

Dance Dance Revolution: Mario Mix

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In Dance Dance Revolution: Mario Mix, the Hammer Bros. appear in level 3-1. They guard the entrance to Wario's Carnival, until the Mario Bros. subdued them into submission in order to give the trio enough time to enter the carnival without fear.

Super Princess Peach

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File:HammerBroGeneral.png
The Army Hammer Bro. from Super Princess Peach. Note the protrusion of small horns and the color choice of Black instead of Green to indicate seniority.

In Super Princess Peach, both Hammer Bros. and Amazing Flyin' Hammer Bros. appear, in addition to the Calm Hammer Bro. and Calm Amazing Flying Hammer Bro., both sleeping variants of their main species. An individual Hammer Bro. named Army Hammer Bro. also appears. According to the Glossary, Army Hammer Bro. is the leader of the others, but the Glossary remains unsure if he is actually any stronger. He obviously is the most trusted by Bowser, though, who grants him Rage with the Vibe Scepter before he battles Peach.

New Super Mario Bros.

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In the New Super Mario Bros., the Hammer Bros. return, along with a few Boomerang Bros., and, in World 8-7 only, Fire Bros. and a much fatter version of the Sledge Bros. (referred to as Sumo Bros. in the Player's Guide). A lone Hammer Brother will also patrol the map screen (a'la Super Mario Bros. 3) in Worlds 5 through 8. The Hammer Brother will give up a random item when defeated.

Mario RPG series

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Super Mario RPG

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The Hammer Brothers were the first bosses in the game. Their special attacks included Hammer Time (an offensive attack) and Valor up (which increases its attack power). Mario received the hammer after he defeated the Hammer Bros. At Bowser's Castle, the player meets a quiz-loving Hammer Bro. named Dr. Topper, who is basically a palette swap of the normal Hammer Bro.

Quote: "My hammer and I don't like you!"

Paper Mario

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In this game, the Hammer Brothers are one of the strongest guards of Bowser, along with the Koopatrol. They are found in Bowser's Castle, but they can also be found in Shy Guy's Toy Box, if the player chooses.

Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door

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In Paper Mario: The-Thousand-Year-Door, Hammer Bros. were found roaming Rogueport Sewers. The Boomerang Brothers and the Fire Brothers are new introductions joining the Hammer Brothers. The Boomerang Brothers attack causes damage on its forward and return trip while the Fire Brothers would spit fire balls, which would cause Mario to catch fire. In the same game, a previously unknown type of Hammer Brother was mentioned; the Business Brother. They are never actually seen in-game, but a lengthy dialogue with a Hammer Bro. in the Glitz Pit reveals that his father was/became a Business Bro. An interesting fact, as revealed by the son of the Business Bro. is that, unlike regular Hammer Bros. (and similar to standard Koopa Troopas) Business Bros. can be flipped on their backs.

  • Border Bros. Seemingly individual, green Hammer Bros. who run the border between the Mushroom and Beanbean Kingdoms. They made Mario and Luigi participate in a Border Jump minigame at the beginning of the game. They may be Hammer Bros. from Super Mario Bros., as they seem to personally know Mario and Luigi and their game features a Super Mario Bros. theme.
  • Yo Bros. Used Yo-Yos as its weapon. It used the green one against Luigi and the red one against Mario.
  • Limbo Bros. Found in Guffawha Ruins and on the west side of Teehee Valley. It attacks by walking towards Luigi doing the limbo and striking him with its torch.
  • Boomerang Bros. Found in Gwarhar Lagoon. The boomerang it threw can attack one brother twice, or both brothers once. Looked almost nothing like their SMB3 counterparts. This variety has what appears to be a sprout on top of its head, going along with the other plant-based enemies, and is probably the species of Bommerang Bro. native to the BeanBean Kingdom. Bears a slight resemblence to Waluigi.
  • Hammer Bros. Found in Bowser's Castle. Like past games, it would throw hammers at Mario and Luigi.
  • Chomp Bros. Also found in Bowser's Castle. As the name suggest, its main weapon was a Chain Chomp. If players jumped on the chomp, Either a new chomp would come up to him as a replacement, or else he would just leave.

Two Hammer Bros, appear in the Vim Factory, being controlled by the Shroobs and calling themselves "The L33T Hamm3r Broz." They talk using l33t speak:

AREA RESTRICTED. ALL NOOB INTRUDERS 2 B HAXORED BY US L33T HAMM3R BROZ.! WE R TEH SHROOB ALLIES. WE ROXOR U AND THEN ROFL. THEN U AM CRY. WE RECEIVE ORDERS THRU ANTENNAS ON THESE L33T HELMETS. THEY R HOTNESS. WE MUST OBEY ALL ORDERS. WE LIKE 2 PWN NOOBS 4 TEH MASTER SHROOBZORS. U = NOOBS. BROZ. = L33T. PREPARE 4 TOTAL PWNAGE. WOOT! WOOT! WOOT! WOOT! NOOBZ STILL R NOT PWNED. CONTINUE PWNERSHIP UNTIL ALL NOOBZ R PWNED. TEH ESCAPE IS IMPOSSIBLE. WE R 2 L33T. WE OWNZ JOO. U WILL GET FLATZORED BY R L33T HAMMERS.

After being defeated by Baby Mario and Baby Luigi, the antenna helmets are broken and they give the babies two spare hammers as thanks for freeing them.

Hammer Bros. as a playable character

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In Mario Superstar Baseball, the Hammer Brothers are unlockable playable characters. The Fire Bros. and Boomerang Bros. are also playable as well. The Hammer Brothers are fearsome hitters with unbelievable power, making them threats to hit home runs every time. All other states for them (defence, pitching, speed) are only average or slightly above average. It is also revealed in the same game that the Hammer Bros can breakdance (if one should strike a player out with one of the Bros, the Bro will breakdance).

In Super Mario Strikers the Hammer Brothers are playable as sidekicks along with Koopas, Toads, and Birdos.

A single Hammer Brother will be an unlockable character in Mario Party 8. The Hammer Brothers will return and be a playable sidekick character in the upcoming sequel to Super Mario Strikers (Mario Smash Football), Mario Strikers Charged.

Recurring Mario enemies
Major villains
Bowser | Bowser Jr. | Cackletta | Donkey Kong | Fawful | Kamek | Kammy Koopa | King Boo | Koopalings | Shroob | Smithy Gang | Tatanga | Wario | Wart
Minor villains
Birdo | Chief Chilly | Donkey Kong Jr. | Eyerok | Fryguy | Goomboss | Gooper Blooper | Mouser | Petey Piranha | Raphael Raven | Tryclyde | Valentina | Waluigi
Enemies
Albatoss | Big Bertha | Blooper | Bob-omb | Boo | Bullet Bill | Buzzy Beetle | Cataquack | Cheep-Cheep | Chomp | Dry Bones | Fly Guy | Goomba | Hammer Bro | Koopa Troopa | Lakitu | Magikoopa | Monty Mole | Piranha Plant | Pokey | Shy Guy | Snapjaw | Snifit | Thwomp | Ukiki | Whomp | Wiggler


Enemies/Koopa Paratroopa

Koopa Paratroopas are a winged variant of Koopa with a red shell. They first appear in Super Mario Bros., and have also appeared in subsequent installments of the Super Mario series.

Recurring Mario enemies
Major villains
Bowser | Bowser Jr. | Cackletta | Donkey Kong | Fawful | Kamek | Kammy Koopa | King Boo | Koopalings | Shroob | Smithy Gang | Tatanga | Wario | Wart
Minor villains
Birdo | Chief Chilly | Donkey Kong Jr. | Eyerok | Fryguy | Goomboss | Gooper Blooper | Mouser | Petey Piranha | Raphael Raven | Tryclyde | Valentina | Waluigi
Enemies
Albatoss | Big Bertha | Blooper | Bob-omb | Boo | Bullet Bill | Buzzy Beetle | Cataquack | Cheep-Cheep | Chomp | Dry Bones | Fly Guy | Goomba | Hammer Bro | Koopa Troopa | Lakitu | Magikoopa | Monty Mole | Piranha Plant | Pokey | Shy Guy | Snapjaw | Snifit | Thwomp | Ukiki | Whomp | Wiggler


Enemies/Koopa Troopa

The Koopa Troopa (ノコノコ, Nokonoko) is a member of the fictional turtle species in the Mario franchise, and the most common classification of Koopa. Koopa Troopas are the standard troopers of the Koopa Army who work for Bowser, King of the Koopas. Alongside Goombas, Bullet Bills, and Piranha Plants, they are the most common enemies featured in the series.

Koopa Troopas are all common Koopas, meaning they have no special abilities or characteristics. As the lowest ranking members of the Koopa Army, they just patrol their assigned areas on foot. Koopa Troopas are also sometimes just called "Troopas".

Appearances in the Mario games

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Mario Bros.

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Koopa Troopas first appeared in the arcade game Mario Bros. under the name "Shellcreepers". To defeat the Shellcreeper, Mario had to jump and hit the platform which the Shellcreeper was walking on to flip it over. After it was flipped over, he had to quickly go over to it and kick it to eliminate it from the screen. Unlike Koopa Troopas from other games, the Shellcreeper couldn't be jumped on before it has been flipped over. In later versions of the game, the Shellcreepers were replaced with Spinys to discourage players from jumping on them.

Super Mario Bros.

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In Super Mario Bros., they were renamed "Koopa Troopa", and Paratroopas made their debut. The Koopa Troopas' shells came in shades of green and red, and they are the second enemy to be encountered. Green Koopa Troopas would always march in a straight line (even if this means falling into a pit), while Red Koopa Troopas marched back and forth in a fixed area. Jumping on a Koopa Troopa makes it hide in its shell (from which it will re-emerge if left alone), and a second touch kicks the shell away, battering anything it touches (including Mario if it bounces back towards him due to an obstruction) out of the way. Koopa Troopas can also be defeated instantly by a Mario's Fireballs, or by Mario having a Starman power-up.

Koopa Paratroopas are basically just Koopa Troopas with wings. Red Paratroopas will fly up and down, while the Green Paratroopas will fly or jump. Jumping on a Paratroopa will cause it to lose its wings and revert it back into a Troopa.

Super Mario Bros. 3

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Not much changed for the Koopa Troopa in Super Mario Bros. 3. However, in this game, Mario started to carry their shells around after he hit them and throw them to different areas. It also introduced Giant Koopa Troopas and Colossal Koopa Paratroopas in Giant Land (World 4).

Super Mario World

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Super Mario World brought drastic changes to the Koopa Troopa. In this game, Koopa Troopas finally started walking on two legs and wearing shoes. Also, stomping on Troopas ejects them from their shells, rather than causing them to hide. An ejected Troopa will slide out of its shell, wearing only a t-shirt, and will crawl back to its shell after being temporarily stunned. It can be stomped on while outside its shell, for extra points. A spin jump will also completely eradicate a Koopa Troopa.

In Super Mario World, yellow, and blue Troopas were introduced, like the red and green one but they march a little faster. In that game, if Yoshi ate certain colored Koopa shells, he would acquire unique powers. Yoshi would merely spit out green shells, but red shells allowed him to spit fire, yellow shells caused him to create an earthquake when he jumped onto the ground (while held in his mouth), and blue shells gave him wings and allowed him to fly (while held in his mouth). Eating a flashing shell was like a "wild card" shell, allowing Yoshi to fly and create earthquakes while holding the shell, and then spit fire with it.

There is another subtle difference between green, red, blue, and yellow Troopas in Super Mario World. When Mario jumps on a Troopa, the Troopa will come out of its shell. Red & green Troopas will climb back into their shells. If a blue Troopa is knocked out of its shell and finds it again, it will attempt to kick it at Mario. Blue Koopas are also known to kick or block almost anything that s thrown at them. If a yellow Troopa climbs into a shell, it will flash, become invincible to most attacks, and roll on the ground toward Mario. If Yoshi then eats one of these extremely rare flashing shells, he will be granted the ability to fly, spit fire, and cause earthquakes when he hits the ground. Mask Koopas replaced the original Koopa Troopas once the game is completed and some shell colors are changed to make rare Koopas much more common.

Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island

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Koopa Troopas in Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island are not much different than their counterparts in the first Super Mario World. One difference between the two is that in Yoshi's Island, when kicked out of their shell, the Koopa walks upright on two legs, wearing only boxer shorts.

Super Mario 64

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Koopa Troopas appeared infrequently in Super Mario 64 and Super Mario 64 DS. A Koopa clad in only a tank top and shoes will be bounced out of its shell by the force of Mario's stomp. Then Mario can ride on its shell, allowing them to plow over enemies and glide around easily unless they hit a solid object. Hitting the Koopa Troopa again after removing it from its shell destroys it, which yielded a blue coin. The Koopa Troopa enemies were relatively rare compared to how common they were in past games; they only appear in a couple of areas, and there are few of them in those two areas. Furthermore, they are also extremely timid creatures that actually run from Mario, rather than attacking him.

Super Mario RPG

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Green and Red Koopa Troopas appeared in Super Mario RPG as Terrapin and Terra Cotta, respectively. Jagger, a martial arts student with whom players can battle in that game's Monstro Town, is one such Koopa.

New Super Mario Bros.

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In New Super Mario Bros., Koopa Troopas behaved much like they did in Super Mario Bros. 3, as they will hide in their shells if jumped on, even though they are bipedal. Although the main colors were red and green, empty blue shells could be found periodically, and served as a powerup for the player to use. Even though they are absent throughout the main game, actual blue Koopa Troopas appear in the multiplayer mode.

Paper Mario series

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In the Paper Mario Series, many Koopas are generic, and are not enemies. Koopa Troopas and Koopa Paratroopas get a new tougher look. They wear sunglasses and spiked collars to distinguish themselves from friendly common Koopas. Also they get a new color shell that gives them a tougher look.

In Super Paper Mario, Koopa Troopas immediately gain these new features once Nastasia hyptnotizes them, which puts them under Count Bleck's control.

Mario Party series

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Generic Koopa Troopas have also appeared throughout the Mario Party series as NPCs. Like Toad, they are generally helpful towards the players, usually providing them with rewards or running mini-games. As such, they work independently from Bowser and the Koopa Kids, and tend to be fearful of them. In Mario Party 2, 3, and 5, they run the Koopa Bank. In Mario Party 4, a green Koopa Troopa hosted the Koopa's Seaside Soiree board. Though typically unplayable in the series, a mini-game in Mario Party 4, Beach Volley Folly, featured a playable green Koopa Troopa.

Super Smash Bros. Series

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The shell of the Koopa Troopa (both red and green) are found in the Super Smash Bros. series. The red shell stays on a single flat plain and acts as a homing device to hit the closest player. The green shell can be thrown directly at a player, and continues on a straight path. In Super Smash Bros. Melee, the Koopa Troopa and Paratroopa can be found as NPC enemies in the Mushroom Kingdom stage.

Other games

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Troopeas and Paratroopeas, and their stronger versions, Elite Troopeas and Scaratroopeas, respectively, relatives of Troopas that are part plant and part turtle appear in Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga, and an electrifying species of Koopa appears in Super Mario Sunshine. Additionally, the boss character of Rice Beach in Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3 is said to be a type of Koopa Troopa.

A generic Koopa Troopa is a playable character in Super Mario Kart, a racing game. It has excellent traction, average acceleration, but a low top speed. As a computer opponent, it has the ability to throw unlimited turtle shells at other players' karts. It is not featured in Mario Kart 64, Mario Kart Super Circuit or Mario Kart DS (However, in Mario Kart DS, Dry Bones is a playable character). In Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, a green-shelled Koopa Troopa and its partner, a red-shelled Paratroopa are both light racers, and the only characters able to regularly get sets of triple green or red shells. The green Koopa Troopa has also been a playable character in Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour, Mario Power Tennis, Mario Superstar Baseball, Super Mario Strikers, and Mario's Tennis for Virtual Boy. The red Koopa Troopa makes a cameo apparence in Zoda's Revenge: StarTropics II.

Koopa Troopas in other media

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Koopa Troopas were the most regularly-seen minions of Bowser in The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!. They were voiced by John Stocker. However, on the show they were given a different design, which depicted them as bipedal characters (ironic, since bipedal Troopas didn't appear in a game until Super Mario World). They also had green skin, most likely to match the skin color of Bowser's King Koopa design. Additionally, as a joke, Koopa Troopas sported turtlenecks. They often wound up wearing themed costumes to go with whatever alter-ego Bowser had taken on in the episode. Occasionally, a single, unnamed Koopa Troopa would be shown working with Mouser and Tryclyde from Super Mario Bros. 2 as a member of the Koopa Pack. When the show spun off into The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3 the next year, the Koopa Troopas weren't seen as frequently, but were drawn to better resemble their video game counterparts; in Super Mario World, a Koopa Troopa only made one appearance, in the show's series premier. However, they managed to remain regular minions in the Super Mario comic book stories in the Nintendo Comics System.

Word origin

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Koopa is derived from Kappa, a devious creature in Japanese folklore. They are Bowser's army, or Koopa Troopers.[1]

Notes and references

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  1. The Super Mario Bros. Super Show! episode "The Bird! The Bird! / Neatness Counts"
Recurring Mario enemies
Major villains
Bowser | Bowser Jr. | Cackletta | Donkey Kong | Fawful | Kamek | Kammy Koopa | King Boo | Koopalings | Shroob | Smithy Gang | Tatanga | Wario | Wart
Minor villains
Birdo | Chief Chilly | Donkey Kong Jr. | Eyerok | Fryguy | Goomboss | Gooper Blooper | Mouser | Petey Piranha | Raphael Raven | Tryclyde | Valentina | Waluigi
Enemies
Albatoss | Big Bertha | Blooper | Bob-omb | Boo | Bullet Bill | Buzzy Beetle | Cataquack | Cheep-Cheep | Chomp | Dry Bones | Fly Guy | Goomba | Hammer Bro | Koopa Troopa | Lakitu | Magikoopa | Monty Mole | Piranha Plant | Pokey | Shy Guy | Snapjaw | Snifit | Thwomp | Ukiki | Whomp | Wiggler


Enemies/Magikoopa

File:Magikoopa1.jpg
Magikoopa

A Magikoopa is an enemy creature from Nintendo's Mario series of video games and first appeared in Super Mario World for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. It takes on the appearance of a Koopa Troopa dressed in a blue cap, blue robe, and spectacles, and uses its magic wand to fire magic at Mario. This magic can also change certain blocks into other enemies. Magikoopa also has the ability to teleport itself to another location after launching its attack, meaning a fast player is needed to defeat it. The most famous of the Magikoopas are Kamek and Kammy. Magikoopa is also a playable character in Mario Superstar Baseball.

Recurring Mario enemies
Major villains
Bowser | Bowser Jr. | Cackletta | Donkey Kong | Fawful | Kamek | Kammy Koopa | King Boo | Koopalings | Shroob | Smithy Gang | Tatanga | Wario | Wart
Minor villains
Birdo | Chief Chilly | Donkey Kong Jr. | Eyerok | Fryguy | Goomboss | Gooper Blooper | Mouser | Petey Piranha | Raphael Raven | Tryclyde | Valentina | Waluigi
Enemies
Albatoss | Big Bertha | Blooper | Bob-omb | Boo | Bullet Bill | Buzzy Beetle | Cataquack | Cheep-Cheep | Chomp | Dry Bones | Fly Guy | Goomba | Hammer Bro | Koopa Troopa | Lakitu | Magikoopa | Monty Mole | Piranha Plant | Pokey | Shy Guy | Snapjaw | Snifit | Thwomp | Ukiki | Whomp | Wiggler


Enemies/Monty Mole

File:Monty Mole SMW.jpg
Monty Moles in Super Mario World.

Monty Moles (Choropoo in Japan) are a fictional species of mole, found in many video games featuring Mario. They are characterized by hiding and waiting for Mario to pass by, and then attempting to attack Mario by jumping on his head or throwing projectiles at him. Monty Moles appear in several Mario games in varying forms. Monty makes his first appearance as a playable character in Mario Superstar Baseball. They apparently have an odd fascination for explosives, because many Monty Moles pilot cannons or tanks. He has only been playable in a game twice. His characterization mostly consists of speed along with power whenever he's playable.

History

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Super Mario World

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Monty Moles appear notably in Super Mario World for the Super Nintendo , and in that game they come in two varieties. In some above ground worlds, Monty Moles burst forth from the sides of hills and mountains. They are easily defeated by jumping on them or swallowing them with the help of Mario's dinosaur companion Yoshi. In some underground levels, a giant variant of Monty Moles are encountered, they are called Mega Moles (Indy in Japan). These gargantuan moles are substantially bigger than Mario even when he has used power-ups. The giant moles are also faster than their normal-sized cousins. The giant variant can only be destroyed by gobbling them up with the help of Yoshi.

This design of Monty was re-used in the SNES remake of Super Mario Bros. 3, in which the king of World 6 is transformed into one. Similar creatures appear on the Koopalings' airships, which hide in manholes and throw wrenches. These are called Rocky Wrenches. In Japan, Rocky Wrenches are called "Puu" (プー), furthering the connection to Monty Moles with their Japanese names.

On television, their only appearance on the Super Mario World cartoon was "Gopher Bash" where John Stocker does their singing voices when they sing "Cheatsy's Life".

Super Mario 64 and Super Mario 64 DS

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Monty Moles can be found in Super Mario 64 and Super Mario 64 DS, and they inhabit two of both game's fifteen courses. They can be found in Course 6, Hazy Maze Cave, as well as Course 12, Tall, Tall Mountain. Unlike in Super Mario World, Monty Moles in Super Mario 64 and Super Mario 64 DS attack by throwing ill-defined projectiles. They can be attacked and defeated in one of several ways, including kicking, punching, or a simple jump to the head. Unlike most other enemies in the game however, they do not yield coins when defeated. They do, however, yield 1-UP Mushrooms if you run very quickly into them repeatedly with the Metal Cap (mostly in circular manner).

Mario Kart series

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In this series Monty Moles first appeared in Super Mario Kart. On certain courses they jump up from holes in the ground, attaching themselves to any racers unforunate enough to be close to them. Upon attaching themselves, they greatly slow down the afflicted kart, and may only be removed by the Starman item or by driving off-course. Monty Moles make a small appearance in Mario Kart 64 on the Moo Moo Farm course, the second track on the Mushroom Cup. On certain points of the track there are small holes, from which there are Monty Moles which jump up, causing any kart that is not using a star that hits them to crash. They also appear in Mario Kart DS on the Moo Moo Farm course copied from Mario Kart 64, as well as in the new Peach Gardens. Rocky Wrenches, a related mole-like creature introduced in Super Mario Bros. 3, make an appearance in this game as well.

Paper Mario

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Monty Moles appear as enemies in two chapters of this game's eight chapters. They are found on Mt. Rugged in Chapter 2: The Mystery of Dry Dry Ruins as a common enemy. They also appear in Chapter 6: Dark Days in Flower Fields as Hyper Moles (although they are still classified as Monty Mole), attacking Petunia the petunia.

Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga

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Monty Moles appear in this game as friendly characters. They are golden in colour and wear sunglasses and a bow tie. They reward either Mario or Luigi with a Golden Mushroom, peppers, or an item of clothing for completing a particular challenge.

Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time

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In Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time, Monty Moles appear in the Gritzy Desert and challenge you to a mini-game which you must pass in order to proceed.

Super Mario Sunshine

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File:Render sms 01.jpg
Monty Mole with a Bullet Bill and Bob-omb

There are two Monty Moles, who appears in the GameCube game Super Mario Sunshine. They appear briefly in just two areas (one Monty Mole per area) of the game:

  1. Southern Pinna Island, where they use cannons to prevent Mario from gaining access to an amusement park
  2. Noki Bay, where a Monty Mole has blocked a waterfall and fires projectiles fired from a cannon to provide defense of its position. Considerable care must be taken to destroy Monty Moles in this case.

Mario Superstar Baseball

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Monty Mole is a secret character in the game Mario Superstar Baseball. Players unlock him by defeating Bowser with Mario's team. He has Ball Dash, a rare ability that he shares with Goomba to run extremely fast while in possession of the ball. Nintendo and Namco probably put this in reference to his fast running in Super Mario World and other platformer titles. He is under the speed category.

Yoshi Touch & Go

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In the Nintendo DS title Yoshi Touch & Go, Monty Mole appears, once again, as a regular enemy, behaving in a very similar fashion as in Super Mario World. He may be defeated by a jump to the head, an egg thrown at him, or being encircled with a bubble by the player. He has the equivalent value of two coins.

New Super Mario Bros.

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In New Super Mario Bros., a Monty Mole in a tank (referred to as Monty Tank) appears as a boss in World 6. He rides a vehicle which looks a little like the beach cannon from Super Mario Sunshine and shoots out Bullet Bills. Every time you jump on it, the tank will grow a new turret. Monty Tank will be defeated after three hits. The regular Monty Mole likewise appears in a Whac-A-Mole-style minigame.

Mario Strikers Charged

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Monty Moles are one of the sidekicks in Mario Strikers Charged. Their ability consists of superior shooting power, but they have a lack in speed (unlike in Mario Superstar Baseball, where they run fast). Their skill shot enables them to burrow underground and push back the goalkeeper. In Mario Strikers Charged, Monty Mole is a power character.[citation needed]

Recurring Mario enemies
Major villains
Bowser | Bowser Jr. | Cackletta | Donkey Kong | Fawful | Kamek | Kammy Koopa | King Boo | Koopalings | Shroob | Smithy Gang | Tatanga | Wario | Wart
Minor villains
Birdo | Chief Chilly | Donkey Kong Jr. | Eyerok | Fryguy | Goomboss | Gooper Blooper | Mouser | Petey Piranha | Raphael Raven | Tryclyde | Valentina | Waluigi
Enemies
Albatoss | Big Bertha | Blooper | Bob-omb | Boo | Bullet Bill | Buzzy Beetle | Cataquack | Cheep-Cheep | Chomp | Dry Bones | Fly Guy | Goomba | Hammer Bro | Koopa Troopa | Lakitu | Magikoopa | Monty Mole | Piranha Plant | Pokey | Shy Guy | Snapjaw | Snifit | Thwomp | Ukiki | Whomp | Wiggler


Enemies/Piranha Plant

File:Piranha Plant.jpg
Piranha Plant

A Piranha Plant (パックン フラワー, Pakkun Furawā, Pakkun Flower) is a Venus fly trap-like enemy in Nintendo's Super Mario video games. Piranha Plants are almost always portrayed as a leafy green stalk topped with a white-spotted green or red globe, almost bisected by a toothy white mouth. Like Super Mushrooms, their coloring resembles that of the hallucinogenic Amanita muscaria and they are one of the most instantly recognizable Mario-related creatures, appearing in almost every Mario game. They are also the precursor to "ambush" enemies. They were most likely inspired by the Audrey Junior plant in the 1960 cult film The Little Shop of Horrors.

Piranha Plants typically hide within pipes, periodically emerging and ensnaring unwary passersby. There are two varieties of normal Piranha Plants: green and red. Often they have big white lips around enormous, toothed maws. Green Piranha Plants don't attack people that are touching their pipes, but the faster-moving Red Piranha Plants (which originated in the Japanese Super Mario Bros. 2, a.k.a. Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels) will emerge even if someone is standing next to or on the very edge of their pipes. Pipes infested with such plants are usually vertical, but horizontally dwelling Piranha Plants are not unknown, and some even hang from the ceiling. They are most dangerous when their pipes are the only platforms across a ravine. Some species can also spit fireballs (such as the Venus Fire Trap in Super Mario Bros. 3), or even jump all the way out of their pipes (the Jumpin' Piranha Plant from Super Mario World). Others live entirely outside pipes, being either rooted in the ground or even walking about on rootlike legs. Although they are immune to jump attacks, Piranha Plants are vulnerable to projectiles, such as fireballs, Troopa shells, and hammers.

Appearances in the Mario series

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File:Smb1 piranha plant.png
In Super Mario Bros., Mario encounters the first Piranha Plant in World 1-2.

Piranha Plants originally appeared in Super Mario Bros., being, in fact, the third enemy Mario encounters; and they have otherwise changed little since their first appearance.

They were absent from the American Super Mario Bros. 2, due to the game's unusual origins, unless one counts the fire-spouting, non-carnivorous Panser Plant, which may very well be a relative of the underwater Lava Lotus and land-dwelling Volcano Lotus (Ponkey in Japan). The Panser came in three colors: red ones who would shoot their fireballs in an angle towards its enemies, gray ones who would shoot their fireballs in a straight-upward kind of pattern, and pink ones who also shot fireballs in an angle, but also had the ability to walk and chase their enemies.

Super Mario Bros. 3 introduced several new Piranha Plant species: Venus Fire-Trap (spits fireballs), Ptooie Plants (which could blow spiked balls), and two sub-species: the hopping Nipper and the indestructible Muncher. Additionally, the king of World 7 in Super Mario Bros. 3 is transformed into a Piranha Plant in the original NES game.

The Jumping Piranha Plant (P-Pakkun in Japan) and other Piranha Plants are replaced by the jumping Pumpkin Plant (also known as P-Pakkun in Japan) and other such plants once the Special World is completed in the video game Super Mario World.

File:Piranhaplant.jpg
The Common Piranha plant.

Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island had introduced another change in the Piranha Plant's design, which was used later in Paper Mario, Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, Super Mario 64, Yoshi's Island DS, and other games. There was also a boss called Naval Piranha, which is a regular Piranha Plant powered up by Kamek, causing it to protude many vines and grow in size. Yoshi's Story was the first to introduce towering, tree-sized Piranha "Stalks" (in other words, their stems were tall, thorned, beanstalk-like stalks), which the Piranha Grove swarmed with. Yoshi's Story also introduced the juvenile Piranha Plants and baby Piranha Plants: Flying juveniles called Piranha Pests and walking seedlings called Piranha Sprouts.

Naval Piranha makes a reappearance in Tetris Attack, the Super Nintendo puzzle game remade from the Japan-only Panel de Pon, which is basically the same game with different characters. The Naval Piranha is the tenth boss out of twelve overall, but is the final boss of Easy mode. Naval Piranha replaces the original tenth boss of Panel de Pon, the Dragon. Naval Piranha gained a voice in this game as well.

Super Mario RPG showcased Piranha Plants in their usual red, white, and green, as well as a few different palette-swapped forms. The regular variety is referred to as Piranha Plant; others include Chewy and the boss Smilax.

In Super Mario 64, they appear in three variants - the first, and most commonly seen is the sleeping Piranha Plant. They will become annoyed when Mario (or anyone) awakens them, snapping wildly at them. Then they go back to sleep once Mario goes away. The next two are large and small Piranha Plants, which appear on Tiny-Huge Island. The visuals of the Piranha Plants were upgraded in Super Mario 64 DS.

Although normal Piranha Plants did appear as enemies in Super Mario Sunshine in Bianco Hills, most of this game's Piranha Plants were huge and paint-covered. A lot of the goopy Piranha Plants seem to be actually made of paint, but a variant of them (a humongous, goopy Piranha Plant head that rolls) suggests that they may be actually Piranha Plants, because when sprayed it reveals normal colors underneath. This game also introduced Petey Piranha and supported the fact that Piranha Plants can be squirted in the mouth to defeat them, and "organic" ones can be fattened up on water.

In Paper Mario, Piranha Plants come in many shapes and forms, including the Chapter Boss, Lava Piranha. In the sequel, Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, the Piranha Plant is actually the strongest form of the species, and appears only in the Pit of 100 Trials, while the weakest is the Pale Piranha. Oddly, in the Japanese version, the Pale Piranhas are called Pakkun Flower (the real name of regular Piranha Plants) while the Piranha Plants in the Pit are called Killer Pakkun. Pirahna Plants return in Super Paper Mario in their familiar in-pipe form.

Piranha Plants appear in New Super Mario Bros., in and out of pipes, and also as fire-spitting Venus Fire Traps and large Super Piranha Plants. They both make a weird cry when they are defeated.

Piranha Plants also appear in the Mario Party series as obstacles in the mini-games and boards or as non-playable characters.

The Piranha Plant also appears in The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening.

Eating habits

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Piranha Plants are omnivorous and will eat anything they can get their sharp teeth on. They are very infamous for popping out of pipes when the player least expects it, causing harm to Mario or Luigi. In Super Mario Bros., the Piranha Plants would not attack if Mario was up against the pipe or standing on it, but in the Japanese Super Mario Bros. 2 there was a red variety that would bite no matter what. In Yoshi's Island, they would wait for Yoshi to get too close and hold him in their mouths for a few seconds while Baby Mario floated about in a bubble. In Yoshi's Story, there is a special type of Piranha Plant that would hover around in the air and follow Yoshi. If Yoshi was caught, he would be spit out in a shrunken form, unable to use eggs for a short time.

Habitat

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Piranha Plants are most well-known for living in the pipelines in the Mushroom Kingdom, especially in the underground segments.

Piranha Plants also thrive on Yoshi's Island. In Yoshi's Story, a large swampy area was very heavily inhabited by Piranha Plants of many kinds, aptly called Piranha Grove. It was mentioned that no Yoshi that went in had ever come out alive, because there were too many Piranha Plants for one Yoshi to handle without becoming lunch, but the Yoshi kids in Yoshi's Story got through.

In Paper Mario, Piranha Plants thrive in Forever Forest. There are also Putrid Piranhas that live in Jade Jungle of Lavalava Island. A new species, Frost Piranha, is found in the cold Shiver Snowfield and on Shiver Mountain. The Lava Piranha lives in the fiery volcano, Mt. Lavalava, where it guards Misstar for Bowser.

In Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, monochromatic Pale Piranhas live in the Boggly Woods and in the Great Tree. Putrid Piranhas can be found in the jungle on Keelhaul Key, and Frost Piranhas are located on the path to Fahr Outpost. The original red, white-spotted Piranha Plants are much stronger and are deep in the Pit of 100 Trials.

In Super Mario RPG, Piranha Plants live in Bean Valley, far away from the Mushroom Kingdom. The Shy-Away working for Valentina waters them with special nutrients to create Smilax and MegaSmilax to stop Mario from reaching Nimbus Land.

On Isle Delfino, Piranha Plants can be found near the lake in Bianco Hills. They explode when over watered by Mario's FLUDD and spit sludgy brown paint-like goo similar to (if not the same as) the subtstance Shadow Mario/Bowser Jr. has used to pollute the island.

Notable Piranha Plants

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File:Naval Piranha screenshot.png
Naval battles Yoshi

Naval Piranha (Big Pakkun in Japan) is a magically empowered Piranha Plant who first appeared in the video game Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island with many vines growing out of her.

Naval Piranha has three attacks, the first of which is a ramming attack. In the second attack, Naval shoots Nipper spores out of her mouth which become Nippers if they touch the ground to make Yoshi's fight more difficult. For Naval's last attack, she sends her vines to attack Yoshi. Her weak point is her belly button.

Naval Piranha also appears in the video game Tetris Attack, as the second of four bosses. She appeared as a villain along with Hookbill the Koopa, while Raphael Raven had turned good. This game confirmed her gender, through hearts she would litter her speech with.

Naval Piranha also made a small appearance in Mario Party Advance as a boss. In the closing credits it says she now lives and thrives in the desert.

Naval Piranha is not to be confused with the Lava Piranha boss from Paper Mario, despite the two looking almost identical.

The easiest way to beat her is to have an egg, stand on the leftmost edge of the bridge (if you go past the first wooden plank of the bridge it doesn't work) carefully aim at the Piranha Plant (which becomes Naval Piranha), and destroy it without Kamek starting the transformation. This produces an amusing reaction from Kamek, who screams "OH MY!!!" and flees. You then get the key. To destroy her after she transforms, Yoshi must stand on either side of the platform and bank an egg off the wall to hit the bandaged swollen spot on her stem. Doing this several times causes her to explode.

Lava Piranha

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Lava Piranha is the boss of the fifth chapter of Paper Mario. He is assisted by two Lava Buds, who have eight HP each. If you don't leave them alone, the Lava Buds will summon a small fireball, which is registered as a character in the fight (called a Petit Piranha) and has 1 HP, but takes away 6 HP from Mario. The Lava Piranha himself has a flame attack that takes away five HP, and he has 40 HP.

After defeating Lava Piranha (Lava Buds and fireballs are not needed to win), it looks like you've won the chapter. You even get Star Points. But suddenly, the ground rumbles, and the Lava Piranha and the Lava Buds burst out of the ground, with fire on their heads. They all have the same HP as before. Now, many attacks from you and your partners will not damage them and get 1 point of damage themselves, unless you have specific badges that protect you from the fire.

Lava Piranha's flame attack is now 7 HP of damage. Almost everything is stronger.

After defeating him, he will be gone for good, and you will have almost finished chapter 5. Now that Misstar is freed, Mario flees the volcano (after some humorous cutscenes). The Lava Piranha is seemingly gone for good.

Lava Piranha has a loose grip on English, but it is a wonder he can speak an understandable language in the first place. The Lava Piranha actually has a worse grip at English than its underlings, the Putrid Piranhas. While the Putrid Piranhas speak as if they were in the military, the Lava Piranha speaks in broken sentences, ex. "ME GUARD STAR SPIRIT. MARIO WANT STAR SPIRIT. MARIO BAD. HUCK HUCK HUCK!"

Petey Piranha

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File:Petey Piranha.jpg

Petey Piranha is a goop spewing Piranha Plant that first appeared in Super Mario Sunshine. Since then he has become a regular in the Mario series, reappearing in Mario Pinball Land, Mario and Luigi: Partners in Time, New Super Mario Bros and Super Princess Peach as a boss, and becoming a playable character in Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour, Mario Power Tennis, Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, Mario Superstar Baseball and Mario Strikers Charged. This makes Petey the first playable Piranha Plant character in the Mario series (unless one counts Naval Piranha in Tetris Attack). His lips are green instead of white like most Piranha Plants. (In Super Mario Sunshine, the original Super Mario 64, and Mario Party 1-6, however, all Piranha Plants' lips are green.)

Smilax

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Smilax is a larger species of Piranha Plant found in Super Mario RPG. He started out as what appeared to be an ordinary Piranha Plant, but, with the help of Shy Away became a huge, 3-headed plant similar to Lava and Naval Piranha called Megasmilax.

Big Bungee Piranha

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Big Bungee Piranha is the fourth boss of Yoshi's Island DS. Although it originated as a standard Bungee Piranha, help from Kamek's magic supersized it into a monstrous purple Piranha Plant dangling from the ceiling, eager to be fed. Its two largest vines extended over two screens, attempting to snare Yoshi, while the Big Bungee Piranha itself occasionally paused to extend downwards to take a bite out of the dino. To defeat it, you would have to roll a rock when it targets you where it targets. It's teeth will crack and it would open its mouth (Presumably, in pain) and you wouuld have to smack its dangling tonsil. Repeat three times to defeat this boss.

Mom Piranha

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Mom Piranha is the tenth boss of Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga. After destroying the regular piranha plants scattered around Beanbean Airport, the egg in the center of the runway opens up revealing the larger, red Mom Piranha. Mom Piranha appears with two other piranha plants that may be either red or blue, depending on which attack they are weak against. Mom Piranha will periodically change colors from red to blue and vice versa. Like all enemies in this game, her attacks can be either dodged or deflected with proper timing.

Other media

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On the television series based on Super Mario Bros., Piranha Plants made various appearances, usually acting as obstacles for the heroes, much as they do in the games. In the Super Mario Bros. 3 cartoon, Venus Fire Traps and Ptooie plants were used in a manner similar to guns. Additionally, a Super Mario World episode called "Fire Sale" featured a vociferous, wise-cracking Venus Fire Trap named Mama Fire Plant, whom Kootie Pie kidnaps in order to heat her domain in Iced Land.

Similar enemies in other video games

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Enemies similar to Piranha Plants also appear frequently in the Crash Bandicoot series of video games. In these games, their only means of self-defence is biting and swallowing any living creature who approaches them, though some forms in Crash 2 can spit explosive projectiles through their mouth instead. Unlike their Mario counterparts, they can only be killed by spinning or jumping on them, or belly flopping on their heads, or not at all in Crash Team Racing. They may appear in a purple, red or orange colour, depending on its native environment. These forms of Pirhana Plants appear in Spyro: A Hero's Tail, virtually unchanged. A harmless piranha plant also appears in Naughty Dog's first PlayStation 2 game, Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy in Samos the Sage's hut, as a nod to the Crash franchise. Some not-so harmless piranha plants also appear in Daxter. Several appear in Pinobee: Wings of Adventure. In the SNES/GBA game Mr. Nutz, there were Piranha Plant lookalikes. In the second level, the plants were small from far away, but grew large when the player would get close to them.

Furthermore, it is said that the Deku Babas from The Legend of Zelda series resemble Piranha Plants; this is directly exemplified in the Hyrule Circuit stage of Mario Kart 8, in which Deku Babas try and bite at passing racers (something that Piranha Plants do in the Yoshi Circuit stage of Mario Kart: Double Dash!!).

Recurring Mario enemies
Major villains
Bowser | Bowser Jr. | Cackletta | Donkey Kong | Fawful | Kamek | Kammy Koopa | King Boo | Koopalings | Shroob | Smithy Gang | Tatanga | Wario | Wart
Minor villains
Birdo | Chief Chilly | Donkey Kong Jr. | Eyerok | Fryguy | Goomboss | Gooper Blooper | Mouser | Petey Piranha | Raphael Raven | Tryclyde | Valentina | Waluigi
Enemies
Albatoss | Big Bertha | Blooper | Bob-omb | Boo | Bullet Bill | Buzzy Beetle | Cataquack | Cheep-Cheep | Chomp | Dry Bones | Fly Guy | Goomba | Hammer Bro | Koopa Troopa | Lakitu | Magikoopa | Monty Mole | Piranha Plant | Pokey | Shy Guy | Snapjaw | Snifit | Thwomp | Ukiki | Whomp | Wiggler


Enemies/Pokey

File:Pokey smw1.png
Pokey as seen in Super Mario World.

Pokey, sometimes called Prickly Pete, (Sanbo in Japan) is a cactus monster that first appears in Super Mario Bros. 2 in the desert levels of World 2. Pokey consists of four green segments that detach when an enemy or object is thrown at him; to completely defeat Pokey, all four segments must be killed.

Other appearances

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Pokey also appears rarely in Super Mario World, where he is also prominently featured in the game's opening screen demo.

File:Pokey Mario64-Nintendo64.png
Pokey as seen in Mario 64

Pokey's height depends on whether or not the player is riding Yoshi. If Yoshi is unavailable, Pokey has four segments (counting his head), allowing the player room to simply jump over him. If the player is riding Yoshi, Pokey has five segments. Yoshi can then easily dispose of Pokey by eating him. Pokey is yellow rather than the light green shade of SMB 2, and has remained this color for most of his reappearances.

In the Game Boy Advance port Super Mario Advance 2, if all exits are found, Pokey is redesigned with spiked stone totem pole of blank faces.

Pokeys appear in Super Mario 64 in the desert world. Poison Pokeys appear in both Paper Mario games. They also appear in Super Mario Sunshine, where they are flowers until Mario comes close, then they leap out of the ground. The player must then venture close, causing Pokey to smash down onto Mario if he is not quick. The spikes on his head then stick into the ground, allowing Mario to jump on his head, killing him. A new kind of Pokey, called Skellokey, appears in Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time. Pokey was at first drawn to appear cat-like. Recently this feature has been replaced by a pink flower crowning his head.

They are more recently featured in New Super Mario Bros., where they are to be mostly avoided. They can be crushed by Mega Mario or destroyed (piece by piece) by Mario when he has the Fire Flower. Removing the head section in this manner kills them instantly. This game also features a character named "Mummipokey", the boss of World 2. It is a gigantic mummified pokey with red eyes (similar to the Skellokeys from Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time). Defeating the Mummipokey as Mini Mario unlocks access to World 4. Nintendo Power mistakenly called the Mummipokey a "mummified sandworm" in issue #203.

Pokeys also made an appearance in Super Princess Peach. They behaved in their basic fashion, but the game also introduced an interesting variation of the enemy called the Mad Pokey. It is red in color, and the flower on its head is more sharp and threatening compared to the normal Pokeys. It can also stretch its segmented body to block the player's progress. Peach can only defeat Pokeys by using vibes, or crush them using Poundbrella.

Pokeys have been seen in the demo of Super Mario Galaxy, and it is assumed they will be in the actual game.

Pokeys made occasional appearances in The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!, such as in "Butch Mario & the Luigi Kid", where several Pokey bounty hunters appear to attack Mario, Luigi and Toad.

Cameo appearances

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Pokeys have made appearances in the Mario Kart series. Often (such as in Mario Kart: Double Dash!!), these Pokeys are far larger than their counterparts in the Mario platformers, dwarfing the racers.

Pokey made a cameo appearance in The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening, in the Yarna Desert on Koholint Island, and again in Oracle of Ages and Oracle of Seasons.[1] Pokey also has a similar family member in A Link to the Past.[2]

In Mario Party 7, the objective of the mini-game "Pokey Pummel" requires the players to whack at the Pokeys until they are destroyed.

Lookalike

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A spiked, stone creature similar to Pokey appears in Kameo: Elements of Power.

Recurring Mario enemies
Major villains
Bowser | Bowser Jr. | Cackletta | Donkey Kong | Fawful | Kamek | Kammy Koopa | King Boo | Koopalings | Shroob | Smithy Gang | Tatanga | Wario | Wart
Minor villains
Birdo | Chief Chilly | Donkey Kong Jr. | Eyerok | Fryguy | Goomboss | Gooper Blooper | Mouser | Petey Piranha | Raphael Raven | Tryclyde | Valentina | Waluigi
Enemies
Albatoss | Big Bertha | Blooper | Bob-omb | Boo | Bullet Bill | Buzzy Beetle | Cataquack | Cheep-Cheep | Chomp | Dry Bones | Fly Guy | Goomba | Hammer Bro | Koopa Troopa | Lakitu | Magikoopa | Monty Mole | Piranha Plant | Pokey | Shy Guy | Snapjaw | Snifit | Thwomp | Ukiki | Whomp | Wiggler


Enemies/Shy Guy

File:Shy Guy artwork.png
Artwork from Super Mario Sluggers

A Shy Guy,[1] known as Hey-Ho (ヘイホー, Heihō) in Japan,[2] is a character in the Mario franchise of videogames. It is a masked enemy wearing a robe, which is typically red; variant Shy Guys are often denoted by a different colored robe. Shy Guys are one of the few fictional species in the series that debuted in a non-Mario game, Yume Kōjō: Doki Doki Panic, which was rebranded as the North American and European version of Super Mario Bros. 2. They also appear in the Mario Party series, the Mario vs. Donkey Kong series, and several sports games in the Mario series, among other games, though they play a large role as the standard enemies in many Yoshi games. In the Mario Kart series, Shy Guys appeared on various courses and as a playable driver. A Shy Guy appears in Super Mario Maker as an unlockable Mystery Mushroom costume, with its appearance based on Super Mario Bros. 2.

There are many different variations of Shy-Guys[3]: Snifits, which have a cannon for a mouth; Fly Guys, which have spinning propellers on their heads; Sky Guys, which have balloons attached to their robes; Spy Guys, which are dressed in camouflage clothing; Boo Guys, which are ghosts; Boom Guys, which have a cannon on their head; and Spear Guys, which have spears and are found near jungle temples. Snifits were introduced in Yume Kōjō: Doki Doki Panic. Two other variations of Snifits appear in Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story, as well as Fawful Guys. A stronger version, the Dark Fawful Guy, appears later in this game. In Mario Pinball Land, multicolored Shy Guys on Skates appeared in Frosty Frontier and Shifting Sands Stages.[4]

In Mario Power Tennis, Luigi sees a Shy Guy without its mask but the player does not.[5] They are recognizable by their masks, which they wear due to their shyness.[6][1] They made their first appearance in Yume Kōjō: Doki Doki Panic, a non-Mario game; they were later carried over to the Mario universe when Super Mario Bros. 2 was created. Shy Guys has been made into different theories.[7]

Shy Guy is voiced by Nate Bihldorff, localization manager at Nintendo of America.[8]

History

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The Shy Guy was created as an enemy for the Japanese game Yume Kōjō: Doki Doki Panic, which was transformed into Super Mario Bros. 2 for an American release. Most enemies, including Bob-ombs, Snifits, and Shy Guys, were unchanged from the original Japanese version, and are now instantly recognizable as Mario's enemies, despite having been created for a game completely unrelated to Mario. Super Mario Bros. 2 is revealed to have taken place entirely in the dreamworld, Subcon, but Shy Guys are later revealed to have existed on Yoshi's Island since Mario was a baby, long before Super Mario Bros. 2 takes place. Since appearing in Yoshi's Island, they have become even more part of the Yoshi series than with the Mario series.

Characteristics

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Shy Guys, as the name suggests, are very shy. They always have masks covering their faces; the only parts not covered are the eyes and mouth, which simply appear as black holes. Shy Guys can wear different colours, such as red, blue, green, yellow, black, white, pink, and purple. They seem to be an organization of mercenaries. Though they are bipedal, the earlier graphics of their first appearances made Shy Guys appear to be on all fours and oddly enough, look like steam train engines. [citation needed]

In Luigi's Mansion, Luigi could suck the mask off the Shy Guy ghost, revealing no face, just a shadow with two glowing, yellow eyes. (Note, however, that these things are not officially stated to be Shy Guys; in official material, they are called "masked ghosts".)

If the player wins any of the three cups in Mario Power Tennis with the Shy Guy character its mask will fall off, although it can't be seen by players, Luigi appears to be scared by its appearance.

Their attacks usually consist of simply running into the player, although some use slingshots or spears. Some varieties, like Snifits and Snufits spit projectiles similarly to the Octorok, while others may catch fire, such as Pyro Guy. They have also come up with some very peculiar inventions over the years, such as walking on stilts, attacking with toy tanks, bouncing on pogo-sticks, and piloting submarines. In Yoshi's Island, Shy Guys (among other enemies) could be eaten and turned into eggs by Yoshi, and it was common for Shy Guys to pop out of pipes until Yoshi couldn't make any more eggs.

Although Shy Guys almost never speak, they occasionally make a meowing sound in some of the recent games. Furthermore, in Yoshi's Story and the Game Boy Advance conversion of Super Mario World 2, they can be heard saying their Japanese name (Hei! Ho!) as they jump out of pipes.

Other Shy Guys

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These are other kinds of Shy Guys that appear in the Mario games.

Anti Guy

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A black (or very dark grey) Shy Guy, first appeared in Yoshi's Story where he would cause damage to Yoshi if eaten (hence the name; Black Yoshi and White Yoshi were not affected). He also appeared in Paper Mario, as an extremely powerful optional enemy which guarded a rare badge. but if given a Lemon Candy, (a food made by Tayce T., the cook in Toad Town) he will leave and the player would not have to fight him to get the badge. Later, in Bowser's Castle, if a player were to lose at the quiz, they would be forced to fight three of them together.

Bandit

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A bandit is not really a shy guy. Bandits are enemies that first appeared in Yoshi's Island as tricky pests that tried to steal Baby Mario. They also appeared in Paper Mario as they would steal up to two coins on the first turn and then flee the next. More types of bandits appeared in the sequel The Thousand Year Door. Blue bandits were allies but they still had a bad reputation. Green ones stole items as well as coins and had slightly higher HP than regular bandits. Purple ones stole only badges, and unless they were caught after stealing the player's badge, the player would no longer have that badge anymore. In Yoshi's Island, red bandits were much rarer and carried red coins. Bandits also appeared in Mario Party 5. A bandit appears again in Mario Party 7, where the player has to take the star he stole from the Sphinx.

Beezo

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Beezos are Shy Guys with insect-like wings and different masks that first appeared in Super Mario Bros. 2, where his attacking actions depend on what color of garbs he is wearing. Beezo later appeared in Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars as enemies in Bean Valley named Shy Away. A Shy Away (who had no more proper name than "Shy Away") also appeared as a major character in Super Mario RPG; this Shy Away worked for Valentina and attempted to keep Mario away from Nimbus Land by continually powering up the Piranha Plant boss Mega Smilax. The individual Shy Away was obsessed with his hobby of gardening.

Boo Guy

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A ghost version of a Shy Guy. Appears in Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island and later in Mario and Luigi: Partners in Time. In Partners in Time, there was also a stronger version called a Ghoul Guy, which could increase the power, defense, and speed of another enemy if not destroyed.

Boom Guy

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A red Shy Guy with a Bill Blaster on its head, appearing in Mario and Luigi: Partners in Time. When a Boom Guy is attacked, the head-mounted Bill Blaster would fall off, then they would reach up, and either nothing would happen, or two Fly Guys would give the Boom Guy a new Bill Blaster. There are also Elite Boom Guys, a more powerful version of the Boom Guy, and who wear blue robes.

Fat Guy

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Found only in Yoshi's Island, Yoshi Topsy Turvy, and Yoshi's Island DS, in level 2-7. This gargantuan Shy Guy is, surprisingly, edible, and gives Yoshi eggs about five times bigger than normal eggs and cause earthquakes, which turn all on-screen enemies into Stars. Once the player gets three fat eggs, however, the Fat Guys disappear; however, there are strategies to getting a higher number of them (up to six). It is not possible to carry these eggs into other levels, but the player does get rewarded with coins for each egg at the goal (4 coins per egg). Because they are fat and wears red cloth and a black belt the Fat Guy resembles Santa Claus.

Fly Guy

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Along with Shy Guys, Fly Guys are also common enemies in the Yoshi series of games. They appear as Shy Guys with propellers on their head. Special ones called "Mecha Fly Guys" also have wind-up gears on their backs which allow them to fly. They also appear in many Mario spin-offs, and are even playable characters in Mario Power Tennis and Mario Hoops 3-on-3. In Yoshi's Island DS, certain Fly Guys hover in the sky carrying coins or 1-ups at their feet. Hitting them with an egg collects the item, but if the player waits too long the Fly Guy may fly offscreen.

Game Guy

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A Shy Guy specifically from Mario Party 3, he runs a gambling booth with various games to bet coins on when the player lands on his space. When the player lands on his space he will take all of that player's coins and a Game Guy minigame will be played. If the player wins, he will double that player's coins. A few minigames allow the opportunity to increase coins taken by 32, and one even offers a jackpot of 1000 coins.

Coincidentally, the name Game Guy was used in an episode of Dave the Barbarian as a parody of the Game Boy, but bearing the Sega Dreamcast logo.

General Guy

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File:Generalguy.jpg
General Guy

The fourth boss of Paper Mario, and leader of the Shy Guys. He attacks Mario with his army in this order: Shy Squad, Stilt Guys, Shy Stacks, and finally, himself. He doesn't attack physically, but instead uses the light bulb's electric shocks, and throws bombs. After he is defeated, he flees with the other Shy Guys.

Ghost Guy

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A ghost of a Shy Guy found in Luigi's Mansion. Like living Shy Guys, they come in a variety of colors. To be able to vacuum them, the playermust first vacuum their mask, and then stun them. They wield spears. Unlike normal Shy Guys, their masks are normally half white, half red. When the player first enters the Ball Room (Area 2), if left to themselves, they will dance to the music by pretending to slice each other's heads off with their spears. If the player attacks one and successfully sucks it in, the other one will become "angry" and attack. When their masks are removed, only a pair of glowing yellow eyes are visible in place of a face. Ghost Guys seem to be similar to Boo Guys.

Glide Guy

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A Shy Guy with an umbrella protruding out of its head in Yoshi's Island DS. Using the umbrella, they have the ability to float on air currents, similar to Baby Peach's ability. They come in the same 4 colours of ordinary Shy Guys in the game.

Good Guy

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A white Shy Guy that can be found in Yoshi's Story if the player has one or more missing Yoshis. If he is in the player's possession when a level is complete, he will appear on the character select menu, then he can be selected to go to Baby Bowser's castle and rescue one missing Yoshi at random. While a white Shy Guy is following Yoshi, the number of eggs he can bring with him is reduced by one.

Gourmet Guy

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In Shy Guy's Toy Box, an extremely obese Shy Guy blocks the path to the lever that fixes the train tracks. He is named for his extreme love of food, but he doesn't know this. When given cake, he spazzes out in happiness flying all over the place. He is willing to help anyone if they give him cake, even though he works for Bowser.

Greaper

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Appeared in Super Mario RPG. A Shy Guy equivalent of the Grim Reaper. They reside at Jonathan Jones' Ship. One is a member of the Three Musty Fears. The other two are Dry Bones and Big Boo. They want to play find the flag. Greaper's is behind the welcome sign in Rose Town. There is also a more powerful version of Greaper called Glum Reaper, that is located in Smithy's Factory.

Groove Guy

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A Shy Guy that is only found in Paper Mario. They wear red and purple outfits with wingtip shoes, a big blue and yellow collar and a pompom on the end of their hood. They can make Mario dizzy with their dance moves.

Limbo Guy

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A type of shy guy that only appears in Yoshi's Story. Unlike other enemies it is off of the path way and can not be attacked (though they can still be forced to change color). They are also incapable of attacking the Yoshis directly. They always work in pairs and hold a Limbo stick across the path way, forcing the Yoshis to jump over it, else if the Yoshi hits the Limbo Stick, it will take damage. They also wear grass skirts.

Medi Guy

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A Shy Guy riding in a floating device similar to the Koopa Clown Car, with a heart on it. Their only appearance was in Paper Mario. They don't usually attack but instead heal other enemies.

Mufti Guy

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Shy Guys wearing flower pedals on their heads, Mufti Guys appear in Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island and Yoshi's Island DS. A love-struck Mufti Guy named Petal Guy appears in Mario Party Advance as a character the player can aid in exchange for a Gaddget.

Phantom Guy

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A Shy Guy that looks similar to Boo Guys that appear in Mario vs. Donkey Kong and Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis. Like Shy Guys, they can wear many different color robes. If the player hits a colored switch that matches the color of a Phantom Guy in the level, it will turn into a block. The ones used by Donkey Kong in Mario vs. Donkey Kong are more powerful versions that are on fire, and that chase Mario. The ones in Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis are mechanical.

Pirate Guy

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A Shy Guy that is found in Mario Kart: Super Circuit. It is seen on Shy Guy Beach sailing a boat in the backround.

Pyro Guy

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A Shy Guy that's on fire. They appeared in Super Mario World 2 and Paper Mario. In both games they cannot be jumped on so Yoshi must eat them or Mario must hammer them to defeat them. In Paper Mario, Mario could also get the Ice Stomp badge which will increase the damage Mario can do to fire enemies like Pyro Guy while also allowing him to jump on Pyro Guy.

Rocket Guy

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A Shy Guy riding a rocket ship in Yoshi's Island DS. Unlike other enemies in the game, these Shy Guys only appear in the 2 rocket ship segments (in World 5-4 and World 5-8), and also appear during the boss fight against Moltz the Very Goonie at the end of World 5-4.

Shyster

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These are Shy Guys on pogo sticks. They first appeared in Super Mario RPG, where they have sword-tipped pogo sticks and additionally they have the Drain attack. In the first battle with Simthy, he can make gray versions of Shyster. Instead of Drain they use the more powerful Sword Rain. The Shysters returned in Yoshi's Story, but used regular pogo sticks.

Sky Guy

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A Shy Guy held up by 3 balloons wielding a slingshot. Their only appearance was in Paper Mario. A player can target the balloons to pop them this will do no damage to the skyguy but will change it to a normal shyguy instead.

Spear Guy

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Shy Guys with spears. Their first appearance was in Super Mario World 2. They reappeared in Paper Mario on Lavalava Island. One attacks Kolarado. They make an appearance in Mario Party 1, attacking the players' river raft during a minigame. They also appear in Mario Party 7 as an orb that is thrown. If a player lands on this space, the player must roll the die to see how many coins will be taken from them and given to the orb thrower, similar to the Goomba orb in Mario Party 6.Spear Guys also appear on world 5 in Yoshi's Island Ds and the 'King of River' gameplay mode in Mario Party 7.

Spy Guy

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A Shy Guy dressed in camouflage, with plants on its head. Its only appearance was in Paper Mario. They have multiple weapons that include slingshot and hammer. They will switch items when hit, the sling shot has no added effects other than different timings to the hammer which can remove one of Mario's abilities such as hammer, jump or items.

Stilt Guy

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These are Shy Guys on stilts. They first appeared in Yoshi's Island. Yoshi could not eat them or damage them with eggs, but could still hit them. By hitting them once from above, they would become normal Shy Guys that could be eaten or attacked with eggs. They returned in Yoshi's Story. They reappeared again in Paper Mario as General Guy's second wave. This is the only time they are actually referred to as Stilt Guys.

Zeus Guy

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This Shy Guy is dressed up as a karate fighter and is seen firing out energy balls along with kicking and punching. Seen only in Yoshi's Island, these guys can't be destroyed by eating, jumping, egging, or ground pounding. They are almost invincible, hence the name Zeus. They are known to be weak against Melons.

Appearances

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As enemies

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  • Super Mario Bros. 2/Doki Doki Panic: Common enemies (Snifits also appear).
  • Super Mario 64: Only Fly Guys (flying Shy Guys) appear and their primary attack is diving towards Mario, though they can also spit fire. If Mario jumps on them, he can hover by spinning his arms like a helicopter. In Super Mario 64 DS they reprise this role.
  • Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island: They are common enemies, and come in many different varieties throughout the game. The Bandits also appear, and in the secret vs. mode, the second player assumes the role of a Bandit.
  • Yoshi's Island: Super Mario Advance 3: Same as Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island
  • Yoshi's Story: They are very common enemies and come in an array of colors, but few variations. There was also a white Shy Guy who, if present at the end of a level, essentially gives the player a 1-up.
  • Yoshi Touch & Go: Appear as Shy Guys and Fly Guys frequently throughout the game.
  • Yoshi Topsy-Turvy: Appear as red, yellow and green. Some variant forms are also present here, including Fly Guys, Shy Guys swinging medieval flails, and Fly Guys carrying coins.
  • Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars: Several varieties, attacks with a slingshot. There was also a flying Shy Guy named "Shy Away" who, instead of fighting, watered Piranha Plants to do battle for him. Later Shy Away is the key to getting Mario's best possible weapon in the game.
  • Paper Mario: Many variations can be seen throughout the game, especially in Chapter 4, "Shy Guy's Toy Box", where they are led by 'General Guy'.
  • Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door: Bandits appear in various areas to steal coins or items (including Badges) from Mario. Normal Shy Guys also appear in the audience during battles, but serve no real purpose except for occasionally running onstage to cause minor trouble to either Mario or his enemies.
  • Luigi's Mansion: Some of the ghosts resemble Shy Guys, and cannot be captured until Luigi removes their mask first.
  • Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga: Though there are no basic Shy Guys, several variant forms (like the Spear Guys) appeared.
  • Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time: Again features no basic Shy Guys, but does include a variation called a "Boom Guy" (and the more advanced "Elite Boom Guy"). Its weapon of choice is a cannon.
  • Mario Kart: Double Dash!!: Appear as skating obstructions (therefore earning them the nickname Skate Guys) in Sherbet Land Grand Prix level. They are mobile obstacles to the karts, sometimes pushing them into the lake.
  • Yoshi's Island DS: Many varieties of Shy Guy appear as common enemies.

As playable characters

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Other

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  • Mario Party 3: Appears as a character called Game Guy, complete with bow tie. He would host all-or-nothing chance games that the player would partake in.
  • Mario Party 4: Also appears as a host for one of the game boards. Here he wears a hat and a jacket like Indiana Jones because of the jungle theme of his board.
  • Shy Guy also appeared on the The Super Mario Bros. Super Show! for DiC Entertainment as a minion. He was played by Jeannie Elias who gave him a voice like Carl Foutley from As Told by Ginger.
  • In Mario vs. Donkey Kong, A Shy Guy is a news reporter in the opening cutscene.
  • Mario Party 7: Appears as shopkeeper at some Orb Stores. Also appears as Spear Guy for certain Orb events and the Minigame Cruise "King of the River".
  • Mario Party 8, a Shy Guy runs the candy shops.
  • While not referred to by name, the Super Mario Bros. Movie featured Shyguys, after a fashion. As with much of the characters in the movie (such as goombas being portrayed as large, reptilian creatures), the shyguys became larger, darker versions of themselves. When the Mario Bros. are originally captured, they are put through a sterilization process largely performed by men in full-body jumpsuits with masks reminiscent of shyguys. Later in the movie, Snifits appear (and are referred to by name) as garbage men; their bullet shooting mask protrusions being replaced with simple air filters. Unlike the Shyguys from earlier in the movie, they exclusively wear black, tighter-fitting clothing.
  • Super Smash Brothers: Melee: A minor enemy in the Yoshi's Story stage. Some of them carry food, which is dropped when they are killed.
  • In a trailer for Super Smash Bros. Brawl, a stage based off of Mario Kart was shown which featured Shy Guys driving by as an obstacle
  • The Japanese name for Bob-omb, Bomhei, implies a direct connection to Shy Guys.

References

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  1. a b "A member of the “8 bits” ( a club from evil dreams ). He wears a mask because he's shy." - Super Mario Bros. 2 instruction booklet, page 23 (Shyguy - Red description).
  2. Nintendo, Play on Wii Mario Tennis GC: Characters
  3. Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island Nintendo Player's Guide. Page 128.
  4. Nintendo Power issue 185 (November 2004), p. 116
  5. "After all these years Shy Guy's face has finally been revealed".
  6. 「魔夢族の一員。恥ずかしがりやなのでお面で顔をかくしている。」 ("A member of the Mamu Family. They wear a mask on their face because they're shy.") - Yume Kōjō: Doki Doki Panic instruction booklet, page 30 (ヘイホー赤).
  7. "6 theories concerning the origins of the elusive Shy Guy". 31 January 2012.
  8. "Interview with Nate Bihldorff". Shinesparkers. February 23, 2011. Archived from the original on July 14, 2014. Retrieved June 11, 2014. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
Recurring Mario enemies
Major villains
Bowser | Bowser Jr. | Cackletta | Donkey Kong | Fawful | Kamek | Kammy Koopa | King Boo | Koopalings | Shroob | Smithy Gang | Tatanga | Wario | Wart
Minor villains
Birdo | Chief Chilly | Donkey Kong Jr. | Eyerok | Fryguy | Goomboss | Gooper Blooper | Mouser | Petey Piranha | Raphael Raven | Tryclyde | Valentina | Waluigi
Enemies
Albatoss | Big Bertha | Blooper | Bob-omb | Boo | Bullet Bill | Buzzy Beetle | Cataquack | Cheep-Cheep | Chomp | Dry Bones | Fly Guy | Goomba | Hammer Bro | Koopa Troopa | Lakitu | Magikoopa | Monty Mole | Piranha Plant | Pokey | Shy Guy | Snapjaw | Snifit | Thwomp | Ukiki | Whomp | Wiggler


Enemies/Snifit

File:ShyGuyArmy.jpg
A Red Snifit is shown commanding an army of Shy Guys in the Super Mario Bros. comic book.

Snifits (Muucho in Japan) are enemies in the Super Mario Bros. series of games. Snifits are a species related to the Shy Guy.

History

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The Snifit was introduced as an enemy in Yume Kōjō: Doki Doki Panic, a NES video game released in Japan. This game never made it to the U.S. in its original form, but was transformed into Super Mario Bros. 2. Most of the enemies in the game were from the Japanese version, which included Bob-ombs, Snifits, Birdo, and Shy Guys. Along with the aforementioned Shy Guys and Bob-ombs, as well as Goombas, Piranha Plants and Koopa Troopas, they are common enemies in the Mario universe.

Snifits made their comeback in Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island. They then appeared in Super Mario RPG, appearing exclusively as servants of Booster. They and blue-robed Snifits called Spookums patrolled Booster Tower, serving as guards and playpals for Booster and guests, when welcome.

Appearance

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Pink and gray Snifits from Super Mario Bros. 2
Pink and gray Snifits from Super Mario Bros. 2

A Snifit is basically a Shy Guy relative with a black mask with an extended nozzle on the front that makes it make up a Gas mask, hence the name. Snifits can fire bullets from these nozzles. Snifits are somewhat rare compared to Shy Guys, although they are often found together. While Shy Guys come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and colours, the Snifit is almost always garbed in a grey robe, and is usually found either patrolling corridors or as a stationary guard. There are, however, a few different types of Snifits, such as the Laser Snifits, Spiny Snifits, and Ice Snifits that appeared in Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga. They shoot harmful items from their nozzles (with the exception of Spiky Snifits, which sometimes shoot mushrooms); these are often cannonballs but it can extend to ice, spike balls, lasers or even explosives.

Snifits also appeared in Super Mario 64 (known as "Snufits" in the English version) floating through the caverns of the Hazy Maze Cave, and they later took on a friendly role in Mario Party 2 as the Snifit Police in the "Space Land" level. Snifit also appeared in Mario Party 3 as a partner for Princess Daisy in duel boards. In these games, the Snifits had a notable absence of legs, and were more balloon-like. In Super Mario 64 DS, they once again lost their balloon-like form, taking on their normal appearance, albeit with a ghostly tail.

The garbagemen in the 1993 Super Mario Bros. movie are identified, in a single line of dialogue from Iggy, as Snifits (earlier in the movie, similarly garbed henchmen lacking the breathing filter apparatus were likely meant to be Shy Guys, though they were not identified as such through dialogue).

Other Snifits

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These are other kinds of Snifits that appear in the Mario games.

Ice Snifit

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An eskimo Snifit that appears in Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga. Ice Snifits attack by shooting chunks of ice/hail at Mario and Luigi. If attacked with Mario's Firebrand, their parka will be destroyed.

Laser Snifit

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A variation of Snifit that appears in the Woohoo Hooniversity level in Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga. Laser Snifits attack with a hoop laser that Mario or Luigi must jump through. When the stampede of scientists run out of the Hooniversity, one of the scientists trips, then an odd chemical turns the scientist into a Laser Snifit.

Snifaro

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Snifaros are two Snifits in a sarcophagus that can be used like a rocket. If a Bro Flower is used on a Snifaro, the sarcophagus will overheat and break, forcing one Snifit to run off, and the one with the headdress to fight like a standard Snifit. Snifaros have two attacks: they hover over to Mario or Luigi, then the bottom and top Snifit shoot them in random order, or the top Snifit would pop out, then activate the sarcophagus' rocket propulsion system and fly into Mario or Luigi.

Snufit

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Snufits are small Snifits floating through the caverns of the Hazy Maze Cave in Super Mario 64.

Spiky Snifit

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A cactus-like Snifit that appears in Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga. They either fire a tin can or a mushroom at Mario and Luigi.

Appearances

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Enemy

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  • Super Mario Bros. 2 - Found in three colors: red, gray and pink. Pink Snifits walk like pink Shyguys, walking in one direction and reversing when meeting a wall or the edge of a platform, stopping only to fire a bullet. Gray Snifits remain in one place, but jump up and down while they fire. In the desert levels (Worlds 2 and 6), the gray ones are green. Red Snifits are like pink Snifits except they will walk off the edges of platforms and will change direction to walk toward the player upon landing. Oddly enough, there is only one red Snifit in the entire game (in level 3-3), excluding ones seen in the Bonus Round slot machine.
  • The Super Mario Bros. Super Show! - Snifits made several appearances as King Koopa's minions and in some cases, hand-held weapons utilized in a manner similar to machine guns.
  • Nintendo Comics System - Snifits were shown to be high ranking soldiers of Bowser, with stories such as Duh Stoopid Bomb! showing Snifits as being the leaders of Bowser's Shy Guy henchmen.
  • Super Mario Adventures - A single Snifit can be seen in the comic.
  • Super Mario All-Stars - Features an enhanced remake of Super Mario Bros. 2. All pink Snifits from SMB2 are blue in this version.
  • Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island
  • Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars - They work for Booster.
  • Super Mario 64 - As Snufits, flying Snifits in Hazy Maze Cave.
  • Super Mario Advance - An enhanced remake of Super Mario Bros. 2, based heavily on the All-Stars version. As in All-Stars, all pink Snifits are instead blue.
  • Yoshi's Island: Super Mario Advance 3 - An enhanced remake of Yoshi's Island.
  • Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga - As Spiky Snifit, a cactus enemy with a Snifit mask that could shoot spikey orbs or mushrooms. Along with Laser Snifit, a Snifit that shot circle-like lasers out at you, Icy Snifit, which wore heavy clothing, and Gunner Guy, which was at Bowser's Castle, which was a bazooka-shaped Snifit.
  • Super Mario 64 DS - An enhanced remake of Super Mario 64
  • Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time - As Snifaro, a flying coffin with a Snifit and a Snifit with a pharaoh head dress.
  • Yoshi's Island DS - In the standard Snifit design, but breathes fire instead of shooting bullets and they're called Zeus Guys - a name of an enemy in the last Yoshi's Island.
  • Super Mario Galaxy - One boss greatly resembles a giant Snifit robot, while two others have snifit-like noses.

Friendly

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Recurring Mario enemies
Major villains
Bowser | Bowser Jr. | Cackletta | Donkey Kong | Fawful | Kamek | Kammy Koopa | King Boo | Koopalings | Shroob | Smithy Gang | Tatanga | Wario | Wart
Minor villains
Birdo | Chief Chilly | Donkey Kong Jr. | Eyerok | Fryguy | Goomboss | Gooper Blooper | Mouser | Petey Piranha | Raphael Raven | Tryclyde | Valentina | Waluigi
Enemies
Albatoss | Big Bertha | Blooper | Bob-omb | Boo | Bullet Bill | Buzzy Beetle | Cataquack | Cheep-Cheep | Chomp | Dry Bones | Fly Guy | Goomba | Hammer Bro | Koopa Troopa | Lakitu | Magikoopa | Monty Mole | Piranha Plant | Pokey | Shy Guy | Snapjaw | Snifit | Thwomp | Ukiki | Whomp | Wiggler


Enemies/Thwomp

File:Thwomp SM64.jpg
Thwomp from Super Mario 64

Thwomps (ドッスン, Dossun, Dosun) are a type of creature found in many video games from the Super Mario Bros. series, usually found guarding castles. It first appeared in Super Mario Bros. 3 and has been included in almost every Mario game since.

Thwomps are large, heavy stone blocks with angry-looking faces. They hover in the air, waiting for someone to get too close, and then they fall and crush their victims with tremendous force. Although Thwomps are invulnerable to most attacks, they are destroyed on contact with an invincibility-wielding character. In Super Mario Bros. 3, they can also be destroyed by hammers. Tanooki Mario can even turn the tables on them by luring them into dropping and then jumping onto them, turning himself into a statue before landing. In New Super Mario Bros., they can be destroyed by a character enlarged by a Mega Mushroom or running into them after touching a Starman.

Thwomps are either blue or gray. In the early games, Thwomp was covered with spikes that could skewer Mario from any direction. Since 1996, the spikes have vanished, and Mario can jump on top of it. The spikes did make a reappearance in Super Mario 64 DS, though this did not eliminate Mario's ability to jump atop a Thwomp. The spikes have since been on Thwomps in new Mario games released after Super Mario 64 DS, including New Super Mario Bros.

History

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In Super Mario Bros. 3, Thwomp first appears in the mini-fortress found in World 2 (Desert Land). Thwomp appears in many other mini-fortresses throughout the game. Thwomp also appeared in The Adventures Of Super Mario Bros. 3.

Thwomps were next seen in Super Mario World. The Thwomps were more frequent in this game, though still only appearing in dungeon levels. They were used in more platforming puzzles, and they were often paired with miniature Thwomps called Thwimps, the first variation of Thwomps.

When the Mario series moved to 3D in Super Mario 64, the Thwomps underwent an overhaul. They lost their spikes, and became rounded blue blocks, although still hovering in the air and waiting for Mario to come near. They gained a vocalization: a grunting sound when they fell. A new type of Thwomp appeared here, called the Whomp. Whomps were living grey stone blocks, which would walk around and fall forward onto Mario.

Thwomps had a minor appearance in Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door: Mario and his partners meet a Thwomp inside Shhwonk Fortress outside of Petal Meadows. This Thwomp challenges players with an assortment of questions and players must answer the questions correctly if they want to proceed. A robotic Thwomp appears in the X-Naut's base on the moon and, like the previous one, this Thwomp also asks questions in order for the player to proceed.

Thwomps also make appearances in Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time. First, there is a similar enemy, called Thwack (Found on Thwomp Volcano), which has various facial expressions on its sides, and a stronger form, called Wonder Thwack (Found on Star Hill). Several Thwacks can join together to make a Thwack Totem (a totem pole of Thwacks). A boss battle in the game involves fighting a Thwomp named Mrs. Thwomp. Mrs. Thwomp looks like a thwomp in most cases but is round, has hands, and has no spikes. Her eyes also look like those of a Whomp. In battle, she can split in four.

In Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour, Thwomps were obstacles in Bowser Badlands where they fell on your ball when it rolled underneath them, stopping it from moving.

Thwomps were originally part of Bowser's in Skylanders: SuperChargers. However, it was changed eventually and was put instead on Koopa Troopas.[1][2]

Variations

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Thwomps in Hyrule

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Thwomps also appear in certain areas in The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening. In this game, they are depicted with only one eye, and come in three forms: the Thwimp, a tiny, red Thwomp, which behaves as a normal Thwomp and falls from the ceiling, unlike the Thwimps in Super Mario world; the Thwomps, which are large-sized, blue, spiky Thwomps which have one gigantic eye and a worried facial expression, and their heads can be used as a platform to stand on, much like the Thwumps in the flash game N; and finally the Mad Thwomp, a new form of the Thwomp created just for this game. It appears as a large, red Thwomp with two eyes (unlike the other Thwomps in the game) and has an angry facial expression. It will not lift up when approached, and must be dashed into with the Pegasus boots.

There is a boss Roulette Thwomp in The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages at the end of the second dungeon. In order to defeat him, one had to throw a bomb into the hole on his top side when his face was red. This is possible because the view is from the side rather than aerial.


Whomp

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There is a variety of thwomp called Whomp, which is a Mario character that crushes by toppling onto the player's character. Whomp was first introduced in Super Mario 64, on his own fortress, Whomp's Fortress; later, he was used as a blockade in party mazes in Mario Party games. Whomp returned to action games in Super Mario 64 DS and later New Super Mario Bros.. Whomp seems to be inspired by the nurikabe, a monster in Japanese mythology that took the form of an ambulatory, sentient section of wall that could turn invisible and liked to get in the way of travelers.

Thwimp

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In Super Mario World, there was a smaller version of Thwomp, about the size of a standard block, that hopped back and forth, called Thwimp (Coton in Japan).

Additionally, another type of Thwimp appeared in the game "The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening". In this, they appear as a tiny Thwomp, which behaves as a normal Thwomp and falls from the ceiling, unlike the Thwimps in Super Mario world. In the deluxe version of the game, they changed color based on mood: blue for calmed and red when angry or ready to drop.

Thwack

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Thwacks, of Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time (Found on Thwomp Volcano), are a new type of Thwomp which has various facial expressions on its sides, and a stronger form, called Wonder Thwack (Found on Star Hill). Several Thwacks can join together to make a Thwack Totem (a totem pole of Thwacks found in Thwomp Caverns).

Pouncer

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In Wario Land on the Game Boy, this variant is found on Kitchen Island. It resembled a normal Thwomp, except it had a flat, spikeless top that could be ridden on. Behavior-wise, there were two variants. Some of them will fall down, much like normal Thwomps, although they will not necessarily wait for an intruder. When hitting the ground, it will send a shockwave that is the equivalent of Bull Wario's ground pound. Enemies, however, can also be disposed of by placing them under a Pouncer. The other variant, much rarer, will travel along the ground (and float in lava), going up or down any wall as need be, and can be ridden on. Being crushed against a wall, floor, or ceiling by this variant will result in instant death.

Again, a foe similar to Pouncer is spotted in "The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening", sharing the flat top attribute and normal Thwomp behavior, yet having a single eye. The damage done by these foes is minimal, however, unlike the rather lethal versions in Wario Land.

Grrrol

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New Super Mario Bros. U introduces a new species of Thwomp called Grrrol that looks like a Thwomp, except it is round and has rolling red eyes and a grin with one tooth missing.

Grindel and Spindel

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Super Mario 64 introduced some new species of Thwomp called the Grindel, which is a mummified Thwomp with bandages and a grin and the Spindel, a rolling, circular Thwomp that has an angry smile on its face.

Bomp

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Super Mario 64, Super Mario Galaxy and Super Mario Galaxy 2 feature new species of Thwomp - the Bomp, a species of Thwomp that acts like a wall that shoves Mario when he approaches, making him fall to his death and

Flomp

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A platform in Super Mario Galaxy 2 that flips Mario and Luigi into the air if they stand on it for too long

Individual Thwomps

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Ms. Thwomp

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Mrs. Thwomp was a boss character in the game Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time. She looks much like a thwomp in most cases but is round, has hands, and has no spikes. Her eyes also look like those of a Whomp. In battle, she can split in four.

"Marty"

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In the Mario Kart series, Thwomp is often presented as an obstacle on the Bowser's Castle courses. There was a strange green Thwomp that was locked behind the bars of a cage in Bowser's Castle in Mario Kart 64 - he was affectionately named "Marty" by fans and people began posting ridiculous rumors on how to unlock him.

Other Appearances

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There is a Thwomp trophy unlockable in Super Smash Bros. Melee. Also, Kirby turns into a Thwomp (More based on the Super Mario 64 version) in one of his attacks.

The movie has a store named Thwomp Stompers.

Thwomps also appear in the Mario Kart series in the Bowser circuits and on Rainbow Road.

References

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  1. Nintendo. (June 17, 2015). Nintendo Treehouse Live @ E3 2015 Day 1 Skylanders SuperChargers.
  2. http://www.ign.com/wikis/new-super-mario-bros-u/Thwomp
Recurring Mario enemies
Major villains
Bowser | Bowser Jr. | Cackletta | Donkey Kong | Fawful | Kamek | Kammy Koopa | King Boo | Koopalings | Shroob | Smithy Gang | Tatanga | Wario | Wart
Minor villains
Birdo | Chief Chilly | Donkey Kong Jr. | Eyerok | Fryguy | Goomboss | Gooper Blooper | Mouser | Petey Piranha | Raphael Raven | Tryclyde | Valentina | Waluigi
Enemies
Albatoss | Big Bertha | Blooper | Bob-omb | Boo | Bullet Bill | Buzzy Beetle | Cataquack | Cheep-Cheep | Chomp | Dry Bones | Fly Guy | Goomba | Hammer Bro | Koopa Troopa | Lakitu | Magikoopa | Monty Mole | Piranha Plant | Pokey | Shy Guy | Snapjaw | Snifit | Thwomp | Ukiki | Whomp | Wiggler


Enemies/Ukiki

Ukkiki, also frequently spelled "Ukiki," is a monkey from several Nintendo video games, most notably Super Mario 64 and Super Mario 64 DS. His main function in Super Mario 64 and Super Mario 64 DS is to steal the hat of the games' playable characters, Mario, Luigi, and Wario, causing them to take extra damage. In both Super Mario 64 and Super Mario 64 DS, Ukkiki is featured in the course "Tall, Tall Mountain," where he appears as a charcter in one of the course's playable episodes.

In this specific episode, the character-controlled player needs to retrieve a treasure, which is locked in a cage, and the only way to open is to retrieve a key to open it. The only such key that can do this is in the possession of Ukkiki, who lives on the mountain summit. After retrieving the key, Ukkiki will attempt to steal the hat of the player-controlled character. This can be serious, as Mario, Luigi, and Wario take twice as much damage when they do not have their hats. The only way to take the hat back is to find Ukkiki and physically wrest the hat from his grip, usually with a diving tackle. This can be dangerous, as Ukkiki frequents high mountain slopes, and players overzealously attempting to reclaim their lost headgear may inadvertently plunge over the side of the mountain. After being caught, Ukkiki returns the hat to the player with a minimum of additional problems. However, as soon as the player has their hat back, Ukkiki will not hesitate to steal it again.

Ukkiki has cameo appearances in other video games from the Mario series, including some of those from the Mario Party series. He usually plays a part in throwing bananas onto the game board during play, which may change the direction of player's motion. He also interferes in mini-games much the same way, with effects specific to each mini-game. He does not engage in hat-stealing activities in the Mario Party games, however. Finally, he has made some brief appearances in the Zelda games on the Gameboy.


Enemies/Whomp

A Whomp is a large, walking brick-like enemy in Super Mario 64 and Super Mario 64 DS. They seem to have received a recent injury to their backs, because they have bandages on their backs, they have also appeared in the later Mario Party.

Recurring Mario enemies
Major villains
Bowser | Bowser Jr. | Cackletta | Donkey Kong | Fawful | Kamek | Kammy Koopa | King Boo | Koopalings | Shroob | Smithy Gang | Tatanga | Wario | Wart
Minor villains
Birdo | Chief Chilly | Donkey Kong Jr. | Eyerok | Fryguy | Goomboss | Gooper Blooper | Mouser | Petey Piranha | Raphael Raven | Tryclyde | Valentina | Waluigi
Enemies
Albatoss | Big Bertha | Blooper | Bob-omb | Boo | Bullet Bill | Buzzy Beetle | Cataquack | Cheep-Cheep | Chomp | Dry Bones | Fly Guy | Goomba | Hammer Bro | Koopa Troopa | Lakitu | Magikoopa | Monty Mole | Piranha Plant | Pokey | Shy Guy | Snapjaw | Snifit | Thwomp | Ukiki | Whomp | Wiggler


Enemies/Kremling

The Kremlings or Kremling Krew are the main enemies of the Donkey Kong games. They are a legion of anthropomorphic crocodiles led by King K. Rool and exist simply to get in Donkey Kong and friends' way.

The Kremlings first appeared in Donkey Kong Country in 1994, by Rareware. There, they were following the orders of K. Rool to steal Donkey Kong's famed banana hoard. The drone archetypes that appeared in this game would set a template for future Kremling designs to follow. Almost all Kremlings have a name beginning with a K, and even the exceptions have a K in some part of their name.

The Kremlings returned in 1995 with Donkey Kong Land and again in Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest. In that game, following the self-proclaimed Kaptain K. Rool's fashion sense, virtually every Kremling was dressed in pirate fatigues, some even going as far as amputating arms or legs. This trend continued into the game's pseudo-sequel Donkey Kong Land 2. It should also be noted that the game took place on Crocodile Isle, the Kremling's home island. The island was subsequently destroyed at the end of both games.

In Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble!, K. Rool was believed to have been replaced with the robot KAOS. However, it was later found that K. Rool was the controller of KAOS, and under the persona of "Baron K. Roolenstein". In accordance with this, the Kremling designs in this game were moderately different from the designs in the earlier games. This style was kept for Donkey Kong Land III a year later.

In Diddy Kong Racing for the Nintendo 64, a sole Kremling by the name of Krunch was available as a playable character. As the story goes, his mission was to investigate Diddy Kong's visit to Timber's Island and find out if the monkey was hatching some sort of anti-Kremling plot. Krunch was set to return in Diddy Kong Pilot for the Game Boy Advance, however, the game was refit into Banjo Pilot after Rare was sold to Microsoft in 2002.

The Kremlings returned in Donkey Kong 64 in 1999. There, once again under the command of King K. Rool, the Kremlings returned to a look more accurate to the original Donkey Kong Country than DKC2 or 3. Also in this game, there were a few Kremlings that went unnamed due to the lack of a curtain call that was traditional in the Donkey Kong Country series. This includes a skeletal Kremling, a wind-up robotic Kremling, a Kremling inside a mushroom costume, a ghostly demon Kremling featured inside Donkey Kong's minecart stage, and a Kremling under a sheet with holes cut out for the eyes.

The classic Kremling designs returned in the port of Donkey Kong Country for Game Boy Color, and after that, they disappeared for a while, only warranting a brief cameo by Klaptraps in Super Smash Bros. Melee.

In 2003, Donkey Kong Country was once again ported, this time to the Game Boy Advance. This brought about the return of the Kremlings, and a year later, they appeared in the port of Donkey Kong Country 2 for the GBA, as well as the sports game Mario Power Tennis and the music game Donkey Konga. In 2005, the Kremlings returned as the main foes in DK King of Swing for Game Boy Advance, and made appearances in Mario Superstar Baseball, Donkey Konga 2 and Super Mario Strikers for the GameCube and in Mario Strikers Charged for the Wii.

Strangely, Donkey Kong Jungle Beat, the apparent successor to the Donkey Kong series on the GameCube, did not feature any Kremlings whatsoever. This is because of a decision made by the developers to give the game "fresh features".

In DK King of Swing, the name Kremling is applied only to the enemy Kritters, as the only other Kremling to appear in the game aside from them is King K. Rool; in the sequel, DK Jungle Climber, the name is once again used for the species, presumably because other Kremlings aside from Kritters (such as Klobbers) appear in the game.

The Kremlings were also a frequent part of the Donkey Kong Country TV series, once again appearing as the main villains. Strangely, they were never referred to as "Kremlings" in the entire span of the program, being solely called the names of various reptiles (salamanders, geckos, lizards, etc.).

Notable types of Kremlings

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Bazuka

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Bazukas are small red-colored (purple-colored in the Japanese version of Donkey Kong Land 3) Kremlings with large bazookas. Similar to Kannons, they fire out various types of barrels, which the Kongs can change by hitting "switches" throughout the level. Bazukas were often helpful, as the Kongs could bounce on their barrels to reach new areas. On three occasions, Bazuka was necessary to defeat Koin.

Appearances:

  • Donkey Kong Country 3
  • Donkey Kong Land 3

Kaboing

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Kaboings are Kremlings with two peglegs. These peglegs are spring loaded to allow Kaboing to jump higher. They closely resemble both Kritter and Klomp in appearance.

Appearances:

  • Donkey Kong Country 2
  • Donkey Kong Land 2

Kaboom

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Kabooms are similar in appearance to Klobbers, and in nature to Klasps. Kaboom will lie in wait for the Kongs inside a TNT barrel. If the Kongs come into contact with him, he will explode. They are distinguished from actual TNT barrels by the N being backwards on a barrel that conceals a Kaboom.

Appearances:

  • Donkey Kong Country 2
  • Donkey Kong 64

Kackle

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Kackles are skeletal Kremling ghosts that hide in haunted houses. They are not programmed to be defeated but can only be outrun. They are exclusive, only being found in one level, "Haunted Hall". In Donkey Kong 64 another, unnamed skeletal Kremling appears. Whether this is a Kackle or a relative to them is unknown.

Appearances:

Kannon

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Kannon is a cannon-carrying Kremling who according to the manual is actually Klump. He fires out cannonballs and in some cases barrels. He usually fires them straight forward, but sometimes fires them downward. In the animated series, the character Kaptain Skurvy bears a large resemblance to Kannon. Kannon is fat and easy to defeat with a bounce on the head.

Appearances:

  • Donkey Kong Country 2
  • Donkey Kong Land 2

Kasplat

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Kasplats are burly Kremlings spread throughout Donkey Kong 64. Each Kasplat has a piece of Snide's blueprint for the Blast-O-Matic laser, and every Kong can defeat their specific Kasplat (as identified by their hair color) to retrieve the blueprint and return it to Snide in return for a Golden Banana. Prima's Donkey Kong 64 Strategy Guide incorrectly referred to Kasplat as Krusha, but the two are in fact, separate enemies.

Appearances:

  • Donkey Kong 64

Klampon

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Klampons are the Donkey Kong Country 2 and Donkey Kong Land 2 equivalent of Klaptraps. While a bit larger than Klaptrap, they have a similar appearance and movement pattern. In the DKC2 manual, they are referred to as "Klaptrap's older brother".

Appearances:

  • Donkey Kong Country 2
  • Donkey Kong Land 2
  • Donkey Konga 2

Klaptrap

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Klaptraps are low-to-the-ground crocodiles that continually snap their jaws while walking around. This makes frontal attacks on them impossible. Klaptraps are very popular amongst Nintendo's second and third parties, having appeared in Super Smash Bros. Melee and Mario Power Tennis.

The Klaptrap biting noise in Donkey Kong Country was, according to the Rare scribes (May 12 2005), produced by one Mr. Peilio of Rare. He did this by banging his teeth together. In Donkey Kong 64, this sound was replaced with a more generic one.

In Donkey Kong 64, the Klaptraps reappear but in a more dog-like attitudes than in the previous games. Every time they are destroyed however, their teeth automatically come to life and attack by trying to bite the current Kong. But this is nothing on a count of that the Kong can still just easily attack and shatter them once more (the Klaptrap is killed instantly if an orange grenade is used). The game also features purple ones and a very large red one, only featured in the Creepy Castle intro. In the mini-game 'Beaver Bother', a green Klaptrap is actually controllable. Its only abilities are to jump (with A) and gnash its teeth (with B).

In the Donkey Kong Country animated series, they were used merely as ammunition that was fired from guns and acted a bit like termites.

One particularly large Klaptrap (about Diddy's size) appeared in a few episodes and was called Junior. Junior however was mostly on the Kong's side and once saved Donkey Kong from a pack of sea pirate Kremlings after Diddy helped him regain his sharp teeth.

In Mario Superstar Baseball, the river in Donkey Kong's stadium was filled with Klaptraps. If a player gets bitten by one he or she becomes slower and less manoeuverable. If a Klaptrap is hit by a baseball, the team who hit it gets a team star.

Klaptraps behave in a similar manner to the Snapjaws that featured in Donkey Kong Jr.; unlike Klaptraps, however, Snapjaws were mechanical. In Donkey Kong Country 2 and Donkey Kong Land 2, Klaptrap was replaced by Klampon, his older brother, who is almost identical in appearance and behavior. The Klampons were replaced by Krimp in Donkey Kong Country 3 and Donkey Kong Land 3.

Appearances:

  • Donkey Kong Country
  • Donkey Kong Land
  • Donkey Kong 64
  • Super Smash Bros. Melee
  • Donkey Konga
  • Mario Power Tennis
  • Mario Party 7
  • Mario Superstar Baseball

Klank

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Klanks are Kremlings who resemble Kutlass. They are found in the levels "Target Terror" and "Rickety Race" in Donkey Kong Country 2. Klanks ride skull-shaped roller coaster cars and attack by throwing barrels at the Kongs. Klanks come in a multitude of colors. In order to gain the DK Coin in "Rickety Race" Dixie and Diddy must defeat all 10 Klanks in the level by jumping on them.

Appearance:

Klasp

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Klasps are Kremlings who look the same as Knocka, but hide in red TNT barrels. They cling onto horizontal ropes and will chase after anyone who grabs onto that rope. If the Kongs hit them, the Klasps will explode. They first appeared in Donkey Kong Country 3. They later appeared in Donkey Kong Land III, but they don't chase after the Kongs; instead, they go back and forth in a fixed pattern.

Appearances:

  • Donkey Kong Country 3
  • Donkey Kong Land 3

Klinger

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Klingers are Kremlings that are able to climb and slide down vertical ropes and chains. They first appeared in Donkey Kong Country 2, and later in Donkey Kong Land 2. According to the game's Player's Guide, Kremlings weren't natural-born rope climbers; Klingers are the only ones who are able to. Getting touched or landing on them (when their climbing hand is swinging up) will cost a character. It is possible to defeat them if timed right.

Appearances:

  • Donkey Kong Country 2
  • Donkey Kong Land 2
  • Donkey Konga 2

Kloak

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Kloaks are ghosts that hide in large cloaks that resemble the garb Krook wears and float through the air. They materialize items out of thin air that they use to attack. The items they throw range from treasure chests to Spiny porcupines.

Appearances:

  • Donkey Kong Country 2

Klobber

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Klobbers are Kremlings that dress up in barrels. They first appeared in Donkey Kong Country 2, as well as in Donkey Kong Land 2 and Donkey Kong 64. When the characters ventured near them, they would pop out and attempt to push them around by knocking into them. There are four varieties: green ones just knocked a Kong around, yellow ones caused 10-banana bunches to fall from the character, red ones, also known as "Kabooms" will explode on impact, while the grey ones caused extra life balloons to fly out. Donkey Kong Land 2 only had the green and red variations. In Donkey Kong 64, they would hurt the Kongs. In DK Jungle Climber, Klobbers attack by bumping into Donkey Kong and knock him off pegs, which Klobbers can climb in this game.

Appearances:

  • Donkey Kong Country 2
  • Donkey Kong Land 2
  • Donkey Kong 64
  • Donkey Konga 2
  • DK: Jungle Climber

Klomp

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Klomps are basically the Donkey Kong Country 2 (and Donkey Kong Land 2) equivalent of Kritters. There were no difference between the two, except that Klomps have peg legs and do not come in a variety of colors, only green; also, they are unable to jump as certain kinds of Kritters were.

Appearances:

  • Donkey Kong Country 2
  • Donkey Kong Land 2

Knocka

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Knockas are Kremlings who hide in green barrels, and will charge at their foes and attempt to ram them off an edge in a similar manner to Klobber. They have mouths painted on their barrels and eye-holes. They first appeared in Donkey Kong Country 3. The Game Boy Advance port featured a TNT version in the stage Stormy Seas. These enemies are also in Donkey Kong Land III, but are named Krusha instead.

Appearances:

  • Donkey Kong Country 3
  • Donkey Kong Land 3 (as Krusha)

Kobble

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Kobbles are muscular Kremlings with no form of clothing who are similar to Kritters. They first appeared in Donkey Kong Country 3, but didn't appear in the later levels. They appeared more frequently in Donkey Kong Land III.

Appearances:

  • Donkey Kong Country 3
  • Donkey Kong Land 3

Koin

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Koins are Kremlings who wear helmets made of metal buckets with a skull and cross-bones image on it that carry shields made of trash-can lids with a DK Coin within it. They can only be defeated by throwing a steel barrel in a manner that maneuvers it over their head so that it collides with his vulnerable backside, the only area which remains unprotected.

Appearances:

  • Donkey Kong Country 3
  • Donkey Kong Land 3

Koindozer

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Koindozers are Kremlings who resemble Koin, but are purple. They have no DK Coin on their shields, but will attempt to ram their foes away, possibly into an abyss. They can't be defeated, neither by a steel barrel in their backside like the Koin. The Kongs can step on their shield by jumping over them.

Appearances:

  • Donkey Kong Country 3

Kopter

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Kopters are small Kremlings with helmets and helicopter blades in each hand. They fly through stages either in fixed patterns or downwards by spinning the blades. The blades are harmful for the Kongs to touch, but they can jump on Kopter's helmet without taking any damage. They can be defeated in Donkey Kong Land 3. Donkey Kong Barrel Blast features what appears to be an updated version of Kopter as a playable racer. [1]

Appearances:

  • Donkey Kong Country 3
  • Donkey Kong Land 3
  • Donkey Kong Barrel Blast

Kosha

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Koshas are small Kremlings dressed in Viking clothing that wielded giant spiked clubs. They appeared in Donkey Kong 64 and are very similar to Kutlass. They have a hard time carrying their clubs because the clubs are more than twice their size.

Appearances:

  • Donkey Kong 64

Krash

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Krash is a regular Kritter who attempts to drive a minecart into the players in the minecart levels of Donkey Kong Country. A muscular version attempts to club them in the minecart levels of Donkey Kong 64.

Appearances:

  • Donkey Kong Country
  • Donkey Kong 64

Krimp

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Krimp are the Donkey Kong Country 3 and Donkey Kong Land 3 equivalent of Klaptrap. They have a similar appearance and movement pattern. In gameplay, Dixie or Kiddy could attack this Kremling from behind and it would die. This is the opposite for Klampon and Klaptrap, where they would bite if attacked from behind.

Appearances:

  • Donkey Kong Country 3
  • Donkey Kong Land 3

Kritter

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Kritters are the grunts of the Kremling army. They walk on two legs and wander back and forth, though in some games they will attempt to attack. They are adorned in either gold-plated shoulderpads or skull-adorned biker jackets. Krunch was of this latter variety. In Donkey Kong Country 2 and Donkey Kong Land 2, Kritters were replaced by Klomps, who were replaced by Kobble in Donkey Kong Country 3 and Donkey Kong Land 3. The green one is the easiest to beat and the purple one is the hardest. Most of them just walk around, but some of them jump. Outside of normal Donkey Kong games, they have appeared in Mario Power Tennis, Mario Superstar Baseball, and were the goalies in Super Mario Strikers, as well as its sequel, Mario Strikers Charged.

Appearances:

  • Donkey Kong Country
  • Donkey Kong Land
  • Diddy Kong Racing (as Krunch)
  • Donkey Kong 64
  • Mario Power Tennis (cameo)
  • Mario Superstar Baseball (cameo)
  • Super Mario Strikers
  • Diddy Kong Racing DS (as Krunch)
  • Mario Strikers Charged
  • Donkey Kong Barrel Blast
  • DK King of Swing (as Kremling)

Krochead

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Krocheads come in the green and red variety. They both appear in Donkey Kong Country 2. The green heads act as platforms, and the red heads act as springboards. In some levels they have a habit of sinking into the lava/water, so timing jumps is crucial. Sort of like the alligators in Pitfall.

Appearances:

  • Donkey Kong Country 2
  • Donkey Kong Land 2

Krook

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Krooks are Kremlings that wear trench coats over their bodies and two large hooks for hands. They can throw their hooks at Diddy Kong or Dixie Kong which boomerang back to them. They appear in Donkey Kong Country 2 and Donkey Kong Land 2, usually in mine shafts, castle towers and bee hives.

Appearances:

  • Donkey Kong Country 2
  • Donkey Kong Land 2

Krumple

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Krumples are the Donkey Kong Country 3 and Donkey Kong Land 3 equivalent of Krushas. They are big blue muscular Kremlings that walk back and forth in various stages. If Dixie tried to attack them, she'd bounce off of him and he'd make a beckoning motion. Only Kiddy, animals, or items could harm him.

Appearances:

  • Donkey Kong Country 3
  • Donkey Kong Land 3

Kruncha

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Krunchas are the Donkey Kong Country 2 and Donkey Kong Land 2 equivalent of Krushas. They are big blue muscular Kremlings that walk back and forth in various stages. If the Kongs tried to attack them, they would get mad and turn red and run faster, plus he can take out any Kong that touches him. They could only be defeated by throwing barrels at them, teaming up and jumping on him, or performing a team throw.

Appearances:

  • Donkey Kong Country 2
  • Donkey Kong Land 2

Krusha

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Krusha are muscular Kremlings with camouflage tank-tops. These appear to be the strongest Kremlings. In Donkey Kong Country, the blue ones were immune to Diddy's own attacks. There were also grey ones that were even stronger and could only be defeated by having barrels thrown at them. They were also in Donkey Kong Land, but, perhaps due to the Game Boy's limited color display, Krushas only came in one kind, which was the weaker kind. This particular Kremling also appeared as an unlockable character to play as in Donkey Kong 64’s VS mode, becoming the first playable Kremlings in the Donkey Kong series. Like Klump, only one Krusha was featured in the TV series. This Krusha was K. Rool's bodyguard, who had a childlike IQ and enjoyed watching "Sing Along with Uncle Swampy". He became Kruncha in Donkey Kong Country 2. Donkey Kong Country 3 featured Krumple, a muscular Kremling who is very similar to Krusha. Donkey Kong 64 features a similar enemy character called Kasplat. There was a completely different enemy in Donkey Kong Land III with the same name; he was exactly like Knocka in Donkey Kong Country 3 and would hide in a barrel, waiting for a Kong to appear so he or she would be shoved.

Appearances:

  • Donkey Kong Country
  • Donkey Kong Land
  • Donkey Kong 64

Kuchuka

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Kuchukas are Kremlings that hide in purple barrels. While they are stationary, they will heave an endless amount of bombs at the Kongs, sometimes multiple bombs in one toss. Kuchuka cannot be picked up like most barrels, and therefore can only be destroyed with a TNT barrel.

Appearances:

  • Donkey Kong Country 3
  • Donkey Kong Land 3

Kutlass

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Kutlass is a small pirate Kremling who carries two large cutlasses (hence the name). When he sees Diddy Kong or Dixie Kong, he will charge and swing his swords, resulting in them getting stuck in the ground. This presents a moment of opportunity for the player to jump on them and defeat them. The green version can pull their swords out faster, giving the player a briefer moment to retaliate. Incidentally, the animated series also had a character named Kutlass, but he worked for Kaptain Skurvy and looked sort of like K. Rool with a lighter color scheme.

Appearances:

  • Donkey Kong Country 2

Rekoil

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Rekoils are orange-colored Kremlings with springy tails. They jump around by bouncing off their tails and are quite common.

Appearances:

  • Donkey Kong Country 3
  • Donkey Kong Land 3

Rockroc

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Rockroc are brown colored Kremlings that are only found in "Stop and Go Station" in Donkey Kong Country and the Game Boy remakes. They can run very fast and cannot be defeated in any way. The only way to stop them is by jumping past a switch barrel labeled Stop and Go. Note that this will only last for a few seconds before they get back up and keep running around. However, in the Game Boy Advance remake, they can be defeated by used Donkey Kong's Hand Slap on them while they're asleep.

Appearances:

  • Donkey Kong Country

Kuff 'n' Klout

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Kuff and Klout are large, beefy, light brown Kremlings found in Donkey Kong Country 3. As the name implies, they are found exclusively in pairs. Kuff 'n' Klout are only found in the lost world, Krematoa, where they have an entire level dedicated to them called "Tyrant Twin Tussle". Kuff 'n' Klout have two attack patterns, either charging into their foe or attempting to crush them in a dangerous game of leap-frog. Kuff 'n' Klout can only be beaten with TNT Barrels or Squitter the Spider's webs. Oddly enough, if one of the two is defeated, the other becomes completely immobilized until he disappears suddenly. The other alternative is that the remaining twin will simply charge the player until he leaves the screen or is defeated.

Appearances:

Skidda

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Skiddas are Kremlings that slip and slide on the snow; they attempt to slide into the Kongs. In Donkey Kong Country 3, Skidda is a pinkish palette swap of Kobble; in the Japanese version of Donkey Kong Land 3, they are green just like Kobble. They appear in Donkey Kong Country 3 and Donkey Kong Land III.

Appearances:

  • Donkey Kong Country 3
  • Donkey Kong Land 3

Kremling individuals

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K. Lumsy

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K. Lumsy is a gigantic Kremling that makes his debut in Donkey Kong 64. K. Lumsy is so huge that every time he jumps up and down, the island shakes. Unlike other Kremlings, K. Lumsy is more timid and kind-hearted than his brethren. He thinks the Kongs are cute and doesn't want to harm them, so K. Rool locked him up in a portable island chained to K. Rool's ship until he learned to be more vicious. There are eight keys to the cage, each guarded by one of the world bosses. Each time one of the eight locks is opened, K. Lumsy jumps for joy, causing something to happen somewhere around the island (such as a gate rising, or a door crumbling) to open the next world. When all eight locks are opened, K. Lumsy returns the favor by (accidentally) grounding K. Rool's airship, The Flying Kroc, and later gives him an extreme beating off-screen after Funky Kong blows K. Rool out of the wreck. In one of the two hidden cinema scenes shown when the player beats the game, K. Lumsy is shown back-stroking in the ocean with several of the Kongs riding on his belly, legs and tail.

Appearances:

  • Donkey Kong 64

Kaptain Skurvy

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Kaptain Skurvy is a pirate from the Donkey Kong Country animated series. His goal is to steal the Crystal Coconut, which, according to him, is his birthright, as declared by his great-great grandpappy. His rival in obtaining it is King K. Rool. It's later revealed that Kaptain Skurvy wants something other than the Coconut; he wants to find his long lost brother, who turns out to be Klump. After he does this, Klump tells K. Rool that he's leaving to join Skurvy's pirate crew, but K. Rool forbids it.

Appearances:

Kalypso

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Kalypso is a Kremling debuting in the upcoming Donkey Kong Barrel Blast. Nothing is known about her, other than the fact that she is one of the first explicitly female Kremlings introduced along with Kass.

Appearances:

  • Donkey Kong Barrel Blast

Kass

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Kass is a Kremling debuting in the upcoming Donkey Kong Barrel Blast. Nothing is known about her, other than the fact that she is one of the first explicitly female Kremlings introduced, Kalypso is another.

Appearances:

  • Donkey Kong Barrel Blast

Kip is a Kremling debuting in Donkey Kong Barrel Blast.

Appearances:

  • Donkey Kong Barrel Blast

Kerozene

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Kerozene is a large orange Kremling exclusive to the Game Boy Advance version of Donkey Kong Country 2. He appeared atop K. Rool's Keep. His attacks include punches, slashing with 2 large swords (that resemble Kleever), and shooting a wave of fire.

Appearances:

  • Donkey Kong Country 2 (GameBoy Advance remake only)

King K. Rool

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K. Rool is an obese, sometimes tailless[citation needed] crocodile who is ruler of the Kremling race and almost always the final boss of the games. His various guises (and thus, attacks) change from game to game. He has been himself (King K. Rool), a pirate (Kaptain K. Rool), a mad scientist (Baron K. Roolenstein), and a boxer (King Krusha K. Rool).

As King K. Rool, his attacks were more physical and direct, which included charging at the Kongs, throwing his crown, making incredible jumps to squash his opponents, which the ground-shaking landing made a barrage of cannonballs fall from the top of the area. As Kaptain K. Rool, he shot cannonballs, clouds of gas, and used his large gun as a vacuum to pull in the Kongs. He could also momentarily become invisible. As Baron K. Roolenstein, he used a jetpack, and summoned electrified lightbulb-like gadgets to electrify certain parts of the area. He also technically used KAOS to attack the Kongs. As King Krusha K. Rool, his attacks varied from round to round, but mainly involved charging the Kongs, throwing his gloves like boomerangs, and jumping to create a shockwave.

In Donkey Kong 64, K. Rool's personality was further developed. He was portrayed as a slightly sinister parody of Darth Vader and Ernst Blofeld, in the way of instilling fear in his subjects and pacing often (Vader) and deftly petting his pet Klaptrap while on his throne (Blofeld). His insanity was evident in his plot to destroy the DK Isles, as noted in Super Smash Bros. Melee.

In the animated series based off the game he plans to use the Crystal Coconut to take over Kongo Bongo (DK) Isle.

Appearances:

  • Donkey Kong Country
  • Donkey Kong Land
  • Donkey Kong Country 2 (as Kaptain K. Rool)
  • Donkey Kong Land 2 (as Kaptain K. Rool)
  • Donkey Kong Country 3 (as Baron K. Roolenstein)
  • Donkey Kong Land 3 (as Baron K. Roolenstein)
  • Donkey Kong 64 (both as himself and as King Krusha K. Rool)
  • Super Smash Bros. Melee (in trophy form)
  • Diddy Kong Pilot (Cancelled)
  • Donkey Konga
  • DK: King of Swing
  • Donkey Kong Barrel Blast
  • DK: Jungle Climber

King Kut Out

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A giant cardboard version of King K. Rool, King Kut Out is the Kritters' last-minute attempt at preventing the Kongs from getting the seventh boss key. It is the boss of Creepy Castle. This is more of a cardboard cutout than a boss, but it can shoot lasers out of its eyes and has a high-pitched crazy laugh; it is unknown if the laugh is from a loudspeaker or the boss itself. As backup, it has exploding fish in the water, and a Kritter dressed up as a ghost. This is the only boss where all the Kongs can fight it (but not at the same time), apart from K. Rool himself.

Appearances:

  • Donkey Kong 64

Klubba

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Klubba is a large muscle-bound Kremling that guards the gate to the Lost World in Donkey Kong Country 2. Paying 15 Kremkoins wins his favor, and access to the gate, although Kremkoins that were already collected in some bonus rounds cannot be re-collected. Players had the choice to fight him to win passage, but doing so always resulted in Klubba swinging his immense club and knocking the player back onto the world map. He reappeared in Donkey Kong Land 2, but was relocated next to Gloomy Gulch.

Appearances:

  • Donkey Kong Country 2
  • Donkey Kong Land 2

Kludge

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Kludge is a Kremling debuting in the upcoming Donkey Kong Barrel Blast.

Appearances:

  • Donkey Kong Barrel Blast

Klump

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Klump is a fat, bumbling Kremling decked out in military attire. His hard hat makes it impossible for Diddy to stomp him, though a frontal attack will defeat them. In Donkey Kong 64, he threw explosive oranges and could only be defeated by the DK Crew's own explosive oranges . In the animated TV series, Klump was featured, and he was K. Rool's general. In Donkey Kong Country 2 and Donkey Kong Land 2, he became Kannon, who was also featured on the TV show in the form of Kaptain Skurvy. He was portrayed by currently deceased actor Len Carlson. [2] In Donkey Kong Barrel Blast, Klump returns, but wearing a barrel on his head instead of a helmet. [3]. It was confrimed in the Donkey Kong Country manual that despite appearing in multiples in the game he is an individual kremling.

Appearances:

  • Donkey Kong Country
  • Donkey Kong 64
  • Donkey Kong Barrel Blast

Krunch

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A biker-jacket wearing member of the Kremling Krew, Krunch is one of the many playable characters in Diddy Kong Racing. Before the main events of Diddy Kong Racing, Krunch was sent by King K. Rool to investigate why Diddy Kong and his friends were venturing to Timber's Island and to see if they were hatching some sort of anti-Kremling plot. Instead of antagonizing Diddy and his friends, Krunch aids them in their quest to defeat the evil alien, Wizpig.

Though people always get Krunch and Kritters confused, the basic Kremling enemy in Donkey Kong 64 bears an incredible resemblance to Krunch. Same goes with the Kremling goalies in the Mario Striker games, they also bear a resemblance. Krunch was to reappear in Diddy Kong Racing's sequel, Diddy Kong Pilot; The game was cancelled and converted into Banjo-Pilot. Recently, Krunch has appeared in Diddy Kong Racing's Nintendo DS port, Diddy Kong Racing DS.

Appearances

  • Diddy Kong Racing (1997)
  • Diddy Kong Pilot (Cancelled)
  • Donkey Kong 64
  • Mario Power Tennis (2005) *Behind the lines in DK's stage*
  • Super Mario Strikers (2005)
  • Super Mario Strikers Charged (2007)
  • Diddy Kong Racing DS (2007)

Kudgel

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Kudgel is a large grey Kremling whose appearance was basically a palette swap of Klubba (possibly, they are brothers). As such, he appeared in Donkey Kong Country 2. His main form of attack was leaping, but he also used his club. When he landed, he would stun the Kongs and immobilize them.

Appearances:

  • Donkey Kong Country 2

Robo-Kritter

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A completely robotic Kritter, it is a member of Bowser's Super Team in Super Mario Strikers, replacing a regular Kritter as the team's goalie. It becomes playable once the Super Team is unlocked; the Robo-Kritter also bears some minor resemblance to the unnamed, mechanical Kremlings seen in Frantic Factory in Donkey Kong 64.

Appearances:

  • Super Mario Strikers

References

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Enemies/Klaptrap

File:Klaptrap.jpg
Klaptrap as they appear in Donkey Kong Country.

Klaptraps are a species of fictitious crocodilian from Nintendo's Donkey Kong series of video games. Klaptraps are affiliated with the Kremling Krew, but unlike most other Kremlings, which are anthropomorphic, Klaptraps are more low-slung, and resemble real-life alligators, albeit brightly coloured ones with large heads. They made their first appearance in Donkey Kong Country, and they have remained much the same in all later appearances, except for Donkey Konga, although the original blue coloration has become more rare.

Klaptraps were also changed slightly in Donkey Kong 64 in that they were made to be puppy-like creatures who groweled and chomped at the player, and yelped upon being attacked.

It's worth noting that Klaptraps are not the same as the Snapjaws from Donkey Kong Jr. (although they are based on them), or the similar enemies the Klampons from Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest and the Krimps from Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble! despite appearances. However, the Donkey Kong Country 2 instruction manual said Klampons are the bigger brother of Klaptrap. Krimp is either another brother of Klaptrap (possibly the bigger brother of Klampon), or a new, unrelated species.

In Donkey Kong 64, King K. Rool is shown stroking a pet Klaptrap, similar to Ernst Blofeld's cat. The game also features a giant red Klaptrap that appears only in one cutscene. In the mini-game 'Beaver Bother', a green Klaptrap is actually controllable. Its only abilities are to jump (with A) and gnash its teeth (with B).

The Klaptrap biting noise in Donkey Kong Country was, according to the Rare scribes (May 12 2005), produced by one Mr. Peilio of Rare. He did this by banging his teeth together. In Donkey Kong 64, this sound was replaced with a more generic one.

Fighting Klaptraps

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A Klaptrap can sometimes be defeated with a simple bounce on the head, although attacking the mouth front-on is not advised. However, there are many variations.

In Donkey Kong Country, it is possible to avoid a normal blue Klaptrap using Expresso the Ostrich (who had long legs that elevated him above the reach of Klaptraps). That game also features purple Klaptraps which jump whenever the players do. Some fans called these Klaptraps "Jumping Klaptrap"[citation needed].

Donkey Kong 64 disposed of ordinary blue Klaptraps altogether, instead featuring a green variety whose jaws pursue the player even after the creature's demise, and a near-invincible purple variety.

Klaptraps are invincible in the 100m Vine Climb in Donkey Konga. These Klaptraps crawl along vines like Snapjaws, and have much more realistic body proprtions than before. Like the ones in Donkey Kong Country, these Klaptraps come in blue and purple varieties.

Other appearances

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Klaptraps seem to be the most popular Kremlings with third party developers, as they are the Kremlings that appear most often in non-DK series Nintendo games.

Klaptraps are seemingly invincible nuisances in the Donkey Kong-based stages of Super Smash Bros. Melee, and touching them often proves fatal. Interestingly, these Klaptraps are only seen swimming, though in an extremely ungainly manner. There is also a Klaptrap trophy.

In Mario Power Tennis, Klaptraps are featured as a hazard in the Donkey Kong Jungle stage. They can be zapped by bouncing the ball off a glowing area of the opponents' court. Since this is a sport game, a Klaptrap attack is more annoying than dangerous, slowing the player down.

In Mario Superstar Baseball, Klaptrap is a hazard in the outfield of DK's stage.

Klaptrap makes a cameo in Mario Party 7 as a hazard in one of the Pyramid Park events.

Cartoon Klaptraps

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In the Donkey Kong Country animated series, which sets up a different continuity from the games, Klaptraps are perhaps the most different of all the Kremlings in portrayal from their video game counterparts. In the show, Klaptraps are even smaller than in the games, and they are stored inside the Klap-Blasters, the guns used by the Kritters. Because of that, the Klaptraps are used as ammunition, but are quite formidable, because they get so hungry in there, that they chow down like termites at whatever the Kritters shoot at, ranging from the walls of Cranky Kong's cabin to Bluster Kong's hair.

One particular Klaptrap named Junior shares the hunger of the other KlapTraps, but is too big to fit in a Klap-Blaster (he is roughly the size of Diddy Kong). Ironically, Junior relies on dentures to eat, and he often whines and complains about the hunger if they are confiscated. Junior makes his first appearance in the episode "Booty and the Beast", where DK and Diddy are captured attempting to retrieve the Crystal Coconut from Kaptain Skurvy. Junior shows up and, having had his dentures confiscated by Skurvy, sets them free. In the fight that follows, Junior retrieves his teeth and gobbles down Skurvy's ship (although it still manages to appear in the pirate's subsequent appearances). In the episode, it is also shown that Junior (and perhaps other Klaptraps) can even chew through iron: he ate a large cannonball and merely left the core, much like eating an apple.


Enemies/List of non-Kremling Donkey Kong enemies

This is an article about enemies from the Donkey Kong series of video games other than Kremlings. For a list of Kremlings, please see Kremlings.

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Basic enemies

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Army

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Armies are armadillo enemies that curl into balls and roll toward the Kongs. They are snapped out of this if one of the Kongs jumps on them. There was also an Army boss named Army Dillo in Donkey Kong 64 (see bosses).

Appearances:

  • Donkey Kong Country
  • Donkey Kong Land
  • Conker's Pocket Tales
  • Donkey Kong 64 (as Army Dillo)
  • Donkey Kong Jungle Beat

Bazza

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These are green Kong-eating barracuda found in a few underwater levels of Donkey Kong Country 3. Bazza always travel in a straight line from one Bazza hole to another, biting anything that gets in their way. Although it is possible to defeat a Bazza by using Enguarde, it simply regenerates in the next wave. They are only found in Cotton-Top Cove, but in the GBA version they can also be found in Pacifica.

Appearances:

B. Locker

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While not an actual enemy, he appeared in Donkey Kong 64, blocking the portal to the worlds (hence the name). He only leaves if the Kongs have the correct amount of Golden Bananas. He looks at them and leaves if they do. If they do not, he does not let them pass him.

There is a glitch that lets Lanky get past him without the required amount, however. It is possible to use Lanky's stretchy arms and make them stretch toward the portal. If done right, Lanky should get past him without the required amount of bananas. This glitch works for every stage, except Hideout Helm since the entrance is different.

Appearances:

  • Donkey Kong 64

Bitesize

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Bitesize are redbelly piranhas that are found in the underwater levels in Donkey Kong Country. They are small and weak, but cannot be attacked by the Kongs. They can, however, be easily defeated by Enguarde.

Appearances:

  • Donkey Kong Country

Buzz

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Buzz are bee-like enemies which replaced Zingers in Donkey Kong Country 3. They come in two varieties: a green version which serves as equivalent to the Yellow Zinger, and a red model which can only be defeated using invincibility or explosives. In keeping with the look of many of the enemies from Donkey Kong Country 3, Buzz are much more cartoon-like than Zingers, and less like real bees. They resemble cyborgs, with metal legs and a circular saw in place of a stinger.

The name "Buzz" has a double meaning as it could be interpreted either as referring to the buzzing sound a bee makes or to a buzz saw, a less common name for a circular saw.

Appearances:

  • Donkey Kong Country 3
  • Donkey Kong Land 3

Booty Bird

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Fat birds encountered in several levels of Donkey Kong Country 3, Booty Birds are red and are usually carrying items such as coins or bananas. Bounty Bass are similar to Booty Birds. Booty Birds are the only enemies Parry the Parallel Bird can defeat.

Appearances:

Bounty Bass

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Fat red fish sometimes found in the underwater levels of Donkey Kong Country 3, Bounty Bass usually carry items such as bananas or KONG letters. A yellow version of Bounty Bass (named Glimmerin' Bream) also appears in one level of the game, if struck by Enguarde the Swordfish they will brighten up the area. Bounty Bass are essentially an aquatic version of Booty Birds. In Donkey Kong Land 3, Bounty Bass never carries items.

Appearances:

Bristles

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Bristles are very similar to Spiny, porcupine enemies from Donkey Kong Country 2, but have to ability to curl into a ball and roll towards the Kongs (á la Sonic The Hedgehog); they cannot be defeated in this form.

Appearances:

  • Donkey Kong Country 3
  • Donkey Kong Land 3

Cat-O-9-Tails

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Cat-O-9-Tails is an awkward-looking blue cat enemy, reminiscent of Sylvester the Cat from Warner Bros. cartoons. Its name is a direct reference to the cat o' nine tails - a type of multi-tailed whipping device that originated as an implement for severe physical punishment. Cat-O-9-Tails spins itself in circles, attempting to trap a Kong within its nine tails. If a Kong jumps on or walks into it while it is spinning, that Kong is instantly repelled. Also, if a Kong becomes trapped within the tails, Cat-O-9-Tails will continue to spin until the Kong is propelled high into the air, often directly into the murky swamp, walls of bramble vines, or into an enemy such as a Zinger. However, this propulsion can be used to reach high spots. To defeat a Cat-O-9-Tails, the players must guide the Kongs, jumping over it back and forth to mock it until it tires itself out. Then this is the opportunity to knock it out. Diddy can defeat them with an agile cartwheel in this condition. Cat-O-9-Tails only appear in 3 levels ('Mudhole Marsh', 'Fiery Furnace' and 'Screech's Sprint').

Appearances:

  • Donkey Kong Country 2

Chomps

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Chomps are sharks that live in the coral reefs in Donkey Kong Country. These are not to be confused with Chomp from the Mario games. There are smaller versions called Chomps Jr. There is also a shark resembling Chomps in Banjo-Kazooie named Snacker.

Appearances:

  • Donkey Kong Country
  • Donkey Kong Land

Clambo

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File:Clambo.jpg
Clambo as seen in Donkey Kong Country.

Clambos are clams with eyes and long tongues, found underwater in Donkey Kong Country. They lie on the floor, invulnerable to all attacks. They attack by spitting one to five pearls at the Kongs. While Clambos makes their first Donkey Kong Country appearance in the "Coral Capers" level, they are the main threat of the subsequent underwater level, "Clam City".

Appearances:

  • Donkey Kong Country
  • Donkey Kong Land

Click-Clack

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Click-Clacks are small beetles found on Crocodile Isle. When stomped on, they are immobilised briefly and can be picked up and thrown at other enemies. However, if left alone, they'll get back on their feet and move faster than before.

Click-Clack's name is most likely a reference to the sound it makes when moving.

Appearances:

  • Donkey Kong Country 2
  • Donkey Kong Land 2

Croctopus

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Croctopus, as the name suggests are octopus enemies found underwater in Donkey Kong Country. Croctopus attack by spinning themselves in circles, making contact with their sharp tentacles fatal not only to the Kongs, but also to Enguarde the Swordfish. Purple Croctopus move in fixed patterns around blocks of coral reef. The theme for the "Croctopus Chase" level is that several blue Croctopus will lie in wait for the Kongs to pass them. Once passed, blue Croctopus will tail directly behind the Kongs for a long stretch of the level. Their colour scheme is similar to that of the blue ringed octopus, an extremely poisonous octopus.

Appearances:

  • Donkey Kong Country

Crosshair

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Although it is not technically considered an enemy, Crosshair is the targeting reticule of an unseen marksman (most likely a Kremling). In Donkey Kong Country 3 it is found in the stage "Krackshot Kroc" and follows Squitter the Spider around the factory. When it turns red, it will launch a fireball, which are capable of damaging anything, including other enemies, but they can be blocked by metal barriers throughout the stage. The second bonus level in the stage allows the player to control the crosshair and fire at the Re-Koils and Buzzes in order to win a Bonus Coin.

The crosshair appears again in Donkey Kong 64. In "Angry Aztec", it appears upon obtaining a Golden Banana from one of the temples. In other areas (such as the cabins at "Crystal Caves") it appears if the player fails to complete a certain task. When the crosshair appears, a voice tells the player to "get out" of the area. If the player doesn't do so before the timer hits zero, a fireball is launched at their Kong and they lose some or all of their health.

Appearances:

  • Donkey Kong Country 3
  • Donkey Kong 64

Fangfish

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A large fish, even bigger than a Chomps; Fangfish attacks the Kongs by trying to bite them with its massive jaw.

Appearances:

Flitter

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Flitters are blue dragonfly enemies that are common throughout Crocodile Isle. They are weak enough to be defeated by a simple jump, and are commonly found flying in a row, providing a route across gaps, a habit shared by Necky.

Appearances:

  • Donkey Kong Country 2
  • Donkey Kong Land 2
  • DK: King of Swing
  • Donkey Konga 2

Floatsam

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Floatsam are common underwater enemies that resemble a stingray. In Donkey Kong Country 2, there are two varieties: blue ones, which travel in a straight line; and green ones, which patrol a certain area. In the GBA port of Donkey Kong Country 2 they are yellow and purple respectively. They can only be defeated by Enguarde the Swordfish or dropping a barrel on them from above the water. There is a boss in Donkey Kong Land that consisted of a group of stingrays that are presumably Floatsam.

Floatsam's name is derived from flotsam, which is any item that is afloat in the ocean that wasn't put there intentionally, particularly wreckage or cargo that remains afloat in the ocean after a shipwreck.

Appearances:

  • Donkey Kong Land
  • Donkey Kong Country 2
  • Donkey Kong Land 2

Giant Tomatoes

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Enemies that appeared in Donkey Kong 64. They only appear in Fungi Forest and can only be destroyed with Chunky's Hunky Chunky ability. They like to eat worms, and have eaten all of them except one, which Chunky had to carry to safety.

Appearances:

  • Donkey Kong 64

Gnawty

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Typically fulfilling the role of basic, weak enemy, Gnawtys are small beavers with lazy eyes. They run madly around making high-pitched squeaking noises. Gnawtys can typically be defeated with a single attack, and are vulnerable to just about every move. They come in two varieties, blue (green in the first game) and brown.

In Donkey Kong Country, some Gnawtys can be seen riding in big millstone-like wheels. A discarded one of these wheels can be seen in Mario Superstar Baseball.

In Donkey Kong 64, Gnawtys provide some of the game's comic relief. On the menu screen, for example, Gnawtys would do things like crowd around Donkey (before being shooed away). In one of these jokes, Rambi would chase a group of Gnawtys across the screen, before being chased away by an absolutely enormous Gnawty. Gnawtys also appear in two of the minigames - "Beaver Bother" and "Rambi's Arena".

Gnawty's name is a pun on the words 'gnaw' and 'naughty'.

A similarly styled beaver named Gnawty appears in Banjo-Kazooie, a game also created by Rareware. Other than name and appearance, the two characters seem to be unrelated.

Appearances:

  • Donkey Kong Country
  • Donkey Kong Land
  • Donkey Kong 64
  • Banjo-Kazooie (cameo)

Hogwash

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Similar to Necky and Flitter, Hogwashes are flying pigs in Donkey Kong Land. They roam the skies for intruders and are not a significant threat as a simple jump attack is enough to defeat one.

Hogwash’s name comes from the word “hogwash”, meaning nonsense. In addition, Hogwash is a reference to the popular saying "when pigs fly", which refers to an impossible event.

Appearances:

  • Donkey Kong Land

Karbine

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Karbine are small owls encountered in the level "Fire-Ball Frenzy" in Donkey Kong Country 3, as well as various levels in Donkey Kong Land 3. Karbines attack the Kongs by shooting large fireballs at them with a cannon they carry. Karbines cannot be defeated and can only be avoided. Their name is a play on the weapon term "carbine".

Appearances:

Knik-Knak

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Knik-Knak are small ladybirds found in Donkey Kong Country 3. Red ones are airborne and will either fly around in a set area or remain stationary. Yellow ones act much like Click-Clack and are more rare (only appearing in "Belcha's Barn", "Lightning Lookout", and "Surfs-Up" (GBA version only). There are only flying Knik-Knaks in Donkey Kong Land 3 (which is spelled Niknak in that game).

Appearances:

  • Donkey Kong Country 3
  • Donkey Kong Land 3

Koco

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A clownfish-like enemy encountered in several of the underwater levels of Donkey Kong Country 3. Kocos are similar to the Cheep-Cheeps of the Mario series - they swim either in a side-to-side pattern or directly ahead.

Appearances:

Lemguin

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Lemguins are sharp-beaked penguins found in the levels "Lemguin Lunge" in K3, "Polar Pitfalls" in Primate Plains, and "Tundra Blunda" in Blackforest Plateau. They attack by leaping from their holes attempting to slide into the Kongs, and they can be bounced onto to add leverage to the Kongs jumps. The are described as being half penguin and half lemming.

Appearances:

Living Toys

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In Donkey Kong 64, the "Frantic Factory" level featured living toys that try to attack the Kongs.

First, there were Windup Kremlings. These were robotic Kremlings with windup keys in their backs. They are extremely tough and can only be defeated by Orange Grenades, Musical Instruments, and Chunky Kong's Primate Punch. They drop two watermelon slices (health).

Others were dice with arms and legs (Mr. Dice), dominoes with arms and legs (Sir Domino), and little stick-like blocks with shapes put in them (Ruler).

There was also a large toy monster made from dice, dominoes, blocks, and stick blocks. Chunky must enlarge himself and beat up this monster. On a side note, the blocks never appear as regular enemies, as the others do.

Appearances:

  • Donkey Kong 64

Lockjaw

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Lockjaws are red piranhas with huge jaws that try to eat the Kongs. In Donkey Kong Country 2 they can only be beaten by Enguarde or the ! invincibility barrel. A variant of Lockjaw, Snapjaw, follows the Kongs throughout the course of the "Slime Climb" and "Clapper Cavern" levels. Snapjaws are invincible. The object of these levels is to not venture into the water where Snapjaw lurks; otherwise Snapjaw will munch at them immediately. In DK:King of Swing, Donkey Kong can just swing at them to beat them. In the Game Boy Advance, these creatures are coloured orange.

Appearances:

  • Donkey Kong Country 2
  • Donkey Kong Land 2
  • DK: King of Swing
  • DK: King of Swing DS

Lurchin

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Lurchin is a sea urchin baddie, found in nearly all of the underwater levels of Donkey Kong Country 3. Lurchin cannot be touched by the Kongs, but he can be destroyed by Enguarde the Swordfish only when their shells are open. In the underwater level, Fish Food Frenzy, Nibbla the Fish must avoid swallowing Lurchin. If Nibbla does ingest a Lurchin, its mood will gradually worsen until Nibbla eventually takes out his hunger pains on a Kong. In the Game Boy Advance version of Donkey Kong Country 3, there are palette swap Lurchins in the stage "Ripcurl Reef" with yellow shells, purple spikes and green skin, but are no different than any other Lurchin, except they are harder to see. Some fans have nicknamed these "Rippers".

Appearances:

  • Donkey Kong Country 3
  • Donkey Kong Land 3

Manky Kong

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Manky Kongs are orangutans that throw barrels at Donkey Kong, a reference to the original Donkey Kong game. They are members of a gang called the 'Orang-Utan Gang'. The manual for the SNES version of Donkey Kong Country describes them as "Kong reject orangutans." Manky's name comes from the word manky, which is a slang for dirty. Unlike the barrels thrown by other enemies in later games, Manky's barrels cannot be bounced on.

Appearances:

  • Donkey Kong Country

Minkey

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Minkey are small evil monkeys encountered in the level "Barrel Shield Bust-Up" in Donkey Kong Country 3 and "Minkey Mischief," "Redwood Rampage," and "Simian Shimmy" in Donkey Kong Land 3. Minkeys attack by hurling nuts at the Kongs while they climb rope. In order to get past these mean monkeys, the Kongs must either use a barrel shield or time their movements so they can climb past right after a Minkey throws a nut. In the Game Boy Advance remake of Donkey Kong Country 3, Minkeys appear in another level called "Sunken Spruce".

Minkeys bear a close resemblance to the white monkeys from Donkey Kong Jungle Beat

Appearances:

Neek

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Neek are rats that are the Donkey Kong Country 2 equivalent of Gnawty; they have similar attack patterns and are just as easy to defeat. In DK: King of Swing, Donkey Kong can simply charge into Neek to defeat them.

Appearances:

  • Donkey Kong Country 2
  • Donkey Kong Land 2
  • DK: King of Swing

Necky

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Necky is a vulture enemy and one of the most well-known enemies in the series. They appear in many games and they throw coconuts at the Kongs. There is also a smaller variety called Mini-Neckies that are a bit more hostile. Another variety of Necky just flies at the Kongs and can be jumped upon to reach higher ground.

In Donkey Kong Country 2, Neckys appeared wearing pirate bandanas and fought alongside the ghost of Krow. (see below) They also gained a swooping technique.

There are also many Necky bosses, such as Master Necky, Master Necky Sr., Krow (see below), and Fire Necky. In addition, many have speculated that there may be a relation between Necky and Klepto the Condor of Super Mario 64, which has been noted for its uncanny resemblance to the species.[1]

In the Angry Aztec level of Donkey Kong 64, there is a Necky that Lanky must defeat. It is not hostile, but flies around out of reach. Shooting it enough times rewards the player with a Golden Banana. There is also a friendly Necky in Donkey Kong 64 that asks Diddy for a challenge where he goes through rings that he leaves behind after he is released from a cage by Diddy. If Diddy succeeds, the Necky gives him a Golden Banana.

Necky also made a cameo in Super Smash Bros. and Super Smash Bros. Melee in the background of the "Congo Jungle" ("Kongo Jungle 64" in Super Smash Bros. Melee) and "Jungle Japes" stages.

Mini Necky will be appearing again in DK: King Of Swing DS.

Appearances:

  • Donkey Kong Country
  • Donkey Kong Land
  • Donkey Kong Country 2
  • Donkey Kong Land 2
  • Donkey Kong 64
  • DK: King of Swing
  • DK: King of Swing DS
  • Super Smash Bros. (Cameo)
  • Super Smash Bros. Melee (Cameo)
  • Donkey Kong Barrel Blast

Nemo

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A Nautilus shell-wearing, tentacled creature encountered in Donkey Kong Land; like a Croctopus a Nemo will attempt to chase either Donkey Kong or Diddy Kong and smack them with its tentacles. Its name may be a reference to Nemo, Captain of the Nautilus in 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea.

Appearances:

  • Donkey Kong Land

Nibbla

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Nibblas are the Donkey Kong Country 3 equivalent of Snapjaw. They are found mostly in areas with shallow water, where they wait for a Kong to fall in, at which point they move in for a bite. Nibbla is also featured in the stage "Fish Food Frenzy". In this level, a Nibbla follows the Kongs, eating any enemies along the way. As long as it eats Kocos (a clownfish-like enemy) it won't attack, but if it's not fed continually or eats a Lurchin, its mood will gradually worsen and it will change colours from blue to red. If the Nibbla turns completely red, it will satisfy its hunger by attacking a Kong.

Appearances:

  • Donkey Kong Country 3

Ninjape

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Ninjapes debuted in Donkey Kong Jungle Beat. They resemble the helpful white monkeys, but wearing coloured bodysuits and masks. They come in several varieties. Red ones are basically harmless and ride green piggies and tusk cannons, but the others can attack directly. Blue and green ones both throw shuriken, whilst black ones jump into the air and leap at DK with a drawn sword. The first three can be defeated with a single punch, but red and blue ones will both attempt to vanish in a cloud of smoke when DK gets too close. Black ones are slightly more complicated - clapping whilst they are in the air causes a bolt of lightning to strike them, thus stunning them. Then the player must attack them before they recover.

Additionally, a group of Ninjapes appear as opponents in the Ninjape Rally level (in the Starfruit Kingdom). These are agile and athletic, and able to whip out miniature helibirds and parachutes to ascend and descend without losing speed.

The name is a portmanteau word made by combining the words 'ninja' and 'ape'.

Appearances:

  • Donkey Kong Jungle Beat

Oil Drum

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Oil Drums are not really enemies, but they do pose a threat to the player character. They first appeared in Donkey Kong, in which they are burning and expel Fireballs. In this game, it was not possible to jump over them or destroy them, due to Mario's limited abilities in that game.

In Donkey Kong Country, Oil Drums were the only obstacle to return. They appear in two basic forms, the ones which burn and the ones that expel enemies. These drums could be destroyed using TNT barrels. In Oil Drum Alley, it is actually necessary to stand on some barrels whilst they are not burning to progress. Careful timing is needed, as the barrels reignite quickly.

In Donkey Kong Country 2 a tipped over Oil Drum can be seen in the background of Klubba's Kiosk.

Appearances:

  • Donkey Kong
  • Donkey Kong Country
  • Donkey Kong Land
  • Donkey Kong Country 2 (Cameo)

Puftup

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Puftup are pufferfish enemies covered in spikes. True to their name, they inflate to the point where they burst, sending spikes flying towards the Kongs. In Donkey Kong Country 2, some Puftups inflate and deflate, but never pop. Like other underwater enemies, they can only be defeated by Enguarde the Swordfish. Puftup appears again in Donkey Kong Land 2, however, none of them inflate and burst. In Donkey Kong 64, Puftups are purple and often stationary. They are also the only underwater enemies that regenerate. A recent screen shot has shown that Puftups will be appearing in DK Jungle Climber. [3]

The Nintendo 64 game Banjo-Tooie (another game made by Rare) features a pufferfish enemy named "Swellbelly" that is almost identical to the Donkey Kong 64 version of Puftup. The two differences are that the Banjo-Tooie version is red, not purple and both are fought differently.

Appearances:

  • Donkey Kong Country 2
  • Donkey Kong Land 2
  • Donkey Kong 64
  • DK Jungle Climber

Rogue TNT Barrel

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Rogue TNT Barrels are barrels of trinitrotoluene on wheels. They are found in the minecart levels of Donkey Kong 64. They chase after the Kongs and explode on impact.

Appearances:

  • Donkey Kong 64

Shuri

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Shuri are starfish enemies that move in patterns, typically bouncing off the walls of underwater levels. In Donkey Kong Country 2, a darker coloured Shuri will lie in wait for the Kongs, and then propel itself directly in their pathway. Similar to Croctopus in Donkey Kong Country. Also similar types of Shuri are found throughout Donkey Kong 64. Shuri cannot be harmed by the Kongs, but can be defeated by Enguarde the Swordfish in both Donkey Kong Country 2 and Donkey Kong Land 2. The name 'Shuri' is a reference to the shuriken.

Appearances:

  • Donkey Kong Country 2
  • Donkey Kong Land 2
  • Donkey Kong 64
  • DK: King of Swing

Slippa

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Slippa are snake enemies that slither low to the ground in caves and mines. They bear some resemblance to coral snakes. In several of these levels, oil drums will spit out an endless number of Slippa. While they move quite rapidly, the Kongs can eliminate them with minimal effort.

Appearances:

  • Donkey Kong Country
  • Donkey Kong Land

Snapjaw

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Snapjaws (or Snap Jaws) are crocodilian-like creatures first encountered in Donkey Kong Jr. They usually are depicted, having a hinged mouth consisting of two sharp-toothed metal pieces, one of which is larger than the other and has eyes on it. They were probably designed to look like bear traps, going along with the 'caged-animal' theme of Donkey Kong Jr. It is unknown whether Snapjaws are living creatures, plants, robots, or something else. The Klaptrap creatures from the Donkey Kong Country video games were based off these Snapjaw creatures.

Appearances:

Sneek

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Sneek Template:Deletable image-caption

Sneek are rats very similar to Neek. Although they are no real threat to the Kongs, in classic cartoon form, Ellie the Elephant will get spooked if she sees them; one stage in Krematoa centers around this. In Donkey Kong Land 3, Sneek cannot scare Ellie.

Appearances:

  • Donkey Kong Country 3
  • Donkey Kong Land 3

Spiny

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Not to be confused with the Super Mario enemy of the same name, Spinies are porcupines found in Donkey Kong Country 2. Because their quills cover most of their body, they cannot be defeated with a jump attack or a roll attack from behind, but are vulnerable to frontal attacks. Spinies are sometimes seen with Klampons making it hard to attack them without colliding into Klampon (who is immune to frontal attacks).

Appearances:

  • Donkey Kong Country 2
  • Donkey Kong Land 2

Squidge

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Squidges are jellyfish with eyes that are found in Donkey Kong Country. They are invulnerable to the Kongs, but not very aggressive, as they tend to move upwards weaving from side to side in a predictable way. Enguarde the Swordfish can defeat Squidge easily.

Appearances:

  • Donkey Kong Country

Swoopy

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Swoopys are rare enemies resembling woodpeckers from Donkey Kong Country 3. Swoopys appear only once in the mandatory worlds as a platform after his beak gets stuck in the wall but have an entire level dedicated to them in the lost world, Krematoa called "Swoopy Salvo" where they fly freely through the level and are revealed as enemies. Salvos attack by flying at the Kong, but, unfortunately for them, if they miss they usually end up with their beaks stuck in the wall.

Appearances:

Zinger

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Zingers are flying enemies present in most Donkey Kong games, and resemble bees (or yellowjackets). They have spikes along their backs, which makes them hazardous to jump onto. They are also immune to most physical attacks due to their body being covered in spikes; only certain methods (such as barrels and various animal buddies) can defeat them. In Donkey Kong Country, Zingers came in a variety of colours (yellow, orange, red & green) which determined their flight pattern. In Donkey Kong Country 2, Zinger come in only two colours, yellow and red. The latter cannot be defeated, except by throwing a TNT barrel on them. It should also be noted that in DKC 2, Zingers have a large amount of hives all around Crocodile Island. A similar enemy named "Buzz" replaces Zinger in Donkey Kong Country 3 and Donkey Kong Land 3. Zingers returned in Donkey Kong 64, along with a mechanical version known by some as "Mecha-Zingers". It is unknown if there is an official name for these enemies as nothing was mentioned in the game. Donkey Kong 64 Zingers could be killed with a single shot from one of the Kongs' weapons (without homing arrow, Mecha-Zingers take 2 hits).

Zinger will be appearing again in DK: King Of Swing DS and Donkey Kong Barrel Blast.

Appearances:

  • Donkey Kong Country
  • Donkey Kong Land
  • Donkey Kong Country 2
  • Donkey Kong Land 2
  • Donkey Kong 64
  • Donkey Konga
  • DK: King of Swing
  • DK: King of Swing DS
  • Donkey Kong Barrel Blast

Bosses

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Arich

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File:ArichDK.jpg
Arich

Arich is a large red spider that protects his turf in the "Kremwood Forest". His two attacks are spitting green balls at his enemies and jumping on top of them. He is easily defeated by a few well thrown barrels to his jaw. It's easier to hit his jaw with the barrel using Dixie since she holds the barrel over her head. Arich is much smaller in Donkey Kong Land 3, possibly due to the technical limitations of the Game Boy.

In Donkey Kong 64 there was a giant spider mini-boss similar to this boss in Fungi Forest that fought Tiny Kong. This spider was blue/purple and it spewed green energy blobs similar to Arich's method of attack. This spider could be defeated by defeating the smaller spiders the big spider employs to fight with and shooting it in the eyes, causing it to turn into a small spider that can be fought like any other enemy.

Appearances:

  • Donkey Kong Country 3
  • Donkey Kong Land 3
  • Donkey Kong 64

Army Dillo

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Army Dillo is an exceptionally large Army with a mechanical shell. He is the boss of "Jungle Japes" and "Crystal Caves" in Donkey Kong 64. His shell is armed with cannons that shoot fireballs. After his defeat in "Jungle Japes", he tells K. Rool he has failed, and K. Rool orders the Kritters to repair his shell. This time, he has rockets to make him fly up and land to create a shockwave. He also has a much larger cannon on the top of his shell that shot homing missiles. After his second defeat, he disappears. On both occasions, Army Dillo is fought by Donkey Kong, making Donkey the only Kong to appear in three boss fights (other than the fight with King Krusha K. Rool himself).

Appearances:

  • Donkey Kong 64

Barbos

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Barbos is the largest Lurchin, and according to Donkey Kong Country 3 Player's Guide is "the Mother of all spiny things." She is fought by Enguarde the Swordfish. Her home in "Razor Ridge" ("Pacifica" in the Game Boy Advance remake) has three compartments and she retreats to a lower level every time she is attacked. In the first, she sends her lurchins out to do her dirty work, in the second, she sends out purple conch shell-like missiles at players, and in the third she projects spikes. Despite her spikey shell, her inside is very vulnerable to attack.

In Donkey Kong Land 3, she can be found in "Cape Codswallop".

Appearances:

  • Donkey Kong Country 3
  • Donkey Kong Land 3

Belcha

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Belcha is an animate barrel that guards the "Lake Orangatanga" area of the Northern Kremisphere. Located in a vast barn, he spits smaller barrels at the Kongs, and jumps towards them, hoping to knock them off an edge. True to his name, he burps himself backwards if he happens to eat a Knik-Knak. Unlike other bosses, Belcha cannot hurt the player directly, but will attempt to push the player off the platform into a pit if he isn't defeated quickly (In the GBA version the pit has a large spiked turbine).

Appearances:

  • Donkey Kong Country 3

Blast-O-Matic

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Not technically a boss in the strictest sense as it is an inanimate object, the Blast-O-Matic is the central part of King K. Rool's plan to blow up Donkey Kong's island. It was created by Snide, who was subsequently fired on the grounds that his services were no longer needed. Eager for revenge, Snide betrays K. Rool and get the Kongs to recover the blueprints in exchange for Golden Bananas and extra time to complete "Hideout Helm". Here, the Kongs must use their individual talents to deactivate the Blast-O-Matic. Notably, they must complete minigame barrels, which resemble 44 gallon drums rather than old-fashioned wooden barrels.

The name Blast-O-Matic is a combination of the words "blast" and "automatic".

Appearances:

  • Donkey Kong 64

Bleak

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Bleak is an abominable snowman residing in "K3" who duels the Kongs in a snowball fight in Donkey Kong Country 3. Though he starts by throwing smaller snowballs at players, he later resorts to launching cannon ball-sized snowballs out of his hat. He can be defeated by hitting the glowing target on his scarf six times.

Appearances:

  • Donkey Kong Country 3
  • Donkey Kong Land 3

Bluey the Walrus

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Bluey is a blue walrus who lives in "Snowflake Mountain" on Timber's Island. Bluey is not actually villainous, but when Wizpig lands on Timber's Island, Bluey is one of the four creatures who are placed under Wizpig's magic spell and forced to guard Wizpig's lair. The player must defeat Bluey in a race twice in order to progress and get a part of the Wizpig Amulet, the upper-right part.

Bluey's race is, like Tricky's, a start to finish track. It consists of a beginning stretch, followed by a cave, followed by a large area of small hills. Then it is a large straightaway with snowballs. Then there is another cave, then there is a downhill race to the finish.

Appearances:

  • Diddy Kong Racing
  • Diddy Kong Racing DS

Bubbler the Octopus

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Bubbler is a red octopus who lives in "Sherbet Island" on Timber's Island. Bubbler is not actually villainous, but when Wizpig lands on Timber's Island, Bubbler is one of the four creatures who are placed under Wizpig's magic spell and forced to guard Wizpig's lair. The player must defeat Bubbler in a race twice in order to progress and get a part of the Wizpig Amulet, the lower-left part.

Bubbler's level is simple three-lap course, consisting of water and small stretches of land and islands. It has a large cave halfway-through, that leads to an island and a large log, the latter of which leads to the final stretch. In the first match, Bubbler drops naval mines, and in the rematch Bubbler drops bubbles.

Bubbler is the only character in the entire game that does not appear in the ending cinematic (with the exception of the Yellow Dinosaur from the intro which doesn't appear at any point in the actual game, either).

Appearances:

  • Diddy Kong Racing
  • Diddy Kong Racing DS

Chopperbird

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The Chopperbird is a creature similar to the Helibirds in the game Donkey Kong: Jungle Beat. He only appears in one level "Chopperbird Race". In this level, Donkey Kong must use the various Helibirds stationed through-out the level to beat the Chopperbird in a race. Donkey Kong does not have to beat him, but if he does, he gets three-hundred Bananas.

Appearances:

  • Donkey Kong Jungle Beat

Congazuma

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Congazuma is a giant stone Kremling statue and a boss in the game DK-King of Swing. Congazuma attacks Donkey Kong by trying to ram him, Donkey has to bash into Congazuma repeatedly in order to defeat it.

Appearances:

  • DK: King of Swing

Davy Bones

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Davy Bones is a large skeletal eel and the boss of Aqua World in DK-King of Swing. In order to harm Davy, Donkey Kong has to grab a glowing red orb at the end of his tail and swing Davy into some nearby spikes several times. The name Davy Bones is an obvious spoof of Davy Jones, the level Davy Bones is fought in is even called "Davy Bone's Locker".

Appearances:

  • DK: King of Swing

Dogadon

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File:Dogadon Screenshot.jpg
Dogadon

Dogadon is a large dragonfly (in this case literally a dragon with insect-like wings) that works for K. Rool. He is the boss of both "Angry Aztec" and "Fungi Forest" in Donkey Kong 64. His main attack is blasting fireballs from his mouth. In the rematch in "Fungi Forest", he has more attacks. He can jump to create a shockwave and make the stage sink into lava. He also has an attack in which he breathes an almost unavoidable wall of fire that goes toward the Kongs. After this, he tells K. Rool of his defeats and goes to lie down. He is fought by Diddy and then Chunky.

Appearances:

  • Donkey Kong 64

Dumb Drum

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Dumb Drum is a large oil drum found in Donkey Kong Country as the boss of "Kremcroc Industries". It tries to flatten the players several times before dropping a pair of enemies into the area. In the SNES and Game Boy Color versions, defeating the enemies was all it took to beat Dumb Drum. In the Game Boy Advance version, defeating the enemies makes a TNT barrel appear, which has to be thrown at Dumb Drum to defeat it. In order, Dumb Drum releases Kritters first, then Slippas, Klaptraps, Klumps, and finally Armies.

On an interesting note, in the SNES version, Dumb Drum sometimes makes different noises when it hits the ground.

Appearances:

  • Donkey Kong Country

Fire Necky

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A large flame engulfed Necky, the boss of Wild West World in DK-King of Swing. Fire Necky attacks Donkey Kong by spewing flaming rocks at him. To harm Fire Necky, Donkey had to grab these rocks when they cooled down and hurl them back at the flaming bird. Fire Necky can also harm Donkey by simply touching him.

Appearances:

  • DK: King of Swing

Giant Spider

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The Giant Spider is a giant one-eyed spider mini-boss that trys to eat Tiny Kong in Fungi Forest in Donkey Kong 64. It attacks by sending out its offspring to chase Tiny and by shooting webbing that causes the game's controls to reverse temporarily. Tiny damages it by hitting it in its open eye with her feather bow. Afterwards it falls and shrinks, then is defeated by Tiny.

Appearances:

  • Donkey Kong 64

Iguanagon

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Iguanagon is a large lizard enemy that appears in the game Donkey Kong Jungle Beat. Its name may be a reference either to the iguana or the Iguanodon.

It first appears in Silver Snow Peak. It chases Donkey Kong and Hoofer up a hill, while a snowball (that is rolling up the hill very slowly) blocks their way. The only way to get up the hill is to stay between Iguanagon and the snowball, while attacking the snowball with the sonic attack. Eventually the snowball is destroyed, and Donkey Kong reaches the top of the hill. Iguanagon cannot chase him as well over flat ground, and soon gives up the chase.

Iguanagon later gets its own level, "Iguanagon's Realm", where Donkey Kong (riding Hoofer once again) actually has to fight it. Hoofer runs into a cave, where Iguanagon will be seen crawling quickly along the ceiling. Donkey Kong chases Iguanagon this time. The only way to hurt him is to throw a Pineapple at him. Every once in a while, Iguanagon disappears into a hole in the top of the cave, and hundreds of birds come out and throw exploding balls at the hero. After a while, Iguanagon returns. If Donkey Kong does enough damage Iguanagon's body starts smoking. After a lot of damage it explodes, leaving only Iguanagon's head, which promptly falls to the ground and explodes as well.

Appearances:

  • Donkey Kong Jungle Beat

Hard Hat

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Hard Hat is a mole found in Donkey Kong Land as the boss of World 3. He attacks by throwing his Hard Hat at the players. The fight with Hard Hat is similar to a game of Whack-a-Mole as he emerges from one of three holes and the player must whack him with a jump on the head before he retreats. Hard Hat disappears after several successful hits.

Appearances:

  • Donkey Kong Land

KAOS

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KAOS is a mechanical boss containing DK and Diddy and controlled by Baron K. Roolenstein. A giant robot, his attacks include spring-loaded boxing gloves, chainsaw blades, and missiles. Players meet KAOS first in "Mekanos", and again in "KAOS Kore".

The Donkey Kong Country 3 instruction manual states that KAOS ousted K. Rool as the leader of the Kremling Krew. However, since K. Rool was controlling KAOS from the beginning, K. Rool was the de facto leader.

When KAOS's helmet is removed his robotic face, which resembles Arnold Schwarzenegger, rises. In his second battle the head launches up to reveal his mortar-shaped skull, which has very comical looking eyes.

Appearances:

  • Donkey Kong Country 3
  • Donkey Kong Land 3

King Zing

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King Zing is an overgrown Zinger who is the boss of "Krazy Kremland". At the end of the level before the boss stage ("Rambi Rumble"), he is chasing and trying to get you. His attacks include flying around and shooting spikes when provoked. As Squawks the Parrot the player must spit eggs at his stinger to damage him. After several hits, King Zing shrinks into a small red Zinger, surrounded by four yellow ones (which regenerate if they aren't defeated quickly). When all four are gone, King Zing can be damaged; three hits and he'll bite it. It is possible that he could be Queen B.'s male partner.

Appearances:

  • Donkey Kong Country 2
  • Donkey Kong Land 2

Kleever

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Kleever is a large scimitar. At first, Kleever appears to be a small lava sprite holding a large sword. After 3 cannonballs are thrown at the sword, however, the sprite is destroyed, and it is revealed that Kleever is the sword itself. Kleever's attacks include slashing to shoot a fireball, slicing the air repeatedly, and thrusting forward.

In the Game Boy Advance remake of Donkey Kong Country 2, the boss of "K. Rool's Keep", Kerozene sometimes attacks the Kongs with swords that resemble Kleever.

Appearances:

  • Donkey Kong Country 2
  • Donkey Kong Land 2

Kroctopus

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A bizarre monster, and the boss of "Razor Ridge" in the Game Boy Advance version of Donkey Kong Country 3. Kroctopus is a new boss, just as Kerozene was the boss of "K. Rool's Keep" in the GBA version of Donkey Kong Country 2. It is a huge, green, octopus-like beast with three, long tentacles on its body, tipped with what appear to be crab claws. In the boss battle, Kroctopus starts by showing off its tentacles by grabbing at the rock ledges the kong are standing on, then it follows the kong with its tentacles, trying to grab you. On top of that, bombs fall from above. You must trick Kroctopus into grabbing the bombs instead of you to injure it. It takes 6 hits to beat Kroctopus. It is still unknown what Kroctopus is. It does not resemble a normal octopus, or even the enemy from the original Donkey Kong Country, Croctopus.

Appearances:

Krow

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Krow is a large Necky and the boss of "Gangplank Galleon". Its main attack is throwing eggs at Diddy and Dixie. They must grab the eggs and throw them at Krow. After it's defeated here, Krow dies.

However, it returns in "Gloomy Gulch" as a ghost. Now called Kreepy Krow, it attacks the Kongs with eggs and Necky ghosts. Diddy and Dixie must chase Kreepy Krow by climbing a series of ropes, then attacking it with wooden barrels. Once defeated, its spirit explodes. It is presumed to be gone for good, as it has not reappeared except in remakes of Donkey Kong Country 2.

Although never specified, it can be assumed that Krow is female since it lives in a nest and attacks with eggs, probably laid by itself.

The level where Krow first battles is named Krow's Nest, being literally the crow's nest of Kaptain K. Rool's ship, Gangplank Galleon.

Appearances:

  • Donkey Kong Country 2
  • Donkey Kong Land 2

Mad Jack

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Mad Jack is a large Jack-in-the-box style toy and the boss of "Frantic Factory" in Donkey Kong 64, apparently a rejected product made in the factory. He mainly jumps from platform to platform, trying to crush Tiny Kong. He can also shoot fireballs from his hands, shoot lasers from his mechanical eye, and become invisible. After his defeat, he falls from the platform he is on, and smashes to pieces on the ground below, leaving a Boss Key that helps the Kongs to free K. Lumsy. The sounds that Mad Jack makes are similar to Donald Duck's quacking.

Appearances:

  • Donkey Kong 64

Master Necky

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Master Neckies are large Neckies, that protrude their heads from the left or right of the game screen. Master Necky is the world boss of "Monkey Mines", while its elder, Master Necky Sr. is the boss of "Chimp Caverns". Their main attack is spitting large coconuts at the Kongs and then reappearing on the other side of the screen. The only difference between the Master Neckies, besides colouration, is that the elder will spit consecutive coconuts, making it more difficult to defeat. Both bosses can be defeated by using a tire spring to jump on their heads.

Appearances:

  • Donkey Kong Country

Mega AMP

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The Mega AMP is a towering robot resembling a Kremling that appears as the third and fifth boss of DK Jungle Climber, on Ghost Island and the King Kruizer IV. In order to hurt the Mega AMP, two (three in the second battle) red buttons on its body would need to be uncovered and smashed by Donkey Kong, while avoiding the robot's machine gun fire, drill arm and dropped bombs and spiked balls. After these buttons are destroyed, the pilot of the Mega AMP, a mutated and superpowered Kritter, will leave the cockpit of it and begin throwing objects; once this Kritter is hit by an attack, the Mega AMP will cease attacking and deactivate and the Kritter will be defeated, reliquishing the Crystal Banana that gave it its powers.

Appearances:

  • DK Jungle Climber

Puftoss

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Puftoss is a giant Puftup that serves as the boss of the "Gloomy Galleon" in Donkey Kong 64. Puftoss sits in the middle of a pool of water and attacks Lanky Kong using shockwaves, fireballs and exploding Puftups. Puftoss is of note for being the only boss in the game who is not fought on foot. Instead, Lanky must steer a motorboat through star-shaped gates within a time limit. Once this has been completed, Puftoss receives an electric shock. When Puftoss is defeated, he flies around and deflates in the manner of a balloon when the air is let out of it, a fate similar to that of Mr. Patch, a boss from Banjo-Tooie.

Appearances:

  • Donkey Kong 64

Queen B.

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Queen B. is a large female Zinger found in Donkey Kong Country as the boss of "Vine Valley" and is the only boss in the game who is known to be female. In the SNES and Game Boy Color versions, she only circles around the area and dive bombs when angered. In the Game Boy Advance version, she is protected by smaller Zingers, which must be destroyed before she can be damaged again. The player must hit her with five barrels to win. Queen B.'s male partner could possibly be King Zing in Donkey Kong Country 2

Appearances:

  • Donkey Kong Country

Screech

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An evil black parrot (species mistaken as a Golden Eagle by fans) found in the level "Screech's Sprint" near K. Rool's Flying Krock high in the sky in Donkey Kong Country 2. Screech is the last obstacle between the Kongs and Kaptain K. Rool, if the Kongs and Squawks the Parrot approached Screech he would challenge him to a race through the bramble maze. If the Kongs won, Screech would let them pass unhindered, if they lost they would have to re-challenge him, which results in losing a life.

Appearances:

Sassy Squatch

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A giant (taking up half the screen, with only its arms, head, and upper torso visible) Sasquatch-like ice monster that lived in an ice cave in the 4th world (Ice World) in DK-King of Swing. Sassy Squatch breaks through the floor when Donkey Kong enters its lair and chases D.K. up a series of pegs. When Donkey Kong cannot go any further, Sassy begins to taunt D.K. by roaring at him. D.K. throws bombs into Sassy's mouth, causing it to breath ice at D.K., bridging the gap up to the next series of pegs. In this manner, D.K. eventually beats Squatch, who has not been heard of since.

Appearances:

  • DK: King of Swing

Smokey the Dragon

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Smokey is a red, yellow, and orange dragon who lives in "Dragon Forest" on Timber's Island. Smokey himself is not actually villainous, but when Wizpig lands on Timber's Island, Smokey is one of the four creatures who are placed under Wizpig's magic spell and forced to guard Wizpig's lair. The player must defeat him in a race twice in order to progress and get a part of the Wizpig Amulet, the lower-right part.

Smokey's level is a three-lap course. The course includes many large, perilous caves. It also has a windmill and many curves. During the races, Smokey drops fireballs. In the rematch, Smokey drops many more fireballs than during the first match.

Appearances:

  • Diddy Kong Racing
  • Diddy Kong Racing DS

Squirt

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Squirt is presumably a type of large rock dwelling slug, located in the "Cotton-Top Cove" region of the Northern Kremisphere. Squirt shoots a continuous stream of water out of its mouth and tries to knock the player of off the cliff. Ellie the Elephant is the only one who can defeat Squirt, by irritating its eyes with splashes of water. In the Game Boy Advance remake, its new attack is when it shoots two streams of water, and another is the speed of the two streams are one fast and one slow.

Appearances:

  • Donkey Kong Country 3

Tricky the Triceratops

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Tricky is a big, red Triceratops who lives in "Dino Domain" on Timber's Island, along with several other, similar dinosaurs. Tricky himself is not actually villainous, but when Wizpig lands on Timber's Island, Tricky is one of four creatures who are placed under Wizpig's spell and forced to guard Wizpig's lair. The player must beat Tricky in a race twice in order to progress and get a part of the Wizpig Amulet, the upper-left part.

Tricky's race is a straight-forward run from the start to the finish of a track. It consists of a mountain with a track that spirals up the side, with falling boulders as obstacles. Tricky himself does not attack the player character, although if the said character drives into Tricky, he or she will be trampled underfoot.

Tricky the Triceratops bears a striking resemblance to Tricky EarthWalker from Star Fox Adventures (which was originally planned as a Rare original called "Dinosaur Planet"), however the two Trickys seem to be separate characters in separate universes. An older version of the Tricky from Star Fox Adventures later appears in Star Fox Assault, as the ruler of the Dinosaur Planet (now called Sauria). While the Diddy Kong Racing character is definitely a triceratops, Tricky EarthWalker bears more of a resemblance to a styracosaurus.

Appearances:

  • Diddy Kong Racing/DS (As Tricky the Triceratops)
  • Star Fox Adventures and Star Fox Assault (As Tricky EarthWalker)

Very Gnawty

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Very Gnawty is a giant Gnawty. Very Gnawty has only one attack; jumping. He is the boss of the "Kongo Jungle" level from Donkey Kong Country. A similar enemy named Really Gnawty is the boss of the "Gorilla Glacier" level, also in Donkey Kong Country. The differences between the two, besides colouration, is Really Gnawty's small jumps become much faster and he will perform a high jump every time he's hit; the speed and number of high jumps increases with each consecutive hit. In the Game Boy Advance version, Really Gnawty also slams the ground which causes stalactite to fall from the ceiling.

Appearances:

  • Donkey Kong Country

Wizpig

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Wizpig is the sole true antagonist and end boss of Diddy Kong Racing. Wizpig's name is a portmanteau word combining 'wizard' and 'pig'. Resembling nothing so much as a giant anthropomorphic pig, Wizpig is a spiteful space alien who hails from the planet "Future Fun Land". Unlike most fictional villains, Wizpig's goals are not power or riches. Instead, he is a bully who travels from planet to planet, causing destruction wherever he goes, and only leaves when there is nothing left on a planet to entertain him. On his own planet he is the champion racer and the purpose of his havoc from world to world is to challenge the planet's champion(s) so that he may beat them himself. At the time when he lands on Timber's Island, Wizpig has never yet been defeated. He seals off the island's famous race courses, takes control of their inhabitants, and evicts Taj the genie from his mountain, transforming it into his own likeness and setting up home there (he also evicts Pipsy from her home). The island's most experienced racer, Drumstick, challenges Wizpig to a race, but Wizpig turns him into a frog. Although it is said that Wizpig uses magic, he never uses it during the game.

Desperately trying to get rid of Wizpig, Timber sends a letter to Diddy Kong. With the help of various friends, they confront Wizpig and defeat him in a race. Wizpig's lair is actually a track. However, The track's only entrance is blocked off by the Wizpig head. If a player gets the complete Wizpig amulet, the mouth opens up and then the player can fly down the tunnel to face Wizpig. This is the only race track in the game with no balloons, but it is also the only boss fight in the game that has zippers.

After he is defeated, Wizpig turns the lighthouse into a rocket and pilots it to "Future Fun Land". Here, the player must defeat him when he is riding a rocket. After he is defeated once again, Wizpig's rocket malfunctions and he crash lands on an unknown planet, believed to be the moon. It is not revealed what happens to him next; the implication is that he is still alive and plotting his revenge.

Additionally, some ghosts shaped like Wizpig's head appear in the "Haunted Woods" stage. They are in themselves harmless, and are apparently only there for decoration, or perhaps to distract the players. It is unlikely that these are intended to be Wizpig's actual ghosts as he is certainly not dead at the time they first appear.

Wizpig is now an unlockable character in Diddy Kong Racing DS. He is unlockable through finishing Adventure 2 mode completely. He is tied with Taj for the most speed but has poor turning and acceleration.

Appearances:

Kongs

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Kongs are apes and the only close-range bosses. Donkey Kong must dodge their punches, then punch back at them repeatedly in a "Punch Out!!" manner. The four Kong bosses are, in order of appearance:

  • Dread Kong (Banana Kingdom, 1st Kingdom)
  • Karate Kong (Pineapple Kingdom, 6th Kingdom)
  • Ninja Kong (Durian Kingdom, 12th Kingdom)
  • Sumo Kong (Star Fruit Kingdom, 16th Kingdom)

Rocs

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Rocs, based on the mythological Roc, are giant birds guarding an egg. A Roc is defeated when Donkey Kong jumps up to its egg and pounds it. The four Roc bosses are, in order of appearance:

  • Scruff Roc (Orange Kingdom, 2nd Kingdom)
  • Fleet Roc (Lemon Kingdom, 7th Kingdom)
  • Hard Roc (Cherry Kingdom, 9th Kingdom)
  • Thunder Roc (Lychee Kingdom, 14th Kingdom)

Hogs

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Hogs are nimble warthogs that have electrical powers and an affinity with coconuts. The four Hog bosses are, in order of appearance:

  • Rogue-Hog (Watermelon Kingdom, 3rd Kingdom)
  • Mo-Hog (Strawberry Kingdom, 5th Kingdom)
  • Bloat-Hog (Melon Kingdom, 11th Kingdom)
  • Gloat-Hog (Pear Kingdom, 13th Kingdom)

Tusks

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Tusks are giant robotic elephants that stand still like turrets. At first the tusks merely shoot cannon balls at various angles from their trunks, but will later fire lasers (starting at making Grave Tusk angry), flaming cannon balls (starting at making Torch Tusk angry), or even gang up on Donkey Kong with two Tusks at once (the final meet with Double Tusk in the Chili Pepper Kingdom). The four Tuskbosses in order of appearance are:

  • Turret Tusk (Apple Kingdom, 4th Kingdom)
  • Grave Tusk (Grape Kingdom, 8th Kingdom)
  • Torch Tusk (Peach Kingdom, 10th Kingdom)
  • Double Tusk (Chili Pepper Kingdom, 15th Kingdom)

Final bosses

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Cactus King and Ghastly King, both large gorillas, are the final bosses of the game in Kingdoms 17 and 18. Donkey Kong can fight Cactus King once he has twenty-two crests and has beaten the J barrel, while Ghastly King can be fought once 51 crests have been obtained. Cactus King is a weaker version of Ghastly King, the final boss, but the appearance, fighting technique, and attacks of the two are essentially identical.

Kong Fu

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A master of the martial arts, Kong Fu was hired by the Kremling Krew to beat Donkey Kong in the annual "Donkey Kong Challenge". Though Kong Fu managed to win the Mind portion of the competition, he eventually lost to Donkey Kong in the Heart portion; Kong Fu was afraid of the dark and during a solar eclipse, Donkey Kong refused to hit him, showing true virtue, Donkey Kong won the Heart challenge. Kong Fu eventually dropped out of the competition after hearing King K. Rool, Krusha and Klump mocking his fear of the dark by calling him various names.

Appearances:

  • "Kong Fu"

Polly Roger

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Polly is a character and villain in the Donkey Kong Country animated series.

When Polly is first seen in the episode "Booty and the Beast", he is shown as Kaptain Skurvy's pet parrot. After the events of that episode, Polly leaves Skurvy's band of pirates to work for the Lizards. This is never actually shown onscreen, but rather assumed since the next time Polly appears, he is on K. Rool's side.

In his second appearance, "Raiders of the Lost Banana", King K. Rool sends Polly to steal the Crystal Coconut, with Klump reluctantly providing ground support. DK and Diddy Kong chase Polly into the temple of Inka Dinka Doo, eventually taking him down. Furious with Polly's failure, K. Rool fires him (and Klump). After K. Rool has Candy Kong captured because she has possession of the Golden Banana of Inka Dinka Doo (a cursed artifact, which K. Rool doesn't yet realize), Polly, pretending to switch sides reports this to DK, who goes off to rescue Candy. After DK and Diddy return the Golden Banana, though, Polly double-crosses them and brings the Banana to K. Rool, not realizing that the Banana will cause great misfortune to anyone who plans on doing great evil with it.

K. Rool sends Polly to steal the Coconut again in "The Curse of Kongo Bongo". This time, Polly ends up making off with a spell book containing a spell that can cancel a curse that has befallen Kongo Bongo Island in that episode.

In "Speak No Evil, Dude", it is revealed that Polly carries a dangerous and contagious disease known as the Kongo Bongo Gone Wrongo Disease. During the episode, he infects Diddy, who later ends up passing the disease to Krusha and later K. Rool.

Appearances:

  • "Booty and the Beast"
  • "Raiders of the Lost Banana"
  • "The Curse of Kongo Bongo"
  • "Speak No Evil, Dude"

Robot Candy Clone

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A robotic doppelganger of Candy Kong, the Robot Candy Kong was created by King K. Rool to lure Donkey Kong and his friends into traps.

Appearances:

  • "Bad Hair Day"
  • "I Spy With My Hairy Eye"

Other enemies of Donkey Kong

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Stanley the Bugman

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File:BioStanley.jpg
Stanley the Bugman, as he appears in the arcade artwork for Donkey Kong 3

Stanley the Bugman was the protagonist in the arcade, NES, and Game & Watch versions of Nintendo's video game, Donkey Kong 3 and Nintendo's Game & Watch game, Greenhouse. He is evidently a botanist or gardener, or perhaps an exterminator. Not much is known about him, but he is said to be the cousin or friend of Mario. His overalls and shoes bear much resemblance to those of Mario and Luigi. No official games starring Stanley were made after Donkey Kong 3, but he did appear as a trophy in Super Smash Bros. Melee and on a poster in Super Mario Sunshine. He also made a special guest appearance on an episode of the Donkey Kong shorts shown on the Saturday Supercade.

Appearances:

Mario

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Mario is Donkey Kong's original enemy in Donkey Kong, the first game to feature DK. However, in this game, Mario was named "Jumpman" and served as the player character, whilst DK himself was the villain. In Donkey Kong Junior, Mario was the primary antagonist. Armed with a whip, he imprisoned Donkey Kong in a cage. Donkey Kong Jr had to free his father from each stage by finding the key in that level. Mario returned again as DK's enemy in Donkey Kong on Game Boy and again in the Mario vs Donkey Kong games, but for these he served as the protagonist again.

Appearances

  • Donkey Kong (Player character)
  • Donkey Kong Junior
  • Donkey Kong 2
  • Donkey Kong Circus
  • Donkey Kong '94 (Player character)
  • Donkey Kong Country 2 (Cameo)
  • Donkey Kong Land 2 (Cameo)
  • Mario vs Donkey Kong (Player character)
  • Mario vs Donkey Kong 2 (Player character)
  • Also appears in various Super Mario games


Enemies/Manky Kong

Manky Kongs are one of the obstacles in the Donkey Kong Country game series. They are the only apes in the series that work for King K. Rool.

Background

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It is believed that the Manky Kongs were originally jealous of Donkey Kong's huge Banana Hoard and so they took off from DK Isles.[citation needed] It is unknown why they had teamed up with King K. Rool. Manky Kongs throw barrels (sometimes TNT barrels) at both DK and Diddy Kong every time they run into them, similar in fashion to the original Donkey Kong arcade game. Manky detests all Kongs, and attacks them on sight. However, their barrels are very weak and they can be defeated relatively easily.

Strategy

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Diddy can easily defeat Manky with his agile summersaults. He can also be defeated by Rambi the rhino, Winky the Frog, or sometime Enguarde the swordfish (by a GBA gameshark for the GBA version) in some stages. Manky Kongs have relatively limited intelligence and are not too difficult to injure. They are minor enemies, and nothing more than a diversion. To a skilled player, Manky Kongs are harmless.

Kong Family Relations

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It has been pointed out by fans that Manky bears a vague resemblance to Lanky Kong, from Donkey Kong 64, due to his name and color, though this seems unlikely. Such claims are unsupported and have not been confirmed by Rareware or Nintendo. It goes without saying that Manky Kong is no longer on good terms with any of the Kongs on DK Isles, and as such is not important in any plot lines. The manual for the SNES version of Donkey Kong Country describes them as "Kong reject orangutangs."


Species/Animal Friend

In the Donkey Kong Country series of video games, including Donkey Kong Land and Donkey Kong 64, Donkey Kong and his simian friends have a series of animal buddies that can be found throughout levels and then used to assist the player in finding bonuses or defeating the Kremlings and other enemies. Various animal buddies also appear in other games, such as in Donkey Kong Jungle Beat and Donkey Kong Jet. Most of Donkey Kong's animal buddies were created by Rare and are owned by Nintendo.

Role

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Most animal buddies can be ridden when released from a crate, allowing the player to take control of their special powers. Also, when released from a crate, the player will not take damage directly if riding on an animal buddy; instead, the animal buddy will simply run away and, in some cases, can be caught and ridden again (Squawks is the exception to this; if the player is hit while being carried by Squawks, he will drop one Kong, but the player still controls Squawks as long as the other Kong is still present.)

Also, the animal buddies can be transformed into through the use of special barrels in Donkey Kong Country 2 and onwards. The player will transform into whichever animal buddy is pictured on a specific barrel. The player controls the animal buddy directly in these situations and can take hold up to two hit points at once to correspond with the two Kongs. An extra hit point can be earned by hitting a DK barrel as usual when the player only has one.

In Donkey Kong 64, Rambi and Enguarde can only be found in crates, but they are played with in a similar fashion as when they are found in barrels in the Donkey Kong Country games.

Some animal buddies cannot be ridden or directly controlled at all, and instead perform utility functions, such as lighting up dark areas or collecting treasure.

Starting in Donkey Kong Country 2, some areas are off-limits to animal buddies. These will be marked with signs that show the animal's icon in a circle with a slash going through it. However, if the player brings the animal buddy to the sign successfully, a reward will usually appear in compensation (such as a balloon for extra lives or access to bonus areas).

In Donkey Kong Country 3, animal crates are rare, they were phased out in favor of animal barrels. For example, there are no animal crates (Except Parry) between the first level and the 29th level: Pot Hole Panic, which has the only Enguarde crate in the entire game (In the SNES version).

Interestingly, the animal buddies never appeared in the television series based on the games.

In the "Appearances" lists in each of the profiles below, the SNES game title also refers to its Game Boy Advance re-release unless otherwise noted.

Animal buddies

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Rambi the rhinoceros

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File:DK Rambi.jpg
Rambi

Rambi the rhinoceros is one of the most well-known of Donkey Kong's animal buddies, appearing in more games than any other, except for Enguarde and Squawks. While he has not appeared in every Donkey Kong game, he is always the first animal buddy to be found in each game he appears in. He is able to defeat most enemies simply by running into them with his horn protruding from the front of his nose. He can also use his horn to break walls and open up hidden areas. In Donkey Kong Country 2 and all subsequent games, Rambi can charge at very fast speeds which allows him to break down heavier walls. In Donkey Kong 64, he can only be used in the "Jungle Japes" level and a few minigames, and is transformed into by Donkey Kong, with no other character being able to play as him. Rambi was also intended to appear in Rare's now cancelled Donkey Kong Racing.

In Mario Kart DS, one of Donkey Kong's karts resembles Rambi. He also cameos in Donkey Konga, where he and Cranky Kong dance at the bottom of the screen in challenge mode.

Appearances:

Enguarde the swordfish

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File:DK Engaurde.jpg
Enguarde

Enguarde the swordfish has the most non-cameo appearances of any animal buddy, tied with Squawks, and the most playable appearances bar none. Enguarde swims with more precision and speed than that of the Kongs, and can defeat most underwater enemies with his pointed bill on his front. However, being a fish, he is essentially useless on land. In Donkey Kong Country 2 and all subsequent games (except for Donkey Kong Land III), he has a supercharge similar to Rambi's that can also break down certain walls as well as propel him across land if necessary. In Donkey Kong 64, he can only be used in the "Gloomy Galleon" level and a few mini-games, and only Lanky Kong can transform into him. Enguarde is one of three animal buddies the player fights a boss with. In Donkey Kong Country 3 and Donkey Kong Land III, the player uses him in the boss fight with the sea urchin Barbos.

As with Rambi, Enguarde was scheduled to make an appearance in Donkey Kong Racing. Interestingly, early shots portrayed multiple different coloured swordfish.

According to Nintendo Power's Donkey Kong 64 Player's Guide, Enguarde is a French swordfish. This is most likely evidenced by his name (which derives from the phrase, "En garde!"), as he has never had a speaking role.

Appearances:

Expresso the ostrich

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File:DK Expresso.jpg
Expresso

Expresso the ostrich can run at fast speeds, as his name implies, and he can glide by flapping his wings. He wears white sneakers. He is the only animal buddy that can be directly controlled by the player with no offensive abilities whatsoever, but small enemies will pass under his body due to his long, spindly legs. He is the only animal buddy besides Rambi to appear in Donkey Kong Land, but he didn't return in the original version of any subsequent game (possibly because his gliding ability was taken over by Dixie Kong and, later, Tiny Kong.) However, in the Game Boy Advance remake of Donkey Kong Country 2, Expresso is playable in a racing mini-game that rewards extra bonus items for winning. He is one of Cranky Kong's favorite animal buddies, as Cranky states in his commentary in the instruction manuals. An ostrich that looked like Expresso appeared in Jinxy's Dunes in Banjo-Pilot; this may be a leftover from the game's former being, Diddy Kong Pilot, that was not removed when the game was remodeled with Banjo characters.

Appearances:

Winky the frog

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File:DK Winky.jpg
Winky

Winky the frog has the ability to jump very high, and can defeat most enemies by jumping on them, including some that none of the Kongs can damage when jumping. Winky has the smallest number of major appearances of all controllable animal buddies, as he only appears in the original Donkey Kong Country. However, Rattly in Donkey Kong Country 2 has extremely similar abilities and a slightly similar physical appearance; therefore, he is often considered to be Winky's replacement. Like Expresso, he is one of Cranky Kong's favorite animal buddies; in fact, he can be seen in Cranky's Monkey Museum in Donkey Kong Country 2.

Appearances:

Squawks the parrot

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File:DK Squawks.jpg
Squawks

Squawks the parrot has the most non-cameo appearances of any animal buddy, tied with Enguarde. He is the only animal buddy to possess multiple different powers. In Donkey Kong Country, he was not directly controllable. He only appeared in one level, Torchlight Trouble in Gorilla Glacier, where he would carry a lantern around and follow the player through the nearly pitch-black stage.

In Donkey Kong Country 2 and Donkey Kong Country 3, and their Game Boy counterparts, he was directly controllable. Much larger than before, he could fly (either carrying the Kongs or alone) and spit eggs at the enemies. Thus, Squawks plays almost identically whether released from a crate or transformed into via a barrel in these games, though the presence of the Kongs makes him a bigger target for enemies, and can weigh him down.

Also, Donkey Kong Country 2 contained a blue parrot similar to Squawks that could only float downward slowly, while Donkey Kong Country 3 featured a purple parrot that could fly normally and pick up barrels, but could not spit eggs. These are two separate parrots with two separate color schemes. The two parrots are often confused for each other; one or both is often called "Squeaks" or "Flapper" on various fansites, but the only official name given to them are "Squawks' Cousins". Squawks and his purple cousin, given the name "Quawks", appear in Donkey Kong Barrel Blast.

In Donkey Kong 64, Squawks was returned to his original size, and he served as the player's guide throughout the game, but in certain areas, he reprised his roles from previous games; he could carry Tiny Kong if she shrunk herself, and he would carry a lantern in some dark caves. In the same game, purple parrots (in addition to green ones) are also seen during cinematic sequences, but they're essentially background characters.

Squawks is also the first animal buddy to fight against his own boss: King Zing, in Donkey Kong Country 2. (Rambi is actually the first to encounter King Zing, but only Squawks can fight him.)

Appearances:

Squitter the spider

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File:Squitter.jpg
Squitter

Squitter the spider has the ability to spin webs. Some webs (executed by pressing the Y Button) can be used as projectiles to defeat enemies, while others (executed by pressing the A, L, or R Buttons) can be used as temporary platforms (in Donkey Kong Land 2 to make a platform you must shoot a web by pressing B and then press select while the web is still on the screen). The manuals for the games constantly refer to how "cool" he is. Like Expresso, he wears orange sneakers, one on each of his eight legs. In addition to that, he would also get hurt by jumping on top of enemies. He usually appears in fire-themed levels, like the first lava level in Donkey Kong Country 2 and the factory levels in Donkey Kong Country 3.

Appearances:

Rattly the rattlesnake

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File:Rattly.jpg
Rattly

Rattly the rattlesnake is coiled up like a spring, allowing him to jump very high. He plays very similarly to Winky, but he has a superjump similar in nature to Rambi and Enguarde's supercharges. He is the first animal buddy to appear in a barrel (allowing the player to control him without the presence of the Kongs) instead of a crate.

Appearances:

Clapper the seal

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File:Clapper.jpg
Clapper

Clapper the seal is an unplayable animal buddy who can cool down water when he is touched. He only appears in two levels per game; in "Lava Lagoon," he cools down the boiling-hot water so that the Kongs can safely swim in it, while in "Clapper's Cavern," he turns ordinary water into ice so that the Lockjaw monster in the water cannot reach them.

Appearances:

Glimmer the anglerfish

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Glimmer the anglerfish is another unplayable animal buddy who can light up the dark level known as "Glimmer's Galleon"; in fact, he appears in no other levels, making him extremely similar to Squawks's single appearance in the first Donkey Kong Country. Glimmer appears on the box art for Donkey Kong Land 2, but he never appears in that game. Also, an anglerfish similar in appearance to Glimmer can be briefly seen in the trailer for the now cancelled game Donkey Kong Racing.

Appearances:

Ellie the elephant

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Ellie the elephant appears to be Rambi's replacement in Donkey Kong Country 3, as they both are similar looking animals, and Ellie appears in the first level of her game as Rambi previously did. However, she plays differently. She can carry barrels (even pulling them in from a distance) and collect water in her trunk (allowing her to shoot it at the enemies), but, in classic cartoon form, she is extremely afraid of Sneek and will run any time she sees him. One particular level ("Stampede Sprint," in the secret world Krematoa) even centers around Ellie running uncontrollably after coming upon a trio of Sneek. Ellie is one of three animal buddies to fight a boss. She fights the waterfall monster Squirt in the area "Cotton Top Cove". She is also one of the only female animal buddies.

In Donkey Kong Land III, she plays differently than she does in Donkey Kong Country 3. First, she has an unlimited water supply, and she can spray water in any level she appears in. Second, she does not run from mice at all. Lastly, she cannot drag barrels in her trunk like in Donkey Kong Country 3.

In Donkey Konga, she appears at the bottom of the screen in Street Performance mode, dancing to the beat of the music played with Diddy Kong.

Appearances:

Parry the parallel bird

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File:Parry.JPG
Parry

Parry the "parallel bird" is an unplayable animal buddy who flies directly above the player's head at a specific distance (hence, he is moving parallel to the player.) He can collect treasures out of the player's normal reach, and the player usually receives significantly high rewards if Parry reaches the "No parallel birds" sign. However, he can be knocked out in a single hit from any enemy except Booty Birds. He is the only unplayable animal buddy to appear in more than two levels.

Appearances:

Hoofer the wildebeest

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File:DK Hoofer.jpg
Hoofer

Hoofer is a wildebeest that lives in snow regions. He was featured in Donkey Kong Jungle Beat to use as Rambi's replacement. Like Rambi, he has the ability to ram into objects and moves at high speeds. When obtaining the fruit items at the end of stages, Hoofer can perform a huge jump which earns players a certain number of beats depending on the distance travelled. Hoofer is known as Mooshin in the British manual.

Appearances:

Orco the killer whale

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File:DK Orco.jpg
Orco

Orco is a killer whale found only at the beach of Pristine Sea in Donkey Kong Jungle Beat. Her abilities are similar to that of Enguarde the Swordfish, because she can ram into things, which uncovers hidden areas that Donkey Kong alone cannot reach. Orco also has the ability to jump very high out of the water in order to reach airborne beats, and to find the exit.

It is probably safe to assume that Orco is female, since it has babies, but this is not confirmed. She is known as Shachee in the British manual.

Appearances:

Flurl the squirrel

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Flurl

Flurl is a flying squirrel used in the same manner as a parachute in Donkey Kong Jungle Beat. Flurl is always found sleeping in trees, and the player is able to wake him up and use him to glide, floating across an area collecting beats in the air. He is known as Ressar in the British manual.

Appearances:

Helibirds

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Helibirds are a type of bird that hover upwards in a similar manner as a helicopter. Helibirds can carry characters with their feet, flying into the air to collect beats and get to higher areas. There are multiple helibirds appearing in a variety of colors: blue (the main color), green, orange, purple, pink, and black. All of them are playable, with the exception of the black helibird, which one of the monkeys uses in "Helibird Dash". A similar creature known as a Chopperbird appears in one level, and in "Ninjape Rally", the Ninjapes each have their own miniature helibird.

Appearances:

Glower the tadpole

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In the dark interior areas of the "Gloomy Galleon" stage in Donkey Kong 64, players can find a tadpole (or possibly a small fish) with a flashlight on its head that will follow the Kongs or Enguarde, fulfilling the same role as Squawks and Glimmer in previous games. This buddy is not found in a crate and can not be ridden.

This character is frequently called "Glower the Tadpole" on various fansites, but an official source for the name has not yet been given.

Appearances:

Almost animal buddies

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Nibbla the fish

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Though he is seen as an enemy under normal circumstances, he appears in the level "Fish Food Frenzy" as a friend to the Kongs — so long as the player keeps him well fed. If the player continually feeds him Kocos, he will remain blue, smiling contently as he follows the Kongs throughout the level. However, if the player feeds Nibbla one of the many spiny-shelled Lurchins scattered throughout the level, or simply fails to feed him enough, his mood will gradually worsen until he finally satisfies his hunger by attacking a Kong. Nibbla's status as an animal buddy is debatable, as its feeding requirements acts much like an obstacle and inconvenience. However, for his help in clearing enemies from the level, he may be considered "partly" an animal friend. Also of note, there is a "No Nibbla" sign at the end of "Fish Food Frenzy", but no reward is given when bringing Nibbla past it.

Appearances:

Yoshi the dinosaur

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Though not technically an animal buddy, Baby Donkey Kong is able to ride on Yoshi in the game Yoshi's Island DS. Yoshi is capable of slurping enemies up with his tongue and turning them into eggs, which he can throw.

Appearances:

Giraffe

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One of the original animal buddies in Donkey Kong Country was supposed to be a giraffe and Donkey Kong would climb up his neck to reach higher places. However, he was replaced by Winky the Frog who could easily jump to high places whenever it was needed.


Species/Noki

Nokis are a species that were introduced in Super Mario Sunshine. They have a shell that covers their entire bodies, sort of like that of a hermit crab's, except for their heads, arms, and legs. Nokis exist on Isle Delfino with the [[../../Pianta|Pianta]]s. Nokis mostly live near water. The Noki primarily appear in Noki Bay, but are also found in Sirena Beach, the Pinna Park, and Gelato Beach. Like Piantas, Noki come in a wide variety of colors. The girls sometimes wear headbands and have higher-pitched voices than the males.

Unlike the Piantas, the Nokis do not mention or seem to be aware of Shadow Mario. When a Noki's shell is jumped on or if they are squirted with water, they withdraw into their shell. They can also withdraw into their shells for extra defense.

In one mission of Noki Bay, a Noki Bay elder shrunk Mario into a jar so that he can collect eight Red Coins.

Nokis have also appeared as audience members in Mario Kart: Double Dash!! and Mario Power Tennis.

In Mario Superstar Baseball, besides being audience members, some of the female Nokis are playable characters. When playing as Noki, the player can choose between three color schemes.


Species/Pianta

Piantas are a species that live with the [[../../Species/Noki|Noki]]s on [[../../Locations/Isle Delfino|Isle Delfino]] in Super Mario Sunshine.

Piantas come in male and female forms and a variety of bright colors. They wear leaf skirts (regardless of their gender) and have little palm trees on their heads instead of hair (to protect them from the sun). Their ancestral home on Isle Delfino is Pianta Village, but they have spread to almost every area of the island. In Delfino Plaza, there's a Grand Pianta Statue in the middle of the city.

Appearances

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During the events of Super Mario Sunshine, the Piantas, believing Mario to have been polluting their island and scaring their guardians, the Shine Sprites away, captured him and sentenced him to clean all of Isle Delphino. Throughout Super Mario Sunshine, Mario can encounter various Piantas, some of who are nice, while others quite rude, believing Mario to be nothing more than a criminal. After King Bowser and Bowser Jr. were defeated and Mario's name was cleared, the Piantas exhonerated him of all charges they had against them.

In addition to Super Mario Sunshine, Piantas have appeared in Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door. In that game, there was sort of a "Pianta Syndicate" led by Don Pianta in the city of Rogueport. The Piantas in the game wore suit jackets along with the obligatory skirts and spoke with stereotypical Italian-American accents. In Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, Mario and his partners would need the help of the Pianta Syndicate in order to advance in the game, often needing favors for the mob in order to gain a needed item, such as a blimp or train ticket. The Pianta Syndicate live on the much nicer, west side of Rogueport, seemingly all of which, they own.

Piantas have also appeared as audience members in other games such as Mario Power Tennis, Super Mario Strikers, Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, and Mario Kart DS, but finally made a playable appearance in Mario Superstar Baseball - although only male Piantas are playable (the playable Nokis are female). In this game, they are heavy hitters who utilize a large tree branch as a bat. Recently Piantas have appeared on "Goomba's Booty Boardwalk" in Mario Party 8.


Bosses/Chief Chilly

Chief Chilly is the name of a stage boss in Super Mario 64 DS. He is a giant version of a bully, and similarly, he attacks the player by pushing him off the platform into a fast-moving current of slush. His level, Chief Chilly Challenge, is accessible only as Luigi via in the Mirror Room in Princess Peach's Castle. (The same room houses the entrance to Snowman's Land.) To defeat Chief Chilly, the player must push him off the platform by punching. After three hits, he gives the key to unlock Wario.


Bosses/Eyerok

Eyerok is a large, sentient hand made of sand. It appears as a boss in the video games Super Mario 64 and Super Mario 64 DS.

When Mario (or Yoshi, Luigi or Wario in Super Mario 64 DS) enters the pyramid in the Shifting Sand Land level, he will have to go through a long, hard maze, but if he makes it through, he will slide down a tunnel and enter a room where Eyerok rests. There are actually two Eyeroks, and they resemble large hands made out of stone, except that they have an eye on each of them, serving as their weak spot. They talk slowly, and finish each other's sentences (like Iggy and Lemmy Koopa in the cartoons), and are angered by Mario's intrusion, which causes them to awaken. They can attack together, and can slam their fist or shove Mario off the edge. After they are defeated, they explode, and a Star appears from the stone coffin behind them. They do not appear to die, however - after their defeat, they say that Mario is allowed to be the king of the pyramid for a day. They appear again in Mario Kart DS, where Mario must shoot green shells at their eye to hurt them.

Recurring Mario enemies
Major villains
Bowser | Bowser Jr. | Cackletta | Donkey Kong | Fawful | Kamek | Kammy Koopa | King Boo | Koopalings | Shroob | Smithy Gang | Tatanga | Wario | Wart
Minor villains
Birdo | Chief Chilly | Donkey Kong Jr. | Eyerok | Fryguy | Goomboss | Gooper Blooper | Mouser | Petey Piranha | Raphael Raven | Tryclyde | Valentina | Waluigi
Enemies
Albatoss | Big Bertha | Blooper | Bob-omb | Boo | Bullet Bill | Buzzy Beetle | Cataquack | Cheep-Cheep | Chomp | Dry Bones | Fly Guy | Goomba | Hammer Bro | Koopa Troopa | Lakitu | Magikoopa | Monty Mole | Piranha Plant | Pokey | Shy Guy | Snapjaw | Snifit | Thwomp | Ukiki | Whomp | Wiggler


Bosses/Fryguy

File:Fryguy 1.png
Luigi avoiding Fryguy as he spews out deadly fireballs.
File:Fryguy minis.png
After taking some hits, Fryguy has split into miniature versions of himself.

Fryguy is an enemy character that appears in Super Mario Bros. 2. Fryguy is essentially a giant living fireball that spews smaller fireballs when it is angry. Fryguy only appears once in Super Mario Bros. 2 at the very end of World 4 - which, ironically, consists of ice, snow, and cold seas. According to the original SMB2 game manual, "Wart gave life to this entity which is created from fire. He spits fireballs when he is mad." [4]

Fryguy, along with Mouser, Tryclyde, and Clawgrip, is one of the boss characters that appear at the end of each world in Super Mario Bros. 2. Fryguy lives inside a very tall castle-type fortress, waiting for the arrival of Mario and his friends. Fryguy cannot be touched safely and must be hit three times with a mushroom block; after that, he splits into several miniature versions of himself which also must be destroyed in order to finish him off.

Fryguy appears on the enhanced Super Mario Bros. 2 game in Super Mario Advance. The background of the room in which he is fought looks different, and his sprite is also somewhat modified. When his chamber is entered, Fryguy is created when bubbles rise up to a mask. He says, "I'm too hot to touch!"

Fryguy was also a semi-regular on The Super Mario Bros. Super Show, where he worked for Bowser. He also appeared occasionally in the Nintendo Comics System Mario comic stories, which revealed that there was more than one of him. According to the comics, Fryguys are made by exposing Toads to fire or lava. In one episode, "Duh Stoopid Bomb," one of Bowser's inventions makes a Snifit a genius. The Snifit takes over the fortress and drops Bowser into the Fryguy kindergarten. Additionally, in the Super Mario Bros. movie, the firespitting weaponry used by King Koopa's troops are referred to as "FRY GUY flamethrowers".

Also, in Mario Hoops 3-on-3, Fry Guys (or a very similar lookalike) appear on the Bowser Castle court randomly. They fry the characters and make them run around almost uncontrolably, dropping the ball if they have it.

Recurring Mario enemies
Major villains
Bowser | Bowser Jr. | Cackletta | Donkey Kong | Fawful | Kamek | Kammy Koopa | King Boo | Koopalings | Shroob | Smithy Gang | Tatanga | Wario | Wart
Minor villains
Birdo | Chief Chilly | Donkey Kong Jr. | Eyerok | Fryguy | Goomboss | Gooper Blooper | Mouser | Petey Piranha | Raphael Raven | Tryclyde | Valentina | Waluigi
Enemies
Albatoss | Big Bertha | Blooper | Bob-omb | Boo | Bullet Bill | Buzzy Beetle | Cataquack | Cheep-Cheep | Chomp | Dry Bones | Fly Guy | Goomba | Hammer Bro | Koopa Troopa | Lakitu | Magikoopa | Monty Mole | Piranha Plant | Pokey | Shy Guy | Snapjaw | Snifit | Thwomp | Ukiki | Whomp | Wiggler


Bosses/Goomboss

 
Yoshi encountering Goomboss in Super Mario 64 DS.

Goomboss (aka King Goomba, and Goomba King), whose name is a portmanteau of "Goomba" and "boss", is a stage boss in the video game Super Mario 64 DS, and possibly Paper Mario. As the king of the Goombas, Goomboss is roughly ten times the height of a regular Goomba. Also, he looks like the Goomba King in Paper Mario.

Goomboss holds a particular vengeance on Mario for having stomped on his brethren for years. (Goombas have starred in every major Mario game release since Super Mario Bros.) He locks Mario up, and it is left for Yoshi to defeat him for the key to unlock Mario.

The Goomboss Battle stage, accessible through the portrait of Mario behind the Rec Room, is set in a decaying forest with rising and falling tree stumps surrounded by toxic gas. The edges of the small course are lined with bottomless pits, making it quite difficult for a beginner's level (without unlocking Mario, the player cannot advance to fight Bowser for the first time). The course holds two Power Stars -- a red coin star and a switch star.

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

Goomboss can be defeated by all four characters in the game; however, the player needs to defeat him as Yoshi in order to unlock the remaining ones. Goomboss attacks by generating regular-sized Goombas behind him and trotting rapidly in a circular fashion. Yoshi can create eggs out of Goombas and fling them at the Goomboss, while the other three characters, having no egg-creation ability, must instead punch the Goombas into him. After three hits, the Goomboss finally explodes in a shower of Goombas and provides the key to Mario's room in the character-change area.

On an interesting note, Goomboss' introduction and losing words are unique for each of the four characters. The same applies to the Big Boo and Chief Chilly.

Recurring Mario enemies
Major villains
Bowser | Bowser Jr. | Cackletta | Donkey Kong | Fawful | Kamek | Kammy Koopa | King Boo | Koopalings | Shroob | Smithy Gang | Tatanga | Wario | Wart
Minor villains
Birdo | Chief Chilly | Donkey Kong Jr. | Eyerok | Fryguy | Goomboss | Gooper Blooper | Mouser | Petey Piranha | Raphael Raven | Tryclyde | Valentina | Waluigi
Enemies
Albatoss | Big Bertha | Blooper | Bob-omb | Boo | Bullet Bill | Buzzy Beetle | Cataquack | Cheep-Cheep | Chomp | Dry Bones | Fly Guy | Goomba | Hammer Bro | Koopa Troopa | Lakitu | Magikoopa | Monty Mole | Piranha Plant | Pokey | Shy Guy | Snapjaw | Snifit | Thwomp | Ukiki | Whomp | Wiggler


Bosses/King Boo

File:Kingboo.jpg
The original design for King Boo, as seen in promotional art for Luigi's Mansion.

King Boo (キングテレサ, Kingu Teresa, King Teresa) is an enemy in the Mario series of games, appearing as the boss of Luigi's Mansion and is a minor character in many Mario games. He is member of the ghost-like Boo species and looks like a larger version of the generic Boo (though not as big as Boolossus or Big Boo) with a crown on his head and a slight blueish complexion. King Boo also has a distinctive cackle that is lower in pitch than that of smaller Boos. King Boo is more of a nemesis to Luigi than to Mario.

Abilities

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King Boo has shown a large array of powerful magic from the few games he's starred in, proving he is more powerful than an average Boo. These include:

Mario Party

  • The ability to steal Coins from others telepathically.

Luigi's Mansion

  • Necromancy
  • The ability to create purple fire.
  • The ability to create powerful winds (aka. Big Boo Breath).
  • The ability to become invisible (similar to other Boos).
  • The ability to go through walls (similar to other Boos).
  • Teleportation.
  • The power to create creepy and incredibly detailed mansions out of thin air.
  • It seems he can also communicate with other Boos via telepathy.

Super Mario Sunshine

  • Summon Monsters, as he summons random enemies with a slot machine.
  • Spit out regular Boos and also call them back.
  • Blow bubbles.
  • Summon coins or fruit using a slot machine.

Super Mario 64 DS

  • The ability to breathe blue fire.
  • Can manipulate mirrors, e.g. turn Mario's reflection into Luigi, go into thus mirror and attack Luigi.

Super Princess Peach

  • Can disappear and reappear any time.
  • Can shoot blue fireballs at Peach.
  • Can cry and put out the fires Peach is trying to make to destroy it

Luigi's Mansion

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In Luigi's Mansion, King Boo is the leader of the evil spirits inhabiting the titular mansion and appears as the final boss, whom Luigi must defeat in order to free Mario. When Luigi reaches the mansion's secret altar, where Mario is being imprisoned in a painting, King Boo sucks Luigi into the painting of Mario, which holds a strange dimension, similar in appearance to the roof. King Boo then attacks using either Bowser's body, or a Bowser-esque robotic/magical suit, (which it is has been widely disputed among fans). Luigi must use the Poltergust 3000 ghost-catching vacuum cleaner to suck up spiked mines that the fake Bowser throws and then fire them back at it, knocking off his head and exposing King Boo to attack. King Boo has five-hundred heart points, but the health comes out of him much faster than the normal Boos.

Only in Luigi's Mansion does King Boo appear with a huge ruby for a crown, glowing pink eyes and a blue tongue. He is also roughly the same size as an average Boo. After Luigi defeats him, his crown falls off, and Luigi pries the ruby out. In later appearances, King Boo appears more like a regular Boo, with a red tongue and black eyes. However he is about 4 times the size of a normal Boo and sports a simple gold jeweled crown more like Princess Peach's. It is often thought that the Luigi's Mansion and Super Mario Sunshine versions of King Boo are different characters (implying that the name is merely a title) but this has been proven false since alot of Mario characters have changed throughout the years.

Super Mario Sunshine

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King Boo is a boss of Episode 5 in the Sirena Beach level in Super Mario Sunshine. He lives below the casino of the Sirena Hotel, which, like Luigi's mansion, is plagued by poltergeists. Mario fights King Boo in a sunken room with a spinning roulette wheel as a floor and a large slot machine in its center. During the battle, Mario has to spray King Boo's lolling tongue with water to activate the slot machine, which will either send out monsters, coins, or various fruits when Boo licks it after being sprayed. If the slot machine drops a red pepper, Mario must toss it in King Boo's mouth to set it on fire, then pelt him with more fruit. In this version, King Boo appears almost intoxicated, with blue eyes (or possibly a pair of shades) and a much larger, drooling mouth with a gigantic tongue, and laughs constantly, even when he is hit.

King Boo's appearance in a casino keeps in with an association with gambling. In Luigi's Mansion, each wing of the haunted house is modelled around playing card suits.

Super Mario 64 DS

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King Boo keeps his antagonistic association with Luigi in Super Mario 64 DS. In order to unlock Luigi as a playable character, the player has to enter the area called "Big Boo's Haunt" and stomp the villain by following his movements in the mirrors that line his room.

In this remake of the original Super Mario 64, King Boo appears in stages previously inhabited by Big Boo, a different, crown-less character that appeared as the boss of the Boos in Super Mario World and Super Mario 64. The character is still called "Big Boo" in-game text, but it has King Boo's trademark crown and cackle. Later appearances would feature what is clearly the same character, but under the name "King Boo." This association has led some fans to wonder if the Big Boo and King Boo are the same character or if perhaps the Big Boo is a sort of prototype for King Boo. If so, this would mean that King Boo's first appearance was in either Super Mario World or Super Mario 64, even though both games use the older name. It's also possible that "King Big Boo" is his true name, though this is unconfirmed as of yet.

Other games

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  • In Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, King Boo is an unlockable heavyweight character (which is strange, because he is a floating ghost and therefore should be weightless, but his size may make up for it). His default partner is Petey Piranha. Unlike all other Double Dash!! characters, King Boo and Petey can pick up any special item from item boxes. The pair has no special item of their own. King Boo drives the Boo Pipes; although a heavy kart, it has the quick acceleration and low top speed of a light vehicle. A lack of hind limbs does not apparently prevent King Boo from reaching the accelerator pedal.
  • King Boo also appears alongside many other minor Mario characters as a teammate in Mario Superstar Baseball. He is mainly a power hitter. His bat is a staff with a crown on it.
  • The current King Boo reappears alongside other Super Mario 64 DS bosses, as a Mission Mode boss in Mario Kart DS, where Peach must face him.
  • He is the boss of World 3 of Super Princess Peach. In this game, he seems to be harmed by light, though this fact about him has never been mentioned before and is contradicted by his appearances in several other games.
  • He will have his own board in Mario Party 8.
Recurring Mario enemies
Major villains
Bowser | Bowser Jr. | Cackletta | Donkey Kong | Fawful | Kamek | Kammy Koopa | King Boo | Koopalings | Shroob | Smithy Gang | Tatanga | Wario | Wart
Minor villains
Birdo | Chief Chilly | Donkey Kong Jr. | Eyerok | Fryguy | Goomboss | Gooper Blooper | Mouser | Petey Piranha | Raphael Raven | Tryclyde | Valentina | Waluigi
Enemies
Albatoss | Big Bertha | Blooper | Bob-omb | Boo | Bullet Bill | Buzzy Beetle | Cataquack | Cheep-Cheep | Chomp | Dry Bones | Fly Guy | Goomba | Hammer Bro | Koopa Troopa | Lakitu | Magikoopa | Monty Mole | Piranha Plant | Pokey | Shy Guy | Snapjaw | Snifit | Thwomp | Ukiki | Whomp | Wiggler


Bosses/Mouser

File:MouserWorkingForBowser.jpg
Mouser in The Super Mario Bros. Super Show

Mouser is a mouse villain featured in the Super Mario games. He is a minion of Wart and was featured as a sub-boss in Super Mario Bros. 2. His strategy is throwing bombs at his opponents. However, he never seems to do anything about the fact that they can throw the bombs back at him.

Since Super Mario Bros. 2 started out as Yume Kōjō: Doki Doki Panic, Mouser actually made his first appearance there. However, he has not become a major recurring character in the Mario games like Birdo, Shy Guys or Bob-ombs.

Mouser was confronted no more than three times in Yume Kōjō: Doki Doki Panic. The heroes of the game fought him in Worlds 1-3, 3-3, and 5-3. In the second confrontation, Mouser's ears were green instead of pink, and the player had to also deal with a fast-moving Spark circling the perimeter of the chamber where they took on Mouser. In the third confrontation, Mouser was albino-colored and had spikes on the floor of his room. And this time, it took six hits to defeat him - the same number of hits as Wart took to defeat.

Perhaps due to his difficulty and for variety purposes, when Yume Kōjō: Doki Doki Panic became Super Mario Bros. 2, the third confrontation with Mouser was replaced with a battle with Clawgrip. When the game was rereleased Super Mario Advance for the Game Boy Advance in 2001, the addition of Robirdo as the boss of World 3 moved the second battle with Mouser to World 6-3, replacing the second battle with Tryclyde.

File:Mouser-nes-snes.png
Mouser throws bombs at all who come near.

Although Mouser was not featured in another Mario game for many years, he has played a big part in the game's marketing. He was a semi-regular on The Super Mario Bros. Super Show, which cast him as Bowser's right-hand minion. John Stocker provided the voice for Mouser, who spoke with a German accent in the series.

Mouser also occasionally appeared in the Super Mario Bros. comic books, which provided a backstory for him. According to the story "A Mouser in the Houser", Mouser was the king of a peaceful race of mice (all of whom looked just like him) living in the tunnels of the Mushroom Kingdom. But he was corrupted by Bowser, and as a result, his now-leaderless subjects now steal vegetables for food. Interestingly, Mouser himself was not as much of a major character in the comics as he was in the cartoon.

Recurring Mario enemies
Major villains
Bowser | Bowser Jr. | Cackletta | Donkey Kong | Fawful | Kamek | Kammy Koopa | King Boo | Koopalings | Shroob | Smithy Gang | Tatanga | Wario | Wart
Minor villains
Birdo | Chief Chilly | Donkey Kong Jr. | Eyerok | Fryguy | Goomboss | Gooper Blooper | Mouser | Petey Piranha | Raphael Raven | Tryclyde | Valentina | Waluigi
Enemies
Albatoss | Big Bertha | Blooper | Bob-omb | Boo | Bullet Bill | Buzzy Beetle | Cataquack | Cheep-Cheep | Chomp | Dry Bones | Fly Guy | Goomba | Hammer Bro | Koopa Troopa | Lakitu | Magikoopa | Monty Mole | Piranha Plant | Pokey | Shy Guy | Snapjaw | Snifit | Thwomp | Ukiki | Whomp | Wiggler


Bosses/Petey Piranha

Petey Piranha (ボスパックン, Bosu Pakkun, Boss Packun) is a fictional character in the Mario series, first appearing as the primary boss of Bianco Hills in Super Mario Sunshine. He has appeared as a boss in later games as well such as in Super Princess Peach, Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time, and New Super Mario Bros., but also as a playable character in spin-off Mario games like Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour, Mario Kart: Double Dash!! and Mario Superstar Baseball. A drastically different Petey is found as a boss in Mario Pinball Land.

Name Origins and Piranha Hierarchy Status

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In Japan, Petey Piranha is known as Boss Packun. This brings to the question Petey's status in the Piranha Plant hierarchy. Although Petey has powers beyond that of a regular Piranha Plant, similar to King Boo, he doesn't seem to have any powers over them. Unlike Boos, who specialize more in trickery and magic, Petey and the other Piranha Plants rely almost entirely on their physical abilities and their fireball-spitting powers. In theory, King Boo's magic can be reinforced with the power of other Boos and he is capable of reinforcing their powers too, whereas Petey's physical strength is not necessarily boosted through the use of any magical ability.

Characteristics

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Petey appears to be a larger, much more powerful version of a Piranha Plant, a minor enemy dating back to the original Super Mario Bros. Whereas normal Piranha Plants usually grow from pipes, Petey seems to have grown his leaves and roots into foot-like and arm-like appendages. He can walk and even flutter about in the air. Furthermore, Petey sports a pair of white-spotted red briefs — a first for any Piranha Plant (Although Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time describes them as a diaper). Petey's head is framed with petals, which no other of his kind seem to have; these could possibly be construed as some form of a crown. Although Petey does not speak, he does make some disturbing growling, drooling and licking noises. (Petey's bio in Mario Superstar Baseball notes that his state is the result of mutation, one possibly caused by the Shroobs or Isle Delfino's pollution, not Bowser's magic.)

Petey seems fearsome, but he is not as bad as he seems. He often acts unintentionally comical during the fights against Mario. In Super Mario Sunshine, for example, Petey bloats up when Mario shoots water into his mouth, causing his large belly button to pop out of his stomach, exposing his weak point. In New Super Mario Bros., Petey slams into the floor and, if he misses Mario, slips on the ice and falls onto his back. In Mario Superstar Baseball when you score a Home Run using Petey, he actually skips from one base to the next. Finally, in Mario Power Tennis, when he wins a Cup, he jumps up and down in front of the other characters for a short amount of time. This causes the other characters to fall over, but then Petey (apparently not realizing his own strength) leans over to them, curious as to their predicament. Mario then hands him the trophy with a sportsman-like "congratulations" - in response, Petey takes the cup and mutters something (presumably his cup-winning speech) and leaps extra-high. The other characters cower, knowing what's coming. But it doesn't. They look up and Petey is happily flapping his wings, trophy in his mouth.

Petey frequently vomits out mud-like Earth Goop, a substance similar to that of Shadow Mario's Paintbrush, which can make the ground slippery and sometimes generate more goop-based monsters. When Mario defeats Petey, Petey turns into the goop and melts away.

Although Petey appears to be a mindless beast that only makes disgusting gurgling and vomiting noises, subtitles in Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour show that he is actually trying to communicate a coherent thought. He is also shown playing golf, baseball, tennis, and even driving a car, despite the considerable limitation of having no eyes. Here are the only known translations (Taken from his taunt and cheer subtitles in Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour):

  • Hruu! - Get on with it!
  • (Bite) - I will CRUSH you!
  • Woorg! - I will hunt you down, kill your wife, and devour your children!
  • (Gurgle) - You make me sick!
  • Smack! - Uh-oh! This don't look good!
  • Groot! - Better pay attention!
  • Gleert... - Hack that thing!
  • Flarg - Oh! You Just got served fool!!!
  • Broog - I'm going to school you and then have you go make me a sandwich fool!!!!!!
  • Blurt! - Don't whiff it, okay?
  • (Moan) - Timing is everything!

In Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga, Luigi fights a mini-boss called a Piranha Bean that is almost identical to Petey, but is missing the ring of petals, and it is much smaller than Petey Piranha.

Subsequent appearances

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Petey Piranha has reappeared in several games as a boss — a notable feat, in that many minor Mario characters have a tendency to disappear shortly after they debut. Petey appears as a boss in Mario Pinball Land, Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time, Super Princess Peach and New Super Mario Bros., for example. Like former Mario villains Wario, Donkey Kong, King Boo and Birdo, Petey has also made a habit of appearing in other Mario franchises as a playable character. This makes Petey the second playable Piranha Plant character in a Mario game (Naval Pirahna was playable first, in the Yoshi game, Tetris Attack).

In Mario and Luigi: Partners in Time, Petey is a major boss. He is seemingly a pet or accomplice of the alien Shroob race and even swallowed Princess Peach and Kylie Koopa, but they were both spat out later. Petey's appearance in the past is surprising, as it shows that his history dates further back than just to Super Mario Sunshine. Unusually, it shows that he is capable of digging through sand and diving from platforms. Unlike his sports-title appearances, he doesn't seem depicted as a power-character (as most of his attacks are slightly more devious than those of Bowser, to name one character), although he retains his powers of flight. His goop powers do not come into play in this game, but he has a swallow attack and can spit what appear to be Piranha Plant seeds that swing from long cords at the brothers. Although some speculate he was brought to the Mushroom Kingdom by the Shroobs, this seems unlikely as he is obviously not destroyed by the baby tears (this is arguable, as the Shroobs themselves possibly weren't destroyed either), so it may merely be possible the Petey Piranha today is related to the Petey Piranha of the past. Apparently, back then, Petey Piranha wasn't aware of what Isle Delfino was, or his future propulsion into the cast of regulars.

In sports games, Petey frequently uses his large size and his bizarre digestive system to his advantage. He first showed up as an unlockable character in Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour, in which his large size made him the most powerful golfer in the game. In Mario Power Tennis, Petey's bulk served him well again, as he was one of the more powerful competitors. His special attack involved swallowing his racket, regurgitating it, and spitting it at the ball at a high speed. Finally, Petey had the ability to body-check other players in Mario Superstar Baseball, making him an effective character in close plays.

In Mario Pinball Land Petey has a longer neck (The most obvious difference), no feet, a drastically changed head shape, and the petals only exist on the top of his head, instead of completely circling it. This has led people to question whether this is a real "Petey" or just a large Piranha Plant posing as Petey for attention.

In Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, Petey was paired with King Boo. The two were formidable racers, in spite of Petey's lack of eyes. They had the ability to use any character's special item. Petey's personal kart is the "Piranha Pipes," a vehicle assembled out of the Piranha Plant's trademark green tubing. It's interesting to note that in the Dry Dry Desert course, a pit contains a giant green and purple Piranha Plant. It has an appearance similar to Petey and has green lips in a similar manner. If there is any relationship, it's not shown.

In Mario Hoops 3-on-3, Petey acts as the hoops in the Daisy Garden court. Dunks are only possible when he is asleep.

In a new trailer for Super Mario Galaxy, a large, dinosaur-like creature with arms and a head resembling Petey Piranha's own can be seen. It also appears to have a long, vine-like tail. [5]

Recurring Mario enemies
Major villains
Bowser | Bowser Jr. | Cackletta | Donkey Kong | Fawful | Kamek | Kammy Koopa | King Boo | Koopalings | Shroob | Smithy Gang | Tatanga | Wario | Wart
Minor villains
Birdo | Chief Chilly | Donkey Kong Jr. | Eyerok | Fryguy | Goomboss | Gooper Blooper | Mouser | Petey Piranha | Raphael Raven | Tryclyde | Valentina | Waluigi
Enemies
Albatoss | Big Bertha | Blooper | Bob-omb | Boo | Bullet Bill | Buzzy Beetle | Cataquack | Cheep-Cheep | Chomp | Dry Bones | Fly Guy | Goomba | Hammer Bro | Koopa Troopa | Lakitu | Magikoopa | Monty Mole | Piranha Plant | Pokey | Shy Guy | Snapjaw | Snifit | Thwomp | Ukiki | Whomp | Wiggler


Bosses/Tryclyde

File:Tryclydius.jpg
Tryclyde in The Super Mario Bros. Super Show.
File:Tryclyde.png
Tryclyde in the original Super Mario Bros. 2.

Tryclyde (sometimes referred to as Triclyde) is an enemy character that appears in Super Mario Bros. 2. Tryclyde is a large, red serpent with three heads and the ability to breathe fire. His design is based on the hydra, a mythological creature, though his actual species in the Super Mario universe is that of a cobrat. Tryclyde serves as Wart's lackey, and was apparently an outsider before Wart took him in due to his cunning and evil nature.

Though normally depicted as having a red body, his body was green with red stripes in Super Mario All-Stars. Like Mouser, Fryguy, and Clawgrip, Tryclyde waits for Mario and his friends in his lair, and can only be defeated by having large objects, such as mushroom blocks, thrown at him.

File:Tryclyde-snes-allstars.png
Tryclyde in Super Mario Advance.

When first confronted in Super Mario Advance, Tryclyde utters in a raspy voice, "Step right up, if you're ready to get toasted!" The voice is provided by Charles Martinet. While Tryclyde was the boss of Worlds 2-3 and 6-3 in the original Nintendo version, he was removed from the sixth world and replaced with Mouser in the Game Boy Advance remake.

Tryclyde was also a semi-regularly recurring villain in the animated series The Super Mario Bros. Super Show. A member of the Koopa Pack (consisting of himself, Mouser, and Koopa Troopa), Tryclyde often went up against Princess Toadstool in battle. In his first appearance, "The Great Gladiator Gig", where he was referred to as Tryclydius, Bowser used him in an ancient Rome setting as "his champion" (gladiator, that is). Tryclyde subsequently joined the Koopa Pack and participated in several missions. He was voiced by Harvey Atkin. Like all the villains in SMB2, Tryclyde did not appear in later Mario cartoons.

Recurring Mario enemies
Major villains
Bowser | Bowser Jr. | Cackletta | Donkey Kong | Fawful | Kamek | Kammy Koopa | King Boo | Koopalings | Shroob | Smithy Gang | Tatanga | Wario | Wart
Minor villains
Birdo | Chief Chilly | Donkey Kong Jr. | Eyerok | Fryguy | Goomboss | Gooper Blooper | Mouser | Petey Piranha | Raphael Raven | Tryclyde | Valentina | Waluigi
Enemies
Albatoss | Big Bertha | Blooper | Bob-omb | Boo | Bullet Bill | Buzzy Beetle | Cataquack | Cheep-Cheep | Chomp | Dry Bones | Fly Guy | Goomba | Hammer Bro | Koopa Troopa | Lakitu | Magikoopa | Monty Mole | Piranha Plant | Pokey | Shy Guy | Snapjaw | Snifit | Thwomp | Ukiki | Whomp | Wiggler


Bosses/Wart

File:Wart Nintendo.jpg
Wart as he appeared in a Super Mario Bros. 2 strategy guide in the premiere issue of Nintendo Power.

Wart (マム, Mamu) is a fictional character most commonly recognized from the Western version of the video game Super Mario Bros. 2, which was derived from the game Yume Kōjō: Doki Doki Panic, released only in Japan. Wart is the game's final boss and appears in the last room of the Level 7-2. Wart is a regal, fat frog, with a crown on his head and a robe that can scarcely conceal his big belly.

Concept and creation

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File:WartEarlyAppearance.jpg
Wart's original and early appearance, as first seen in Yume Kojo: Doki Doki Panic.

Wart was the creation of Nintendo designer and producer Shigeru Miyamoto. He was decided to be an evil main villain. Miyamoto had created Wart as a over-sized frog with claws and fangs, with a white belly. To make him look more evil and menacing, Wart has to look more both like a green-ish crocodile and a frog. The fact of making him look like that, Wart loses his palm hands and feet, having claws on his hands and feet, similar to that of Bowser's claws. To envision Wart as a king, he needed some clothes on him; a big crown, a big necklace and a large blue cape (in a different color on Wart's cape of his sprites), also some golden bracelets. Not a regular king but an evil king who also wants to rule over the worlds or the secret dimension in the unnamed storybook in Yume Kojo: Doki Doki Panic, as his worlds. Wart was always referred to as Bowser's frog counterpart, or considered as Bowser's relative (mostly as his cousin) by fans, because of this.

The fictional frog character was first named マム Mamū ever since his first model Yume Kojo: Doki Doki Panic. Until developing a different Super Mario Bros. 2 in US, he was renamed as Wart. He was more popularly known as Wart than Mamu since Super Mario All-Stars or Super Mario Advance, even though he still has his Japanese name, despite the fact he was renamed as Mamu in The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening.

After claiming that the original Super Mario Bros. 2 from Japan was difficult than its predecessor, and developing another Super Mario Bros. 2, Wart was decided to be a perfect choice to have a "Bowser role" for the game, replacing the Koopa King. By the fact he was decided to be the main villain of that game, the developers turned Yume Kojo: Doki Doki Panic into Super Mario Bros. 2, as Mario game, since the original game was not that popular either. It turned to be and have a brand-new sightly different and special story, instead of the same story of kidnapping Princess Toadstool and saving her, including the Mushroom Kingdom and the Mushroom Retainers, like the previous Mario games. It was that first time when mostly Wart, Mario and Luigi crossed paths.

Since Yume Kojo: Doki Doki Panic and Super Mario Bros. 2, Wart still gained the same appearance, respectly. His new artworks were made specially for Super Mario Bros. 2. After that, Wart's appearance is sightly different, looking more like a crocodile (in the Nintendo Comics) or a toad (in The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening). He was more resembling King Koopa, especially looking like his crocodilian twin with his tail resembling Bowser's in the Nintendo Comics and was looking less bigger in The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening (a toad is a bit smaller than a frog though). Despite all of that, Wart is still one of the frog race, although simply because of the "frog" term in Frog's Song of Soul.

Wart appears on various remakes of Super Mario Bros. 2, usually in Super Mario All-Stars. In Super Mario Advance, Wart finally has his first voice actor. Despite his currently only appearances in remakes of Super Mario Bros. 2, it counts him as appearing as much. In the Mario series, Wart is always referenced and mentioned.

Characteristics

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According to the instruction manual to Super Mario Bros. 2, Mario has a dream in which a voice pleads for his help. The voice explains that Wart has taken over Subcon, the land of dreams, but that Mario can defeat him by taking advantage of Wart's severe allergy to vegetables. As the game progresses, however, Mario and his friends see nothing of Wart until the final room. There, Wart challenges Mario — or Luigi or Toad or Peach — by moving back and forth on his small platform, occasionally stopping to spew forth bubbles that can cause damage.

To Wart's detriment, the room also contains a strange contraption that has three funnel-shaped pipes that shoot out vegetables — both turnips that appear throughout the game, but also rare vegetables sprites like tomatoes that Nintendo presumably created for this level alone. Mario — or whichever hero the player chooses — must catch the vegetables, then throw them into Wart's mouth. If the vegetable hits the bubble, it evaporates. Another trick easily exploited by Luigi and the Princess is to stand behind Wart (he won't do anything) and throw it when he opens his mouth.

Once Wart is force-fed seven vegetables, he will blow a few puffs of smoke, turns dark, then gets KO'd. In the game's finale, the player will see the freed denizens of Subcon — a small, red-suited, white-faced fairy folk that the game's credits also refer to as "Subcon" — pass his unconscious body off screen, presumably where he is disposed of, jailed, or otherwise exiled (see Link's Awakening). In the Super Mario All-Stars version, while Wart is being carried off, a strange, red liquid (possibly the potion or blood) has formed around his eyes.

Finally, the game ends with a shot of Mario sleeping, indicating that the entire adventure may have been a dream. The game's entire cast of heroes and villains then scrolls across the screen, ending on Wart, who laughs suspiciously before fading away. Despite that ambiguous exit, Wart never appeared again in a Mario game, excluding the remake of Super Mario Bros. 2, which was featured in Super Mario All-Stars and also ported to Super Mario Advance. In Super Mario Advance, Wart spoke, and did so in an angry, grumbly voice (provided by Charles Martinet). His introduction was "I am the Great Wart! Wah, ha ha!!" and would croak "ribbit" when hit with vegetables.

Personality

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Wart is known to be prideful, rude and menacing, his goal is to rule over Subcon and becoming its king. He would probably do that to the rest of the worlds or kingdoms, no matter how hard and risky it may be for him, never giving up until he succeeds, even though he ever fails at it. However, he has enough strength to conquer one whole world with his own strength and his 8 bits alongside him to increase his chances. Despite he knows himself to be really evil, Wart has a somewhat calm attitude when Link meets him, being more of a supporting character and an ally of the game for Link, unless Mario, Luigi and/or one his friends shows up instead of Link, he will start to fight them. Wart has even a great jealousy, as shown more towards Mario, in his return to attack Subcon in BS Super Mario USA, its kingdom and the king, stealing the golden statues of his archnemesis who defeated him 8 years ago, also planning for revenge on Mario if he comes back, as a threat. If anyone else challenges Wart, he will fight back.

Wart's favorite and faithful servant is Birdo, as shown in the Japanese commercial trailer of Super Mario All-Stars to be much more like close friends[2], except for others. It was suggested if Prince Froggy from Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island and Wart Jr. from Animal Crossing are his sons, that would be a possibility, since Wart Jr. has the same name as Wart with a Jr (Wart Jr.'s father is not mentioned in Animal Crossing series) and a frog who is a prince, would have been one of his children of the frog king with different names. However, it is said that Wart Jr. is really Wart's son because of it though it was not confirmed[3], as for Prince Froggy, it is unknown if he is or not.

Abilities

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Wart's abilities are not much known. His most usual abilities is his strength and mutiple bubbles he spits, proving to have affiliation with water. Wart is able to use magic and to travel from dimensions to dimensions, even going to the outside world, as shown in Yume Kojo: Doki Doki Panic to struck his giant clawed hand from the storybook to kidnap the two children who read it. This may probably prove that Wart is very large in the outside world. Wart is very alergic to vegetables, very much to his weakness, which has to be thrown in his mouth six times, otherwise, any other efforts are futile, it would be impossible to injure him.

Appearances in other games

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In Yume Kōjō: Doki Doki Panic, Wart abducts the youngest brother and sister from an Arabian family by snatching them away through an enchanted storybook. This game's heroes — siblings Imajin and Lina and parents Mama and Papa — fight Wart in the same manner, however. And again, killing Wart frees the mysterious red fairy folk in this game as well.

He returns again in the Satellaview title, BS Super Mario USA. Wart can be found in every tube while being in Subspace, where his room are similar to that of the prequel's last level, Mario must fight him.

Curiously, Wart appears as a helpful character in The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening, under the name "Mamu" (Japanese for wart). He teaches Link a new song to play on the ocarina, "Frog Song of Soul." Also note that Link's Awakening, like Super Mario Bros. 2, takes place inside what is presumably a dream.

In the Nintendo GameCube title Animal Crossing, one of the possible residents players could have live in their town is a frog named Wart Jr. The nod to this Wart is a small one, as they share the same name, not appearance. Wart Jr is brown, with a bumpy looking face. Wart Jr. is however, very grumpy. In the Nintendo DS sequel Animal Crossing: Wild World though, Wart Jr. occasionally mentions his plan of conquering the world, but it is foiled by various jock characters.

In Mario Superstar Baseball, Wart is mentioned in Shy Guy's bio and especially in Super Paper Mario, where Wart is referred to Cyborg Wart, as it is a comic book owned by Francis, where he Wart has the main character of the comic book.

Non-game appearances

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File:ComicWart.jpg
Wart makes an appearance in the Super Mario Bros. comics.

Wart himself never appeared in the Super Mario Bros. television series, even though his many minions were regulars during the first season. It is possible that the producers merged Wart and Bowser into King Koopa for the animated series, especially since the latter's animated design borrows some features from Wart (most notably the crown on his head and the more crocodilian face).

Wart made two appearances in Valiant Comics's Nintendo Comics System imprint. In Cloud Nine, Princess Toadstool's father, King Toadstool, looking to buy a new mattress, as his current one is too lumpy. Disguised as a bed salesman, Wart takes the King up into the clouds and advertises a bed-shaped rain cloud as a Cloud Nine mattress. As the King rests up on that cloud, it causes rain all over the Mushroom Kingdom, but is quickly patched up by the Mario Bros. Oddly, his character design resembled a crocodile rather than a frog.

In Tanooki Suits Me he appears as a prospective buyer of several priceless pieces of artwork Bowser had stolen from the Mushroom Castle's Royal Art Gallery.

Wart also appeared in book six of the Nintendo Adventure Books, titled Doors to Doom. He appeared as a skateboarder who ended up helping Mario and Luigi when they became lost in Subcon after travelling through a warp zone. Wart looked thin and more like a crocodile.

References

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Recurring Mario enemies
Major villains
Bowser | Bowser Jr. | Cackletta | Donkey Kong | Fawful | Kamek | Kammy Koopa | King Boo | Koopalings | Shroob | Smithy Gang | Tatanga | Wario | Wart
Minor villains
Birdo | Chief Chilly | Donkey Kong Jr. | Eyerok | Fryguy | Goomboss | Gooper Blooper | Mouser | Petey Piranha | Raphael Raven | Tryclyde | Valentina | Waluigi
Enemies
Albatoss | Big Bertha | Blooper | Bob-omb | Boo | Bullet Bill | Buzzy Beetle | Cataquack | Cheep-Cheep | Chomp | Dry Bones | Fly Guy | Goomba | Hammer Bro | Koopa Troopa | Lakitu | Magikoopa | Monty Mole | Piranha Plant | Pokey | Shy Guy | Snapjaw | Snifit | Thwomp | Ukiki | Whomp | Wiggler


Bosses/Wizpig

Wizpig is the main antagonist and final boss of Diddy Kong Racing. Wizpig's name is a portmanteau word combining 'wizard' and 'pig'. Resembling nothing so much as a giant anthropomorphic pig, Wizpig is a spiteful space alien who hails from the planet "Future Fun Land". Unlike many fictional villains, Wizpig's goals are not power or riches. Instead, he is a bully who travels from planet to planet, causing destruction wherever he goes, and only leaves when there is nothing left on a planet to entertain him. On his own planet he is the champion racer and the purpose of his havoc from world to world is to challenge the planet's champion(s) so that he may beat them himself. At the time when he lands on Timber's Island, Wizpig has never yet been defeated. He seals off the island's famous race courses, takes control of their inhabitants, and evicts Taj the genie from his mountain, transforming it into his own likeness and setting up home there (he also evicts Pipsy from her home). The island's most experienced racer, Drumstick, challenges Wizpig to a race, but Wizpig turns him into a frog.

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

Desperately trying to get rid of Wizpig, Timber sends a letter to Diddy Kong. With the help of various friends, they confront Wizpig and defeat him in a race. Wizpig's lair is actually a track. However, The track's only entrance is blocked off by the Wizpig head. If a player gets the complete Wizpig amulet, the mouth opens up and then the player can fly down the tunnel to face Wizpig. This is the only race track in the game with no balloons, but it is also the only boss fight in the game that has zippers.

After he is defeated, Wizpig turns the lighthouse into a rocket and pilots it to "Future Fun Land". Here, the player must defeat him when he is riding a rocket. After he is defeated once again, Wizpig's rocket malfunctions and he crash lands on an unknown planet, believed to be the moon. It is not revealed what happens to him next; the implication is that he is still alive and plotting his revenge.

Additionally, some ghosts shaped like Wizpig's head appear in the "Haunted Woods" stage. They are in themselves harmless, and are apparently only there for decoration, or perhaps to distract the players. It is unlikely that these are intended to be Wizpig's actual ghosts as he is certainly not dead at the time they first appear.

Wizpig is now an unlockable character in Diddy Kong Racing DS.


Items/1-up Mushroom

1-up Mushrooms are common items that appear in the Super Mario games. These mushrooms have green caps with white spots (originally orange caps with green spots). When Mario picks up one of these mushrooms, he will be given an extra try to beat the level (also known in video game terms as a 1-up).

These mushrooms appear in frequent Mario games, and are used for the same purpose in each game. They have also become used to represent advancement or gain in computer pop culture. The sound the game makes when Mario grabs the 1-up Mushroom has also become entrenched in pop culture, referenced by video-game players, alongside the sound made when Link picks up an item in a The Legend of Zelda game.

The 1-up Mushroom has also accumulated another connotation since the dominance of next-gen consoles like the PlayStation and the Xbox. It has come to represent identification with old school video gamers, a category of gamers who disavow the mainstreaming characteristics of next-generation game designers, licensors, and distributors, who have been accused of ignoring the fan base for the masses. Thus, the 1-up Mushroom is now part of an 8/16-bit lexicon that illustrates disapproval and resistance towards a perceived betrayal by the gaming industry and the standards by which 8 and 16-bit games should be judged. Shigeru Miyamoto wore a shirt at E3 2005 featuring the 1-up mushroom and text below it reading "1-up". These mushrooms are also known to appear in a wide variety of clothing and items. Some of these items include: shirts (and other forms of clothing), video-game console skins, and lanyards.

On April Fool's Day, 2006, online computer-geek store ThinkGeek offered a living version of this mushroom, supposedly imported from Kyoto, Japan. The spores packet claimed that eating this mushroom will grant immortality, although, of course, as an April Fool's joke, it was impossible to actually order one online.

Here is another take on the theme, discussing some of the philosophical issues regarding 1-up mushrooms.


Items/Fire Flower

File:Fire flowerSMB.png
Like the Starman, Fire Flower's "flashing" colors were achieved by quickly rotating through several palettes.

A Fire Flower is a power-up from the Super Mario Bros. series of video games. It transforms Mario (or Luigi) into Fire Mario (or Luigi). Fire Mario's trademark distinction is his mostly-white suit in many of the Mario games; however, Fire Mario is bright orange all over in the original version of Super Mario Bros. 3, and has a feather in his cap in Super Mario Land 2 for Game Boy (most likely to illustrate the difference on the Game Boy's monochrome screen; in the official artwork for that game, Fire Mario is depicted with the character's regular color scheme). Fire Mario has the ability to throw bouncing fireballs at enemies. In Super Mario Land 2 Wario can transform into Fire Wario as well, when he fights against Mario.

Fire Flowers are routinely acquired when Mario hits a "?" block from below, but occasionally they're hidden in brick blocks or music-note blocks. In Super Mario Bros. 3, Fire Flowers can also be acquired in a game of "Concentration".

The fireballs can defeat some of the more common enemies in one hit, such as Goombas, Koopa Troopas, Paratroopas, Lakitu, and Spinies.

Fireballs can also be used sometimes to defeat Bowser and the Koopalings, with multiple hits. Buzzy Beetles are immune to fireballs in every Mario game in which they appear, as are many enemies found in fortresses and ghost houses such as Boos and Thwomps.

File:Fire flowerSMW.png
A Fire Flower from Super Mario World

In Super Mario World, Fire Flowers acquired a more tulip-like appearance. The flowers in the previous games vaguely resembled poppies. The Super Smash Bros. games and New Super Mario Bros. still used the original design, however.

In general, Fire Flowers will not appear on-screen if Mario is small. This is not the case, however, in Super Mario World and New Super Mario Bros., in which the player can hold an item in reserve that will automatically descend from the screen when Mario gets hit. In the original Super Mario Bros. for NES, there is a glitch in the game where Mario can be both small and have the ability to shoot. To acquire this state, a player must hit Bowser and the axe that destroys the bridge at the same time while Mario is big or has the fire ability in a castle level. If executed correctly, Mario will flash to show he has been harmed, but he will remain big and the clip of Mario talking to Toad will be normal. In the following level, when Mario hits a question box, a mushroom will appear (even though he is big) which will make Mario small, but he will be wearing a white suit. When the button to throw the fireball is pressed, Mario will appear big when throwing the ball, but return to small after he throws it.

Usually, if Mario makes a Fire Flower appear and shrinks before touching it, the Fire Flower will only change him into Super Mario. This is not the case in Super Mario World, New Super Mario Bros., or in the Game Boy Advance remake of Super Mario Bros. 3. In these games, small Mario will be transformed directly into Fire Mario upon touching a Fire Flower.

In Super Mario Bros., most versions of Super Mario World, and the original Japanese version of Super Mario Bros. 3, Fire Mario will revert all the way down to small Mario if hit. In the American version of Super Mario Bros. 3 and New Super Mario Brothers, however, if Fire Mario is hit, he merely reverts back to Super Mario, giving the player the ability to get fully powered-up with the next item that appears, rather than having to first grab a Super Mushroom to become Super Mario. This trait would later resurface in Super Mario Advance 2 and New Super Mario Bros.

In Super Mario World, an enemy defeated by a fireball typically turns into a gold coin worth 200 points which can then be collected by Mario. This trait was later enabled in Super Mario Advance 4 by an e-Reader card, and then carried over to New Super Mario Bros. (However, in this game, the only way to get 200 points from a coin is to hit a block with a coin in it.

Fire Flowers reappeared in Super Mario Galaxy, along with the Super Star (in the form of a Rainbow Star). This marks the first appearance of classic power-ups in a 3D Mario Platform game. Unlike previous games, however, the Fire Flower is lost after a certain amount of time, like the Rainbow Star. The Ice Flower from Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time made a reappearance as well.

Strangely, fire flowers are waterproof, as they can be thrown during water levels.

Other appearances

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File:Fiery-mario.png
Fire Mario in Super Mario World.

In Super Mario Bros. 3, Fire Flowers are depicted on cards (referred to as "panels" in the Super Nintendo and Game Boy Advance remakes of the game) that are collected by the player to end a common stage. The card rapidly flashes between the Super Mushroom, Fire Flower and Starman objects. If Mario manages to collect three Fire Flower cards, he gains three extra lives.

In Super Mario Bros. 3, Fire Flowers are also seen when Mario enters a "spade" card on the world map. The spade game is played somewhat like a slot machine game, only the player is trying to create one full image instead of three side-by-side images. As with the panels, the image varies between a Super Mushroom, Fire Flower and Starman, and if the Fire Flower is successfully completed, the player gains three extra lives.

The Fire Flower appears in all games of the Super Smash Bros series as an item that can be used against other players. In these games, the Fire Flower acts as a flamethrower, as Mario and Luigi have the fireball ability by default. Additionally, Mario gets an optional Fire Mario color scheme in Super Smash Bros. Brawl. Luigi also has a Fire Luigi outfit in the first two Super Smash Bros. games, although his skin turns darker, and his gloves and the emblem on his hat turn orange, as opposed to Mario, whose Fire Mario color scheme is more faithful to the traditional spectrum.

The Fire Flower makes another appearance in Paper Mario (and its sequel, Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door) as a weapon rather than a power-up. When used, it inflicts three points of damage to all enemies by rapidly shooting fireballs at them. Fire-resistant enemies take no damage (such as Clefts or Spike Tops) but ice enemies take extra (White Clubbas and Frost Piranhas) and Dry Bones take over quintuple. An in-game dialogue also states that Mario uses Fire Flowers by eating them. They can also be cooked and made into a healthy soup. They also appeared in Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time as a Bros item, with alternate versions, such as the Ice Flower, Copy Flower, and Mix Flower, appearing as it did in Super Mario Bros. 3. In Super Mario RPG, flowers are used to raise the player's Flower Points, which are required to use the characters' special abilities.

In Super Mario 64 DS, the Power Flower, which resembles the Fire Flower, grants different abilities to each of the four playable characters, including allowing Yoshi to breathe fire.

Fire Flowers were also a staple in the Super Mario Bros. cartoons. However, in The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!, Mario used more than just Fire Flowers to become Fire Mario; he sometimes used a Starman and even an enchanted plumbing snake one time to make the transformation. Additionally, on the The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!, Fire Mario is referred to instead as Super Mario, with the plumber's regular form not ever using the adjective. In the later cartoons, which were truer to the spirit of the games, the Mario Bros. became the Fire Mario Bros. only when they grabbed Fire Flowers. Interesting to note is that, while Mario retained his original color scheme in the cartoons even though they came out after Nintendo started using the modern color scheme, his color scheme as Fire Mario was different in each series depending on which game the series was based on. In all the cartoons, though, Mario would shoot fireballs with his fingertips rather than throw them from his palm as in the games. As well as Mario and Luigi, other characters, such as Toad, Princess Toadstool and even King Koopa used Fire Flowers in the Mario cartoons. In some cases, the fireballs from the flowers could be used on their own without transformation.

Strangely, Fire Flowers were completely absent from the Super Mario Bros. comic books. The only appearance of Fire Mario or Fire Luigi was in the prologue short, where Luigi is shown throwing fireballs at some Beezos; however, he is still wearing his regular outfit rather than his Fire Luigi outfit.


Items/Metal Box

 
Left: Metal Box. Right: Its effect on Pikachu

A Metal Box is an green cube in the Super Mario Bros. series that has appeared in several video games. It makes its first appearance in Super Mario 64 and contains the Metal Cap, which can turn Mario into metal. This has the effect of making him heavier than normal, allowing him to perform actions such as walking on the sea floor, and withstanding wind gusts. It appears again in Super Smash Bros. Melee as an item able to turn characters into metal, except that there is no Metal Cap because the box itself activates the transformation.


Items/Mushroom

A Mushroom is a common power-up (or, in some cases, power-down) in the Mario universe.

Super Mushroom

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The Super Mushroom is a power-up from the Mario series of video games. It is, traditionally, about the size of "regular" Mario, and has a white stalk below a red and white (originally red and orange) spotted cap. Originally, it was shaped after a common mushroom, but since Super Mario Bros. 2 it gained a more cartoonish shape, with an almost-spheric cap and a stubby stalk.

File:MushroomStencil.jpg
A stencil of a Super Mushroom

It first appeared in Super Mario Bros. for the NES/Famicom, and the powers it grants the player lent itself to the game's title. (In Super Mario Bros. only, these mushrooms were called "Magic Mushrooms".) It emerges from flashing blocks marked with a '?' when they are bumped from below (a convention carried over from Mario Bros., where bumping platforms was the main form of attack). Upon emerging, it then begins to slide to the right (this was later changed for Super Mario Bros. 3, where, depending on what side of the block was hit, the mushroom would head toward the opposite side.) If the player touches it, "regular" Mario becomes Super Mario: (which, in NSMB, has been finally proven to be his normal size [citation needed]) he doubles in size and is able to take an extra hit. Furthermore, Super Mario can break bricks, whereas regular Mario can't. If Super Mario comes across a Super Mushroom the game will instead give a secondary item, such as a fire flower or leaf. These allow him to gain better powers, such as the ability to shoot bouncing fireballs as Fire Mario and the ability to fly and glide as Caped Mario. In Super Mario World, Super Mushrooms would also allow Mario to break Spin Blocks with the spin jump, an important tool for certain levels.

In some Mario games, the Super Mushroom heals Mario and friends, such as in Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars, Paper Mario, and Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga. It gives the player a short boost of speed (and defensive shield for a fraction of a second) in the Mario Kart series of racing games. In Super Smash Bros. Melee and Super Smash Bros. Brawl, the Super Mushroom causes the player's character to become Giant.

Shigeru Miyamoto stated in an interview that the Super Mushroom was created by chance. The first sketches of Mario turned out to be too big, for which they were forced to shrink them. Then the development team thought it would be interesting to have Mario grow and shrink by eating a magic mushroom, just like Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.[1] In the novel, Alice eats pieces of mushroom to change her size. This concept is explored further in New Super Mario Bros., with Mini Mushrooms that shrink Mario into an even smaller size than he usually starts out in, and Mega Mushrooms that turn Mario into a colossal giant.

File:Super mushroomizedSHORT.PNG
The Super Mushroom slides toward Mario. When it touches him, it disappears, causing him to earn 1,000 points and double in size, thus getting extra abilities.

Because the Mushroom is the most basic power-up, without which other powers can't be granted, it is occasionally used in the Mario series to denote basic rewards or easier skill levels. Winning three consecutive Mushroom cards from the slot-machine goal boxes at the end of each level in Super Mario Bros. 3 will earn the player two extra lives, whereas winning three consecutive Fire Flower cards earns three extra lives, and winning three consecutive Starman cards will earn them five. In Mario Kart games, the first (and easiest) tracks belong to the Mushroom Cup.

The Super Mushroom makes a cameo appearance in the Nintendo game Metroid Prime Hunters for the Nintendo DS, on the top of a mushroom-like creature. It also appears in Nintendogs as an item in the sports category called a "Rubber Mushroom"; it is fashioned after the mushroom's original design from Super Mario Bros. (yellow cap with red spots and white stalk). It even appears in Animal Crossing Wild World, as a gift from Nintendo on WiFi day. It also makes a cameo in World of Warcraft as a picture of a mushroom with a red and white cap and eye-like slits that represents some items.

The Super Mushroom reappeared in Super Mario Galaxy, along with other classic power-ups such as the Fire Flower and the Starman. This is the item's first original 3D Mario platform game appearance (although the Super Mushroom was also an item in the Super Mario 64 remake for the Nintendo DS - Super Mario 64 DS - where it caused any of the characters to grow for a short time). However the effect is not the same, and more similar to its use in the RPG games, as the Super Mushroom temporarily increases Mario's maximum health as opposed to increasing his size.

The Super Mushroom also appears in the Super Smash Bros. series as both an item and as the symbol for Mario, Luigi, Peach, Bowser, and Dr. Mario.

1-up Mushroom

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File:1upmushroom.png
A 1-up mushroom from Super Mario World.

1-up Mushrooms are common items that appear in the Super Mario Bros. games. These mushrooms have green caps with white spots (originally orange caps with green spots). When Mario picks up one of these mushrooms, he will be given an extra try to beat the level (also known in video game terms as an extra man, an extra life, or a 1-up).

These mushrooms appear in frequent Mario games, and are used for the same purpose in each game. They have also become used to represent advancement or gain in computer pop culture. The sound the game makes when Mario grabs the 1-up Mushroom has also become entrenched in pop culture, referenced by video-game players, alongside the sound made when Link picks up an item in a Zelda game.

The 1-up Mushroom has also accumulated another connotation since the dominance of next-gen consoles like the PlayStation and the Xbox. It has come to represent identification with old school video gamers, a category of gamers who disavow the mainstreaming characteristics of next-generation game designers, licensors, and distributors, who have been accused of ignoring the fan base for the masses. Thus, the 1-up Mushroom is now part of an 8/16-bit lexicon that illustrates disapproval and resistance towards a perceived betrayal by the gaming industry and the standards by which 8 and 16-bit games should be judged. Shigeru Miyamoto wore a shirt at E3 2005 featuring the 1-up mushroom and text below it reading "1-up". These mushrooms are also known to appear in a wide variety of clothing and items. Some of these items include: shirts (and other forms of clothing), video-game console skins, and lanyards.

Poison Mushrooms

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The Japanese Super Mario Bros. 2, known elsewhere as Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels, features Poison Mushrooms, which have the same effect as being touched by an enemy. It was originally a brown palette swap of the typically red Super Mushroom, but in enhanced remakes of the game, it was given a different sprite, with the spotted cap being replaced by one with a skull pattern. The only games since The Lost Levels to have Poison Mushrooms as items are Super Mario Kart, Luigi's Mansion, Super Smash Bros. Melee, Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, Super Paper Mario, Mario Hoops 3 on 3, Mario and Luigi: Superstar Saga, Mario and Luigi: Partners in Time, and some Mario Party games. In Super Smash Bros. Melee, Poison Mushrooms bear a very close resemblance to Super Mushrooms, but are darker and have "angry" eyes, causing the player to shrink in size. In Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, Poison Mushrooms are known simply as "Poison Shrooms" and are small, green mushrooms (they have no eyes) with purple spots. They are made by having Zess T. mix you up a Slow Shroom and Inky sauce, or a Slow Shroom and a Point Swap; a similar method is used in Super Paper Mario, and if eaten, they will poison Mario, causing his Heart Points to slowly drop. (In the latter, they are randomly dropped by Cursyas.) In Superstar Saga and Partners in Time, Poison Mushrooms can be used by certain enemies in rare occasions (usually in boss levels) to poison Mario or Luigi, requiring them to use a Refreshing Herb to heal themselves. Poison Mushrooms are also used by the enemy Doctor Shroob (Partners in Time) to apparently dehydrate them and make them shrink in size (they can also eat a Super Mushroom and grow). In the Mario Party, they are called Cursed Mushrooms, are purple, and limit the maximum roll on the dice block to 3 or 5, depending on the game and situation. In the original Mario Party, finding a Poison Mushroom caused a player to miss a turn.

Other Mushrooms

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Sluggish 'Shrooms

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In Mario Party 6 and Mario Party 7, there are also Slow Shrooms. These blue mushrooms will make the players dice block roll slower than usual, making it easier for the player to get a number that they please. Slow Shrooms are also found in Paper Mario games.

Golden Mushrooms

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Golden Mushrooms in the Mario Party series let players hit 3 dice blocks in one turn. In the Mario Kart series, the Golden Mushroom gives the player an unlimited amount of boosts for a short time. It is usually only available to racers in low positions, or in the case of Mario Kart: Double Dash!! only to gamers playing as Toad and Toadette as it was their special item. Or Petey Piranha and King Boo, as they could use all special items. In Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga, the Golden Mushroom is an object which completely restores health points and Bros. points, which can only be acquired by defeating Fawful in the penultimate battle, and some side-quests and secret places. In Mario vs. Donkey Kong, they give the player five lives.

Ultra Mushrooms

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The Ultra Mushroom is worth even more points than the Mushroom and Super Mushroom (and is therefore even rarer and more expensive than they are). In Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, Ultra Mushrooms were items that restored 50 HP, and cost 200 coins at the store in the Rogueport Sewers.

Max Mushrooms

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The Max Mushroom, found in Super Mario RPG ,Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga, and Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time, offers the HP of a character to be raised up to the maximum amount possible. It is very rare and very expensive, but it is useful for some of the battles, particularly the final battle.

Reverse Mushrooms

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Reverse Mushrooms appear in Mario Party 3, and make players move backwards instead of forwards. Mushrooms with question marks on them appeared in the Battle Game in the Super Mario All Stars version of Super Mario Bros. 3, and would make the two players either switch positions, and, if one player was "super" and the other player was "regular", it would make them switch sizes.

Mini Mushrooms

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In Mario Party 4 there are Mini Mushrooms that make characters smaller. With this they can fit through special pipes, although the player's dice block is limited to rolls between 1 and 5. In New Super Mario Bros., they make Mario or Luigi very small, thus weakening their gravitational pull and allowing them to jump even higher. The Mini Mushroom also allows Mario or Luigi to run across water without sinking, enter special Mini Warp Pipes, and, at the end of some castles, take shortcuts to different worlds than the one they would normally go to. Note that the Mini Mushroom looks like the Slow Shroom in Mario Party 7. In the 1994 Game Boy version of Donkey Kong Mini Mushrooms appear in several levels as well, usually thrown by Donkey Kong Jr.

Mega Mushrooms

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Mega Mushrooms in Mario Party 4 made characters bigger and allowed the player to roll two dice blocks from 1-10 and steal 10 coins from other characters that are passed in the duration of the turn. However, the user is also forced to skip board events, like buying items or stars. In New Super Mario Bros. for Nintendo DS, Mega Mushrooms cause Mario or Luigi to grow to the size of the entire screen for a limited amount of time, destroying anything in their path including warp pipes, enemies, blocks, and even the end-level flagpoles. It also allows the player to kill a boss by walking into him. The megameter is featured at the top of the screen and is filled up by destroying the various objects. When the effect ends, 1-Up Mushrooms are awarded based on the portion of the meter that has been filled. If the meter is completely full, the player is awarded five 1-Up Mushrooms. The Mega Mushroom has the same color scheme of the original Super Mushroom from Super Mario Bros.

Mega Mushrooms are also present in Super Mario 64 DS, where they look more like traditional Super Mushrooms, but make the player much larger and able to destroy some otherwise indestructable obstacles and enemies, such as Thwomps, most pipes and bosses.

Super Mega Mushrooms

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Super Mega Mushrooms are also used the Nintendo GameCube game Mario Party 4. The character grows bigger, and they allow a character to roll three dice. With each dice, there is a chance to make 1-10 moves on the board (Which can total up to 30 moves on the board). When using the Super Mega Mushroom, other players can be walked over, and the user takes ten coins from them. However, like Mega Mushrooms,the user is also forced to skip board events.

Life Shrooms (RPG)

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Life Shrooms first appeared in the Nintendo 64 game Paper Mario, as an item that restored 10 HP when Mario reached 0 HP. Life Shrooms appeared again in Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door and Super Paper Mario. They served the same purpose in these games, except that they could be used on Mario's partners as well.

Life Mushroom (Galaxy)

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In Super Mario Galaxy, these increase Mario's maximum health to 6, as well as restoring him to full health. If, however, Mario's health drops below 4, the effect is lost and Mario's maximum health will return to 3.

Triple Mushrooms

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Triple Mushrooms are just three Mushrooms. By using them in the Mario Kart series, you can get a boost three times. Also in Mario Party 7, Toad and Toadette can both get Triple Mushrooms. They get to use two dice blocks for three turns, instead of the usual one dice block.

Bee Mushrooms

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Bee Mushrooms appeared in the Wii platform game Super Mario Galaxy. Touching it turns Mario into a bee and allows him to hover in the air for a short time. However, if Mario comes into contact with water or takes damage while in bee form, he will turn back into normal Mario.

Boo Mushrooms

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Boo Mushrooms appeared in the Wii platform game Super Mario Galaxy. Touching it turns Mario into a Boo ghost and allows him to hover in the air, turn invisible, and travel through walls. However, if Mario comes into contact with light or water while in Boo form, he will turn back into normal Mario.

Spring Mushrooms

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Spring Mushrooms appeared in Super Mario Galaxy. This envelopes Mario in a giant spring, making him bounce around. Timed presses of the jump button makes him bounce really high. The effect is lost if he is hit or activates a Launch Star or touches water.

Invincshroom

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This mushroom is only in Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga and although having no use for the game, it served as a plot item by poisoning Mario when he attempts to eat it, sending Luigi on a quest to find the cure. In the game, it is stated that invincshrooms are a mixture of 1-Up mushrooms and Stars.

Block Mushrooms

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Block mushrooms were rarely found in the US/PAL version of Super Mario Bros. 2 - it was simply an object to be thrown.

Notes and references

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  1. O'Connell, Patricia (November 7, 2005). "Meet Mario's Papa". BusinessWeek online. Retrieved 2005-11-26.


Items/Shine Sprite

 
A Shine Sprite from Super Mario Sunshine

Shine Sprites are small, sun-shaped beings with black eyes that have appeared throughout the Super Mario series of games, starting with Super Mario Sunshine.

In Super Mario Sunshine it is revealed that the pollution caused by Shadow Mario scared the Shine Sprites of Isle Delfino away. Without the Shine Sprites, Isle Delfino was covered in a perpetual dark shadow. Throughout Super Mario Sunshine, Mario had to collect Shine Sprites to travel further through the game.

In Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, a Capture the flag like mini-game can be played involving Shine Sprites. Players would have to grab a Shine Sprite a hold onto it for a set amount of time to win the game, while avoiding other players who will try to steal the Shine Sprite using various weaponry. In Mario Kart DS, another Shine Sprite related game can be played, this time involving nine Shine Sprites that the player has to obtain and hold onto.

In Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, Shine Sprites appear throughout the game, usually being hidden inside transparent blocks. If players collect three Shine Sprites Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door they can give them to Merlon, who will upgrade a partner's abilities in exchange for them. In Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time, Shine Sprites are found in Shine Blocks, which can only be found in darkened areas. Once a Shine Block is hit, it will release a Shine Sprite that will brighten the surrounding area. If players hit a Shine Block incorrectly though, it will release a fireball that will damage whoever hit it.


Items/Starman

The Starman is a power-up from the Mario series of video games. It is a flashing star, traditionally about the size of "regular" Mario, that grants the player about 15 seconds of invincibility when touched (however, if Mario falls into a pit or lava, gets flattened by a platform in a scrolling screen level, or if time runs out, he still loses a life).

Mario appearances

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When touched, the music will change, and in Super Mario Bros. 3 and New Super Mario Bros., Mario's jumping animation becomes a somersault. The Starman debuted in Super Mario Bros., and is so named because it has a pair of small eyes, as if the topmost point of the star were its head. In New Super Mario Bros. the Starman also gives the player the ability to run much faster. A similar star power-up appeared in the game Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island called the Super Star, which replaced the Super Feather as the power-up for Caped Mario (Superstar Mario). This gave Mario a cape, the ability to float, the ability to run up walls, and invincibility. In the Nintendo DS game Yoshi Touch & Go it gave the ability to throw stars like Mario's fireballs.

Because of the highly valued invincibility it grants, the Starman and stars in general are used by the Mario series to denote special areas, rewards, and secrets. For example, in Super Mario Bros. 3, three consecutive star cards earned from the roulette goal boxes at the end of each level would grant the player five extra lives, whereas three consecutive flower cards would grant only three, and three consecutive mushroom cards granted a mere two. In Super Mario World, secret levels lined Star Road, a location which isn't marked on the main map of the game. Winning the Star Cup in a Mario Kart game will unlock hidden tracks. Super Mario RPG was subtitled "Legend of the Seven Stars." In Super Mario 64 and Super Mario 64 DS, it is necessary to collect all 120/150 power stars (30 were added to Super Mario 64 DS) to fully complete the game. Power stars are also a collectible in Super Mario Galaxy, with 121 to be had. In New Super Mario Bros. and Super Mario 64 DS, there are a few casino-like minigames (mainly card games). In the game similar to Poker, the Star is the card of highest value.

In Super Mario Galaxy, there is a power up similar to the Starman called a Rainbow Star. It grants temporary invincibility, super speed, and a glittery rainbow-like appearance, and a special song (different from the Starman song found in other Super Mario Bros. games) plays while it is in effect.

Other appearances

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The Starman also provides invincibility to players in the Super Smash Bros. series of fighting games, where it played the same role as in a Mario game, with the difference that merely touching your enemies when invincible will not affect them.

In the Mario Kart series, the Starman (found in item boxes on the track) increases the speed of the kart and also makes it impervious to opponents’ attacks, while knocking any karts in its path out of the way. It does not render a kart invulnerable to lava, water, pits, or similar pitfalls; instead, it allows the player to run over grass, sand, dirt, or other terrain which would normally slow the player down, with no speed reduction whatsoever.

In Super Paper Mario there is a similar power-up called a Mega Star which, when the character touches it, transforms the current character into a giant 8-bit version, rendering him/her invincible temporarily. Humorously, a lone Koopa is seen using this item later in the game.

In the three Mario cartoon series made by DIC Entertainment, Starmen make frequent appearances and, as well as being used by Mario and Luigi, are occasionally used by other characters, such as Toad and Princess Peach. Oddly, in The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!, Starmen were portrayed as having the same effects as Fire Flowers on Mario and Luigi.

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Items/Tanooki Suit

The Tanooki suit is a special power up originating from the video game Super Mario Bros. 3, and was only found in a few special locations, such as the treasure chests inside Toad's House. It had the same powers as Raccoon Mario plus the added benefit of being able to temporarily change into an invincible (but immobile) statue by pressing "DOWN" and "B" on the controller. Mario can do this at a height to land on and destroy certain enemies in the game that were originally thought to be indestructible, though it can be very difficult to time such attacks correctly.

 
A statue of a mythological Tanuki.

"Tanooki" actually refers to a Japanese animal (both real and mythical) called a Tanuki—the mythical version known for its mischievous and jolly nature and being a master of disguise and shape-shifting. The Tanooki suit itself resembles popular Tanuki statues in Japan, and its ability to transform into a smiling statue to avoid or defeat enemies is no doubt a direct reference to the mythical animal's abilities. Because Nintendo games are targeted at children, the Tanuki suit does not feature the traditional huge testicles typical of most real tanuki statues. The fact that Raccoon Mario is powered up by a leaf is also a bit of a joke—a Tanuki looks somewhat similar to a Raccoon, their name is often mistranslated as Raccoon in other languages, and the mythical version of the creature was known for using leaves as part of its mischievous magic.

As an interesting side note, the programmers made a small mistake involving the Tanooki Suit — when he is shown about to play a 'slider' or 'memory' game, Mario is still depicted as Super Mario.

Strangely, the Tanooki suit was never featured in The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3. It did, however, receive a comic book story of its own, titled "Tanooki Suits Me" (printed in the trade paperback Mario's Special Powers).


Items/Wing Cap

 
Mario using the Wing Cap in Super Mario 64

The Wing Cap is an item available in Super Mario 64. The Wing Cap is a red hat that allows Mario to fly, letting him reach previously unreachable areas, and collect airborne coins to earn stars. While wearing the Wing Cap, Mario's controls are inverted, just like airplane controls. The Wing Cap is found in red blocks marked with white exclamation marks, and are found in various levels in the game. The Wing Cap can also be used to fly around in front of the castle, after gaining access to the roof.

A great way to use the Wing cap is to push up on the control stick (which makes Mario go down) so Mario dives, and picks up speed. Then, push down on the control stick (which will make Mario go up) and Mario will zoom up to higher than where Mario was before you started the maneuver. The Wing cap lasts for only a short while, so don't be caught way above the ground when the Wing cap runs out.

Wing Cap Blocks

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The Wing Cap blocks have to be activated by accessing a secret level before they can be used. This level is available after obtaining about 10 stars. To enter the level, Mario must stand on the sun logo in the lobby of [[../../Locations/Princess Peach's Castle|Princess Peach's Castle]] and look up. In the level, a large red switch must be pressed to activate the Wing Cap blocks.

Development

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In early development shots of Super Mario 64 DS, each of the characters was shown wearing a Wing Cap, but this does not happen in the game's story mode, as the Wing Cap is not an item. Instead, it is a special move for Mario, only available upon finding a feather from a red block. The other characters may only use the move in Wireless Multiplayer games.


Locations/Banana Hoard

File:Bananahoard2.jpg
The SNES Banana Hoard
File:Bananahoard.jpg
The Banana Hoard as seen in DK64

The Banana Hoard is a fictional collection of golden fruit featuring in the Donkey Kong game series. It has been stolen a number of times, forming the main plot of the Donkey Kong Country games, and Donkey Kong 64, specifically. The Banana Hoard has an uncanny ability to appear far larger than it is. For example, though it is meant to consist of only 201 Bananas, it often looks more like it is in excess of 1,000 bananas. The current owner of the Hoard is Donkey Kong, who at present resides as King of DK Isles.

The Rareware Banana

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Since Donkey Kong 64, all of the Golden Bananas in the Banana Hoard have had a little Nintendo insignia on the side. However, the 201st Golden Banana, held by the Banana Fairy, has a Rareware logo on the side instead. This banana is a secret, and is required to achieve the game's 101% completion rating.


Locations/Bowser's Castle

Bowser's Castle is the abode of Bowser, arch villain of the Super Mario videogames. The castle has often been destroyed and rebuilt, and appears different in each game that it appears in. It is usually filled with lava pits, booby traps, and Bowser's minions, and always includes a room where Bowser holds residence. Sometimes it is turned into a racetrack, tennis court, soccer field, or baseball field. It is typically located to the north-west of the Mushroom Kingdom, in the Koopa Kingdom, but has frequently moved. In several of the storylines, Princess Peach is held captive there.

Appearances

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Super Mario Bros./Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels

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File:Bowser (smb1).png
Mario confronting Bowser in his castle in Super Mario Bros.

In Mario's first and second platforming adventures, Bowser's Castle is located in the eighth world as the last course. It is built similarly to the seven previous castles before it (all those contained "fake" Bowsers), but takes advantage of several labyrinthine elements unique to this castle.

Super Mario Bros. 3

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File:BowsersCastleSMB3Toon.jpg
Castle Koopa as seen on The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3.

In this game, not only was Bowser's Castle the final destination once again, but an entire world was built around it, called "Castle of Koopa" ("Dark Land" in the English NES re-release, or simply "Bowser's Castle" in the English GBA version). This eighth and final world was a subterranean valley reminiscent of the classical image of hell: with lava, floating skulls, and intermittent darkness. Thanks to the addition of an overworld map screen, Bowser's Castle also had a defined exterior structure: it was built similar to a medieval fort, with a likeness of Bowser sculpted onto the front entrance. The castle itself is guarded by a massive military tank in the courtyard. The architectural style of the castle's interior is unique in that it features enormous lava pits and statues of Bowser that emit laser beams upon the approach of an intruder. The castle is also constructed of bricks not found in any of the other fortresses; these bricks play a major role in Bowser's eventual defeat in his chamber.

This version of Bowser's Castle also appeared in The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3.

Super Mario World

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File:BowsersCastleSMWToon.jpg
The Neon Castle on the Super Mario World cartoon.

In Dinosaur Land, Bowser's Castle is located in the heart of the archipelago, directly underneath the sea. The entire area is named the Valley of Bowser for this reason. The castle itself is located to the north. It had changed appearance yet again, this time resembling Windsor Castle, but noteworthy for the massive sign positioned directly over the entrance which reads "Bowser" (or "Koopa" in the Japanese version as well as the cartoon) in bright neon lights. Bowser himself is seen hovering over the topmost spire in his flying Koopa Clown Car. There are actually two entrances to the castle: a front door and a back door (actually a separate tower beside the castle). If the player goes through the front door, he must first go through two of eight doors, each one featuring different challenges, before reaching the dark hallway leading to the rooftop. The back door goes straight to the dark hallway.

This same castle was also featured in the cartoon based on the game Super Mario World. There, it was known as the Neon Castle, and sarcastically referred to once by Mario as Koopa's "Coney Island Disco Palace." In the cartoon, the back door was a warp pipe not far from the castle itself.

A similar castle also appears in Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island.

Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars

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Bowser's Castle rendered in 3-D for the first time, it was large and imposing consisting of large towers and rooms. The castle was stationed on a mountain carved in Bowser's image which is oddly extremely close to Mario's own house. The castle was filled with minions and lava pits along with dark twisting corridors. There were also rooms containing challenges such as navigating across an invisible bridge suspended over lava, and jumping over barrels thrown by a gorilla (in homage to Donkey Kong).

Paper Mario

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File:Bowser and Peach's Castles.jpg
Bowser's castle as seen in Paper Mario.

Bowser used the power of the Star Rod to transport his castle directly underneath Princess Peach's Castle. He then flew his castle above the clouds, taking Peach's Castle with it. Outside there is a statue of Bowser's head which is actually a garage in the middle of the castle. Atop of the statue is a large tower and perched atop this is Peach's castle. Below the statue is a giant sphere which has the same clown face as Bowser's Koopa Clown Car. To the left and right of that are two spiked balls attached to chains. At the bottom of the whole castle is one of the spiked bands Bowser wears on his arms and neck, but far larger; it seems to make the castle stay in the air. Inside are dungeons, lava pits, halls, foyers, and loop rooms. The castle suffers damage as a result of the events in the game. In Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door and Super Paper Mario, Bowser's Castle has been revamped, now a standard, medieval castle on the ground. This version of Bowser's Castle makes a cameo appearance in Mario Kart: Super Circuit, on the track Rainbow Road.

Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door

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Unlike all previous Mario RPGs, Mario never actually goes to Bowser's castle. The player briefly takes control of Bowser to move him around during a cut-scene, and even then only one room is shown. However, the castle is depicted in a mountainous region with lava surrounding it.

Super Paper Mario

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Once again, Bowser's castle plays a minor role. In the beginning of the game, Bowser addresses his troops as he plans to capture the princess, but is interrupted by the Mario Bros. and Count Bleck.

Later, after being transported to The Bitlands with several of his troops, Bowser, upon finding several Super Mario Bros.-esque fortresses, takes them as his own, with him inhabiting the largest of them. Mario, however, manages to destroy that one.

Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga

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One would suppose that since the game takes place in the Beanbean Kingdom, Bowser's Castle would not be in the game. However, in this game Bowser's Castle turns into a flying airship which is actually owned by Bowletta. Inside are traps, guards, lava pits, the seven Koopalings' room, Bowser's room, and Bowser's/Bowletta's throne room. Just as soon as Cackletta deposseses Bowser, his castle is destroyed

Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time

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In the present, Bowser's Castle is walled by a 2 story wall and a tower with two side towers that resemble hands connected to the main tower. The main tower has the same collar as Bowser, and the top part of the tower is a likeness of Bowser's head. Inside it looks exactly like his castle in Superstar Saga. In the past, Baby Bowser's castle is almost exactly like that of his older self, except with a likeness of Baby Bowser's head. However, inside the castle, Baby Bowser's room has toys, happy faces, and flower paintings; the Koopalings' rooms are not here as well because Bowser did not have children at the time.

New Super Mario Bros.

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Like almost every other game, Bowser's Castle is at the end of World 8. It is on a mountain which is surrounded by lava. The castle itself has many towers either with flat or triangular roofs, except the center tower which has a Bowser shell for the roof. The front two towers on both the left and right have Bowser statues, and the entrance has flamed torches. The entrance door is under a large carving of Bowser's head. Inside the castle are lava traps, switches that flip rooms upside down, flamethrowers, guards, loop rooms, and Bowser's Room.Two of the towers also have sad faces.

Yoshi Island DS

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In Yoshi's Island DS a strange castle has appeared in the clouds. Bowser travels back in time and kidnaps the babies in order to find the seven Star Children to take over the world. This castle is the final castle of Yoshi's Island DS, and is located in world five. All the babies (including Baby Wario and Baby Bowser) are able to ride Yoshi's back in this level. Like in Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island, this castle has a unique level design. The player is able to take five different routes in the castle, one route for each baby. It doesn't matter which route you take, as you'll end up in the same room before the final boss. If you enter the boss door with Baby Bowser on your back however, you'll end up with Baby Mario due to Baby Bowser being the first of three bosses of the final castle. The other two bosses are Bowser and, like its Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island counterpart, a bigger version of Bowser.

Mario Kart

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Every game in the Mario Kart series has featured one or more courses dubbed "Bowser [or Bowser's] Castle". Super Mario Kart and Mario Kart: Super Circuit feature multiple, numbered Bowser Castle courses with jumps over lava, Thwomps and other hazards. These courses are entirely confined within a castle's interior. In the true three-dimensional games (Mario Kart 64, Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, Mario Kart Arcade GP and Mario Kart DS), the Bowser's Castle courses are more clearly defined as castles, with the racetrack extending outside the castle walls. The hazards typically include Thwomps, lava, and flamethrowers/fireballs.

Other appearances

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Bowser's Castle appears in various Mario sports games, such Mario Power Tennis, Mario Superstar Baseball and Mario Hoops 3-on-3, where it is often depicted as having such obstacles as Thwomps, lava and stray fireballs. Bowser's Castle can be unlocked as a monument by entering the code "Hanafuda" in the monument screen in SimCity DS.

In The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!, King Koopa was shown to own a variety of castles, with a different one appearing in almost every episode; these castles often varied from being simple fortresses to such things as ice palaces and tall towers. Bowser's Castle also appeared in both Nintendo Comics System and Nintendo Adventure Books.

In the Super Mario Bros. film, in place of a castle, King Koopa inhabited a parallel Earth version of Lower Manhattan's World Trade Center, though much more decayed and run-down in appearance.


Locations/Donkey Kong Island

File:Donkey Kong Island on SNES.png
Donkey Kong Island as seen in the SNES version of Donkey Kong Country.

Donkey Kong Island (AKA DK Island or the DK Isles) is the fictional home of Donkey Kong, his family, friends, and several enemies. It first appears in Donkey Kong Country.

While it's considered a tropical island, snowfall reaches its higher elevations. This mountain also features a desert area.

Locations

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Among the known areas on Donkey Kong Island are:

  • Kongo Jungle: The largest jungle on the island, and home to Donkey Kong, Diddy Kong, Cranky Kong, and the majority of their animal friends. It was the first world in Donkey Kong Country and has appeared in many Donkey Kong and Mario games since.
  • Monkey Mines: Mines that border on ancient Kremling-built temples.
  • Vine Valley: A temperate forest along the cliff-side to Gorilla Glacier. Kremling temples are also built here, as well as an ape-constructed tree town. There's even a small tropical jungle nestled here.
  • Gorilla Glacier: The snowy peak of Donkey Kong Island. Among the snow and ice caverns is another tree town.
  • Kremkroc Industries, Inc.: This was once a lush area on the island, but when Kremlings built their high-pollutant factories, most of the vegetation died off. Famous for its green-colored lake. It can be assumed that Kremkroc has since been shut down. However, Kremling presence is common.
  • Chimp Caverns: Caverns nestled into the mountainside of DK Island. Mines are also prevalent here.
  • Kremlantis: The heart of the ancient Kremling temples, Kremlantis was an offshore mini-island to itself. Unfortunately for the Kremlings, it partially submerged generations ago.
  • Monkey Mountains: High-reaching mountains that touch the clouds.
  • Chimpanzee Clouds: The clouds that can be accessed from Monkey Mountains. There are several floating platforms and devices set against the backdrop of the sky that allow for (risky) movement.
  • Big Ape City: The only urban part of the island to be found. Skyscrapers, apartment complexes, and construction sites make up the city. Also known as the Big-City or Big City.
  • The Northern Kremisphere: While the Northern Kremisphere is considered a location in itself, many feel that it's actually a territory of DK Island. If so, it would be a separate landmass from the main island.

Donkey Kong 64 Stages

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This game featured completely different levels than the original Donkey Kong Country and Donkey Kong Land, with many levels taking place on both DK Island and the newly-rebuilt Crocodile Isle. However, most of the DK Island stages parallel some area that actually existed in the original SNES game (Examples: Kongo Jungle to Jungle Japes, Vine Valley to Fungi Forest, Gorilla Glacier to Crystal Caves, etc.).

Neighboring Islands

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There are several neighboring islands of Donkey Kong Island. These include:

  • Crocodile Isle: The home and birthplace of the Kremlings, it was accidentally destroyed by Diddy and Dixie Kong at the conclusion of Donkey Kong Country 2. When it was standing, it was the closest neighbor to DK Island, and therefore meant frequent Kong/Kremling interaction. The Kremlings now primarily live on DK Island. In Donkey Kong 64 Crocodile Island returned, this time in a much more mechanized form.

Other Appearances

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File:KongoBongoIsland.jpg
Kongo Bongo Island from the Donkey Kong Country cartoon.

In the animated series based on the game, Donkey Kong Island was called Kongo Bongo Island and looked like a crescent island rather than the shape of Donkey Kong's head. However, it is believed to be the same island, but with a different name. Like Dinosaur Land in the Super Mario World cartoon, some location names were different on the show. For instance, Gorilla Glacier was called the White Mountains.


Locations/Princess Peach's Castle

Princess Peach's Castle is one of the Mushroom Kingdom's most famous landmarks and the home of Princess Peach. It has played a prominent role in several games in the Mario series. Whilst it has changed over the years, it has retained a reasonably constant appearance, as opposed to changes that other Nintendo locations have undergone.

Appearances by game

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Super Mario RPG

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The castle made its first appearance as Princess Peach's home in the Mushroom Kingdom of Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars. Its first appearance was markedly different from later appearances.

Super Mario 64/Super Mario 64 DS

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The current form of Peach's Castle first appears as the hub world of Super Mario 64. Here, the plot revolved around Bowser having seized control of the castle and trapped all its occupants. Mario (as well as Yoshi, Luigi, and Wario in Super Mario 64 DS) had to enter various paintings (and other decorative items such as stained glass windows) in order to collect stars. These stars were then used to open up sealed doorways within the castle itself. The castle also contained 3 entrances to special 'Bowser courses', the first two of which contained keys that allowed the player to access later parts of the castle.

In Super Mario 64 DS, there were some slight differences in the castle's design, including the addition of some new stages and the re-sculpting of the castle grounds. On multiplayer mode, the pool was drained and a floating platform and wild Chain Chomp were added, as well as barriers in front of the castle's entrances so that it cannot be entered.

Super Smash Bros.

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Super Smash Bros. features a level set on top of a floating platform with a bird's-eye-view the castle making up the background. The stage uses a remix of the Super Mario Bros. theme music as its background music, and features a moving platform at the bottom of the screen and a rogue Bumper floating overhead.

Paper Mario

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In Paper Mario, Bowser steals Princess Peach's castle, lifting it into the sky on top of his own castle. The player controls Peach between main sections of the game, where she sneaks around to gain information to aid Mario. Due to the castle being under Bowser's control, it has a darker appearance than usual.

Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door

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The castle never appeared on screen in Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door, but sometimes Peach would sing the first few notes of the castle interior's music from "Super Mario 64" whilst in the shower.

Super Smash Bros. Melee

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Super Smash Bros. Melee is the first appearance of Princess Peach's castle on the Nintendo GameCube. It is found in the form of the first Mario stage on VS mode and the boss arena of the Mushroom Kingdom level on Adventure Mode, where the player would fight Peach and Mario (or, depending on certain circumstances, Luigi). The stage consisted of only the roof of the castle, and was almost the same as in "Super Mario 64", although the towers and windows were slightly different in shape, and a flowerbed had mysteriously appeared in front of the castle. The stage's background music was another remix of the Super Mario Bros. theme that also featured parts of the original cave music, although on Adventure Mode it was replaced by the Rainbow Cruise music. Occasionally, Banzai Bills would launch themselves at the castle and explode. There were also cap blocks and switches, adding up to a sometimes chaotic battle. The castle could also be seen in the background for the Mushroom Kingdom level of Adventure Mode, and as a trophy.

Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour

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The Peach Invitational in Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour is set in the castle grounds, which has been completely reworked into a golf course.

Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time

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In Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time the castle acts as the main level/hub due to space-time rifts caused by Professor E. Gadd's time machine. It has four floors and two item shops (the main one on the ground floor and Fawful's beans for badges shop underground). The player learns some of the main abilities in the front courtyard. A version of the castle (set in the past - approx. 25 years ago) also appears as the final dungeon of the game.It is overrun by shroobs.

Super Princess Peach

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In Super Princess Peach, Bowser has the Hammer Brothers raid Peach's castle, capturing Mario, Luigi, and Toad in the process. Peach, who was out on a walk, returns to see the castle in disarray. Furious, Peach goes off to Vibe Island to rescue Mario, Luigi, and Toad.

New Super Mario Bros.

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In New Super Mario Bros., Mario and Peach are taking a walk outside, with the castle visible in the background. Thunderclouds suddenly form, startling the pair. Mario runs off towards the castle to investigate the source of the commotion but Peach remains behind, which gives Bowser Jr. the opportunity to kidnap her.

Mario Power Tennis

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The castle did not actually appear in Mario Power Tennis, but a fast, up-beat remix of its music was used for the paintball minigame.

Mario Superstar Baseball

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The course "Peach Garden" takes place in the gardens of the castle, while blocks that have special effects hang over the court.

Mario Hoops 3-on-3

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The court "Peach Garden" takes place in the castle garden, and Lakitu serves as the basket hoop.

Mario Party 3

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In Multiplayer you choose what you want to play with the Millennium Star in front of the castle.

Mario Party 7

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The castle can be seen in a picture in the Duty-Free Shop.

Mario Kart series

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Mario Kart 64

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The castle is seen in Mario Kart 64 as a backdrop to the Royal Raceway stage. The award ceremony after a race was also in this location. A close inspection of this castle reveals some differences with the SM64 version: the moat is lined with bricks instead of stone blocks, the outdoor cannon is missing, and the waterfall is gone.

Mario Kart Super Circuit

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The castle appears in the background of Peach Circuit, the very first race track of Mario Kart Super Circuit, as well as in the award winning ceremony, with only a straightaway coming from it. Also, it appears in the background of the SNES-remade Mario Circuits 1 and 4, when the extra courses are unlocked, having the remixed Super Mario Kart Mario Circuit theme playing in the background. Peach's Castle is also on top of Bowser's Castle in the background of the "Rainbow Road" track. This is a reference to the original Paper Mario.

Mario Kart: Double Dash!!

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In Mario Kart: Double Dash!! Princess Peach's castle can be seen on Mario Circuit.

Mario Kart DS

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In Mario Kart DS, like Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, Princess Peach's castle can be seen on Mario Circuit. There is also a new track called Peach Gardens in which the courtyard includes a maze over run by Chain Chomps, among other things.