Koopa (Nintendo): Difference between revisions
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[[Image:Dry Bones SMB3.PNG|framed|right|Skeletal Dry Bones are usually found in castles or fortresses.]] |
[[Image:Dry Bones SMB3.PNG|framed|right|Skeletal Dry Bones are usually found in castles or fortresses.]] |
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Dry Bones (Japanese name: Karon) are the resurrected skeletons of Koopa Troopas — something like Koopa [[zombies]]. According to |
Dry Bones (Japanese name: Karon) are the resurrected skeletons of Koopa Troopas — something like Koopa [[zombies]]. According to [[List of characters in Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door#Goombella|Goombella]]'s tattle, Dry Bones are former Koopas whose [[spirit]] animates its bones.<ref name="pm2"> </ref> They are impervious to many of Mario's attacks, and when jumped on, crumble into a pile of bones for a few seconds and then return to normal, making them, in effect, invulnerable - although by collecting certain power-ups, Mario can defeat them in some games. They have also been known to sometimes throw their own bones at Mario. A few varieties of Dry Bones exist, such as Dull Bones, Red Bones, and Dark Bones, each with a different color and some being stronger than the others. Drybones generally prefer darker, danker environments such as fortresses, castles, and ghosthouses. In ''[[Paper Mario]]'' and ''[[Super Princess Peach]]'', they were able to be killed for good by using a fire attack. |
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Along with [[Birdo]], Dry Bones became a playable character in ''[[Mario Party 7]]''. Dry Bones is also a secret character in ''[[Mario Kart DS]]'', where he is the lightest of the lightweight racers. He also appears as a playable character in ''[[Mario Superstar Baseball]]'' at the start of the game. |
Along with [[Birdo]], Dry Bones became a playable character in ''[[Mario Party 7]]''. Dry Bones is also a secret character in ''[[Mario Kart DS]]'', where he is the lightest of the lightweight racers. He also appears as a playable character in ''[[Mario Superstar Baseball]]'' at the start of the game. |
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Revision as of 17:01, 30 March 2007
 | It has been suggested that this article be merged with Koopa Troopa. (Discuss) Proposed since February 2007. |
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Koopa is the name of the fictional species of turtle-like creatures from the Super Mario video game universe. As a whole, they are the most common enemy to Mario in the series.
Koopas traditionally inhabit the Koopa Kingdom and the Mushroom Kingdom, the fictional locale of most of Mario's adventures. Most of them are followers of Bowser, the so-called King of Koopas, making them Mario's enemies. There are several different types of Koopas, including Koopa Troopas, Magikoopas, Hammer Brothers, Dry Bones, Paratroopas, and Lakitus.These Koopas partake in Bowser's frequent attempts to invade the Mushroom Kingdom. Others have shown themselves not to have any association with Bowser and a few have even aided Mario on his adventures.
The Koopa Army
Koopa Troopa
Often referred to as simply "Koopas", or "Troopas" (Japanese name: Nokonoko), Koopa Troopas are the standard troopers of the Koopa Army (hence their name). Koopa Troopas are all common Koopas, meaning they have no special abilities or characteristics, and are just assigned to patrol their assigned areas. Their shells come in several different colors, slightly improving in intelligence from one color to the next. When stomped on, Koopa Troopas will either retreat within their hard shells for defense for a short time,[1][2][3] or pop out of their shells entirely.[4] Ironically, one of Mario's most reliable weapons are Koopa Troopas' own shells, which he can send sailing across the ground with a kick to knock out several enemies in succession, though the kicked shell can pose a problem for Mario if it rebounds back at him.
Green Koopa Troopas are perphaps the most common foe of the entire Koopa clan. Not particularly intelligent, they absent-mindedly walk in a single direction, ignoring any ledges along the way. They will only change direction when they bump into an obsticle or into another enemy.[1][2][4][3]
Red Koopa Troopas are slightly smarter versions of their green counterparts, as they will not walk off ledges. Otherwise, there is no difference.
Blue Koopa Troopas are far more rare than the green and red Troopas. In Super Mario World, when Mario jumps on them, they will jump from their shell and then kick it at Mario. A Blue Koopa Troopa also appears in one level of the Mario vs. Luigi multiplayer mode. A Blue Koopa shell is also a type of armor in New Super Mario Bros., giving Mario the ability to retreat into the shell and launch himself like any other Koopa shell.
There is also a Yellow Koopa Troopa in Super Mario World, normally found as simply an empty shell. If a Koopa climbs inside the shell, however, it spins and becomes near-invincible.
While Koopa Troopas originally walked on all fours, from Super Mario World on, they walk on two feet and started to wear shoes. The later versions, which were able to leave their shells, all wear T-shirts and boxer shorts with the exception of Super Mario World, Super Mario World 2, and Paper Mario, where they only wore either a T-shirt or boxer shorts underneath, not both at the same time. Making an appearance in Mario Party 4, a host Koopa Troopa wore a tropical shirt in leiu of the usual attire as his game board was island themed.
In the Paper Mario series, all Koopa Troopas wear sunglasses to separate themselves from friendly Koopas. They are also more aggressive, trying to engage Mario in battle when they spot him, instead of just walking absent-mindedly.
In Super Smash Bros. Melee, Koopa Troopas are in the first stage of Adventure Mode as well as being an unlockable trophy.
Paratroopa
A winged variety of Koopa Troopas called "Koopa Paratroopas", or "Parakoopas" (Japanese name: Patapata), also exist. They are a frequent foe of Mario, and harass him by flying up or down or back and forth, or possibly hopping across the ground while fluttering. Generally (as in Super Mario Bros., in which they first appeared), the color of the Paratroopa's shell determines its behaviour: green Paratroopas tend to hop (or more rarely) fly with no regard for their own safety, while red Paratroopas fly in a definite pattern. Red Paratroopas are the more common variety, in contrast to their wingless counterparts. Mario jumping on them generally causes them to lose their wings, turning them into normal Koopa Troopas. Paratroopa first appeared as playable characters in Mario Tennis for the Nintendo 64, with subsequent appearances in Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, Mario Power Tennis, Mario Superstar Baseball, and Mario Hoops 3-on-3. They all wear T-shirts and boxer shorts under their shell as well. Paratroopas make the same sound as Koopa Troopas, but in a different tone. They also wear shoes.
Hammer Brothers
The Hammer Brothers (abbreviated as the Hammer Bros.) are buff, contentious Koopas equipped with hard armor, helmets, and throwing hammers. They usually fight in groups of two or more and are one of Mario's more dangerous enemies. These Hammer Brothers are not to be confused with the characters that make and improve Mario's hammer in Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga.
Relatives of the Hammer Bros. include: the Boomerang Bros., who use boomerangs instead of hammers; the Fire Bros., who spit bouncing fireballs similar to the ones thrown by Fire Mario; and the Sledge Bros., which are heavyweight versions of the Hammer Bros. who throw extra-large hammers and use their weight to create immobilizing earthquakes. All three variations appear in New Super Mario Bros.. In Super Mario World, there were also Hammer Brothers named "the Amazing Flyin' Hammer Brothers" ,as well as Sumo Bros, who stomped the ground in a fashion similar to Sumo wrestlers. They always stand on elevated platforms and creat bolts of lighting that start small fires by stomping. Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga saw the appearance of the Yo Bros., who use two yo-yos as their weapons. Chomp Bros., who attack with Chain Chomps, also appear in the game.
The Hammer, Fire, and Boomerang varieties were all playable for the first time in Mario Superstar Baseball.
Lakitu
The Lakitu (Japanese name: Jugem / Jugemu) is an odd Koopa that rides in a small cloud and wears goggles. Its face usually has a separate button nose and mouth rather than a single beak, making it the least turtle-like Koopa. To attack Mario, it throws spiky red eggs which hatch into Spinies, another member of the Koopa family. A variation lures players with a 1-Up mushroom on a fishing line, then starts to throw Spinies once the player grabs the item.
In addition to being one of the more difficult enemies of Mario, Lakitu is also a supporting character in several games, such as the Mario Kart and Mario Tennis series. In Mario Kart, Lakitu holds the starting lights, retrieves fallen players with a fishing pole, and waves the checkered flag at the end of a race. In Super Mario 64 and its DS counterpart, Lakitu operated the camera. It also appeared as an enemy in The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap. In New Super Mario Bros., if you hit Lakitu with a fireball instead of jumping on him, he will fall off his cloud, and you can ride it.
Magikoopa
The magicians of the Koopa clan, Magikoopas use their magic wands to shoot harmful magical waves at Mario and cast spells that can transform objects into dangerous creatures, such as more Koopa Troopas. They have the ability to teleport and to create several holograms of themselves in order to confuse Mario.[5] [6] Their robes are usually blue but that is not always the case.
Back when Mario and Luigi were both infants, a Magikoopa named Kamek, was the caretaker and adoptive parent of Baby Bowser.[7][5] He once kidnaped baby Luigi, and fought against Yoshis. Kamek seems to be Yoshi's biggest foe, as Kamek also makes an appearance in the Yoshi themed puzzle game, Tetris Attack.
In the Paper Mario series, an old female magikoopa named Kammy, is Bowser's advisor and second in command. She is the most powerful of the Magikoopas.
In Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga, Magikoopas guard Bowser's castle with rings of flame shooting from their wands.
Dry Bones
Dry Bones (Japanese name: Karon) are the resurrected skeletons of Koopa Troopas — something like Koopa zombies. According to Goombella's tattle, Dry Bones are former Koopas whose spirit animates its bones.[6] They are impervious to many of Mario's attacks, and when jumped on, crumble into a pile of bones for a few seconds and then return to normal, making them, in effect, invulnerable - although by collecting certain power-ups, Mario can defeat them in some games. They have also been known to sometimes throw their own bones at Mario. A few varieties of Dry Bones exist, such as Dull Bones, Red Bones, and Dark Bones, each with a different color and some being stronger than the others. Drybones generally prefer darker, danker environments such as fortresses, castles, and ghosthouses. In Paper Mario and Super Princess Peach, they were able to be killed for good by using a fire attack.
Along with Birdo, Dry Bones became a playable character in Mario Party 7. Dry Bones is also a secret character in Mario Kart DS, where he is the lightest of the lightweight racers. He also appears as a playable character in Mario Superstar Baseball at the start of the game.
Koopatrol
These Koopas are some of the toughest soldiers in Bowsers army. They wear metal armour with spikes on their shells and well as a spike on their helmets, preventing them to get stomped on by Mario from above. They appear in Paper Mario, Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door and Mario Pinball Land.
Bowser & his Children
Bowser, King of the Koopa Kingdom, is the leader and most powerful Koopa of them all. Bowser and his offspring (The Koopalings and Bowser Jr.) seem to fall into their own subspecies of Koopa. The members of the Koopa royal family tend to act more aggressively than other Koopas, growing spikes on their shells, horns on their heads, and reaching a monstrous size. They are also able to breathe fire, and are sometimes depicted as having other magical abilities. Although the Koopalings lack some of these traits, such as the ability to breathe fire, it is presumed that they will acquire them with age - indeed, Ludwig von Koopa, the oldest of Bowser's children, is capable of breathing fire already.[2][4]
Giga Bowser
This mutated form of Bowser appeared as a boss in Super Smash Bros. Melee, as well as a trophy and the main enemy of the 51st Event Match.
Friendly Koopas
While most Koopas are enemies, some have appeared as allies or playable characters in some games. Friendly Koopas have been seen in Mario Power Tennis, Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour, the Mario Kart series, and a few other sports games.
In Super Mario 64, there is a character called Koopa the Quick, who holds two stars, and will only give each of them to players if they beat him in two races, one in Bob-omb Battlefield and the other in Tiny Huge Island.
In Paper Mario, there is a town of friendly Koopas called Koopa Village. One resident of that town is a blue-shelled adventure-loving Koopa named Kooper. He joins Mario's party to help defeat Bowser. There is also a recurrent Koopa admired by Kooper called Kolorado. He is an absent-minded archeologist looking for treasures, often assisted by Mario and company. Also, there a blue-shelled Parakoopa mail carrier named Parakarry. He also joins Mario's party.
In Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, Mario comes across another town of friendly Koopas called Petalburg. There Mario finds a young, unconfident Koopa named Koops. Koops assists Mario in an effort to take down the mighty dragon, Hooktail, which terrorizes the town. Koops saves his father, Koopley, from the dragon as well. Koops also has a girlfriend named Koopie Koo, who is often overprotective of him. Other residents of Petalburg include the Mayor Kroop, and a nameless Petalburg Koopa who has a giant infatuation on Princess Peach.
Kylie Koopa is a pink-shelled Koopa who appears in the game Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time. She works as a photojournalist for the Koopa Kronicle.
Koopa vehicles and weaponry
Koopa Clown Car
This airborne vehicle is very powerful. It cannot be harmed unless Bowser/Bowletta is harmed. It can either fly around or furiously bounce on the ground. It also has a supply of large metal balls and Mecha-Koopas for Bowser to throw at Mario. A giant version of this machine also appears in Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour as a hole in the Bowser Badlands course. It also appears as a trophy in Super Smash Bros. Melee for the GameCube.
Mecha-Koopa
Small, robotic Koopas with wind-up keys in their backs, they resemble "cartoonish" versions of Bowser. Mecha-Koopas first appeared in Super Mario World as obstacles in Bowser's Castle; Mecha-Koopas also appeared in the game's final battle against Bowser and the Koopa Clown Car. Bowser would toss Mecha-Koopas from the Koopa Clown Car, which would need to be stomped on and thrown at Bowser to injure him.
Mecha-Koopas also appear as enemies in Hotel Mario, starting with Wendy's Blitz Snarlton Hotel. In Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars, for his Bowser Crush attack, Bowser will summon a gigantic, green Mecha-Koopa to trample enemies.
In Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga, miniature Mecha-Koopas appear in Woohoo Hooniversity and Bowser's Castle; here, players would need to blast these Mecha-Koopas into wiring systems in order to conduct electricity.
In Mario Party 5, Mecha-Koopas appear in the final battle against Bowser, attacking players with their fire breath. They can be easily defeated by jumping on them, though if they flashing red, they'll injure the player when jumped on. In Mario Party 7, Mecha-Koopas appear in the mini-game "Tunnel of Lava!", where players must capture a Mecha-Koopas that has swallowed a key which must be obtained to clear the mini-game. Like in Mario Party 5, these Mecha-Koopas attack with flamethrowers hidden in their mouth. A Mecha-Koopa arithmetic expert appears in Mario Party Advance. Players must solve some math problems given to them by this Mecha-Koopa to obtain a Gaddget.
Mecha-Koopas make small appearances as part of the scenery in Mario Kart Super Circuit and Mario Power Tennis; oddly, the Mecha-Koopas of Mario Kart Super Circuit look more organic than previous versions.
Mecha-Koopas, though called "Mechkoopas", appeared in several episodes of Super Mario World animated series, most notably in "Send in the Clown", "The Night Before Cave Christmas" and "Mama Luigi". Two Mecha-Koopas also appear as messengers of the Koopalings in Nintendo Power's Super Mario Adventures comic.
Mecha Bowser
This mechanical version of Bowser is a boss in Paper Mario, Super Mario Sunshine and Mario Power Tennis. In Paper Mario, it was the first boss along with the Koopa Bros. In Super Mario Sunshine, it became more similar to Bowser. It shoots Bullet Bills and breathes fire along the track of a roller coaster. In Mario Power Tennis, it was in an unlockable minigame. If the player battles it, it will throw Bob-ombs, Bullet Bills, and breathe fire. The player would have to charge up energy balls and throw them at it with his or her tennis racquet.
Airship Fortress
Also known as "Doom Ships," several of these ships appeared in Super Mario Bros. 3 and Mario Kart DS. They are equipped with weapons such as cannons, flamethrowers, pipes, and Rocky Wrenches. They are the final stage of Worlds 1 through 7. If Mario dies on an airship, it moves to another place on the map unless an Anchor is used to secure it. At the end of each Airship is a Koopaling with a magic wand; the similar ships (one of which floats on lava) in World 8 end with a Boom Boom in the last cabin. Another form of airship in Super Mario Bros. 3 is the treasure ship, which replaces one of the Hammer Bros. on the map screen if certain conditions are fulfilled in Worlds 1, 3, 5, and 6. The treasure ship has an abundance of coins, a hidden 1-Up, and contains no enemies or obstacles aside from the Boomerang Bros. that attack Mario in the end. In Mario Kart DS, there is a stage very similar to the Airship Fortress, and it is one of the two levels where the driver is shot out of a cannon. In the Super Mario Bros. 3 cartoon series, Bowser and his Koopalings made frequent use of their own personal Doom Ship.
Tanks
These appear only in World 8 in Super Mario Bros. 3. They act much the same way as airships (see above), only they are on land. At the end of each tank level is a warp pipe that leads into a room with a pair of Boomerang Bros. or in some cases, Boom Boom. Another tank apears in the game New Super Mario Bros, but it is instead a boss piloted by a Monty Mole and it is aesthetically similar to the Monty Cannon found in Super Mario Sunshine.
Word origins
The word "Koopa" comes from the name of a Korean dish called gookbap (국밥), a kind of meat and vegetable soup. Super Mario Bros. creator Shigeru Miyamoto has said that he wanted to name Mario's enemy after Korean food.[1] It may also be a slight reference to the ancient Japanese monsters (or Yōkai) known as Kappa, who usually resemble monstrous versions of turtles.
The phrase "Koopa Troopa" came to be because they are troopers of the Koopa Clan army. The name "Paratroopa" comes from the word Paratrooper, a soldier trained in parachuting and generally operate as part of an airborne force. The name "Koopatrol" is a portmanteau of the words "Koopa" and "Patrol." Electrokoopa is a portmanteau of the words "electro" (a prefix used to indicate a relationship to electricity) and "Koopa." Giga Bowser is Bowser's name with the Giga- prefix, which in popular usage generally means large or powerful. Snooze-A-Koopa comes from the word Snooze, meaning to sleep, and Koopa.
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