Goomba
Goomba | |
---|---|
Mario character | |
First appearance | Super Mario Bros. (1985) |
Voiced by | Frank Welker (1993 film) |
In-universe information | |
Affiliation | Bowser's Army |
The Goombas (/ˈɡuːmbə/), known in Japan as Kuribō,[a] and originally Little Goomba, are a fictional species from Nintendo's Mario franchise. They first appeared in the NES video game Super Mario Bros. as the first enemy players encounter, part of Bowser's Army. They have appeared outside video games, including in film and television. They are usually brownish with long black eyebrows, sharp upward fangs, tan torsos, dark brown feet, and are most commonly seen walking around aimlessly, often as an obstacle, in video games. They were included late in the development of Super Mario Bros. as a simple, easy-to-defeat enemy.
The species is considered one of the most iconic elements of the
Concept and creation
Goombas were introduced in the video game Super Mario Bros., and were the last enemy added to the game after playtesters stated that the Koopa Troopa was too tricky as an enemy. As a result, the designers decided to introduce the Goomba as a basic enemy.[1] However, they had very little space left in the game. They used a single image twice to convey the notion that the Goombas are walking, flipping it back and forth, causing it to look lopsided as it walks, and giving the appearance of a trot. The Goomba's resemblance to the Super Mushroom forced designers to change the mechanics and appearance of the Super Mushroom. They used the Goomba's ability to be jumped on and defeated to teach players how to deal with enemies and to not fear the Super Mushroom.
Goombas resemble shiitake,[2] with bushy eyebrows and a pair of tusk-like teeth sprouting from their lower jaw (similar to a bulldog).[3] They also appear to have shoe-like feet coming from their stalks.
Early concept art for the live-action Super Mario Bros. film showed that the design of the Goombas were originally intended to be for Koopa Troopas, another kind of Mario enemy.[4] A separate company from the primary makeup departments designed the Goombas in the film.[5]
Name
The name Goomba is derived from "
Appearances
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This section needs to be updated.(October 2021) |
Goombas debuted in Super Mario Bros.,[3] described in the manual as Little Goomba, and have reappeared in nearly all later games in the series. In the 2D games, they walk aimlessly in a straight line, turning only at walls. They can be defeated by jumping on them, which flattens them. In Super Mario 64, and all their 3D Mario appearances, they will pursue Mario when he is near (instead of just walking aimlessly). In Super Mario Sunshine, Goombas are not present, but an enemy called the Strollin' Stu[b] is described in The Perfect Guide of Super Mario Sunshine as the "Isle Delfino versions of Goombas".
Several variations of the Goomba have appeared throughout the series. There are larger versions called Grand Goombas[c], (also called Giant Goombas, Big Goombas[d] or Mega Goombas), and smaller versions called Micro-Goombas[e] (or Mini Goombas[f]). In one level of Super Mario Bros. 3, Goombas can be seen wearing a shoe called "Goomba's Shoe".[3] Super Mario World replaces the normal Goomba with a more round variation, later named Galoombas[g]. Super Mario Land features a unique type of Goomba called the Goombo (also called Chibibo[h]), and its sequel has an undead variation known as Terekuribo[i], as well as a variation wearing a diving helmet known as Aqua Kuribo[j]. Other variations include Jack O'Goombas[k] (first seen in Super Mario Galaxy), Bone Goombas[l] (first seen in New Super Mario Bros. 2), Tail Goombas[m] (first seen in Super Mario 3D Land), Goombrats[n] (first seen in New Super Mario Bros. U), Cat Goombas[o] (first seen in Super Mario 3D World), and Goombuds[p] (first seen in Super Mario Maker 2). Some games also feature stacks of Goombas called Goomba Towers[q]. A giant Goomba called Mega Goomba appears as a boss in New Super Mario Bros. In Super Mario Odyssey, Goombas wear hats that depend on what kingdom they are in. They can be captured, which allows them to form Goomba Towers. In Super Mario Bros. Wonder, some Goombas sleep and will not attack the player if he wakes up the Goomba. Said game also contains a Wonder Flower effect that appears in select levels, which turns Mario and the other playable characters in Goombas.
Goombas appear in each of the
In other media
In the
In the Super Mario Bros. live-action film, Goombas were originally inhabitants of Dinohattan who opposed the tyrannical President Koopa's rule, and were devolved as punishment for this disloyalty. In the film, upon being de-evolved, these people became Goombas, who were large, reptilian monsters (as opposed to the usual mushroom appearance seen in the games) with hulking bodies and disproportionately small, circular heads, who wore trenchcoats.
Goombas appear as enemies in The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening and its remake in the underground side-scrolling passages throughout the game, and also in the seventh dungeon, Eagle's Tower.
A Goomba can also be spotted as an
Multiple variations appear in all the games of the Super Smash Bros. series, appearing either as background elements or regular enemies.
Goombas reappear as part of Bowser's minions in the 2023 film The Super Mario Bros. Movie.
Reception and promotion
The Goomba has become an icon of the
The live-action
Notes
- ^ Japanese: クリボー, Hepburn: Kuribō, [kɯ.ɾi.boː]
- ^ Japanese: クリン, Hepburn: Kurin
- ^ Japanese: 巨大クリボー, Hepburn: Kyodai Kuribō
- ^ Japanese: デカクリボー/でかクリボー, Hepburn: Deka Kuribō
- ^ Japanese: マメクリボー, Hepburn: Mame Kuribō
- ^ Japanese: ちびクリボー, Hepburn: Chibi Kuribō
- ^ Japanese: クリボン, Hepburn: Kuribon
- ^ Japanese: チビボー, Hepburn: Chibibō
- ^ Japanese: テレクリボー, Hepburn: Terekuribō
- ^ Japanese: アクアクリボー, Hepburn: Akua Kuribō
- ^ Japanese: カボクリボー, Hepburn: Kabokuribō
- ^ Japanese: ほねクリボー, Hepburn: Hone Kuribō
- ^ Japanese: しっぽクリボー, Hepburn: Shippo kuribō
- ^ Japanese: カキボー, Hepburn: Kakibō
- ^ Japanese: ネコクリボー, Hepburn: Neko Kuribō
- ^ Japanese: カキボン, Hepburn: Kakibon
- ^ Japanese: タワークリボー, Hepburn: Tawā Kuribō
- ^ Japanese: ペーパークリボー, Hepburn: Pēpā Kuribō
- ^ Japanese: トゲクリボー, Hepburn: Togekuribō
- ^ Japanese: カゲクリボー, Hepburn: Kage Kuribō
- ^ Japanese: ハイパークリボー, Hepburn: Haipā Kuribō
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