Koopa
From Free net encyclopedia
Koopa is the name of a fictional species of turtles from the Mario series of video games. Later in the series the Koopa species evolved into a bipedal race. Most of them are followers of Bowser, the king of Koopas, and are, therefore, Mario's enemies, but some have shown themselves to be loyal to the Mushroom Kingdom, and have aided Mario on his adventures. The most common members of the species are known as Koopa Troopas, but many different types of Koopas exists, including, Magikoopas, Hammer Bros. and Lakitus. Bowser and his offspring are also considered Koopas.
The word Koopa comes from Kuppa, the Japanese name of Mario's main nemesis, Daimaou (Great Demon King) Kuppa, or Bowser. This could also be a slight reference to the ancient Japanese monsters (or Youkai) known as Kappa, who usually resemble turtle-monsters.
Note that in Japan, Koopa is not a species; it is Bowser's proper name. Koopas are called Nokonokos.
Contents |
Varieties
There are many different types of Koopas, some of which include the following (parentheses denote a Japanese name):
Koopa Troopa
Image:Koopa.PNG (Japanese name: Nokonoko) Often referred to as simply "Koopas", or "Troopas", Koopa Troopas are by far the most common and probably the weakest type of Koopa. They are one of Mario's most frequent enemies, and are often seen on the patrol for him. When under attack, they may retreat within their hard shells for defense. Ironically, one of Mario's most reliable weapons are Koopa Troopas' own shells, which he can send sailing across the ground with a kick and batter his enemies out of the way, though the shells may sometimes bounce off walls back at him. A few varieties of Koopa Troopas exist, the most common two being those with red and green shells. It should also be noted that, beginning with Super Mario World, Koopa Troopas walked on two feet instead of on all fours as in previous games.
Paratroopa
(Japanese name: Patapata) A winged variety of Koopa Troopas called Paratroopas, or "Parakoopas", 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. Mario jumping on them generally causes them to lose their wings, turning them into normal Koopa Troopas. Paratroopa first appeared playable in Mario Tennis 64, then became playable in Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, Mario Power Tennis, Mario Superstar Baseball, and Mario Basket 3 on 3. Paratroopas are traditionally red, just like Koopas being traditionally green, but they can be any color.In Mario Party 6,there Paratroopaa in a minigame called "What Goes Up...". In that when you jump on them they don't loes their wings.
King Bowser
(Japanese name: The Great Demon King: Koopa) The diabolical ruler of the Koopas, Bowser has appeared as the main villain of almost all of Mario's adventures, and has used a huge variety of different methods of trying to defeat Mario and kidnap Princess Peach. As is seen in Yoshi's Island and Yoshi's Story, even as a child, he is bent on causing trouble.
The Koopalings
The seven children of King Bowser (six male and one female), these characters, who first appeared as bosses in Super Mario Bros. 3 have been characters in several Mario games, as well as comics and cartoons (although under different names in the latter). Each has their own unique style of appearance, behaviour and combat. Recently, they have appeared in very few games, and only in minor roles in those, and another character, called Bowser Jr., has been used as Bowser's youngest and favorite son.
Heavy Troopa
Gigantic cousins of the Koopa Troopas that prefer eating to fighting, Heavy Troopas are slow and not very intelligent but are usually fairly calm and peaceful. It is hard to understand how Heavy Troopas are able to make big jumps with their wings since they are dwarfed in size to their bodies, let alone being able to float a few feet off the ground. They appeared in Super Mario RPG, and in Mario and Luigi: Superstar Saga, a wingless variety known as Ankoopas made an appearance.
Hammer Brothers
The Hammer Brothers (more commonly known simply 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. Relatives of the Hammer Bros. include the Boomerang Bros., who perfer to fight with a boomerang which returns back to them after being thrown, making it difficult for Mario to dodge, the Fire Bros., who throw bouncing fireballs similar to Fire Mario, and the Sledge Bros., the heavyweights of the Hammer Bros. family who throw extra-large hammers and use their weight to create immobilizing earthquakes.
Lakitu
(Japanese name: Jugemu) An odd Koopa that rides in a small cloud and wears goggles. To attack Mario, it throws spiky red eggs which hatch into spinies, another member of the Koopa familiy. A variation lures players with a 1-Up on a fishing line, then starts to throw spinies once the player grabs the item. In addition to being a strong enemy of Mario, Lakitu is also a supporting character in several games (such as the Mario Kart and Mario Tennis series).
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 Koopa Troopas. Kamek, a Magikoopa, was the caretaker of Baby Bowser in Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island, and in the Paper Mario series, a female magikoopa named Kammy (perhaps a relative of Kamek due to the similarities between their names), is now Bowser's right hand woman.
Koopatrol
Koopatrols are the elite soldiers of the Koopa army. They appear in physique similar to ordinary Koopa Troopas but wear intimidating spiky armor and are certainly much stronger fighters. They have appeared in both Paper Mario and Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door. In the second game, a more powerful version of the Koopatrol also appears, known as the Dark Koopatrol, which has a more demonic appearance than the ordinary Koopatrol.
Mechakoopa
Technically not Koopas, Mecha-Koopas are robotic Koopas wound up with keys like a child's toy used by Bowser as a line of defense when he is up against the Mario brothers. They are slow and can be deactivated momentarily with a stomp on the head. At that point they can usually be picked up and used as a weapon, but must be disposed of before they reactivate.
Dry Bones
(Japanese name: Karon) Image:Dry Bones SMB3.PNG Dry Bones are animated skeletons of Koopa Troopas. 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. They have also been known to sometimes hurl bones at Mario like boomerangs. A few varieties of the species (if it can be called that) exist, each with a different color and some being stronger than the others. Dry Bones generally perfer darker, danker environments such as the insides of Bowser's castles. In Paper Mario and Super Princess Peach, they were able to be killed for good by using a fire attack.
Dry Bones is also a secret character in Mario Kart DS. Here, he is the lightest of the lightweight racers. And along with Birdo, Dry Bones became a playable charater in Mario Party 7. To unlock him, get 1,000 mileage points, then buy him at the Duty-Free Shop. He also appears as a playable character in Mario Superstar Baseball at the start of the game. To get Dry Bones in Mario Kart DS, get first place in the 50cc Special Cup. His "Dry Bomber" kart is very good at acceleration and drifting, and you can unlock this, along with all the other 3rd karts, win the 100cc Special Cup. (See the Mario Kart DS article or read page 64 of volume 199 and page 78 of vol. 201 of Nintendo Power.)
Dry Bones are basiclly the original koopa getting a second chance at life, which is why not all Dry Bones are evil, the ones who attack Mario are Dry Bones who died with a loyalty to Bowser.
Super Koopa
Super Koopas are Koopas with the ability to fly without wings (unlike Paratroopas). Super Koopas look like their regular Koopa Troopas, except they don't have shell and they wear a magical cape. This cape enable Super Koopas to fly. So far, they have only appeared in Super Mario World. If Mario jumps on a Super Koopa with a flashing cape, he will discover a Cape Feather. Super Koopas may have a special connection to Chargin' Chuck who has the ability to summon Super Koopas with a whistle.
Electrokoopas
Electrokoopas are a type of koopa found in Super Mario Sunshine. The Blue Electrokoopas hurl their electrically-charged shells at Mario, attempting to shock him. Mario cannot attack them while their shells are on their back, but after they have hurled their shells he can either stomp their bare backs or spray them with the FLUDD, which causes their own shells to shock them when they return to them, to defeat them. The Red Electrokoopas can climb grates that are sideways or upside down. Upside Down ones can be defeated by ground pound from opposite sides. A Green Electrokoopa had caused the Ferris Wheel to go out of control while it was sleeping and Mario defeated it by entering from underneath sending the Green Electrokoopa into the ocean.
Snooze-a-Koopa
Snooze-a-Koopas are giant Koopas found in the game Super Mario Sunshine. In that game, they bury themselves in the sand so that only their shells, which resemble Yoshi eggs, are visible. When Mario sprays them with his FLUDD, they come up from out of the sand and will try to attack Mario by body slamming him. If they body slam into the sand, they will become stuck in the sand upside down, revealing their bellies. Mario can then perform a ground-pound on their bellies to defeat them. They are found in a particular episode of the Pinna Park level. After all of them are defeated, the nearby sunflowers recover their health when sprayed with water, as the Snooze-a-Koopas had been draining the nutrients from their soil. Upon restoring the large sunflower, Mario will be rewarded with the Shine Sprite necessary to complete the episode.
Nokobons
In the Super Mario Land series, Nokobons are Koopa Troopas with bombs on their shells. They leave the bombs behind when stomped on, and these bombs explode eventually, hurting Mario if he is too close. In Super Mario Land, they replace the normal Koopa Troopas (likely, because it would have taken too long to figure out how to program kickable shells). In Super Mario Land 2, they are much rarer, but present still, and bear a closer resemblance to a Buzzy Beetle. In Super Mario Land 2, they are called "Noko Bombettes". Also, in Super Mario Land 2, they do not replace Koopa Troopas. Their name lacks the word Koopa or Troopa, probably because when Super Mario Land was localized, the Japanese names were crudely romanized, so the game could be sold as soon as possible. An interesting note is that Koopa Troopa's Japanese name is "Nokonoko", which show that Nokobon is at least related to the Koopa Troopa.
Boom Boom
These are strong, but dumb, Koopas appearing in Super Mario Brothers 3. They guard the mysterious ? Ball. They come in a variety of colors and abilities. Some are yellow, others are gray, and some of them have wings. Boom Boom appears at the end of all Fortresses, as well as the ship and airship levels in World 8.
Chargin' Chuck
Image:Charginchuck.pngThese sport-playing Koopas appear in Super Mario World. Their chief attack is charging at Mario. Some of them throw baseballs, split into three of themselves, or punt footballs; others dig boulders out of the ground, which roll toward Mario, and still others will whistle for armies of Super Koopas to come to their aid as soon as they see Mario. They must either be jumped on three times, hit with six fireballs, or be hit with a Koopa shell to be taken out.
Giga Bowser
Image:Giga Bowser.jpg (Japanese name: Giga Koopa) This enormous mutant version of Bowser only appeared in Super Smash Brothers Melee. He is truly the strongest of all the Koopas. He was created when a Bowser Trophy collapsed. Many people believe that the Master Hand was responsible for this cause. He has twice the offense and defense and half the speed of regular Bowser. He can use his Fire Breath for an infinite amount of time. His other attacks have many different effects and are twice as strong. In Event Match 51, the player will face him along with Mewtwo and Ganondorf.
Koopa Vehicles and Weaponry
Koopa Clown Car
This airborne vehicle is very powerful. It can't 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.
Mecha Bowser
This mechanical version of Bowser is a boss inPaper 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 an unlockable character. 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 racket.
Airship Fortress
Several of theese ships appeared in SMB3, and in Super Mario 64. They were 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 in World 8 end with a Boom Boom in the final room. In Mario Kart DS, there is a stage very similar to the SMB3 Airship Fortress, and it is one of the two levels where the driver is shot out of a cannon.
Word origins
- The word "Koopa" is most likely a play on the word "kappa", the name of a mythical Japanese creature. Also, the phrase "Koopa Troopa" came to be because they are troopers of the Koopa Klan 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 combination of the words "Koopa" and "Patrol".
- Electrokoopa is a combination of the words "electro" (a prefix used to indicate a relationship to electricity) and "Koopa"
Language
Koopas tend to make odd hooting noises (They sound remarkably, perhaps uncoincidentally, like the word "Koopa"), but they have been shown to make others, such as a high-pitched screeching noise. Here are eight translations from Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour (Note that there are most likely very small differences in the sounds, as many Koopa sounds sound alike, but mean different things):
- Koopa! Koopa! - I daresay you're due for a nice shot!
- Koopa! - Hit it nice and clean, I know you can!
- (Screech) - Clear your mind and focus! (In Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, when dangling from the back of a car, a Koopa will yell this screech, which may be insulting the driver and telling him/her to keep his/her eyes on the road)
- Koop! - Just relax and play your game.
- (Screech) - I do believe you'll slice it!
- (Screech...) - This shot looks quite dificult!
- (Screech?) - I've got doubts about this...
- E-Koop! - This shot's rather out of your league, isn't it?
External links
Template:Mario charactersde:Figuren und Charaktere aus Super Mario ja:ノコノコ es:Koopa pt:koopa