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Goomba

A Goomba (Japanese: クリボー; Kuribō) is an enemy character from Nintendo's series of Mario video games. Goombas are the first enemy character to appear in the original Super Mario Bros. The Goomba is the first enemy character many game players from the 1980s saw.

Word origin

The name "goomba" comes from Italian-American slang for (usually stereotypical) Italian-Americans; when used in this context, it has a slightly derogatory connotation. This slang originates from the Italian word compare (godfather).

Characteristics

Typically, Goombas are brownish orange or yellow, and look like mushrooms with feet, bushy eyebrows formed into a scrowl, and occasionally fangs. Little is said about the character, except that according to the manual of Super Mario Bros., they are traitors to the Mushroom Kingdom.

Goombas hurt Mario if they touch him from the side or (more rarely) fall upon him from above. However, they can easily be killed by jumping and stomping on them from above. They are typically among the weakest enemies in Mario games; their only attack is walking slowly towards the player, and they can usually be killed in one hit.

Goombas in Mario games

In the original Super Mario Bros., and in Super Mario Bros. 3 for NES, Goombas are very common and disappear once Mario stomped on them. In Level 5-3 of Super Mario Bros. 3, Goombas bounce around in giant green boots. Normally, they die if they are jumped upon from above; however, if they are attacked creatively by destroying the blocks underneath them, they will leave behind their boot, which Mario can then jump into, making him almost invincible. This powerup is known as Kuribo's Shoe in the original SMB3 (Kuribō being the Japanese name for Goomba) but was renamed Goomba's Shoe in subsequent Super Mario Bros. 3 remakes. This is the only level from all the Mario games that this powerup exists. Once the level is cleared, the powerup is gone.

In Super Mario World for SNES, they are slightly less common, and when Mario stomped on them, they were knocked upside down and unconscious for a short period of time. When this happened, Mario could pick the Goomba up and carry them, until they resuscitated themselves. Like Koopa Troopas in the original game, Goombas hurt Mario upon contact once they revive. Also, some Goombas come to Mario in different ways, such as dropping in with a parachute or floating inside a bubble.

Contrary to other Mario games, goomba is not a common enemy in Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island. The common enemy is Shyguy. In the 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. In addition, groups of goombas walk around in a specific area which can cause tricky jumps for Yoshi. They can be eaten by Yoshi and turned into eggs. In contrast with Super Mario World, the goombas here can be killed when stomped on.

In Super Mario RPG, Goombas are able to bite and spit thorns at Mario. Also, Bowser has a special breed of Goomba called Gu Goomba that appears with a light green hue that sometimes jumps out behind statues trying to ram into Mario. In addition, there is a new type of goomba called a Goombette. The Goombette is a small goomba, which bears a resemblence to a Micro-Goomba. They can mainly be found hidden inside the treasure chest shaped monsters. In Monstro Town, Mario can visit a store run by a Goomba family, which comprises of 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.

Similar to most Mario games, the Goombas in Super Mario 64 can be be killed by stomping on them. However, in this game Mario has additional physical attacks besides the usual jump. The goombas can also be killed with these new abilities.

In Paper Mario, Goombario is a Goomba, yet is an admirer of Mario and is a playable character. Goombario lives to the west of Toad Town along with his family and his grandparents.

In Mario and 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 bandages wrapped around itself and a spear strapped onto its head. 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.

Micro-Goombas and Para-Goombas

A variant of the Goomba is the Micro-Goomba (マメクリボー; Mamekuribō meaning "Bean-Goomba") and the Para-Goomba (パタクリボー; Patakuribō meaning "Wingbeat-Goomba"). The Micro-Goomba is a miniature Goomba that would either attach onto Mario to reduce his jumping ability or hide under a brick and jump whenever Mario approached it. The Micro-Goomba first appears in Super Mario Bros. 3 along with the Para-Goomba. According to the Super Mario Bros. 3 game manual, Micro-Goombas are the children of the Para-Goomba. In comparison with a regular Goomba, the Para-Goomba has two wings which gives it the ability to fly across the game screen. In Super Mario Bros. 3, it appears in two shades of brown. The lighter colored Para-Goomba could fly and would occasionally release Micro-Goombas. The darker colored Para-Goomba does not release Micro-Goombas.

Goombas in non-Mario games

Goombas also appear in two non-Mario games: The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening and Super Smash Bros. Melee.

In 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 for a heart.

In Super Smash Bros. Melee, Goombas are a monster that come out of item-holding objects or a Pokéball. They are also commonly found in the first level of Adventure Mode, the Mushroom Kingdom stage. To defeat it, the character must either jump on it or use an attack.

Goombas in other mediums

In the television cartoon "The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!," 1989, Goombas are loyal soldiers in King Koopa's army. The general appearance of the Goomba resembled the sprites found in the Mario video games. In most of the episodes, the goomba appears as a vampire, robot, or whatever the plot was about. The Goombas never spoke, while the rest of the other enemies at least spoke once.

In 1990, a few Mario characters became part of McDonald's Happy Meal's toys. The Mario toy set featured Mario, Luigi, Koopa Paratroopa, and Little Goomba. The Goomba toy is a spring loaded toy apparatus. There is a small suction cup at the front of Goomba's head and sticks to 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. (Note that Goombas in the video games do not backflip.)

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, Goomba is drastically different in appearance compared to its video game counterpart.

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