Torpedo Ted

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Torpedo Ted
Custom render of Torpedo Ted in New Super Mario Bros. U
Custom render of Torpedo Ted using the New Super Mario Bros. U model
First appearance Super Mario World (1990)
Latest appearance Super Mario 3D All-Stars (2020)
Variant of Bullet Bill
Variants
Relatives
Comparable

Torpedo Teds are a variant of Bullet Bill resembling anthropomorphic torpedoes that are dropped by torpedo tubes underwater. Their designs are similar to that of their original counterpart: They have similar white arms and the same jet-black coloration, though their appearance is distinguished by a smug grin, eyes squinted shut, and a propeller on their thruster. They first appeared in Super Mario World and have made uncommon appearances since then. Due to Mario's inability to stomp on enemies underwater and the Bullet Bill species' resistance to fire, Torpedo Teds are usually tough, if not invincible, enemies and thus must be avoided.

History[edit]

Super Mario series[edit]

Super Mario World[edit]

Sprite of a Torpedo Ted in Super Mario World

Torpedo Teds first appear in Super Mario World, and they are exclusive to one level in the game: Soda Lake. They are dropped by gloved arms protruding out of torpedo tubes, the Torpedo Ted equivalent of Bill Blasters. Torpedo Teds are deployed facing the player's direction, and move relatively quickly in a straight line.

Aside from the use of a Super Star, Torpedo Teds can be defeated by thrown objects. This can be achieved in Super Mario World: Super Mario Advance 2 when one plays as Luigi and has a Yoshi eat an enemy (like a Blurp). Since a Yoshi holds enemies for a short while when ridden by Luigi, the player can defeat Torpedo Teds by spitting out the enemy the Yoshi is holding in its mouth at the time. Even as it falls off the screen, the sprite of a defeated Torpedo Ted is still able to damage the player.

Super Mario Galaxy[edit]

E3 June 12, 2007 Super Mario Galaxy Torpedo Ted chasing Mario
E3 2007 screenshot of Mario being chased by Torpedo Teds in Buoy Base Galaxy in Super Mario Galaxy.

Torpedo Teds (erroneously referred to as Bullet Bills by Prima Games)[1][2] appear in Super Mario Galaxy after a long absence in the main Super Mario series; they are exclusive to Buoy Base Galaxy and Drip Drop Galaxy, where they are fired from cannons that resemble underwater Bill Blasters. Like the Bullet Bills featured in this game, they home in on players rather than travel in a straight line, but unlike them, they make a beeping noise based on how close they are to Mario. They can be defeated either as Rainbow Mario or by causing them to crash into an object. Torpedo Teds do not reappear in the sequel, Super Mario Galaxy 2.

New Super Mario Bros. U / New Super Luigi U / New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe[edit]

Mario encountering Torpedo Teds in New Super Mario Bros. U

Torpedo Teds reappear in New Super Mario Bros. U alongside black Torpedo Bases, and they make their only appearances in Larry's Torpedo Castle and the The Mighty Cannonship's Bowser Jr. Battle. They retain their appearance and behavior from Super Mario World, though they are slightly longer, their propellers are red, and the ends holding them are white. The game introduces a Torpedo Ted variation, where red Torpedo Bases launch a red version of Torpedo Teds known as Targeting Teds, which homes in on players in a way similar fashion to the Bullet Bill equivalent, Bull's-Eye Bill. If the player freezes one, it breaks out immediately. Torpedo Teds can be defeated in Boost Mode and Super Boost Mode; in the former case, when it is frozen, the player can tap on the ice block quickly, while in the latter players can defeat Torpedo Teds simply by tapping on them. Also, simply freezing them when another Torpedo Ted is right in front of them will defeat the frozen one.

Torpedo Teds also appear as obstacles in the Penguin vs. Torpedo challenge.

Torpedo Ted reappear in the expansion game, New Super Luigi U. They appear in the first boss battle with Bowser Jr., and in Larry's Trigger-Happy Castle, Torpedo Teds appear with many other varieties of Bullet Bill. They can be seen in the watery areas of the first room.

Super Mario World television series[edit]

Torpedo Ted
A Torpedo Ted from the Super Mario World cartoon series.

A Torpedo Ted, though not specifically named as such, appears in the final episode of the Super Mario World cartoon. In the episode, titled "Mama Luigi," Luigi and Yoshi, after escaping a pursuing Rip Van Fish, are attacked by a Torpedo Ted. This Torpedo Ted chases after them as they are swimming to the surface; however, the Torpedo Ted misses both of them, as they are saved by two friendly Dolphins.

Super Princess Peach[edit]

A Torpedo Ted from Super Princess Peach

Torpedo Teds reside in a few underwater areas of Vibe Island in Super Princess Peach, behaving very similarly as in Super Mario World. There is also a Joy variant under the influence of the Vibe Scepter, transforming them into G. Torpedo Teds.

Mario Party series[edit]

A Torpedo Ted as seen in Super Mario Party

Torpedo Teds appear in only two games of the Mario Party series. In Mario Party 10, Torpedo Teds are an obstacle in Blooper Blastoff, where they are fired out from Torpedo Bases, and if a player is hit by a Torpedo Ted, they spin out for one second. In Super Mario Party, a Torpedo Ted can sometimes appear in Rattle and Hmmm as one of the choices.

Profiles[edit]

Super Princess Peach[edit]

Glossary profile

Perfect Ban Mario Character Daijiten[edit]

トーピード
種族 ウエポン族
性格 破滅型
登場ゲーム ワールド
かなりスピードがあるぞ
キラー(P63参照)の仲間で、水中魚雷の一種。ものすごいスピードで水中を進んでくる。水中では、マリオの操作がしづらいので、よけるのに苦労させられるぞ。[3]

Torpedo Ted
Tribe: Weapon clan
Disposition: Ruinous type
Game appearances: World
You're going pretty fast
A member of the Bullet Bill (see p. 63) family, it is a type of underwater torpedo. They move through the water at great speed. Mario will have a hard time dodging them because it is difficult to control him underwater.

Encyclopedia Super Mario Bros.[edit]

  • Bio: ソーダの湖に登場する魚雷。発射台から出たあとまつすぐに進む。[4](A torpedo that appears in Soda Lake. It travels immediately after it leaves the launch pad.)

Gallery[edit]

Names in other languages[edit]

Language Name Meaning
Japanese トーピード[5][6]
Tōpīdo
Torpedo

Chinese (simplified) 鱼雷杀手[8]
Yúléi Shāshǒu
鱼雷刺客 (international releases for games since New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe)
Yúléi Cìkè
鱼雷先锋 (China release for Nintendo Switch games)
Yúléi Xiānfēng

From "鱼雷" (yúléi, torpedo) and "弹头杀手" (Dàntóushāshǒu, Bullet Bill)

From "鱼雷" (yúléi, torpedo) and "炮弹刺客" (Pàodàncìkè, Bullet Bill)

From "鱼雷" (yúléi, torpedo) and "炮弹先锋" (Pàodànxiānfēng, Bullet Bill)



Chinese (traditional) 魚雷刺客
Yúléi Cìkè
From "魚雷" (yúléi, torpedo) and "炮彈刺客" (Pàodàncìkè, Bullet Bill)

French Ted Torpille
Torpedo Ted
German Torpedo Ted
-
Italian Ted Torpedine
Ted torpedine (New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe only)
Torpedo Ted
Korean 어뢰킬러
Eoroe Killeo
Torpedo Bullet Bill

Portuguese Ted Torpedo
Torpedo Ted
Portuguese (NOE) torpedo[7]
-
Spanish Ted Torpedo
Torpedo Ted

Trivia[edit]

Sprite sheet featuring Boss Bass and a Bullet Bill-sized version of Torpedo Ted.
  • During development of Super Mario World, Bullet Bill-sized versions of Torpedo Ted were planned.[9] Additionally, the name "Water Killer" is present in prototype assets.[10]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "The warp pipe is encased in a steel-and-glass cage. Fortunately, there is a Bullet Bill torpedo tube nearby." Black, Fletcher. Super Mario Galaxy PRIMA Official Game Guide, page 157.
  2. ^ "A massive weight hangs from the tower’s bottom. This holds the tower in place. Mario must somehow remove the weight. There is a torpedo tube in the side of the sea bowl. Swim over to it to catch the eyes of a Bullet Bill as it blasts into the water. Then, swim toward the weight with the Bullet Bill in tow. Quickly paddle to the weight’s other side so the Bullet Bill crashes into it. The explosion drops the weight, allowing several floating devices to rise. Now Mario can climb to the tower’s top." Black, Fletcher. Super Mario Galaxy PRIMA Official Game Guide, page 158.
  3. ^ Shogakukan. 1994.「パーフェクト版 マリオキャラクター大事典」 (Perfect Ban Mario Character Daijiten), page 120.
  4. ^ 「スーパーマリオブラザーズ百科: 任天堂公式ガイドブック」 (Super Mario Bros. Hyakka: Nintendo Kōshiki Guidebook), Super Mario World section, page 55.
  5. ^ Shogakukan. 2015. Super Mario Bros. Hyakka: Nintendo Kōshiki Guidebook, Super Mario World section, page 55.
  6. ^ Shogakukan. 2015. Super Mario Bros. Hyakka: Nintendo Kōshiki Guidebook, Super Mario Galaxy section, page 127.
  7. ^ Canal New Super Mario Bros. U (February 6th, 2013). New Super Mario Bros. U - Desafios: Pinguim vs. Torpedo (Wii U) video description.
  8. ^ 无敌阿尔宙斯 (August 28, 2013). 神游 超级马力欧世界 敌人官译. Baidu Tieba. Retrieved February 2, 2017.
  9. ^ Verneri Kontto (July 24, 2020). Twitter post featuring prototype Super Mario World assets. Retrieved July 25, 2020.
  10. ^ TCRF. Prerelease:Super Mario World (SNES)/Background Graphics and Tilemaps#Enemy Cast List. The Cutting Room Floor. Retrieved August 6, 2020.