Dragoneel
NSMBU Dragoneel Screenshot.jpg
A Dragoneel, swimming along the players
First appearance New Super Mario Bros. U (2012)
Latest appearance Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope (2022)
Subject origin Snorkel Snake

Dragoneels are gigantic eels that make their debut in New Super Mario Bros. U. These enemies have angry closed eyes that resemble those of a Porcupuffer, and large zigzag-shaped red jaws, the upper one having a pink lip. Also, they have long sleek bodies with a long purple crest running along their red backs and their underside is white with pale purple polka dots, and a long purple fin along their back. Dragoneel's wing-like pectoral fins and three-lobed caudal fin are similar to those of Cheep Cheeps. They closely resemble Gobblegut (and Fracktail) and behave similar to the Snorkel Snake as they try to encircle players with their bodies; in fact, their internal file name in New Super Mario Bros. U suggests they may be directly based on the Snorkel Snake.

HistoryEdit

Super Mario seriesEdit

New Super Mario Bros. U / New Super Mario Bros. U DeluxeEdit

In the game, they attack by chasing the player's character. They can only be defeated with a Super Star, and doing so causes it to spit out several coins. Dragoneels appear in the Sparkling Waters level, Dragoneel's Undersea Grotto and World  Coin-5. It follows the player throughout the underwater course, while the players must avoid the monster. Throwing fireballs at its head will slow it down, but throwing them at its body will speed it up. If the player swims behind a Dragoneel and remains out of reach, the Dragoneel will begin circling the player. In a multiplayer game, it will go after the player furthest to the right of the screen. The Dragoneel is also capable of swimming through walls and other objects.

A shorter, purple-blue variant of Dragoneels can be found in Dragoneel's Undersea Grotto. Only two purple Dragoneels appear in a small section with coins and a Star Coin. They have the same strategies that Dragoneels have; they follow the player(s) while they must avoid them. However, they make tighter turns, and are significantly slower. Throwing fireballs at their heads will make them move gradually slower. This variant does not appear in New Super Luigi U.

New Super Luigi UEdit

Dragoneels reappear in New Super Luigi U in the Sparkling Waters level, Dragoneel Depths where two of them chase the player. In this game, they can defeat enemies, such as Urchins and Big Urchins, by running into them.

Super Mario Maker 2Edit

In Super Mario Maker 2, Dragoneels make a cameo in the background of the vertical section of underwater levels in the New Super Mario Bros. U style. They do not appear as course parts.

Mario Party seriesEdit

Mario Party 10Edit

 
A Dragoneel in Whimsical Waters

Dragoneels appear in Mario Party 10, hosting the Dragoneel Treasure events in Whimsical Waters.

Super Mario PartyEdit

 
Caught Dragoneels in the Rumble Fishing minigame

Dragoneels reappear in Super Mario Party in the minigames Rattle and Hmmm and Rumble Fishing; they are one of the potential enemies seen during the final round of the former, and in the latter, they are fished out by players hoping to find the longest Dragoneel and thus win the minigame.

Mario + Rabbids Sparks of HopeEdit

“ This poor Dragoneel is yet another victim of Woodrow's   cursed - and in my honest opinion - vastly overrated poetry. ”
Beep-0, Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope

In Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope, a giant, dazed Dragoneel makes a cameo appearance in Gourd Lake.

GalleryEdit

Additional namesEdit

Internal namesEdit

Game File Name Meaning

New Super Mario Bros. U content/Common/actor/unabon.szs unabon Snorkel Snake

Names in other languagesEdit

Language Name Meaning
Japanese タツノン
Tatsunon
From「竜」(tatsu, dragon) or possibly「竜の落し子」(tatsu no otoshigo, seahorse), and an allusion to「ウナボン」(Unabon, Snorkel Snake)

Chinese 海龙 (Simplified)
海龍 (Traditional)
Hǎi Lóng
Sea Dragon

French Dranguille
From "dragon" and "anguille" (eel)
German Drachenaal
Dragoneel
Italian Dranguilla
Pun on "drago" (dragon) and "anguilla" (eel)
Korean 용돌이
Yongdol'i
from "용" (yong, dragon) and "~돌이" (-dol'i, a Korean suffix that refers to a man)

Portuguese Dragoreia
From "dragon" and "moreia" (moray eel)
Russian Драконоугорь
Drakonougor'
From "дракон" (drakon, dragon) and "угорь" (ugor, eel)

Spanish (NOA) Anguisaurio
From "anguilla" ("eel" in Latin) and the suffix "-saurio" (-saurus)
Spanish (NOE) Hidragón
From "hidra" (hydra) and "dragón" (dragon)

ReferencesEdit