Chain Chomps (occasionally called simply
Chomps, alternatively formatted as
Chain-Chomps, also called
Chain Chompers) are common enemies in the
Mario franchise. They first appeared in
Super Mario Bros. 3. Chain Chomps bear a resemblance to a ball and chain and are typified by their large, tooth-filled maws and incessant biting.
Shigeru Miyamoto's inspiration for the Chain Chomps was from a childhood experience: a dog once ran up to him and tried to bite him, but the dog's chain held it back. As a result, Chain Chomps also possess canine qualities, such as barking, and are commonly used as guard dogs throughout the
Mario series. Chain Chomps were originally created as an
enemy for The Legend of Zelda series, but ended up being used for the
Mario franchise first. Many Chomps have been part of the
Koopa Troop, though a couple of them have been shown to be independent. Despite their English name, not all Chain Chomps have chains, or even chomp; many later depictions of chainless Chain Chomps have them rolling around like
boulders.
