Bulber
| Bulber | |
|---|---|
 Screenshot from Mario Kart World | |
| First appearance | New Super Mario Bros. Wii (2009) |
| Latest appearance | Mario Kart World (2025) |
Bulbers[1][2] are anglerfish-like enemies that first appear in New Super Mario Bros. Wii. Like real anglerfish, their bulbs illuminate any darkness around them, similarly to Jellybeams.
History
Super Mario series
New Super Mario Bros. Wii
In New Super Mario Bros. Wii, Bulbers only appear in World 8-4. They swim freely in the water, illuminating the area around them. They can be defeated by attacking them with a fireball, by freezing them, or by running into them with a Star, although this is not necessary and perhaps even detrimental due to loss of illumination. Bulbers are passive, hurting Mario only if he touches them.
New Super Mario Bros. U / New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe
Bulbers reappear in New Super Mario Bros. U where they act exactly as they did in New Super Mario Bros. Wii, appearing alongside Jellybeams in Deepsea Ruins of Soda Jungle. They do not reappear in New Super Luigi U.
Mario Kart series
Mario Kart Tour
In Mario Kart Tour, Bulbers can be seen in Piranha Plant Cove across its variants, visible above the pillars of the first and third route's starting line and in Piranha Plant Cove 3's subterranean ruin section.
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
Bulbers are located once again in the background of Piranha Plant Cove in the Mario Kart 8 Deluxe – Booster Course Pass DLC.
Mario Kart World
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This notice should be removed after a month has passed since the game was first released.
In Mario Kart World, a Bulber can be found in the ocean near Wario Shipyard.[3] Driving into one will cause the racer to spin out, and they cannot be driven onto.
Unused appearances
Mario Kart Arcade GP DX
Model data for a Bulber exists in the files of Mario Kart Arcade GP DX.[citation needed]
Gallery
Model from New Super Mario Bros. Wii
New Super Mario Bros. Wii
Course preview texture from New Super Mario Bros. Wii
Model from New Super Mario Bros. U
Naming
Internal names
| Game | File | Name | Meaning
|
|---|---|---|---|
| New Super Mario Bros. Wii New Super Mario Bros. U Mario Kart Arcade GP DX |
1 Data/files/Object/ankou.arc content/Common/actor/ankou.szs Data/Model/Object/ankou |
ankou | anglerfish |
Names in other languages
| Language | Name | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Japanese | チョーチン[4] Chōchin |
Clipping of「提灯鮟鱇」(chōchin-ankō, "footballfish").「提灯」(chōchin) also literally means "paper lantern". | |
| French | Lophius[5] | Lophius | |
| German | Anglerfisch[?] | Frogfish | |
| Italian | Pesce Lampada[6] | Lamp Fish | |
| Pesce Luce[6] | Light Fish | ||
| Spanish (NOE) | Besulbo[?] | Portmanteau of besugo ("seabream") and bulbo ("bulb") |
References
- ^ Bueno, Fernando (November 15, 2009). New Super Mario Bros. Wii Prima Official Game Guide. Prima Games (American English). ISBN 978-0-307-46592-4. Page 160.
- ^ Stratton, Steve (November 18, 2012). New Super Mario Bros. U Prima Official Game Guide. Prima Games (American English). ISBN 978-0-307-89690-2. Page 30.
- ^ Nintendo of America (April 4, 2025). Mario Kart World – Grand Prix Gameplay Day 2– Nintendo Treehouse: Live | Nintendo Switch 2. YouTube. Retrieved April 6, 2025.
- ^ New Super Mario Bros. U actor name in executable
- ^ Mario Kart World mission: "Surfez sous le regard médusé des Lophius !"
- ^ a b 2018. Super Mario Bros. Enciclopedia. Magazzini Salani (Italian). ISBN 978-88-9367-436-2. Page 145, 210.
