Octopus (character)
| Octopus | |
|---|---|
 Screenshot from Game & Watch Gallery 4 | |
| Species | Octopus |
| First appearance | Octopus (1981, overall) Game & Watch Gallery (1997, Super Mario franchise) |
| Latest appearance | The Super Mario Galaxy Movie (picture cameo) (2026) |
The Octopus (called Ozzie the Octopus in a 1989 Nintendo catalog)[1] is a character who guards treasure from the diver in its self-titled game for the Game & Watch. It has seldomly appeared in the Super Mario franchise, mainly just in remakes of Octopus, where it has the role of guarding sunken treasure from the player; if the Octopus grabs the player, the game registers a miss.
History[edit]
Game & Watch Gallery series[edit]
Game & Watch Gallery[edit]
In Game & Watch Gallery, a port of the original Octopus exists in which it is played the same, and so the Octopus's role is the same; however, a remake also exists in which Mario replaces the diver and goes down to steal the Octopus's treasure. Mario, however, can use his treasure as a weapon by throwing it at the Octopus, stunning whichever arm is hit temporarily.
Game & Watch Gallery 4[edit]
In Game & Watch Gallery 4, another port of the original Octopus is unlockable and playable, and it is a more authentic port than the one seen in Game & Watch Gallery. Another remake also appears; this time, the Octopus can change color (orange, green, or blue), and it does so each time Mario earns 200 points. Mario can fight it back again by throwing his treasure sack at it, making the Octopus recoil and cry.
The Octopus, or at least its arms, also appears in a sequence that plays if the player selects the game but does not actually start it. Mario arrives with a bag of loot in one hand and a Game Boy Advance in another. However, he ends up surrounded by four octopus arms (two on each side) that are menacing him. Trapped, he then calls on a Lakitu to help him. He then grabs the fishing pole of Lakitu and, trying to hold on, is ultimately forced to drop his belongings, with a crown and gold objects falling out of the loot bag. Finally, each octopus arm retrieves a treasure, including the loot bag itself as well as the GBA.
WarioWare: Smooth Moves[edit]
The Octopus appears in the microgame Game & Watch Octopus in WarioWare: Smooth Moves, in which the player must raise the Wii Remote at the correct time for the diver to escape the Octopus.
Super Smash Bros. series[edit]
In Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U, and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Mr. Game & Watch's Final Smash is Octopus. It transforms him into this character. In the former three games, the Octopus can move left and right and jump, dealing damage on contact. It can also extend its tentacles for extra range. The Octopus cannot turn around, so the direction it and its tentacles face is determined by the way the player was facing when they started. While it appears to float, it needs to "walk" on ground or water and can therefore fall. In Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Super Smash Bros. for Wii U, like with most Final Smashes, if the move ends and leaves Mr. Game & Watch in the air, he gets a small upward boost.
In Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, the attack instead involves Mr. Game & Watch backing up, then rushing forward off the screen. The Octopus flies in this version, can move up and down freely, and uses its arms to grab opponents and carry them off the screen. Opponents are capable of escaping the grab. Once the attack is complete, Mr. Game & Watch reappears at the place where the attack started. The boost for the move ending with Mr. Game & Watch in the air is retained.
Like all Final Smashes, Octopus has a dedicated Final Smash trophy in Super Smash Bros. Brawl and Super Smash Bros. for Wii U. Both depict it pursuing two characters. The Super Smash Bros. Brawl trophy has Mario and Luigi, with Luigi being hit. The Super Smash Bros. for Wii U trophy has Duck Hunt and King Dedede, with King Dedede being hit.
In Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, the Octopus is also a Legend-class primary shield spirit. It has three slots for support spirits. When equipped, it makes the user's throws stronger. The Octopus does not have a spirit battle. It can only be obtained by summoning it using the cores of Octorok, Octoman, Oil Panic, and two other shield spirits. Octorok and Octoman are both octopus characters, and Oil Panic is a spirit based on a Game & Watch game.
Nintendo Land[edit]
The Large Octopus[2] appears in the minigame Octopus Dance in Nintendo Land, which requires the player's Mii to copy dance patterns using the Wii U GamePad. The Large Octopus can be seen in the background of the screen, but it appears not to affect the gameplay. However, if players lose all of their hearts, the Large Octopus picks up their Mii and takes them away.
The Super Mario Galaxy Movie[edit]
In The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, a picture of the octopus can be seen on the wall in Mario and Luigi's room.[3]
Profiles and statistics[edit]
Super Smash Bros. Brawl[edit]
| Trophy Octopus | ||
| ||
| Appears in: Wii Super Smash Bros. Brawl | ||
| Mr. Game & Watch's Final Smash. He turns into the huge cephalopod that made its debut in the Game & Watch game Octopus. Of course, you can damage enemies by running into them, but you can do more damage by pressing the attack button to extend four arms and launch foes. In the original Octopus game, you had to avoid the octopus while salvaging treasure from the sea. | ||
Super Smash Bros. for Wii U[edit]
| Trophy Octopus | ||
| ||
| Game(s): Wii U only | ||
| Category: Final Smash | ||
( ) Appears in:- | ||
| () Trophy Box: 56: Game & Watch
| ||
| The Game & Watch title Octopus featured a hero collecting treasure while avoiding a bothersome giant octopus's tentacles. Activate Mr. Game & Watch's Final Smash to transform him into that octopus! Ram into opponents, and use the attack button to extend the tentacles. The only thing you can't do is change the direction you're facing. (American English) | ||
| The Game & Watch title Octopus featured a hero collecting treasure while avoiding a bothersome giant octopus's tentacles. Activate Mr. Game & Watch's Final Smash to transform him into that octopus! Then ram into opponents, and use the attack button to extend the tentacles. The only thing you can't do is change direction. (British English) | ||
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate[edit]
| Spirit #698 Octopus | ||
|
Series/game | Game & Watch Series |
| Type | Primary | |
| Slots | 3 | |
| Class | Legend | |
| Strength / effect(s) | Shield Throw Power ↑ | |
| How to obtain | Summoned with a Octoman, Octorok, and Oil Panic core and two shield-type cores |
Gallery[edit]
Game & Watch Gallery 4
List of Super Mario appearances[edit]
| Title | Description | Release date | System/format |
|---|---|---|---|
| Game & Watch Gallery | Enemy in port of Octopus and remake | 1997 | Game Boy |
| Game & Watch Gallery 4 | Enemy in port of Octopus and remake | 2002 | Game Boy Advance |
| WarioWare: Smooth Moves | Cameo as enemy in microgame | 2006 | Wii |
| Super Smash Bros. Brawl | Playable character (power-up) | 2008 | Wii |
| Nintendo Land | Character | 2012 | Wii U |
| Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS | Playable character (power-up) | 2014 | Nintendo 3DS |
| Super Smash Bros. for Wii U | Playable character (power-up) | 2014 | Wii U |
| Super Smash Bros. Ultimate | Playable character (power-up) | 2018 | Nintendo Switch |
Name in other language[edit]
| Language | Name | Meaning | Note(s) | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Japanese | オクトパス Okutopasu | Octopus | [4][5][6] | |
| Chinese (Simplified) | 章鱼 Zhāngyú (Mandarin) | Octopus | [5][6] | |
| Chinese (Traditional) | 章魚 Zhāngyú (Mandarin) | [5][6] | ||
| Dutch | Octopus | - | [5][6] | |
| French (Canada) | Octopus | - | [5][6] | |
| French (Europe) | [4] | |||
| German | Octopus | - | [4][5][6] | |
| Italian | Octopus | - | [4][5][6] | |
| Korean | 옥토퍼스 Ogtopeoseu | Octopus | [5][6] | |
| Russian | Осьминог Os'minog | Octopus | [5][6] | |
| Spanish (Latin America) | Octopus | - | [5] | |
| Pulpo | Octopus | [6] | ||
| Spanish (Europe) | [4] |
References[edit]
- ^ Pocket Power Game & Watch. July 1989, page 2. Retrieved October 1, 2021.
- ^ Nintendo Land prize name
- ^ Mario (March 13, 2026). Super Mario Galaxy Movie | Another new TV spot (0:18). Retrieved March 15, 2026.
- ^ a b c d e Masahiro Sakurai (March 10, 2008). Mr. Game & Watch in Smash Bros. DOJO!!. Nintendo. Retrieved October 21, 2026 from www.smashbros.com.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j December 7, 2018. No. 698 in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate's list of spirits. Nintendo. Retrieved October 21, 2026.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j December 7, 2018. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate's Move List for Mr. Game & Watch in the Dashboard. Nintendo. Retrieved October 21, 2026.
| Game & Watch games | ||
|---|---|---|
| Super Mario franchise | Donkey Kong (1982, MS) • Mario Bros. (1983, MS) • Mario's Cement Factory (1983, TT/NWS) • Mario's Bombs Away (1983, PS) • Donkey Kong Hockey (1984, MVS) • Super Mario Bros. (1986, CrS | 1987, Sp | 1988, NWS) • Mario the Juggler (1991, NWS) • Game & Watch: Super Mario Bros. (2020, CoS) | |
| Donkey Kong franchise | Donkey Kong (1982, MS) • Donkey Kong Jr. (1982, NWS) • Donkey Kong II (1983, MS) • Donkey Kong Jr. (1983, TT/PS) • Donkey Kong 3 (1984, MVS) • Donkey Kong Circus (1984, PS) • Donkey Kong Hockey (1984, MVS) | |
| Miscellaneous | Green House (1982, MS) | |
| Nintendo Land | |
|---|---|
| Characters | Ganon • Mii • Octopus • Ridley |
| Mii character costumes | Captain Falcon • Captain Olimar • Gold Ghost • Link • Luigi • Mario • Pikmin • Samus • Toad (Blue • Green • Purple • Yellow) • Waluigi • Wario |
| Objects | ? Block • Automated elevator • Barrel • Bee • Brick Block • Conveyor belt • Gear Crank • Girder • |