Shellcreeper

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Not to be confused with Koopa Troopa.
Shellcreeper
Shellcreeper
Artwork from Mario Bros.
First appearance Mario Bros. (1983)
Latest appearance WarioWare: Move It! (2023)
Variants
Relatives
Comparable

Shellcreepers, sometimes referred to as simply turtles, are green-shelled turtles that first appeared in the Mario Bros. arcade game. They are the first turtle enemies to appear in a Super Mario game, making them the conceptual ancestors of the Koopas, which appeared two years later in Super Mario Bros. It is also shown that Shellcreepers wear undershirts and shorts when outside of their shells. Several sources such as the trophy descriptions in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U indicate that Koopa Troopas apparently evolved from Shellcreepers.

Gunpei Yokoi created the Shellcreeper after being inspired from watching a cartoon turtle remove its shell. He wanted to create an entire game that focused on removing shells from turtles. That concept eventually developed into the Mario Bros. arcade game.[1] However, Shigeru Miyamoto states that they came up with using turtles during development.[2] He attributes the idea to himself and Hirokazu Tanaka.[3]

History

Mario Bros. series

Mario Bros.

Sprite of a Shellcreeper from Mario Bros.
Sprite of a turtle from the NES port of Mario Bros.
Sprite of a Shellcreeper in the Atari 2600 port of Mario Bros.
Sprite of a Shellcreeper from the Atari 5200 port of Mario Bros.
Sprite of a Shellcreeper from the Atari 7800 port of Mario Bros.
Shellcreepers as they appear in the original game, NES version, and Atari 2600, 5200, and 7800 versions
The introductory slide of the Shellcreeper, as seen in Mario Bros..
Shellcreeper introduction screen in the arcade version

The Shellcreeper is the first enemy to appear in Mario Bros. They are the only enemies to appear before the first bonus round. They walk out of the pipes at the top of the screen and walk towards the pipes at the bottom of the screen. The player must hit it from below through the floor to flip it over and then run into it to defeat it. If the player does not run into it, the Shellcreeper jumps out of its shell (revealing that it wears a white shirt and shorts), flips its shell over, changes color from green to purple and continues moving faster than before. If it flips its shell again, it will turn red, its fastest state. If a Shellcreeper is the last target for the phase, it will automatically turn red. Unlike the similar Koopa Troopa, jumping on Shellcreeper will cause Mario or Luigi to lose a life. Also, Shellcreepers can attack by biting Mario or Luigi with their teeth.

In the NES version, Shellcreepers lack an animation for changing shell colors, and the colors now go from green to red to pink, the last of which also has blue skin. Additionally, in the initial NES release they are smaller than in the original arcade version, though this is no longer the case in later editions.

Starting with the Mario Bros.-style battle mode in Super Mario Bros. 3, Shellcreepers have been replaced by Spinies in all subsequent versions, so they would not be mistaken for Koopa Troopas, which can be jumped on. Despite this, a lone Shellcreeper still makes a cameo alongside a Sidestepper and Fighter Fly on the title screen of the Game Boy Advance remakes of Mario Bros. In Mario Clash, Koopa Troopas are given a similar sprite design to Shellcreepers, and even do the same tooth-baring pose.

Mario Bros. Special

In Hudson Soft's 1984 sequel of sorts to Mario Bros., Mario Bros. Special, Shellcreepers make a return appearance as enemies, though this time they cannot be stunned by hitting them from below; instead, they can be stunned by jumping on a trampoline that they are on (second stage), jumping on a conveyor belt that they are on (third stage), or defeated instantly by jumping over or next to them and hitting a platform, though they will respawn if defeated this way. They do not change color or move faster after recovering from a stun.

Punch Ball Mario Bros.

Shellcreepers appear as an enemy yet again in Hudson Soft's semi sequel to Mario Bros., Punch Ball Mario Bros. The game is much closer to the Mario Bros., and thus Shellcreepers play a much more similar role as they did in that game. The only differences are that they cannot be stunned from below and are instead stunned by Punch Balls or the POW Block. If they get back up after being stunned or are the last enemy on screen, they turn red and speed up.

Mario Power Tennis / New Play Control! Mario Power Tennis

View of the gimmick.
Shellcreepers in Mario Power Tennis
Render of the unused Shellcreeper model from Mario Power Tennis
Unused 3D model of a Shellcreeper

Shellcreepers, along with the other Mario Bros. enemies, appear in the background of the Mario Classic Court in Mario Power Tennis, where they use their NES sprites. The game's data includes an unused 3D depiction of a Shellcreeper, showing it as a small, quadrupedal Koopa Troopa with clawed flat feet.

Super Smash Bros. series

SmashWiki article: Shellcreeper

In Super Smash Bros. Brawl and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Shellcreepers appear on the Mario Bros. stage. They walk out from the pipes at the top of the stage. If knocked over by hitting them from below or from an attack, they can be picked up and thrown at opponents, making them fly sideways off the screen. The Shellcreepers also have their own trophy in Super Smash Bros. Brawl and Super Smash Bros. for Wii U.

Super Mario series

Super Mario 3D World / Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury

Shellcreepers appear in Luigi Bros., a remake of Mario Bros. featured in Super Mario 3D World and its Nintendo Switch port. No changes were made to them.

Super Mario Maker

Mario disguised as a Shellcreeper, standing in front of a Koopa Troopa
A Shellcreeper (left) and a Koopa Troopa (right) in Super Mario Maker

In Super Mario Maker, one of the unlockable playable costumes is a Shellcreeper, using a modified version of its sprite in Mario Bros. Returns. It can be unlocked at random after clearing the 100 Mario Challenge on Expert setting or harder. If the player holds +Control Pad up on the GamePad while wearing the costume, the Shellcreeper makes a grimace. While the player runs as the Shellcreeper, its shell turns red.

Other appearances

In the Family BASIC accessory to the Family Computer, Shellcreepers are programmable sprites. They also make a cameo in the Message Board.

Shellcreepers appear in NES Remix in the challenges and remixes based on Mario Bros.

List of appearances

Title Description Release date System/format
Mario Bros. Enemy 1983 Arcade
Family BASIC Cameo on the Message Board, programmable sprite 1984 Family Computer
Mario Bros. Special Enemy 1984 PC-8801, PC-6001mkII/PC-6601, PC-9801, FM-7, Sharp X1, Sharp MZ-1500, Sharp MZ-2200, Hitachi S1
Punch Ball Mario Bros. Enemy 1984 PC-8801, PC-6001mkII/PC-6601, FM-7, Sharp X1, Sharp MZ-1500
Mario Bros. Returns Enemy, Notices explainer 1988 Family Computer Disk System
Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga Cameo on the Mario Bros. title screen. Also in the Super Mario Advance ports. 2003 Game Boy Advance
Mario Power Tennis Cameo as enemy on Mario Classic Court 2004 Nintendo GameCube
Famicom Mini: Mario Bros. Enemy 2004 Game Boy Advance
Super Smash Bros. Brawl Stage hazard, trophy 2008 Wii
New Play Control! Mario Power Tennis Cameo as enemy on Mario Classic Court 2009 Wii
Super Mario 3D World Enemy in Luigi Bros. 2013 Wii U
NES Remix Enemy/objective in Mario Bros. challenges and remixes. 2013 Wii U
Super Smash Bros. for Wii U Cameo as a trophy 2014 Wii U
Super Mario Maker Costume Mario outfit 2015 Wii U
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Stage hazard 2018 Nintendo Switch
Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury Enemy in Luigi Bros. 2021 Nintendo Switch
WarioWare: Move It! Cameo in microgame 2023 Nintendo Switch

Profiles and statistics

Perfect Ban Mario Character Daijiten

カメさん (JP) / Shellcreeper (EN)
Image of a Shellcreeper
Original text (Japanese) Translation
種族しゅぞく カメ族ぞく Tribe Turtle clan
性格せいかく さびしがりや Disposition Lonely person
登場とうじょうゲーム ブラザー Game appearances Bros.
カメ族ぞくのルーツはこのキャラ

すべてのカメ族ぞくの元祖がんそ。ノコノコなどと違ちがい、踏んでもやっつけられない。床下ゆかしたからひっくり返かえし、キックでやっつけよう。最後さいごの一匹ぴきは、スピードアップするので注意ちゅうい。[4]

The Turtle Tribe's roots are in this character!

It's the originator of the whole Turtle Tribe. Unlike Koopa Troopa, it can't be beaten even if stepped on. Turn it over from under the floor, then kick to beat it. Careful, the last one will speed up.

Super Smash Bros. series

Super Smash Bros. Brawl

Trophy
Shellcreepers
Shellcreepers trophy
Appears in:
NES Mario Bros.
GBA Super Mario Advance
How to unlock: Random
Shelled enemies Mario and Luigi faced back when they were plumbers. They had to be bumped from below to flip them over and then kicked off the stage. The last one on a stage changed colors and raced really fast. If one got flipped but not sent off, it would eventually right itself and move at high speed. They were simply called "turtles" in Japan.

Super Smash Bros. for Wii U

Trophy
Shellcreepers
Shellcreepers trophy from Super Smash Bros. for Wii U
Category: Series Related
(Applies only to the Wii U version) Appears in:
ARCADE Mario Bros.
GBA Super Mario Advance
(Applies only to the Wii U version) Trophy Box: 6: Mario Bros.
How to unlock:
Random
With a name that implies silently sneaking up on its prey, the Shellcreeper might be considered cooler than your average turtle. The Koopa is apparently an evolved form of this veteran of Mario Bros. We'd recommend not jumping on this one like you would a Koopa, though... (American English)
With a name that implies silently sneaking up on its prey, the Shellcreeper might be considered cooler than your average turtle. A true veteran from way back in Mario Bros., this guy even predates Koopas, which apparently it evolved into. We wouldn't recommend jumping on this one like you'd jump on a Koopa, though... (British English)

Gallery

For this subject's image gallery, see Gallery:Shellcreeper.
  • Mario Bros.

    Mario Bros.

  • Mario Bros.

    Mario Bros.

  • Mario Bros.

    Mario Bros.

  • Mario Bros.

    Mario Bros.

  • Mario Bros.

    Mario Bros.

Names in other languages

The contemporaneous name for each language is listed first. Subsequent names are listed in chronological order for each language, from oldest to newest, and have the media they are associated with in the "notes" column.

Language Name Meaning Notes
Japanese カメ[5][6]
Kame 		Turtle
Shellcreeper[7] Rendered in Latin script Mario Bros. (arcade)
カメさん[8][9]
Kame-san 		Mr. Turtle Mario Bros. (Family Computer)
シェルクリーパー[10][11]
Sherukurīpā 		Transliteration of the English name Super Smash Bros. series
Chinese (traditional) 烏龜[12]
Wūguī 		Turtle
Dutch Shellcreeper[6] -
French Carapeur[10][6] Portmanteau of "carapace" and peur ("fear")
Shellcreeper[13]:4 - Mario Bros. (Atari 2600)
German Schildkröte[14][15][10][6] Tortoise
Shellcreeper[13]:4 - Mario Bros. (Atari 2600)
Italian Tartaruga[10][6] Turtle
Shellcreeper[13]:5 - Mario Bros. (Atari 2600)
Korean 거북님[10]
Geobug-nim 		Mr. Turtle
Portuguese Tartaruga[6] Turtle
Russian Черепашкин[6]
Cherepashkin 		From черепаха (cherepakha, "turtle") with Russian surname ending -ин (-in)
Spanish (NOA) Trotatuga[11][6] From trotar ("trot") and tortuga ("turtle")
Spanish (NOE) Tortuga[16][11][6] Tortoise
Shellcreeper[13]:5 - Mario Bros. (Atari 2600)

References

Shellcreeper coverage on other NIWA wikis:
  1. ^ 『パックマン』にはじまり『スーパーマリオ』でひとつの完成形に達した“キャラクターの身体機能”「なんでゲームは面白い？」第11回. Retrieved June 10, 2023. (Contains quote from Yokoi found in 「横井軍平ゲーム館」.)
  2. ^ Iwata Asks: New Super Mario Bros. Wii Vol. 1 Ch. 2. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
  3. ^ Shigeru Miyamoto – 2000 Developer Interview. shmupulations. Retrieved February 19, 2025.
  4. ^ Perfect Ban Mario Character Daijiten. Page 55.
  5. ^ Instruction card (1983). Mario Bros. by Nintendo R&D1. Nintendo Co., Ltd. (Japanese).
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i Costume Mario list (2015). Super Mario Maker by Nintendo EAD. Nintendo.
  7. ^ In-game name displayed in the arcade version of Mario Bros.
  8. ^ 1983. 『マリオブラザーズ 取扱説明書』 (PDF). Kyoto: Nintendo Co., Ltd. (Japanese). Page 5.
  9. ^ Technopolis Editorial Department (1985). 『任天堂のファミリーベーシック人門』. Tokyo: Tokuma Shoten. ISBN 4-19-723063-X. Page 9.
  10. ^ a b c d e Trophy list (2008). Super Smash Bros. Brawl by Sora Ltd. Nintendo.
  11. ^ a b c Trophy list (2014). Super Smash Bros. for Wii U by Sora Ltd. and Bandai Namco Games. Nintendo.
  12. ^ 介紹在《超級舞動 瓦利歐製造》裡以任天堂的遊戲為題設計的小遊戲。 Nintendo. Retrieved December 28, 2023.
  13. ^ a b c d 1988. Mario Bros. by Nintendo. Sunnyvale: ATARI, Nintendo of America (English, French, German, Spanish, Italian).
  14. ^ 1983. Mario Bros. Anleitung. Großostheim: Nintendo (German). Page 5.
  15. ^ 1993. Mario Bros. Spielanleitung. Großostheim: Nintendo of Europe GmbH (German). Page 6.
  16. ^ 1991. Mario Bros. Manual de Instrucciones. Madrid: Nintendo (European Spanish). Page 6.
[Edit]
Miscellaneous Koopas
Characters Boom Boom • Boss Sumo Bro • Gattai monster • Kuppaemon • Motley Bossblob • Pom Pom • Tutankoopa
Species Chargin' Chuck • Dark Striker • Koopa Striker • Shova • Soopa Striker • Sumo Bro • Toopa Striker • Wonder Shova
Relatives Conkdor • Rocky Wrench • Shellcreeper • Skedaddler • Yoshi
Subfamilies
Buzzy Beetles • Hammer Bros. • Koopas • Koopa Troopas (Koopa Paratroopas · Dry Bones) • Lakitus • Magikoopas • Spikes • Spinies
[Edit]
Mario Bros.
Characters Mario • Luigi
Items and objects ? Blockb • ? Kinokoc • Cardb • Coin • Eggd • Fish Skeletond • Floor • Garbage cand • Heartd • Koopa Shelld • Ladderb • POW Block • Starmand • Super Mushroomc • Wafera
Enemies and obstacles Booc • Bowserd • Fighter Fly • Fireball • Ice • Icicle • Koopac • Shellcreeper • Sidestepper • Slipice • Spinybcd
Music Game Start A • Title BGM • Bros. Battlebcd
Alternate versions Battle Game (Super Mario All-Stars) • Luigi Bros. • Mario Bros. (Classic Serie) • Mario Bros. (Game Boy Advance) • Mario Bros. (Super Mario Bros. 3) • Mario Bros. Returns • Mario Bros. Special • Punch Ball Mario Bros.
Other Gallery • Staff
a Atari 2600 port
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