Talk:Goombule

(First topic)

Even though I know its name is a pun on "cell" and "Goomba", I'm starting to see more places refer to it as just Cell Goomba. Should we do the same or wane out until the official English release? LEIRIN Leirin 21:36, 27 March 2009 (EDT)

Mostly, we only use official names, so unless it's confirmed to be called "Cell Goomba" in the English release, then we'll stick with Saibou. And it probably won't be called cell goomba, because the game only allows for enemy names to be 10 characters long. Although that could change for the English release - 2257^(Talk) 21:58, 27 March 2009 (EDT)

Spanish: Goombula

 Is Goom from Goomba and bula from célula that means cell in Spanish.

This is what some guy put on the article page. So I moved it. And I think it is. But there is no B in célula so it comes from Goomba. SHould we add it to the "Foreign Languages" section? User:Dry Paratroopa/sig

Are these actually Goombas? (Yet again...)

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The third in a series of questions related to Goomba-like enemies. This is becoming a recurring theme...

Of course, their resemblance to Goombas is unmistakable. The name, the role, the looks. It's pretty general Goomba stuff.

However, this series frequently uses similar enemies to take the place* of Goombas if they aren't fightable/only appear during certain parts of the story. *The Japanese names for Beanie and Seedle are derived from Goomba.

For that reason, I don't think we should be classifying this... Goomba-shaped-amoeba-thing as a direct variant of Goombas, but rather, move it to the Miscellaneous/related subject section. We don't currently consider Beanies or Seedles to be direct Goomba offshoots, so why should these things be?

Does anyone have any thoughts on the matter? Wandering Poplin (talk) 20:36, January 14, 2026 (EST)

@Wandering Poplin This happens mainly because the wiki has no guidelines on what can or cannot be considered a variant; thus, that decision is left to the editors, which generates many inconsistencies. Sorbetti (talk) 20:47, January 14, 2026 (EST)

I feel like this is leading to "A Toothy isn't a variant of Pokey because Pokeys are plants and Toothys are teeth. Since they're made from different material, they can't be variants." And if that's true, then we're going to be chasing removing variant relationships between subjects similar to the Goomba:Goombule relationship and the Pokey:Toothy relationship for a very long time. I cannot condone looking at this from a per subject perspective because of this. It has to go straight to the top, namely a "what does the word 'variant' mean?", or we'll keep opening per infobox discussions forever. Salmancer (talk) 21:25, January 14, 2026 (EST)

To add: my opinion is that "looks like a Goomba, is named after Goomba, functions like a Goomba" all add up to "is a Goomba", different material or no. And if we're doing this on "is in Bowser's body, which isn't where Goombas are, then no. Bowser's Inside Story is inherently absurd, and applying logic to it doesn't work so we shouldn't. They're probably still Goombas, even if there's no way for a Goomba to become a Goombule. Salmancer (talk) 21:35, January 14, 2026 (EST)

Yeah, this train of logic leads to ridiculous conclusions. Is Metal Gamboo not a Gamboo?--PopitTart (talk) 21:41, January 14, 2026 (EST)

Yet we aren't applying that logic to some of this series' other Goomba-copycats, like the aforementioned Beanies or Seedles, which aren't all that different in design, name, or function. Incidentally, in terms of Toothy, I'd also like to point out that their in-game profile merely states they resemble Pokeys, rather than being a direct variant of them, similar to their profile for the Chuboombas.

(I also just noticed that both Shrooblet and Gritty Goombas also have this classification ambiguity issue as well. Thank goodness we're already talking about it here. I really don't want to open up a fourth and fifth version of this discussion on those pages...) Wandering Poplin (talk) 21:54, January 14, 2026 (EST)

I don't think that the Gamboo/Metal Gamoo thing is comparable to this. That feels more analogus to asking whether a Koopa Paratroopa is a variant of Koopa Troopas. In which case, I certainly hope there aren't any profiles suggesting otherwise... Wandering Poplin (talk) 22:01, January 14, 2026 (EST)

The only difference I see is that Metal Gamboo literally has "Gamboo" in the name. Would you have a different opinion if they were named "Microbe Goomba" instead of "Goombule"? --PopitTart (talk) 22:09, January 14, 2026 (EST)

Resembling Pokeys makes them a variant of Pokeys. That is because they are a variation of the Pokey design/enemy. For them to not be considered Pokey variants by the wiki they'd have to only coincidentally resemble, behave and be named after Pokeys, which I find hard to believe. Variant classifications are not always done in accordance to in-game descriptions only, or to a subject's apparent design/origins. It is a combination of various factors that basically amount to "was this thing made with this other thing in mind?" Also yes I sugest that you do not go around opening up the same talk page discussions with different names on many other pages. In the future, try to find a common ground between them where you can have one centralized discussion, please. (in this case, Talk:List of species, maybe.) — Lady Sophie ^(T|C) 22:02, January 14, 2026 (EST)

Why are Galoombas and Goombrats, despite looking like Goombas, acting similarly to Goombas, and being named after Goombas, treated as relatives because of some game dialogues, but Shymore can't be a relative of Shy Guy instead of a variant when that distinction is explicitly made in the game too? These are the kinds of inconsistencies I'm referring to. I'm neither for nor against what you think is a variant; I just want there to be general guidelines for recognizing them. Otherwise, what constitutes a variant depends on each user. I want to see if the wiki handles variants based on mechanics, appearance, names, profiles, similarities, or just for better navigation. Sorbetti (talk) 22:08, January 14, 2026 (EST)

And to think, this all started just because I was trying to figure out a related question about Chubboombas a week ago... I also don't understand, by the proposed logic, why Beanies and Seedles are only considered "related." Their names in practically every other language are based on Goombas, they fill pretty much the same roles as Goombules, and share some similar design aspects, yet we currently consider them as semi-independent subjects. Nor do we consider Strollin' Stu to be a direct Goomba variant, despite some file data suggesting otherwise, as well as their general role and function in Super Mario Sunshine itself.Wandering Poplin (talk) 22:18, January 14, 2026 (EST)

In this case, Goombule is closer to Goomba than any of the other things listed. It's a shape match and eyebrow match, where Beanie has eyebrows but not shape, and Stollin' Stu has neither. Salmancer (talk) 22:56, January 14, 2026 (EST)

Many of these (especially ones like Galoombas) come from people trying to nitpick official uses of the word "relative," which ignores that that's itself a fairly apples-to-oranges thing to do itself (not unlike how the wiki used to mis-use "subspecies") but also ignores the fact that variants are themselves relatives, just with a clear start-and-endpoint involved. For instance, "Galoombas are not Goombas, try to keep them straight!" is saying that in comparison to normal Goombas, not the entire Goomba family. Also, IDK why you'd even ask about Chuboomba and Gritty Goomba, they are clearly a fat Goomba and a Goomba doing a Tusken Raider cosplay, respectively. Doc von Schmeltwick (talk) 22:59, January 14, 2026 (EST)

Except that their in-game profiles for both only state that they resemble Goombas. Which also happen to be the only available profiles for them.

Compare that to the profile for Fawful Guy, which states that they are a "Shy Guy that has defected to Fawful's side." No official sources (other than the similar name and appearance) seem to refer to Chubbomas as just being "chubby Goombas." And even if there were a source in a unknown strategy guide (I couldn't find anything of use in Prima's guide), I'd imagine the in-game profiles are a higher priority source than a guide from 10+ years ago. The same can also be said of the Gritty Goombas. Wandering Poplin (talk) 23:57, January 14, 2026 (EST)

Of course the descriptions say they resemble Goombas. They look like Goombas. Because the developers based them on Goombas. It would be absurd to argue their existence is a coincidence. --PopitTart (talk) 01:11, January 15, 2026 (EST)

But if the only official description (especially in the case of Shymores and their variants,) just states they "look" like them, instead of saying the are a different version of them, why are we directly contradicting the official sources and classifying them as variants? It seems the only reason Shymores themselves still use the "variant of" classification is because currently, nobody has anywhere else better to put them. Wandering Poplin (talk) 02:18, January 15, 2026 (EST)

This is exactly what I mean when I say "nitpicking official wording." What is a variant for our categorical purposes does not and should not conform 1:1 with Nintendo's inconsistent whatever-the-writer-or-localizer-was-feeling-at-that-specific-moment wording, because those types of words in our contexts and their contexts do not mean the same thing (plus they never have to deal with documenting all derivations of those subjects, just up to four or five at a time). But asking if Chuboomba is a different species when it's clearly the same species while heavily overweight is just silly. Doc von Schmeltwick (talk) 02:26, January 15, 2026 (EST)

So basically, If the only official sources says they aren't Goombas*, but still look and act like them in practically every other aspect, we're going to ignore the creators' own statements and call them Goombas anyway? I'm certain that'd be breaking at least one rule on this wiki. *Hypothetically. The profile didn't debunk their relation that thoroughly.

I also found that the Japanese, Korean, and European Spanish names for Gritty Goombas aren't even derived from "Kuribo" or anything similar. Instead, referring to them as the "Sand Tribe" or something along those lines. That may explain why their Bowser's Minions profile, their only official profile on this wiki, doesn't bother directly calling them "Goombas" either, instead saying that "They resemble Goombas but are... much grittier."

The main point was that I wanted to move them, and half these other Goombas-that-may-not-techincally-be-actual-Goombas to the "related subjects" section. Of course, their collective resemblance to traditional Goombas is impossible to overlook, but if in-game sources are saying they are merely "lookalike" enemies, rather than true variants, I think it's in this wiki's best interest to follow suit until we find a high-priority source that proves otherwise. Wandering Poplin (talk) 03:02, January 15, 2026 (EST)

Again, you're overanalyzing the "not Goombas" or "resemble Goombas" bit. It just means they're different from what we consider "normal" Goombas (as in, default Goombas), not that they aren't Goombas in general. Nintendo doesn't have some grand plan with the biology of these things, the wording is just subject to whatever the bio writer is feeling at that time - this isn't, say, Pikmin or something. It's the same for Goombrat, and Goombeetle, and Goombo. It's also why there's no symmetry in that respect with these bios, even from the same source. Also, the "Sand Tribe" thing is probably another Tusken Raider/Sand People reference, while the Gritties are found next to Tanoombas in Minion Quest's in-game enemy list (which cannot be said for Beanies and Pestnuts compared to each other or the aforementioned more blatantly Goomba-type enemies, or even Chuck Guys and Ice Snifits compared to each other). Doc von Schmeltwick (talk) 10:14, January 15, 2026 (EST)

But if the writing says they aren't Goombas (or Shy Guys in the case of our Shymore situation), we shouldn't be calling them Goombas. Plain and simple.

I don't think dismissing official statements as just "writers having fun" is going to get us anywhere as an informative wiki. Our articles should strive to follow Nintendo's (often somewhat messy) official sources and statements, not the guesswork of us editors, even if nobody would otherwise assume this isn't a type of Goomba.

Conversely, excluding Beanies, Seedles, and the other pseudo-Goombas from that classification based solely on "Well, it doesn't look much like a Goomba, so it's not a Goomba variant" feels... rather contrived, and could easily end up creating dozens of messy splits/merges based on that precedent.

I'll admit the "related subjects" field might not be the ideal location for them, but it makes less contradictory assumptions than the variant section does. Wandering Poplin (talk) 11:57, January 15, 2026 (EST)

You're still ignoring my main statement, which is that "they are different from Goombas" or "they resemble Goombas" is just saying they are different from "ordinary" Goombas. Do note that the Star Rush Galoomba bio in particular is speaking in the context of a minigame where telling them apart is the main point, and the Smash Bros. for Wii U tip mentioning them distinguishes them from "normal Goombas" specifically. Doc von Schmeltwick (talk) 12:33, January 15, 2026 (EST)

But that statement also ignores similar bios in the game itself. In the case of my Chuboomba example, while its profile states they are "Rotund Minions resembling Goombas," Paragoomba's profile from the same game instead refers to them as "Goombas who soar the sky with grace," which is a theme also seen in several (but not all) other variant enemies in the game. Some are merely called lookalikes, other are directly stated to be a variants. If there was an official source calling them Goombas, I'd be more comfortable with their current classification, but as it is, our only official source implies them to be separate. If we ignore that detail and continue to call them Goomba variants anyway, there's a ton of articles we will have to reconsider the classification of. I'd also like to bring up that the navigation template for Shy Guys still seems to call Shymores a subspecies, which only makes this whole situation even worse. Wandering Poplin (talk) 13:55, January 15, 2026 (EST)

To summarize, let me put it this way:

• If Pirate Goomba appears to be a Goomba, and there's no reason to assume otherwise, then it's a Goomba.

• If Nintendo officially says "Pirate Goomba is a pirate Goomba," then it's a Goomba.

• But if Nintendo officially says "Pirate Goomba isn't a Goomba," despite their name and appearance, and there's no obvious indication that it's a mistake, then we shouldn't consider them a Goomba.

I'll also point out that Beanies have more Goomba-like traits than Grombas, yet we apparently consider Grombas to be variants and Beanies to be separate based solely on their English names. To clarify, the Japanese names for Beanies are derived from "Kuribo," which is Goomba's Japanese name. Wandering Poplin (talk) 14:28, January 15, 2026 (EST)

Like I said before, the bios don't have symmetry with each other wording-wise anyway, so that's not a good indication of their relationship. Also, don't use "subspecies" for this sort of thing please, that is a completely different matter (and misuse of the term). If something did say "Pirate Goomba isn't a Goomba," I would consider that absolute proof that they are referring to basic Goombas in comparison rather than Goombas in general. Doc von Schmeltwick (talk) 14:50, January 15, 2026 (EST)

I only brought up "subspecies" because it is still being used on the Shy Guy navigation template (and most of the other navigation templates too, from the looks of things), even though I recall that there was a proposal some time ago where we generally agreed to stop using that term/classification.

Either way, in terms of your other point, how different do two subjects have to be to not be considered a variant, then?

• Are Mummy-Mes variants of Cosmic Clones?
• Should Shellcreepers be considered variants of Koopas despite official confirmation that it's essentially the other way around?
• Are Rexes , Plessie, Dorrie, and Noshi meant to be variants of Yoshis?
• Should Turtles from Wario World be considered variants of Koopa Troopas?
• Why are Lantern Ghosts considered variants of Shy Guys when Strollin' Stu isn't considered a variant of Goombas?
• Should Bowser himself be classified as a Dinosaur? (I mean, that one movie certainly seems to think so...)

That's only a fraction of the issues we have which relate this subject, and I am not seeing any sort of consistency in how we've handled the matter at all.

If we don't listen to official sources, then what criteria are we using to determine what's a "variant," "related subject," "comparable subject," etc? Wandering Poplin (talk) 19:36, January 15, 2026 (EST)

You seem to be repeating the same point many times during this conversation so let me try a different angle. Do you understand the difference between "Goomba" the group of similar enemies and "Goomba" the enemy introduced in Super Mario Bros.? When Nintendo says a Galoomba or a Chuboomba "resembles" a Goomba, they are not saying those enemies are entirely divorced from the concept of a "Goomba (group of similar enemies)", they are just saying they are not the same enemy as in Super Mario Bros. (a Goomba goomba, if you will). This is not about "not listening to official sources". The fact that Chuboomba and Galoomba are in separate pages from Goomba is already us "listening to official sources". — Lady Sophie ^(T|C) 20:58, January 15, 2026 (EST)