Thwomp

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Not to be confused with Whomp.
Thwomp
NSMBU Thwomp Artwork.pngThwompMKL.png
Artwork of a Thwomp from New Super Mario Bros. U and Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit, respectively
First appearance Super Mario Bros. 3 (1988)
Latest appearance Mario vs. Donkey Kong (Nintendo Switch) (2024)
Variants
Derived subjects
Relatives
Comparable
Notable members
“Rats, I missed! Oh, I hate it when I miss!”
Thwomp, "Never Koop a Koopa"

Thwomps, also uncommonly known as Thwomp Traps,[1][2] are giant stone faces appearing mostly in the Mushroom Kingdom and in different iterations of Bowser's Castle. They are normally depicted as spike-encrusted living stones that are usually rectangular in shape and made their first appearance in the game Super Mario Bros. 3. They typically attempt to fall on and flatten whomever passes below them, although some move horizontally or diagonally as well. They sometimes grunt when they land, and are often seen with an angry expression on their face. They can often only be destroyed by strong attacks such as hammers thrown by Hammer Mario or from being touched while Mario is giant or invincible. Thwomps have drastically changed appearances over the years, with some of their appearances ranging from being turquoise rectangles covered with blunt spikes as in their original appearance and in Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, to blue cube-shaped stones that Mario can stand on in Super Mario 64. Currently, they alternate between two designs depending on whether or not they can be stood on safely: a chiseled-edge design first appearing in Super Mario Galaxy and a metal-spiked design first appearing in New Super Mario Bros. Wii, both derived from the dull-spiked design in Mario Kart: Double Dash!! Sometimes, both designs appear in the same game, like in Mario Kart 7 and Super Mario Maker 2.

History[edit]

Super Mario series[edit]

Super Mario Bros. 3[edit]

Artwork of a Thwomp from Super Mario Bros. 3, later reused for Super Mario World.
Artwork of a Thwomp in Super Mario Bros. 3

Thwomps make their debut appearance in Super Mario Bros. 3, first appearing in World 2-Fortress. They usually try to squish Mario under their weight whenever he passes beneath them. While most of them try to crush Mario below them, some try to crush him from the sides, and two in World 8-Fortress instead constantly move in a diagonal pattern. Thwomps can be easily avoided by using Statue Mario. With this, it is impossible for Thwomps to destroy Mario by crushing him from above. They return in the game's remakes, Super Mario All-Stars and Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3 in the same fashion as the older Thwomps. They feature improved graphics and retake their especially mad expressions. They have a prominent spike separated from the rest on top, but it has no additional effect in the game. In-game, Thwomps have both eyes as glowing dots in a shared black space instead of separated. In the remakes, the black space in which the prominent spike sits atop of is colored red.

A Thwomp in Super Mario Bros. 3
Mario in a castle filled with Thwomps

There are three ways to defeat Thwomps in this game. The first is running into a Thwomp while invincible. The second is to throw a Hammer at it with the Hammer Suit. The third is by using the Tanooki Suit and turning into Statue Mario above a Thwomp. They give the player 100 points when beaten. Thwomps can also be defeated with a Goomba's Shoe, as shown in the GBA version's World-e stage It's a Shoe-In.

In a French commercial for Super Mario Bros. 3, Thwomps are shownMedia:SMB3 commercial Thwomp.png to have green eyes instead of black ones.

Super Mario World[edit]

ThwompSMW.png

Thwomps, alongside other enemies such as Boos and Dry Bones, are some of the few Super Mario Bros. 3-introduced enemies that make recurring appearances in later games. In Super Mario World, they reprise their role from Super Mario Bros. 3; their speed is almost unaffected, and they usually take a few seconds to rise back up to their original location, giving the player a chance to run below them. Thwomps can be Spin Jumped on.

Thwomps have a new appearance, now redesigned and recolored due to the expansion of the palette. Unlike old Thwomps, they are now gray-colored and have lost the prominent spike on top of their head; now all spikes look exactly the same and are the same size, relatively, while the Thwomps themselves are noticeably smaller. Unlike in the previous game, they now have more than one expression, peering down at the player's character when he approaches, and then taking on an enraged face when falling. Thwomps still have their eyes connected and their pupils being but small dots of glowing white, although the official art clearly shows their eyes looking different. This may be to familiarize players with their old physical appearance, though it might be due to graphical space issues.

Thwomps have their first derived species in Super Mario World with the inclusion of Thwimps. They are smaller versions of Thwomps that roam around in jumping arcs, usually in small hallways and often come in groups. Much like Thwomps, they are invincible and are usually only used as obstacles that slow the player down.

Thwomps also return in most compilations made for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System, such as Super Mario All-Stars, as well as the Satellaview's BS Super Mario Collection.

Super Mario 64 / Super Mario 64 DS[edit]

Thwomp 64.png
A Thwomp next to Mario in Super Mario 64
Thwomp
A Thwomp in Super Mario 64 DS

Thwomps, also referred to as Blue Thwomps[3] or Blue Whomps[3] erroneously, return in Super Mario 64. This time, though, Thwomps return in a much different fashion, and they look more like they did in Super Mario Kart. These Thwomps are square-shaped and dark sky blue-colored with no spikes. They, as before, are impossible to destroy and serve as obstacles throughout the game. Unlike in the previous platforming games, Thwomps constantly slam to the ground even when Mario is not around. This time around, though, Mario can use Thwomps to his advantage by jumping on top of them to reach higher areas or unreachable points. Thwomps in this game have the addition of their voices (a mad grunt) whenever they slam into the ground. There are only three Thwomps in the game: two on the stairs in Whomp's Fortress and one at the very top of Tick Tock Clock, which is featured in the mission Stomp on the Thwomp.

Several Thwomp relatives make their debut in Super Mario 64. Whomps first appear in Whomp's Fortress as enemies that attempt to crush Mario by falling on top of him when he gets near. Also introduced in this course are Bomps, enemies that resemble walls with eyes (although the eyes were removed in Super Mario 64 DS) that protrude out from the wall and push Mario, sometimes sending him to his death. Tox Boxes make their debut in Shifting Sand Land. They roll around by falling on their sides, trying to crush Mario with one of their faces. However, the bottom of a Tox Box is hollowed, allowing Mario to stay safely inside. Grindels make their first appearance in the pyramid of Shifting Sand Land. They are huge metal blocks wrapped in what seems to be cloth. They attack in a similar manner to Thwomps by slamming into the ground, while others move horizontally by jumping back and forth. The pyramid also features an enemy similar to the Grindels, the Spindel, which rolls back and forth, trying to squish whoever passes near it.

In Super Mario 64 DS, Thwomps instead use their appearance from Mario Kart: Double Dash!! Although the spikes are reinstated, they do not affect the player's ability to stand on top of them to reach higher points. This time around, however, Thwomps can be defeated with the assistance of a mushroom.

New Super Mario Bros.[edit]

Thwomps reappear in New Super Mario Bros., where they are found in World 4-Castle, World 7-Castle, and World 8-Bowser's Castle, and act as in Super Mario Bros. 3. Much like in Super Mario Bros. 3, these Thwomps can be defeated. Ways of defeating it included shell-dashing, Mega Mushroom, or Starmen. A bigger variety is also featured here, with extra weight to break certain blocks, but with the same weaknesses as a normal Thwomp.

Super Mario Galaxy[edit]

Thwomp
Artwork.
SMG Thwomp Alternate Render.png
In-game model.

Thwomps are once again present in Super Mario Galaxy, where they appear in several galaxies throughout the game, including the Buoy Base Galaxy, the Beach Bowl Galaxy (on The Cyclone Stone), the Dusty Dune Galaxy, and Bowser's Galaxy Reactor. This is the first game to feature Thwomps with two faces, one on both the front and back. In this game, Thwomps are much larger than in previous games, and cannot be defeated by any means.

Thwomps in this game are once again spiked, though the spikes are blunt at the end and appear to have been carved, unlike their previous incarnations. Due to this, the sides of a Thwomp can be touched without taking damage; in some cases, it is actually necessary for Mario to Wall Jump off of them to reach certain platforms and areas. Additionally, if Mario stands on top of a Thwomp as it rises in the air, he can jump to carry the Thwomp's momentum into his jump and perform an extra high jump.

In Super Mario Galaxy, Thwomps generally act the same as they do in other games, with waiting until Mario gets close to them and then smashing to the ground in an attempt to crush him. Others act as they did in Super Mario 64, constantly slamming against the ground regardless of Mario's location. If Mario does get crushed, he instantly loses a life, regardless of how much health he had. Contrary to the Thwomps appearing in Super Mario 64 and the Mario Party series, Thwomps in this game do not emit low-pitched grumbles when they talk or hit the ground. Their expressions, however, do change as they rise and fall.

New Super Mario Bros. Wii[edit]

In-game model of a Thwomp from New Super Mario Bros. Wii

Thwomps later appear in New Super Mario Bros. Wii, along with the Big Thwomp and act the same way as in New Super Mario Bros.. In this game, they are a darkish gray sort of color, and their spikes are more realistic, unlike with Super Mario Galaxy. However, Thwomps only appear in World 1-Castle. They may also appear during the Magikoopa boss battle in the World 8-Tower; his magic can occasionally transform a platform into a Thwomp, which immediately smashes through any platforms underneath it and plummets into the pit below. In this game, Thwomps can only be defeated by the Star power-up or a Simultaneous Ground Pound, with everything else doing nothing to them at all.

Super Mario Galaxy 2[edit]

Thwomps reappear in Super Mario Galaxy 2, where they behave just like they did in Super Mario Galaxy, and are more common than in the previous game. Two Big Thwomps appear in the Supermassive Galaxy. They also appear in the Throwback Galaxy. Their most notable appearance is in the Stone Cyclone Galaxy, where their behavior is exactly the same as in the level Fast Foes on the Cyclone Stone in the Beach Bowl Galaxy.

A related species called the Flomp makes its first appearance in Super Mario Galaxy 2. Flomps are platforms with a Thwomp-like face that move around, and when they rattle, their face turns angry and they flip over. If Mario or Luigi stand on a Flomp when it flips, it will knock them high into the air.

A species called Rhomps makes their debut in the same game. They have one appearance in the Slipsand Galaxy, on the Sand Slide Planet. They attack by rolling towards Mario in an attempt to crush him, similar to the Spindel from Super Mario 64.

Super Mario 3D Land[edit]

Thwomp
A Thwomp in Super Mario 3D Land

Thwomps reappear in Super Mario 3D Land with the same tactics as in the Super Mario Galaxy titles, as well as appearance, except that now they show only one face like in previous games. They wait until Mario is near and attempt to crush him like before; however, they continue to raise and slam the ground continuously, even if Mario is not near them. They can be defeated if Mario is invincible, or by turning into Statue Mario beneath it; they try to crush Mario, and turn to rubble upon contact.

A variant of Thwomp known as Tail Thwomp is introduced in this game, created when a Super Leaf is given to a Thwomp. They move about a set area using their striped tail, then float in midair before slamming to the ground. Tail Thwomps attack in the same manner as the moving Grindel. If Mario jumps atop the tail, he will bounce slightly.

Although not the same species as a Thwomp, an enemy related to Whomp is introduced in the game called a Wallop. These enemies are a wall with feet and a mouth and black eyes with yellow pupil that, instead of attacking Mario and Luigi, walk sideways to stop Mario and Luigi from getting past.

New Super Mario Bros. 2[edit]

Thwomps appear in the Nintendo 3DS game, New Super Mario Bros. 2, retaining their design from New Super Mario Bros. Wii. They attack using the same method as before. Big Thwomps also appear in this game. They can be defeated by a Super Star, Invincibility Leaf or a Gold Flower.

New Super Mario Bros. U / New Super Luigi U / New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe[edit]

Thwomps in New Super Mario Bros. U

Thwomps reappear in New Super Mario Bros. U, behaving just like in past titles of the series. Their tiny counterparts, Thwimps, also reappear in this game. In Boost Mode, Thwomps can be easily dodged by distributing Boost Blocks below them. They only appear in Wendy's Shifting Castle.

Thwomps return in New Super Luigi U. Like in the original game, they only appear in the Castle of Frosted Glacier, Wendy's Thwomp Castle.

Super Mario 3D World / Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury[edit]

Thwomp in Super Mario 3D World
Thwomp in Super Mario 3D World

Thwomps reappear as enemies in Super Mario 3D World and Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury, mostly appearing in castle levels. They attack in the same way as in Super Mario 64 and can still be defeated in the same way as most previous Super Mario games.

As with Super Mario 3D Land, Whomps are absent from Super Mario 3D World and Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury, but a variant of Wallop called the Walleye is introduced. This creature has hands and spikes on the front and sides and walks sideways to prevent Mario, Luigi, Peach, Toad or Rosalina from getting past it. However, if the characters are powered up, they can stun the Walleye and get past before it recovers.

A species called the Grumblump makes its first appearance in the same game. These Tox Box-like blocks appear in Grumblump Inferno and are the player's main means of navigating the level. They have similar faces to the Rhomps from Super Mario Galaxy 2 and behave similar to Tox Boxes. When Mario, Luigi, Peach, Toad or Rosalina step on a Grumblump, the smiling faces turn into frowning faces and it moves. If they ground pound the Grumblump, the faces will change to an angry face and it will temporarily speed up.

Super Mario Maker / Super Mario Maker for Nintendo 3DS[edit]

SMM-SMB-Thwomp.png

Thwomps are available to use in Super Mario Maker and Super Mario Maker for Nintendo 3DS, including a retro-designed version for the Super Mario Bros. art style, resembling their Super Mario World version. Unlike in other games, Thwomps do not rise to the closest ceiling above them after falling down, instead stopping at the height they were placed at. While editing a level, using a Super Mushroom onto a normal Thwomp turns it into a Big Thwomp. Giving them wings will make Thwomps flutter left and right. Thwomps can also be placed on tracks, from which they can permanently detach when they attempt to fall onto the playable character.

Normal Thwomps can destroy Brick Blocks, although only one row at a time, unlike Big Thwomps which are capable of destroying a whole column in one smash. Thwomps are also able to press P Switches, activate POW Blocks and ? Blocks upon falling on them - the latter of which also defeats the Thwomp. The enemies can be stood on just as on a platform, though the player takes damage if they touch them directly. Conversely, the player can safely perform Spin Jumps on Thwomps.

The Super Mario Bros. 3 Thwomps have had their palette changed to be more consistent with other games, and are no longer cyan. In the Wii U version, Thwomps can be shaken to create Skewers, though in Super Mario Maker for Nintendo 3DS, Skewers are standalone course elements.

Super Mario Run[edit]

The Kingdom Builder mode from Super Mario Run.
Thwomps in Kingdom Builder mode

Both variations of Thwomps appear in Super Mario Run in the Kingdom Builder section of the game. Spiked Thwomps function as obstacles which prevent players from placing buildings in their locations, and must be removed using a Hammer. Blunt Thwomps may be purchased and placed as buildings from the game's store if the player has enough Toads.

Super Mario Maker 2[edit]

Thwomps reappear in Super Mario Maker 2 and now also have the ability to move horizontally, a throwback to their Super Mario Bros. 3 appearance. They are able to crush objects this way, similar to how they would with vertical movement. Thwomps are also given individual sprites for standing idle and charging at the player for both the Super Mario Bros. and Super Mario Bros. 3 styles, rather than using just the same sprite for both actions. In the night ground theme, Thwomps slowly move towards the player, and stop moving when they are looked at, much like a Boo. If a Thwomp is given wings, it flies slowly to the left of the screen, and then attempts to crush the player if the player is beneath it (or to the side, in the case of a sideways Thwomp). If a Thwomp is given a parachute, it first falls like a normal Thwomp, then its parachute deploys and it falls slower than normal.

In the Super Mario 3D World game style, Thwomps have the blunt carved spikes introduced in Super Mario Galaxy, and thus are safe to stand on, climb, and wall jump off. Additionally, when they fall onto a player, they can instantly defeat said player by crushing them (rapidly removing their power-ups and ignoring invincibility frames until the player loses their life).

Super Mario Bros. Wonder[edit]

Thwomps in Super Mario Bros. Wonder
Two Thwomps in Super Mario Bros. Wonder

Thwomps reappear in Super Mario Bros. Wonder as enemies. They have been slightly redesigned again, reverting to their turquoise coloration, having a flatter, cork-like texture to their faces, and rounder, more stylized eyes and spikes. They appear primarily in Sunbaked Desert Palace and Petal Isles Special Way of the Goomba. Two new subspecies of Thwomps make their debut in this game: Konks, rectangles with arrows on their faces which behave mostly the same except they move left and right as well as having a variation of their own trying to crush the player(s) from upside down; and Shoomps, baby Thwomp-like enemies which slide whenever the platform they're on tilts, showing excitement as this happens.

DIC cartoons[edit]

The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3[edit]

A Thwomp in The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3 episode "Never Koop a Koopa".

Thwomps make a few minor appearances in the The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3 television show. They serve as guards in Kastle Koopa during the episode "Never Koop a Koopa", and several Thwomps are shown to inhabit the Underground Maze of Pipes in the episode "Misadventures in Babysitting." A Thwomp also appears in "Do the Koopa", trying to crush Mario when he has the Doom Dancer Music Box.

Super Mario World television series[edit]

Thwomps blocking the exit in Send in the Clown.
A Thwomp in the Super Mario World television series episode "Send in the Clown".

Thwomps also make a few minor appearances in the Super Mario World television series, mainly serving as guards in the Neon Castle. In "Send in the Clown", Thwomps are utilized to prevent the Cave People from leaving Bowser's circus by blocking off the exits. In "The Night Before Cave Christmas", Thwomps appear much smaller, and they try to squash Mario and Yoshi.

Nintendo Adventure Books[edit]

Some Thwomps appear among the crowds present at the International Mushroom Games in Leaping Lizards, and two appear in Koopa Capers, both of them in the Fortress; if Luigi decides to continue to explore the Fortress, instead of going through a newly opened passageway, one crushes him in a particularly barren part of the structure, and if he chooses to try to get some coins that fall under some floating blocks sometime after entering the aforementioned passageway, he is crushed by another Thwomp, which is hidden among the blocks.

A group of Thwomps is guarding Magikoopa's fortress in Flown the Koopa, and depending on how the accompanying puzzle is solved, either the Mario Bros. are crushed by them, or the Mario Bros. make their way through the first three, and the fourth and final giant one by distracting it with some coins (which fall out of Mario's pocket when he tries to convince Luigi to use some of his cookies instead).

Super Mario Adventures[edit]

A page from the Super Mario Adventures Comic.
A Thwomp in Super Mario Adventures

In Super Mario Adventures, Thwomps first appear in chapter 7 of the comic. They make only a very minor appearance. After Yoshi trips over Wendy's foot, he rams into Princess Peach, Toad, and Friendly Floyd. She then pulls a rope, causing several Thwomps to fall on top of them.

Thwomps later appear in chapter 11. Many of Bowser's minions are gathered at Bowser's Castle to witness Bowser's wedding with Princess Peach. Luigi eventually finds a Warp Pipe that he thinks might bring him, Mario and Yoshi inside the wedding area, but it instead warps them to a cavern filled with lava. The group jumps on a rock platform, but a Thwomp is above. The group is able to leap to another platform, before it falls on them.

Thwomp's appearance in Super Mario Adventures is similar to their appearance in Super Mario Bros. 3. They also have the prominent spike, and are a dark blue color.

Mario Kart series[edit]

In the Mario Kart series, every Bowser's Castle course has at least one Thwomp.

Super Mario Kart[edit]

SMK Thwomp.png

Thwomps make their first appearance in a spin-off game in Super Mario Kart as obstacles. They appear prominently in the track of Bowser's Castle, and a variant of them called Super Thwomps also appear in the track Rainbow Road. On the first lap of the courses they appear, they remain stationary in the air. On the second lap and so forth, though, they start to slam down to the ground. Furthermore, after landing on the ground, they move up to a height higher than the height they were at when they remained stationary on the first lap. Super Mario Kart is also the first game to not feature spikes on Thwomps. They are plain blocks of rectangular-shaped stones (setting them apart from the more modern square-shaped ones) and, once again, have their eyes as glowing white dots in a dark space. Also, these Thwomps feature cheeks, something that has not been reimplemented to date.

Mario Kart 64[edit]

Thwomps in Bowser's Castle in Mario Kart 64

Thwomps reappear in Mario Kart 64. Just like in its predecessor, Thwomps serve as obstacles in the course. The Thwomps in this game take their appearance from Super Mario 64, being blue cubes that lack spikes, but unlike Super Mario 64, they have different faces. They appear in Bowser's Castle and try to flatten any player that races beneath them. They are often placed in strategic points so that the player is forced to pass under them in order to continue. There are also some Thwomps that move from one side to the other, trying to bump players on the ground and causing them to spin out if they are rammed at a high speed. This game may also be notable as the first time Thwomps have made any sound other than grunts, as some of them laugh as the players race through the area they are in. The laugh they produce is a slowed down version of Wario's laugh. There is also a Thwomp (nicknamed "Marty" by fans) that seems to have been locked up towards the beginning of the course; the light over it makes it appear green.

Mario Kart: Super Circuit[edit]

Bowser Castle 1
Mario and Toad driving past a Thwomp

In Mario Kart: Super Circuit, Thwomps, also known as Block Statues,[4] appear with two different models. The predominant ones are similar to Super Mario Kart's ones, and they are found in all the Bowser's Castle courses. The others are the regular spiked ones, which only appear in multiplayer when Lakitu appears and drops one on the player in last place after every other player has finished the race, ending the race immediately.

Mario Kart: Double Dash!![edit]

Thwomps (here called Thwomp Traps[5] in the guide) re-appear in Bowser's Castle in Mario Kart: Double Dash!!. This is the first Mario Kart game to have them consistently appear with their spiked rectangular design, and also features the debut of their modern facial look. This design is a vibrant turquoise color, similar to their original artwork.

Mario Kart DS[edit]

Thwomps appear in Mario Kart DS in both the Bowser Castle course and GBA Bowser Castle 2 from Mario Kart: Super Circuit.

Mario Kart Wii[edit]

Bowser's Castle from Mario Kart Wii
Thwomps in Mario Kart Wii

Thwomps again return in Mario Kart Wii. Thwomps appear in all three of the Bowser's Castle courses in the game. Another Thwomp also appears in the battle arena called Thwomp Desert, hence the name. In this arena, a Big Thwomp is located in the center. It will fall down, causing a major shockwave that will hinder movement of the characters that get caught in it. It can also squish racers that are underneath it. Unlike the past Mario Kart titles (excluding Mario Kart: Super Circuit), players do not spin out by directly touching the Thwomps in this game. Going under the Big Thwomp in Thwomp Desert while it's up, players will fall into the quicksand. In the Bowser's Castle tracks, if a player gets flattened by a Thwomp, they will laugh similarly to the laugh heard in Mario Kart 64. The laugh is slightly different and higher pitched.

Mario Kart Arcade GP series[edit]

Thwomp from Mario Kart Arcade GP DX.

Thwomps appear in Mario Kart Arcade GP on the Bowser Cup tracks, Bowser's Castle and Castle Wall. They are seen in the background and some are holding up signs. These Thwomps retain their design from Super Mario Bros. 3, and are in different colors.

Thwomps reappear in Mario Kart Arcade GP 2 as one of Bowser's usable items. When the player uses it, if another player or CPU gets under it, it smashes that player. However, the item Thwomp uses its newer appearance from Mario Kart: Double Dash!! unlike the ones that appear in the Bowser tracks.

Thwomps appear as items in Mario Kart Arcade GP DX, now no longer exclusive to Bowser. There is also a large Thwomp that is seen after the factory section in the track Bowser's Factory. It will rise up and crash down, but there are two platforms that prevent it from crushing racers.

Mario Kart 7[edit]

Thwomps in Mario Kart 7

Thwomps also appear in Bowser's Castle and GBA Bowser Castle 1 in Mario Kart 7, taking their design from the Super Mario Galaxy games. Super Thwomps also reappear in SNES Rainbow Road, using their appearance in New Super Mario Bros. Wii. When these Thwomps hit the ground, the whole track begins to make a wave-like motion, and the player can do tricks off these waves if the waves are big enough. These Thwomps also knock back the player if run in to while on the ground, while normal Thwomps do not have this effect.

Mario Kart 8 / Mario Kart 8 Deluxe[edit]

Official LINE sticker for Mario Kart 8.
LINE sticker of Koopa Troopa being crushed by a Thwomp.

Thwomps make an appearance in Mario Kart 8 and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe in Thwomp Ruins, once again taking their Super Mario Galaxy appearance. For the first time in the Mario Kart series, however, Thwomps do not make an appearance on the Bowser's Castle track. The Super Thwomps make a second return in SNES Rainbow Road that reappears the third time in the first DLC pack, The Legend of Zelda × Mario Kart 8; these Thwomps also use the Super Mario Galaxy design unlike in Mario Kart 7. They behave exactly the same as in Mario Kart 7, but when they land, they create rainbow waves above their heads and the wave-motions they create on the track are bigger than the ones in Mario Kart 7.

In the Booster Course Pass DLC, Thwomps reappear in Tour Tokyo Blur, Tour Berlin Byways, Piranha Plant Cove, SNES Bowser Castle 3, and Tour Madrid Drive. Since the route of the former course changes with each lap, Thwomps are encountered on only the second and third laps of that course.

Mario Kart Tour[edit]

View of Tokyo Blur 4 in Mario Kart Tour
Thwomps in Mario Kart Tour

Thwomps also appear in Mario Kart Tour as obstacles in Tokyo Blur 2, 3, and 4, Athens Dash 2 and 3, Madrid Drive 2, Piranha Plant Cove, GBA Bowser's Castle 1, 2, and 3, and 3DS Bowser's Castle, as well as in some variants of courses, such as Los Angeles Laps T and Berlin Byways 2R/T. In GBA Bowser's Castle 1T, several Thwomps cause ramps to rise up in front of them once they hit the ground. With proper timing, racers can bounce off Thwomps as they drive off one of these ramps. Racers can perform a Jump Boost once they bounce off a Thwomp. Super Thwomps also reappear, now under the name "Star Thwomp".

Yoshi's Cookie[edit]

A Thwomp appears in Yoshi's Cookie as one of the three final bosses. Thwomps make a very minor appearance, as they appear only in Stage 6. The Thwomp is followed by a Magikoopa, and a best-out-of-5 match against Bowser.

Donkey Kong (Game Boy)[edit]

Thwomp Platform (compressed)

Although Thwomps themselves do not appear in the Game Boy version of Donkey Kong, there is a type of block that behaves like a Thwomp. Mario can use them as a type of elevator, but they can squish Mario by pressing him against the ceiling.

Wario's Woods[edit]

Thwomp

Thwomps appear in Wario's Woods as the ceiling that can fall on top of Toad while he is fighting the monsters that Wario sends out. Thwomps appear rather different in this game, as they are sometimes colored yellow and are more square shaped than their later appearances. These Thwomps are some of the largest in the Super Mario franchise due to filling up the majority of the screen when they fall.

Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars[edit]

You there! Rumor has it you're quite an accomplished jumper.”
Thwomp, Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars

In Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars, Thwomps act as obstacles and cannot be fought like normal enemies. Like in their sidescroller appearances, Thwomps attempt to crush Mario if he walks by, knocking the plumber unconscious for a short period of time if they succeed.

One Thwomp appears on a staircase in the Pipe Vault. When this Thwomp crashes to the ground while Mario is climbing up, the plumber tumbles backwards down the stairs. Thus Mario must jump up the staircase quickly before Thwomp has a chance to strike. The same occurs when the Thwomp lands on him. Additionally, two Thwomps in Booster Tower rest on teeter-totters. When Mario hops on the other end, the Thwomp flies up, smashes its own end, and sends Mario soaring high up in the air; one sends him further up into the tower, and the other lets the player hit a treasure box. There is also a Thwomp living with a Chow and a Piranha Plant in the second room in Monstro Town, who appears to be jealous of Mario's jumping skills. Every time Mario speaks to him, the Thwomp slams the ground, causing the Temple Key on the ledge above to slowly move over and eventually fall to the ground. Additionally, near the room where Boomer is battled in Bowser's Keep, there are several Thwomps that attempt to crush Mario as he passes by. At the end of this series is one Thwomp that is bigger than any other Thwomp in the game; however, it retains the same effect as normal Thwomps. In one of the tunnels on the waterfall half of the Midas River minigame, the player can find a Crook attempting to dodge Thwomps to avoid losing its coins, but continuously failing.

Physically, Thwomps look much like they first looked back in Super Mario Bros. 3. Although a bit gloomier and darker, fitting the Super Mario RPG graphical style, Thwomps return full-spiked and with a prominent spike on their head. These Thwomps are also the first ones to finally have their eyes correctly depicted as they look in the official art. Also, the Thwomps that appear in this game are the first 3-D appearing Thwomps in the Super Mario franchise.

In the Nintendo Switch remake, Thwomps were updated to their modern spiked designs.

Mario Party series[edit]

Thwomps have been active non-playable characters in the Mario Party series. They usually appear in minigames or as obstacles in the different boards, but have also appeared as items. Thwomps use a more cubic version of their Super Mario 64 design in the first six console games and Mario Party Advance. After that, they switch to their modern designs, using the Mario Kart: Double Dash!! version in Mario Party 7 and 8 (but not the Puzzle Party minigame in Mario Party DS), the New Super Mario Bros. Wii version in Mario Party 9, and the Super Mario Galaxy version in Island Tour, the Top 100 version of the Desert Dash minigame, Super Mario Party and Mario Party Superstars.

Mario Party[edit]

Running of the Bulb
Thwomps in the minigame Running of the Bulb in Mario Party

In Mario Party, Thwomps appear as board obstacles as well as minigame obstacles. In the minigame Running of the Bulb, Thwomps served as obstacles that try to squish players, stunning them temporarily. They also appear lodged on the crumbling ground in Skateboard Scamper, trying to slow down the player. Thwomps are also obstacles in Yoshi's Tropical Island. Here, the player has to pay a determined number of coins to pass through the area which the Thwomp is guarding. When another player tries to pass by them, they must pay at least one more coin then the last player payed to pass by; the amount can only go up to fifty before resetting. They usually cover shortcuts that take the player to the star faster in dispute. Thwomp is also part of the celebration of the winner in this game.

Mario Party 2[edit]

In Mario Party 2, Thwomps return in the same fashion as before. They block paths in boards such as Pirate Land, forcing the players to pay if they want to take the route. In the board Space Land, if a player lands on a Happening Space, they trigger a Thwomp event. This Thwomp will drive space cars and chase the player to the other side of the board, as well as any other player found in the way, although they can be chased away by the Snifit Patrol speed trap. Thwomps also appear in several minigames besides the ones transferred from the first Mario Party. One of those games is Day at the Races, in which Thwomp is one of the selectable CPU-controlled racers. Thwomp has the ability to jump forwards at great speeds, but it stomps the floor when it lands, and there is a cool-down before it jumps again.

Mario Party 3[edit]

Thwomp Pull in the game Mario Party 3.
The minigame Thwomp Pull from Mario Party 3

In Mario Party 3, Thwomps do the same as earlier games and present the same physical appearance. In this game, Thwomp is highly featured in the board Creepy Cavern. Thwomp either stops players and offer them to ride the mine cart for five coins, or he will chase players from one side of the board to the other when they step on a Happening Space positioned over the cart's tracks. As usual, Thwomps are featured in minigames. However, in this installment, Thwomps get their own minigame: Thwomp Pull, a 1 vs. 3 minigame in which Thwomps pull the player through the snow and only do so if the players press the correct series of buttons. Thwomps also occasionally appear in Mario's Puzzle Party (which later appears in Mario Party DS), and when they do, they crush the blocks beneath them, making them half the size they once were.

A Thwomp is also a partner in Duel Mode in Mario Party 3. No character has a Thwomp as their initial partner, but he can be obtained through the roulette. Thwomp has 0 attack and 2 HP, but he also has the ability to defeat any partner instantly, though he does nothing against players. If a Boo is defeated by a Thwomp, it will not retaliate like it normally would. Thwomp's salary is four coins per turn. Additionally, when the player obtains two Thwomps as partners, instead of having their attack boosted by one, the Millennium Star instead decreases their salaries by one.

Mario Party 4[edit]

The Great Deflate
Inflatable Thwomps from Mario Party 4

In Mario Party 4, Thwomps achieve a much bigger and influential role in the game, alongside Whomps. In this game, it hosts Thwomp's Backroom Ball, a series of bonus minigames. These minigames are Mega Board Mayhem, Mini Board Mad-Dash, Challenge Booksquirm and Panel Panic. The first two challenge the player to get as many coins as possible without the use of minigames. The third one is the Booksquirm minigame, except it challenges the player to see how many pages they can pass without getting squashed. The fourth one consists of a survival 4-player experience involving Dice Blocks. Thwomp also states that it built the boards from the first two himself, and that it took several months.

Besides this special role, Thwomps retake their role as a board obstacle and a minigame non-playable character. However, they only have one minigame appearance, in the minigame The Great Deflate. In this game, rubber, transparent blue-colored Thwomps appear. The objective is for one team to deflate the inflatable Thwomps before the other.

Mario Party 5[edit]

Vicious Vending from Mario Party 5
Vicious Vending from Mario Party 5. Princess Daisy had received a Thwomp.

Thwomps return with a reduced role in Mario Party 5. One appears on a single board, Pirate Dream, in which Thwomp gives the players a lift to a higher point of the board for ten coins. In minigames, Thwomps are not especially featured either. In Vicious Vending, they are one of the possible prizes the player can get from the machine, although it makes the player lose. In Squared Away, Thwomps surround the fighting area and chase the losers once the minigame was over.

Mario Party 6[edit]

Tricky Tires from Mario Party 6
Two Thwomps as an obstacle in Tricky Tires in Mario Party 6

In Mario Party 6, Thwomp becomes even less recurring by losing active roles in game boards or background elements. In minigames, Thwomps still are not featured much. There is a Thwomp that squishes the player when someone chooses the wrong card in Odd Card Out. In the minigame Tricky Tires, Thwomps return as the usual obstacle that stops players' cars from advancing. There is also a Thwomp in the minigame Sumo of Doom-o, which stomps the ground and causes part of the platform the players are on to fall off. In Cog Jog, a Thwomp stomps the floor, but this reverses the rotation of the cogs. In Shoot Yer Mouth Off, saying "Zero" into the microphone triggers three Thwomps to fall in random locations of the area. In Speak Up, Thwomp is one of the "objects" to be counted in the Comparison Quiz. Thwomps are also in the minigame Seer Terror; when the player pulls a rope, a Thwomp may fall on them. Additionally, Thwomp appears as an Orb that can be obtained in the game board. Players that pass under the designated Thwomp Orb space are crushed, ending their turn.

Mario Party Advance[edit]

Thwomp in Mario Party Advance
“I... I got so lonely! I don't got no friends! Nobody ever come by ta see me... I just wanted somebody to care about me!”
Thwomp, Mario Party Advance

Thwomps, using their Super Mario 64 design for the last time, make an appearance in Mario Party Advance. In Shroom City, Thwomp lives at the Thwomp House, where he asks the player for help after being robbed. He speaks in a simple fashion, saying "tanks" instead of "thanks" and "da" instead of "the", for example. Though he appears frightening, he is actually very lonely, and greatly desires friends. When the house is entered, Thwomp introduces himself before stating that he's been robbed. Offering to help solve the crime will have him bashfully say that they don't have to, but Shroomlock soon arrives on the scene and asks what the situation is, at which point Thwomp reveals that forty coins has been stolen from him. He explains that while he was outside, his coins were stolen, though he had locked all of the doors. Shroomlock then requests for the player to search for clues in his house. After they point out that the only door is too small for Thwomp to fit through, he admits that he lied about the robbery simply for someone to care about him, since nobody ever visits him. After hearing his tale, Shroomlock offers to be his friend. After the situation is resolved, Thwomp gives the player the Eye Exam Gaddget in gratitude. The game ending states that Thwomp became friends with Whomp, and that Whomp was able to fit through the door to Thwomp's house and visit.

Thwomps also appear in various minigames: in Outta My Way!, Thwomps act as obstacles to be shoved forward; in the minigame Chain Saw, the players must saw a chain suspending a Thwomp above the other player, which causes the Thwomp to fall and flatten one of the players; and in the minigame Chicken!, the objective is to stay under the big Thwomp as long as possible and flee only right before the player is crushed.

Mario Party 7[edit]

Thwomp once again returns in Mario Party 7, and is redesigned to use the first version of its modern appearance (as seen in Mario Kart: Double Dash!!). Thwomps are not able to return to game boards and have the same roles as Mario Party 6. In the minigame Take Me Ohm, Thwomps activate electricity waves that are shot at players. In Number Crunchers, the solo player needs to use Thwomps in order to squish the other players. In Spin Off, one of the characters to be formed is a Thwomp. The Thwomp Orb also returns with the same effect as in Mario Party 6.

Mario Party 8[edit]

In Mario Party 8, Thwomp is once again absent from game boards; however, it still appears in minigames. In Balancing Act, Thwomps appear as obstacles in the course. They also make an appearance in Cardiators as one of the cards, dealing 10 damage if picked. A Thwomp is also one of the racers in the game Moped Mayhem, despite not having any limbs to drive with. In Specter Inspector, a Thwomp is among the characters that must be found in the room.

There is also an item in this game that is based upon Thwomps, named Thwomp Candy. Eating it causes the player to turn into a stone version of their head, and running into an opponent causes the player to fall on and flatten them, destroying half of their coins.

Mario Party DS[edit]

Thwomps barely appear in Mario Party DS, as Whomps appear the most in the game. The only part of the game where Thwomps are shown is in the puzzle minigame Mario's Puzzle Party, from Mario Party 3 (and therefore appearing as their model from the Nintendo 64 games, notably Super Mario 64).

Mario Party 9[edit]

Mario Party 9 screenshot.
A row of six Thwomps, in the minigame Thwomper Room, from Mario Party 9

Thwomps once again have a minor appearance in Mario Party 9. They only make one appearance, in the minigame Thwomper Room, which involves the players dodging six of them as they fall to the ground. They open their eyes as they are about to fall, giving the player a warning to move out of the way before they fall. Thwomps also have their own constellation that can be purchased at the Museum, named "Riled Rock."

Mario Party: Island Tour[edit]

Thwomp
Bowser Jr. getting squashed by the Thwomp

A single Thwomp appears in Mario Party: Island Tour on the Perilous Palace Path board. Whenever a player reaches the bridge, they have to guess which button will lower the bridge. If they choose the wrong one, they will get squashed by the Thwomp and will remain in that area until somebody is able to lower the bridge. This Thwomp reuses its Super Mario Galaxy design. They also appear in Match Faker sometimes.

Mario Party: The Top 100[edit]

The Great Deflate from Mario Party: The Top 100
The inflatable Thwomps' revamped design

In Mario Party: The Top 100, Thwomps appear as obstacles in the returning Mario Party minigame Desert Dash. The Great Deflate from Mario Party 4 also returns, as do the inflatable Thwomps. These Thwomps now have their modern facial design, but retain their original blue, cubic shape.

Super Mario Party[edit]

Thwomps appear in Super Mario Party as non-playable characters. Thwomps and Big Thwomps alike are potential obstacles in the minigame Follow the Money, deducting coins from players they crush. In Rattle and Hmmm, a Thwomp can appear alongside a Whomp and a Sumo Bro. One Thwomp appears in Kamek's Tantalizing Tower, and two in the board's Partner Party variant, Tantalizing Tower Toys. In both variations, Thwomps hover over paths that players can use, but must pay coins to be granted access. Unlike the Whomps, who have a set number for their coin toll, Thwomps demand to be paid more coins than the last player whom had been let through.

Mario Party Superstars[edit]

Thwomps reappear in Mario Party Superstars as non-playable characters, reprising their roles in Yoshi's Tropical Island and Space Land, as well in the Dungeon Dash mingame.

Paper Mario series[edit]

Paper Mario[edit]

While Thwomps themselves do not appear in Paper Mario, an unnamed species based on Thwomp (later known as Spiny Tromps) appears in Mt. Lavalava as obstacles that roll toward and try to crush Mario. Texture data for the Crystal Palace includes graphics for an unused "ice_dossun" (Ice Thwomp), using a similar face to Spiny Tromp.[6]

Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door[edit]

Mario and Goombella encounter a Thwomp in Shhwonk Fortress.

Two Thwomps appear in Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, both of which ask several questions in a game-show manner in order to test Mario. If Mario gets five questions correct, the entrance to the inner sanctum of the Shhwonk Fortress (with the 65th Super Fun Quirk Quiz) and the Elevator Key (with the 66th Annual Quirk Quiz) are revealed to Mario. If the player fails the quiz, they summon enemies to attack the player. One Thwomp is found over the entrance of Shhwonk Fortress, while the other, more robotic-looking Thwomp is inside the X-Naut Fortress; the designs of both are based off the artwork for Super Mario Bros. 3, but gray and in 3D. The quizmasters have identical personalities to the Guard Door from Paper Mario.

Super Paper Mario[edit]

In Super Paper Mario, only five Thwomps appear in the entire game. They are all found in Chapter 1-2, located in an underground area below Yold Town. They only attack by quickly and continuously slamming the ground and rising back up to the ceiling, like in their previous appearances. Thwomps cannot be defeated, and the only way to avoid them is for Mario to flip to 3-D and walk past them. Using Pixl attacks only momentarily stops them; grabbing one as Thoreau makes it sweat as well, and Fleep makes them spin in place for a while; they return to their periodic attacking afterward. Visually, they are a 2D, front-facing version of their appearance in the previous Paper Mario. In this game, Thwomps are shown to have faces on both sides of their bodies.

This game also includes Spiny Tromps from the first game. They appear on Mount Lineland and Underwhere Road and, like their species of origin, cannot be defeated, only avoided.

Paper Mario: Color Splash[edit]

Thwomp sprite from Paper Mario: Color Splash
Thwomp sprite from Paper Mario: Color Splash

Four Thwomps made out of cardboard appear during Paper Mario: Color Splash. Like many enemies, they use their designs from the main series rather than their design from the first three Paper Mario games. However, they lack their red irises, except for the one during the end credits.

The first one is found in the battle against Iggy Koopa at The Golden Coliseum, where if the Bone Thing Card is used too early, Iggy summons a Thwomp which deals 999 HP of damage, resulting in a Game Over.[7] The second one crushes the Sunset Express outside of the Kiwano Temple. The third one appears in the railway tracks of Sunset Express, and it needs to be awakened with the Megaphone Thing Card so the train can continue its way to Starlight Cape. Finally, the last one appears in the background of Starlight Cape.

Toads refer to the Thwomps as "rockslides".

Paper Mario: The Origami King[edit]

Mario running away from the Thwomps in Overlook Mountain in Paper Mario: The Origami King
Mario running away from the Thwomps in Overlook Mountain
The Trial of Courage from Paper Mario: The Origami King.
A Thwomp used for the third challenge of the Trial of Courage
An origami Thwomp from Paper Mario: The Origami King.
An origami Thwomp

In Paper Mario: The Origami King, origami Thwomps first appear in Overlook Mountain, where they crash down on Mario when he first ascends a slope leading to Overlook Tower. If Mario gets crushed by those Thwomps, it will result in a Game Over. Mario must destroy those Thwomps with a Super Star. Additionally, a kabuki-like design of a Thwomp with its eyes closed appears at the end of the Ninja Attraction. After Mario uses the 1,000-Fold Arms to peel off its face, it changes to its angry expression while a series of walls with similar designs on them attempt to crush Mario while he runs to the exit. If Mario gets crushed by those walls, it will result in a Game Over.

A regular Thwomp with the same appearance as Paper Mario: Color Splash may randomly appear after buying a fortune in Picnic Road, where it will crush Mario and damage him by 20 HP. A similar Thwomp appears in the third stage of the Trial of Courage where the player must press A Button after the Thwomp drops below the arrow but before hitting Mario.

During the second phase of the final battle with King Olly, he will summon an origami Thwomp when he gets pushed to the edge of the arena. Mario must keep using the 1,000-Fold Arms to bash the floor before the Thwomp crushes him, resulting in a Game Over. Mario may also cancel his attack to move out of the Thwomp's way, although doing so will bounce King Olly and Bowser back to the center of the arena.

Super Smash Bros. series[edit]

SmashWiki article: Thwomp
Kirby Thwomp.jpgScreenshot of the game Super Smash Bros. for Wii U
Kirby's Thwomp transformations in Super Smash Bros. Brawl (left) and Super Smash Bros. for Wii U (right)

A Thwomp in its Super Mario 64 appearance is one of the types of stones Kirby can transform into in Super Smash Bros. Melee and Super Smash Bros. Brawl when using the Stone move. In Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, the Thwomp transformation has the same appearance as in New Super Mario Bros. Wii.

In Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, a Thwomp appears as an Assist Trophy. It attacks by slamming down on fighters that are below it. A Thwomp also appears in the game as an Advanced-class support spirit that takes up two support slots, granting resistance to melee weapons when used. It can be summoned using a Rock Pikmin and Rocky core.

Mario Golf series[edit]

Thwomp from Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour
A Thwomp in Bowser Badlands

In Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour, Thwomps appear as obstacles in the Bowser Badlands course, appearing identical to their appearance in Super Mario 64. There are major lava areas around the courses, and they act as obstacles like other enemies, such as Bob-ombs and Boos. If a golf ball rolls under a Thwomp, it falls down, causing the ball to stop moving. Thwomps reappear as obstacles in Mario Golf: Advance Tour, also in their blue incarnations. In the game, they first appear on Hole 9, blocking the character in the second green area.

Thwomps reappear in Mario Golf: World Tour where they will once again serve as obstacles on the Bowser golf course, this time Bowser's Castle. However, they now appear in their gray, modern form.

Thwomps reappear once again in Mario Golf: Super Rush as obstacles on the Bowser Highlands and Battle Golf courses. They can now squish players, in addition to serving as a barrier for balls. They once again make an angry grunt whenever they land, like in older games such as Super Mario 64.

Mario & Luigi series[edit]

Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga / Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga + Bowser's Minions[edit]

“I am Thwomp, and I love a good game! Test your luck for a mere 200/500 coins!”
Thwomp, Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga

In Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga, two Thwomps appear in the Hammerhead Bros.' cave after they move from Hoohoo Mountain to the Beanbean Kingdom Outskirts. The Gray Rocks and Black Rocks inside their new home can be destroyed as they upgrade Mario and Luigi's hammers, revealing a Thwomp in one of two featureless rooms. They each explain that they want to play a game, charging Mario and Luigi 200 or 500 coins respectively to destroy one of three stones that he summons down. The gray stones have a chance of containing 200 coins, 300 coins, or Secret Scroll 1 (which teaches Swing Bros.); the black stones have a chance of containing either 500 coins, 800 coins, Secret Scroll 2 (which teaches Cyclone Bros.), or nothing. The Thwomps have a similar design to their Super Mario Bros. 3 artwork, except they are gray.

In Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga + Bowser's Minions, the Thwomps are redesigned to have their appearance from Super Mario Galaxy. In Minion Quest: The Search for Bowser, a Thwomp is used in one of the Captain Commands, which is Thwomp Thump. Its impact and self-inflicted damage can be avoided with a well-timed jump.

Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time[edit]

Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time introduces a location named Thwomp Volcano which is home to many Thwomp-related stones and iconography both outside it and in the Thwomp Caverns. The game also introduces a female Thwomp named Mrs. Thwomp, who looks like a huge boulder instead of an average Thwomp. She, along with her husband, Mr. Thwomp, appears at the summit of Thwomp Volcano. Mr. Thwomp does have the appearance of a Thwomp, but without spikes on the sides and on top of him.

The Thwomp Bros. inside the volcano challenge the Mario Bros. to minigames. There are many different prizes the player can win from these minigames. An unnamed Thwomp also appears to help the Mario Bros. descend into the depths of the Volcano. After the player defeats Bowser and Baby Bowser, they are standing on the Thwomp when the volcano erupts again, sending them flying into the air; Baby Bowser remains on the Thwomp when it lands on the Shroob Mother Ship.

An enemy called the Thwack found on Thwomp Volcano is based off the Thwomp, as well as its variants, the Thwack Totem and the Wonder Thwack. Also in this game, Tanoombas and Tashroobas can turn into Thwomps.

Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story / Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story + Bowser Jr.'s Journey[edit]

In Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story, several Thwomp derivatives are introduced. There are bone-like Thwomps in Bowser's stomach in the Pump Works and the Airway, called Bone Thwomps. Besides that, there are Thwomps with colds called Sniffle Thwomps in Bowser's Castle that act as enemies, as well as Shadow-like Thwomps that appear in the battle against Dark Bowser and Dark Star Core. They use the same tactics as in the platforming Super Mario games, and can be avoided by having Bowser crouch into his shell. Additionally, special brown-colored Thwomps appear during the game that are thrown by Junker and Junker X. They are thrown into the air, and attempt to slam down on one of the two brothers that has a garbage can on their heads. Mario and Luigi must jump to avoid being crushed or running into them.

In Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story + Bowser Jr.'s Journey, the Thwomps were redesigned to match their appearance in Super Mario Galaxy. The Thwomp Thump captain command also returns in the Bowser Jr.'s Journey mode.

Mario & Luigi: Dream Team[edit]

Thwomps appear as part of Kamek's third battle in Mario & Luigi: Dream Team. Whenever Kamek chases Mario, there are continuous rows of three Thwomps each. Mario must pay attention to the Thwomp(s) that fall first and move there, since the other Thwomp(s) will fall soon after. Eventually, if the attack is dodged successfully, there is a final row of Thwomps that will fake out Kamek and hit him instead.

Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam[edit]

Thwomps reappear in Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam, in the Toad Trail Attackathon, where they serve as obstacles for the Mario Bros. on ground. If rammed into head-on, the player instantly loses the challenge. They also appear during the boss fight against Dry Bowser. In one of his attacks, he summons Thwomps to crush the bros. before spewing a torrent of flames. If all three Thwomps are countered, they will be burnt by the flames, causing them to take turns jumping on Dry Bowser as they hop off, leaving him vulnerable.

Mario vs. Donkey Kong series[edit]

ThwompA ThwompA Thwomp from Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Minis March Again!.
Thwomps in Mario vs. Donkey Kong, Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis, and Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Minis March Again!, respectively.

Mario vs. Donkey Kong[edit]

In Mario vs. Donkey Kong, Thwomps appear in different levels in Spooky House stages of the game. They have a design very similar to Super Mario World. When Mario approaches them, they roar, and if he walks underneath them, they fall down. Mario is immediately defeated if he touches a Thwomp. In the Nintendo Switch version, they are replaced by mechanical toy Thwomps.

Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis[edit]

Thwomps reappear in Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis, where they appear with their Mario Kart: Double Dash!! design. They reprise their role from the previous game. However, when triggered to fall, they shake in place for a brief moment before coming down, allowing the minis some time to walk past them. This trait is kept in future Mario vs. Donkey Kong games.

Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Minis March Again![edit]

Thwomps also appear in Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Minis March Again! using their Super Mario Galaxy appearance. They are first encountered in Room 3-5 of Magnet Mania. When triggered to fall, they have an even longer preparation time than in the previous game due to the gameplay being less dynamic.

Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Mini-Land Mayhem![edit]

Thwomps are once again enemies in Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Mini-Land Mayhem!, appearing in Area 6-3, Area S-18, Area X-6, and Area X-8.

Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Tipping Stars[edit]

Thwomps reappear in Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Tipping Stars and act the same as in prior installments. They are introduced in Runaway Warehouse. Of note is that if a Thwomp crashes down on a conveyor belt, it will get carried in the designated direction for a short time, before rising back up.

Mario Pinball Land[edit]

Thwomps in the battle with Bowser in Mario Pinball Land

Thwomps appear in the final battle with Bowser in Mario Pinball Land. They use the Super Mario 64 design. They appear on the left and right sides of the room, connected to chains. Behind them are two pulleys that when hit by Mario raise the Thwomps into the air, though they descend shorty after. When at least one of the Thwomps is raised as high as possible, it is suspended indefinitely and the blue button in the back of the room begins to glow. Hitting the button causes the Thwomps hit the ground, knocking Bowser over and making him vulnerable to attack. When Bowser curls into a ball and begins to roll around the room, the Thwomps are the first things he destroys, giving the player 50,000 points each.

Super Princess Peach[edit]

A Thwomp from Super Princess Peach. Possibly an incorrect sprite.

Thwomps appear in Super Princess Peach. They first appear on Bowser's Villa 8-1, where there are several of them that Peach must pass by to get to a Toad. Their method of attack is the same as in past Super Mario platformers, where they fall when Peach is nearby. They cannot be destroyed.

There is also a massive Thwomp that takes up the entire background in three rooms. If Peach does not perform the action shown by the statues when the Thwomp opens its eyes, it inhales her, sending her back to the entrance of the room.

Mario Strikers Charged[edit]

Thwomps appear in Mario Strikers Charged at The Sand Tomb. They only stomp on the brown rocky area, not on the sand, though the sand slows down the characters' movement considerably. When a Thwomp falls on a character, the character is stunned for a certain amount of time.

Mario & Sonic series[edit]

Peach in the Cheer Up Thwomp! minigame

Thwomps sometimes in some of the Events in the Mario & Sonic series, usually as obstacles. In the Wii version of Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games, Thwomps appear as obstacles in Dream Ice Hockey, where they fall onto the ice after casting a shadow and will knock over any characters that they hit. Thwomps also appear in the second segment of the Mario World routine in Dream Figure Skating, during which the characters will dodge underneath them and jump over them. In the Wii version of Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games, Thwomps appear as obstacles in Dream Rafting, where they attempt to hit the raft and make it go underwater, knocking the characters off. In the Nintendo 3DS version of Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, Thwomps are obstacles in Equestrian Plus, where if the player gets hit, they will receive a small penalty. Additionally, 100m Freestyle Swimming Plus features a single Thwomp at the end of the pool, creating waves that the player can ride and dive under.

A single Thwomp has appeared in a few of the single-player campaigns throughout the Mario & Sonic series. In the Adventure Tours mode of the Nintendo DS version of Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games, there is a Thwomp blocking the path to part of Frostown. To move it, the player has to use Peach to complete the Cheer Up Thwomp! minigame. In the Nintendo 3DS version of Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games, a Thwomp appears in the Story Mode episode Bowser's Blues, where Magikoopa uses it to stun Donkey Kong before a match with Bowser.

Super Mario-kun[edit]

Thwomps appear also in the thirty-fifth volume of Super Mario-kun, which is almost exactly based off of Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time. Almost all the events from the game happen in the comic, such as battling Mrs. Thwomp.

Puzzle & Dragons: Super Mario Bros. Edition[edit]

Thwomps make an appearance as enemies in the game, Puzzle & Dragons: Super Mario Bros. Edition. They're often found at the castle courses, and their main attribute is Light. Big Thwomps are also present, along with a mash-up called Thwomp & Thwimps, which consists of a single Thwomp paired with two Thwimps. The Big Thwomp, along with the Thwomp & Thwimps, have Light as their main attribute, while their sub-attribute is Dark.

The Thwomp's skill can deal damage to all enemies, equal to half of its ATK value; the Big Thwomp's skill deals damage to all enemies, equal to its ATK value; the Thwomp & Thwimps's skill can deal damage to all enemies, equal to 2x its ATK value. Also, the Thwomp & Thwimps's Awoken Skill raises the HP value of all teammates once it has been awakened.

All Thwomp variants have HP as their strongest stat, while their ATK is at or below average levels. Lastly, their RCV is set at 0.

Mario + Rabbids series[edit]

Thwomper Stomper

In Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle, one of Rabbid Mario's Melee weapons is designed after a Thwomp. Thwomps made their first actual appearance in Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope, being carried by Squashers and Squashettes on their backs. These enemies use their Thwomps to slam down on the heroes once they are above them.

Dr. Mario World[edit]

Thwomps make their debut in the Dr. Mario series in Dr. Mario World as obtainable assistants. In stage mode, its effect is to increase the amount of increase the score by a fixed amount after the stage is completed, where the score is higher at higher levels. In versus mode, its effect is to reduce the speed the attack meter fills for both players by a percentage, meaning that the amount of points required to fill up the attack meter is increased by that percentage, rounded down to the nearest round number.

WarioWare: Get It Together![edit]

In WarioWare: Get It Together!, Thwomps appear in level 3 of the Super Mario World microgame.

Other appearances[edit]

The Legend of Zelda series[edit]

Zelda Wiki article: Thwomp
A sprite of a Thwomp from The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening A sprite of a Spiked Thwomp in The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening A sprite of a Mega Thwomp in The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening A sprite of a Stone Elevator in The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening
A Thwomp in The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures. A raw sprite of a Stone Elevator from The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures
Thwomp types in Link's Awakening (above) and Four Swords Adventures (below)

Variations of Thwomps make a guest appearance in a few The Legend of Zelda games as enemies encountered in the sidescrolling sections of some dungeons. The only preexisting ones from the Super Mario franchise, the Thwimps, appear in The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening and The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages, with behavior more akin to standard Thwomps. Both games also include the Spiked Thwomp, the former the Mega Thwomp and Stone Elevator, and the latter a boss called the Head Thwomp.

In The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures, normal Thwomps appear, using the design on Mega Thwomp and a less dangerous version of Spiked Thwomp's behavior. A Stone Elevator also reappears.

Kirby series[edit]

Thwomps behave identically to a few enemies in the Kirby series. In Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards, there is a cycloptic cube named , and in Kirby: Canvas Curse, there is a stone slab with a carved face that comes in three sizes named Thudd. Additionally, their respective Japanese names,「ドネン」(Donen) and「デンドン」(Dendon) play off Thwomps' Japanese name,「ドッスン」(Dossun) and associated onomatopoeia. In Kirby Star Allies, since the Version 3.0.0 update, a drawn I³ makes a reappearance as one of Adeleine & Ribbon's Painter helpers.

Minecraft[edit]

In the Super Mario Mash-up in Minecraft, Slimes are replaced by Thwomps. Slimeballs are replaced by Thwimps.

Animal Crossing: New Horizons[edit]

In Animal Crossing: New Horizons, a Thwomp furniture item appears in the game. When a player gets close to the furniture piece, the Thwomp will shake and drop down to the ground, although the player cannot pass through the Thwomp while it is retreating back to the air or before it falls down. The item was added in version 1.8.0 as part of the Super Mario Bros. 35th Anniversary celebration, and can be brought for 3,000 Bells at Nook Shopping.

Unused appearances[edit]

Skylanders: SuperChargers[edit]

Thwomps were originally part of Bowser's moveset in Skylanders: SuperChargers. However, it was eventually decided that Koopa Troopas were a better fit.[8]

The Super Mario Bros. Movie[edit]

In a 2018 storyboard by Kyler Spears for The Super Mario Bros. Movie featuring a different Mario Kart scene, a Thwomp was originally supposed to appear driving a unique vehicle.[9]

Profiles and statistics[edit]

Main article: List of Thwomp profiles and statistics

Perfect Ban Mario Character Daijiten[edit]

ドッスン (JP) / Thwomp (EN)
Used in case of images missing from a section gallery, table, bestiary box, or certain infoboxes.

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Original text (Japanese) Translation
出身しゆつしん / 種族しゅぞく ゴーストぞく Place of origin/tribe Ghost clan
性格せいかく 重厚じゅうこう無口むくち Disposition Massive, silent
登場とうじょうゲーム 3、ワールド Game appearances 3, World
トラップのようなおばけ

クッパがマリオをむかえうつためにしかけた、いわのおばけ。全身ぜんしんにトゲがえていて、マリオがちかづくと、いきおいよくちてきてしつぶそうとする。たおすことのできないごわい相手あいてだ。[10]

Trap-like obake

A rock obake that Bowser has set up to greet Mario. It has spikes all over its body, and when Mario gets close to it, it falls down with great force and tries to crush him. It is a formidable opponent that cannot be defeated.

Super Paper Mario[edit]

Super Paper Mario enemy
Thwomp
A Thwomp, from Super Paper Mario. Max HP N/A Role Common Location(s) Mount Lineland (1-2)
Attack 1 Card type Uncommon
Defense N/A Items Card location(s) Card Shop; Flimm; Catch Card/SP
Score N/A
Card description This block-headed rocker really loves making pancakes. All that macho pounding must be a sign of insecurity.
  List of Catch Cards  
  111      112      113  
Tattle That's a Thwomp, a huge stone monster that lives to squish... You can't beat it... You can only avoid it... It may look impossible to avoid, but I'm sure Mario could find a way...

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate spirit[edit]

Name Image Series / game Type Class Strength / effect(s) How to obtain Spirit battle
Opponent(s) Battle conditions Stage Song
Thwomp NSMBU Thwomp Artwork.png Super Mario Series Support (2) Advanced Weapon Resist ↑ Summoned with a Rock Pikmin and Rocky core N/A N/A N/A N/A

Gallery[edit]

For this subject's image gallery, see Gallery:Thwomp.

Names in other languages[edit]

Language Name Meaning
Japanese ドッスン
Dossun
Corruption of「ドスン」(dosun, Japanese onomatopoeia for a heavy thumping sound); alternatively romanized as "Dosun"

Chinese 咚咚[11]
Dōngdōng

Onomatopoeia for thumping

Dutch Thwomp[12]
-
French (NOA) Ka-Bang
Thwomp (early translations)
Onomatopoeia for something hitting the ground
-
French (NOE) Thwomp
Clonk (Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga)
Bloc[13]
-
-
Block
German Steinblock (since Super Mario 64)
Wummp (originally)
Stone Block
Onomatopoeia for something heavy hitting the ground (used for Whomps since Super Mario 64, but Thwomps have still been sporadically named as such)
Italian Thwomp[14]
Faccia/Faccione di pietra (The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3)
Twomp
-
Stone face/big-face
Direct transliteration
Korean 쿵쿵
Kung-kung
Repetition of "쿵" (kung, onomatopoeia for crushing)

Portuguese (NOA) Tumbo
From tumba ("tomb") and/or tombo ("tumble")
Portuguese (NOE) Granitão
Augmentative of granito ("granite")
Russian Бамс
Bams
Onomatopoeia for something hitting the ground

Spanish (NOA) Don Pisotón
Barón Pisotón (2012 games)
Mr. Stomp; augmentative form of pisotear ("to stomp")
Baron Stomp
Spanish (NOE) Roca Picuda
Pesado (The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3)
Gran Bloque[15] (Mario vs. Donkey Kong)
Spiky Rock
Heavy
Grand Block

Trivia[edit]

  • In Monopoly Gamer, two Thwomp spaces replace two of the traditional Railroad Spaces on the game board. Landing on the space forces a player to drop two Coins on the space, which may then be picked up by the next player who lands on or passes over the space.

External links[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Nintendo Power Volume 13, page 9.
  2. ^ Loe, Casey. New Super Mario Bros. Player's Guide. Page 10.
  3. ^ a b (June 10, 1998). Course 2 - Star 4: Red Coins on the Floating Isle. Nintendo: Super Mario 64 Strategy (Internet Archive: Wayback Machine). Retrieved March 15, 2022.
  4. ^ Walsh, Doug. BradyGAMES. Mario Kart: Super Circuit Official Racing Guide. Page 35.
  5. ^ Grimm, Steven. (2003) Mario Kart: Double Dash!! Official Nintendo Player's Guide. Page 91.
  6. ^ noclip.website, pra_ice_dossuntif
  7. ^ [1]
  8. ^ Nintendo. (June 17, 2015). Nintendo Treehouse Live @ E3 2015 Day 1 Skylanders SuperChargers. YouTube. Retrieved August 14, 2015.
  9. ^ Kyler Spears' website. Retrieved June 26, 2023. (Archived June 26, 2023, 16:56:44 UTC via Wayback Machine.)
  10. ^ Shogakukan. 1994.「パーフェクト版 マリオキャラクター大事典」 (Perfect Ban Mario Character Daijiten). Page 127.
  11. ^ https://archive.org/details/Mario_Kart_64_2003_Nintendo_CN_Maliou_Kadingche/page/n15/mode/2up
  12. ^ Nintendo Nederland. (March 9, 2016). Super Mario Maker - Gesloten deuren! Spijkerzuilen! Roze munten! (Wii U). Youtube. Retrieved May 19, 2019.
  13. ^ Official Nintendo French magazine N13, page 26
  14. ^ Super Mario Bros. 3 Italian manual, pag. 38
  15. ^ Official Mario vs. Donkey Kong website (Guías Nintendo)