Monty Mole

"Great granite gumdrops! I was in the middle of a spectacular nap! Why'd you have to wake me?"

- Monty Mole

Monty Moles are enemies who appear in several Mario games, their first being Super Mario World. They are moles who dart out of holes in the ground to either quickly pursue Mario or another character or to throw rocks at them. In several games, Monty Moles appear in -themed minigames. Monty Moles seem to have initially been based on Rocky Wrenches from Super Mario Bros. 3 (itself described as a mole-like turtle at the time), but Rocky Wrenches have since been redesigned to resemble Monty Moles.

Super Mario World
In Super Mario World, Monty Moles are first encountered in the level Yoshi's Island 2. They pop out of random spots in the ground to surprise Mario or Luigi and will then chase after him persistently or walk and hop occasionally. The game also features Mega Moles, giant Monty Moles that Mario can actually ride on to get across obstacles, but can still be hit by one. Monty Moles can be defeated by any attack method. In one artwork, they appear to be wearing sunglasses as well as having a short, gopher-like nose. However, in another artwork, they have visible, squinting eyes and long, mole-like noses. This game's graphics seem to depict the latter, though the jumping sprite depicts a slight split in the lip; further games typically used either one of these artworks as a design up until the redesign in Super Mario 64 DS. In development builds of the game, Monty Moles had slightly different digging sprites from those in the final game.

Super Mario Bros. 3 / Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3
Although Monty Moles are not present in the original version of Super Mario Bros. 3, in Super Mario All-Stars and Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3, the king of Iced Land is turned into a Monty Mole by Lemmy Koopa. Monty Moles also appear as enemies in a World-e level called Ground Work, with some of them hiding beneath grass patches and being released upon the player plucking them.

Super Mario 64 / Super Mario 64 DS
Monty Moles appear in Hazy Maze Cave and Tall, Tall Mountain in Super Mario 64 and Super Mario 64 DS. In the cave, Monty Moles specifically reside in the toxic maze, though they remain outside of the toxic cloud. Monty Moles in this game act similar to Rocky Wrenches, albeit throwing rocks instead of wrenches before disappearing underground. If Mario can defeat a certain number of Monty Moles in the game, a 1-Up Mushroom appears for him to collect.

The Nintendo Power guidebook also says that the Monty Moles in Hazy Maze Cave are a Monty Mole family and the ones in Tall, Tall Mountain are considered their friends.

In the original game, they use their squinting design from Super Mario World, but with an added pair of pronounced teeth, a black nose, and somewhat larger limbs. In the remake, they receive a redesign that consolidates the two designs from the Super Mario World artworks, with a small amount of influence from the Super Mario 64 and Super Mario Sunshine designs. From the "sunglasses" artwork, they get the smooth, cheek-less head sides, white upper lip, and small nose; from the other Super Mario World artwork, they get the distinct squint; from the Super Mario 64 design, they get the visible teeth, though the number is reduced to one; and from the Super Mario Sunshine design, they get the wideness of the upper lip. This design would become the standard design for later games, though there has been variation on the color of the lower lip, with brown appearing most consistently.

Super Mario Sunshine
A Monty Mole, also called Chorobe or cannoneer, appears in Super Mario Sunshine. He appears in Pinna Park and Noki Bay at the helm of large, red, dome-shaped cannons, firing Bullet Bills at Mario in the former, and Glorpedo down the cliffside in the latter. When Mario approaches the mole, he stops firing and tosses Bob-ombs at him. They can be disabled using F.L.U.D.D., and tossing a Bob-omb at the mole three times defeats him. In this game, the Monty Mole has much lankier arms than usual, a more bright orange color, a smaller white patch, and a green hat. The contours of the eyes behind the squint are also visible if examined closely enough.

At Pinna Park, the Monty Mole is found in the episode The Beach Cannon's Secret at the far end of the beach past the Great Sunflower. After Mario defeats him, he is able to jump into the cannon and access a secret course to get the Shine Sprite. A Pianta repairman replaces the Monty Mole from Episode 3 onward. In Noki Bay, the Monty Mole can be fought and defeated which rewards Mario with a Shine Sprite.

The manning of war machinery may be a throwback to Rocky Wrenches, who manned many of the machines in Super Mario Bros 3. Parts of its design also resemble that of classic Rocky Wrenches, such as the long arms and color placement. This is also the first game to feature a Monty Mole boss.

New Super Mario Bros.
Although Monty Moles are absent as regular enemies, Monty Tank, depicted as a Monty Mole operating a tank, is the boss of the in New Super Mario Bros.. The tank fires Bullet Bills and Bob-ombs. Mario or Luigi can defeat it by either stomping the Monty Mole's head three times when he comes out to throw a Bob-omb or by hitting him with fireballs. When jumped on, the tank will spin around and shoot many Bullet Bills and gain another turret.

Monty Moles also appear in a minigame titled "Whack-a-Monty" where the player has to tap as many Monty Moles as they can in a certain amount of time. The player will gain one point for each mole whacked and will lose three if they tap on Luigi.

New Super Mario Bros. Wii
In New Super Mario Bros. Wii, Monty Moles only appear in World 6-4. Here, they retain their attack method from Super Mario World. Once Mario and crew get near a Monty Mole's hiding spot, it will jump out of the wall and will try to charge into them. Magikoopa can also turn platforms into Monty Moles during his fight with Mario in.

The Monty Mole's trading card states that Monty Moles will "burrow back underground in the blink of an eye," though they do not do this in-game.

From this game forward, Rocky Wrenches use a variation of the Monty Mole model with added goggles.

Super Mario 3D Land
Monty Moles reappear in Super Mario 3D Land. The only level they appear in is 5-4, a cave level. This is their first appearance in a 3D game where they are found outside the ground and can run. They patrol the area and attack Mario if he gets in their way. They can be defeated with a single stomp. A new larger variant known as Morty Moles appear, appearing in World 5-4 and 7-4, and must be stomped twice to be defeated. A few of the cutscenes depicting Mario obtaining one of Peach's letters feature one or two Monty Moles in the background as Mario runs to quickly save her. The Monty Moles in the background of these cutscenes are partially underground like their Super Mario 64 appearance. A Monty Mole also makes a cameo in the photo seen from the World 7 Peach letter.

New Super Mario Bros. U
After an absence in New Super Mario Bros. 2, Monty Moles once again appear in New Super Mario Bros. U. They act the same as in previous games. They only appear in the levels Yoshi Hill and Magma-River Cruise. They also appear during Magikoopa's boss battle in Slide Lift Tower. Monty Moles are also featured in the Challenge Mode levels Mole to Goal and Mole to Goal Returns, where the goal is to transport a Monty Mole to the Goal Pole.

New Super Luigi U
Monty Moles retain their role from New Super Mario Bros. U in New Super Luigi U and appear in the levels Rolling Yoshi Hills, Magmaw River Cruise, and Stonecrush Tower as a part of Magikoopa's boss battle.

Super Mario Maker / Super Mario Maker for Nintendo 3DS
Monty Moles reappear in Super Mario Maker and Super Mario Maker for Nintendo 3DS as enemies. They function the same as previous games. In the Course Maker, they are made by shaking a Rocky Wrench. They can be placed on or inside the ground (the latter of which will make them climb up and pop out if the player gets close). They can be enlarged by a Super Mushroom or given wings (the former will simply enlarge them and the latter will make them jump around while running, similar to a Paragoomba). They can be blocked from coming out of the ground by placing an object like a P Switch on top of where they will emerge. They can be placed in Blocks, Pipes, Bill Blasters, and on tracks. They are also prominent in the event level Shaun's Mossy Mole Mischief and at the end of the level there is also a Monty Mole "mech" made out of blocks and cannons that must be defeated.

Super Mario Maker 2
Monty Moles reappear in Super Mario Maker 2 as enemies, sharing the same behavior as in Super Mario Maker. Unlike in Super Mario Maker, Monty Moles are now completely separate from Rocky Wrenches. The course creator Mischievous Mole could possibly be a Monty Mole, as one of his courses has Monty Moles in it.

Game & Watch: Super Mario Bros.
Although Monty Moles never appeared in the original Super Mario Bros., they do appear in Game & Watch: Super Mario Bros. in the clock on the hour of 7:00 a.m. or 7:00 p.m. where they repeatedly pop out of the ground and walk around before burrowing back into the ground. Mario occasionally jumps on the Monty Moles to defeat them. Their Super Mario World sprite is reused for this appearance.

Super Mario Kodansha manga
Monty Moles make various appearances in the Super Mario Kodansha manga. They use their sunglasses design for nearly every volume until the Super Mario 64 arc, which gives them their design from said game.

They first appear in the first Super Mario World volume, in which a Monty Mole is among Bowser and his minions when he is taking over Dinosaur Land. Later on, two Monty Moles can be seen ambushing Mario and his friends with another part later on having a Monty Mole being seen with a Koopa Troopa, Rex, and Koopa Paratroopa, with both times having the Monty Moles being eaten by Yoshi.

They make a very small cameo in the second Super Mario World volume, being seen on an island with other enemies seeing Caped Mario fly off to tell readers about the previous volume.

In the fifth Super Mario World volume, a Monty Mole can be seen first chapter alongside several of Bowser's other minions listening to what he says. Later on, several Monty Moles jump out of the walls to attempt to grab a Bob-omb before being burned by Fire Mario. In a later chapter themed after a festival, a Triceratops can be seen with a whack-a-mole-type game featuring Monty Moles.

In the sixth Super Mario World volume, a star with a Monty Mole face can be seen on the cover of the volume. Later in the actual story, several Monty Moles wearing mining gear can be seen after the Golden Mushroom in the museum is stolen. Mario interrogates them before paying the museum toll for him and Yoshi continuing to find the culprit. It is soon revealed that the Monty Moles are minions of a Mega Mole who actually stole the Golden Mushroom. The Monty Moles and the Mega Mole later return in a chariot shaped like Bowser that drills through the ground to attack everyone in the interrogation cell, throwing Bob-ombs at the group, until one explodes on them. The Moles then attempt to escape in a Wiggler-shaped cargo to make a quick getaway, but it is mostly eaten by Yoshi, causing the Wiggler vehicle to crash, defeating the Monty Moles.

In the Mario Open Golf volume, a Monty Mole cameos on the cover of the table of contents page.

In the Yoshi volume, a Monty Mole on top of a Mega Mole, can both be seen collecting flyers for Yossy's Pizza.

In the first Super Mario Kart volume, Bowser, along with a Monty Mole biker gang, arrives at the racing tournament. Bowser tells Mario that the Monty Mole biker gang will challenge him in the race. The Monty Moles in the audience proceed to steal the engine from Mario's car, saying that it is a waste of time to race without an engine. Later on in the story, the Monty Mole bikers block Mario's path, telling him that they do not care for the life of a "stupid gorilla". Mario uses a Boo to quickly disappear and make a quick getaway. Confused that Mario disappeared, the Monty Mole bikers try and find him, but they all accidentally fall down a cliff. Shortly after, they tell Bowser that they have failed their mission.

In the second Super Mario Kart volume, a Monty Mole is briefly seen when several characters stop for a pitstop. In a later chapter, Bowser uses his bazooka to fire a specific type of bullet known as a Choropū-dan (チョロプー 弾, Monty Mole bullet). The Choropū-dan creates several Monty Moles and a cat that fall down the sky. The Monty Moles skydive onto everyone, with Luigi and Donkey Kong Jr. crashing in the process. However, Mario is able to punch the Monty Moles (and cat) off of his kart. Later on, a Monty Mole can be seen amongst a crowd of several enemies that try to board a ship. In a mini-chapter based on Mario Paint, a Monty Mole can be seen throwing up after seeing a Beach Koopa on a pedestal.

In the third Super Mario Kart volume, Bowser calls upon several Monty Moles on multiple occasions that attempt to sabotage the race to make him win. This includes the Choropū Chika Butai, the Choropū Shinrin-tai, and Choropū-san. Near the end of the volume, everyone then goes to an abandoned underground city that the Monty Moles came from known as the Pū Tairiku after Luigi is stung by the scorpion that is thrown by Choropū-san.

In the first Yoshi's Safari volume, a Monty Mole can be seen commanded by Bowser alongside his other minions to take over Jewelry Land. Later on, several Monty Moles and Nipper Plants can be seen walking around Pipe Island despite Monty Moles never appearing in that level.

In the second Yoshi's Safari volume, a Monty Mole alongside other enemies (now depicted with halos) are accidentally killed by Mario and his friends when they are trying to outrun a Chargin' Chuck. The souls of the enemies are absorbed into the Big Boo.

In the Mario & Wario volume, a Monty Mole, Koopa Troopa, Goomba, and a Sumo Bro throw pebbles at Mario's nose. Unfortunately, they all get crushed by Mario's nose when it unexpectedly grows larger.

Super Mario-kun
Monty Moles have appeared in many volumes of Super Mario-kun. Monty Moles wear sunglasses until volume 18, giving them a visible tooth and open eyes. Alongside the main volumes, Monty Moles appeared in multiple puzzles throughout volumes 4-10.

In volume 1, their first appearance is a small cameo in the first chapter when Yoshi talks about Bowser's army, where a Monty Mole can be seen amongst other enemies. They make an actual appearance in a later chapter when Mario and Yoshi attempt to steal the Monty Moles' coins (due to being tricked by a Goomba). The Monty Moles attack Mario and Yoshi for trying to steal their coins. As Mario tries flying with the Cape Feather, he hits the ceiling before Yoshi eats all of the Monty Moles. An enlarged Monty Mole named Super Choropū appears being mad at Mario and Yoshi for eating his kind and attempting to attack them before getting burned by Mario with Fire Flowers. A later chapter has Yoshi eating a Monty Mole alongside two Goombas. The final chapter features an original power-up for Mario called the "Super Shades" that transforms Mario into "Mole Mario", a form that is based off of Monty Moles. He uses this form to dig through the dirt with other Monty Moles being seen in the background.

In volume 2, Yoshi can be seen eating two Monty Moles. A later chapter has a Monty Mole with a Fall form seen with other Fall enemies. The Fall form gives them a Mario mask while still keeping their sunglasses. A following chapter has a Monty Mole shop named Harajuku Popular Building (原宿人気館) that can be seen in the background of the fair Bowser and Roy make, although the shop is never visited. Finally, in one of the 4koma strips, some fried Monty Moles can be seen with a bunch of other cooked enemies.

In volume 4, a Magikoopa smacks Mario with a Monty Mole disguised as a balloon. A later chapter shows a ghost Monty Mole alongside a ghost Morton and other ghost enemies in Hell. The puzzle preceding this chapter has a maze shaped like a Monty Mole.

In volume 5, Monty Moles have a major role in one chapter where a group of Monty Mole farmers see Luigi, Yoshi, and Mario, who has been turned into a mushroom. After provoking them, the Monty Moles attack Mario and Yoshi. Luigi tries planning a surprise attack by shooting fire at them but accidentally hits his friends instead, with the Monty Moles then hitting Luigi with a paddle stick. Before the Monty Moles can take them to their king, they instead show them their livestock. While the Monty Moles show Mario and his friends the cow and pig they have, Luigi performs another surprise attack by kicking Mario into the Monty Moles. The Monty Moles then call a group of Swoopers to then fuse with them, creating Monty Mole Swoopers. They eat the mushroom Mario, which reverts him back to normal, but the Monty Mole Swoopers become stronger. They then send the livestock to trample Mario and his friends, but they are defeated when Mario and his friends use the light of the coins to scare the Monty Mole Swoopers. After they forfeit, they tell Mario that Bowser's Castle is in the pipe. Mario and his friends then leave through the pipe only to fall in lava. A later chapter shows several Choropū Men'iwa that attack Mario and Yoshi alongside face rocks of other enemies. The gattai monster later in the same chapter also has Monty Mole paws.

In volume 6, a Monty Mole amongst other enemies are crushed into an egg to make Yoshi into Star Yoshi. Monty Moles appear in one maze puzzle which gives them open eyes and two fang-like teeth (this design resembles their future redesign in volume 18). In a chapter featuring Mega Mole, the Mega Mole refers to themselves as a normal Monty Mole when Mario shrinks them with the Lightning. A later chapter has Yoshi making a stew which has a Goomba, Koopa Troopa, and Monty Mole in it, which he feeds to Mario. Another chapter has a Monty Mole come to Bowser's lair to show him his flyer for Bowser that says,「地獄の サーキット場完成!! - 命の保障は いたしません. これるもんならきてみやがれ!! "かなやしかけもいっぱい"」("Infernal circuit field completed! We aren't responsible for your life. Come and see it anyway!! 'It's wonderful'"), and where Mario, Luigi and Yoshi are heading. The Monty Mole is then instructed by Bowser to help Donkey Kong Jr. in his rematch at Donut Plains 1. Later in the same chapter, the Monty Mole from earlier in the chapter comes back to jump on Luigi's face while he is driving, which results in Luigi crashing into Yoshi. A later chapter has Mario having many Monty Moles attaching to his face. However, Mario uses a Fire Flower to burn the Monty Moles into a crisp. Finally, a Monty Mole appears in a spot-the-difference puzzle by a snowman.

In volume 7, Yoshi brings a lot of food products based on enemies. One of these food products is a canned Monty Mole labeled 100% Choropū Beetroot (チョロプー ビーつ 100%). A Monty Mole also appears in a maze-like puzzle in which Yoshi has to eat a bunch of enemies. A Monty Mole can be seen in Peach's Castle alongside other enemies attending a party.

In volume 9, several Monty Moles alongside other enemies appear ordering from Mario and Yoshi's cookie shop. In the following chapter, a large ominous Monty Mole can be seen in the cover for the chapter. Later on in the actual chapter, Mario pulls a Venus Fire Trap out of its pipe with several Monty Moles seen attached to the stem, only for Yoshi to eat the Monty Moles. After that, lighting hits the Warp Pipe which combines the corpses of the Monty Moles, Venus Fire Trap, and several Nipper Plants and Munchers into Pakkun Mogura. Monty Moles appear in one puzzle walking alongside other characters. In a much later chapter, a Monty Mole wearing a sun hat can be seen with Mario and his friends at the beach.

In volume 10, the pinball machine Roy Koopa makes Mario go through has Monty Mole bumpers. Monty Moles also cameo in a maze using their Super Mario World design.

In volume 13, two Monty Moles can be seen in Bowser's photo in the museum alongside other enemies. In a later chapter, Morton makes Mario and Yoshi play a Virtual Boy game, which features a part with Monty Moles.

In volume 14, a Monty Mole is nearly eaten by Yoshi when he uses the Mole Tank to dig underground. Monty Mole's design is slightly different with three hairs on their head, a rat-like nose, and short stubby claws.

In volume 17, a Monty Mole owns a shop that sells a crown, earrings, a necklace, and a ring. However, when Mario puts on the jewelry, he starts choking for being too tight, with the earrings also being revealed to be small Chain Chomps as well. The Monty Mole offers Mario some, which he throws up after drinking it. In the end, Mario still buys the crown. On the side of page 59 (during these events), artwork of three Monty Moles is shown. While the first two Monty Moles use their Super Mario 64 appearance, the third Monty Mole has a unique design with an "A" on its forehead, thick eyebrows, and a long chin. In a later Mario Kart 64 themed chapter, several Monty Moles pop out of the ground and cling onto Mario's kart. Peach, however, throws a ! Block at Mario which blows up the Monty Moles.

In volume 18, Monty Moles can be seen when Mario is about to throw baseballs at the targets. They pop up and throw the baseballs back at Mario. They attempt to throw bombs at Mario, but Mario uses his Bunny Ears from Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins to throw the bombs back at the Monty Moles.

In volume 19, Bowser commands a group of Monty Moles to attack Mario, but they are quickly electrocuted by Mario's friends that he made throughout the Super Mario 64 arc. Dorrie can be seen chewing a Monty Mole and King Bob-omb is seen holding one.

In volume 23, a Mega Monty Mole mother named Choropūko appears in a chapter alongside her children. Normal Monty Moles appear in a later chapter, were they help build Bowser an underground amusement park before the cave collapses. Like volume 18, both the redesign and the original design are seen.

In volume 27, a Monty Mole can be seen briefly in the Woody Woods adaptation from the Mario Party 3 arc. This is the final appearance of their original design in the manga.

In volume 31, the Monty Moles from Super Mario Sunshine appear, resembling Monty Moles from the manga, but still keeping their hat. During the events in Pinna Park, a Monty Mole shoots Bullet Bills at Yoshi and F.L.U.D.D. They later come back in a giant Yoshi Egg, which they roll towards the Monty Mole. The Monty Mole attempts shooting them with Bullet Bills, but the egg deflects them. It tries to throw the Bob-ombs at the egg, but Yoshi rams into the Monty Mole, causing them all to blow up. Later on in Noki Bay, a Monty Mole clogs the waterfall with a giant cork. When Mario and Yoshi reach the Monty Mole, it starts shooting Bullet Bills and throwing Bob-ombs at them rapidly. Yoshi gives Mario some glue, which he uses to glue the Bob-ombs to himself. He then jumps towards the Monty Mole to defeat it.

In volume 36, Mario can be seen playing Whack-a-Monty by his house. When Mario accidentally smacks Luigi, one of the Monty Moles can be seen smiling.

In volume 44, several Monty Mole miners named Chorozairu can be seen working for a Buzzy Beetle.

In volume 45, a Monty Mole known as Choropū the Picasso can be seen as the main antagonist of the third chapter.

In volume 46, Monty Moles appear in the table of contents page, mimicking their New Super Mario Bros. U artwork. In the fourth chapter, Mario, Luigi, and Toad stumble upon the「もぐらまつり」(Mogura Matsuri, Mole Festival), a festival filled with Monty Moles, some of which are wearing headbands. They meet a female Monty Mole named Pūko who gives them a tour of the festival. One of the areas of the festival is a whack-a-mole game which has Mario being whacked by Monty Moles as he tries to whack them, which Pūko reveals it to actually be「チョロプーがたたくゲーム」(Choropū ga tataku gēmu, a game where Monty Moles whack the player, since the Japanese name of "whack-a-mole",「モグラたたき」(mogura tataki), literally translates to "mole whack" and can be interpreted as the moles being the subject instead of the object). While Pūko continues the tour for Mario and his friends, a Morty Mole destroys the festival, causing the Monty Moles to flee. While Mario fights the Morty Mole, Pūko gives Mario a super-metal, invincible power suit that was handed down for generations in the Monty Mole family, which Mario takes off immediately after feeling uncomfortable wearing it. As the Morty Mole attacks Mario, Luigi wins two Statue Leaves from a raffle run by a Monty Mole with glasses.

In volume 47, a cooked Monty Mole with sauce on its head can be seen as one of the foods Yoshi gets to eat alongside other cooked enemies. In a later chapter, Nabbit steals a Monty Mole's fur. Later in the same chapter, Nabbit puts Luigi's face on a Monty Mole while he is putting his and Yoshi's faces on several enemies.

In volume 54, a mother Monty Mole named Choropū (Haha) asks Mario and Yoshi to give her children Choropū (Kodomo-tachi) a great Christmas.

In volume 55, when Yoshi takes a picture in Slaparazzi, several ghosts of enemies that he has eaten in the past can be seen, including a Monty Mole. The ghost Monty Mole also uses the original design.

NES Open Tournament Golf
While Monty Moles do not appear within the actual gameplay of NES Open Tournament Golf, what seems to be one appears on the cover. It has round sunglasses, three hairs, and a square tooth similar to modern appearances. It is also atypically small in comparison to Mario.

Mario Golf
In Mario Golf for the Nintendo 64, if the player successfully putts the ball into the hole from a long distance and scores under par, a Monty Mole may pop out of the hole. The name "Monty Mole" may also appear on the scoreboard. They use their Super Mario 64 design in this game.

Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour
In Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour, Monty Mole's name can sometimes be seen on the tournament board.

Mario Golf: Advance Tour
In Mario Golf: Advance Tour, a Monty Mole appears in Links Club Practice Center. The player must shoot three shots at it, to earn a Super Drink. They also use their Super Mario 64 design in this game.

Mario Golf: World Tour
Monty Moles appear in Mario Golf: World Tour. Many Monty Moles appear in the Castle Club mode as NPC characters. Their name can also appear on the tournament scoreboard. Two Mega Monty Moles appear in Hole 7 of Wiggler Park.

Mario Golf: Super Rush
"Piece of advice. If you're always goin' for full power, your accuracy might drop."

- Monty Mole

Monty Moles appear in Mario Golf: Super Rush where they appear as NPCs, mostly appearing in Bonny Greens, though a singular Monty Mole also appears in Ridgerock Lake. Monty Mole's name also appears on the Bonny Greens Open scoreboard.

Super Mario World TV series


Monty Moles, though never called as such and always referred to as Gophers, appeared in the episode "Gopher Bash" of the Super Mario World animated series.

In the episode, several Gophers acted as minions of Cheatsy Koopa, aiding him in his plot to steal all the crops grown by the cave-people of Dome City. These Gophers are eventually defeated by Mario, Luigi and Yoshi, who, after tracking Cheatsy down, sneak up on the moles, tie them up, and suspend them from the ceiling. The Gophers are then dropped on top of Cheatsy Koopa, pinning him to the ground. They also sing backup during Cheatsy's Life, a self-praising song; at no other point in the episode do they vocalize at all. This is also one of the few times Monty Moles are fully voice-acted.

Super Mario World: Mario to Yoshi no Bōken Land
In the interactive OVA Super Mario World: Mario to Yoshi no Bōken Land, after Iggy's horde of Koopa Troopas, Rexes, and Chargin' Chucks is defeated by Mario, Luigi, and Yoshi, he summons a group of Monty Moles and Koopa Paratroopas. They are quickly disposed of when Yoshi swallows a Green Shell and breathes fire on them.

Nintendo Adventure Books
Although Mega Moles appear frequently in the Nintendo Adventure Books, Monty Moles only appear as a cameo in one of the puzzles from Dinosaur Dilemma when Mario is being chased by the Mega Moles in the cellar of the haunted mansion.

Super Mario Adventures comic
In the Super Mario Adventures comic, a Monty Mole alongside a smaller Monty Mole can be seen coming out of the pipes and surrounding Mario and Luigi alongside other enemies. However, they are quickly defeated by Mario when he spits a Goomba out of a pipe, hitting all of the enemies including the Monty Moles.

Later in the comic, a Monty Mole seen wearing a red tuxedo can be seen alongside a Mega Mole wearing a blue tuxedo attending Bowser's wedding.

Monty Moles use both the Super Mario World design and their sunglasses design throughout Super Mario Adventures.

Super Mario Kart
Monty Moles (referred to as Gophers in the instruction booklet) are obstacles in Super Mario Kart, in Donut Plains 2 and Donut Plains 3. If a racer runs into one, it will attach itself to the player, which causes them to slow down and drop coins. The player must hop repeatedly in order to knock them away.

Mario Kart 64
Monty Moles (under the name Chubby) appear in Moo Moo Farm of Mario Kart 64 as obstacles, hopping in and out of holes in the ground, causing racers who hit them to spin out. They appear with triangular sunglasses and tan snouts.

Mario Kart DS
In Mario Kart DS, they are referred to by their usual name, and mainly appear in N64 Moo Moo Farm and Peach Gardens.

In Mission 3-6, the player's task is to hit five Monty Moles.

This game has an early depiction of Monty Moles and Rocky Wrenches with similar graphics, though their designs are not as similar as in later games.

Mario Kart Wii
In Mario Kart Wii, they appear as obstacles in Moo Moo Meadows and also appear as audience members in other courses. They also appear as stationary obstacles in.

Mario Kart 7
Monty Moles only cameo in Mario Kart 7, where they are among the many species seen cheering in crowds in bleachers.

Mario Kart 8 / Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
and return in Mario Kart 8 and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, bringing along the Monty Moles with them. They act as stationary obstacles as in most Mario Kart games, but will now dig around for some time before popping up. This changes the gameplay of SNES Donut Plains 3 from the original version in Super Mario Kart where they would attach themselves to drivers who drove into them. In Animal Crossing from the Animal Crossing x Mario Kart 8 DLC Pack, Mr. Resetti replaces Monty Moles to fit with the theme of the course. The trails that the Monty Moles leave can be used to perform tricks.

Mario Kart Tour
Monty Mole makes his official playable debut in the Mario Kart series in Mario Kart Tour available from May 6, 2020 in the Flower Tour. He is classified as a tour-exclusive Super character (the first Super character with this distinction) and his special item is the Mushroom Cannon. Starting with the Wild West Tour, Monty Mole became a regular Super character while also gaining a self-named cup. Monty Moles also appear as obstacles in GBA Sunset Wilds R/T and SNES Donut Plains 2, where they behave the same as in Mario Kart 8 and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, allowing racers to perform a Jump Boost off their trails and holes.

Mario is Missing!
Monty Moles appear in the CD-ROM Deluxe version of Mario is Missing! They can be called on occasion and can be asked questions about the country Luigi is in. Upon answering all of the questions correctly, he gives money from the mayor as a token of appreciation and encourages Luigi to find Mario. This is one of the few times a Monty Mole is fully voice-acted.

Yoshi's Safari
In Yoshi's Safari, Monty Moles appear exclusively in the level Cornice Cave. They attack by popping out of pipes and moving towards the player; they can be defeated by shooting them with the Super Scope.

Yoshi Touch & Go
In Yoshi Touch & Go, Monty Moles appear as somewhat uncommon enemies, attacking Yoshi in a manner similar to their attack pattern from Super Mario World; leaping from the ground or by charging at Yoshi. Here, Monty Moles could be defeated by either jumping on them, throwing an egg at them or by encasing them in a circle with the Nintendo DS's stylus.

Yoshi's Woolly World / Poochy & Yoshi's Woolly World
Monty Moles appear as an enemy in Yoshi's Woolly World and Poochy & Yoshi's Woolly World. They either burrow around underground (usually under carpets) or they can pop out of the wall, Yoshi can defeat them with a Yarn Ball, stomping on them, or eating them. If eaten, they turn into orange yarn balls. There is also a boss called Big Montgomery, which is a bigger Monty Mole that appears as the mid-boss of Worlds 1, 3, and 5. Monty Mole Patches are also found and are crocheted Monty Moles that, when unraveled, will start chasing the player like a normal mole. In the Scrapbook Theater, a normal Monty Mole pops out of a scarf roll and runs around the stage.

Yoshi's Crafted World
Monty Moles reappear in Yoshi's Crafted World as enemies. They act the same as in previous games, and even appear in a level where Yoshi must defeat a lot of them for the highest amount of Smiley Flowers: Monty-Mole-B-Gone. Their larger counterparts also make their debut in the Yoshi series.

Hotel Mario
In Hotel Mario, Monty Moles appear mostly in Larry's Chillton Hotel, though they also appear in Bowser's Seizures Palace Hotel. They dig out of the thin floors and then start sliding towards Mario. They will hit the wall, get dizzy for a moment, and then proceed with their antics again.

Game & Watch Gallery
Monty Moles (referred to as Chubbies in the cast credits) appear in Game & Watch Gallery, in which they appear in the Modern version of Manhole, popping up on occasion to throw a heart at Yoshi.

Game & Watch Gallery 2
Monty Moles reappear in Game & Watch Gallery 2, in which they appear in the Modern version of Vermin. They appear when the player earns 200, 500, and 700 points. When they appear, they throw a heart at Yoshi just like in the previous game.

Paper Mario
During the events of Paper Mario, Monty Moles appear at Mt. Rugged, where they either pop halfway out of the ground and throw rocks at Mario, or pop all the way out and chase him. In battle, they are always found halfway underground and attack Mario by throwing rocks at him. In one of the walls of the mountain, there is a Monty Mole-shaped hole, through which an endless stream of moles can pop out. Stronger, green Monty Moles can also be found in Flower Fields. They are also known as "Monty Moles"; however, the Japanese version of the game gave them a different name from the regular Monty Moles.

Paper Mario: The Origami King
"You never know what you're gonna find when you start diggin'. That's what I love about it!"

- Monty Mole

Monty Moles reappear in Paper Mario: The Origami King. Unlike in Paper Mario, they act as NPCs rather than enemies, and their modern design is used. One Monty Mole appears on Overlook Mountain running an auction for a Shell Stone, starting with 10,000 coins and can be lowered to 300 coins before the Koopa Troopas attending the auction buy it. Lots of other Monty Moles appear in Breezy Tunnel.

Origami Monty Moles appear in concept art, implying that they would have appeared as enemies, though none appear in the final game.

Mario Party 3
Monty Moles (confirmed to be multiple in Mario Party Superstars) appear in Woody Woods in Mario Party 3. They switch the direction players can move on certain pathways every turn. These Monty Moles wear sunglasses and can be found in Army hut-like structures with a flag depicting their face. For 5 coins, the Monty Mole will switch the signs from one direction to another. They can appear out of any of three holes scattered across the board, depending on where it is summoned via speaking to it in its hut or landing on a Happening Space. They also appear in Storm Chasers as obstacles the player must avoid.

Mario Party 5
In Mario Party 5, Monty Moles appear in the minigame Flatiator. They appear out of the ground to obstruct the team players while avoiding the single player. The one player on the ball can simply roll over them. One also appears in Pirate Dream hosting a board event where the player can mine for coins. Most games around this era starting from this game use the Super Mario World design, though with more saturated colors and orange fur.

Mario Party 6
In Mario Party 6, Monty Moles are in the minigame Mole-it!, where the players earn points by hitting them when they pop out of the pipes. During the day, the pipes are on the ceiling, and at night, they are on the ground. Hitting a normal Monty Mole earns a team one point, and a golden Monty Mole gives the team three. They also appear in the Star Sprint level Meadow Road as obstacles the player can avoid but can also be defeated by dashing into them. Monty Moles also appear in the Miracle Book in the "Poppin' Out of the Pipe" and "Bountiful Harvest" sections, despite never appearing in Garden Grab.

Mario Party 7
In Mario Party 7, a Monty Mole appears on the board Pyramid Park. It appears when the player lands on the Green Space on the far right of the board, next to three pots. He offers to play a game of Whack-the-snake-and-not-the-mole. In the minigame Sphere Factor, three or four of them pop out of the ground towards the end (before the bridge) and try to prevent the player from rolling the huge ball to the finish line. Monty Moles also appear in the minigame Monty's Revenge, where they are the ones whacking the players with hammers. This is the first game in the series where they use their modern design, although a unused model suggests that they were going to originally use the design from the previous games. However, it has no textures and was likely replaced with the modern design.

Mario Party 8
Monty Moles make another party appearance in Mario Party 8. This time they appear in the minigame Crops 'n' Robbers where one player has to whack Monty Moles that are in the holes, so the players can gain way. The other player has to collect the carrots to win the game. A Monty Mole also appears in the bonus minigame Moped Mayhem as one of the characters competing in the race. They can also occasionally be seen in the lobby. Monty Moles also appear in the Sugar Rush Surprise figure in the Carnival Wagon.

Mario Party Advance
A Monty Mole appears as a character in the Town Area of Shroom City in Mario Party Advance.

Mario Party DS
Monty Moles appear again in Mario Party DS as owners of the shops. Once players enter the Warp Pipe, they can buy items from it. Monty Moles also appear in the minigame Mole Thrill. In this minigame, players have to dig with their partner through the dirt, while staying ahead of the mole. They also have a trophy and rival badge that can be unlocked.

Mario Party 9
In Mario Party 9, Monty Moles appear in the minigame Plunder Ground. They hold and shuffle the treasure chests the players try to earn points from. They also appear out of the holes in the minigame Hole Hogs. In addition, Monty Moles also have a constellation, named "Hello Mole." Monty Moles appear in Magma Mine as props.

Mario Party: Island Tour
Monty Moles reappear in Mario Party: Island Tour for the Nintendo 3DS. They appear as options to choose from in the minigames Match Faker and Tap Dash. They cameo in the background of Drive for Show and Bumper Thumper. A Monty Mole constellation (similar to Hello Mole from Mario Party 9) can be seen in the minigame Starring Artist.

Mario Party 10
Although normal Monty Moles do not appear in Mario Party 10, an enlarged Monty Mole known as Mega Monty Mole appears as the mid-boss of Airship Central. He appears in the minigame Mega Monty Mole's Maze Mischief.

Mario Party: Star Rush
Mega Monty Mole retains their role as a boss in Mario Party: Star Rush appearing in the minigame Mega Monty Mole's in the Hole. Normal Monty Moles appear in the minigame Rolls for Moles in which the player must hit as many Monty Moles as they can.

Mario Party: The Top 100
Monty Moles reappear in Mario Party: The Top 100, reprising their roles in the minigames Storm Chasers (now using their modern design), Monty's Revenge, and Sphere Factor. In Mini-Game Island, a cardboard Monty Mole holding a hammer can be seen by Monty's Revenge.

Super Mario Party
Monty Mole appears as a playable character in Super Mario Party for the first time in the Mario Party series, though it is Monty Mole's fourth time being playable in any Mario game. As shown in the introductory scene, Bowser calls upon Monty Mole, Bowser Jr., Goomba, Boo, Shy Guy, Koopa Troopa, Dry Bones, Hammer Bro, and Pom Pom to participate in the party to be crowned "Super Star." Monty Mole's Dice Block has a +1 coin side instead of a 1; otherwise, it is functionally identical to the normal Dice Block.

Fake Monty Moles also appear in the minigame Rhythm and Bruise, where the player's objective is to whack them with hammers to the beat of the music. If the player uses Monty Mole for that minigame, he will start sweating and display a nervous expression.

They can also cameo in Absent Minded as one of the characters that can be chosen, though they only appear if no-one is playing as Monty Mole.

Monty Mole also appears as one of the puzzles in Puzzle Hustle in their Super Mario World sprite form.

Monty Moles can also occasionally be seen walking or running around in the background of Party Plaza.

Mario Party Superstars
Monty Moles appear in Mario Party Superstars as part of Woody Woods, retaining their role from Mario Party 3, although the Monty Mole huts have been replaced with burrows that serve the same function. Additionally, a Monty Mole decides which player they think would win during the last five turns of Woody Woods. Monty Moles also reprise their roles in Storm Chasers and Monty's Revenge. A Monty Mole sticker that has a caption saying "Nice!" can be used as a taunt. The encyclopedia entry for Monty Mole states that they appeared in every Mario Party after Mario Party 3, despite not appearing in Mario Party 4. Mario Party 10 is also listed, despite only having Mega Monty Mole.

Mario Family
Monty Mole appears as one of the sewing designs in Mario Family.

Mario Pinball Land
Monty Moles (sometimes referred to as 1-up Moles) appear in Mario Pinball Land. They can be found in every level except The Fun Fair peeking out from one of their holes. If Mario hits them, he gains 500 points and the Monty Mole is stunned briefly before moving to another hole. The Monty Mole eventually goes back to their previous hole if they are not hit after a while. If Mario hits the Monty Mole enough times, it drops a 1-Up Mushroom and be at a point where it no longer can be hurt. Due to their behavior, they can only be defeated with a Super Star. Each level also has a unique costume that Monty Moles can be seen wearing. The Grassy Greens Stage has normal Monty Moles; in the Frosty Frontier Stage, they wear a snow hoodie; in the Shifting Sands Stage, they wear fezzes; and in the Fiery Stage, they wear helmets.

Mario Power Tennis
In Mario Power Tennis, a few Monty Moles can be seen among the crowd in the opening watching Wario and Waluigi be chased by the police, and also in the crowd when Wario, Waluigi and Bowser attempt to destroy the stadium. Monty Moles also appear in the Chain-Chomp Challenge minigame, where they man cannons identical to the ones in Super Mario Sunshine. The moles themselves, however, use the revamped Super Mario World design seen in previous GameCube games. They shoot tennis balls and bombs at the players to hit back at the Chain Chomps.

Mario Tennis Aces
Monty Moles make a minor appearance in Mario Tennis Aces in the background of Bask Ruins. They can be seen jumping out of their holes.

Mario Superstar Baseball
Monty Mole also appears in Mario Superstar Baseball as an unlockable character for the first time. Monty Mole is unlocked by completing challenge mode with Mario's team. It is a member of Mario's team. It has the ball dash ability, which allows it to run extremely fast while in possession of the baseball. It is a Speedy character with fast running, weak batting and pitching and average fielding. While the playable Monty Mole uses the design from Super Mario 64 DS, in the crowd there are Monty Moles with their model from Mario Power Tennis and Mario Party 6. Monty Mole's description in this game reveals that the holes they jump out of are their dens.

Mario Super Sluggers
In the sequel Mario Super Sluggers, Monty Mole maintains its position as a member of Mario's team. While its best stat continues to be speed, its other stats are slightly below average. Monty Mole has good chemistry with Shy Guy, Goomba, and Paragoomba, and doesn't have any bad chemistry with any other character. In the story mode of the game, Monty Mole can be found buried in the sand. If any of the team captains wakes it up, it asks why they did it, claiming that they are no match for Bowser Jr. and his minions, and challenges them to a baseball match. If defeated, Monty Mole will happily join the team. Monty Moles also appear in many of the cutscenes either being in the crowd or cheering Mario.

Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time
Monty Moles appear in Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time. One is encountered in the Gritzy Desert, and will prevent the four Mario Bros. of past and present from progressing unless they can complete his challenge. Two more are seen in the underground region of the Koopaseum and they both run an Item Shop called the Monty Mart. Additionally, deep in the Gritzy Caves, two more Monty Moles run two more challenges that must be completed.

Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story / Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story + Bowser Jr.'s Journey
A group of five Monty Moles, called the Monty Bros., appear in Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story and its remake, Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story + Bowser Jr.'s Journey, where they utilize a giant drilling machine to fulfill Bowser's orders and dig a tunnel below Toad Town. They don't make much progress however, so Bowser has to finish their duties.

The Monty Bros. later reappear in the Treasure Chamber in Bowser's Castle, betraying Bowser and claim that Fawful bribed them and ordered them to get rid of Bowser. They attack Bowser in a giant train called the Fawful Express, in which Bowser must defeat them in his giant form. If he succeeds, the falling chunks of the debris from the train will defeat the Monty Moles.

Fawful-themed Monty Mole enemies called Mawful Moles and Metal Mawful Moles can be also be found in this game.

Mario & Luigi: Dream Team
Monty Moles also make an enemy appearance in Mario & Luigi: Dream Team. Here, they act as support enemies for Bowser Jr. during his battle at the end of the Battle Ring's Battle Medley, repairing the Junior Clown Car after it explodes.

Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam
Monty Moles reappear in Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam as an enemy. They battle in holes that were dug out of the ground, while also having a similar attack pattern as Mawful Moles in Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story. They are encountered in Sunbeam Plains and later the haunted area of Gloomy Woods.

Dr. Mario-kun
A Monty Mole appears as a recurring character in Dr. Mario-kun.

In episode 39, the Monty Mole shovels through the ground to tell Dr. Mario that Luigi and Yoshi caught a drill virus. After capturing the drill viruses, they help Mario and his friends escape the volcano. At one point in the episode, Wario, Bowser Jr. and a Koopa Troopa all wear Monty Mole costumes.

In episode 52, they can be seen eating the floor after eating the food that Waluigi made.

In episode 59, they can be seen on the final page waving in the distance.

Mario Strikers Charged
Monty Moles are a sidekick in Mario Strikers Charged. They are Power Players, which means they are good at shooting and tackling, but cannot pass very well. Their Skillshot is Dirt Drill, where they go underground with the ball, dig towards the goal, and pop up near the goalie, and shove him aside, shoving the ball into the goal. However, if the move is too close, Kritter will shove his hand into the ground and pull Monty Mole out, thereby blocking the shot. If the move is too far away, Kritter will simply catch the ball. This happens to be their second playable appearance in a sports title. In this game, they have headlights, something that is never seen in any other game they appear in. The prominent tooth also atypically appears as a pair of teeth. Monty Moles are also shown to have black dot eyes when shocked. Monty Moles also appear in the crowds in the opening, using their design from early GameCube games.

Mario Sports Mix
In Mario Sports Mix, a single Monty Mole can be seen as a spectator, cheering on the players when they play at Western Junction.

Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games
Monty Moles appear in the Wii version of Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games as obstacles in Dream Equestrian popping in and out of their holes (like in Mario Kart Wii, even reusing sound clips from that game). If the wagon accidentally hits one of the holes, a Yoshi Egg will drop.

Nintendo Badge Arcade
Monty Moles appear in Nintendo Badge Arcade as part of the Super Mario Maker arcade using their Super Mario World style sprites, as well as in the Super Mario Bros. arcade using their sprites in that game style from Super Mario Maker.

Dr. Mario World
Monty Moles appear in Dr. Mario World as assistants. Their Stage Mode skill grants a chance five coins are rewarded upon clearing a stage regardless of whether the stage is cleared or uncleared, in which the chance of earning them is greater at higher levels. This effect does not activate upon clearing special stages or the Daily Booster. Their versus mode effect is to grant a chance that the attack meter will fill extra if a virus is eliminated. Contrary to the game's description which indicated that it can occur repeatedly, it only activates at the start of the match and the effect will last throughout the match if it does, and has a higher chance to do so at higher levels. When this effect activates, any elimination made either through a capsule match, elimination through skill, or elimination through other objects like shells will fill the attack meter by an extra point for each elimination made. Contrary to the game's description, viruses are not required to be eliminated to gain extra attack points. This effect stacks with Sledge Bro's effect, meaning that if both activate, two points will be filled in the attack meter for every elimination made.

Monty Moles also appear in the background of World 6 when the area is cleared.

Other appearances
Monty Moles may have been planned to be playable in Dr. Mario 64 since their name can be seen in the game files. However, they are not seen in the final game at all or have any known graphics.

Monty Moles were going to appear in Super Paper Mario, but were taken out. Similar to their behavior in the overworld of the first Paper Mario, they would have attacked Mario by popping out of holes in the wall (like in Super Mario World) and throwing rocks (like in Super Mario 64). The graphics use a higher-resolution version of their Paper Mario design. Despite being unused, a Sammer Guy named Monty Who Waits is named after Monty Moles.

In early builds of , Monty Mole's model from Mario Kart Wii was used as a placeholder for the moles in that game before eventually being removed.

A crowned purple Monty Mole boss named King Choropu (キングチョロプー) was intended to appear in Paper Mario: Sticker Star, but was taken out of the final game. Monty Moles themselves were going to be fightable but were also cut from the game.

Monty Moles appear in LEGO Super Mario as part of the Monty Mole & Super Mushroom and Desert Pokey sets.

Trivia

 * Incidentally, Monty Moles share a name with.
 * In the 54th issue of the UK's Official Nintendo Magazine, Monty Moles were called "gophers."
 * In the official Nintendo Power guidebook for Super Mario Sunshine, the section for the Monty Mole in Noki Bay is called "The Full Monty", a reference to the.