Goomba

"Our bodies may be stomped... But our will cannot be crushed! We will forge ahead!"

- Goomba

Goombas, initially called Little Goombas, are one of the major species of the Mario franchise. Since their first game appearance in Super Mario Bros., they have become one of the most iconic members of the Koopa Troop and the entire Mario franchise, appearing in almost every title. Goombas resemble small brown mushrooms and are a fungus-based species like Toads, Amanitas, Spooks, and Shroobs. Goombas are physically weak and are not much of a threat to Mario or Luigi, since a single stomp usually defeats them, although a number of different Goomba variants have emerged throughout the years; however, they do drop hints of being much stronger and more competent than their appearances suggest, as in the case of Captain Goomba. The Goombas, as a collective race, used to be allied with the Mushroom Kingdom. However, most of the Goombas have turned traitorous and joined the Koopa Troop, an organization led by Bowser. In many games, Goombas are the first enemy the player meets. Goombas have two feet and no visible arms.

However, not all Goombas are allied with Bowser or the Koopa Troop. Some Goombas, such as the inhabitants of Goomba Village, live peacefully inside the borders of the Mushroom Kingdom, while others simply hold no allegiance and operate independently in distant locales such as Monstro Town and Rogueport.

Creation
The Goomba was the last enemy created during the development process of Super Mario Bros. despite being the first encountered. During development, the only basic enemy was the Koopa Troopa. However, playtesters had stated that the Koopa Troopa was too tricky of an enemy to have as the first one. Using this, the developers decided to create an enemy that could be defeated with just a single stomp. The Goomba itself was created with the appearance of a mushroom. Since the enemy was created toward the end of the development cycle, though, hardly any bytes remained on the cartridge. Therefore, to give the enemy moving animations, the developers reused and flipped the image, making it appear to be walking.

Super Mario Bros.
Little Goombas first appear in Super Mario Bros. - referred to as that in that game's manual alone - and their original homeland is stated to be in the Mushroom Kingdom, which they share with the mushroom retainers. The two races lived in peace. However, at an unknown point in time, Little Goombas betrayed their neighbors and joined the Koopa Troop. In Super Mario Bros., Little Goombas are the most common enemy. In the game, they appear in almost every level (except underwater levels and most castles). They can be defeated by jumping on them. They can also be defeated by shooting fireballs, Koopa Shells, by hitting a block from below if they are on top of it, or by touching it while under the influence of a Starman. Because of this, Little Goombas have the distinction of having two death animations: one for being squished from a stomp and one for falling upside-down off-screen from the other aforementioned methods.

Due to the limited color palette of the NES, Little Goombas in underground levels are colored teal, and in castle levels, they are colored gray; in the Super Mario All-Stars remake of the game, these colors are retained for Little Goombas even though other types of enemies either have only one color scheme for all levels or more subtle variation. Later games introduce numerous variants, including teal, subterranean Gloombas, introduced in Paper Mario, which play the same role in a Super Paper Mario level meant to represent Super Mario Bros.'s World 1-2.

If Mario or Luigi defeats the fake Bowser of World 1's castle with fireballs, it turns into its true form, a Little Goomba, before falling into the lava.

If the player completes the game and plays it again in the Hard Mode, all Little Goombas are replaced with Buzzy Beetles. In VS. Super Mario Bros., in order to prevent players from potentially performing the infinite 1-Up trick, some levels featuring either Koopas or Buzzy Beetles descending from staircases have those enemies replaced with Goombas instead.

Little Goombas flip between two sprites, giving them the appearance of walking. They also seem to lack a mouth, possibly due to it being too difficult to render in sprite form as a result of the graphical limitations of the time.

Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels
Goombas reappear in Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels with the same role and appearance as in its predecessor. Although Buzzy Beetles are more prominent in the game, large numbers of Goombas also appear in packs of three or four. Goombas are also present in underwater levels and are gray with black eyebrows and feet in the Family Computer Disk System version due to sharing Blooper's palette, while in the Super Mario All-Stars version they are standard brown. These Goombas cannot be stomped and can only be defeated with fireballs. In the Super Mario All-Stars version, much like in Hard Mode of the original, all Goombas in Worlds A-D are replaced with Buzzy Beetles.

Super Mario Bros. 3
Goombas, also referred to as Little Goombas, reappear in Super Mario Bros. 3, where they can be found in every world except Dark Land. These Goombas are unchanged in behavior from their appearances in Super Mario Bros. and Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels. This game introduces the concept of Goomba variants such as Para-Goombas, winged Goombas that either fly and drop Micro-Goombas if it is tan or simply hop if it is red, and Grand Goombas, which are bigger but they can be defeated the same way. The game marks the first time the Goomba's sprites are drawn with mouths. Red Goombas only appear after forcing a red Para-Goomba to lose its wings, and it has no discerning characteristics besides its red coloring.

The Goombas of World 5-3 use a device known as the Goomba's Shoe (also known as the Kuribo's Shoe) to mimic the jumping abilities of Mario and Luigi. When in the green shoe, a Kuribo's Goomba can jump towards Mario and Luigi instead of walking into them. If Mario or Luigi defeats the Goomba by hitting a block underneath it, if it is standing on a block, the boot is left behind. Mario or Luigi can ride Goomba's Shoes, allowing him to stomp to spiked and unstompable enemies and walk on spikes and Muncher patches. When Mario or Luigi gets to the goal, the Goomba's Shoe disappears.

Super Mario Land
While the common Goombas do not appear in the game Super Mario Land, a Goomba species known as the Goombo do. They lack the usual eyebrows and act very similar to Goombas in other Super Mario titles.

Super Mario World
Normal Goombas were originally going to appear in Super Mario World, but were replaced by a different species (later known as Galoombas). These chestnut-shaped Goombas are rounder than the traditional mushroom-shaped Goombas. They are knocked upside-down when jumped on instead of being defeated and are able to be picked up when in this state. In the Game Boy Advance version of the game, Super Mario Advance 2: Super Mario World, after completing Special Zone, these Goombas are now colored yellow and wear sunglasses.

Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins
Goombas reappear in Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins. In addition, a new Boo-like ghost variant known as Terekuribō is introduced, which appears in Pumpkin Zone. Another variety of Goombas known as Aqua Kuribō are also prominently featured in the final stage of the Turtle Zone.

Super Mario 64 / Super Mario 64 DS
Goombas make their first 3D appearance in Super Mario 64 (and Super Mario 64 DS) as common enemies. Notably, in the DS remake, Goomboss, the ruler of the Goombas, manages to capture Mario. Goomboss is eventually defeated by Yoshi, and Mario is rescued.

In these games, Goombas act slightly differently than the previous games. Instead of walking back and forth in a straight path, Goombas patrol a small area in a circular motion. When they spot Mario (Luigi, Wario, or Yoshi), they will charge towards him. If they hit the character, he loses one wedge of health (or one and a half wedges if Mario, Luigi, or Wario have no cap). Goombas can be defeated by jumping on them or by throwing an object at them such as a Bob-omb. Punches and kicks also work, and Yoshi can eat them. When defeated, Goombas leave behind Yellow Coins, and in some levels in the remake, a Silver Star.

In Super Mario 64 DS, Goombas sometimes wear Mario, Luigi, or Wario's Cap, and if they spot a character, it will run away instead of charging towards it (it will only charge if it is to close to a cliff and has nowhere to go). After defeating the Goomba, wearing the cap will transform the current character into the character that would normally wear that cap. They also seem to appear in almost every course now, unlike the original version, where Goombas only appear in select areas.

In both games, Goombas often appear in groups of two or three. Big Goombas and Goombettes also appear in both games and act like regular Goombas, except that Big Goombas are stronger than regular Goombas, and Micro Goombas are weaker, unlike Super Mario Bros. 3. In addition, Big Goombas leave behind a Blue Coin if a character Ground Pounds them. Simply jumping on a Big Goomba also defeats them, but only leaves a yellow coin behind.

New Super Mario Bros.
Goombas appear in New Super Mario Bros. They act as they do in Super Mario Bros. Paragoombas and Mini Goombas also reappear, but they act differently. The Paragoombas chase Mario, although they can only hop (they hop higher than the normal Goombas in this game when a chorus riff is heard), like the red ones in Super Mario Bros. 3, and the Mini Goombas are weaker versions of normal Goombas, like in Super Mario 64. The Mega Goomba, a Goomba mega-sized by Bowser Jr.'s Mega Mushroom, is the boss of World 4. Goombas also make a short hop to the chorus riff in the background music, which is high enough for them to avoid incoming Koopa Shells.

Super Mario Galaxy
Several types of Goombas appear in Super Mario Galaxy. Normal Goombas act similar to the ones in Super Mario 64. When they see the player, they attempt to cause damage by running into them. Goombas can be defeated by jumping on them, releasing a coin. Spinning one or shooting a Star Bit at one flips it down, stunning it. At that point, the player can run into it to kick it and defeat it, releasing three Star Bits. Goombas appear in most galaxies, but in Space Junk Galaxy, the Goombas on the Yoshi Planet do not drop coins when they are defeated. In addition to the regular Goombas, Micro Goombas appear as well. They appear in some galaxies in Super Mario Galaxy, while they appear uncommonly in the game's successor, Super Mario Galaxy 2. They are weaker than other Goombas and can be defeated with one spin, rather than being flipped, and they always leave behind a coin when defeated. However, it is possible to get three Star Bits from one of these small Goombas by kicking them while they are stunned. It is only possible to stun them by hitting the vibrating poles in Gateway Galaxy or by firing a Star Bit at them. A Big Goomba also appears in the Gateway Galaxy. It is still very weak but it has a chance to defend itself by jumping and hitting him if it sees him.

Several species resembling Goombas appear in this game as well. Electrogoombas and Goombeetles are common enemies, while Pumpkinhead Goombas appear in the haunted galaxies.

New Super Mario Bros. Wii
Goombas reappear in the game New Super Mario Bros. Wii, acting the same as the ones from New Super Mario Bros. Giant Goombas also reappear and split into two Hefty Goombas when stomped, which in turn split into two regular-sized Goombas. The Goomba, Hefty Goomba, and Giant Goomba can be encountered in the Enemy Course of World 1. In this Enemy Course, it can be either eight Goombas, four Hefty Goombas, or two Giant Goombas. Also, during the boss fight with Magikoopa, his magic can transform the platforms into Goombas, in addition to a variety of other enemies.

In the seventh level of World 9, there are Goombas inside spiked chestnuts encountered called Prickly Goombas. These chestnuts prevent them from being stomped on, but the Goombas can break out of their shells if hit by a fireball from Fire Mario or any fire-spitting enemies such as Venus Fire Traps.

Super Mario Galaxy 2
Goombas reappear in Super Mario Galaxy 2, serving the same roles as they did in Super Mario Galaxy, and can now turn around if Mario is close to them. Mini Goombas, Giant Goombas, Octoombas, Goombeetles, and Jack O'Goombas reappear as well. Octoombas, formerly known as Electrogoombas, now attack by spitting rocks. Paragoombas and Big Paragoombas, which did not appear in the first game, also appear in this game, the latter making their debut. Chance Cubes also transform into Goombas if the player gets a Bowser emblem on them.

The lighter brown and rounder versions of Goombas also return, albeit not being as common as they were in the previous game, and they give out one Star Bit each instead of a coin when they are defeated with a spin, although they still give out one coin when jumped on. In addition, stunning them with a Star Bit and then kicking them will still only yield one Star Bit as opposed to three as in the first game.

In the Boulder Bowl Galaxy mission C'mere, Goomba, a Gold Gearmo asks Mario to find a Goomba and bring it to them.

Super Mario 3D Land
Goombas make their reappearance in Super Mario 3D Land. Their behavior is the same as in the 3D Mario platforming games. Goomba boards make their appearance as well, along with a new species called Tail Goombas. It is possible to acquire a Super Leaf after defeating a Tail Goomba. One takes the form of a Tail Bowser. A gold version of the Tail Goomba was planned to appear in the game, but it was removed in the final version.

Some Goombas are stacked up in a fashion similar to that of the Shy Stacks, Dangos, and AckStacks. These are called Goomba Towers. However, they still attack in the same manner as individual Goombas: by simply charging in the player's direction.

New Super Mario Bros. 2
Goombas reappear in the Nintendo 3DS game, New Super Mario Bros. 2, with two new variants. They maintain their appearance from New Super Mario Bros. Wii. Goombas become Gold Goombas when Mario goes through a Gold Ring. The Goomba will then produce coins when defeated. Another new Goomba called the Bone Goomba appears, which mainly appear in towers and castles and act the same as the Goomba.

Goomba Towers return from Super Mario 3D Land and like a regular Goomba, Goomba Towers can be turned into a stack of Gold Goombas. Jumping on a Gold Goomba would yield 5 coins, with each consecutive jump adding more coins to other golden enemies. Blue Goombas also appear and they appear in the World Flower and World 6 Ghost Houses and in the Super Mario Bros. World 1-2 remake area of the Gold Classics Pack.

New Super Mario Bros. U
Goombas reappear in New Super Mario Bros. U. They maintain their appearance from New Super Mario Bros. Wii, but also have a lighter colored, rounded variety with black stems on their heads named Goombrats. Hefty Goombas, Big Goombas, and Prickly Goombas reappear as well. Balloon-bound Goombas also appear in the Sparkling Waters secret stage Skyward Stalk. At every vocal riff in the music, Goombas will do a jump.

Super Mario 3D World / Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury
Goombas also appear in Super Mario 3D World, behaving the same as they do in other 3D Mario platformers. Mini Goombas also appear, as well as Galoombas (which replaced Goombas in Super Mario World). Additionally, a new type of Goomba, which is based around the Cat transformation, also appears; these Goombas attack by leaping up and pouncing the player. Additionally, some Goombas ride in Ice Skates (which can be used if the rider is defeated) or are sleeping in spiked life-preservers. A Goomba Mask also appears as an item; wearing it causes any Goombas near the player to mistake them for their kind and not attack them.

Goombas also reappear in the Nintendo Switch port version of the original Super Mario 3D World game, Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury, appearing in both modes of the game (although not in the same form). In the Bowser's Fury campaign, their Cat counterparts gain a new variation that is completely identical to standard Goombas: they walk around rather than "cat-walk" on hills and pounce, chase Mario upon seeing him, are brown instead of yellow, and are slightly less "furrier" than the Cat Goombas from Super Mario 3D World.

Super Mario Maker / Super Mario Maker for Nintendo 3DS
Goombas reappear in Super Mario Maker and Super Mario Maker for Nintendo 3DS as enemies that can be placed in the course by the player, acting similarly to their appearance in 2D platformers. Like most other enemies, Goombas can be stacked, which in this case forms a Goomba Tower. Paragoombas also return, and can be created by dragging Wings onto a Goomba. They function similarly to their appearance in Super Mario Bros. 3.

Both Goombas and Paragoombas can be enlarged with the use of the Super Mushroom, becoming Big Goombas and Big Paragoombas respectively. Additionally, the Super Mario World style replaces Goombas with Galoombas, which can be picked up and thrown like in the original Super Mario World. The Goomba's Shoe returns from Super Mario Bros. 3, and has been added to the original Super Mario Bros.

Goombas now display the ability to swim in underwater sections, rapidly chasing after Mario when he comes near.

Unlike Super Mario Bros., Goombas do not change colors in the underground and castle themes and instead stay brown.

There is also a Goomba costume in the Super Mario Bros. style, turning Mario into a red Goomba.

Super Mario Run
Goombas are fairly common enemies in Super Mario Run, appearing in a handful of levels. They behave the same as in regular 2D Mario platformers, and are one of the few enemies that the player can vault over. However, when the player taps the screen while vaulting over a Goomba, they can perform a vaulting jump, thus stomping on it, allowing them to jump higher.

Super Mario Odyssey
Goombas reappear in Super Mario Odyssey, where they can be found in the Sand Kingdom wearing sombreros, the Lake Kingdom wearing bridal veils, the Metro Kingdom wearing yellow construction helmets, the Wooded Kingdom wearing explorer hats, the Luncheon Kingdom wearing chef hats, the Seaside Kingdom wearing pirate hats, and the Snow Kingdom wearing Santa hats. Goombas are also found in 8-bit segments behaving the same as in the 2D games. Goomba Towers, Mini Goombas, and Paragoombas also appear. When Mario takes control of a Goomba using Cappy, he can jump on other Goombas to create a stack. Additionally, Goombas do not slip on ice while being captured. Goombette, a pink female Goomba, can also be found in the Sand Kingdom, the Lake Kingdom, the Wooded Kingdom, the Seaside Kingdom, the Luncheon Kingdom, and the Mushroom Kingdom, who grants Mario a Power Moon if he approaches her as a captured Goomba. In the Mushroom Kingdom during visits after the first, two Volbonans can be found debating whether Goombas are mushrooms or acorns. Goomba Tower can also be used to activate Goomba buttons.

Super Mario Maker 2
Goombas return along with their variants, the Galoombas, Goombrats, Big Goombas, Paragoombas, and Shoe Goombas in Super Mario Maker 2, acting the same as they did in the previous game. In the Super Mario 3D World style, they chase after Mario upon seeing him as in the 3D games. The Goombud debuts in this game as the Super Mario World style alternative to the Goombrat, combining the Goombrat's aversion to ledges with the Galoomba's durability. Goombas can also be given Parachutes to use in all five styles, acting like Parabombs and Para-Goombas.

Super Mario Bros. 35
Goombas reappear in Super Mario Bros. 35, having the same appearance, role and characteristics as in the original Super Mario Bros.

Super Mario Bros.: Peach-hime Kyushutsu Dai Sakusen!
In the Japanese anime movie Super Mario Bros.: Peach-hime Kyushutsu Dai Sakusen!, two Goombas, who work for King Koopa, appear throughout the film, attempting to halt Mario, Luigi, and Kibidango in their search for Princess Peach.

These two Goombas first appear shortly after Mario and Luigi start their quest and follow the Mario Bros. to a camp they have set up for a night's rest. Luigi, however, has grown hungry and is unable to sleep. The Goombas then trick Luigi by saying they knew where to find delicious mushrooms, and Luigi, desperate for food, follows them into a small clearing filled with strange, emotion-inducing mushrooms. Luigi (and Mario, who eventually finds his brother in the mushroom field) is eventually kidnapped by a colossal-sized Paratroopa.

The Goombas next appear right after Mario and Luigi have collected the Super Mushroom and have come to a fork in the road. Here the Goombas decide to give Mario and Luigi false directions and lead the brothers to a Piranha Plant-filled area.

The Goombas are seen next in a cave-like area where they leave a trail of coins for the Mario Bros. Mario and Luigi follow this trail and end up in a larger cave, although the Goombas roll a rock up against the entrance of this cave, locking the Mario Bros. within it.

One of the Goombas' last efforts in the film comes when Mario and Luigi have reached Bowser's Castle. They activate a complex platform system over lava (with the inclusion of Podoboos), explaining that Mario has to jump over it to escape. Their plans are foiled, though, when Luigi (who is at the time mining for coins) accidentally causes a huge flood through Bowser's Castle, putting out the lava and safely carrying the Mario Brothers on.

The Goombas of the movie are last seen being reprimanded by King Bowser for not stopping Mario and Luigi. They run away to parts unknown.

The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!
In The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!, Goombas are depicted as being weak soldiers in King Koopa's army. Compared to other enemies in the show, they accurately resemble the physical depiction of Goombas from the video games. Goombas change aliases depending on the plot, appearing as bikers, pirates, and zombies.

The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3
The continuation of the original cartoon series, The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3, retains Goombas and their status as weak yet loyal soldiers. Their winged variant, Paragoombas, appear more often.

Super Mario Bros. (film)
Goombas appear in the live-action Super Mario Bros. movie. In the movie, they are portrayed as citizens of Dinohatten who have been de-evolved into slightly dim-witted but loyal members of President Koopa's army.

Super Mario Bros. & Friends: When I Grow Up
Goombas briefly appear in Super Mario Bros. & Friends: When I Grow Up, where they are literal computer "bugs" in the Computer Programmer career page.

WarioWare series
Goombas make cameos in the WarioWare series, often within 9-Volt's stage. In WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Microgame$!, they appear in the microgames Super Wario Bros. and Super Mario Bros., both requiring the player to defeat them to win. In WarioWare: Twisted!, they appear as enemies that try to defeat Mario in the boss microgame Super Mario Bros., just as in the original game. In WarioWare: Touched!, Goombas are some of the enemies to be defeated in the Super Mario Bros. Stomp! microgame. In WarioWare: Smooth Moves, one Goomba appears as an obstacle that Mario has to avoid in the third level of the microgame Super Mario Brothers, although sometimes it is replaced with a bottomless pit. In WarioWare: D.I.Y., Goombas make a cameo as a stamp in the GameMakerMatic, and one can appear in the downloadable microgame Hue-Down. Gamer from Game & Wario has a boy in a Goomba costume who must be squashed by Mario in the third level of the microgame Sole Man.

Mario Ice Capades
Goombas appear in Mario Ice Capades as minions of King Koopa. In the end, the Mario Bros. defeat them as well as their leader.

Mario and the Incredible Rescue
Goombas appear in the third chapter of Mario and the Incredible Rescue under the name Little Goombas. Three of them attack Mario, Luigi, and Toad in Kero Sewers, and after they defeat them, a larger group of them emerges, forcing the trio of heroes to run away.

Nintendo Comics System
Goombas appear in several issues of Nintendo Comics System, though they are scarcely seen, having seemingly been pushed aside by Shy Guys as the main troops of Bowser's army.

Club Nintendo
Goombas make a minor appearance in the German Club Nintendo comics. Two of them are seen in the story "Super Mario: Erholung? Nein, danke!", on the island of Koopabiza. They, along with many other people and creatures, try to get to the beach. One of them is wearing a swimming ring. Also, the Gumba Royal Hotel on Koopabiza is named after the German spelling of the Goomba species.

Super Mario Adventures
In Super Mario Adventures, one ordinary Goomba makes a minor cameo among the Super Mario World creatures sent to attack Princess Toadstool's Palace.

Super Mario-Kun
In Super Mario-Kun, Goombas make several appearances, while not being in every volume.

Nintendo Adventure Books
Goombas appear in several of the Nintendo Adventure Books, starting with Leaping Lizards, where a pair appear to attack Luigi when he first arrives in the Mushroom Kingdom, only to be sent running after being stomped. Some later scurry out of the way as the heroes head to Mushroom Palace, and several are also among the crowds at the International Mushroom Games held three weeks later.

Luigi fights off several Goombas on his way to Wendy O. Koopa's secret camp in the Magma Pits in Koopa Capers, and a Goomba scientist named Dr. Sporis von Fungenstein appears as the main antagonist in Doors to Doom.

Some Goombas shrunken by Magikoopa are sent into Yoshi's body after Mario in Unjust Desserts; if Mario smashes a Yellow Shell while inside Yoshi, it will cause tremors that cause some Goombas and assorted other shrunken enemies to go careening around the dinosaur's innards.

Hotel Mario
Four varieties of Goomba appear in the game Hotel Mario. They aide Bowser in his attempt to transform the Mushroom Kingdom into his personal resort. Goombas guard the seven hotels set up by Bowser's Koopalings. In the game, Goombas attempt to prevent Mario from shutting down the seven Koopa Hotels. To do this, Mario has to shut all the doors in each hotel. Regular Goombas oppose his efforts by slowly walking to closed doors and opening them (as well as generally just getting in Mario's way). Paragoombas (called Flying Goombas in this game) also appear. Two new types of Goomba, the Bellhop Goomba and the Rhinestone Goomba, make their only appearance in this game.

Yoshi
Goombas make an appearance as one of the six falling objects in Yoshi. For the only time officially since Super Mario Bros., they are called "Little" Goombas in the instruction booklet, but not in the North American television commercial or on the back cover of the packaging. Their sprite in this game is similar to their sprite from Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins.

Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island
Goombas appear in Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island and Yoshi's Island: Super Mario Advance 3, but only appear in one level: GO! GO! MARIO!!. They display a few habits previously unseen in other 2D Mario games. They aimlessly walk in one direction, but before they jump off a ledge, they become idle for a brief moment while wiggling their eyebrows. If they touch Yoshi, they knock Baby Mario off his back. Stomping on a Goomba will flatten it but not defeat it. In this state, Goombas can still walk and damage Yoshi if they touch him, but can also carry Yoshi if he stands on them. After some time, the Goomba "pops" and assumes its standard mushroom shape. Goombas can be defeated with an egg or enemy toss, a Ground Pound attack, or by eating and turning them into eggs.

Yoshi's New Island
Goombas appear in Yoshi's New Island, where they are only found in Spin-Lift Drift. They act similarly to how they do in Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island. However, while in their flattened state, they do not jump off a ledge and cannot damage Yoshi. They also always revert to their standard shape immediately after turning around. They are often encountered in chains of enemies and can be defeated with Koopa Shells to gain a combo and extra lives.

Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars
Goombas are among the weakest members of the Koopa Troop in Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars. However, they are more powerful than the Terrapin. In the game, many Goombas are seen patrolling Mushroom Way, the area between Bowser's Keep and Mushroom Kingdom. Toad himself is captured by a group of Goombas while he is on his way to the Mushroom Kingdom. Other Goombas not loyal to the Koopa Troop reside in Bandit's Way. Goombas are also found later in the Pipe Vault, an optional area near Rose Town. Other Goombas live in the caves of the Midas River and are seen trying to catch the river's fish. Gu Goombas, a more powerful variant, reside in Bowser's Keep. In battle, Goombas attack enemies by biting. They can also shoot sharp thorns to cause 50% more damage than usual. Goombas are fairly weak, and they can often be destroyed by a simple Timed Hit. A Goomba's bite attack can be blocked by defending right after the mushroom performed a somersault. The damage of a Goomba's thorn can be blunted by defending right before the projectile hits the party member. Additionally, Goombas typically fight in groups of two to three (either with other Goombas or stronger monsters). When defeated, Goombas often yield HP MAX! Flowers to Mario and his party.

After the Koopa Troop is expelled from Bowser's Keep by the Smithy Gang, Bowser himself attempts to reassemble the remains of his troop in order to retake his castle. In Rose Way, he has a regrouped faction of Goombas lead by the alluring Goomba, but by the time the army reaches Moleville, many Goomba units have abandoned Bowser. By the time Bowser reaches Booster Tower, all of Bowser's army (Goomba and her Goombas) have deserted him. However, at the tower, Bowser decides to join forces with Mario, knowing that with Mario's strength, he can get his castle back. Eventually, Bowser, Mario, Princess Toadstool, Mallow, and Geno find their way to Monstro Town. While in the town for reformed enemies, Bowser runs into the former head of his Goombas, who has set up shop in the village. Goomba apologizes for deserting the Koopa Troop but offers to sell Bowser powerful weapons and armor in return. She is assisted by her three "little ones", the Triplets (others, not related to this Goomba, appear in the Sunken Ship). Another Goomba, named Goo, appears as part of one of Dr. Topper's puzzles. Eventually, Bowser, with the help of Mario and his friends, manages to expel the Smithy Gang and defeat their leader, Smithy. With his keep returned, many former soldiers (including many Goombas) return to King Bowser and the Koopa Troop, and many of them help rebuild Bowser's Keep to its former glory.

Mario Party series
Goombas are a common sight in the various Mario Party titles. Often, they appear in the background of minigames or they host minigames themselves. Goomba gets the biggest role in Mario Party 4, where it is one of the hosts.

Mario Party
In Mario Party, a Goomba hosts the Flower Lottery in Peach's Birthday Cake. When the player reaches Goomba, they must pay 10 coins (or all their coins if they have 10 or less) to play a game called the Flower Lottery. There are four seeds of different colors (red, blue, yellow and green) and the player must bloom one (after blooming a whole set, another set appears). Three of them have Toad's face imprinted inside them: if the player finds one, they'll "lose" and take the Star's path. However, if the player chooses the seed with Bowser's face, they'll "win" and are forced to proceed to Bowser's cake. In Crazy Cutter, a Goomba is one of the few shapes that players have to drill.

Mario Party 2
"TEN HUT! It's time for a battle minigame! First, let's decide how many coins to take."

- Goomba

In Mario Party 2, a Goomba hosts all the duel and battle minigames. This Goomba lives in a barracks shaped like a Goomba, complete with a small chimney and door. This barracks appears on all boards, usually far off outside the main area of the map. Given the Goomba's mannerisms, it appears to be a veteran of Bowser's Koopa Troop, although it does not directly serve Bowser in the game. When a player lands on a Battle Space, summons an opponent with a Dueling Glove, or lands on the same spot as another player within the last 5 turns in a game, the Goomba will descend on a parachute to initiate the event. After the minigame, the Goomba gives the winner and second-place runner-up coins from his moneybag and will give a single coin to either the third or fourth placing players if the whole amount of coins taken can't be evenly divided by 2. Other than that, Goombas do not play a very major role in this game. A Goomba also makes an appearance in Mystery Land in the tail of an airplane.

Mario Party 3
Mario Party 3 also features Goombas. They still command Duel Minigames and Luigi's default partner is a Goomba as well. The Goomba has an attack stat of 2, an HP stat of 1, and a salary of 2 coins per turn. Their attack in Duel Mode involves jumping into the air and kicking. Goombas make an appearance in Curtain Call, where the player has to memorize the order of them and other enemies on a stage. In Slot Synch, if players get a Goomba icon, they get one point. In Game Guy's Roulette, a Goomba icon is one of the six icons the player can choose to guess where the shell will go; it occupies 4 slots and multiplies the player's coins by 8 if picked.

Mario Party 4
In Mario Party 4, Goomba appears as one of the hosts of the Party Cube, along with Toad, Boo, Shy Guy and Koopa Troopa. He wears a glittery pink top hat and a glittery pink vest and hosted both Goomba's Greedy Gala and the minigame room. In the minigames, Goombas appear in Long Claw of the Law as an outlaw, GOOOOOOOAL!! as a crowd member, and Goomba's Chip Flip in Story Mode, as the character being fought against. A Goomba is also the referee in the Beach Volley Folley minigame.

Also worth noting is that it was Mario Party 4 that introduced the current interpretation of the Goombas' character design.

Mario Party 5
The Goomba Engine and the Goomba-Trio Engine are two of the many engines the player can purchase for a machine in Super Duel Mode. Typically, the engine offers acceleration and speed in exchange for control. The Goomba Tires are fairly fast and they boast good acceleration, but other abilities are average. The Goomba Capsule, if landed on, makes the player swap coins with another randomly chosen opponent. They can be used on a player for five coins.

Goombas feature prominently in a minigame called Hotel Goomba, where they serve as obstacles that the player must punch to get through. A Goomba is a 30-feet marker in Triple Jump. Goombas appear as part of the background in Will Flower, Fight Cards and Random Ride. Goombas also feature prominently in Mathletes as the crowd and the host of the minigame. Players direct the movement of a Goomba or Paragoomba robot using slots in Quilt for Speed. In Clock Stoppers a Goomba is one of the three characters that appear when a team gets the clock hands matching the center one. Goombas appear as one of the contents of a can in Mario Can-Can. In Panic Pinball, Goombas appear on the top of the slot. When they are flattened by a pinball, they start the slots. Also, in Beach Volley Folley, the Goomba remains a referee.

Mario Party 6
The Goomba Orb makes a reappearance in Mario Party 6, but its function is different. If an opponent lands on the player's Goomba Orb space, the opponent must determine how many coins he or she has to give to the player by rolling a dice block. Goombas appear in the background in Thirsty Gulch. Goombas are one of the enemies featured in Odd Card Out, where players must guess which card is different from the other two. They also appear as part of the crowd in that minigame. Players have to take pictures with the most Goombas in Freeze Frame. In Trap Ease Artist, players capture Goombas or Gold Goombas to earn points. Goombas appear in the background in Sunday Drivers, Stage Fright, and Dunk Bros.. In Word Herd the lone player must direct Goombas away from the other three attacking players. Goombas appear in clean windows during the day in Clean Team. Goombas host Control Shtick. Goomba-shaped asteroids appear in Mass Meteor. The player has to rescue a Goomba in Lab Brats.

Mario Party Advance
In Mario Party Advance, a unique Goomba tasks the player with obtaining a Ticket and giving it to him. Goomba then gives the player the Gaddget Egg Roll when he is given the ticket. Goombas also appear in the minigame Floor It!, where the player must direct them to the correct floor. A Goomba serves as the referee for the minigame Volleybomb. Galoomba characters also appear, such as Goombob and Goombetty.

Mario Party 7
The Goomba Orb does not appear in this game. Goomba figures can be bought from the Duty-free Shop. A Goomba appears in the background in Big Dripper, where it is being chased by bees. Goombas appear in the background in Kart Wheeled, Dart Attack, Weight for It, and Light Speed. They host the minigame Clock Watchers. Goombas appear as one type of card in Cardinal Rule. Players have to ground-pound Goombas and a Gold Goomba in Royal Rumpus, but the Gold Goomba is worth more points and is more difficult to stomp. Goombas are one of the pictures players have to match in Spin Off.

Mario Party 8
Goomba has a board of its own, Goomba's Booty Boardwalk. Captain Goomba is the goal in this board. Other Goombas either hinder the player or help the player. Goombas appear in the background in Chump Rope, Swing Kings, Blazing Lassos, and Fruit Picker. Players have to shoot Goombas with paint in Paint Misbehavin' to win. In Lob to Rob, players hit Mushroom icons to gain points. Goomba pictures subtract points. Goombas chase the loser at the end of the minigame. Goombas help the player make a basket in Settle It in Court. Goombas appear as one of the nine rescue-able enemies in Specter Inspector. A Goomba is one of the racers in Moped Mayhem.

Mario Party DS
In Mario Party DS, the Goombas take a large role in various minigames that occurred during the event. One of the minigames they appear in is Goomba Wrangler where they are used as points. The players must capture them by circling them using the stylus to gain points. Goombas (referred to as Brown Goombas in the instructions) are worth one point and move slowly when the minigame starts. Golden Goombas are worth three points and move faster; they appear later during the minigame. More Goombas arrive in this very spot from the staircases as the time goes by. However, they can be deducted by circling a Bob-omb. Depending on the points the player receives, the player may lose the ordinary Goombas or the rare Golden Goombas at that time resulting in it being knocked out from the player's container.

A Goomba also appears in a minigame called Soccer Survival. A large Goomba is the goalie and shoots soccer balls at the players. The object of the game is to avoid the soccer balls that the Goomba kicks at the players.

Goombas also appear in another minigame Call of the Goomba where they are lured by the players; the more that are lured in, the more points the player earns. They appear in the middle of the field, and the players are on the edges. The Goombas can be lured by the players by using the music box to match the original music as close as possible. The closer the player is to the speed of the original song, the more likely the Goombas will go to the player. Once a Goomba is lured in, they cannot return to the center field.

In the minigame Plush Crush, the Goomba appears as a plush that uses one space during the minigame. The plush can be carried by a player's mechanical grabber. It can be used to try to block the solo player's paths or to defeat the player by dropping this plush.

In another minigame Double Vision, Goombas occasionally appear as one of the three trace drawings for the two players to complete. The two players have to work together to trace the creature, the players all have a different color for them to trace in certain parts of this drawing.

In the last minigame in appearance Shorty Scorers, wooden Goombas appear as a goalkeeper at both of the goals. They automatically move at the left and the right side. The goalkeeper's job is to try to block the ball the players try to get a goal.

Mario Party 9
In Mario Party 9 Goombas play a small role, being seen mostly in minigames. One such minigame is Goomba Bowling, where the player must toss a red Koopa Shell across a bridge to hit the Goombas. They also appear in Goomba Spotting and Goomba Village, the former involving counting the number of Goombas that pass by the player, and the latter involving trying to guess which Toad House contains the most Goombas. The Goomba also has its own constellation that can be bought in the museum, named "Ground Soldier." In Toad Road, random Goombas jump, looking at the vehicle.

Mario Party: Island Tour
Goombas reappear in Mario Party: Island Tour, in the minigame Git Along, Goomba, as obstacles that the player must lasso. They also appear as tiles in both of the minigames Match Faker and Tap Dash, appear in the minigame Starring Artist as one of the many constellations, and appear in a bubble in the minigame Spin the Bubble. They also appear in the AR Card Minigame Ka-Goomba!.

Mario Party 10
Goombas return again for a handful of minigames in Mario Party 10, generally appearing alongside the similar Galoomba and Goombrat in minigames where the player has to differentiate between the three in a certain way, such as Goomba Gallop and Goomba Gotcha.

Mario Party: Star Rush
In Mario Party: Star Rush, Goombas primarily appear in the minigame Goomba Guess, where the player must memorize their arrangement on a grid-like structure. They also appear as obstacles in the minigame Mega Goomba's Bad Dream, in which they move horizontally and occasionally trail the player closest to them, deducting one point from each player they come in contact with. Goomba-like cake structures also appear throughout much of the World 3 boards.

Super Mario Party
"I'll show you a place where you won't get stomped on all the time!"

- Goomba

A Goomba appears for the first time in the series as a playable character in Super Mario Party, reusing the Goombas' vocal effects from previous games. Goomba gains a special Dice Block of his own: the Goomba Dice Block. Goomba appears alongside Bowser, Bowser Jr., and their other minions in the opening scene, intent on becoming the Super Star of the party. Non-playable Goombas also appear in Chestnut Forest, the second area of the Challenge Road mode.

Super Smash Bros. Melee
Goombas have a minor role in Super Smash Bros. Melee. Very rarely, a Goomba emerges from a Party Ball or a Crate, instead of an item. The Goomba then walks around the stage, damaging fighters until being defeated. Goombas are also featured prominently in the first level of Adventure Mode, the Mushroom Kingdom. As in the traditional Mario games, Goombas in this game can be defeated by any stomp or simple attack. A Goomba trophy can also be collected in the game by completing Event Match #14: Trophy Tussle 1, the battle taking place on a giant Goomba trophy.

Super Smash Bros. Brawl
Goombas appear in the next game of the series, Super Smash Bros. Brawl. They play another small role as in the previous game. They try to get in the players' way by bumping into them, similar to their purpose in most Mario games. Most of these Goombas work for Bowser, and they help him steal the Banana Hoard, but some aid Tabuu in defense of The Great Maze. Giant Goombas, who are bigger, stronger versions of Goombas also make an appearance in the Subspace Emissary. A Goomba also appears in the form of a trophy. A Masterpiece based on Super Mario Bros., which features Goombas, is also featured in the game.

Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS
Goombas appear as enemies in the Smash Run mode exclusive to Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS. They attack by charging into the player and can be defeated by attacking them or with a single stomp. Big Goombas also once again appear as enemies in this mode. In both Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Super Smash Bros. for Wii U, a Goomba appears as a trophy, while the latter features Masterpieces based on both Super Mario Bros. and Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels, in which Goombas appear.

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
A Goomba appears in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate as a Novice-class Neutral-type primary spirit. It has two support slots and also grants the user a slight increase in the damage dealt with foot attacks. The spirit can be encountered in the Light Realm of World of Light. In the spirit battle, the player faces five tiny Donkey Kongs on the Battlefield form of the Mushroom Kingdom stage. A Goomba also appears on the River Survival spirit and is represented by Kirby in the battle.

Paper Mario
Goombas are a part of Bowser's army during his attempt to take the Mushroom Kingdom with the power of the Star Rod in the game Paper Mario. In his initial appearance, Goomboss (referred to by his title the Goomba King) commands a small group of mundane Goombas, Spiked Goombas and Paragoombas that reside along Goomba Road, the pathway between Goomba Village and Toad Town. His two loyal brother-henchmen, the Red & Blue Goomba Bros., appear in the game as well. Later, Mario encounters Gloombas, dark Goombas variants that live underground. These moldy creatures' affiliation with Bowser is unknown. Lastly, Hyper Goombas, green-colored Goombas similar to the Gu Goombas, are first seen in this game, along the trail of Gusty Gulch. These powerful Goombas can charge their attack power.

The regular brown Goombas in Paper Mario behave similarly to their counterparts in Super Mario 64. They patrol a small area, and upon seeing Mario, they can charge at him. In battle, Goombas attack by using the "Headbonk" technique. They jump in the air, then dive into Mario, bonking their head against him. This attack can be blocked by defending just as the Goomba's head touches Mario. If he is struck by the attack, Mario takes one HP of damage. At the beginning of the game, it requires two stomps or two Hammer strikes to defeat a Goomba (as Goombas only have two HP). However, after Mario learns how to use Action Commands, he only needs one timed attack to defeat one of them.

Although Goombas are normally fought at the beginning of the game, one Goomba can be fought much later than expected. At one point, Bowser asks Princess Peach what Mario fears most. One of Peach's choices is "A Goomba", and if she picks this, Kammy Koopa warps a Goomba to Shy Guy's Toy Box. Although Kammy expresses doubt that the Goomba will scare Mario away, she leaves the Goomba in charge of defending a Treasure Box. When Mario eventually arrived, the Goomba is quickly defeated by him.

Despite the majority presence of Goombas loyal to the Koopa Troop, Paper Mario notably features the first community of peaceful Goombas. This Goomba community is vital in defeating Bowser and freeing the Mushroom Kingdom. It is the family of Goombas (composed of Goompa, Gooma, Goompapa, Goomama, Goombaria, and Goombario) living in peaceful Goomba Village that first discovered Mario unconscious after the his initial defeat from Bowser. These Goombas nurse Mario back to full strength and provides him with a Hammer to fight the Koopa Troop. The family also allows Mario to take Goomnuts from their village; these nuts can be used by Mario to recover his FP. Goombario, a young Goomba and personal admirer of Mario, even joins the hero on his adventure. His Tattle ability is valuable, as he provides hints on how to defeat certain enemies. With Goombario's (among others) help, Mario is able to defeat Bowser and save the Mushroom Kingdom.

Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door
Mario runs into a number of Goombas in Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door. These Goombas live in a town known as Rogueport. Many of these Goombas are independent thieves, bandits, crooks, cheats, and "cleaners." These ones wear green or other colored hats, similar to the hat Link wears. Although not the best of company, these Goombas from Rogueport do not attack Mario. However, the Goombas that live in the Rogueport Sewers, Petal Meadows or in Riverside Station are very aggressive. Goombas behave just as their Paper Mario counterparts but are not as much of a threat, since Mario can perform Action Commands from the beginning of the game. They also appear as enemies in Bowser's platformer levels, where they run away if they spot Bowser. However, Bowser can still take damage from them upon contact. All these Goomba species featured previously in Paper Mario also return in this game.

Although a large number of either aggressive or simply seedy Goombas appear in the game, The Thousand-Year Door features two Goombas that aid Mario in his adventure. His first partner to do so is Goombella, a female college student from the University of Goom, a school for Goombas. She actually joins Mario on his quest to find the legendary treasure hidden beneath the town of Rogueport (as well as rescue Princess Peach, who has been captured by the X-Nauts). Her Goomba teacher, from Goomba University Professor Frankly, also helps Mario by interpreting the Magical Map, allowing him to find the next Crystal Star and continue his journey.

Super Paper Mario
Goombas appear in the game Super Paper Mario. In this adventure, Goombas are the first enemies to be battled. They are slightly less common then the Squiglets. Goombas also appear in the Flipside Pit of 100 Trials in rooms 2, 5, 14, and 46. Their HP is lowered to 1 in this game, but attack and defense stay the same from previous Paper Mario titles. Some of the Goombas in this game have the ability to Flip, just like Mario. This game also introduces Headbonk Goombas, which are throwbacks to the previous two Paper Mario games, as the Goombas' main attack is the Headbonk, and Dark Goombas, the dark versions of Goombas that appear in the Flopside Pit of 100 Trials.

Paper Mario: Sticker Star
Goombas reappear in the game Paper Mario: Sticker Star for the Nintendo 3DS, but their appearance is closer to that of the Goombas of the mainstream Mario games as opposed to the first three Paper Mario games; their feet are now brown instead of red, their eyebrows are no longer as thick as in the previous Paper Mario games, and they are a darker brown. However, as shown in early builds of this game, they were going to retain their past Paper Mario appearance with no changes.

In this game, regular Goombas are stronger and have more HP than their previous appearances, and are seen in Worlds 1, 2, 3, and 6, making them one of the most common enemies. Goombas can now turn into Paper-Cone Goombas, pointed Goombas that resemble paper airplanes and even fly toward Mario, and a 2-Fold Goomba. Goomba Wheel, Mural Goombas, and Shiny Goombas also debut in the game as well. Like in the first two Paper Mario games, the Goomba's only attack is by Headbonking Mario. If a Goomba's attack misses, it will roll over. Some Goombas fight alone, but they do aid Koopa Troopas, Buzzy Beetles, Spinies, Shy Guys, and Snifits. Some Goombas also hide in bushes and will try to ambush the player by jumping out of the bush.

A trio of Goombas are fought in Decalburg to demonstrate the sticker mechanic. These same Goombas also guard the first Comet Piece in the game. The Megasparkle Goomba, a Goomba who went insane from a Royal Sticker, serves as the first major boss of the game. There are also two Goombas that assist Kamek during his battle in Water's Edge Way.

Goombas can be beaten with a First Strike without engaging in combat with them once the player has one Royal Sticker.

Paper Mario: Color Splash
Goombas are recurring enemies in Paper Mario: Color Splash, although they are less common than Shy Guys in this game (in fact, the very first battle Mario has is against Shy Guys). They have the same appearance they had back in Paper Mario: Sticker Star. If Mario's hammer is powerful enough, Goombas can be defeated out of battle with a First Strike in order to not enter into a fight. Goombas also appear as NPCs in some levels such as The Golden Coliseum and the Sunset Express. A Goomba is the first-round opponent in Roshambo Temple #1.

Goomba Wheels return in Sacred Forest, but they are called "Small Goomba Wheels" as the level is tiny due to Kamek's magic. Small Goombas, Small Goomba Gangs, Mega Goombas, Paragoombas, and Accordion Goombas also appear.

Paper Mario: The Origami King
"We're the front line! That's proof that we're Lord Bowser's favorites. We always give 110 percent."

- Goomba

Goombas return in Paper Mario: The Origami King. Regular Goombas appear as supporting characters, while origami Goombas appear as enemies in a variety of areas. In battle, Goombas attack with a Headbonk move. If Mario blocks while having any Guard Plus accessories equipped, the Goombas' Headbonk move will deal no damage. Large Paper Macho Goombas also appear as enemies. Paragoombas, Bone Goombas, and Galoomba variants reappear.

When Mario lands in the dungeon of Peach's Castle, he meets a Goomba who claims he had never met Mario or a Toad before. However, this Goomba is later turned into a Folded Soldier and is the first one Mario must face on his adventure. On the path to Toad Town, Mario rescues a group of regular Goombas from Origami Goombas, who decide to hide in a house in Toad Town for the rest of the game. In Shangri-Spa, Goombas are among the minions being forced to do labor work to repay the damage from Bowser's Castle destroying the banquet hall.

Mario Kart series
Goombas have appeared in various Mario Kart games. They appear in several courses, acting as obstacles to racers and cause them to spin out if touched. In most games, if a Goomba is hit by an item, it drops a Mushroom on the track, giving a kart a speed boost when picked up. Goomboss from Super Mario 64 DS appears in Mario Kart DS as a boss in Mission Mode. In Mario Kart: Super Circuit, Goombas only appear in the audience when the player gets on the podium in a cup. Goombas and cardboard cut-outs of Goombas also appear in Mario Kart 7, with the former appearing in Mario Circuit, Piranha Plant Slide, Wii Mushroom Gorge and  Wii Koopa Cape. Goomba Towers appear at the end of Mario Circuit in Mario Kart 8 and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, and also replace the porcupines as obstacles in Yoshi Valley. A Goomba appears on the height requirement posters in the entrance to the Sub Coaster ride in Water Park in Mario Kart 8, as the height which the riders must be taller than. In Mario Kart Tour, Goombas reprise their role as obstacles in some courses and are the main focus of "Goomba Takedown" challenges, where they may appear in large formations. In this game, Goombas can be bowled over by simply driving into them, although this will also cause the driver to spin out like in other Mario Kart games unless they are invincible or under the effects of a Mega Mushroom. They can also be defeated by landing on them while gliding or after driving off a ramp, giving the driver a Jump Boost.

Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga / Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga + Bowser's Minions
"Dare to dream, Cap! We're all counting on you!"

- Goomba

A group of Goombas join Bowser as he attempts to track down Cackletta in Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga. These Goombas hold tutorial battles with Mario and Luigi in the Koopa Cruiser, who happens to join Bowser in his search for Cackletta (as she has stolen Princess Peach's voice). These Goombas are patrolling the halls of the cruiser or simply hiding in barrels. The Goombas engage in battles with the Mario Bros., to get some training before the Mario Bros. battle Fawful. In battle, a Goomba approaches either Mario or Luigi, somersaults towards him, then bites. This attack can be dodged by jumping after the Goomba opened its mouth. To counter the attack, Mario or Luigi would have to jump right when the Goomba's mouth opened. They each have 4 HP. The Goombas do not see much action after that, since the Koopa Cruiser is shot down by Fawful before Cackletta is engaged in combat.

Although traditional Goombas do not appear throughout the rest of the game, a number of variants are located in Beanbean Kingdom. The Tanoombas reside just north of Beanbean Castle Town. Another, known as the Gritty Goomba, lives in the Teehee Valley region, with their Elite variants residing in Gwarhar Lagoon. These Goombas are covered in bandages and have the ability to conjure sandstorms to distort opponents. The last Goomba of the Beanbean Kingdom is the Goomdiver; unlike most Goombas, they are found in the Oho Ocean Seabed and wear special scuba diving gear.

Goombas return in the remake of the game, Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga + Bowser's Minions. One of the first two Goombas that are encountered during Superstar Saga is retroactively revealed to be the future Captain Goomba. Goombas function in the same way as the original as enemies to Mario and Luigi, but now, they play a huge part in the major side story alongside the main Mario Bros. story, Minion Quest: The Search for Bowser, with the protagonist of the story being Captain Goomba, a young, upstart Goomba who leads the charge to rescue Bowser from the hands of Cackletta and Fawful. Goombas are Melee troopers, and attack by charging into enemies. Their Special Skill, Rocket Headbutt, allows them to give an opponent a headbutt. The button must be pressed as they hit the opponent in order to perform an excellent attack. Paragoombas, Big Tail Goombas, and Goomba Towers also appear as allies.

Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time
Goombas are weak enemies in Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time, encountered in Bowser's Castle while in the past. To attack, a Goomba slowly runs into the Mario Bros. This can be countered with a Jump defense. Goombas are sometimes aided in battle by Boos. Additionally, in the present-time events of Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time, Goombas appear in Peach's Castle Dungeon. These Goombas are slightly stronger, and they attack faster than the ones from Bowser's Castle. They are the only non-boss/mini-boss battles that can be fought in the present Mushroom Kingdom.

Other Goomba variants are featured in the game. The Tanoomba returns from Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga and appears in Thwomp Volcano. A variant of Tanoomba known as Tashrooba is battled in Shroob Castle.

Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story / Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story + Bowser Jr.'s Journey
Goombas return in Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story as one of Bowser's Special Attacks, Goomba Storm, where the player has to touch Goombas to light them on fire and send them upward. The enemy takes damage for each Goomba it is hit with. Fawful captures some Goombas and brainwashes them, while other ones are put in a cage in Dimble Wood. Bowser also encounters two new species, the Chuboombas, fat Goombas that carry lollipops, and Choombas, Goombas that resemble steam engine trains and gain speed in their charge, even after Bowser punches them. Also, another, similar species, called Goombules, are found inside Bowser. Jailgoons are living cage enemies containing either a Goomba or a Bob-omb.

The top screen of Mario and Luigi's Special Attacks tutorials show a Goomba being defeated by the Special Attack although no normal Goombas are fought; Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story is notable for being the only game in the Mario & Luigi series where regular Goombas do not appear as enemies.

Goombas return in Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story + Bowser Jr.'s Journey, where they additionally are found as enemies and recruitable allies in the Bowser Jr.'s Journey mode.

Mario & Luigi: Dream Team
Goombas reappear as enemies in Mario & Luigi: Dream Team, where they are found in Driftwood Shore. Unlike most other appearances, Goombas are encountered much later in the game. Like a select few enemies, Goombas do not appear on the field, and can only be fought by getting into a battle with a Fly Guy or Durapurl. In battle, Goombas charge at Mario and Luigi without pausing. If they look in Mario's direction and tilt back, they charge at Mario. If they look at Luigi's direction and tilt forward, they charge at Luigi. Mario and Luigi must avoid this attack by jumping over or on them. Goombas can cause the trip status effect if they hit Mario or Luigi.

Goombas attack in unison with Fly Guys differently depending on whether or not there are Goombas present on the battlefield. If there are not any Goombas present, a Fly Guy will fly high into the sky to reappear flying back into the battlefield from the background, now air-lifting a Goomba in its grip, who it will drop in line with Mario and Luigi from Mario's left for them both to charge one after another at Mario and Luigi. Dodging the Goomba requires Mario and Luigi to jump before it hits them. Dodging the Fly Guy requires Mario and Luigi to not jump into it while trying to dodge the Goomba, and to just idle as it goes by. This attack takes up the Fly Guy's attack turn.

If there is a Goomba present, a Fly Guy will pick up a nearby Goomba, fly above Mario or Luigi, and bomb the Goomba on them, which must be countered by smacking the Goomba with the hammer before it lands on the targeted Bro. Regardless of whether the former part of the attack was countered or not, if the Goomba was not defeated due to the counter-attack damage, it will then either run at the targeted Bro again or if the Goomba has stars around its head, it will charge into the Bro who was not originally targeted. The Goomba must then be hit with the hammer again. This attack takes up the Fly Guy's attack turn.

Goombas have weaker versions early in the game known as Grombas.

A stronger variation of Goombas called Goombas R appears later on in the game.

Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam
Goombas return in Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam as a basic enemy. Both Goombas and Paper Goombas appear. They are commonly found in the Sunbeam Plains, several are fought during the mission Final Smash in Neo Bowser Castle, and one is fought alongside a Paper Goomba, a Koopa Troopa and a Paper Koopa Troopa as one of Bowser's last lines of defense. The Goombas have a similar attack pattern to Goombules from Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story. One of the Battle Cards can possibly turn standard enemies into Goombas.

Goombas also appear during the final battle against Shiny RoboBowser. Aside from Shiny Paper Goombas occasionally appearing, regular Goombas appear during two of Bowser's attacks. When he chases the trio to the left, Goombas appear along the path and must be jumped over to avoid damage. They also appear during the Airplane Guard chase attack, where Goombas run at the Bros. in a horizontal line and must also be jumped over.

In addition to this, a crinkled Goomba appears as a recurring character. He serves as the first enemy fought in the game, the tutorial for Paper Mario's unique abilities and Battle Cards. The Crinkled Goomba serves as an ally and enemy to the Mario brothers, helping them on some occasions (such as outright giving the Mario brothers Battle Cards) while hindering them on others (such as stealing the medallion necessary to enter Bowser's Castle).

Mario Superstar Baseball
Goomba is a playable character in Mario Superstar Baseball for the first time, making use of a baseball bat and a glove which it levitates to make up for its lack of arms. Paragoomba is also a playable character in the game, and is shown to have a lower-pitched voice. Goomba has the Ball Dash ability, where it can run very fast and possibly tag any runners out when carrying the ball. Goomba is a balanced character with average running but is slightly weak in all the other stats. Goomba has good chemistry with Paragoomba, Diddy Kong and Monty Mole and shares no bad chemistry with any character.

Mario Super Sluggers
Both Goomba and Paragoomba return in Mario Super Sluggers, with slightly above average pitching and fielding abilities. However, Goomba seems to be slightly slower than it was in Mario Superstar Baseball. Goomba's Ball Dash ability returns in this game. Goomba now shares good chemistry with Koopa Troopa as well as Paragoomba and Monty Mole, but has bad chemistry with Toad, Toadette, and Toadsworth.

Super Princess Peach
In Super Princess Peach, Princess Peach has to fight the Koopa Troop while attempting to rescue Mario, Luigi, and Toads. In the game, Bowser has acquired the Vibe Scepter from Vibe Island, and he uses its power to attack Princess Peach's Castle. A lone Goomba leads an army of Hammer Bros. in an assault on the castle, using the power of the Vibe Scepter to debilitate the castle guards. The attack is successful, and Mario, Luigi, and multiple castle Toads are captured by the Hammer Bros. Fortunately, Princess Peach and her attendant Toadsworth escapes the assault. Princess Peach decides to rescue her friends, and she is given a magical umbrella named Perry to help her in her quest. Once again, Goombas, among other enemies, attempt to stop her in her travels around Vibe Island. She can throw the Goomba at another enemy, hit the Goomba with Perry, or have the umbrella eat the Goomba. Paragoombas, as well as Red Paragoombas, appear in the game as well. Princess Peach also battles with a number of emotional varieties of Goomba, all affected by the power of the Vibe Scepter (which is accidentally released across the island by the Goomba who leads the attack on Mushroom Castle). These emotional Goombas include the Mad Goomba, the Sad Goomba, the Sad Paragoomba, and the Mad Red Paragoomba.

Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games
Goombas appear in the Nintendo DS version of Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games as characters that need to be sorted in Conveyor Belt and as enemies that need to be hit in Shoot!.

Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games
Goombas appear as obstacles in Ski Cross Racing in the Nintendo DS version of Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games, where they slowly move across the course and cause players that hit them to lose speed. A single Goomba performing the same purpose appears at the end of the Deluxe Halfpipe course. They also appear as enemies in Ultimate Figure Skating, where they can be defeated using spin attacks in the spin sections of the Mario Medley and alongside Kikis in the Mario & Sonic Medley. Goombas act like pins in Curling Bowling, where the player must fully knock them down to score points. A sprite of a Goomba from Super Mario Bros. also appears on a screen in the background of the event.

In the Wii version of the game, Goombas appear in both the individual and team versions of Dream Ski Cross, where they slowly move around the course and cause any characters who hit them to fall over and lose speed. Several Goombas also appear in the first segment of the Mario World routine in Dream Figure Skating. In Dream Ice Hockey, Goombas occasionally appear on the rink and will knock over any characters that hit them. Goombas also appear in Dream Curling, where one appears as part of every frame and can be hit to score 5 bonus points. The Goombas are not included in the pin total for strikes and spares, though the points earned for them will be doubled if hit after scoring one.

Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games
A Goomba appears in the Story Mode of the Nintendo 3DS version of Mario & Sonic a the London 2012 Olympic Games, where one is first seen at the opening ceremony for the Olympic Games. In the bonus episodes, a Goomba encourages Bowser Jr. to defeat another of Dr. Eggman's robots after his initial victory, and they find Dr. Eggman and Metal Sonic at the Main Stadium. When Dr. Eggman sets some consequences for Bowser Jr. losing the match, Goomba unsuccessfully tries to dissuade him but congratulates Bowser Jr. when he wins and promises to tell Bowser. A Goomba also appears in the Wild Ones bonus episodes, where it notices that Bowser seems to be in a particularly bad mood after getting a bad introduction to London. Goomba then accompanies Bowser to challenge Donkey Kong at the Main Stadium, and then Knuckles and Vector at ExCeL London. When the other minions are unsuccessful in setting up a match with Mario for Bowser, Goomba is hesitantly transformed by Magikoopa to look like him and challenges Bowser in Tennis (Singles). After losing the match, Goomba is transformed back and celebrates with the other minions when Bowser's mood improves. A badge of Goomba can also be obtained from the badge machine.

Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games
A pair of Goomba sprites from Super Mario Bros. appear as character walls in Golf Plus in the Nintendo 3DS version of Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. In this event, they appear as obstacles that will block the ball but disappear when hit.

Mario Tennis Open
Although Goombas are not playable in Mario Tennis Open, their racket can be used by Miis. Additionally, a Goomba costume is available if the player unlocks 100 tennis gear items.

Mario Tennis Aces
While Goombas are not playable in Mario Tennis Aces, Paragoombas are seen as audience members in Marina Stadium as well as regular Goombas being passengers scurrying across the Snowfall Mountain court.

Mario Golf: World Tour
In Mario Golf: World Tour, Goombas appear as NPC characters in the Castle Club game mode. Their name can also appear on the tournament scoreboard, and their costume, ball, and golf clubs can be used by Miis.

Mario Golf: Super Rush
In Mario Golf: Super Rush, a horde of Goombas appears in Bonny Greens and Rookie Course as NPCs.

Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker
Goombas, regaining their traits from Super Mario 3D World, return as enemies in Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker and its Nintendo Switch and Nintendo 3DS ports. Goomba Towers and the Goombas in life preservers return.

Puzzle & Dragons: Super Mario Bros. Edition
Goombas appear as weak, common enemies in the puzzle and RPG hybrid called Puzzle & Dragons: Super Mario Bros. Edition. A Goomba's main attribute is the Wood type, which means its weakness is Fire while resisting Water. Its skill is Bash, where it can deal 10 damage to one foe. Its level cap is 25, lower than most enemies and allies in the game.

Mario Sports Superstars
Goombas appear as team members for soccer and baseball in Mario Sports Superstars, this being the third sports game in which Goombas are playable. Contrary to their appearances in the Mario Baseball series, they are classified as power-type characters. In soccer, Bone Goombas can also be selected. Goombas, alongside Bone Goombas, appear as enemies in the Road to Superstar mode of the game, where players need to clear them and other obstacles with sports equipment in order to progress through the mode.

Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle
Goombas appear in Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle as background characters in the Ancient Gardens. A group of Ziggies can also be seen sticking two Goombas together with honey during their introductory cutscene.

Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope
Goombas can be seen in the key artwork for Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope.

Dr. Mario World
Goombas debut in the Dr. Mario series in Dr. Mario World as assistants, being the first assistant the player receives after completing Stage 5 (Stage 20 prior to version 2.0.0), as well as being a reward after clearing the first area of World 25. Their Stage Mode skill increases the score by a percentage of the base score for up to 10% at the maximum level (rounded down), while their Versus Mode skill grants a chance that the attack meter will fill instantly if the opponent attacks, effectively counterattacking the opponent. In addition, a Goomba Tower appears as one of the playable doctors.

The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening


Goombas also appear as enemies in The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening, residing in various underground passages and dungeons on Koholint Island alongside Piranha Plants. Their only appearance outside of a side-scrolling area is throughout Eagle's Tower. Link can either jump on a Goomba to defeat it or slash it with his sword. When Link uses the Roc's Feather to jump on a Goomba, he receives a Recovery Heart. Unlike regular Goombas, these Goombas smile.

In the Nintendo Direct trailer for the Nintendo Switch remake, the Goombas' design is shown to be identical to their modern design in the Mario franchise, with a frowning expression. In the final release of the game, however, they were redesigned to more closely resemble their appearance in the original game, retaining their smiling expressions. The remake also features a collectible Goomba figure that can be won in the Trendy Game after clearing the Tail Cave and placed in Marin and Tarin's house. The text that appears upon acquiring the Goomba figure reads, "You got a Goomba figure! Try to resist the urge to jump on it."

Super Mario Chess
In Super Mario Chess, Goombas appear as rooks on Bowser's team.

Wii Fit series
8-bit Goombas appear in the jogging minigame in Wii Fit, where they are scattered throughout the island, along with some other Super Mario Bros. sprites. Although they serve mainly as scenery, in the Wii Fit Plus version of the minigame, at the end of the course, a question about what sprite the player saw may be asked.

Minecraft
In the Super Mario Mash-up in Minecraft, Chickens are replaced by Goombas. Both 3D and 2D pixel art of Goombas appear in the premade world.

Traits and abilities
"'Marching straight ahead into the enemy's feet!' Didn't you memorize that in Goomba boot camp?"

- Bowser

Goombas are a fungus-based species capable of speech. They resemble brown shiitake mushrooms (or chestnuts, hence their Japanese name) with two feet, but no arms. Goombas have large faces that occupy most of their mushroom caps, while their stems attach their heads to their feet. A defining feature are their black bushy eyebrows that form a scowl. They also have two upward-pointing fangs that sometimes resemble braces. Both Goombas and Toads are fungus-based, and both originated from the Mushroom Kingdom (although, as mentioned, the Goomba race betrayed their homeland many years ago).

Goombas are among the most basic enemies. They can typically be defeated with a single punch, stomp, or fireball attack, although in some games, they are a bit more resilient. When jumped on, Goombas usually flatten before being defeated. They are particularly weak against fire magic, as seen in Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars. Although Goombas are physically weak, they are very adaptable. Regular Goombas have been encountered in almost all types of terrain, while many variants have emerged well-suited for certain environments. Goombas cannot swim and drown instantly when they touch water.

Goombas' main form of attack is walking into their opponents. Rarely, a Goomba walks off a ledge and falls on its enemy. A Goomba's only real strength is that it works in large groups to attack an enemy. This forces the opponent to be much more cautious as he or she fights the group. In some games, Goombas have additional attacks such as biting and spitting thorns from their mouths in Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars. In the Mario & Luigi series, various Goombas attack by charging with a headbutt, biting, rolling, and kicking. In Paper Mario and Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, Goombas gain the ability to headbonk enemies, which also returns in Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga + Bowser's Minions.

While not as often as characters like Shy Guys, Goombas do occasionally use tools to aid them. Despite their lack of arms, Goombas are shown to be able to pick up and use various objects. In Super Mario Party, the playable Goomba is shown holding objects in its mouth and sometimes carries things on top of its head, such as a boomerang or Dice Block.

One part of technology the Goombas use is the parachute. The parachute allows a large number of Goombas to swarm enemy territory from the sky. Goombas using life preservers, and Goomdivers are equipped to adapt to water. Goombas have developed a number of tools to counter the jumping ability of the Mario Bros.: The Goomba's Shoe allows them to imitate Mario and Luigi, while the spiked hat seen in the Paper Mario series counters any jump attack (unless Mario is wearing a Spike Shield badge). Gritty Goombas have attached spears to their heads to counter stomp attacks as well.

Goombas are often thought of as one of the weakest members of the Koopa Troop. Goombas usually appear as enemies, but there can also be heroic Goombas, like Goombella and Goombario.

Etymology
The original Japanese name, Kuribo, translates to "Chestnut Boy", which was due to the designs looking more like chestnuts than shiitake mushrooms.

The name "Goomba" is phonetically similar to the Italian slang word "goombah". The term "goombah" originated from the Italian word "compare" (abbreviated as "compà") which literally means "friend" in South Italy and "member of a criminal gang" in North Italy. This term was used by South Italians in the USA to describe themselves (although the term has also emerged as a derogatory word used by North-Italians against South-Italians and by Americans against Italian-Americans).

The Hungarian word for mushroom is "gomba".

Related items

 * Goomba's Shoe (previously known as Kuribo's Shoe) - ''Super Mario Bros. 3
 * Goomnut - ''Paper Mario

Profiles and statistics
Most profiles mention that Goombas are among the lowliest and weakest creatures while also frequently stating they used to be peaceful members of the Mushroom Kingdom before turning traitorous and joining Bowser when he first attacked. Their stats are generally balanced, but on the low side.

Trivia

 * Goombas are the only enemies in the original Super Mario Bros. game to have two different "defeated" poses: one showing it being flattened after being stomped by Mario/Luigi, and the other simply being flipped upside-down. This has stuck in later games.
 * In both Super Mario Bros. and Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels, the odd-numbered world with a water level (World 7 in Super Mario Bros. and World 3 in The Lost Levels) has no Goombas. In VS. Super Mario Bros.'s version of World 7-1, the Buzzy Beetle on the end staircase leading to the flagpole is replaced with a Goomba, although much like in that game's version of World 3-1 (which had the Koopas on the end staircase all replaced with Goombas), this is most likely to prevent the player from potentially performing the infinite 1-Up trick.
 * Most friendly Goombas in the Paper Mario series tend to wear hats or other headgear of some sort.
 * Super Mario 64 DS, the Mario & Luigi series, and the Paper Mario series show Goombas resent their low social status as the first enemies to be stomped by Mario and Luigi. A figurine bio in Mario Party DS even states they dream of one day turning the tables on the red plumber.
 * A Goomba was a requested character for inclusion in Super Smash Bros. Melee.